Chapter 339 The Divided Centaurs
The dark red moon shone through layers of dark clouds, exuding magnificence and prestige.
The shadows of the clouds were scattered, and the moon shone upon the ancient and mysterious Temple below. This enormous Temple, built by the Centaurs, appeared like a shadow among the clouds as it stood there within the mist, looking extraordinarily calm and solemn, and radiating an invisible pressure.
Evan was stunned and captivated by the scene before his eyes.
It was almost inconceivable that such astonishing architecture and civilization could be hidden in the depths of the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts.
Behind him, Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed him out of the forest, unable to help but exclaim, impressed by the incredible buildings in front of them.
Their gazes wandered over the Centaurs' wooden provided cabins, finally settling on the massive, dark, and impenetrable Temple on the central island of the colony.
"I never thought the Centaur colony would be like this," said Harry surprised. "I thought it would be just a few simple huts..."
"It goes beyond everyone's imagination!" Ron continued in admiration.
"The Centaurs have a unique civilization, even their own cities," whispered Hermione. "Only today do I truly understand the meaning of this phrase."
For the Centaur colony in front of them, it was not hyperbolic to use any kind of praise.
The Centaurs with bows and arrows on their backs emerged from the Forbidden Forest one by one and looked proudly at the expressions of Evan, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The children's surprise was very satisfying to them.
"It's much larger than it was twenty years ago. There weren't as many cabins back then," Sirius smiled and said, "The temple on the central island was built by the Centaurs' ancestors and is the holiest place among the Centaur colony. It has been here for centuries and holds many stars and the souls of the Centaurs' ancestors."
"Is Gryffindor's item kept there?" Evan asked.
"Yes, this is also the final destination of our journey," Sirius leaned in, his smile fading. He lowered his voice and said, "When you enter the temple later, if you see anything strange, do not ask about it; do not touch it. The Centaurs have unique customs and unusual magic. There are many evils and dangers there. We must respect them and maintain necessary vigilance..."
"Strange customs?!" Everyone was astounded.
Seeing Sirius's sincere expression, many dreadful scenarios sprang to their minds.
"I went to Egypt last summer and saw these kinds of things in those huge pyramids," Ron whispered. "All sorts of curses and the mummies created by ancient Egyptian wizards who wrapped the bodies of the dead pharaoh in layers of fabric, stuffed with magical objects and strange curses."
Needless to say, this was another attempt by ancient wizards to attain eternal life. Evan didn't know if the famous pharaohs in history had finally returned to the world, but the malevolent dark magic that was definitely brewing caused headaches to everyone.
So, would it be the same for the Centaurs?
Would they, perhaps, mummify all the bodies of their ancestors and preserve them properly, hoping that the deceased would return someday from the abyss of the underworld?!
Looking at the Centaurs around him, Evan could never imagine they would do such a thing. In his opinion, the Centaurs' civilization, though astonishingly advanced, was still in a relatively primitive clan state, and Evan was more inclined to believe there would be a sanctuary for one of their ancestors or some particular god.
"Do the Centaurs also make mummies?" Harry asked.
"Of course not. This is not Egypt. The Centaurs are natives of ancient Greece!" Hermione said. "That was the pinnacle of power for ancient sorcerers. Their customs may be related to this aspect, but we will have to see what they actually are."
They spoke in hushed tones, but Firenze, standing nearby, overheard.
"Not like human wizards, we do not disdain the bodies and souls of our ancestors," he approached and said softly. "The Centaurs now believe in the power of the stars, and the planets give us omens, but centuries ago, we were not like this."
"How were you back then?" Evan inquired.
Such a direct inquiry into the history of the Centaurs seemed impolite, but Firenze was not bothered. He blinked his deep blue eyes.
"I have told you before that the powerful magical object the Castle's Founder kept within the tribe was incomplete and split with the division among the Centaurs," Firenze turned to Evan and said tenderly. "We have not fulfilled our original vows. For centuries, the elders have been blaming themselves for this."
"What happened then, and why did they separate?" Evan asked. "I have consulted many books on the history of magic, and I have not seen any records of it."
"The history of the Centaurs will not be found in human books. We do not trust humans," Firenze looked up at the dark red moon hanging over the temple and said slowly. "Our ancestors made a grave mistake. They believed in a dark, malevolent god."
"A dark, malevolent god?!" everyone was astonished to hear his words.
As it was long ago, it is now difficult for the Centaurs to know whether the god stems from ancient mythology or was an invention of our ancestors," Firenze leaned forward and said in an almost whispering tone. "No one knows its name, where it comes from. We call it the God of the Forest. It speaks to us in the void, demands sacrifices, and leads us to prosperity."
This sounded familiar, like the eye monster asking the Acromantulas to do the same for it, ruthless and wicked. Were it not for the timing, Evan might even suspect that the God of the Forest that suddenly appeared was a monster from the depths of the Earth.
"The so-called prosperity, in essence, is destruction. Because of this, there have been endless wars within the Centaurs. Finally, under the guidance of the stars, our ancestors prevailed, but the vast tribe split," Firenze whispered. "Those who believed in evil spirits were exiled from the tribe, most of whom were high-ranking Centaurs. They took many things with them when they left, including a part of the powerful magical object that the Castle's Founder had left in the tribe."
Silence fell, and everyone was immersed in what Firenze had recounted. The Centaurs had been overlooked by the world of wizards. Wizards looked down on them. There was little communication between them. People only knew that the Centaurs lived somewhere, nothing more.
No one could imagine this happening to the Centaurs in the Forbidden Forest of Hogwarts.
Evan shook his head. Was this the Harry Potter world he knew?
What had happened in recent months was simply inconceivable. Originally, he wanted to follow the trail of the Secret Treasures left by the Four Founders, but his findings were becoming increasingly staggering. One after another, ancient powerful dark wizards and wicked creatures emerged before him.
The more secrets he uncovered, the more he felt the true horror of this world.