Hogwarts: Harry Returns from Azeroth

Chapter 48. Dumbledore's attempt and Malfoy's crying
"Then even the Magical Creatures Protection Act allows wizards to kill magical creatures if they are attacked or are likely to be attacked," Harry said seriously, "Just like if I kill a few trolls or poisonous horned beasts in the Forbidden Forest today, no one will bother me for it."

"Oh, Harry, don't underestimate trolls or Erumpents. They are very dangerous and not so easy to kill," Hagrid made a professional comment.

"Is this the time to talk about this? Hagrid!" Professor McGonagall was going crazy. "This is not just killing a few slugs or birds in Potions class, this is killing dozens of centaurs!!"

"If you don't want to, you can expel them, but you must make sure the centaurs leave the Forbidden Forest, or at least keep them away from Hogwarts," Harry said regretfully, "I don't think you would like to see the centaurs' arrows stuck in the little wizard's heart."

Professor McGonagall gasped - she had even imagined the image Harry was talking about.

What Harry said was right. Professor McGonagall was somewhat convinced. After all, she knew very well what the centaurs did.

Professor McGonagall turned her gaze to Dumbledore.

To be honest, Professor McGonagall didn't have any good feelings towards the centaurs in the Forbidden Forest. Compared with the safety of her students, the centaurs were insignificant.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Suddenly, a violent cough attracted the attention of several people. When Harry and his friends looked towards the source of the sound, they saw a centaur with platinum hair trying hard to get up from the ground, but he was unable to do so because of the dizziness in his body.

To be fair, the horseman's coat color is quite nice, with a light golden body similar to that of a silver-maned horse.

"Centaurs...Centaurs won't hurt foals," the centaur panted.

To be honest, his condition at the moment was not very good. After all, he was knocked unconscious twice.

"Fir Endy?" Hagrid seemed to recognize the centaur.

"It's Firenze," the centaur shook his head. He finally got up from the ground and said breathlessly, "Mars is exceptionally bright tonight."

"Oh my God! It's the same thing again!" Hagrid covered his eyes. "Harry, bear with it."

"Mars means struggle, Hagrid," Dumbledore whispered. "It symbolizes action, desire, impulse, and violence - I suppose he means that the centaurs foresaw what happened tonight?"

Firenze nodded, then shook his head.

"Mars is getting brighter and brighter," Firenze said, "so everyone is very uneasy, especially since there are still people in the castle..."

Firenze did not finish his words, but from the look on Dumbledore's face, he undoubtedly understood what Firenze was saying.

"The centaurs have lived in the Forbidden Forest for many years, Harry," Dumbledore looked at Harry and said, "This has become the land where they have lived for generations. I think it is a very cruel thing to expel them from the Forbidden Forest. What do you think?"

"You are the headmaster of Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore," Harry said calmly, "It is your responsibility to protect the safety of the little wizards, not mine - you are also responsible for their parents."

"It's a shame for centaurs to hurt the foal!" Firenze looked a little angry, and he pawed the soil with his front hooves anxiously.

"It's obvious that you can't do it," Harry said bluntly, "especially the one... Is it called Bane? He first expressed his hostility in an angry manner, and then when the fight started, the other centaurs also attacked me. It's obvious that we are all the same on the battlefield. We only have the enemy in our eyes."

"I thought you centaurs wouldn't care about so-called foals when you consider wizards your enemies."

"Bane... Bane is just a little irritable..." Firenze looked even more annoyed. He wanted to defend Bane, but his conscience prevented him from telling lies.

"Let's move the tribe deeper into the Forbidden Forest," Dumbledore said to Firenze. "When Tamsa wakes up, tell him that this is my decision. The centaurs should not threaten any young wizard. Bane has crossed the line."

"...I understand." Firenze lowered his head in frustration.

Dumbledore's stance was undoubtedly on the side of wizards, but he did remain kind to the centaurs.

No choice was chosen to eliminate this branch of the Forbidden Forest Centaurs, nor were they driven out of the Forbidden Forest.

In order to avoid causing greater stimulation to the centaurs who were awakening later, Dumbledore took Harry and others away from the centaur tribe.

Newt did take out enough medicine from his box and left it for the centaurs.

"Can I ask you to take Newt and Hagrid back first, Minerva?" Dumbledore said leisurely, "As the headmaster, I allow you to use Apparition within the scope of Hogwarts tonight."

"...Okay." Although it seemed that she had a lot to say to Harry, after looking at Harry deeply, Professor McGonagall agreed.

Hagrid couldn't help but look at Harry worriedly, and Newt blinked, but they had no objection to Dumbledore's arrangement. They just reached out and grabbed Professor McGonagall's arm, and the next second, the three of them Apparated away.

"You should not mind taking a walk with a boring old man like me, right? Harry?" Dumbledore looked away and asked Harry.

"Of course not, Headmaster Dumbledore." Harry shook his head, and the two of them walked on the path in the Forbidden Forest. "I think you probably have a lot of things you want to ask me."

"Ah, yes." Dumbledore nodded. "For example, the totem you are carrying on your back now. I noticed that there seems to be a new kind of text on it."

"That's Minotaur, Headmaster." Harry didn't mean to hide anything, but said directly, "It records my past."

"...I have imagined countless exchanges between us, Harry." Dumbledore suddenly stopped and looked back at Harry, his eyes flashing with surprise, "but I never thought it would be so... frank."

"I am walking on the right path and not doing anything evil or filthy, so I am not afraid to be honest with others," Harry said calmly, "I know what you are worried about, Headmaster Dumbledore - you are worried about my attitude towards those centaurs."

"...Unexpectedly sharp, Harry." Dumbledore nodded, acknowledging Harry's words. "Can you let me see it?"

Harry reached out and untied the totem on his back, and placed it on the ground.

"Oh, just by looking at the blood on it, I can imagine that you had a great battle tonight." Dumbledore walked around the totem pole and examined it carefully. He joked, "To be honest, for a child, death is a little too bland in your words."

"That's probably because I'm more than just a child," Harry replied simply.

Dumbledore paused.

"The pattern at the bottom...if I'm not mistaken, it should be Hogwarts?" Dumbledore said softly.

"Yes, Headmaster," Harry said, staring at the totem, "As I said, it records my past."

"So, the hatred and disgust that you inadvertently revealed towards the centaurs... is also because of your past?" Dumbledore reached out and stroked a pattern on the totem.

It seemed to be a bloody battlefield. A tiny man, surrounded by a group of creatures with horns, cut off the head of a creature with a human body and a horse body with a scimitar. He seemed to be roaring to the sky.

"Ah, that's my glorious past," Harry said proudly as he stared at the pattern.

"Because of magic?" Dumbledore asked suddenly.

The question was sudden and out of nowhere, but Harry knew what he was asking.

"Maybe it was magic, I don't know" Harry shook his head, "but I definitely had an experience that others could never imagine."

"Well," Dumbledore sighed deeply, "Magic, magical magic... I only have one request of you, Harry."

"Please go ahead, Headmaster Dumbledore."

"I hope you can distinguish the past from the present." Dumbledore stared into Harry's eyes. He patted the pattern on the totem and said, "Just like the centaurs in the Forbidden Forest, they are not the kind you are familiar with - I don't know what they are."

"They have some similarities, Headmaster Dumbledore," Harry said softly, "whether it's their appearance or their personality, or what they do - the most important thing is that I can't stand their attitude towards divination, which is my insistence as a professional shaman."

"But I promise you, Headmaster Dumbledore," Harry said sincerely.

"Aha, if that's the case, I really hope you won't be angry when you hear Sybil's divination - to be honest, I think Minerva has accumulated a lot of anger on you." Dumbledore suddenly laughed. "Sybil... is the professor of Divination at the school?" Harry asked: "Hagrid doesn't seem to have a good impression of her, is she another liar?"

"Oh, Harry, don't be so arbitrary, especially since you haven't met Sybil yet. I think she has real abilities." Dumbledore shook his head repeatedly and said, "You can't judge a person based on their indirect words. That often leads to a lot of mistakes. Well, I think we should go. Minerva and the others must be waiting anxiously."

"That's all?" Harry tilted his head. "I thought you would have a lot of questions to ask me."

"No, I just need to make sure you are on the right path, Harry. I think that's what my first half of life has taught me." Dumbledore patted Harry on the shoulder and said, "Hold my arm and don't let go."

It was as if he had been through a rubber tube, a feeling of being restrained all over his body - when Harry stood on the ground again, he saw the familiar Hogwarts Castle again, with a feeling of discomfort in his stomach.

Professor McGonagall, Newt and Hagrid had been waiting here for a long time.

"I'm sorry, Hagrid," Harry walked up to Hagrid and hugged him, "I'm sorry that you got hurt, and your clothes are ruined... What style do you like? I think you need a new set of clothes."

"Oh no, Harry, I don't want your stuff." Patting the holes on his body, Hagrid said cheerfully, "You know, I've wanted to beat up those centaurs for a long time, especially every time I hear them say 'our forbidden forest'. Well, today is indeed a good day."

"I thought you were friends" Harry laughed.

"If they really think I am," Hagrid shrugged. "But it's more of just helping each other out. You know, after all, we always run into each other in the woods."

"Helpful friends," Harry nodded, "But I think we are real friends, don't you?"

"Of course, Harry!" cried Hagrid.

"Since you are a true friend, don't refuse my gift. What do you think of a suit? I think you will look very impressive in it." Harry looked Hagrid up and down. "Change to a different style?"

"Suit?" Hagrid was stunned for a moment, and imagined himself wearing a suit in his head, "Do you think it suits me?"

"It's always good to give it a try," Harry said with a smile, "I'll ask Madam Malkin to make a suit that's particularly sturdy and suits your temperament."

"Well... I mean, thank you," Hagrid rubbed his head and grinned.

"You're welcome," Harry said, patting Hagrid's leg, then looked at Newt, "I'm sorry, Newt, for putting you in danger... especially since you're a guest of the Centaur tribe."

"Uh, don't worry about it, kid." Newt turned his head and whispered awkwardly, "It was just a fight, which is very normal among magical creatures. I checked and they are all fine."

When it comes to anything other than magical creatures, Newt is always so... withdrawn.

"Well, if you really feel bad, tell me more about the pattern on your totem. I noticed that there seem to be some unknown magical animals on it," Newt said after thinking for a while.

"Of course you can," Harry said with a smile, "but you may not be able to find similar creatures in this world. Just treat it as a story."

"That's not bad either."

Although Hagrid and Newt didn't mind, Harry did feel that he had put them in danger and was quite apologetic.

"I didn't expect that just a detention would cause such a big fuss." Walking over to Dumbledore, who was looking at Harry and the others with a cheerful look, Professor McGonagall sighed and said, "This child is really...capable of making a big fuss."

"Very interesting, isn't it?" Dumbledore said with a smile.

"Interesting?" Professor McGonagall couldn't help but say, "I just hope he can stay quiet for a while."

"Ah, maybe I'm too old." Dumbledore turned and walked towards the castle, saying: "...I really hope Harry can bring a new vitality to Hogwarts."

"Too old?" Following Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall's voice became smaller and smaller as the two walked away. "If I saw correctly in your office just now, the report I gave you is still on the table untouched... You can't rest yet, Professor Dumbledore."

"Oh, please forgive me, Minerva..."

..............................

It was already late, so Harry didn't stay with Hagrid for long.

His punishment was over - well, if it could be called a punishment.

Anyway, according to Newt, Dumbledore wanted to ask him to do something, so he would stay with Hagrid for the next few days.

Newt also invited Harry to come over and play when he was free tomorrow... and kept the secret of his suitcase until tomorrow.

Although Harry had already seen that the box had been cast with a traceless extension charm, he still hated people who kept things in suspense.

Harry packed up the totem when he left Hagrid's hut. After all, as a display for the first Shaman Club class next week, it would be better to keep a little surprise, so it was not too eye-catching.

By the time Harry returned to the castle, it was almost twelve o'clock.

But he could say responsibly that the entire Hogwarts Castle was very...lively tonight.

Because on the way back, Harry met more than one group of students who had just finished detention.

This makes the castle, which usually has a curfew at night, more lively.

A kind of exhausted vitality - the brutal confinement seemed to have taken away all the energy of these students, and they even walked with the help of the wall.

While complaining loudly, the students cursed Filch or Snape... Even Professor Sprout couldn't escape, because the detention she arranged for tonight was to shovel dragon poop, and no magic was allowed.

But among all the complaints, the most were related to Snape.

There is no doubt that Snape had a great time tonight - to be honest, Harry couldn't even imagine how miserable Ron must have been tonight.

Complaints, complaints, and crying—wait, crying?

Isn't it?

Harry looked at it carefully, feeling a little amused and then became serious.

Following the sound through the corridor on the first floor to the opposite side of the courtyard, Harry saw a familiar white-blond hair as soon as he turned the corner.

Is it Malfoy?

Is Malfoy the one crying?

"That's enough, Malfoy!" a boy said disgustedly, "It's all because of you that we Slytherins have lost face!"

"That's right! You are such a disgrace to Slytherin! You even peed your pants in front of so many people!"

"The shame of the purebloods!!"

There were sounds coming one after another, and Malfoy's roar.

"I'm not!!" Draco Malfoy cried out in a tearful voice, "You bastards, I'm going to write a letter to my dad!"

There was a burst of laughter.

Harry's expression was somewhat subtle. On the one hand, he didn't expect Malfoy's living environment in Slytherin had become so bad. On the other hand, he didn't expect that a few weeks after school started, Malfoy would still talk about his father all the time.

(End of this chapter)