The Return to Hogwarts

"Stop, Bane!"

Horn, panting heavily, got up from the ground and shouted at Bain to stop his reckless behavior.

“Mr. Blaine didn’t hurt me; he was my guest—”

An invited guest? The elder invited a shaman to visit the tribe and even allowed him into the temple?

Ferenze and Bain exchanged bewildered glances. Even if that was Amosta Blaine, a renowned wizard in the wizarding world, this was still incredibly unbelievable.

Horn glanced nervously at the somber-faced Amosta Blaine, and seeing that he showed no intention of intervening, he breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he gave a deep command.

"Frenzer, send all the tribesmen back. They are not allowed to enter the temple. I am discussing important matters with Mr. Blaine!"

The angry old centaur possessed a certain authority. Although the centaurs blocking the doorway were filled with worry and confusion, they had no choice but to obey the elder's orders and retreat down the steps one after another. Even Bain only glared at Amostella unwillingly before reluctantly leaving.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Blaine, these young ponies are just—”

"I'm the one who should apologize--"

Amostella interrupted Horn, his breathing much calmer, and strolled to the entrance of the underground passage. The black mud that had surged forth earlier hadn't completely submerged the centaur holy land, but the situation below probably wasn't much better.

"To be frank, this is the trouble I've caused you. Afterwards, I will help the centaurs rebuild your holy site—"

Amosta returned to the futon he had conjured earlier. He stared at the dark entrance to the underground cave beneath the wall, his gaze less sharp than usual, appearing somewhat vacant.

The Vanished Tablet of Fate. A mysterious object guarded by the centaurs for over a thousand years, it vanished after he touched it. Oh, it can't be said that it vanished; this mysterious tablet is now inside his body. Although he cannot perceive it and does not know why this happened, it has indeed entered his body.

This was undoubtedly something Merlin had planned or foreseen long ago; the legendary archmage was indeed able to see through the secrets of the future.

But most importantly, in the starry sky, there is your way home.

These words sent chills down Amosta's spine!

It was obvious that this was a revelation left to him by Merlin, not to Horn. Amosta had always had a premonition that this series of events was related to his identity as a time traveler, and tonight's events, with that revelation, undoubtedly provided evidence for this conjecture.

The journey home. What does that mean? Does it mean he has a chance to return to Earth from his previous life?!

And after the clay tablet entered his body, a door suddenly flashed into his mind. It was the same material as the clay tablet, an incomparably majestic and mysterious door that exuded indescribable mystery. He was wearing his clothes from his previous life. It seemed that he was in a soul state, passing through that door. Where was that door? When did that happen? Amosta had no memory of any of it!

Ever since realizing he had traveled to the magical world of Harry Potter, Amosta spent a considerable amount of time trying to recall the plot, but no matter how hard he tried, those memories remained hidden in a flowing gray mist.

He remembered many things from his past life, but the memories related to the plot were the cleanest. Amosta had a guess about this. He thought it was most likely the work of the ethereal yet real world will. However, judging from the current situation, this was not the case. It was highly likely that his memories had been tampered with!

Is it Merlin?

But that doesn't make sense. He's only been alive for a little over twenty years, while Merlin disappeared over a thousand years ago. Unless, Merlin never died and has been lurking all along?

Mr. Blaine

Amostella's increasingly heavy breathing and ever-changing expression did not escape the notice of the old horseman, Horn. The events that had just occurred had also left him with considerable doubts. He tentatively inquired, and then his voice startled Amostella Blaine from his reverie. The renowned young wizard abruptly looked up, his chilling gaze fixed on him, a silent killing intent swirling within him!

This overwhelming sense of impending doom stunned the old man, rendering him immobile. Amosta only recovered after a few seconds; he rubbed his temples and sighed softly.

"I'm sorry, Horn, I was just thinking about something. Um, it's like this—"

Amostella slowly stood up, and to Horn's horrified gaze, a wand appeared in Amostella Blaine's palm.

"You surely understand that what just happened in the secret room is extremely important to me and cannot be known by anyone else, so..."

Chapter 646 Mercy

2023-12-13

In the dim temple, a phantom-like chain, wreathed in golden flames, left the tip of Amosta's staff and swiftly pierced into Horn's stiff brain. In his daze, Horn seemed to hear a crisp 'click,' like a sturdy lock snapping shut.

"This is a very important matter, I have no choice but to do it—"

Amosta's wand slowly fell, and she spoke in an apologetic tone.

"I have sealed your memory of what just happened. As long as you don't mention this memory to anyone, there won't be any problems."

Amosta Blaine didn't explicitly say what would happen if it were brought up, but Horn couldn't be unaware that the most likely outcome would be death. Anger and sorrow were useless; after a long silence, Horn slowly nodded, indicating that he understood.

"That's good--"

Amusta sighed in relief. He looked out the door; the night was pitch black and incredibly oppressive, while the treetops swaying wildly in the howling wind added a touch of eeriness to the chilly night.

"That's good. Then, regarding the centaurs accepting druids to live in the Forbidden Forest, this is also a significant matter, especially considering its potential long-term risks to Hogwarts."

Horn remained silent, his aged face etched with helplessness. No matter what absolute measures Amostrath Blaine took, the centaurs had no chance of resistance. This man was not Albus Dumbledore; he wouldn't.

"Therefore, I cannot act unilaterally. I must call Dumbledore over and listen to his opinion. After all, he is the headmaster of Hogwarts."

Horn stared at Amostra blinking in surprise, thinking that Amostra Blaine was determined to sweep the druids out of the Forbidden Forest.

A hazy silver light shot from the tip of the staff into the boundless night. This relieved Amostah once again; his Guardian Angel was still functioning normally and had not suffered any damage.

Although the centaurs in the tribe obeyed Horn's orders and returned to their rooms, none of them could relax. Amosta could sense that tense eyes were peering through the cracks in the closed doors of each room.

"--By the way, how did those druids from the secret realm get into the Forbidden Forest?"

Amosta, who was standing at the doorway in the cold wind, suddenly turned his head and asked,

"I mean, isn't it no easy task for hundreds of people to enter the Forbidden Forest silently without being detected by a single person?"

“They used a teleportation array,” Horn’s voice was muffled, sounding rather displeased. “It’s an ancient way of teleporting, similar to a wizard’s Apparition or a Portkey.”

boom!

A brilliant burst of fire dispelled the abyss of darkness, and Dumbledore, dressed in a purple silk nightgown, emerged from the flames of Fawkes. His azure eyes surveyed the surroundings, he nodded to Amostella, and smiled at the centaur elders in the hall.

"Good evening, Horn. Oh my god, you look so much older. How long has it been since we last met? Fifty years?"

"Not long, Professor Dumbledore—"

After Dumbledore appeared, Horn seemed much more confident. He finally puffed out his chest and tapped the floor with his hooves.

"Have you forgotten? When that wizard, whose name we can't even mention, was at his most active, you came to me hoping that the centaurs could join the fight against him."

"Ah, I remember now—"

"Dumbledore said cheerfully,"

"It was a frank exchange. You told me that centaurs would never get involved in the wizarding wars, and that if Voldemort came knocking, you could fight him with your own strength. Fortunately, Harry Potter thwarted Voldemort's plot, and the situation didn't deteriorate to that extent—"

Horn's lips twitched; it sensed the sarcasm in Dumbledore's words.

"--I just happened to go downstairs to get some chocolate milk, and then I noticed the change in magic at the centaur tribe's place. I was hesitating whether to come and check it out when I received your message."

Dumbledore looked at Amos Tower and noticed that although Amos Tower appeared no different from usual, a deep worry lingered in his eyes.

"What's wrong, Amosta? What happened?"

“That’s how it is—” Amostella turned and walked into the temple, coming to stand before Dumbledore.

“There are some things I think you need to know, Headmaster, our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. I mean, Vitia Kriona has reached an agreement with our neighbors. The centaurs have found a place in the Forbidden Forest, the very place where the Greyback werewolf tribe lives, and have established a secluded sanctuary there. Miss Kriona has made it the new home for her druid followers—”

Even though Dumbledore had seen countless storms in his life, he was so shocked by Amosta's revelation that he was speechless for more than ten seconds.

“That’s amazing, Horn—”

Having processed the multiple layers of meaning behind this matter, Dumbledore looked at Horn and said, "I always thought centaurs didn't like to interact with all humans, so you just don't like communicating with me?"

"That's not the same thing, Dumbledore!"

Horn glanced at Amosta and said irritably.

"What is your stance, Headmaster Dumbledore?"

Amosta asked,

"Regarding the group of druids who moved into the forest, should we wait some time before expelling them, or should we ignore them?"

In any case, it would be inappropriate to immediately expel the Druids from the Forbidden Forest, whether from a humanitarian perspective or from Amosta's own plans. They wanted to allow Clona to continue to remain hidden at Hogwarts.

"Can you take me to see them?"

Dumbledore clearly understood the risks of leaving the Druids in the Forbidden Forest. These people were Creona's men. Would they follow Voldemort and cause trouble in the wizarding world after his return, or would they bring trouble they didn't have to face?

“If you insist, Professor Dumbledore—” the centaur walked toward the door, “I’ll have Frenzer bring the keys; we must—”

"No need to go to so much trouble."

Amostella glanced at Fawkes, who was hovering on the beam. The clever Fawkes immediately spread its wings and took flight, a burst of colorful firelight enveloping the few people in the temple. After a crisp cry, there was no one left in the temple.

"Ah, I think I've found it--"

A moment later, Dumbledore, Amosta, and the centaur elder Horn appeared in the deep forest. The three of them landed on the ground. After landing, Dumbledore's penetrating blue eyes quickly locked onto the space under the collapsed log. He lifted the hem of his dressing robe and nimbly leaped over several vines to reach the log.

Fawkes landed on Dumbledore's shoulder, tilting its head and blinking its ruby-like eyes a few times. Suddenly, it flapped its wings, scattering a burst of brilliant light forward. The aurora-like, dazzling light intertwined in mid-air, forming a circular portal, revealing the scene within the secret realm.

Dumbledore did not step through the door into the secret realm. He simply stood outside, his face solemn, silently observing the world within. He gazed at the enormous oak tree with its treehouses perched on its branches, at the druids drawing life energy from the void, and at the children playing and laughing through the fairytale-like forest.

"Oh--"

Amosta and Horn remained silent, awaiting Dumbledore's decision. About ten minutes later, Dumbledore suddenly looked at Amosta and said gently,

I believe they are safe—

Horn immediately breathed a sigh of relief, while Amosta wasn't particularly surprised by Dumbledore's reaction; he remained silent for a moment.

"You mean, you're allowing them to live in the Forbidden Forest?"

“I think there’s nothing wrong with it, Amosta—”

Dumbledore seemed to be deep in thought.