Capítulo 52: The Story of the Centaurs
Upon uttering that name, Firenze's expression became grotesquely distorted, yet his eyes gradually cleared.
Tver quickly interjected, "No need to say more!" He intensified his control to calm the centaur.
Here's a bit of trivia about the Imperius Curse. The control it exerts depends on the capabilities of the caster and the controled. For instance, Dumbledore could easily control Harry, but the reverse would not be possible.
However, there's an exception; it cannot severely contradict the controled's will, as strong emotional turbulence can disrupt and break the control of the Imperius Curse. But this is generally true only when the caster and subject are closely matched in strength. For someone like Harry, breaking free from an Imperius Curse would be impossible under normal circumstances.
Therefore, Tver was curious. How could the mere mention of a name almost allow Firenze to break through a significant layer of power and escape his Imperius Curse?
The name Helga Hufflepuff was known to anyone familiar with Hogwarts. Even if not the first name, the surname is thunderously renowned in the wizarding world.
The four houses of Hogwarts are named after its four founders, one of whom is Helga Hufflepuff. Known for her modesty, Lady Helga is most famously associated with her culinary magic; the kitchens of Hogwarts are her masterpiece.
But few know that she was actually a master herbalist, and her food magic was likely just a sideline hobby developed during her herbal studies. After all, it's natural for a master of herbology to care whether herbs are tasty or not!
According to Firenze, if the Extension Charm in the Forbidden Forest was cast by Helga Hufflepuff...
Is she the one hidden in its depths? Did she also create that badge? And could it be that this figure from a millennium ago is still alive?
Eternal life is not unknown in the magical world; the Philosopher's Stone and Horcruxes both offer means to achieve it. For a founder, accomplishing this wouldn't be unimaginable.
Unable to suppress his curiosity any longer, Tver carefully manipulated Firenze, gently coaxing him to reveal more about Helga and the centaurs—
A thousand years ago, after wizards obtained wands, their power increased significantly, and they began encroaching on the habitats of other magical creatures.
The centaurs, who lived on the plains, were the first to be impacted. Though the centaurs were strong, the wizards were stronger and far more numerous. Thus, the centaurs suffered countless casualties, and vast areas of their lands were overtaken.
Since then, wizards have driven the centaurs from one harsh habitat to another, leaving them displaced and desperate.
Fortunately, at that time, Helga Hufflepuff stepped forward. She shielded the centaurs from the pursuing wizards and led those who were willing to follow her to this forest, where they settled down.
At that time, what is now the vast Forbidden Forest was just a small grove, but under Helga's magic, it gradually expanded to its current boundless extent.
Most of the magical creatures within the forest were also brought here by Helga, who couldn't bear to see them hunted by wizards. They live together under her protection.
"Wait, live together? Wasn't Helga supposed to reside in the castle?" Tver asked, puzzled.
It seemed from the centaur's tone that it wasn't just magical creatures living there; Helga herself might have had a dwelling in the forest.
Firenze nodded.
"After one of the founders left the castle, a grieving Helga left her estate to her descendants and took up residence in the heart of the Forbidden Forest," he explained.
Tver's eyes ignited with fervor.
That was it. The badge must be Helga's creation, and it seemed likely that Helga might indeed be living at the center of the Forbidden Forest.
"Then please, lead me to the center of the Forbidden Forest, to Helga's dwelling," he implored.
"Impossible!" Bane suddenly interjected, shaking his head. "The centaurs have searched for hundreds of years, only to see endless woods. We have never seen anything that resembles the dwelling of Lady Helga."
Tver rolled his eyes in frustration. "Then how can you be so sure that Helga resides in the Forbidden Forest?"
He blushed, mumbling phrases like "since ancient times," "as the legend goes," and "passed down by word of mouth," which were hard to understand.
However, Firenze told Tver that the magical creatures of the Forbidden Forest were always protected by a magical shield cast by Helga, which somewhat safeguarded them, reinforcing the centaurs' belief that Helga was still protecting the forest.
Hearing this, Tver became even more convinced of his theory.
It didn't matter if the centaurs didn't know where Helga's dwelling was. With the guidance of the badge, he could find her himself.
So, after erasing this part of the centaurs' memory, he bid them a friendly farewell, clutching the badge and heading deeper into the forest.
The badge's guiding line became increasingly visible, as if sensing Tver's mood. More evident than this were the creatures inhabiting the area.
He encountered rare beings like unicorns, mooncalves, and occamy just occasionally. The occamys, typically restless and seldom staying in one place, appeared three times, an unusual sight. Compared to the outer areas, this place was like a paradise, a small world created by a wizard!
The more magical creatures he saw, the more exhilarated Tver became. The badge in his hand even began to warm slightly, its magic as restless as his excited heart.
But this journey was longer than any before, walking from dusk till dawn, a full fifteen hours. He had to rest several times and eat a bit to keep going.
The guiding line pointed straight in one direction, seemingly endless, testing Tver's patience.
Until he came upon a vertical golden thread.
This thread was very fine, about the size of a doorknob, floating in midair. In the sunlight, it was almost invisible unless looked at closely.
Had it not been for a sudden jump in the badge's magic, alerting Tver, he might have missed it, just like the centaurs had.
Yes, he seemed to have discerned the secret of this golden thread.
As Tver drew closer, the golden thread faintly emitted a golden glow and trembled in the air, as if stirred by the wind.
His hand slowly reached towards the golden thread, and the moment he touched it, the entire world seemed to flip upside down, yet it felt as if space itself was being compressed and twisted.
This sensation occurred very swiftly and vanished just as quickly.
It was as if a door had been opened in space.
Tver entered a new space—
Inside was a modest room, so ordinary that, if not for the various herbs scattered about, it could have been mistaken for a Muggle farmer's dwelling.
However, Tver paid no attention to the room's decor. At first glance, he was deeply captivated by the lady before him.
She was a genteel woman, her smile seemingly forever fixed at the corners of her mouth, her deep eyes possessing a soothing power.
She sat at a writing desk, smiling at him.
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