"There is a 'Spider Reaper' in the Forbidden Forest. He first appeared eight years ago, and every time he killed an Acromantula, he would cut off all its legs."
"Although the Acromantulas have never seen him, they're all terrified. Once they see a legless corpse, they won't dare come back for a long time."
"We also followed the Spider Reaper's example, so those Acromantulas wouldn't dare come here."
On the way to the tribe, Ronan explained to Charles why they cut the legs off Acromantula corpses.
Charles put on an astonished expression, though he already knew what was going on.
He asked Ronan doubtfully, "Do those Acromantulas attack you often?"
"Yes..." Ronan let out a deep sigh.
On the other side, Twilight whispered to Charles, "Three years ago, Uncle Ronan's son was killed by an Acromantula."
Ronan sighed again. He looked up at the sky between the branches and said quietly, "This is all the arrangement of fate written in the stars."
Charles sighed along with him.
Twilight said softly, "If only that person were still here."
Charles asked her, "Who?"
Twilight said somewhat dejectedly, "He was the Guardian of the Forbidden Forest many years ago. The Great Elder said that there were many poachers in the Forbidden Forest back then, and those Dark Wizards were hunting us too. He single-handedly killed all the poachers."
Charles nodded and asked curiously, "What did he look like?"
"His wand was fifteen inches long," Ronan said. "That's the only record we have of him."
"The stars foretell that he will return."
Charles nodded. A 381-mm wand—that was a good clue. When he had time, he could look through the library, or ask the Old Man.
He asked again, "The Acromantulas are causing so much harm. Haven't you thought of any way to deal with them?"
Ronan shook his head and said slowly, "There are too many of them. They lay a lot of eggs, and they hatch quickly. One brood can hatch in six to eight weeks, with over a hundred spiderlings."
"My father and the others once took advantage of winter, when the Acromantulas weren't around, to destroy their nests. But those spiders were sleeping inside caves, and the entrances were covered with thick layers of leaves. There was no way to tell them apart."
"The Acromantulas woke up because of the vibrations on the ground and surrounded them from all directions. Only Bane's father returned to tell us what had happened, but he had been poisoned too deeply."
Charles fell silent when he heard this. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I'll help."
He still "remembered" some details about the Centaurs. Centaurs disliked humans intensely and could only manage not to harm minors.
Ronan had called him a "foal" earlier, and now he was taking him back to the tribe. Since the other Centaurs had not objected, it seemed they had accepted him as a companion because he had saved Twilight.
When a companion was in trouble, he would naturally help if he could.
As for Hagrid, who was practically the Acromantulas' grandfather, sorry, but Charles wasn't familiar with him.
Charles figured that if he wanted to wipe out the Acromantulas all at once, there was nothing he could do.
But he could learn from the Gulf War, which had just ended that year, and bomb key targets, such as the places where the Acromantulas laid their eggs.
Ronan shook his head and said, "I can tell that you genuinely want to help us, but you're only a foal. Acting rashly will get you hurt."
"If you really want to help, you can help us find the Spider Reaper. We'll be sure to thank him properly."
Charles really wanted to say, I'll give you his phone number. Go find him yourselves.
The Centaur tribe soon appeared before Charles. A wall made from tall tree trunks encircled the entire settlement, and quite a few foals who looked only one or two years old were playing in the open space outside.
After entering the tribe, Charles discovered that only elderly and young Centaurs were at home. The elders were either telling stories to the children or teaching them how to use bows and arrows.
Twilight took the blueberries they had picked earlier home, while Ronan brought Charles to the large building in the middle of the tribe.
The place was filled with pungent smoke that carried a faint fragrance. A very old Centaur was lying on a mat, his back slightly hunched and his eyelids drooping. Charles couldn't tell whether he was asleep.
Unlike the other Centaurs, he wore a wreath on his head.
Ronan introduced him to Charles. "This is our Great Elder."
Before Charles could greet him, the Great Elder slowly spoke. "The stars have already given their omen. Friend who wields the Phoenix Wand, welcome."
Charles froze. He took out his wand and asked the Great Elder, "Do you mean this wand?"
The Great Elder's eyelids lifted slightly. He did not look at the wand, but at Charles's eyes, and slowly said, "I don't think whether someone is a friend has anything to do with what wand he uses. It depends on what he does with the wand. Don't you agree?"
Charles couldn't understand why the Great Elder had suddenly mentioned an astrological prophecy, only to then deny it and say that true friendship did not depend on prophecy. For a moment, he was completely baffled.
The Great Elder continued slowly, "The Acromantulas are growing more numerous, and many of our children have become their food. My friend, are you willing to help us?"
Ronan immediately said from the side, "Great Elder, Charles is only a foal!"
The Great Elder acted as though he had not heard him. He merely gazed quietly into Charles's eyes with his own half-open ones.
Charles replied, "When a friend needs help, I will naturally lend a hand."
A trace of a smile appeared on the Great Elder's wrinkled face. He turned to Ronan and said, "Bring me the box from the very top of the shelf."
Ronan quickly brought over a box, and the Great Elder had him hand it to Charles.
As Charles accepted the box, the Great Elder said, "There is a chestnut grove south of the village. The chestnuts are nearly ripe, and those we gather there are an important food source for us during winter. A group of Acromantulas has occupied the grove, and we can no longer gather the chestnuts. This winter will be very difficult."
"I hope you can help us eliminate the Acromantulas there. The spell inside this box was meant to be your reward, but I trust you, so I'll give it to you in advance."
Charles felt as though a giant exclamation mark had appeared above the Great Elder's head.
Holding the box, he said awkwardly, "I'm very willing to help you, but it's getting late today. I have to return to the castle. I'll come back first thing tomorrow morning. You should keep the box here for now. I'll look at it when I return tomorrow."
Given Hogwarts's rules, he felt that staying out all night would be enough to make the school deduct so many points that he would become Gryffindor's public enemy. So he planned to come back tomorrow.
A slightly mischievous smile appeared on the Great Elder's face. He had Ronan bring paper, a pen, and a writing board, then said, "You can stay here tonight. Don't worry. I'll write to Dumbledore and tell him that you met me beside the Forbidden Forest and that I invited you to help. He won't deduct your points."
He quickly wrote a letter. After finishing, he showed it to Charles, and it indeed said exactly that.
Seeing him go to such lengths, Charles realized that this matter was probably urgent for them, so he accepted the mission.
The Great Elder handed the letter to Ronan and said, "Go find Hagrid and ask him to bring Dumbledore out to meet you. If Dumbledore isn't there, ask for McGonagall. Don't say anything—just hand over the letter."
Charles was astonished when he heard this from the side. They were actually asking Dumbledore to come out and meet Ronan? What an incredible privilege.
But he understood a moment later. Centaurs had no way to climb stairs, so they could only ask people to come outside.
Before you continue