A Certain Scientific Harry Potter 45

His muscles were well-defined, and as he leaned down to look at Harry, one could see his eyes, which resembled blue sapphires.

"Did you save this Unicorn?" The Centaur glanced at the scar on Harry's temple and asked with feigned surprise, "Are you the boy from the Potter family?"

Hmm, this Centaur doesn't seem very good at acting.

"The forest is not safe right now; let me take you out," the Centaur said kindly. "By the way, I am Firenze."

"I need to treat this Unicorn's wounds first."

Harry continued his work, applying Dittany Ointment to the Unicorn's wounds—a specialized topical salve he had created by purifying Essence of Dittany and mixing it with Vaseline to handle the accidental scratches and bites from Norbert; it was excellent for healing wounds and preventing scars.

"Also, I assume you already know that I have changed my surname... unless that old gentleman, as usual, told you nothing."

"..." Firenze froze for a moment; this was his first silence of the night.

"Er... Granger, have you noticed that Mars is exceptionally bright tonight?" However, after a moment of thought, Firenze decided he should finish his job and convey the necessary information to the boy before him.

"Mr. Firenze, don't you think it's a bit impolite to discuss astrology with a nearsighted person on such a dark night?" Harry turned around to let Firenze see his glasses, though his movements in treating the Unicorn never ceased.

The wariness in the Unicorn's eyes faded significantly, and its body no longer struggled as it had before.

"..." Firenze fell silent once more.

When someone asked him for help, they did indeed say not to treat Harry like an ordinary child, but Firenze hadn't expected this kid to be so difficult to deal with!

As for Harry, he felt that the Centaur's ability to lie through his teeth needed improvement; it really wasn't on the same level as his own or Dumbledore's.

Mars... if you're going to say that, at least look up at the sky, will you?

You know full well that at this time of night, Mars isn't even visible in the sky!

Ever since his eyes mutated like his ears, Harry was no longer nearsighted; the glasses he wore now were merely plain lenses he had put on out of habit.

He just felt that Firenze's ability to bluff was truly subpar, and he couldn't help but take a small jab at him.

It seemed that the old gentleman definitely had trouble when it came to casting actors.

After all, Centaurs who could act well probably couldn't be bothered to pay him any mind, and the only one willing to assist him, Firenze, was unfortunately not good at playing the mystic.

"Mr. Firenze, I think we should get straight to the point."

After a quick check, finding that the Unicorn's wounds were no longer bleeding, Harry cast several Episkey spells in succession before turning to face Firenze.

"I know you want to use a non-existent Mars in the sky to metaphorically hint at the conflict that shouldn't have happened in the Forbidden Forest, but I still think being direct will save us both some time," Harry said bluntly. "I am well aware of the kind of half-dead curse one suffers for killing a Unicorn and drinking its blood; and as for who the person who just fled is, I, you, and the person who commissioned you to find me, we all know that perfectly well!"

"..." A third silence, because Firenze realized that everything he was supposed to say had already been said by Harry.

He had been commissioned by someone to use the death of the Unicorn and the omens of the stars to convey to Harry that You-Know-Who had returned and might seize the Sorcerer's Stone at any moment, yet he hadn't expected the boy before him to have already seen through it all!

Moreover, this boy had arrived in the Forbidden Forest much earlier than expected. According to the schedule Firenze had received, the detention for the three of them was supposed to start at eleven o'clock at night; it should have been at least one o'clock in the morning by the time they encountered the supposedly dead Unicorn and that mysterious person.

Yet it was only ten-thirty, and the whole play had already wrapped up.

Harry Granger had actually used the convenience of his Invisibility Cloak to launch a sneak attack, not only saving the Unicorn but also repelling You-Know-Who single-handedly, without even giving him a chance to intervene...

At this moment, Firenze began to regret accepting the commission.

He felt like a bronze-tier player caught between two grandmasters; he wasn't even on the same level, and he couldn't even get his lines across.

"Mr. Firenze, you don't have to be so troubled, actually." Looking at the conflicted Firenze, Harry said indifferently, "You might as well just report back to Headmaster Dumbledore and tell him that I agree to fight Voldemort!"

Honestly, tonight's events were entirely Dumbledore playing tricks.

With final exams only a week away and the first school year coming to an end, Harry remained 'indifferent' to Voldemort and the Sorcerer's Stone. Dumbledore was anxious and naturally had to find a way to push Harry.

The idea he came up with was to time it just right to lure Harry into the Forbidden Forest, let The Boy Who Lived face the boss early, and then have Firenze tell the story of the Unicorn and the mysterious person to make Harry feel a sense of urgency.

Dumbledore's plan was indeed meticulous, but if one followed the timeline, it was actually quite easy to see through.

First, a Unicorn had died an unnatural death last Wednesday, showing that Voldemort had started hunting since last week.

Then, last Saturday, Malfoy was lured to the Astronomy Tower by Harry's design. While he was being docked points and given detention, Harry and Hermione were implicated and also given detention.

But even though the gamekeeper had clearly stated that a Unicorn had died, the punishment of the three of them searching the Forbidden Forest was not carried out immediately; instead, it was delayed for nearly a week until today.

And during this time, the Unicorn Harry saved had also been attacked. Fortunately, although it was seriously injured, it did not die immediately...

So... things were quite clear by now.

The detention was given last Saturday, yet it wasn't carried out as usual, but delayed again and again; even though the Unicorn had been attacked earlier this week, the three of them were still not sent into the Forbidden Forest.

All of this was because, during that period, even if Harry had come to the Forbidden Forest, he wouldn't have encountered Voldemort at all!!

Therefore, all that talk about the astrology of Mars, and searching for and saving the injured Unicorn, was all nonsense.

The Unicorn before Harry had long been on the sacrifice list. The respectable Dumbledore never intended to save this so-called pure creature; it was clearly meant to be used as bait to attract Voldemort.

As for the late-arriving Firenze, he might have truly seen something in the stars—of course, that was likely the reason he agreed to Dumbledore's commission.

In short, he was just there to deliver a message, and like Dumbledore, he never intended to save the life of this Unicorn.

"This is..."

However, just as Harry finished piecing together Dumbledore's entire plan and felt quite cynical inside, a cool sensation suddenly came from the back of his hand.

Looking down, Harry was surprised to find that the Unicorn he had just saved was gently rubbing its cheek against his hand...

(p.s. To briefly clarify the relationship between Centaurs and Unicorns... what relationship they had before ancient times is unclear, but the Centaurs and Unicorns in the Forbidden Forest certainly have no connection. One can tell by the attitude of several Centaurs toward the Unicorn; in the original work, Ronan calls the Unicorn 'the innocent', and Firenze calls the Unicorn a 'pure and helpless life'. It is clear that they might feel pity for the Unicorn, but it doesn't amount to respect, let alone a close relationship.)

Furthermore, given the intelligence and population of the Centaurs, it is impossible that they were completely unaware while Quirrell/Voldemort was gnawing on the necks of unicorns in the Forbidden Forest. Yet, they allowed two unicorns to die one after another. To put it bluntly, aside from Firenze, the other Centaurs in this tribe had no intention of interfering in the affairs between The Boy Who Lived and Voldemort. The Centaur named Bane even wanted to let Voldemort finish off Harry.

Next is the tone of this book: Dumbledore communicating with Firenze in advance to use the death of the unicorn to educate Harry is a personal secondary creation by Sanmiao. Because I feel that although the prophecies of the Centaurs are impressive, they shouldn't be able to confirm through stargazing that the Sorcerer's Stone is hidden at Hogwarts. Therefore, either Hagrid has a big mouth, or Dumbledore communicated in advance, which is why the Firenze in the original work would bluntly tell Harry that Voldemort was going to steal the Sorcerer's Stone. That is all~)

Chapter 85: The Blessing of a Unicorn is Quite Intense

The mane of the unicorn felt wonderful; it had a cool, silky, and smooth texture, yet upon closer inspection, it seemed to possess a hint of warmth that flowed from the palm of the hand straight into the heart.

At the same time, Harry also discovered that some of the light spots originally surrounding the unicorn's fur seemed to have wrapped themselves around his wrist, like a glowing bracelet.

"Incredible... This is a scene that even the stars have never revealed!"

Firenze, standing to the side, was so astonished by this sight that he could barely stand still.

"What is going on?" Harry asked, puzzled.

Although he could roughly discern the creature's gratitude from the voice of magic emanating from the unicorn, he did not know what it was actually doing.

"Out of gratitude, it is bestowing a blessing upon you!" Firenze exclaimed in wonder. "Granger, do you know how incredible this is? In the records of our Centaur tribe, there hasn't been a single instance of a unicorn blessing a human for hundreds of years!"

"But... why?" Harry was still confused. "I only happened to save it, and besides, at the very beginning, I intended to stand by and watch..."

"Because your choice broke its predetermined fate!" Firenze gave Harry a rather mystical explanation. "Unicorns possess immense magical power. At certain times—such as when they are near death—they can even sense exactly why they are dying. But unicorns themselves are fragile; when they have this premonition, they are usually already powerless to resist their fate."

Harry understood. This rather cryptic speech from Firenze could actually be boiled down to two words...

Cause and effect.

Firenze meant that the moment before this unicorn was about to die, it had seen through the cause and effect of its own demise.

It had been used by Dumbledore as bait to lure Voldemort, leading to two attacks this week. Yet, neither Dumbledore, the Centaurs in the Forbidden Forest, nor even Harry at the very beginning, had any intention of saving it!

This sacrifice, where people stood by and watched it die, was the fate it was powerless to resist!

However, Harry's choice at the critical moment had broken that fate, which was why the unicorn was expressing its gratitude through a blessing.

But...

"Mr. Firenze, are you sure this is still part of the blessing?"

Looking at the unicorn that had walked up to him and lowered its head into position, Harry couldn't help but feel that the creature wasn't trying to bless him, but rather wanted to impale him.

Hey, hey, could you please keep your front hooves still? Stop pawing at the ground right in front of me~

"Er... probably. After all, the legends recorded within the tribe are somewhat vague." Firenze's expression became a bit awkward. "In short... there is indeed a legend in our Centaur history about the 'horn entering the abdomen.' It is said that unicorns are attracted to pure-hearted virgin witches. If they truly need a unicorn's horn, the unicorn will tearfully pierce its horn into the witch's abdomen and allow the witch to sever its horn..."

"So, are you sure this is a blessing and not mutual destruction?" Harry's face fell upon hearing this. "And even if it is a blessing, when did I ever say I wanted its horn? And the most important point: there is no way I could ever be a virgin witch in this lifetime!!"

"This... I apologize, Granger, I cannot judge the specific situation." Firenze shook his head regretfully. "Whether to give a blessing or whether to accept one is a matter between you and the unicorn. I am merely stating the information I know."

WTF, is this Centaur uncle starting to wash his hands of the matter now?

So, should he really accept such an intense 'blessing'...

Looking at the spiraling unicorn horn gleaming coldly under the night sky, Harry suddenly felt as if the ground of the Forbidden Forest had turned into a sponge... his footing felt a bit unsteady~

However... the voice of magic shouldn't be lying, right?

Ever since Harry inexplicably began hearing the voices of magic in Diagon Alley, these sounds had never disappointed him, nor had they ever harmed him.

The voice of the wand core helped him pick the most suitable wand for Hermione, the voice of the Flying Broomstick helped him thoroughly crush Malfoy, and the voice of the dragon egg guided him to hatch Norbert almost perfectly...

And now, the voice of longing and excitement coming from the unicorn should also be trustworthy.

"Fine... I accept!" Harry gritted his teeth and nodded. He decided to trust the unicorn!

Besides, it's just 'horn entering the abdomen,' right? If the records in Firenze's tribe are true, those virgin witches still had the strength to sever the unicorn's horn after being pierced, so there's no reason he should die immediately from one poke!

"Go ahead!!" Harry closed his eyes and spread his arms, completely exposing his chest and abdomen!

"Hiss!"

For the first time, Harry heard a high-pitched, long neigh from the unicorn, followed by the sound of four hooves galloping as it rushed toward him at high speed!

Thwip!!

The feeling of being pierced flashed and vanished in an instant, and immediately after, Harry felt the unicorn's head gently resting against him.

"This feeling..." Harry looked down and discovered that the unicorn had curled its limbs and was kneeling before him.

From their current positions, its horn should have indeed pierced his abdomen, but the problem was, Harry didn't feel the slightest bit of pain.

"So... is this the true meaning of the blessing?"

Inexplicably, Harry felt as if he were being guided by something. He gently stroked the unicorn's cheek with his left hand, which was surrounded by a faint glow, and finally grasped the horn about an inch from its base.

With a soft sound, the horn snapped off as expected. However, the broken horn didn't look like a physical object; instead, it seemed to dissolve into a special kind of magical power that dispersed throughout Harry's body.

In an instant, Harry felt an inexplicable power flooding his entire being!

The surrounding environment became much clearer; the dark night before him was no longer shrouded in mist—to him, the visibility was as clear as day. The sounds reaching his ears were sharper, and he could even better distinguish the emotions flowing within the unicorn's magic...

"You... were you just trying to scare me?" Realizing he seemed to understand the unicorn's mood, Harry couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and frustration.

It turned out this unicorn was a creature that kept score; it was annoyed that Harry hadn't stepped in to save it immediately, so it had deliberately turned what should have been a warm and loving blessing-embrace into an intense, frightening, and adrenaline-pumping collision~

"Yes, yes, it's all my fault. I really was scared out of my wits just now~" Harry stroked the unicorn's neck, apologizing as if he were coaxing a child.

To Harry, as the unicorn used its voice of magic to continuously interpret the true meaning of the blessing, its smug and showy demeanor really was just like an innocent and adorable child.

This also gave him a deeper understanding of magical creatures; they were actually no different from humans, possessing no inherent labels, with each one having its own unique appearance and inner nature.

A Unicorn, considered noble and magnificent, could be innocent and naive, while a Dragon, always regarded as an extremely dangerous creature, could just as easily develop a dependency on humans...

"Mr. Firenze, if you are willing, you can tell Headmaster Dumbledore about what just happened as well." As Malfoy's terrified screams echoed from the distance of the Forbidden Forest, Harry looked calmly at Firenze. "Also, please tell him for me that I don't mind him communicating with me through these kinds of riddles, but next time, could he avoid dragging innocent lives into it?!"

To be fair, a Unicorn was nothing more than a magical creature; even if it had truly met an untimely death, Harry wouldn't have cared that much.

He had encountered Unicorn horns and Dragon blood during Potions class, and in his past life, the number of frogs, rabbits, and white mice that had died by his hand was countless.

But in Harry's view, the behavior of certain people—who had clearly already decided to sacrifice the Unicorn as a pawn while still posturing as its savior—was far more contemptible than straightforward exploitation and killing!

Especially Hagrid; he had reported the matter to Dumbledore in the hope that the man would help save this Unicorn, but what was the result of his full-hearted expectation?

Dumbledore and Firenze... were they certain that this approach wasn't deceiving Hagrid's feelings and breaking his heart?!

"This..." Firenze wanted to say something more, but Harry was already being carried on the Unicorn's back, speeding away like a bolt of lightning.

"The stars, have they all gone into chaos..."

Firenze instinctively looked up at the sky, hoping the planets he had always believed in would provide him with guidance, only to see a patch of indescribable chaos...

Chapter 86 Some things are ultimately unavoidable

"You jerk, Harry! I hate you, Harry! You stinky Harry! You snuck out alone again without taking me with you!!"

Sure enough, when Hermione found out that Harry had actually snuck off to the Forbidden Forest by himself, she inevitably grabbed him by the ear for another round of earnest lecturing.