"Fire was originally a benevolent thing, subject to human command. Benevolent fire never climbed onto branches, but it was easily tainted by human malice. Evil fire would devour everything, friend and foe alike, until all was burned away-yet evil fire would never be easily extinguished."
Ravenclaw soon understood what Gryffindor was talking about. It was a legend she had once drunkenly mumbled to him about, recorded in only a few lines and pictures in an ancient book, its authenticity still unconfirmed. "Only by gathering evil fire into form with a sincere heart, then admonishing it with thunderous force, may one enjoy a thousand years free of worry."
Interpreting the legend's pictures alongside its text, the story went roughly like this: a group of isolated wizards had once lived in seclusion in a forest, knowing nothing of the outside world. Their social system was very backward, but they could certainly be said to live and work in peace and contentment.
Then a badly wounded Muggle hunter accidentally stumbled into their village. The villagers saved him, and, grateful as he was, he was also awed by their miraculous powers. As he left, he could not resist asking them, "Since you have such powerful abilities, why don't you go out and help those who need help, and punish those who deserve punishment? Besides, the world outside is wonderful. Why spend every day in this village doing the same boring things until you die of old age?"
The villagers did not react strongly to the Muggle hunter's words at the time, but the seed of "going out to have a look" had been planted in some of their hearts. A month after the hunter left, a wizard who had been missing from the village for three days suddenly returned through its entrance, bringing several