What? Defense Against the Dark Arts Next?

"Argus?"

Hagrid was puzzled.

"It's his first time in the Forbidden Forest. Why are you looking for him?"

"The guidance of the stars."

Firenze's eyes had not moved from Argus since the instant he saw him.

Argus was completely baffled by his stare.

"The stars told me that an honored guest would come to the Forbidden Forest tonight."

"I have been waiting here for quite some time."

The stars?

Argus grew interested.

Through the bloodline he had inherited from Grindelwald, his left eye was the same as Gellert Grindelwald's.

Both were Eyes of Prophecy capable of foreseeing the future.

Unfortunately, he could not see decades into the future as Grindelwald could.

At most, he could see images of a few seconds ahead.

It also consumed enormous amounts of mental energy and magic. In serious cases, he could even be left unable to get out of bed for a day or two.

By comparison, reading the stars, another form of prophecy, seemed much gentler.

Although it was not as detailed or convenient as the Eye of Prophecy, insights from one might still be applicable to the other.

"Did the stars only show you that I was coming?"

"Of course not!"

Firenze took two quick steps forward, his long platinum-blond hair flowing in the breeze.

If you ignored the horse's hooves on his lower half, he was certainly a handsome fellow who rivaled all you esteemed readers.

"Through the stars, I saw that the fate of the centaurs was about to change."

"If you are willing, Mr. Grindelwald, please allow me to take you to the settlement of the centaurs and unicorns."

"There, I will tell you everything about the prophecy."

"The settlement of the centaurs and unicorns!"

Before Argus could speak, Hagrid cried out in surprise.

He rubbed his palms together and gave an amiable smile.

"A unicorn settlement! Good heavens, I can't believe a human wizard could meet so many beautiful little creatures at once!"

"Firenze, can you take me along?"

"You know I've always loved unicorns..."

"I'm sorry, Hagrid."

Firenze shook his head. "Centaurs have never welcomed other intelligent races, including... giants."

"If the opportunity arises, I will introduce you to some unicorns."

"Mr. Grindelwald, please follow..."

Whoosh!

Before Firenze could finish, an arrow came hurtling from the distance!

It struck right between Firenze and Argus!

"Firenze, you traitor!"

Then a centaur with red hair and a red beard appeared before them, bow in hand, aiming straight at Firenze and Argus.

His eyes blazed with anger.

"Centaurs don't welcome wizards! Firenze, not only did you tell him the prophecy, you even want to take him to the settlement!"

"I'll tell the others and have them drive you out of the Forbidden Forest!"

"Mr. Centaur, I suggest you put that bow away."

Argus's voice was calm, but a cold light glinted in his eyes.

"Get lost, little foal! You aren't welcome in the Forbidden Forest!"

The red-bearded centaur stamped hard on the ground twice, kicking up a great cloud of dust.

He was clearly less rational than Firenze, resorting to threatening displays at the slightest displeasure.

"Expelliarmus!"

Argus had already gripped his wand the moment he saw the arrow.

He fired the Disarming Charm without hesitation.

Bang!

A level 6 Expelliarmus was already beyond what even many elite Aurors could achieve.

With that single hit, the red-bearded centaur looked as though he had been struck by a missile.

He slammed heavily into the tree behind him.

The bow and arrows in his hands flew amid the wood splinters as he violently coughed up blood.

There was even a clearly visible depression in his chest.

"Mr. Grindelwald, please wait!"

"Ronan didn't mean to attack you!"

Firenze clearly had not expected Argus to act so decisively, much less deal with Ronan so easily!

By the time he reacted, Ronan had already fallen before him.

Hagrid was dumbfounded too.

In his eyes, Argus was supposed to be the easygoing sort.

The sudden contrast left his mind blank for a moment.

Coming to his senses, he immediately gripped Argus's shoulders from behind.

"Calm down, Argus!"

"He was only trying to scare you. Don't be so tense!"

"I wasn't trying to kill him, just teach him a lesson."

Argus explained to Hagrid without expression, then turned to Firenze.

"Mr. Firenze, it seems I won't have the chance to hear your prophecy."

"Invite me over once you've gotten the Centaur Tribe to agree."

With that, he turned and left.

Hagrid looked at Firenze, then at Argus, and hesitated.

"Firenze, his injuries..."

"I'll take care of them."

"Good, then. I'll take Argus back to his dormitory first. If anything comes up, you can have Fang fetch me."

Under Firenze's gaze, Argus's figure slowly disappeared.

"Don't touch me, you traitor to the centaurs!"

Ronan struggled fiercely in Firenze's arms.

Firenze took out the dittany he carried with him and applied it to Ronan's wounds.

"You know he's the one in the prophecy!"

"But he's a wizard! How can centaurs pin their hopes on a wizard?" Ronan was so agitated that he nearly coughed up another mouthful of blood in an unguarded moment.

"This is the guidance of fate. It has nothing to do with race!"

"Whatever you say, I will never obey a human wizard's orders!"

He returned to Hogwarts Castle.

Argus rather regretted not having a late-night snack at Hagrid's.

Remembering how he had been caught wandering at night yesterday, he decided to endure it.

At worst, he could go down for breakfast earlier tomorrow morning.

Just as he walked through the castle doors, a system notification sounded in his mind.

[Congratulations to the host for completing your first Forbidden Forest patrol. Achievement earned: Forbidden Forest Guardian]

[Achievement point reward: 50]

"Better than nothing, I suppose. It's something, at least."

Argus made his way back to the Slytherin Common Room.

Draco was standing on a raised platform in the common room like a hero, boasting about how he had battled the "evil" Weasley in Flying Class.

When he saw Argus, he showed not the slightest blush or trace of guilt.

He just kept right on boasting!

Not bad, kid!

One fall on the grass, and your skin's gotten thicker!

Argus shook his head with a smile. He had no interest in puncturing a boy's vanity.

Once he returned to his dormitory, the exhaustion of the past two days washed over him.

Without even taking off his clothes, Argus fell into a deep sleep.

He was still groggy when he came to the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning.

"Argus, didn't you sleep well last night?"

Draco came over with his two followers, Goyle and Crabbe.

Seeing the faint dark circles beneath Argus's eye bags, he offered some consolation.

"You're in luck today."

"Our first lesson this morning is Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Professor Quirrell's lectures are even more boring than Professor Binns's History of Magic lessons, and he never cares what you do in class!"

"What did you say our first lesson this morning was?"

"Professor Quirrell's Defense Against the Dark Arts. What's wrong?"

Fuck!

At the sound of Quirrell's name, Argus's mind instantly cleared.

I only just escaped from him, and now I have to see him again after just one day?

He did not dare forget that a big boss was waiting for him on the back of Quirrell's head!

"Argus, are you sick? Why do you look so pale?"

"Draco, if I told Professor Snape now that my fear of heights flared up during Flying Class yesterday, do you think he'd believe me?"

"Or that I caught a cold last night!"

"Or got frightened by an animal in the Forbidden Forest!"

The next second, a sinister voice sounded behind Argus.

"Or that your Head of House twisted your head off!"