Chapter 219

Chapter 219

The door’s sudden opening made Suer instinctively retreat and flee.

He had taken only a few steps when he forced himself to stop. The pounding of hooves sounded nearby, as though dozens of horses were approaching together.

Damn it. Suer looked around. The building appeared to hold a special place within the camp, for the surrounding ground was completely open. Apart from lawn and flowers, there was not even a tree.

Could he turn human, draw his wand and fight dozens of centaurs? Oh, don’t be absurd. Suer did not believe he could defeat so many alone. He was neither the noseless monster, able to fling Avada Kedavra about as easily as breathing, nor Dumbledore, whose power seemed unmatched.

Besides, no one but Suer knew he had entered the Forbidden Forest. To think darkly, if the centaurs killed him, he would disappear without a sound. He could not entrust his life to a race that refused even to consider itself part of wizardkind.

The best choice was to hide and wait for an opportunity to leave.

The only hiding place seemed to be the building behind him.

The centaurs were fast, and Suer had no time for further thought. He turned and charged inside.

Fortunately, no centaur appeared to be within. Suer quickly identified the only place large enough to conceal him: behind the room’s sole bookcase. It stood diagonally across one corner, creating a triangular gap against the walls.

The only question was how to jump up and get inside.

Perhaps he could use the table beside the bookcase, then the window ledge.

Everything went smoothly. His chosen route was correct, he did not crash head-first into a wall, and the space was large enough for a badger.

But… how am I supposed to get out? Suer looked upwards in speechless despair. He had trapped himself at the bottom of a triangular well with no water.

Perhaps he could become human and move the bookcase with magic. Or he could use sharp claws to climb slowly up its rear.

Neither solution answered one question: what if the bookcase toppled?

First things first. Suer could already hear the centaurs speaking in their incomprehensible language.

Had one entered?

Hooves struck the floor, growing steadily clearer. A centaur was plainly approaching. Hidden in darkness and unable to see outside, Suer immediately tensed.

The door closed with a faint sound, but he still heard it. Afterwards, the room remained silent for a very long time.

Had the centaur come merely to shut the door, then left?

Perhaps the herd had only returned to rest. Nothing had sounded outside for quite some time.

Just as Suer considered risking an escape from the triangular gap, he felt the space around him growing wider.

No. The bookcase was moving.

An enormous crimson warning sign seemed to appear two inches above his head.

“Guest from afar, I have awaited you for a long time.” Suer did not know how to describe the voice. It was warm, vibrant and full of life, and it calmed the heart of anyone who heard it.

The instant Suer noticed the moving bookcase, he became human. His back pressed into the corner, wand clenched tightly in one hand.

The bookcase continued to shift, and his gaze remained fixed upon the widening gap.

He wondered whether he should step out now and send an enormous Sectumsempra at whoever waited beyond. It was the most powerful spell he currently knew, taught to him by Snape.

Then he could immediately become a badger and flee–provided no formation of centaurs waited outside…

No. That was unrealistic. Suer killed the idea at once. He had no idea how powerful the centaur beyond the bookcase might be. What if…

At that moment came a thin, timid chirp.

Two or three tiny leaves poked through the gap opened by the moving bookcase. A small creature slipped inside, raised one slender arm with tremendous energy and greeted Suer.
“Chirp!”

“You?” Suer recognised the tiny creature at once. Wasn’t this the Bowtruckle that had saved his life in the Forbidden Forest?

“Chirp, chirp…” Yes, it’s me! Surprised? The Bowtruckle with the distinctive ring upon one arm seemed delighted to see Suer. It danced excitedly, caught hold of his wizarding robes with slender claws and swiftly climbed to his shoulder.

The bookcase had stopped moving, revealing a gap nearly two metres wide, more than enough for Suer to pass. He could not see what lay beyond and still hesitated.

The Bowtruckle appeared extremely anxious. It seized Suer’s ear and pulled hard towards the opening.

“Ow, don’t pull.” Wincing, Suer caught hold of the Bowtruckle.

It only tightened its grip. “Chirp, chirp! Chirp-chirp-chirp!” it urged insistently.

“All right, I’ll go. Stop pulling.”

He had already been discovered. Whoever waited outside plainly knew he was behind the bookcase, so hiding there accomplished nothing.

Large… very, very large…

That was Suer’s first impression of the centaur beyond.

She was unmistakably female.

Centaurs, whether male or female, appeared to possess no habit of wearing clothes.

Her face could shift effortlessly between sternness and delight. By Suer’s standards, if one ignored the equine body below her waist, she was unquestionably beautiful.

Even Hermione could not compare–though Hermione was still young and had not finished growing.

“Greetings, young wizard. I have known of you for a long time, but this is our first meeting. I am Lys.” Lys showed no concern whatsoever for the place where Suer’s gaze had lingered. She even straightened her back.

“Ah… hello.” Suer remained dazed for a moment before realising that his behaviour seemed–no, unquestionably was–impolite. He unnaturally turned his eyes aside.

They truly were enormous. At least an F.

“Heh…” Lys laughed softly. “Suer. May I call you that?”

“You… know my name?” Suer stared, then had to look back at the centaur’s face. He worked hard to keep his gaze high and felt thoroughly uncomfortable.

“Yes. I know you, Suer Bones.” Lys noticed his embarrassment. She raised both arms and drew her waist-length golden hair forwards, completely concealing the two dangerous distractions.

Suer released an almost imperceptible breath of relief. Lys stepped lightly closer and held out a hand so the Bowtruckle on Suer’s shoulder could jump onto her palm.

“To centaurs, the body is merely a means through which we touch and communicate with nature. Human notions of modesty do not exist among us. You need not feel troubled.”

Lys’s approach made Suer uncomfortable, and he retreated several steps. At close range, her presence gave the phrase generous proportions an entirely new meaning…

Suer pressed his lips together and did not answer.

“You came to find this little one, did you not?” Lys appeared wholly unconcerned. She reached into a corner of the bookcase and took out an object Suer knew extremely well.

It was the marker he had given the Bowtruckle.

“I return it to its owner. Let me offer some advice: do not casually give an object carrying your magic to another wizard or any other living creature, whatever your purpose.”

Suer hesitated, then accepted the marker and closed it in his palm. His other hand still clutched his wand as he watched Lys warily.