Chapter 128: Dumbledore's Revelation
The next morning, Hagrid arrived at the Headmaster's office early.
Although he hadn't told Dumbledore about bringing his half-brother back from the northern Giant Mountains, the Headmaster already knew. In fact, Dumbledore had been the one to bring it up first, asking if Harry and the others might be willing to help care for Grawp occasionally.
"Thank you, Headmaster," Hagrid said earnestly. "Thank you for not objecting to me keeping Grawp in the Forbidden Forest."
Dumbledore inclined his head slightly, peering at Hagrid over his half-moon spectacles.
"You mentioned," he said carefully, "that the centaurs in the Forbidden Forest surrendered to Elian?"
He placed heavy emphasis on the word "surrendered," as if making absolutely certain he'd heard correctly.
After all, Dumbledore knew better than most just how stubborn the centaurs of the Forbidden Forest could be. He needed to be sure Hagrid hadn't simply chosen the wrong word.
"That's right, Headmaster," Hagrid said seriously. "It was surrender. Proper surrender. Magorian performed some kind of ceremony—hand over heart, kneeling, the whole thing."
His expression was grave, showing he meant every word.
Dumbledore removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, his voice dropping to a murmur.
"Unbelievable. The centaurs would choose to surrender? How is this possible? Unless... unless Magorian saw something. Something significant."
He was genuinely shocked. In all his decades at Hogwarts—in all his years in the wizarding world—he had never heard of such a thing.
No, that wasn't quite right. It wasn't just unprecedented at Hogwarts.
It was unprecedented in all of wizarding history.
There was no record anywhere of centaurs submitting to anyone. They were too proud, too ancient, too certain of their own superiority.
"Does anyone else know about this?" Dumbledore asked urgently, his mind already racing through the implications.
Hagrid shook his head, then paused and nodded. "Harry, Ron, and Hermione were there. But aside from them, no one knows."
"Good. Good. Good."
Dumbledore said the word three times in rapid succession, his voice rising with each repetition.
For Dumbledore—who was always composed, always measured—to repeat himself like that showed just how excited this news made him.
"Headmaster Dumbledore," Hagrid said suddenly, his voice uncertain. "Do you... do you really trust Elian that much?"
The question had been bothering him for a long time, but he'd never had the courage to ask it before. But after witnessing the centaurs' surrender, his curiosity could no longer be contained.
"Ha!" Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Hagrid, if we cannot choose to believe in Elian after everything he has done so far, then who should we believe?"
It was phrased as a rhetorical question, but it answered Hagrid's concern perfectly.
And really, when Hagrid thought about it, the answer was obvious.
In just half a year, Elian had experienced more than many Aurors did in their entire careers:
The Dark Mark incident in Hogsmeade.
The attack on the Lovegood home on Christmas Eve.
The surrender of the centaurs.
And soon, his journey to the northern forests to confront the giants.
Any one of those events would shake the entire wizarding world and cause a sensation. And Elian had faced Death Eaters twice already, with decisive, brutal efficiency.
How could someone like that not be worth believing in?
Seeing Hagrid's thoughtful expression, Dumbledore continued, his voice taking on a note of wistful longing.
"Hagrid, we always thought Harry was our key to fighting Voldemort. Our chosen one. But now... everything has changed."
He paused, letting the words sink in.
"Haven't you noticed? So many things have started to revolve around Elian now. Not Harry anymore. The center of gravity has shifted."
BOOM.
The words hit Hagrid like a physical blow. His mind reeled, struggling to process the implications.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, you mean—"
Dumbledore raised a hand, gently cutting him off.
"I've been thinking about Professor Trelawney's prophecy lately," he said quietly. "And I've realized something important. The prophecy spoke of the trajectory of the Chosen One being altered. Changed by forces we couldn't predict."
His eyes grew distant, looking at something far away.
"Voldemort hasn't discovered this yet. He's still fixated on Harry, still entangled in their connection. That gives us an advantage. It gives Elian an advantage."
For the first time in months, Dumbledore looked genuinely relieved.
"I've been searching for certain answers—looking for objects, for truths, for solutions to problems that seemed impossible. But because of Elian, I've already found some of those answers. Much faster than I anticipated."
"But—" Hagrid said anxiously, leaning forward. "Don't we still need to protect Harry?"
Dumbledore gave a hearty laugh. "Of course we do! And we must protect him better than ever. Harry is still vital to our cause. But he is no longer carrying the entire burden alone."
Hagrid relaxed visibly, his massive shoulders sagging with relief. If they didn't protect Harry properly, he would never be able to face James and Lily's memory.
"Prepare yourself for the journey to the northern forests with Elian," Dumbledore said, his tone growing serious again. "I have a feeling this will be a very special trip for you. Perhaps even transformative."
Hagrid frowned, confused by the cryptic words, but he nodded anyway.
Not long after Hagrid left the Headmaster's office, Dumbledore remained seated, staring at the portraits of former Hogwarts Headmasters that lined the walls.
"Albus," said an elderly wizard with white hair, a long beard, and a prominent hooked nose from one of the central frames. "I support your choice."
"Oh, come now," sneered an elderly witch a few frames away. "You can only choose to believe. Otherwise, what can you do? Sit here and worry?"
"Albus," said another former Headmaster, stroking his painted beard thoughtfully. "Centaurs are extraordinary creatures. They have existed throughout magical history for a reason. Don't underestimate their wisdom—especially when it comes to divination. Sometimes they see far more than any Seer could."
"Oh, I know," Dumbledore said softly. "Professor Firenze has taught me much about the wisdom of centaur divination. And Magorian, who is known as the most gifted diviner among them, voluntarily surrendered. I believe he must have seen something—something I haven't yet discovered."
The news of the centaurs' surrender was clearly still weighing on him, making it difficult for him to settle his thoughts.
"He is indeed a remarkable boy," said another portrait—a severe-looking wizard with dark, calculating eyes. "But also very dangerous, Albus. You must be prepared for that."
His words drew immediate disapproval from several neighboring portraits, who muttered and frowned.
But Dumbledore didn't react to the warning. He simply turned to gaze out the window, admiring the beautiful grounds of Hogwarts stretching out below.
He let out a long, slow breath—one that seemed to carry months of tension with it.
Things are changing, he thought. Faster than I expected. But perhaps... perhaps that's not such a terrible thing.
Meanwhile, in the castle below, students were attending their lessons as usual.
But in Umbridge's office, Draco Malfoy was reporting to her with barely contained excitement.
"Professor Umbridge," he said eagerly, his pale face flushed with triumph. "I believe I've discovered a large illegal student organization. One that's been operating without your permission."
Umbridge's toad-like face split into a wide, satisfied smile.
"Have you now, Mr. Malfoy?" she said, her voice sickeningly sweet. "Do tell me more."
The trap was set.
The D.A. was about to be exposed.
And the fragile peace at Hogwarts was about to shatter.
(End of Chapter)
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