Charlie, led by Hagrid, walked towards the Centaur territory.
Charlie followed behind, pondering a question as he walked—male Centaurs don't wear clothes, but do female Centaurs?
This question lingered in his mind for quite a while.
Of course, whether they wore clothes or not was fine; he was mainly exploring the question from an academic perspective.
After walking for about twenty minutes, the surrounding trees gradually thinned out.
An open clearing appeared ahead, with several crude wooden huts scattered at its edge.
A bonfire burned in the center of the clearing, its light illuminating the busy Centaurs around it.
Charlie surveyed his surroundings.
The male Centaurs indeed wore no tops, revealing their muscular physiques.
As for the female Centaurs... Charlie glanced over, somewhat regretfully noticing that they all wore tops made of animal hide or coarse cloth.
Alas, what a pity.
A young Centaur recognized Charlie and immediately turned to run deeper into the camp. Not long after, Magorian emerged from a wooden hut, followed by Firenze.
"Lord Charlie," Magorian walked up to Charlie and bowed slightly.
"You've arrived."
Charlie nodded.
"Have you found any clues?"
Magorian's expression was somewhat complex.
"We have been searching the Forbidden Forest for days, but we haven't found any trace of that rat."
Charlie frowned.
"However," Magorian paused.
"That big black dog was spotted."
Charlie's eyes lit up. "Where?"
"Three days ago, we found it on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest," Firenze took over.
"It was lingering at the edge of the woods at the time, and we immediately gave chase."
"And then?"
"It ran into Hogwarts' territory," Magorian said.
"We were concerned that a rash intrusion would cause misunderstandings, so we didn't pursue it further."
Charlie stroked his chin, wondering why the Owls hadn't discovered Black if he had run into Hogwarts.
"After that, we continued to patrol outside the Forbidden Forest," Firenze added.
"But we didn't see that big black dog run back into the Forbidden Forest."
Charlie fell into contemplation, his fingers gently tapping his arm.
The Owls hadn't found Black, which meant he hadn't stayed at Hogwarts.
And he hadn't returned to the Forbidden Forest, so he could only have left the school from somewhere else.
The school gates were always guarded by Owls, so the only other place to leave Hogwarts... Charlie thought of the secret passages.
Black had also attended Hogwarts, so it wasn't surprising that he knew about the secret passages in the school.
Charlie had seen seven secret passages to Hogsmeade on the marauders map.
Five of them were already abandoned, leaving two: one behind the one-eyed Witch statue, leading to Honeydukes, and one under the Whomping Willow, whose exact destination was unknown.
The one-eyed Witch passage was inside the Castle; Black would have used a secret passage to escape, so he definitely wouldn't choose such a high-risk location.
The Castle was full of students and Professors, and he could be discovered at any moment.
So the most likely possibility was the secret passage under the Whomping Willow.
It was remote, and few people went there normally.
The Whomping Willow itself was a natural barrier; most people wouldn't dare to approach it.
"I probably know where he is," Charlie looked up at Magorian and Firenze.
"Thank you for the clue."
Magorian breathed a sigh of relief.
"Glad we could help you."
"Continue to keep an eye out for that rat for me," Charlie said.
"It's very likely still hiding in the Forbidden Forest."
"Understood," Firenze nodded.
"We will intensify our search efforts."
Charlie turned to look at Hagrid.
"Hagrid, I'll go ahead."
Then he instantly apparated near the Whomping Willow, leaving Hagrid, who hadn't yet reacted.
He scratched his head in confusion. What did Charlie know? Why didn't I know anything after hearing the Centaur's message?
Near the Whomping Willow, the tree was gently swaying in the wind, its spring willows a dazzling green.
Charlie's figure suddenly appeared beside the tree.
The Whomping Willow immediately sensed the intruder; its thick branches abruptly tensed, its crown shook violently, and countless willow branches lashed out like whips towards Charlie.
Charlie raised his hand and waved; a red light shot out, precisely hitting an inconspicuous small knot on the tree trunk.
The Whomping Willow instantly went limp, its branches hanging weakly to the ground by Charlie's doing.
Charlie approached the tree roots and found a dark, Black hole between the soil and dead leaves.
The hole wasn't large, but it was big enough for one person to squeeze through. He bent down and entered, a mix of earthy and musty smells assailing him.
The passage was narrow, barely allowing him to stand upright.
Charlie lit his wand, and the dim light illuminated the path ahead. The passage walls were a mix of earth and stones, clearly ancient, with some areas already starting to crumble.
Charlie walked about fifty meters forward, and the passage suddenly widened.
Then he saw a big black dog.
The dog was sitting in the center of the passage, its hind legs splayed, its head buried between its legs, diligently licking itself.
Hearing footsteps, the big black dog suddenly lifted its head.
Their eyes met, and the atmosphere was a little awkward.
Charlie looked at the scene before him speechlessly, unable to resist saying:
"Why are you licking your crotch again?"
The big black dog froze for a second, then raised its head and barked twice at Charlie with its tongue hanging out.
Its tail wagged rapidly, and its innocent appearance was exactly like that of an ordinary stray dog, trying to bluff its way through.
"Stop pretending, Sirius Black."
Charlie crossed his arms, his tone calm.
The big black dog's tail stopped wagging instantly.
It stared at Charlie for two seconds, then suddenly turned and ran deeper into the cave.
Charlie waved a finger.
The soil deep within the cave began to loosen, and countless plant roots emerged from the soil, growing wildly.
Roots of varying thickness intertwined, completely sealing off the passage in the blink of an eye.
The big black dog couldn't brake in time and directly hit the wall woven from roots, emitting a dull thud.
It retreated a few steps, turned around, and its eyes became serious.
Charlie stood still, the light from his wand illuminating his face.
The big black dog lowered its body, its four limbs slightly bent, adopting an attacking stance.
Its eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, and a low growl rumbled in its throat.
Black quickly calculated in his mind.
He remembered this boy; when he saw him in the Shrieking Shack, he felt a dangerous aura emanating from him.
But he was, after all, just a student.
And he was currently in his big black dog form, with sharp claws and teeth, giving him an absolute advantage in close-quarters combat.
Moreover, the narrow space inside the cave was perfect for a brawl.
The advantage is mine!
Thinking this, the big black dog suddenly pushed off the ground and pounced towards Charlie.
Its speed was fast, and its open mouth revealed sharp canine teeth.
Charlie sighed.
The next second, his right hand instantly transformed into a dragon's claw and struck the back of the big black dog's head.
The big black dog immediately rolled its eyes, its head tilted, and it completely fainted.
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"