Just as Snape had said, perhaps it was not the most important or most urgent matter, but Draco did indeed have his own objective to complete.
Although his first objective had already lost its original meaning moments ago.
Inside Hogwarts Castle, Draco moved quickly toward the outside of the castle while keeping watch over his surroundings, his mind racing. "There's no need to make contact with Potter anymore, and there's no chance to get close to him either."
"After all, even if there were any secrets, they were probably all destroyed by that fire just now."
As someone skilled in using the Fiendfyre Curse, Draco naturally knew exactly how destructive Fiendfyre could be.
It was a hellish flame capable of destroying everything.
He touched his chin with two fingers. "As for the reason he returned to Hogwarts, that no longer seems important either..."
Although Draco was not entirely certain what method was needed to destroy Horcruxes, nor did he know whether Voldemort had placed any tricks or traps on those Horcruxes, judging from Voldemort's attitude and Harry Potter's behavior, that should not be too great a problem.
Rather, what they truly needed to worry about was how to accurately find the Horcruxes that had been hidden away.
"I wonder how many Horcruxes still haven't been destroyed or found."
It had to be said that although creating Horcruxes came with far too many severe side effects and risks, the effect it brought was indeed extremely powerful. The ability to resurrect alone was enough to give anyone a headache.
To say nothing of the Dark Lord, who had gained an entire seven lives.
In any case, with Voldemort still slow to appear, Draco had no intention of risking everything for the time being.
Even though the current situation was indeed extremely unfavorable for them, Draco still did not plan to act at this moment.
Aside from the fact that the timing he had planned had not yet arrived, it was also because even if they revealed their trump card now, it would be nothing more than a drop in the bucket for the current situation.
It would have an effect.
But that effect would be limited.
Simply put, in Draco's plan, if they could not kill the enemy in one strike, then it would be better to preserve this power and wait for a better opportunity next time.
Of course, waiting did not suit Draco's personality either.
That was why he had this next move.
"Before that moment comes, Professor McGonagall and the others must hold out until then."
"So... aside from them, there are no reinforcements more suitable."
"Wouldn't you agree... Professor Firenze?"
At this moment, Draco suddenly spoke those words toward the forest ahead.
And the forest before him was naturally the one located behind Hogwarts.
The Forbidden Forest.
...
The Forbidden Forest.
It was a forest shrouded in an ominous atmosphere, located beside Rubeus Hagrid's hut.
Perhaps because Hagrid had been away from Hogwarts for too long, the hut had been left unattended for so long that it had fallen into disrepair.
At this moment, Draco was standing beside the hut, facing the direction of the Forbidden Forest.
As Draco's voice fell, a centaur with a beautiful coat slowly walked out from within the forest.
He was also Draco and the others' Divination professor.
Firenze.
Clop, clop, clop.
That was the sound of hooves stepping on the earth.
"This is the guidance of fate, from a foal of the Platinum Nobility."
That ethereal voice, along with the baffling way of speaking, made it clear that the centaur before him had not changed just because he had become a professor at Hogwarts.
But compared with the rest of his kin, this centaur seemed to have a different interpretation of fate.
Otherwise, he would not have come here specially to wait for Draco's arrival.
"..."
"War represented, fate entangled, the future impossible to glimpse... Come. I will take you to see the one you wish to meet."
"...I see. Is this divination?"
"No... it is my own will."
After leaving those words behind, Professor Firenze did not seem worried about whether Draco would follow. He simply walked straight into the Forbidden Forest before them on his own.
It was as if he knew Draco would definitely follow, and as if he understood the true purpose of Draco's visit.
Faced with this scene, Draco let out a soft laugh, then followed the hoofprints on the ground into the forest.
Bold because of his own skill, Draco seemed not at all worried that the other party might have some hidden motive.
Whether it was because Firenze had the identity of a Hogwarts professor, or because this matter was extremely important to Draco, even knowing that the Forbidden Forest hid countless dangers, and that there was still a missing Dark Lord whose whereabouts were unknown, Draco still entered the forest alone.