One of the most astonishing elements, which few readers seem to have realized, is that the centaurs of the Forbidden Forest actually knew from the beginning of the story how the Harry Potter saga was going to end and that our hero was going to have to die in this same forest.
Indeed, there are two major moments in the saga which pit the young wizard against his sworn enemy, in Hogwarts Forest, and it is highly possible that the first foreshadowed the last.
After their first confrontation, when he was a baby, Harry would only see Lord Voldemort for the first time again in the Philosopher’s Stone , when he was sent to detention in the Forbidden Forest, with Hermione, Neville and Malfoy, to find what had killed a unicorn.
It was that night that Harry met Firenze for the first time, when he was saved by him from Lord Voldemort. The centaur would later be reprimanded by his comrades, particularly Bane, for intervening in the confrontation.
The latter questioned him about what he had discussed with Harry, asked him if he had not told him too much and reminded him not to interfere in what they had read in the stars.
“—Firenze! thundered Bench. What are you doing ? You’re carrying a human on your back! So you have no shame? Do you think you’re a mule? — Do you know who this boy is? replied Firenze. It’s the Potter boy. The sooner he leaves the forest, the better. —What did you say to him? Bane growled. » – Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
We know well that centaurs were excellent at the art of divination. For example, they could read the future in the planets in the night sky.
“Remember, Firenze, we took an oath not to oppose the decisions of heaven. Have we not read in the movement of the planets what must happen? “I’m sure Firenze thought he was doing the right thing,” Ronan said in his dark voice. — Do well! Bane shouted angrily, striking the ground with his hoof. What do we have to see in this? The centaurs submit to the decrees of fate. » – Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Let us not forget that Firenze, then becoming a professor of divination in the Order of the Phoenix , will clearly explain to his students that the predictions of the centaurs could be understood after several months, even several years .
“I, on the other hand, am here to expound to you the wisdom of the centaurs, an impartial wisdom that does not concern itself with individual matters. If we observe the heavens, it is to detect the great tides of evil or the great changes which are sometimes recorded there. It may take ten years to ascertain what we have seen. » – Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Before leaving Harry, in the forest, Firenze will tell him that he hoped he had misread the future in the planets.
“Good luck, Harry Potter. It happens that we make mistakes when reading destiny in the planets. Even the centaurs. I hope that is the case today. » – Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
In reality, even though Bane, Firenze and Ronan did not say it out loud, for more than obvious reasons, it is clear that they had read the future in the sky and that it was written there that Harry was going to have to face Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest. They just didn’t know when it would be.
So when Harry arrived in the forest and was almost killed by Professor Quirell and thus Voldemort, Bane and Ronan believed that this was what the planets meant. This rescue logically went against what they had seen.
Bane wasn’t actually angry that he had decided to save Harry, but they were worried that Firenze had completely changed the course of history by interfering in the wizarding world and saving Harry that night.
Even Firenze would refuse to tell Harry why the centaurs were angry, because he couldn’t bring himself to tell an eleven year old that he was supposed to die here.
In the end, it was indeed Harry’s destiny to die at the hands of Lord Voldemort in this very place, and that is exactly what happened to him at the end of Deathly Hallows, when he sacrificed his own life in the forest, to finally be resurrected.
In other words, the centaurs predicted the final battle even before Harry discovered the identity of the hooded wizard who drank the unicorn blood.
They also predicted that war would break out.
Indeed, the centaur Ronan noticed, twice, that the planet Mars was very visible and we know that in Roman mythology, Mars is the god of war.
“Yes,” said Hagrid. But did you see anything, Ronan? Something unusual? “We can clearly see Mars this evening,” repeated Ronan. It’s much brighter than usual. » – Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
So these were not empty words. They were clearly planning a new war . It is possible that Firenze concluded that this war should begin before Harry was killed by Voldemort in the forest and not after. So, he took the risk to save him.
It is also highly likely that the centaurs did not wish to get involved in the wizarding war between Harry and Voldemort, because they already knew how it was going to end.
“—BANE! Hagrid’s unexpected scream almost forced Harry to open his eyes. —Are you glad now that you didn’t fight, you cowardly old nags? Are you happy that Harry Potter is…m…dead…? Hagrid couldn’t continue. He burst into tears again. Harry wondered how many centaurs were watching them parade. » – Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
In the end, it was only after Harry’s ” death ” that they decided to intervene and fight Voldemort and his Death Eaters, because they knew that the prophecy had finally been fulfilled.
“Bane, Ronan and Magorian, the centaurs, burst into the hall with a great pounding of hooves while, behind Harry, the kitchen door was suddenly torn from its hinges. The Hogwarts house elves spilled into the entrance hall, screaming, brandishing carving knives and cleavers. » – Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
It’s obvious that the centaurs ultimately joined the Battle of Hogwarts, not because Hagrid scolded them, but because they finally felt entitled to act. At that moment, they could act freely.