Centaurs and the Future

[Weasleyfanforever]

"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so.... Bane was furious...
he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to
happen.... They must show that Voldemort's coming back.... Bane thinks
Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me.... I suppose that's written
in the stars as well."

We know that the Centuars read the stars and planets to divine the future, could this be a hint as to what is to come?

[catchthesnitch]

Interesting thought, Weezy. Gosh, I like the way you think and pick up on details like that. When Book 6 comes out we're going to have a field day!

Anyways, perhaps this means that Hagrid is going to play some pivotal role in the eventual re-downfall of LV. Heck, (here's some fodder for Blaise) maybe Hagrid's going to play a part in the realization of the prophesy!

But, with the re-introduction of Firenze as the divination teacher in OOTP, I'm thinking we're going to have more prophesies read by Firenze in the stars.

Should be an interesting ride.

[Nagini]

I am hoping that as Firenze said in GoF that it has been known that the Centaurs themselves have read the stars wrong! Looking to the stars for telling the future seems to be a hazy form of fortune tellling, but JKR has mentioned it a few times and obviously for a reason.

Going off topic a bit here, I think the Centaurs will continue on their path of not getting involved, even if it means the death of some of their herd at the hands of Voldemort, they will not join either side because their stubborness that they are above humans. I think this also makes them slightly judgemental with their points of view when it comes to telling the fortunes of others through star gazing.

[Tinkerbell]

Absolutely Gini - the centaurs are too proud to show favouritism to either side should a great battle ensue.

In my view, if Dumbledore has faith in both Trelawney and Firenze to teach Divination, he must have a modicum of faith in their abilities to 'see' whether this is in a crystal ball or in the stars, so perhaps there is some truth in what both say, but it is actually a combination of all types of divination that will give the true answer!???

[Kingsley]

I dont see the star gazing future tellers being too helpful :rolleyes:
Not as far as the prophecy anyway--but the centaurs seem to come in handy in the forest--I think that the main theme with their part of the plot is peace throughout the species--I think in the end maybe their star gazing will confirm a belief of Harry's or Hermione's but I am not to sure of anything beyond that

[Alz]

Those centaurs are a lot more intelligent that we seem to be giving them credit for ...
They seem to survive away from the rest of the world in a really inhospitable place that many would struggle to survive in ...
The star gazing is interesting - and lest we forget that Harry and co were tested on this as part of his exams - so has to be something in it ...
I don't think that the centaurs could have survived as long as they have - and also not be 'underlings' to the wizarding world if it wasn't for the fact they held something which gave them equal or a better hand .... I think we will see this a lot more in the next 2 books and exactly how right they can be ..

[Boing]

I tend to give more credit to the centaurs in terms of being able to tell what might happen. They only admitted to being wrong very seldom, so it's not like they were saying, heck, we think it's going to happen, but we're not really sure. It was almost like they were trying to make Harry feel better. I think there might be something to this and like to think it is linked to what we have seen with Dumbledore and how sad he is when talking with Harry about the future and how he has gotten too attached to Harry.

It seems that perhaps Harry might be the one who is expected to die - in some sense of the word - in order to defeat Voldemort - perhaps as the weapon himself, perhaps by way of Dumbledore as some have mentioned.

Good find, WFF.

[Weasleyfanforever]

I tend to give more credit to the centaurs in terms of being able to tell what might happen. They only admitted to being wrong very seldom, so it's not like they were saying, heck, we think it's going to happen, but we're not really sure. It was almost like they were trying to make Harry feel better. I think there might be something to this and like to think it is linked to what we have seen with Dumbledore and how sad he is when talking with Harry about the future and how he has gotten too attached to Harry.

It seems that perhaps Harry might be the one who is expected to die - in some sense of the word - in order to defeat Voldemort - perhaps as the weapon himself, perhaps by way of Dumbledore as some have mentioned.

I tend to give more credit to the centuars actually because of how often they have said that they could be wrong. They try to discern the future, knowing beforehand that they may be wrong, and they do it anyways. I think that the Centuars are right about the coming war, but I don't think they will reveal anytime soon who is going to win, and even when they do, they will stress that they could be wrong...

[Tinkerbell]

I am currently reading OotP and was interested to note that the "Magical Brethren" referred to by Fudge when he comes into the MoM following the battle between Voldemort and Dumbledore, consists of not only the witch and wizard and house elf, but of course the centaur - why would a centaur have been included in this Brethren if the magical world, particularly wizards, did not have a deep respect for their knowledge and ways of divining the future?

[Nagini]

Didn't they also include a Goblin?

I think they were included as they are magical creatures. The way they are depicted was of them all looking adoringly at the Witch and Wizard. Which, as we know in the case of Centaurs and Goblins is inaccurate. But they may have been there for some time and the witch or wizard who created the statues, or indeed most of wizard kind may feel they are superior to these other magical creatures, and thought it befitting that they look upon them in their mighty Ministry in such a way.

[Alz]

I think the centaurs dont feel they need to rely on others or be part of a bigger picture.
You could call it the same arrogance that has the Wizarding world having all other magical elements looking up to them ...
I think the pride of the centaurs is only just short of the chip on their shoulder ... but then again some had to make the chip right ...
I think they distrust the Magical folk - and probably for a good reason.
But their ways of predicting the future seem interesting ... they seem very sure.
I have covered the whole future guessing thing before - but perhaps it is easier in a centaur community as it seems not everyone has choices ...?

[Weasleyfanforever]

I disagree here, I think the centuars are very unsure of their predictions. Firenze says that the centuars, their predictions etc. could be wrong, and not to put to much bearing on them:

They did indeed burn sage and mallowsweet there on the classroom floor, and Firenze told them to look for certain shapes and symbols in the pungent fumes, but he seemed perfectly unconcerned that not one of them could see any of the signs he described, telling them that humans were hardly ever good at this, that it took centaurs years and years to become competent, and finished by telling them that it was foolish to put too much faith in such things, anyway, because even centaurs sometimes read them wrongly. He was nothing like any human teacher Harry had ever had. His priority did not seem to be to teach them what he knew, but rather to impress upon them that nothing, not even centaurs' knowledge, was foolproof.

[Alz]

I think what I was trying to say was that the centaurs really think they are correct in predictions ... you have to remember that Firenze is a sort of outcast - as such he is a bit more free to talk about the closed world of the Centaurs and goes to show he doesnt share the same kind of arrogance some of the more senior centaurs do ...
I said before - guessing the future is a difficult task as so many things can change it ... but the centaurs seem to rely heavily on the stars and attribute it to their freedom and survival - they see something in those stars even Firenze knew - but doubted ...