Bane is an centaur living as part of the Forbidden Forest Centaur colony.
Description
Bane is a very intelligent centaur, who can read the stars and predict the future, and who despises and distrusts humans. He is described as 'black haired and black bodied' and 'wild looking' with a black beard. He is against humans riding on centaur's backs, and against intervening in fate. He is also against Firenze's decision to teach at Hogwarts.
History
1992
Bane and Firenze foretell Harry Potter's future in 1992 by reading the stars; “Remember, Firenze we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have you not read what is to come in the movement of the planets?”.
1997-1998 School Year
Bane was included in the centaur mobs that forced Harry, Hermione Granger, and Rubeus Hagrid out of the Forbidden Forest after they visited Grawp; he was also present when the centaurs attacked Dolores Umbridge, after Umbridge called them "filthy half-breeds". He shouted at Umbridge's insults at them and shot an arrow above her head as a mocking threat, then lifted her from behind and dragged her off into the midst of the forest.
Battle of Hogwarts
During the Battle of Hogwarts, Bane and the other centaurs didn't join the battle. When it looked like Harry had sacrificed himself, Hagrid called him a coward. This shamed him and the other centaurs so much that they decided to join the battle, breaking through the Death Eater ranks into the Hall. It is likely that he witnessed the final battle between Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter.
Abilities
- Divination - Like many centaurs, Bane possessed the ability to read the stars, planets, and other celestial bodies in order to predict the future.
- Shooting Arrows - Bane was seen to be very skilled at aiming his arrow at Dolores Umbridge so that it simply "grazed her mousy brown hair" to frighten her after she claimed that the Forest belonged to the [[British Ministry of Magic|Ministry of Magic.
Behind the scenes
- The centaur Bane is voiced and portrayed by the British actor Jason Piper in the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix film adaptation from the book with the same title.
- A "bane" is something that (1) is a constant source of unhappiness or worry; (2) can cause injury or death or (3) a poison. The word comes from the old English bana and is related to the German word bano, death.