Hermione sat on the edge of the forest. With her chin resting on her knees she surveyed the destruction silently. The castle was burning, bodies of allies and enemies littered the ground. Despite the carnage, the loss, hell, even the relieving feeling of supposed victory, she couldn't call a tear to her eye. Not knowing what to do, she decided to do nothing. A task which she managed for about an hour before she was hauled abruptly into the forest behind her.
A hand was over her mouth before she could alert anyone to her situation and she was lifted and restrained by a second large arm. She struggled weakly as she was slowly being taken into the forest and knowing that this was probably the end, Hermione tried her hardest to cry. All it did was give her a headache. Sighing in resignation she accepted her fate, she'd fought long and hard enough, an easy death away from the battle ground seemed almost fitting to her.
A short distance later she was released and dropped into a heap on the forest floor and waited. A moment passed and she heard an annoyed sigh. Since she hadn't been killed yet and whoever it was was annoyed by her giving up she felt a spark of curiosity. Looking up she saw that she had been taken by a centaur.
They locked eyes and silently appraised each other. Hermione waited until the centaur spoke.
"Miss Granger, I was hopping to find you with more fight left in your bones," he said sadly. Hermione remained silent. The centaur ran one hand through his hair and then crossed his arms. "I am aware of your relentless crusade for justice Miss Granger I have been regaled many a time with the Umbridge situation. I like to think that somewhere deep down you still have the necessary drive to continue to take up arms and set things right."
It took Hermione a moment to understand.
"Make it right? Surely you don't mean to…" she stopped as she couldn't quite bring herself to say what she had thought she'd heard.
"You are just as sharp as everyone has said, friend and foe alike. Yes, Miss Granger I intend to use magic to fix this. Elemental as it happens,"
"Look Mr… uh I'm sorry I didn't get your name…" she tried to recall seeing him before. He was significantly older than many of the other centaurs she had seen. His long hair greyed at the roots and around his hooves had discoloured similarly. He had still retained the physique of the younger centaurs, but his features had taken on a wise, mature quality that she hasn't seen before. Come to think of it, she couldn't remember seeing him in the Forbidden Forest at all. He chuckled abruptly, and she realised that her confusion must have shown on her face.
"I am Magnus and no, I am not from this forest. I came from my home to be here, to help. Unfortunately, I found this once beautiful place, torn and broken. I spoke with the creatures of the forest and the lake, I spoke to both sides of humans fighting, I spoke with the Earth and the skies and the place is sick. The evil has tainted the earth and the damage is irreparable," he finished solemnly.
Hermione's heart fell through her stomach. So, they had won, but they had destroyed everything in their quest to achieve that. Now she cries. Fat tears roll down her cheeks and hit the earth. A hand touched her chin and she was looking into the kind eyes of Magnus.
"You can fix it," he said softly.
"I'll do it," she replied. As she stood and took Magnus' hand and they walked together deeper into the forest Hermione hoped that she knew what she was getting herself into.