Niamh (that's pronounced "neev")
Albus looked uncertainly up at Hagrid. He, Rose and Minerva were sitting around the fire in Hagrid's hut, clutching huge mugs of tea and discussing their parents at Hogwarts. Minerva had been feeling a little left out – her parents had attended after Rose and Albus' – so Hagrid had decided to cheer them all up with a trip to meet a 'friend'. Albus had heard a lot about Hagrid's idea of friendly, cute and nice from his father – a dragon, a giant three-headed dog and blast-ended skrets all fitted this category apparently – so he was suspicious when Hagrid offered to take them on a Saturday afternoon stroll near to the forest. When they finished their tea, he smiled and led them outside, around the back of his hut.
"Here's somethin' that'll make yeh smile – I'm sure yeh Dads'd love this one." He nodded at Rose and Albus, grinning. He loved to talk about them and their adventures at Hogwarts. "Oh, yeh mum probably wouldn't approve, she'd think it 'highly dangerous and very silly'. But that's Hermione for yeh. Ah, here we are." He opened a gate into a large field containing a tall shed and a wide oak tree; the tree cast a large shadow and hung down close to the ground, creating a shielded view of a small space enclosed by leaves. Something was in the space, a shadowed creature that none of them recognised.
"What do you reckon it is, Albus? Do you think it's something dangerous?"
"Yeah, I'd say so. Minny, you're into all these magical things and creatures, any ideas?" Minny shook her head apologetically.
"No, sorry. I can't see anything." Tentatively, Albus turned to Hagrid.
"Umm Hagrid? What is that?" He broke out into an enormous grin, filling the whole of his bushy-bearded face.
"That, Albus, is a very rare, very beautiful, very special female centaur." He breathed the last couple of words to add effect, but as none of the children knew whether it was important, it had no result. "Oh come on, yeh parents musta told yeh 'bout centaurs? How most of 'em are males and that's why they're so old and rarely breed? Oh come on!"
Rose suddenly looked up. "Oh Hagrid! I know what you mean. Mum talked about the centaurs once or twice, so I looked them up in her old textbooks. It's fascinating how they don't breed much, so live so much longer. I never knew much about them before and they are interesting that I just had to read more. I ended up reading about their past, their interactions with humans, their-"
"Oh, we know Rose!" Albus laughed and Rose looked a bit disgruntled but smiled all the same. Hagrid ruffled her hair.
"Just like yeh mum, exactly the same. That's just what she woulda done" he said, grinning. "Right then, let's go talk to her. She's a bit confused a' the momen', what with being in a new place an' all – yeh see, she just moved here to escape her old family, 'cause they were treatin' her badly and stuff – so give her a little lee-way. Right-y-ho then." He stepped forward and called out, "Knaaaaave! Knave, come out an' talk to these firs' years. Old friends o' mine." A quiet voice spoke out from the shade, just audible above the rustling wind and whispering trees.
"Hagrid, how many times must I remind you? My name is Niamh, not 'Knave'. Now, who are these old friends of yours?" A slim, tanned hand pulled back the branches and a tall, palomino centaur stepped forward. She wore a simple brown tunic, nearly the same colour as her warm eyes; her hair flowed down her back, a creamy white flecked with golden and yellowed tones – her tail was similar, but shorter. She held a book under one arm and had a slightly glazed look of one torn from a deep storyline. "Ah, hello." Albus smiled at her friendly face and stepped forward slightly.
"Umm, hello. I'm Albus…Albus Potter." She examined him from a distance, taking in his glasses, scruffy dark hair, green eyes and thin stature. No matter how much his mother tried to make him eat, Albus stayed stubbornly thin, just like his father.
"Ah yes. I believe your father was important for something? Voldemort, wasn't it?" He nodded. "Well, I certainly don't believe that anyone is like their parents, but I can feel something in you, Albus Potter, a strong power. A power for good." These last sentences she almost whispered, staring at the sky.
Rose was twitching slightly where she stood, so Minny motioned for her to go first.
"I'm Rose Weasley, it's lovely to meet you!" A little awestruck, she smiled at the centaur, who looked bemusedly down.
"And you. Your mother and father were interesting people too. You too have inner strength, a Gryffindor at heart. But that knowledge is something too. Use it wisely." As with Albus, she faded away, almost talking to herself. She stepped forward into the sunlight, her coat almost sparkling and walked straight up to Minerva.
"You are Minerva, am I correct?" Minny nodded nervously.
"Ummm…yes. Minerva Corner." Niamh Broke into a warm smile and asked, "Do you know who you are named after?" Minny nodded again.
"Minerva McGonagall, a great witch and close friend of Dumbledore. Mum's told me a lot about her."
"You soul is great, make use of it Minerva. You names previous owner made it into a proud, strong name. Do the same – because you can." And with that, she turned and retreated to her shade. Hagrid coughed and turned to the three.
"She's a bit of a weird one, yeh see. Not only prophecies, but 'auras'. She jus' knows stuff 'bout people. Stuff e'en they didn' know, yeh see? She understands the 'self' and stuff. I dunno really, but that's what I've bin told. Kna-Niamh? Can we talk a bit more?" She looked back haughtily.
"Alright Hagrid, but I must endeavour to complete this literature by the eve, or the school librarian will discover that I borrowed it and she will not be pleased. I found it, obviously somebody dropped it, on wander close to the castle walls, but nobody was near to claim it, so I read it. So," she added, "What do you wish to talk about?" Rose shrugged and Minny looked at her toes. Both were in awe of this powerful, intelligent creature. But Albus stepped forward bravely.
"Niamh, were you alive around the time of the great battle?" Slightly taken aback, Niamh said,
"Yes. I'm afraid I was in France at the time, and was on my way to meet with old friends of mine here in the grounds. Unfortunately, I slipped in a glen in the south of England and had to wait and rest for a while. Luckily, I wasn't discovered, but when I was walking through woodland, a Muggle saw me. The ministry has not been happy for me and wished for me to find a magical dwelling of sorts. Therefore, I returned to France. However, after these many long years I decided to visit my friends – if they were still alive. I travelled here and was immediately contained by Hagrid. However we spoke and McGonagall accepted my requested to stay in the grounds. She is very wise, as wise as Dumbledore almost. A good leader…" Niamh trailed off and stared upwards again, sighing quietly. After a long pause, she turned to Hagrid. "So Hagrid, you requested that I would come to your classes?"
"Yeah, if yeh don' mind. The kids'd love teh see yeh and I could tell 'em 'botu centaurs more." She nodded.
"As long as I am not treated as a circus animal, I will attend classes this week. However, I do need to speak to the centaurs of this forest before I can determine if I can stay permanently. Do you know how to contact them?"
Albus, Rose and Minny noticed that they were being directly ignored for now and decided to go back to the Gryffindor common room to warm up again and finish their potions essays.
"Hagrid, we have to finish our potions work. See you soon?" Hagrid looked slightly surprised, as if he had forgotten about them temporarily.
"Ah…yeah. I'll yeh soon, maybe for tea of Friday? Yeh get outta lessons early, don' yeh?"
Rose spoke, "Yes. Could you owl us about it then? Bye!" He put one arm around all three and squeezed them a little.
"I'll send yeh an owl. See yeh on Friday then."
They walked across the grass, back to the castle, discussing their potions essay. Rose was convinced that it had to be three sides of parchment, but Albus and Minny thought it was only one. Debating loudly, they reached the common room and Minny said the password,
"Pumpkin pie."
"Indeed! In you go" said the Fat Lady, swinging forward to let them pass.
The common room was fairly crowded for a Sunday afternoon in late October, but they could still find space to sit and do their homework. James was leaning on the back of a tall squashy armchair and talking to a friend. He was grinning mischievously and Albus could just hear snippets of his conversation,
"…yeah, three dungbombs! He hasn't found me out yet…"
"But surely Filch suspected you? After all, you know the Weasleys and they run the Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes, don't they?" He laughed.
"Yeah, but that old idiot couldn't catch me anyway. No proof."
"So you do know the Weasleys?"
"Of course! My mum is one! And," he scanned the common room, before spotting Rose, "there's one! Rose! Come here for a minute." He waved and Rose got up and went to him.
"What? I'm in the middle of my homework" she said, looking disapproving at his previous conversation, and looking uncannily like Hermione. James smiled.
"You're a Weasley? Oh yeah, you see…the freckles." Rose was surprised as James' friends were staring at her like she was famous. Albus had come and stood next to her, after wondering what was going on. The small group of third-years suddenly noticed him.
"James!" a tall girl exclaimed, "You look so much like your brother! That's so funny." She smiled at James and he blushed a bit. Rose grabbed Albus and pulled him away from the gawping, declaring they had to finish their homework.
Settling down next to Minny again, they completed their homework, laughing at James' face when he spoke to the tall girl. The fire warmed them through and they decided to head to bed. Albus went up to his dormitory a little after the two girls and stepped into the warmed, dark room. He pulled on his pyjamas and sat in bed, closing the curtains on his bed, just like father had done twenty-six years before and his grandfather had done twenty or so years before him in the very same rooms, the same common room, the same castle. He sighed happily and lit a candle to read by. As he read, the drizzle stopped, the clouds parted and the fog cleared to show a beautifully clear night, as so many had seen before and so many would see in the future.
An hour later, he put his book down, blew out the candle and went to sleep in Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry.