Written for the Quidditch League Competition as Beater 2 of Holyhead Harpies.
Prompts Used: "Must you?" "Feathers" and "Is that too much to ask?"
We all know that Firenze associated with humans despite of his tribe who shunned and attacked him. This is my version of what happened in the life of Firenze, the Centaur.
Firenze, the Centaur
"Must you?" Jiana asked, her white blonde hair falling till her shoulders and brown eyes shining with anticipation as she glanced between her mate and her child playing amongst the young centaurs.
Jiana was yet another centaur living in the acclaimed Forbidden Forest Colony of Centaurs, led by Magorian.
"I have to, Jiana." Derrence replied, "He was spotted with a student of Hogwarts. You very well know Magorian's views on association with humans. He has ignored this because he considers Firenze as young, innocent and naïve. But if he is not corrected now he will continue to affiliate with humans and be banished or killed in the process."
"How will you explain the hatred towards humans? He is naïve and innocent, as you said. Don't take away his innocence."
"It has to be done, for his betterment if not for anything else." He stated firmly and started to trot towards the herd of the young centaurs.
"But you believe the same, don't you?" Jiana called, making him stop in the mid-trot, "You don't hate humans with same verve as others."
Derrence did not make a reply just moved towards his son, Firenze.
"What are you doing?" He asked as Firenze trotted towards him, smiling as he did so.
"We are collecting nightingale feathers for summer solstice; Bane says it clears the vision of the unseen. I asked Magorian and he said it does and we could search the forest for it."
"It did not look like searching," Derrence smiled.
"We got carried away," Firenze admitted, "You need something, father?" he asked.
"Well, Firenze, I need to talk to you," he said gravely.
"Is it about yesterday?" Firenze asked, his smile vanishing.
"Yes, it is, child." He replied, nodding.
"I know we should not talk to humans, father," Firenze said, "Magorian explained it to me. He says that humans speedily took our lands and shunned us to small colonies, to Muggles we are 'freaks of nature' and to Magical people we are something they think they can suppress and have tried in past."
Derrence listened as Firenze recited Magorian's beliefs like a holy book. It did not seem like he HAD accepted them but it was more like he just maintained his silence just to shut Magorian.
"And some of them stooped as low as calling us half-breeds," Firenze continued, "then if that was not enough as a concession placed us in Beings classification with hags and vampires. But we did not agree to be placed with those derogatory creatures so we claimed to be called as Beasts."
Derrence nodded as Firenze concluded and took a deep breath.
"Do you believe them, father?" Firenze asked looking in his father's astonishingly blue eyes.
Derrence sighed as he learned he could not lie to the child-like intensity and innocence of his son.
"No, son." He said.
And that was that, days turned to weeks and weeks to months and months to years.
Firenze was no longer a young centaur, he had lost his parents with time but as the stars said, it was time for them to go and well it was time for Firenze to move on.
He was an average archer but a really good Seer as he was especially talented in divination through star-gazing.
Over the years, Firenze had never breached the topic of humans to his father. They had continued to live in peace and Firenze made a point not to go near the either borders of forest. Magorian, though did not forget his folly over the years, he watched Firenze closely, as though he was sure Firenze would do something dishonourable.
Magorian, felt a sense of smugness as he came to know Firenze had saved the boy who lived Harry Potter from Lord Voldemort. The planets had claimed that the boy was to die today in the forest but it seemed that Firenze was there to intervene.
"Firenze, I think I have taught you better than to intervene with the predicted future." He said.
"Many a time even Centaurs misread the planets." Firenze said defiantly.
"And was it a misreading, Firenze? Or you purposely went to save the boy? You know we do not fight for or against the humans. This is their war, not ours!"
"Don't you think it will affect us?" Firenze asked, "Voldemort will clear off our kind if it was up to him!"
"You think the wizards on the light side would do something otherwise?" Magorian asked, "Firenze, they do not care! It is not in their nature to care for anyone of their kind, let alone ours. Your act today has announced your alliance to Harry Potter and if Voldemort wins it will be against us all! Don't you care for your own tribe?"
"He was an innocent eleven-year-old." Firenze said quietly, not really answering the question asked.
"I don't care, Firenze," Magorian stated, "There is only one thing I care about and that is my tribe. And all I want from you is no allegiance with humans, be they good or bad. Is that too much to ask?"
"No, sir." Firenze said softly.
"Consider yourself warned, Firenze. Your father's services won't save you from being shunned the next time."
"There will be no next time." Firenze promised.
But the stars knew that he was wrong.
It was few years later that everything changed; the stars were brightly lit in the moon-less sky and he trudged through the forest with twigs crackling beneath his hooves.
Firenze had been partly shunned by the tribe. Most of them avoided him like he was a plague. Young centaurs were not allowed to interact with him or vice versa, with the fear that he would muddle their brains.
In the point of view of Centaurs, he had performed no heroics but he had dishonoured every one of them. He had hoped that as days would pass, everyone would slowly forget about it. But they did not. He was an outsider among his own kind. After a while, he had taken to circling the borders of the forest, both of the Muggle and the Wizarding side.
He stopped in mid-trot as he heard crackling of twigs not belonging to his hooves.
"Firenze," a calm and collected voice said from behind him, "I am surprised you haven't changed much, still skimming the borders of forest."
"You haven't changed much in the last four years either, Dumbledore,' Firenze replied to the man he had met only on one previous occasion, soon after he had saved Harry Potter's life. Firenze had suspected that Hagrid, the half-giant would have given him a full account on what transpired that night. "You still believe in dramatics." He said referring to his mysterious entrance.
"I have heard rumours, Firenze." Dumbledore said, after chuckling heartily on his statement.
"So have I, Dumbledore." Firenze replied.
"Well, I know your standing in your tribe and you know my standing in mine." The older man replied, coming into Firenze's view as he had not turned around.
"I would say that it is rather the Minister's wishful thinking." Firenze said.
"You know better then you claim." Dumbledore said, it was a statement not a question.
"And you are not as oblivious as you make yourself seem to portray." The centaur said, "What do you want, Dumbledore?"
"I am in need of a favour," He said, "I want you to teach Divination to Hogwarts students."
"You know that the ways of humans and Centaurs to foresee are different, don't you?" Firenze objected, "Besides, I would be shunned from my tribe for joining you."
"Aren't you already?" Dumbledore asked, rhetorically as Firenze contemplated, "You do remember the promise to your dying father, don't you?" Dumbledore added, knowing it was below the belt but necessary.
Don't rely on the prejudices of the past, son. Go explore the world on your own and then judge them.
The words echoed in his head, and he did not need the stars or planets to tell him that his life would never be the same as he uttered his next four words,
"I accept your offer."