Disclaimer: I own nothing – it's all J K Rowling's – bar Maia and a few centaurs.

A/N: Wow, a second chapter - there must be something in the water. I have a feeling they are going to continue to take me a while to write, because I have a pretty hectic full time job. I also worry that they're going to rapidly decline in quality, but we'll see I suppose.


The girl stood in the centre of a trio of agitated centaurs. They were in the midst of a fierce discussion, but she stood quietly, wearing an anguished expression. The cause of the upset was lying against a tree, unconscious, at the mouth of the clearing. A broad, tawny centaur was shifting restlessly from hoof to hoof, red anger twisting his face, and issuing forth a red angry tirade.

"...careering through the forest like a spirit from Hades! And CHASING her! What right had he - Oh, I've a mind to - HOW DARE HE enter the Forbidden Forest? Is it not enough that he was in here at all, let alone this far into our territory? What was he doing here anyway? So much damage has already been done...he has seen her. We CANNOT let this pass, Eoin."

"Of course, let's kill him."

The centaur let out a roar of irritation. "I am serious, Eoin! He has seen her!"

"Well what do you propose we do? He is a student of Hogwarts; we cannot destroy what we have with Dumbledore. We would have the entire wizarding world against us if we were to act on your desires every time you get bloody minded. And we are a civilised race, Gammas," he looked reproachfully across to the tawny centaur, "don't let's forget that."

"Be that as it may," interjected the third centaur, "we still have to deal with him. Maia has been exposed, and we must protect her."

They all turned their attentions to the pale and silent girl before them. Like rain on a forest fire, her big, sorrowful eyes instantly calmed them. She looked over at the boy slumped against the tree. Eoin, dappled and faun coloured, exchanged a concerned glance with the third centaur, the largest and darkest, and spoke. "What happened, Maia?"

"The Firebird...she had a wounded wing and I wanted to help her. I had been tailing her since dawn, but I was enjoying the chase and I hadn't realised how far I had travelled in my pursuit. I must have been near to the edge of the forest when I healed the bird. The boy was watching me, and when I saw him I fled. I never suspected he would follow..."

"Orion's belt!" Gammas exclaimed. "The boy has seen her heal! Something must be done."

"No! Please, you mustn't hurt him," she cried, "I won't let you. It is my fault he is here; his safety is my responsibility now, just as mine is yours. Besides," she said wistfully, "he is like me..."

Eoin's face saddened. "But he is not like you, Maia. He only appears that way. There is no other like you."

"How am I to know that? I have never left the forest."

"Trust us," he replied, patient, "as you always have. We have protected you, and will go on doing so."

She sighed, and lowered her eyes. "I know. I'm sorry. I do trust you." But this forest is becoming a prison as much as it is a home. She wanted to tell him how she yearned to experience the outside world, longed for human company, but she couldn't do it. The centaurs were all she had; family, teachers and companions. She couldn't bring herself to hurt them. "What will happen to the boy?"

"You are more than this boy, Maia. Do not waste your cares on him," Gammas scoffed. "You are the most important."

She was about to protest, but the large, dark centaur cut in with a deep, strong voice. "In some ways he is right. It is paramount that your existence remains concealed."

The anguish returned to her face once more, and her blue eyes deepened to the shade of twilight as they gathered unshed tears. "Oh, Kiaron. This is all my fault..."

"He shouldn't have been in the forest," said Eoin, shaking his head. "It is against Hogwarts' rules. He too is at fault."

"Still, I have been careless, and you are faced with the impossible." She walked over to the boy against the tree, and took his face in her hands. Hesitantly, she pushed his silvery blond hair from his forehead to reveal an open wound. She allowed herself a quick glance at his face, observing the strong lines of his chiselled cheekbones and straight nose, and his smooth, pale skin. She marvelled at how like her own it was, and as she looked at him she felt as though he might have been carved for her out of marble by the gods. She stood and faced the centaurs again with a new determination. "I will make your decision easier for you. I will not allow him to be harmed. I don't wish to upset you - you are my family - but if he comes to any harm at your hands, then I will leave the forest, because I will no longer be able to respect your conduct."

Gammas stared at her, mouth agape, ire beginning to flicker and flame in his eyes. Kiaron continued to watch her, strong and silent as stone. Eoin turned his saddened eyes to the boy, a sombre expression darkening his gentle features. He sighed and scratched his beard. "Perhaps, then, it is time that we involved Dumbledore."

Gammas looked even further scandalised.

"He has long suspected us of hiding something. He will take great delight in learning the truth," Eoin said dryly.

"Such knowledge in the hands of a wizard presents infinite risk," reasoned Kiaron.

"If there's one person we can trust, it's Dumbledore."

"Even he is a risk."

"What choice do we have? Maia has made clear her intentions ." Eoin looked pointedly at her, and she fought the urge to look to the ground. "He will know best what to do with the boy, and there will be no reason for you to leave our protection."

She took a second to consider the notion. Perhaps this was her chance to discover more about the outside world. Perhaps Dumbledore will want to meet me. A smile broke on her face for the first time during their exchange, and she nodded, hope returning to her eyes.

Eoin pushed on. "Do all agree?"

"If this is the way it must be," said Kiaron, simply.

"It is."

"Aye, then."

"Gammas?"

"I still say snap his neck and be done with it." Warning looks were shot at him from all directions, and so, reluctance written on his face, he murmured, "aye, then."

A decision reached, Maia went straight to the boy and took his face in her hands. She pulled his head onto her lap and pushed his hair over his forehead as she had done before. She couldn't help but steal another look at his face, so perfect was it in its construction. She tore her eyes away, aware that she was being watched. Resting her hands over the wound, she leant forward to touch her head with his. She felt a shiver of delight to be so close to him, this creature that looked as she did, and relished the contact. As she closed her eyes she breathed him in, his scent unlike anything she had ever smelt before. Breathing deeper still, she drew in his energy, and their breathing became one. She felt with her mind for the block in his energy, and concentrated her own into sealing the gap, passing it through her hands into the wound on his head. She felt his energy become whole again and broke their connection.

She lifted her head, her eyes shining. The centaurs watched her carefully, suspicious of the boy that seemed to be causing her to behave so abnormally. She was smiling brightly. She felt fiercely elated, more so than usual after a healing. She felt that in healing him they had become connected in some way. And though she didn't understand why she should feel such delight at their connection, she believed that she had found something special, something that made her heart sing. He is like me.

She glanced up at the three centaurs, who were regarding her most peculiarly. She checked her expression immediately, moving away from the boy. "He is healed. He will wake soon."

Eoin, who wore a light frown, tilted his head slightly and replied, "well then, we had better inform the herd."

A brief but potent silence rippled around them, thickening the atmosphere, and she began to feel self-conscious. Perhaps it was wrong of her to show such obvious appreciation of the human. Worse still, perhaps her actions had offended them. The centaurs had been the only family she had ever known; she was going to have to act much more sensitively. After all, it was not just for her that all this was new. The centaurs had lived the same way for as long as she had known them, and so too had she. Such changes affected them all.

"Make sure the boy stays here until we return to escort him to Hogwarts," said Eoin, his voice cutting through the thick silence. "Do you need Kiaron to stay with you?"

"No, he means me no harm. I won't let him disappear, you have my word."

Kiaron looked unconvinced, and strong words of protest were forming on Gammas' lips. But she looked at them with such a serious, trusting expression, and her big, solemn eyes spoke so clearly to them of her wishes, that all three at once nodded their heads and left the clearing feeling like fools. Maia, it seemed, was a weakness that united the trio, who were otherwise so divided in character.


They had travelled to the herd in silence, each afraid to voice the embarrassment they felt at having submitted so easily to the whims of the young female. They stopped just before the herd's resting place, and Kiaron, the most practical of the three, put aside his shame and broached the topic none of them had wanted to discuss in front of Maia.

"There is still the matter of Magorian." He said, calmly.

Gammas snorted, his manner tinged with Schadenfreude. "Oh, he won't like this at all! He is the leader of the herd; he will be enraged that we have reached a decision without him."

"He may act as our leader," replied Eoin, "but it is he who appointed us as Maia's protectors. He will understand. He knows as well as we do what is at stake."

"But he despises the humans!" Gammas looked positively gleeful. "You cannot think he will agree to involve Dumbledore in all this? Ah, Eoin, I think you will find it difficult to use your diplomacy to win him round to this one."

Eoin regarded him patiently, unprovoked. "Even without his agreement," he admitted, "I will proceed."

Gammas fell silent at that, and the look of mischievous joy that animated his features was replaced with one of concern.

"I agree," Kiaron interjected. "Magorian may hate the humans, but he is sensible, reasonable. He has read the stars, as have we all."

"Well you won't find him so agreeable when it comes to regular contact," muttered Gammas. "You don't know what Dumbledore might tell her; we may lose her anyway. She doesn't belong with wizards," he finished, emphatically.

"What will be, will be, Gammas." Eoin said, wearily. "It is our task to protect, not imprison. She must find her way. We can only guide her."

Kiaron raised an eyebrow. "Guide her, yes. But if things go too far, action must be taken." There was a hint of a warning in his tone. "I will not stand by and see our world ruined, or Maia hurt, because of your 'laissez-faire' attitude."

"Understood, Kiaron. We will see." Eoin looked at him gravely before bowing his head. He was well aware of the new world of risk that opened up with introducing Maia to human company. In truth, he had always feared that this moment would come, not for the sake of the wizarding world, but for his own. He had come to feel for her as a father would, and knowing and loving her as he did, he understood that she craved human company. He saw how she yearned to find creatures like herself, and it hurt him. He felt deeply saddened that she wasn't content in the forest, living with the centaurs, and that they weren't enough to fulfil her happiness. The presence of this boy too pulled at the corners of his mind. The way she had reacted to him had released a jealousy within him the like of which he had never experienced. He wanted nothing more than to take control and demand that she keep away from the humans, but he couldn't. His desires weren't guided by altruism, so he quashed his feelings and kept them locked away, maintaining a mask of calm, moral solidarity. He was, in spite of himself, an idealist, a proud advocator of centaur morality and intellectualism, and centaurs, by in large, prefer to remain impartial, letting fate run its course.

He turned away so the others could not see his grim expression, and started to walk ahead. He glanced over his shoulder with a brief smile, and said, "come then, let us meet with Magorian."

He pretended not to hear Gammas whispering to Kiaron as he strode on. "What about what happened to Firenze?" There was a slight hint of panic in Gammas' eyes.

"We must take our chances," replied Kiaron sternly, and they set off at a gallop towards the herd.


A shimmering haze met Draco Malfoy as he opened his eyes. It started as a soft glimmer, shapes and colours blurred together, until it began to separate into flashes of light dashed with emerald and jade. He shielded his eyes with his hand; the light, however dim, was proving too much after such profound darkness. Feeling dizzy and disorientated, he stilled himself and waited for his vision to clear. Blinking, a dense forest ceiling slowly came into focus above him. Where am I?

As soon as the question appeared in his mind, the memory of smashing into a herd of centaurs and straight into a tree rushed back to him. Instinctively he put his hand to his head, but immediately realised he felt no pain. He felt for the wound he was sure should have been there, but felt nothing. Before he had time to think anymore about it, he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. A girl, pale and slender, had just stood up from her seated position a few metres to his left, and she was staring at him. Suddenly, he remembered everything.

She held his gaze with wide doe eyes, her expression slightly cautious. She remained totally still, and as he was drawn irresistibly into the depths of her liquid blue orbs, he sensed not fear, but curiosity. He felt déjà vu as he took in those gorgeous blue eyes set in that delicate, heart-shaped face and thought her to be one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever seen. He saw the tension in her body, and it struck him that she appeared to be waiting for him to up and leg it at any moment into the undergrowth. Hadn't it been him that had chased her? He struggled to make sense of the situation.

It occurred to him that having chased her through the forest like a madman, he should offer some sort of explanation. He relaxed his expression and smiled slightly. Unsure as to whether or not she would understand him, he spoke softly and clearly, trying awkwardly to dispel his customary icy demeanour. "I'm sorry I chased you." He eyed her warily, trying to judge her reaction. Pleased that she wasn't startled by his outburst, he continued. "I didn't mean to frighten you. Forgive me?"

The girl tilted her head, causing her long, dark tresses to sway and wisp in the breeze. Her lips curved into a soft smile, and small though it was, it altered her countenance immediately. She took a few steps towards him and sat down gracefully in front of him, curling her long, bare legs beneath her. He had thought that the strange, moon-like glow emanating from the girl would disappear as she came nearer, as if a trick of the light, but he was wrong. It was subtle and ghostly, as though it would vanish if you were to turn your head a fraction, but it was undeniably present, making her appear like some goddess or spirit. Of one thing he was certain; she was no ordinary girl.

He was comforted by her acceptance of him, if slightly perplexed by her increasingly mischievous smile. He decided that she obviously hadn't understood him, and would try a simpler way of communication. He put both of his hands on his chest and said in a definite voice, "Draco Malfoy. Draco." He smiled, and gestured towards her, hoping that she would follow.

To his surprise, she laughed at him. "My name is Maia," she replied, amused. "I healed your head after you ran into that tree, Draco Malfoy."

He remained mouth agape for a second before adopting an indignant expression. "I see," he muttered, curtly. He felt foolish. He wondered that she might be ordinary after all; a typical female playing games. She might've let him know she spoke English before he made himself look like an idiot. On the other hand, she said she had healed his head, so he swallowed his brief irritation. "Thank you."

She smiled genuinely at him, and gave the slightest inclination of her head.

"I watched you heal that golden bird," he continued. Thinking about it, he had to admit, he was awed. Wand-less magic was an incredible skill. "What spell did you use?"

She looked up at him with earnest eyes and simply replied, "I don't know any spells."

Draco was astounded. If it wasn't wand-less magic, what was it? "How, then?"

"It comes from here," she whispered, touching her head and chest, "and goes here," she gestured delicately, reaching out to his.

"How did you learn it?"

"I have always known how."

He considered that for a moment. There were no spells, and it wasn't a learnt skill... a natural gift, perhaps? The idea tested his deeply sceptical mind. He was conscious though, that there was much about magic shrouded in mystery, perhaps even secrecy, both of which could be applied to the girl. She was certainly an unusual find. He felt his head again, and marvelled at the lack of pain having recalled the force with which it hit the tree. It reminded him of the reason for his collision; the herd of centaurs. How could he not have remembered sooner? He cursed his usually razor sharp mind; the impact must have muffled his brain. Anxiety began to creep under his skin as he grasped the danger they could be in. The centaurs were known for their hostility these days; even that stupid oaf of a gamekeeper was no longer welcome in their territory. I am in serious trouble.

"There were centaurs here... Where've they gone?" He cast nervous eyes over the dark undergrowth with a gathering sense of unease. "We shouldn't be in their territory, it's dangerous." He tried to hide his concern, but his body language betrayed him.

The centaurs. In her excitement to meet him, Maia had forgotten her predicament. Her lovely face dropped and it was as if a grey veil had been drawn over it.

Draco saw the shift in her countenance, and immediately wished he had said nothing about them. There was something haunting about the way her eyes, which had been so bright and alluring, had become so solemn and misty. He had never met anyone with such eyes. It felt almost as though if he looked too hard he would tumble into their azure depths and drown, enveloped in pools of icy tears. He shivered at the thought.

Mistaking his grave expression for panic, she sought to reassure him, and smiled blandly. "We have nothing to fear; they are my guardians."

"Your guardians?" He exclaimed, stunned.

"The forest is my home." She nodded wistfully, and added "the centaurs are my family."

But they are beasts! He struggled to accept this new development, his mind reeling. How could such a beautiful creature have been raised by such savages? It seemed impossible to believe. "Are you saying that you've always been here? In the Forbidden Forest?"

"I've never stepped a foot from beneath these trees."

"But where did you come from? Surely you weren't born here..."

Before she could answer, they heard the sound of hooves getting steadily louder from deep within the undergrowth, and Draco sprang to his feet, tense and alert.

"They have come to escort you back to Hogwarts." She spoke quickly, in a whisper. "I will not allow them to hurt you, but please, do as they say."

His appearance hardened, his pride kicking in. "I don't need you to look out for me," he scoffed.

She glanced up at him hesitantly, a little taken aback, but responded regardless with a cheeky grin and a jokey aside, "you will if you annoy Kiaron."

He couldn't help but smirk at her tone. It struck him then that this could be the last he saw of the mysterious girl, and the passion with which his will rejected this idea took him by surprise. He would do all he could to prevent it. He tried to sound casual as he asked her, "will I see you again?"

She smiled enigmatically, and looked straight up into his stony eyes. "Perhaps."

The centaurs burst into the clearing and came to rest before them in a flurry of thunderous noise. Draco inhaled deeply, and turned to face them, prepared for whatever was about to come.