I hate centaurs. I just thought I would let you know. I really really don't like them.
Pendragon seemed frozen in place. Just as the centaur was about to hit him, Star tackled him, head on, knocking Bobby to the side and out of the path of the charging centaur. Star grabbed her wand and with a flick of her wrist, sent the centaur flying over the tops of the trees and out of sight.
"What the heck was that!" said Pendragon. He looked totally freaked out.
"A centaur." replied Star, "They haven't been very friendly of late." Looking at Pendragon, she noticed he was holding his stomach, rubbing his sholder, and looked about ready to puke. "Sorry about the tackle." Star continued, helping him up, "I couldn't tink of another way to keep that centaur from running you over at that moment. You gonna be okay?"
"I think so." he replied, "but you hit like a linebacker."
"A what?"
"Never mind. And when I asked what that was, I wasn't talking about the centaur. I was talking about it flying. What was that?"
"Oh. A simple trick of magic is all. Any first year could do it."
"You can do magic?"
"Of course. All wizards and wiches can."
Pendragon stopped. "Wizards and witches? Your territory has wizards and witches? And you're a witch?"
"Yes. Is there something wrong with that?"
"No. I just wasn't expecting that is all."
"Expect the unexpected in this territory Pendragon. Just about anything can happen." They began heading through the woods and after a while Bobby spoke up.
"In your note yousaid that you knew what St. Dane was up to."
"Well, I think I do anyway. It's really just a hunch but it's a pretty good hunch."
"So what is it?"
She looked around and said quietly, "I can't tell you here. It's too dangerous. When we get back to the school, I'll explain everything as best I can."
Pendragon nodded grudgingly and they continued silently through the Forest.
When they made it to the Froest's edge, Star put out an arm to stop Pendragon. She could hear Hagrid humming to himself as he worked. They'd have to go around him, past the Womping Willow. Great.
"Why can't we just go by him?" whispered Pendragon
"Because you're a muggle and he and everybody else in Hogwarts will be able to tell." she replied
"What's a muggle?"
"A non-magical person or being."
"And why would it be bad for them to know it?"
"Because muggles aren't allowed to come into the Wizarding World. If they do they are found and have thier memories of it erased.
"Why?"
"Because it would break a whole bunch of laws and it would cause more problems then I care to think about. Now be quiet."
With that said, she pulled him along just inside the trees and towards the Womping Willow. They gave it a wide berth and it didn't bother them. They hurried into Hogwarts and skirted all the main passeages so as to avoid the other professors. When they made it to her classroom, she immediatly turned and locked the door. Then she went over to several large piles of books and selecting one of the bigger volumes, set it down on her dsek and began reading and paging through it. Pendragon stook watching her for a minute then said, "Do you have anything I can change into? I don't really think that jeans and a t-shirt are the style around here."
Star looked up and studied him for a moment. Then said, "I'll see if Dumbledore has anything that will fit you for now. Stay here and don't let anyone see you."
Then she left.
Pendragon began walking through the room. It was like a regular classroom put into a midevil castle. Then it him him that he didn't know her name!
Star walked quickly to Dumbledore's office.
"Weasley's Withering Winkles." she said and the statue jumped out of the way. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk writing something as she came in but stopped immediatly to liik at her.
"Professor, St. Dane is back so I sent a not to Pendragon and he's here."
"Where exactly is here?"
"In my classroom."
"And St. Dane?"
"Somewhere on Thrae acting like a Death Eater."
"Have you found the spell?"
"No. I don't think one exists, so I will probably have to make one. And Pendragon will need some cloths until I can take him to Diagon Alley."
Dumbledore flicked his wand and a dark green robe appeared in Star's arms.
"Thanks. I better head back."
"Oh, and Star, the Order is meeting tomorrow. Gather the other travelers and bring them. We will be needing some replacement teachers soon."
Star nodded and left.
When she got back to the classroom, Pendragon was looking out the window at the Quidditch Field.
"What's that?" he asked pointing to it.
"The Quidditch field. It's the most popular game in the Wizarding World. Here." she tossed him the robe and he caught it. "I'd head on up to bed. Mornings gonna come early. Up the stairs and to the left." she said pointing, "You can sleep there."
He nodded and went on up. When she heard the door close, Star sat back and sighed. This was going to be a long night.
