Dumbledore sighed and asked, "What all would be necessary to complete this bond?"
The centaur smiled like it had already won a large victory, and said, "Simple physical contact should be enough to solidify a bond."
Dumbledore nodded and turned to Snape and McGonagall, "Please do a check, try and figure out if any of the students are missing. Do either of you object to me borrowing these three students?"
The two Professors shook their head and headed back to the castle to check on their students. Dumbledore sighed and his shoulders sagged for a moment before he turned to the Golden Trio and asked, "I hope I am not being to presumptuous when I assume at least one of you would be willing to volunteer?"
Hermione frowned and asked, "We don't have to… Mate… with whoever it is, do we?"
Dumbledore smiled and said, "The bond our friend here speaks of is more along the lines of a friendship bond. It is but a promise that should they, whoever they are, be in dire need of a friend, you will not turn them away. It can later develop into a mate bond but only if both parties choose to further the bond willingly and consciously."
Hermione smiled and said, "Like he said, it is the highest honor to be bonded with a Waylon. I'll do it Professor."
Dumbledore smiled at Hermione and said, "Thank you Ms. Granger, and how about you Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter? The choice is yours."
After only a second of thought Ron said, "Well if Hermione is doing it, I will too. I grew up hearing stories of Waylon and how powerful they are. It's said they can bring someone back from the brink of death."
Dumbledore smiled and said, "I have heard similar stories, thank you Mr. Weasley. How about you Harry?"
Harry nervously chewed on his bottom lip for a moment, and looked deep into his two friends' pleading eyes before he nodded his head in consent. Dumbledore clapped his hands and said, "Excellent! Now my dear friend, would you mind leading us to our fallen comrade."
The Centaur gave a small bow once more and began leading the way. Dumbledore at his side, the two quickly fell into a quite conversation, as though they had know each other much longer then they had. The Golden Trio cautiously fell in step behind them, with Hagrid just a few steps behind them. Hagrid gave Ron a pat on the back and said, "It's a right good thing you all are doing. Beautiful creatures, those Waylons, and so powerful they put a dragon to shame. It's not right to leave 'em all alone, not right. Wonder what happened to it's mum and da'."
Hermione said, "They have to be dead, or ells they wouldn't let their offspring be alone during transition, it's not in their nature."
Ron frowned and said, "The centaur, he said that it's someone from the school, I wonder who it is."
Harry added on, "I wonder if we know them, whoever they are."
They all fell into silence as they thought this over. It was getting dark quick, the last rays of the sun barely peaking through the thickening branches overhead. Slowly it got darker and darker until they were all tripping over roots and hedges because they couldn't hardly see, but then suddenly they could. The Golden Trio gasped in shock and held hands up before their eyes to shade them from the blinding light coming from the center of the clearing. It reminded them all of the few encounters they had had with unicorns, only as the light slowly began to fade so they could see the source, they were shocked to find a crumple form encased in a pair of white feathery wings, which seemed to be the source of the glow. Dumbledore and the centaur were standing off to the side, staring at the creature in the middle of the clearing and when the three glanced over Dumbledore quickly ushered them over to the creature.
Hermione waited only a moment before quickly cutting the distance between herself and the still hidden creature. All she could see was the wings, that seemed to be wrapped entirely around the creature, like a cocoon. She wanted to be close to this glowing, radiant creature, but as she got within a few feet her steps faltered and she paused. Ron, who had been right on her heals, nearly plowed her over, before quickly falling in beside her. He stared in awe of the creature, and found that he was frozen, unable to move closer and farther away.
Harry after a moment's pause, brushed past his two friends, his shoulders touching each of theirs for only a secant before he quickly knelt beside the creature and without even the slightest hesitation he reached out and petted one of the soft feathers. He didn't know why, but he could practically feel how lonely the Waylon was, and it reminded him so much of how he felt growing up with the Dursley's, and he couldn't bear to leave the creature all alone with that pain.
As his fingers brushed over the, oh so soft, feathers, a spark of warmth spread up his arm straight to his heart. He felt himself smiling as he continued to pet the feather beneath his fingers. Ron and Hermione, seeing the faint glow spread from the feather to their friend who was smiling like they hadn't seen him smile in a long time, finally got their courage.
Slowly Hermione stepped forward and dropped down to her knees next to Harry, and cautiously reached out and timidly ran her hands over a few silver feathers. She shuttered at the sweat trickle of warmth that ran from where she was touching the creature to every other part of her. Ron circled around and fell to his knees on the other side of the creatures, and after glancing at his two smiling friends reached out and a bit clumsily stroked a few feathers that looked almost gray.
The Golden Trio continued to pet the soft downy feathers till the glow that had admitted from them slowly began to fade. When the glow was practically non-existent, Dumbledore cleared his throat and said, "Thank you, Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Potter, if you'll come with me, Hagrid's going to take the Waylon to the hospital wing, Mr. Nolan here…" Dumbledore indicated the centaur before continuing, "Has informed me that it may be some time before the Waylon wakes, but that it is stable. I'm afraid as it is now past curfew, I can no longer keep you here."
Slowly the Golden Trio pushed themselves to their feet, and with a few fleeting glances over their shoulder, they followed their headmaster back to the Castle.
