Firenze's Revelation

For Flora, looking at the stars with her head in her husband's lap meant much more than a mere study, it meant endless love. Love almost strong enough to make her forget Harry. But each and every greenish twinkle made her remember him again. Even Felipe's lap reminded her of Harry's as it gave her the same sense of security; the same sense of affection, and the same sense of comfort as when they were at the Shrieking Shack. It had already been three months since that incident, but it seemed only a day ago. Those memories were too fresh and livid in her mind.

The notes she took in the Chamber of Secrets made no sense. They were a riddle to her, which left her even more curious. The only clues were the words centaur and dragon. At least those words were the only ones she could understand, from that mix of Latin and Archaic English. She continued to try to decipher the rest of the notes by looking at the constellations observed on the drawings related to her present studies and was amazed to see that they were similar to those from Slytherin's inscriptions. Not exactly the same, but very similar. She pointed out this similarity to Felipe but he did not seem to be much interested in it, since he believed that any prediction or spell that depended on the position of the stars was something that could not be trusted. But she did not mind him. Just before falling asleep, Flora decided that she would ask centaurs for help the next afternoon.

The next day, after school, she went back again to the Chamber of Secrets. She studied the notes made in stone more carefully. Where would they take her? Draco potentiam. Dragon Power. This she understood or at least she thought she did. They looked like as something that would give someone powers similar to the dragons. She smiled. She did not want to spit fire out of her mouth. What other powers did the dragons have?

She left the chamber and went to Hagrid's hut. Maybe he would have a clue. However, she could not tell him what she was really searching for. It was something she wanted to do on her own.

Hagrid greeted her as always, with a bright smile on his large old face. They walked along the edge of the Forbidden Forest, talking about various magical creatures. It was an easy and pleasant talk, since Flora respected him and considered Hagrid's knowledge about all those fantastic beasts as amazing, so she did not have to pretend interest. She asked about several beasts, including dragons and centaurs. Afterwards she asked him to introduce her to the Centaurs once, as she was interested to know them better. Hagrid warned her:

"Don't look at them as if they are animals or ask them anything that may sound as if you judge yourself superior to them. They will be offended by it. They are very special creatures."

"Hagrid, anyone would be offended by it... and after all that you have told me, it is difficult to think of any kind of human superiority over them. Centaurs do have greater knowledge and live much more than us. I would be very flattered if they just agree to even teach me a little about the understanding of the stars." Flora replied. Then smiling a bit, she said, "I'm sure I'm too dumb and I do not have any such special Seer powers… so whatever I learn will just be by the use of logic only."

"So, let's go. I don't have much time now, because I have a lecture scheduled in an hour. I can take you to the clearing where they rest by day. If you're welcomed, you can stay with them as long as there is no danger."

"Danger?"

"Centaurs aren't too friendly with humans, and especially not with women. But they tolerate kids though... But I'd realize if anything is wrong... I know them."

Flora thought a little about it and decided to take the risk. She did change the subject though. She did not want to have her fear increased:

"Right. Could you tell me more about Thestrals? I am very curious- I'd love to know how they look, of course this means that I would have to have witnessed someone's death... Which I don't want in any way." She quickly added.

"Your daughter said exactly the same yesterday..."

Hagrid replied and so talked excitedly about Thestrals, how they lived, and how he had managed to assemble a herd of them...Then Flora remembered a note on the wall, which suggested something about bare feet. She decided to take off her shoes to feel the forest floor beneath her feet. The moist soil sent a shiver down her spine, but she soon got used to it. Hagrid warned her that she could get her feet hurt or cut by some twigs. She laughed and told him not to worry: she was a witch, and at the slightest sign of pain she would float. Mesmerized at that, he uncertainly replied that not every witch could do that. She was surprised and a bit embarrassed too. As she could float so naturally, she had forgotten that the other wizards had not yet discovered how to do it well. She did not like to feel haughty though.

By then they were nearby a clearing when Flora felt a sudden pain: there was something hard and sharp piercing the sole of her foot. She pulled off the small black stone stuck there. She looked at the stone, it looked like a river stone that had been carefully polished. Saying nothing, Flora put it into her back pocket and looked ahead. The centaurs were resting at the clearing that Hagrid had mentioned:

"Bane, this is Flora, a Hogwarts' teacher ..."

"We know who she is. We were expecting her."

Flora risked:

"Nice to meet you. As a witch, I'm relatively new. So I'm trying to learn everything I can. I want to know you and humbly ask for some tips on the study of the movements of the celestial bodies, because as far as I know that you are experts on the subject..." The centaurs kept hearing with no comments, she continued:

"I know that an ordinary human like me cannot absorb one-thousandth of your knowledge. But if any of you are interested in helping me, I shall be very grateful."

"Firenze has volunteered before to teach humans in the wizardry school. Perhaps he will accept to waste some more time with you." Bane said looking at Firenze.

Firenze nodded. In fact, he knew Bane wanted Flora to learn astrology, as they had already discussed it. Flora's fate was still a riddle for even the Centaurs, which made her very intriguing. They were not used to be in the dark of anyone's fate. They would often say that Flora was the only true Riddle.

Hagrid realized that the Centaurs had welcomed her - for their standards of course, since they did not like to be too friendly to anyone. They had shown a certain respect for Flora though, and this meant that they would not harm her:

"Professor Flora, if you don't mind, I would like to go back to Hogwarts. The students must be arriving."

"Please… I wouldn't like to delay you, Professor Hagrid. Mr Firenze, if you allow me I would like to stay here a bit longer."

Firenze nodded and Flora said goodbye to Hagrid, and thanked him a lot. Firenze invited Flora to walk through the forest, and then he began a conversation that puzzled her:

"We centaurs, constantly assess the stars and constellations. Nothing surprises us. Of course there is always a choice. Pluto was strangely aligned with Saturn, indicating significant changes, such as those that occurred about a thousand years ago. Some disruption. We knew you would arrive. We knew a lot about your arrival and the consequences of it. But we could not predict the course of your history. This meant that everyone was very curious about your person. That was why Bane allowed you to approach."

"What can be so enigmatic about a person as ordinary as me? …Ordinary among witches, of course. I am a witch, a wife, a teacher, and a mother of three..."

"Four."

"Nope. There are three."

''And the heir to the Time and Death, Harry Potter's son?"

"Who?"

"The child in your womb..."

Flora lost her breath as if she had been punched in the stomach… She got sick, and fainted. When she woke up, she was on Firenze's back at the forest exit.

"Excuse me, sir. May I come down?"

"Um... what?"

"May I come down please? I don't feel right, here on your back. Please don't misunderstand me, I know you were helping me, but centaurs don't seem made for riding. I mean, it doesn't seem right. I feel like I am pushing your generosity."

Firenze let her down. Frowning, he looked at her with even more curiosity than before.

"You are a strange witch, Flora Riddle."

"Call me only Flora please. I have not been able to decide what name to use lately... Sir ... Are you sure I'm pregnant? And that this child is not my husband's? I don't remember having had any intimacy with Mr. Potter."

"No doubt about it. It's all there." Firenze said this pointing at the sky. "It all happened just over three months ago."

Flora gulped . She was very nervous, especially considering that she did not remember anything. Harry surely would not have done anything without her consent, but she did not remember having allowed him. The anguish of not knowing, not remembering anything made her almost forget the result of their act: after all she was pregnant! She let out a wail of despair. She was so scared that she hurriedly apologized to Firenze, and set with him the date for the beginning of her private lessons on the study of heavenly bodies.

She hurried out of the forest. She did not know where Harry lived, but she did know that he worked at the Ministry. And as the afternoon had just begun, she decided to find him there. But how? She had never been at the Ministry before.

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