The evening's detention proved to be a surprise. When Harry got down to Filch's office, the surly caretaker told him to report to Hagrid. Harry remembered his request of the groundskeeper to teach him some survival skills. Far better way to spend detention! So Harry hurried out of the castle and down to Hagrid's cabin, where he greeted the big man happily.
"Time for a trip to the woods," Hagrid grinned, with a huge crossbow slung across his back that Harry eyed both with interest and some hesitation. He had his wand, of course, and he had to get used to the idea of walking into dangerous areas.
"So what's our purpose? I mean, other than giving me an idea of how life in the woods are," asked Harry.
"Going to look for some plants professor Sprout asked me to get her some specimens of. Wants to grow her own kind in her greenhouses. And we'll just make a tour of the place, see if anything's odd, anything warrants our attention." Giving Harry a small bag, and grabbing a big one himself, Hagrid moved towards the forest with Harry hurrying to make double steps to keep pace.
Not just the Forbidden Forest, but forests in general were unknown to Harry. The Dursleys were not the camping types, and had never taken Harry along for any trip into the countryside. There was nothing close enough to Privet Drive to be called nature that Harry could have been to, and the only forest near Hogwarts was, well, forbidden. It was barely autumn so the sun lingered on the horizon for a while yet, growing and glowing red. The green colours likewise held on as best it could, but the colours of red and gold had slowly begun to invade. At first the forest seemed quiet, but soon Harry learned to be attentive. Animals scattered here and there, rustling through the undergrowth. Birds began to sing their evening tunes, and Harry noticed that despite his size, Hagrid moved quietly, without disturbing anything. He was definitely in his right element.
"Keep eyes out for a plant with purple flowers. The petals resemble a crown, and the stem is lightly blue," Hagrid said. "And grab me if you find mushrooms! Haven't had any good ones in a long while," he added wistfully. Harry did not reply, merely trod in Hagrid's ample footprints. He was far too busy absorbing the impressions of the forest; the very smell of wood and flora growing everywhere unhindered by man. Here and there he saw flowers, but not neatly arranged as in a shop or to decorate a room. They grew wild, surrounded by many other plants and with no purpose to delight the eye of the beholder. Harry knew of course how frail they were, he could reach out his hand and rip them from the earth they needed to grow in; but he almost admired how they seemed to be their own master. Flowers simply being flowers, not ornaments.
After a while, they reached a small clearing. A number of stones were laid in a circle in the centre, with pieces of charred wood inside. A few fallen trees served as seats when Hagrid and Harry sat down, the great crossbow and bags placed to rest next to them. An obvious camp site, Hagrid pulled out a flask from his bag. He took a swipe and offered it to Harry. It contained some kind of fruit juice, with a strong taste mixed into it. From behind him, Hagrid pulled out several logs that had been stashed there in advance. Getting up again, he built a small pyramid by propping the logs against each other, showing Harry the structure. Hagrid then stuffed some pieces of newspaper (The Daily Prophet) in through the holes of the pyramid and lit a match. After a little while, a fire was busily burning.
"And that's how you build a fire, Harry. We'll look for the plant tomorrow, it was too dark this evening to spot it anyway. I just wanted to bring ye out here with me tonight. I know the forest can be dangerous to people, but it's still a nice place to be, spend a night. When the sun is down, the stars are up, well, ye know there's more than one kind o' magic in the world," Hagrid said, looking up as the stars had begun to appear. Harry followed his gaze, identifying as many constellations as he could. Hagrid then found two long wooden poles and told Harry to pick his dinner from his own bag. An assortment of meat and vegetables were found in long squares, and Harry squashed them onto his pole before extending it over the fire, following Hagrid's example. And then they sat in silence, listening to the fire crackling as their food was cooked, looking at the night sky above.
"How's yer bacon," asked Hagrid.
"Crisp."
"Good." And then there was silence for a while longer.
"Hagrid?"
"Yeh?"
"This is nice."
"I'm glad ye think so."
They were still munching on the last part of their meal when Harry heard the sound of something moving in the distance. An animal of some kind, running through the forest. The sound quickly grew louder and Harry realised it was moving directly towards them.
"Don't worry, Harry," Hagrid said unmoved, taking care of his last bite of tomato. Harry still turned his head towards the sound though, and soon saw white fur moving among the foliage. Then it passed through the trees and Harry's heart jumped in him as he saw what it was: two great, majestic centaurs with bows in their hands galloping towards the clearing. Only at what seemed like the last second did they come to an abrupt halt.
"We accept you in our forest, Hagrid Groundskeeper, because we do not seek strife with Hogwarts. But we do not look kindly on you taking others with you!" the first centaur said, the other one staying a few paces behind. Not only was the equine part of him white, but also the thick curly hair that crowned his head and lay as a thick beard around him. Age was inscribed upon his face, with deep lines, but his naked torso and arms showed the muscles of a man in his prime. A leather quiver was on his back, filled with arrows, and the bow in his hands was made with elegant carvings. The other centaur looked slightly younger, his hair blond rather than grey. He was likewise muscular, and also with a quiver on his back and an ornamented bow in his hands.
"He's hardly more than a boy, and we ain't causing trouble. We'll be gone tomorrow, so where's the harm?"
"With your parentage are you so blind to the oppression of the wizards? We centaurs once roamed freely, but now we can hardly leave these woods. If we allow the wizards to settle here as well, what will we have left? No, Hagrid, I will not be known as the Keeper of my flock who saw more than three thousand years of history forgotten, scattered, our people no more." Despite the jib at his giant mother, Hagrid was still unmoved. He removed a bit of pork from between his teeth and looked at the centaur.
"Come now, Magorian, that sounds more like Bane talking than you. The wizards aren't interested in yer forest, Hogwarts been here a thousand years and none have tried to expel you. Can't yer share yer forest with us now and then? It's a nice forest, and I thought Harry should see that."
"We do not make rash moves, and I will not break any truce between us for the sake of a boy you brought here. Just know we are vigilant of any entrance to our domain, and will not abide any trespassing of it by wizards, who has no business here. Firenze, let us return to our flock."
"With your allowance, noble Keeper, I will stay by the fire for a moment. I think perhaps I have a splinter in my leg," Firenze said, and to Harry's utter surprise gave the boy a wink which Magorian did not see.
"If you must," said Magorian curtly and galloped away.
"Forgive our Keeper, it is his duty to remember our history, and our history is an endless tale of tragedy. Hence he ever fears the continuation of history. I, on the other hand, greet you, Hagrid, and you, friend of Hagrid."
"I know he means nothing by it," Hagrid said serenely. "He's got to make a posture, make his stand known. Mind you, it's true enough, no wizards are remotely interested in the Forbidden Forest."
"Indeed not," Firenze laughed, "and why would they. It is of no value to anybody, except us to whom it is everything. You will forgive me, Harry Potter, if I am forward. Hagrid told me that he would bring you with him into this forest, and from what I have seen in the stars I was curious to meet you."
"You read the stars? I've taken Astronomy, and in Divination we've had astrology, but I can't say that told me much about the future."
"Humans have never had much luck with the stars. In the old days, even wizards knew to consult a centaur if they wanted any kind of foresight."
"So once wizards and centaurs mingled?"
"Once," Firenze nodded. "We have been in this land since before the Romans came. It was them who began to hunt us, fearing us. We became lost to humans, we scattered and retreated to a few refuges, like this forest."
"And now you won't let us visit you, then we'll never come to know you again," Harry argued. Firenze laughed hoarsely.
"This one is a sophist! And would you know the centaurs? Would their history and people interest you?"
"Very much," Harry said. "Please, tell me anything you want."
"That could take a lifetime. I will restrict myself to what is most important. As said, we centaurs watch the skies. It is our duty to remember the past, witness the present and foresee the future. Our Keeper, whom you have met, knows the song of our people that speaks of every great event foretold in the stars, beheld by the centaurs and now committed to memory. Now and then the planets move to announce changes in the world; we saw it many decades ago, and we see it now." Harry had to lean his head back to look into Firenze's eyes, but he was completely absorbed. The centaur's eyes spoke of incredible knowledge.
"What do you see now?"
"Ah, a wizard has come to seek the astrology of the centaurs again. Very well, I shall tell you what I have seen. The Herald of War ascends high into the heavens; there is no mistake, terrible battles are ahead. But one could know that without watching the stars," said Firenze. Harry surmised he spoke of Mars, and why the centaur would not use the Roman name for the planet.
"But then, the Herald draws near the Bringer of Victory. It will not merely be a battle then, but a decisive one. When the two come closest in the sky, this coming war will be decided with one fell stroke. In whose favour? The celestial companions will not say. The herald might continue in his ascendancy, though it does not seem plausible. The Lady of Peace may take his place, but that too is impossible to see. Far behind lurks the Shaker of the Earth. Rarely does he come close to us, or the Herald. But should he after that fateful hour, then the earth will indeed quake and this land will tremble." Firenze's voice had grown deeper, and Harry thought he saw what the centaur spoke of, conjured before his inner vision.
"That's enough lessons for tonight, methinks," said Hagrid suddenly. His calm voice shattered Harry's visions and he exhaled, relaxing a bit.
"For tonight," said Firenze. "Maybe we shall meet again, Harry Potter. Until then, may your sight be clear and your arrow fly true," said the centaur. Harry returned the farewell, sensing its ritualistic importance, and the centaur galloped away like Magorian had.
"Not a bad night, eh? You get what sleep you can. In some hours, I'll wake ye, and you keep watch until dawn. That's something else you might need; always keep a watch if you aren't sure of the place you're in."
Sleeping in the forest when one was used to beds was not very pleasant, and the few hours Harry got did not seem to help either. Nonetheless, when he said goodbye to Hagrid, he asked the groundskeeper to take him out another time, which Hagrid smilingly promised. When Harry returned to the common room, he was greeted by his friends.
"Where have you been? Ron said you didn't sleep in your bed last night," Hermione asked.
"I was in the forest with Hagrid," Harry said and yawned.
"The Forbidden Forest? No way," Ron said enviously. "What was it like?"
"Not sure you'd like it, saw spiders," Harry said, yawning again. "Did meet two centaurs though; one wasn't very pleasant, but the other was very interesting. Told me about astrology and the planets; real stuff, not like the hogwash Trelawney serves to us. Wish he was our teacher instead of her."
"You met centaurs? They say that if you step into the Forbidden Forest and a centaur spots you, you're full of arrows before you can say horse," said Ron.
"Well if you are about to call them some horse slur you deserve to be made into a pin cushion," Hermione bit him off. "It sounds so interesting, Harry! Not really the kind of detention I thought you'd get."
"That was detention? Last time I got it, I had to make every trophy shine in the trophy room. And if you forgot, Hogwarts got about a thousand year's worth of them!"
"We can go ask Hagrid, maybe he'll take all three of us next time," said Harry. "Now if you don't mind," yawn, "I need to sleep if I want to survive tonight's detention. Don't worry Ron, I'll be back to polishing armours. You can come down and check if you don't believe me, keep me company." Despite the invitation though, Harry spent his next detention alone.