Firenze mulled over his thoughts. He did not believe in fortune telling, no
sensible centaur did, but everyone was written in the stars, if you knew
how to read them. No centaur, person, goblin, giant, house-elf, half-breed
was left out. Anything important enough to be born had a place in the
stars. He didn't know how he would meet Hermione though. He must think. The
school year was quite well on it's way, and with the new security measures,
it was even harder to find a student. Not that he had seriously tried
before though. He must think!
"Firenze."
The centaur whirled as he heard his name. The ancient headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, was standing in the clearing. Immediately, Firenze sensed trouble.
"What is wrong?"
"Firenze, I'm sur eyou have noticed the changes in our school. what with Hagrid's mood. but our Divination teacher is about to be sacked by the Ministry. I'm afraid in a time like this, we need that subject, no matter my opinion of it. I know this is asking a lot of you- but for the noble fight, will you join us?"
A thousand thoughts whirled around Firenze's mind. Hogwarts- Hermione would be there, his future lover. And the He Who Must Not Be Named- he could help defeat him.
"Yes. I accept your offer."
Professor Dumbledore looked at him with his piercing gaze. "You do know what will happen to you? You are willing to accept it?"
Firenze closed his eyes, then opened them and looked around at his home. "Yes. This is a greater fight then our petty wishes and prejudices. I will help the humans."
"Thank you." Dumbledore said simply.
***
Firenze walked nobly towards his fellow centaur, Bane. They had grown up as brothers, scrapping one moment, inseperable the next. After their boyhood, however, they had begun to grow apart, forming different ideas of the world. Firenze thought that it was foolish to continue fighting within the races, but Bane held on to long-traditional prejudices.
"Bane." Firenze said. Bane turned about, and his features arranged themselves into a scowl. "What?"
"I am leaving. I am teaching at Hogwarts, helping the humans fight He Who Must Not Be Named."
"WHAT?" Bane exploded. Then his voice got very soft, "Take that back, brother. I will not tell,"
Firenze smiled ironically. "I cannot, nor do I wish that I could. I will always remember you for what I believe you are." He turned and started walking back , but Bane jumped on him. He kicked him hard in the chest with his foot, snarling" You will not stain our race!" And with that, it became a full- fledged fight, with Bane calling for reinforcements, all of which somehow knowing why they were fighting. Firenze finally fell back, taking the beating of his entire herd. He would die. He would die without ever knowing what would have been in store for him. He began to slip out of consciousness.
Firenze woke, and looked around. He was in a human dwelling. there was a fire, a kettle was singing merrily. He slipped back into sleep.
He woke up sometime later to Hagrid feeding him some kind of soup. Firenze stopped him and looked at him. "Thank you. I have the feeling you saved my life."
"Firenze."
The centaur whirled as he heard his name. The ancient headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, was standing in the clearing. Immediately, Firenze sensed trouble.
"What is wrong?"
"Firenze, I'm sur eyou have noticed the changes in our school. what with Hagrid's mood. but our Divination teacher is about to be sacked by the Ministry. I'm afraid in a time like this, we need that subject, no matter my opinion of it. I know this is asking a lot of you- but for the noble fight, will you join us?"
A thousand thoughts whirled around Firenze's mind. Hogwarts- Hermione would be there, his future lover. And the He Who Must Not Be Named- he could help defeat him.
"Yes. I accept your offer."
Professor Dumbledore looked at him with his piercing gaze. "You do know what will happen to you? You are willing to accept it?"
Firenze closed his eyes, then opened them and looked around at his home. "Yes. This is a greater fight then our petty wishes and prejudices. I will help the humans."
"Thank you." Dumbledore said simply.
***
Firenze walked nobly towards his fellow centaur, Bane. They had grown up as brothers, scrapping one moment, inseperable the next. After their boyhood, however, they had begun to grow apart, forming different ideas of the world. Firenze thought that it was foolish to continue fighting within the races, but Bane held on to long-traditional prejudices.
"Bane." Firenze said. Bane turned about, and his features arranged themselves into a scowl. "What?"
"I am leaving. I am teaching at Hogwarts, helping the humans fight He Who Must Not Be Named."
"WHAT?" Bane exploded. Then his voice got very soft, "Take that back, brother. I will not tell,"
Firenze smiled ironically. "I cannot, nor do I wish that I could. I will always remember you for what I believe you are." He turned and started walking back , but Bane jumped on him. He kicked him hard in the chest with his foot, snarling" You will not stain our race!" And with that, it became a full- fledged fight, with Bane calling for reinforcements, all of which somehow knowing why they were fighting. Firenze finally fell back, taking the beating of his entire herd. He would die. He would die without ever knowing what would have been in store for him. He began to slip out of consciousness.
Firenze woke, and looked around. He was in a human dwelling. there was a fire, a kettle was singing merrily. He slipped back into sleep.
He woke up sometime later to Hagrid feeding him some kind of soup. Firenze stopped him and looked at him. "Thank you. I have the feeling you saved my life."