That week started really well for Harry, he was called to
Dumbledore's office the very next morning, of course at first he was worried
that Sirius was in trouble but when he got there Dumbledore was grinning at him
and introduced him to a tall man who looked very excited, "Harry, I'd like you
to meet Mr Procyon Equuleus." Harry
turned curiously to the man, who shook his hand briskly and said,
"Very nice to meet you Mr. Potter, an honour, and can I
just say, very well played for yesterday's match."
Harry blushed but smiled,
"Thankyou Mr. Equuleus,"
The man sat down and grinned at Dumbledore who motioned
that Harry should sit as well,
"Harry Mr. Equuleus has come here and watched you play
quidditch because he is a scout for the England quidditch team. Now I'm sure you are very excited but please
listen to what he has to say." Dumbledore smiled again and his eyes were twinkling with what Harry
thought might be pride.
Mr Equuleus seemed a very excitable man and he gabbled as
he spoke.
"Having watched you yesterday I must first say that the
reports we've had of your skills have been understatements, I'm sure that you
could do very well, that is why I have asked Professor Dumbledore to allow you
to come to the England training camp this Christmas for a trial."
Harry was amazed, after all he was only 15!
"A trial? Really? Um, am I allowed to go
Professor?"
Dumbledore smiled,
"We can discuss the details later Harry, but I'm sure it
can be arranged."
Harry shook Dumbledore and Mr Equuleus' hand and left
Dumbledore's office feeling as though he were soaring to the clouds on his
Firebolt.
Play for England? Wow! He couldn't wait to tell
Ron! But then he stopped dead halfway
down the corridor, Ron, how would he take the news? Harry felt suddenly uneasy, he didn't want to rub it in, after
all Ron had been pretty low the day before, but he felt he might burst if he
didn't tell someone soon, he decided that he'd tell Hermione first and ask her.
Harry rushed towards Hagrid's Hut where the Gryffindor 5th
years would be having Care of Magical Creatures. When the lesson came into view Harry drew back in amazement, the
class was gathered around a centaur, as Harry came closer he realised that the
centaur was the one that had rescued him from Voldemort in his second year, a
young male called Firenze.
Harry was surprised because centaurs were notoriously
anxious to avoid contact with humans, they even considered wizards beneath
them. But Firenze had helped him, and
much to the annoyance of his fellow centaurs had even allowed Harry to 'ride'
him in escape.
Hagrid spotted Harry and rushed over looking very excited,
"Oh Harry! Yeh
never saw anything like it! A centaur
agreein tuh talk tuh wizards! And in my
lesson as well! Come on! I think he wants tuh talk tuh yeh!"
Harry grinned at Hagrid and followed him closely to the
place where the centaur was answering the gaping students questions amusedly.
Hermione seemed very interested in why centaurs had chosen
'beast' status over 'being' status and was asking more questions than anyone
else.
Harry noticed that when Firenze saw him he followed Harry
with his eyes. This unnerved him a bit
and he rushed to join Ron and Hermione, who was just asking another question
about the centaurs' divining abilities, when Firenze interrupted her to speak
to Harry,
"Harry Potter, your friends and peers seem to be very
interested in my kind, perhaps meeting with them has been more beneficial than
I thought it would be, but I must admit that I came here to speak with you."
Hermione seemed a little put out at being ignored but Harry
just nodded and followed Firenze towards the forest, away from the class. Hagrid tried to get the class' attention and
ended up leading them away to show them the proper way to look after the
puffskeins that he'd been saving for the lesson before Firenze had arrived.
Harry and Firenze were alone and Harry once more noticed
the strange sort of mystical power that surrounded the centaurs.
"What did you want to tell me?"
Firenze glanced over his shoulder towards the forest and
lowered his voice,
"As you know Harry Potter, centaurs are not meant to tamper
with fate, so listen carefully. We
centaurs have noticed the shift in the planets since last year, we know of
course what happened last year, the implications for you in particular and for
another friend we have. All I will tell
you is this. The alignment of the
planets will bring dark horizons for our world,
The Canes Venatici will become unbalanced if Fornax aligns
with Ophiuchus. Be careful young Harry,
for a lot centres on the choice you must make."
Firenze's face was unreadable, he turned and disappeared
swiftly into the forest, Harry walked back to Hagrid's class very confused by
what he'd been told. Stupid centaurs,
why did they have to talk in riddles all the time? But then Harry remembered Bane's harshness when Firenze had
helped him last, and he felt grateful that Firenze at least had tried to help.
Harry turned and headed back to Hagrid's hut. As he arrived, the rest of the class looked
around for the centaur but disappointed turned back to their puffskeins, Harry
told Hagrid that Firenze had gone back to the forest and went to join Ron and
Hermione,
"Harry! Wait a
minute! Can yeh help Neville, Ron and
Hermione are doin fine but his is a feisty little thing."
Harry nodded and went over to Neville who was desperately
trying to keep hold of the struggling puffskein.
"Hi Neville,"
Neville took his eye off the puffskein to reply and it
managed to wriggle free and was about to escape when Harry pounced on it
grabbing it as he might've a snitch. Neville grinned
"Thanks Harry, nice catch!"
The rest of the lesson went slowly for Harry, he wanted to
tell Hermione - and maybe Ron if he was feeling better – about the quidditch
trials and the centaur. He wasn't
really listening as Neville told him about the strange parchment that he'd
found in his trunk which had made the words of his whole Herbology essay turn
green and grow leafy tendrils.
After the class Harry had a brief conversation with Hagrid
about the quidditch and the centaur before heading to Gryffindor Tower to find
Hermione and Ron, he was just passing the library when he heard his friends but
as he neared he realised that they seemed to be having a heated conversation,
Harry was about to reach them when he heard his name,
"Harry would never do that! You're just being unreasonable Ron!" urged Hermione, Ron's voice
was strangely vindictive and what he said was so unlike Ron that it stopped
Harry in his tracks,
"You're just being sappy, can't you see what he's really
like?"
He wanted to turn and run away from them, but he wanted to
confront them as well, he wanted to know what Ron had meant. In the end he just stood there, dumbstruck.
Hermione sounded almost as shocked as Harry had been,
"Ron! What do you
mean?" she gasped,
"He's always acting tough and throwing himself into danger,
it's almost as if he's got a death wish, and then there's you, always trailing
after him, getting him out of trouble, would you do that for anyone else?"
Harry couldn't believe it, this surely wasn't Ron,
"And after last year, I mean, how do we know what he was
thinking when he took the cup with Cedric."
Harry slumped down against the wall in the corridor but he
heard a loud slap from the library.
Harry could hardly look up as Ron stormed out of the
library, he was still numb from shock, but he did see the large red mark that
Hermione's hand had left across his cheek, Ron either didn't see Harry or
ignored him, Harry was clutching his chest, he could hardly breathe, Ron was
his best friend, or so he had thought. Harry was snapped back into reality by Hermione's sobs from the library,
he picked himself up and was about to go in when Hermione emerged and almost
walked straight into him.
"Oh, Harry!"
She glanced at him and seeing his grim face she knew that
he'd heard it all.
"Harry, I don't know what's happened to him, I'm sure he
didn't mean it!"
She was still sobbing but trying desperately to stop,
Harry just stood there feeling very dazed and put his hand
on Hermione's shoulder.
I know that was a very strange chapter, *ducks tomatoes*
What's happened to Ron?
What the hell was Firenze on about?
Will Harry play for England?
…..All will be revealed in time! *ducks more tomatoes*
By the way, I'm not much of a romance writer but things are
going to develop, don't blame me if you don't want them to in that way, I'm the
author so I'll choose! *Stamps foot petulantly*
Thanks for my reviews!!!!!!!!!!!!
Especially Ady, too much praise will make my head explode,
but Thankyou!
Jona
xxx