For it was to be the last day. And I am not sorry for that in the slightest.
I suppose you are wondering why it was the last day? What made me come to my senses, see that humans and centaurs could never be friends?
It was Victoria's fault.
*****
It was. I remember that it was evening, and the sun was setting. I was studying. Victoria came into my room for no reason except to gloat.
"Ben gave me a ring!"
"He did?" I asked, surprised.
She held out her hand and sure enough there was a ring on her finger.
"He loves me," she gushed. "Maybe we'll be married! Maybe we'll live in a house even bigger than this one! Maybe we'll have all the house-elves we could need, and our own Quidditch team, and..."
"Victoria," I said. "Please shut up."
"Jealous?"
"No. I'm just trying to work! And I can't do it if you're in
here blabbering on."
"You are jealous," she said with a smirk. "Not surprised. You've never had any boy say he loves you. You haven't even had any friends!"
"I have," I said.
"I've never seen them."
I was hit with an idea then. A idea that ensured I could finally get away from Victoria and her smirking and her boasting and the way she annoyed me so much.
"They live in the forest."
Her eyes widened. "Not..."
"Yes."
"I don't believe you! They wouldn't listen to you...they'd probably try to kill you!"
"They might have killed someone else, but not me."
"I still don't believe you. For heaven's sake, I'm not even sure if there are centaurs in the forest..."
"Then go to the forest," I said. "Go and see for yourself!"
"No way!"
"Too scared?"
Her eyes practically flashed in anger. "I'm not scared! I think you're pathetic!"
She stormed out of the room.
Maybe I wasn't thinking of the consequences...but it's still her fault! Isn't it?
It is!
*****
I didn't expect her to actually go into the forest, you see! I thought there was no way she would! But...the sun had set. I was in my bedroom again, still studying. I hated studying! I went to the window instead, and stared out at the forest and lake.
And then I saw her.
She was walking briskly towards the forest, her wand held high. She didn't look like she was afraid in the least...but suddenly I was.
But...I tried not to care. I know that sounds horrible when you consider what happened next, but it's what I did! I turned from the window and got ready for bed. I was tired...I'd done so much studying, after all. My head hit the pillow and I was asleep.
And while I slept the voices came.
You shouldn't be here, you know. My father says humans bring nothing but trouble....
He said once he'd kill the next one to walk into the forest...
Maybe because you were so young. Centaurs do not kill foals...
I just hope you know that friendship works both ways...
I'm a human and I've never killed anyone!
I'm a human and I've never killed anyone!
I'm a human and I've never killed anyone...
I woke up. I think I may have screamed.
"Mother! Father!"
I tore along the landing, in my nightdress, to their room.
"Victoria went to the forest! She's in there! She's..."
They both flew from their bedroom, expressions of horror on both their faces. They stared at me.
"What did you say?" my mother finally asked.
I repeated it.
My father coldly went back into the room, and came back out with his wand, and my mother's.
"Right," he said. "Dolores, I have my suspicions as to why Victoria went to the forest. And if she confirms those suspicions..."
He shook his head and marched off, my mother following.
"I want to come!" I yelled.
"Snarron," my father commanded, and a tired house-elf stuck his hand out of a cupboard. "Guard my daughter. Make sure she doesn't leave...understand?"
Snarron nodded.
After I'd heard the door slam, I turned to Snarron. "Please, Snarron! Let me go after them!"
"Snarron has his orders," he said lazily. "Snarron must not let master's daughter leave."
"Please!"
He shook his head. I ran for the door, but when I got there, he was blocking the way.
"Let me go and I'll...I'll...set you free."
"Set Snarron free?" he repeated in horror. "Master's daughter would not do that to Snarron! Where would he go?" His eyes seemed to grow larger, and I had the feeling he might suddenly cry.
I realised then what the house-elves were like. I'd forgotten. "Fine...let me go or I'll set you free!"
This worked.
"Will master's daughter come straight back?" he asked nervously.
"Yes!"
"Will master's daughter not tell?"
"I won't tell!" And I pushed right past him and ran out into the night.
*****
When I reached the forest, still in my nightdress, I heard screaming. It was my mother. My blood ran cold. It ran colder when I heard my father.
"I'll kill them!"
I knew who 'them' were! And...I knew that if I tried looking for them, I would find them.
But should I look? I thought.
I entered the forest. My mother, somewhere off in the distance, was screaming and sobbing. I felt strangly like I was going to be sick. In that second I thought I realised what Parath was feeling that night all those years ago.
No! I didn't! How could I?! I don't know if centaurs even feel! Parath was probably just acting and in reality, they can't! Can't!
"Victoria!" I screamed.
My mother's sobbing ceased a little. But only a little. "Dolores?"
I ran in the direction of her voice. I found her. She was curled up by a tree, crying. She looked different, like a very solid ghost. Her make-up was running down her face and she had leaves in her hair.
On the muddy ground in front of her was Victoria's dead body.