"I don't understand…" Daniel said. "What would the centaurs want with Jack?"

"We shall have to ask them when we find them," Dumbledore said.

"But-"

"Centaurs are hard ones ter understand, Daniel," Hagrid said. "But if they saved Jack, then we owe them, that's fer sure – because not many creatures can stand up to You-know-who – and centaurs are one of the few."

"But what would they want with him?" Sam asked, frustrated. "Why would they take him-"

"It might have only been one," Minerva said. "Or a couple. They're powerful creatures but no match in a magician's duel against a real wizard, because they don't do magic, themselves. Their advantage would have been to run as soon as they had He-who-must-not-be-named surprised and unarmed."

"We can't be far behind them," Lupin said, watching the dog that was Sirius range out in front of them. "Sirius is acting like the trail is fresh."

"But-"

"We'll ask them when we find them," Dumbledore said, tapping each of them lightly with his wand. "Let's hurry."

With the touch of his wand, it suddenly felt as if they were fresh once more. Tired legs were suddenly not so tired, after all, and breathing that might have been getting a little strained from all the walking around they'd been doing was suddenly not strained at all. Suddenly Sam felt like she could run all day – and was tempted to break into a sprint.

Clearly the others felt the same way, because while they didn't start sprinting, they did start moving at a much faster walk – almost a trot – following the big black dog as he ran ahead of them, his nose in the air.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"Where are we going?" Jack asked, curiously.

"We're taking you to Hagrid's," Rip told him. "He's the groundskeeper at Hogwarts, and will know where to find Dumbledore. Dumbledore must know that the prophecy has been breached."

"What prophecy?" Jack asked. "And how did you guys know I was in trouble? For that matter, why did you come to my rescue?"

Zip held up a hand to stop Jack from asking any more questions.

"Now isn't the time to discuss it," he said. "When we have you in a safer-"

"Excuse me."

The three centaurs came to a surprised halt at the voice that came out of nowhere, and unready for the sudden stop, Jack tumbled off the centaur's broad back, landing with a thud in the loam that seemed to make up the majority of the ground in this part of the Forest.

"Sorry about that," the voice said, sounding apologetic.

All three centaurs now had their bows out; Zip and Bip had arrows notched in the strings, while Rip reached down and pulled Jack to his feet with his free hand.

"Who's there?" Zip challenged, moving to stand beside his brother, blocking Jack and Rip from view to give Rip time to jerk Jack up onto his back where he'd be safer.

"Don't be afraid," the voice said. "I'm a friend."

"Show yourself," Bip said, looking for a target for his arrow.

There was a sudden rustling in the brush, and all three centaurs trained their bows in that direction.

"Sebastian?"

The voice wasn't the same as before, and Jack recognized it immediately. He craned his head around Rip's human part to get a better look.

"Harry?"

Harry stopped short when he saw the three centaurs, and froze when he realized they were all pointing arrows at him.

"What are you doing here?" Jack asked, starting to slide off Rip's back. The centaur stopped him simply by grabbing him by the back of his jacket and holding him firmly in place.

"Don't. It might be a trick."

"It's probably a trick," Bip agreed.

"Where's the other one?" Zip asked, his arrow no longer trained on Harry while he looked for the source of the other voice.

"Jack O'Neill!" This voice wasn't the same as the first one, either. It was high-pitched, and excited. And belonged to the house elf that suddenly appeared beside Harry Potter.

"Dobby…?"

Jack was now thoroughly confused. He wasn't the only one, though.

"Where's the other one?" Zip repeated.

"Other one?" Harry asked.

"We heard someone else," Zip told him, his bow coming back to Harry. It was obvious that the centaurs didn't believe Harry wasn't a threat to them.

"Don't point that at him," Jack said. "It might go off."

"You mean Sebastian?" Harry asked, at the same time. "He's been-"

"You are the Potter boy," Rip said, suddenly.

Harry hesitated, suddenly on the receiving end of searching looks that were even more unnerving than having notched arrows aimed at him.

"I thought I told you to stay at your house?" Jack said, suddenly realizing that Harry was in the middle of a Forest he had no business being in.

Harry paled.

"I came to help. To find you."

Jack scowled, even as the three centaurs lowered their weapons, certain now that Harry wasn't a threat – although they were still looking for the origin of the other voice.

"Are you out of your mind?" Suddenly he couldn't sit on the centaur any longer – well aware that he couldn't give a proper chewing out without being able to pace. He slid off Rip's back, and this time the centaur didn't try to stop him. "I told you to stay where you where! Do you know who's running around this forest right now? Looking for me, but would be more than happy to find you?"

Harry took a prudent step back as Jack came stalking over to him, his expression as furious as his voice. "Voldemort! That's who! You know, the guy that wants nothing more to kill you? And you are dumb enough to put yourself in danger to come find me? Even though I expressly told you… ordered you-"

"I had to-"

"This is not the place for this," Zip said, interrupting. "We must get you to safety, Jack O'Neill – and the Potter boy, as well. The Dark One will certainly be-"

"He's gone from the Forest."

They all turned at the sound of the voice coming from nowhere once more, and Jack was impressed by just how quickly all three centaurs brought their weapons to bear once more.

"Who said that?" Jack asked, wishing – for about the millionth time – that he had a gun in his hand.

"That's Sebastian," Harry said, quickly.

"Who?"

"Me."

Again the voice spoke, but this time where they were all looking, a form began to emerge out of empty air.