The following week was an interesting one for Zerif. While classes were normal for him, except for potions as Snape had taken a further interest in him and Merula working together, as the more he worked with Merula, it became clear that they were advancing in the field far faster than any of the other students were as he had caught them a few time outside of class brewing potions that even a second or third year would have trouble with successfully enough for him to give it a passing grade. Because of this, many teachers started to take a bit more interest in him, even with his handicap, he was shortening the distance between himself and the rest of the classes with a subject that involved a wand by the day.
When it came time for the Gryffindor Quidditch match against Slytherin, Zarif went with Ron and Hermione to wish Harry luck before meeting up with Merula who sat with him and started discussing a few things while holding Morganna next to Ron and Hermione in the Gryffindor section.
"Surprised you aren't troubled sitting here," Zarif comments as he turns to the Slytherin student.
"Eh, I don't really care if my house wins this or not. Also, wanted to go over some things with you," Merula says as the teams started to enter the pitch.
"Which is?" Zarif asks.
"Before that, why do they both look so grim and have their wands?" Merula asks, pointing to Hermione and Ron.
"They think a professor will try and kill Harry during mid-match," Zarif informs, making Neville, who was standing next to Ron in the stands, gasp in horror.
"That bad? And they say our house is worse," Merula huffs.
"They think it is your house head," Zarif adds.
"Snape? Hardly," Merula almost defends, looking away and crossing her arms.
"I agree," Zarif says before trying to find Quirrell.
"What's wrong?" Merula asks, catching his wandering eyes.
"Trying to find the one I think is behind it," Zarif says as they heard Ron.
"OUCH!" Ron had to yell in some pain and they all turn to see Malfoy standing behind them.
"Who threw their trash here?" Zarif asks.
"Maybe the ones up top in their stands," Merula chimes in.
Malfoy growls hearing this but says nothing as Crabbe and Goyle go silent seeing her there now.
"That's right trash boys. Now float along like good little pieces of filth," Merula requests, waving her hand in a shooing motion at them.
Zarif can only smile as Draco and his backup dancers went off and the match started and ended quickly with only two scores with the quaffle before Harry caught the snitch.
"Wow…fastest record yet," Merula had to comment after checking the time.
"Actually, no," Zarif says as Hermione and Ron celebrated. "That honor is Slytherin's with a record of forty-nine seconds," Zarif says.
Merula now smirks heavily, thinking on the record.
"So with that, what now?" Zarif asks.
"Only study and deal with papers," Merula lists off.
"What about you two?" Zarif asks looking to Hermione in particular who is celebrating.
"Celebrating with Harry of course," Ron said as if it was the obvious thing in the world.
"Where is he?" Zarif asks.
"Actually, that's a good question. Hermione? Where is Harry?" Ron asks, now looking around.
"I don't know," Hermione says, looking around as well.
"Might want to find him," Zarif suggested.
Hearing that, the two ran off. "Well, what now?" Zarif asks.
"A walk with my pup?" Merula suggested, looking a bit bored now.
"Alright then. After that, how about trying to learn new spells?" Zarif asks.
"I would like that," Merula agrees smiling.
"Alright," Zarif says as they walk off with Morganna.
"So what can I learn next?" Merula asks after a while.
"Arresto Momentum?" Zarif asks.
"What is that?" Merula asks.
"Second-year charm," Zarif informs.
"And what does it do?" Merula presses.
"Basically to slow anything from falling," Zarif says.
"Sounds useful. What's the catch?" Merula presses, thinking about it quite a bit.
"None from what I understand," Zarif says.
The next few weeks passed as Zarif and Merula kept working together, learning spells and trying to overcome Zarif's condition's effect.
"How much does it hurt when you try and cast?" Merula finally asks.
"It can vary from spell to spell and how much I have done them before," Zarif says.
"So it hurts every time?" Merula asks carefully.
"Past a certain point, no," Zarif says.
"What's the point?" Merula asks.
"To use magic?" Zarif asks, unsure how he should answer that.
"Yeah…that has to be a certain point where you can't," Merula states, turning to him.
"It's more a pain threshold," Zarif says.
"So it still hurts," Merula concluded.
"Until I master the spell," Zarif says as they poured a potion onto a test toad.
"And before that…feel troubled that you have to be in pain for a long time?" Merula presses.
"No. I am used to it mostly," Zarif says.
"It shouldn't be like that…getting use to the pain," Merula tries to appease.
"Well, it is the hand I was dealt," Zarif says as the toad shows the proper signs.
"It still shouldn't have been that," Merula tries to offers as a condolence.
"Thank you. From what I have been told, it is because of the death eater cult I am like this," Zarif informs.
"Sorry," Merula tried to apologize for.
"What are you apologizing for?" Zarif asks.
Merula stays quiet as she doesn't now want to press this further.
"…I have heard the rumors," Zarif says.
Merula sighs and returns to working on the report.
"I don't care. You aren't your parents," Zarif says.
"…thanks," Merula could only say.
Zarif says nothing as they continued to work. Until the bell chimed, alerting them it was now five. "Shall we go see Morganna at Hagrid's hut?" Zarif asks, starting to put away his stuff.
"Yeah, can't wait to see her," Merula says smiling now.
Zarif nods as they both headed off to their different house's after cleaning up and met back up at the front door and started to head towards Hagrid's hut. When they got there, the curtains were closed and smoke was rising from the chimney.
"Who is it?" Hagrid's voice calls.
"It's us Hagrid," Zarif calls and soon heard the door being unlocked.
"Hey. Came to pick up Morganna," Merula says happily and a little-excited yip came from inside.
Zarif walked in as soon as the door unlocked and saw not only Hagrid but Hermione and Ron.
"Came to ask about the Philosopher's stone, huh?" Zarif asks.
"How do ya know about that as well?" Hagrid asks.
"After hearing about Fluffy and them looking into Nicholas Flamel, it was kinda obvious putting two and two together," Zarif says as Merula is holding Morganna now.
Morganna yips up at them. Almost yipping something.
Hagrid gives the trio a look as Zarif goes to check what was cooking and stops. "Hagrid…please tell me that is a giant chicken egg," Zarif says.
"Nope. That there is a Norwegian Ridgeback egg," Hagrid informs, going back to stoke the fire.
And thus began a very long few weeks for both Zarif and Merula as the next day, the egg had hatched and Malfoy had seen it from spying on them. The weeks ahead, Malfoy seemed to gain more courage towards Merula as well thinking he had something on her finally. Unfortunately, after one of Zarif's extra lessons with his house head, he requested to meet with Dumbledore to talk to him about something. Zarif was sure that McGonagall believed it to do with his condition as later that night he was in the office alone with Dumbledore and to Zarif's shock, a phoenix.
"I swear, never seen a phoenix in my lifetime," Zarif lies partly, only seeing one flying in the night sky when he was with Merlin.
"Well Mr. Trazax, what can I do for you?" Dumbledore asks.
"It's about Hagrid," Zarif simply says, walking up to the phoenix and looking at it closely. "Such fiery feathers."
"What about Hagrid?" Dumbledore asks.
"Oh, right…you know he has a baby dragon right?" Zarif asks.
"Yes, I do," Dumbledore says.
"Oh. Then this will be easier. How do you clean this one's feathers?" Zarif asks at the end as he looks over the phoenix all over. Phoenix's love the attention
"His name is Fawkes and he cleans himself," Dumbledore informs.
"Ah…how do we get him out without Hagrid going to jail?" Zarif asks.
"I believe your friends already have a plan for that. I will see to it that they can succeed," Dumbledore says.
"Ok…you should also know Malfoy also knows about the dragon and will most likely try and get someone in trouble or arrested over it," Zarif adds, making Dumbledore raise his eyebrow.
Dumbledore said nothing as he thought about that for a bit before turning back. "Then there is nothing more you can do. I will see to this matter," Dumbledore says with a grandfatherly smile.
"Right…" Zarif says, sighing uneasily.
"If that is all you should head back to your dorm," Dumbledore says.
"Right sir and thank you for seeing me," Zarif said before leaving.
"So you all have detention then?" Zarif asks the three the next morning.
"On top of losing one hundred and fifty points," Ron says down.
"So?" Zarif asks.
"So?" Hermione repeats, almost insulted. "We are going to lose the House Cup to Slytherin."
"Does that affect anything?" Zarif asks, continuing to eat as he studies the second year spellbook.
"It affects everything," Ron nearly roars at him.
"It affects bragging rights in school only," Zarif corrects.
"Are you joking?" Ron had to ask.
"No," Zarif says bluntly, turning the page.
"Can you believe him?" Ron huffs.
"Yes," Hermione says as most of the rest of the table couldn't.
"What?" Ron almost sounded demanding.
"He's right little brother," Percy says.
"Someone with some thought," Zarif mumbles to himself as he keeps reading closely.
"Now off with you. Classes start soon and I will deduce more house points for tardies," Percy informs.
"Already going," Zarif says, grabbing his things and walking off.
"Laying it on a little harsh, aren't you Perc?" Fred asks.
"Seems to me, it was more to convince himself," George said after the rest have left, leaving the three Weasley brothers alone and Percy just huffs.
'Why is it most of these exams are basically like physical exercise?' Zarif thinks to himself, still reading the book intently when he was grabbed by the collar.
"Where are you going so fast?" Merula asks.
"Class and more studying," Zarif simply says.
"Got some news that may interest you," Merula says.
Zarif looks up slightly before closing his book and turning to her.
"Word is that Hagrid needs help with something involving the forbidden forest. You said you wanted an excuse to go into there, right?" Merula asks.
"…I'm listening," Zarif says after a pause making Merula smirk.
What followed is Zarif in the next evening, standing with Merula, Harry, Hermione, and Draco, who still couldn't understand how Merula convinced the teachers to let them do this.
'I might have underestimated her reach in power,' Zarif tries to think humorously, but it just came out as a statement of her true power.
"How is Ms. Norris Filch?" Zarif asks, trying to be friendly to the caretaker.
Filch growls under his breath. "Fine."
"She enjoys the milk I keep feeding her?" Zarif asks, making him look at him surprised.
Filch then loses his state of surprise and grumbles under his breath as he starts leading everyone into the forest.
Zarif keeps walking a bit upbeat until they make it to Hagrid's hut.
"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started," Hagrid calls.
"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy. It's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece," Filch says seeing the look on Harry's face. "What's more, I can't understand why you two asked to join this lot," Filch says looking to Merula and Zarif.
"Personal," Zarif says simply.
"The forest?" Draco finally says getting over some shock, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "We can't go in there at night. There are all sorts of things in there, werewolves, I heard."
"Werewolves…that's funny. You really think the ministry would let werewolves run around in this forest where they can easily enter the grounds? Whoever told you that was trying to scare you. Now things like giant spiders and stuff, yeah, that is in there," Zarif says looking amused as Hagrid clears his throat, a bit uncomfortable.
Merula lightly hits his arm at that point to quiet him down but kept a smile at how much Malfoy is now scared.
"Hagrid, are there trapdoor giant spiders or they just in the trees?" Zarif asks.
"There aren' any trapdoor spiders," Hagrid reassures.
"Good. Hate to disturb a nest," Zarif says smirking slightly, still making Malfoy look to the woods in complete fear.
'Oh, I have a truly evil idea,' Merula thinks.
"Can we go? Curious about this really," Zarif partially lies.
He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.
"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery," Hagrid says.
"Aren't you cursed if you kill a unicorn?" Zarif asks.
"You ca' be, if you ar' not careful in how you go about it. For us…if it is close to death, then the curse has been given," Hagrid explains.
"Then make Draco kill it or go get it," Zarif says.
"That's not nice. You have to save it for the other little mice," Merula quips smirking.
"He does look like a rat," Zarif whispers to Merula.
Merula chuckles almost evilly at that, greatly scaring Malfoy more than the forest did.
Soon the group made their way into the forest and proceeded to split up into three groups.
Harry and Draco took Fang, Hagrid had Hermione, and Zarif was with Merula. And each went their separate ways to handle…whatever is out there…though they still had to call for Hagrid.
"So…what are you looking for here? A special plant for potions or a special creature to document?" Merula asks.
"Materials and to try and meet the centaurs Hagrid told us about," Zarif says.
"Centaurs? Why them?" Merula presses.
"Because to make friends and they live here and would know the forest pretty well," Zarif points out.
"That's it?" Merula had to ask.
"You want to risk running into a giant spider?" Zarif asks seriously.
"Okay. Good point," Merula relents as they keep walking.
"Look for signs of hooves prints in the ground…and watch the trees for webs," Zarif says.
"If we run into a web, you would be the first to know," Merula notes, staying a foot behind him.
"Gee. Thanks for the help," Zarif says sarcastically. 'I hope she gets a small web in her face though…kinda suits her really…nah. Too mean,' he thinks smirking and then sighing. "Okay. The centaurs would possibly be at least this much from the school grounds for a hunting party. So we might see some tracks about now."
"So…how do we keep them from attacking us?" Merula asks.
"Be respectful. They are protectors of the forest and its creatures. They tend to see things far beyond what any human could achieve. And that's a lot of work to even try," Zarif explains, remembering the encounter that sent him back and wonders if the group ever did get his old things to Merlin…would they have missed him or understood it was supposed to happen? Would it have been better to stay back then?
"You must have read a lot," Merula notes.
"I have my secrets," Zarif informs.
"And that, I know is the truth," Merula adds as they step over some roots.
"You will soon learn a lot more. Don't worry. I'll teach you how to just use your hands," Zarif promises as he looks back at her before stopping and looking past her. "But now isn't the time to use it."
"Why?" Merula asks.
Zarif just walks up beside her and looks behind her as she tries to turn before he stops her by grabbing her shoulder. "Star reader. We have not come to tread heavily your lands. We have actually come to speak with you and your kind," Zarif says respectfully and Merula freezes up, wondering if the centaur has a weapon pointed at her.
There was an unnatural silence before Merula heard the clopping of hooves on the grass.
"Humans usually do not enter to just speak to us," the centaur spoke in a proud voice as he walks around the two, letting Merula see him and how much he stood taller than the two. With a powerful looking bow and quiver behind him. "What is it you wish to speak of, mage?"
"We wish to meet with your tribe and become friends with them," Zarif explains.
"'Friends' with mages has had terrible outcomes for my kind," the centaur explains, still walking around as Zarif's grip on Merula become stronger, making her wonder if he really is calm as he looks.
"Leis a 'ghealach tha mi a' mionnachadh gu bheil sinn ag iarraidh ach a bhith nad charaidean," Zarif says, surprising him and confusing Merula.
The centaur looks to him in slight shock before seemingly staring them down. "Come," he says, waving his bow in a direction of the forest.
"What was that?" Merula asks.
"Ancient Gaelic," Zarif informs.
"What?!" Merula practically hisses and only gets pulled by her arm from Zarif as he leads the way.
"Ancient Gaelic, the language of the centaur tribes of Scotland," Zarif repeats.
Merula blinks in some surprise as she now wonders how did he learn that.
Soon they came across more centaurs looking surprised that this one was leading them further in and started talking to one another.
"Seems they are arguing what he is doing," Zarif says.
"This bad?" Merula asks concerned.
"They are trying to find some way to rebuff what I said and the one that is leading us says we should see their chief," Zarif summaries.
"So where is he?" Merula asks.
"From the sounds of it, they don't know exactly so he wants to take us to their camp where the foals and the women are," Zarif translates.
"Bad?" Merla asks again.
"Can be taboo depending on circumstances," Zarif says.
"How bad?" Merula asks.
"Run for your life and don't look back as something might be gaining," Zarif says.
"Oh…" Merula says huntingly.
"Seems like they have run out of excuses," Zarif says as the two centaurs looked defeated.
"That's…good?" Merula says, trying to read the situation.
"Yes," Zarif says as the centaur once again started to lead them where they found many wooden huts around a central large fireplace, many centaurs of various types and age were all over and keeping their eyes on the two humans. Some of the centaurs even wore robes and other forms of clothing that suits their size as the females seem to have to hide the foals behind them as the two walks by.
"Any advice?" Merula whispers.
"Follow my example and do not make eye contact with the women with weapons protecting the sleeping foals," Zarif whispers back.
"Okay," Merula whispers, keeping her eyes on him as they were lead further until they came to a bigger wooden hut and one of them called for the elder and out came an old muscled centaur that seemed to be still in his prime but showing signs of slowing down. Wearing an old cloak over himself and a staff.
"These humans wish to speak to us and become friends. Seems one of them speaks the ancient language," the one that leads them spoke.
The elder holds up a hand and the centaur stops and backs up. The elder then walked closer and looked Zarif right in the eyes.
Zarif blinks slowly as he stares back, wondering if anything of him was passed down or forgotten.
"Your name is Zarif, isn't it?" the elder finally speaks.
Zarif nods. "Yes…was Merlin kind to your people? I understand…he would call or tried to see me," Zarif tries to say, thinking to how Merlin would even try to see him or even see where the last was.
"Our ancestors explained it to him. We do not know how he reacted as they did not tell any other as it was a private matter," the elder says.
"I see…possibly for the best I do not know," Zarif says, looking down and wondering if he should now forget about Merlin and Marcus.
"You wish to become friends with our tribe, right?" the elder asks.
"Yes…I do," Zarif answered.
"You carry no hint of deception in your eyes," the elder says after a few moments.
"Honestly…you and your kind are the only connection I have to the old world…I wish to let go, but I cannot," Zarif explains, Merula watching him closely now.
"There is no shame in this," the elder says before signaling the one who had brought them to come back. "Take them to the edge of the forest. They are friends to us now."
Zarif nods before turning to face Merula. "The meeting is over. Let's not impose on their hospitality, agreed?" Zarif asks.
Merila quickly nods at that.
Zarif and Merula followed their guide back through the forest and occasionally stopping so Zarif and Merula could harvest some plants for their potions.
"This path will lead you back to the grounds. Be wary on your journey," the centaur warns as the two walks past him.
"Thank you. Dh'fhaodadh a 'ghealach lasadh do frith-rathad," Zarif says.
The centaur bows back as Zarif takes Merula by the arm and pulls her away.
"That was…eventful," Merula could only say as the sun starts to rise.
"Far better than I suspected it would go," Zarif says.
"You were expecting to get me shot?" Merula almost shouted at him.
"No. I thought it would take years to get them to see us as friends," Zarif says.
Merula hums quietly as she kept following him back to school. Before making a detour to Hagrid's hut where they found the rest of the group and were filled in on what happened and Zarif and Merula talked to Hagrid in private about meeting the centaur tribe and it's elder.