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The two more rebellious students were once again in the forbidden forest. They skipped classes again. Fred had history as his last class and Harry had Charms. They'd likely not even get into trouble for skipping. Harry had wanted to climb the trees again, see the difference in day light. Fred was of course more then willing to follow her lead.

"This one," she decided stopping at one of the larger trees. It was just what she needed. Most of the branches were bigger then she was round and so she had faith they would hold her easily.

Fred glanced up, the lowest branch was taller than either of them were. "Great plan but how are we getting up there," he questioned.

She glanced up, looking around the tree before finding a foot hole and using it to push herself up, the vines descent grips. She fell once ending up on her arse. Fred snickered causing her to glare. "Sorry but it was funny," Fred said not sounding the least bit sorry. "You okay," He asked.

"Fine," She said trying again, this time she reached the branch cheering.

"Not bad," he said amused by her excitement. "Climb trees a lot?"

"Trees, buildings, fences, whatever I can reach," she said standing on the branch using the tree as support. She reached up to another one pulling herself up. "I like being up high." Fred took off his outer robe and jumped for the branch. He was taller than her, so he managed to grip it and after struggling slightly, he ended up on the branch. "Not bad yourself."

"We have apple trees in our yard," he said easily. "Best apples are always at the top. Pisses mum off something crazy. She hates us climbing them but what she don't know won't hurt us. This is a bit larger then my usual climbs though."

She reached another and pulled herself up. "Its taller then a good chunk of trees," She said. "Figure we get high enough we can see something cool. Hopefully."

"If not the climbs fun itself," He said as he followed her lead and ended up on the branch she was just on. She kept going up. If a branch wasn't reachable, she used the trees side to make her way. Finally the branch she was on creaked slightly under her weight and she was high enough to see over the other trees and around the forest which seemed unending from where she was.

"Look," she said amazed seeing a bunch of winged bird like horses. She didn't even know the right word to describe them. They were huge and one of them flew up into the air catching a bird before returning down.

"Hippogriffs," Fred said recognizing them. "I knew Hogwarts had a herd, but I've never seen them before. We studied them in care though."

"Are they dangerous," she questioned curiously. They looked like nothing she had ever seen before. Larger then any animal she had ever gotten close to.

Fred tried to remember what he knew about them. "They can be extremely dangerous. They are fairly proud creatures and known wizard killers I think. They can be tamed though. I know some people breed hippogriffs. You have to bow to them, wait for them to bow before approaching you or they could attack. I think eye contact is fairly important too. Otherwise they get offended and can attack."

"Brilliant," She said amazed as she continued looking around. At one point nearly falling but she caught herself. "Wait, Fred, are those…people…"

"Centaurs, half horse half man," he offered looking to where she was indicating. "Not to fond of wizards normally. Over that way looks like the beginning of the acromentulas territory. You can see the webbing on some of the trees. It's fairly bright. Good distance away though."

"Okay, I want to go closer," she decided. Being up high was brilliant but she couldn't see the new beings she never even imagined were real. She wanted to meet them up close.

He couldn't help but laugh, he expected it as her eyes had lit up with excitement. "Which do you want to get closer to?"

"All of them," she returned. "Why do I have to choose just one?"

"Because even with warming charms its chilly and I'm going to freeze by balls off," he said lightly.

"Doesn't all have to be today," she said. "Why only one trip to the forest Freddy."

"Hippogriff first," He said agreeing entirely with her point. "I've never been close to them before. I've met a centaur during detention, but I've never seen a hippogriff up close."

She grinned as they carefully climbed down, and they made there way to where the hippogriffs were nesting. They stayed back looking on in awe. There was some baby hippogriffs and adults. Coming in all sizes and a large number of different colors. They were even more beautiful up close. She was absolutely enchanted, watching them move around, play with their young and some flew away. It was amazing to witness.

There distant watching ended when they heard a huff behind them and turned sharply only to see a hippogriff approaching. Both stood quickly bowing. Looking it in the eye as Fred had warned her. The Hippogriff settled slightly bowing in return after a moment of judging them. They approached hesitantly and it allowed them to pet its feathers.

"Merlin, you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Harry said amazed as it preened slightly under her compliments. She realized that he actually understood her so she quickly continued with the compliments, "Your fierce and beautiful. Absolutely amazing."

"I wonder what your name is," Fred said petting it and giving it attention. "Your beautiful. Thank you for not killing us. A fierce warrior like you attacking us and we would never have had a chance."

"They are all different colors," Harry said amazed. "I think you're the most beautiful blue I've ever seen."

There was clomping, and they turned expecting more hippogriffs only to notice they were centaurs instead. "So, you two are the troublemaking colts who have been visiting where you shouldn't be," he said amused looking at them.

"They shouldn't make such a brilliant place forbidden," Harry returned looking up in amazement.

"While the forest is full of gifts and beauties, it is also full of dangerous beasts who will kill you quickly."

"Like the acromentula," Fred guessed. They knew the forest was dangerous. It was something they had been told and witnessed but they still had interest in coming back here. That was half the fun of it. "We've seen a nest of them."

"Yes," he said. "What are your names?"

"Fred Weasley."

"Harry Potter."

"I am Firenze," He stated looking them over. "You should be wise to cease your nighttime wonderings at the very least."

"You saw us," Harry guessed. Not overly bothered by having been seen as he had not informed the professors of there adventures at night or day. Then again, he hadn't had there names before.

"Few students dare enter the forest in the day let alone at night or go as deep," he said easily. "When they do, we tend to keep an eye out."

"Sorry if we bothered you," Harry offered hoping that they didn't in some way offend the man, "its just…brilliant, thrilling and chaotic. The forest is even more brilliant at night."

"Brilliant but deadly, I suggest you head our warnings. If not, at least be weary, we have some less then pleasant guests within the forest. Something that is attacking even the purest of creatures within. Something killing unicorns and drinking their blood. Do you know what happens when you drink the blood of a creature as pure as unicorns?"

"No sir," harry said. She hadn't even believed Unicorns existed. While she never saw one, she couldn't imagine wanting to kill it. It sounded wrong.

"I do, it gives you a cursed life," Fred stated disgusted by the very idea of someone killing such a magnificent being. "Because its pure just taking its blood without its permission is a horrid act enough to have magic itself curse you."

"Exactly, mars is bright and trouble is heading this way. I would advise being weary children. The forest is not the place for innocents."

"Thank you for the warning," Harry said.

"I trust that these creatures have a good judge of character, they will only allow those they respect to touch them," Firenze said. "Those with honor. Be careful."

"We will," they promised as he left. They watched him go out of site though they had a feeling he wasn't far away.

"He was brilliant," Harry said amazed.

"Yeah definitely," Fred said since unlike Harry, he was fully aware how difficult relations between their two races were and hadn't been expecting a friendly meeting.

"This date might even be better than the crystal caves," Harry offered. "How are you going to top it."

He just grinned, they checked the time and said goodbye to the hippogriff before returning to the school. Glancing around, they caught sight of the centaur and gave a wave before hurrying inside.

They made it to the great hall as dinner began. Both plopping beside their friends and Fred's twin who were luckily sitting close together. "You got a detention," Neville pointed out.

"You don't," George said. "Warning before you run off please."

"I'll try," Fred said. Harry shot him a bright grin before letting Neville fill her in on what she missed.