The calendar was about to turn to April, and Scotland's weather had finally remembered it was supposed to be getting warmer. It hadn't gotten warm yet, but it was getting there. Frisk and her friends had elected to spend the Saturday out of doors, practicing their flying once again. As much as Asriel enjoyed it, it still felt like they did the same thing every week. They'd started with running laps again. This still got them odd looks, but at least Asriel felt he was improving. He no longer felt winded after just two laps around the castle. Of course, this meant Opal was now pushing them through four laps, but still.

Then it was on to the Quidditch pitch for some flying lessons. The pitch had been torn up by Hagrid a few weeks back (much to Opal's consternation), but according to Madam Hooch, there wasn't any reason they couldn't use it for flying practice. They flew, just throwing the quaffle around for a while. They couldn't try to score any goals, the posts had been taken down. Which is why, after a while, Chara had asked the flying instructor if they could try taking the bludgers out and practice with them. "Not real ones, I'm afraid, but I can get some unenchanted ones for you toss to each other," The instructor told them.

"That'll be fine, Madam Hooch," Chara told her, as she eagerly collected the offered balls and bats from the supply shed. So, they took it turn to gently toss the harder bludgers at each other, while the receiver tried to defend themselves with the bats. She handed one of them to Asriel. While the quaffle was a red leather ball with a bit of give to it, making it good for throwing and catching, the bludger was a black, hollow, iron ball with a reasonable amount of weight to it. Asriel was guessing it weighed about five to ten pounds.

To no one's great surprise, Opal was the best at 'Beating' the bludgers back, hitting for both accuracy and power, sending them speeding off to distant parts of the pitch, and a few times, where the stands would normally be.

"That could be dangerous to the people watching," Frisk said, diving gently down to retrieve the errant ball.

"The regular ones are enchanted to not go outside the pitch, no matter how hard you hit them," Ginny said. "Hit me, Frisk!" Asriel's sister looked upward at the older girl, grinned, and hurled the bludger toward her as hard her as she could (which may have not been that hard). Ginny leaned backward, and effortlessly clubbed the bludger in Opal's general direction. Opal took the challenge for what it was, and countered the streaking bludger. The intent was probably to hit it back at Ginny, but Opal wasn't really positioned for that, and it went flying off the other way instead.

"I've got it!" Asriel shouting, registering Steven's echoing shout slightly too late. The crash that came afterward made the rest of the group wince.

All in all, it was a pretty enjoyable morning. So they headed back to the castle for lunch, and after some sandwiches, and then took over one end of the Gryffindor table for a large game of exploding snap. In the middle of the third game, the large shadow of Professor Hagrid fell over the table. The group fell silent, as the snap cards decided at that moment to explode, scattering themselves over the table.

"Eh, sorry, didn't mean te distract yeh," Hagrid told them apologetically. He looked somewhat nervous at the large group, something Asriel didn't really understand. He was a teacher, wasn't he? "Eh, Dreemurrs? Yeh have a guest waiting for you out by my cabin. I wasn't expecting him this afternoon, but he was really hopeful you might be free."

"Oh," Asriel said before thinking about it, "Dubran's here?" He looked at his sisters before Steven interrupted.

"Dubran?" he asked, frowning. "Who's that? It doesn't sound like any of the monster names I've heard of. Wait, was he the centaur?" His eyes went wide for a second, "The chief's son? Can I meet him?"

"Eh, dunno if that's a good idea," Hagrid began.

"He wanted the chance to have friends," Asriel said, looking up at the care of magical creatures professor, though he still seemed hesitant. "And these are my friends."

To the side, Asriel could see Chara glancing towards Frisk. Frisk on the other hand was nodding her agreement. "But Steven," Frisk said, "One of the reasons he looks at us as friends is to get away from being the chief's son," She gave him a soft smile. "Just be yourself, it's worked with us."

"It's more about that Skeeter woman. She's been on the lookout te cause trouble," Hagrid said. Asriel had heard all of about that, and she wasn't I'd rather she not notice we've a centaur on the grounds."

"And all six of us going to your cabin at once would be pretty noticeable, especially with all the people outside," Steven followed. "That's easy enough, we just come two at a time. She probably wouldn't notice two students, would she?"

Hagrid looked at Steven, cocking his head for a moment. "Yeh, I guess that'd work out. Give me a minute or two, then, come along, I guess. There'll be more of yeh than fit in my hut, so meet us around back, right near the forest." He winked. "See yeh there." And he headed out toward the entrance hall.

Asriel stood almost before the door had closed behind the half-giant. "Come on, Steven," Asriel said, heading back outside. "We can go first," he said excitedly. "Come on!"

"Asriel," Frisk said, "He said give him a minute or two. What are you going to do when we get there?"

"Uh. We could go get a quaffle from the broom cupboard. We don't have to be on a broom to throw a ball around," suggested Opal.

"That's a good idea," Frisk said. "No, wait one more second," she added. "When you meet Dubran, please act like you've met centaurs before. His father says that wizards think that centaurs are inferior. That's coming out wrong, but just treat him as one of us, please?"

Steven nodded. "Makes sense to me," He told Frisk. And they, finally, were on their way out. Asriel got a quaffle from the broom closet, and went to join Hagrid, Dubran, and as it turned out, Firenzie as well.

"Asriel!" Dubran called as he approached. "And who is that?" he said, looking at Steven warily.

"This is Steven Marsh," Asriel introduced. "He was," he aborted that thought. He wasn't supposed to share that he had part of seven human's souls. "He's been a good friend of mine. Steven, this is Dubran, the son of the Centaur chief. Hey, Dubran!" he said suddenly, and threw the ball at him.

Dubran put his hands in front of himself, catching the quaffle mostly in self defense. He looked at the ball, then at Asriel, and hurled it back at him. Asriel caught it, laughing. They talked about their last month, including the Triwizard tournament, as Frisk and Opal eventually joined them. After Frisk introduced Opal, it wasn't that much long for Chara and Ginny to round out the throng.

"What else could we do?" Chara asked, after they'd thrown the ball around for a while, and the others of the group that had.

"I wish I'd known we'd have this," Opal said, looking around at the group. "I could have asked my dad to send me a rounders ball, bat, and some gloves. Uh, I could go get a bludger and bat, and hit that for a while?" she suggested. "I know we just did that in the air, but it'd be new for you."

"Or I could ask Firenze to pull out the bows we brought," offered Dubran. "Have any of you practiced archery before?"

"Oh! I've always wanted to do that," exclaimed Opal. "That'd be fun too!"

"You're our guest here," Frisk said, looking up at the centaur and smiling. "What would you like to do, Dubran? She asked.

He considered for a moment, "I like trying new things. Can we try the bat thing?"

"I'll go get it," Ginny volunteered, picking up the quaffle, and heading back towards the quidditch pitch.

"What is rounders?" Dubran asked Opal.

"Oh! Rounders is a bat and ball game. Dad says it's a lot like American baseball, which he actually likes better." Opal began. "Basically, a bowler throws the ball at a member of the offensive team, who attempts to hit it back into the field. The defensive team tries to catch it, or failing that, throw it to the 'base' the batsman runs to before he gets there."

"That sounds complicated," Dubran frowned, "Opal, right? I'll remember your names eventually!"

"It's not that bad," Opal told him, grinning. "We can't really play it now though, I wouldn't want to try to catch a bludger without a really good glove, maybe not even then. They're iron, after all."

Ginny came back to the group after a few minutes, and handed the bat to Dubran. "It's only fair that you should go first. Opal? Want to throw it?"

Opal did so, and they were off again. It took Dubran several swings to get the timing right, but once he did, he was managing to club the ball a good ways down the forest border. After the third time they chased down a ball, Opal had the group organize themselves away in fielding positions. It wasn't as far out as a rounders ball might be hit, but it was still a decent ways. They didn't try to catch the ball, either.

"Turn your shoulders as you swing," Opal suggested before Dubran's last few swings. "You'll get a bit more power that way." They cycled around, everyone getting a turn to pitch and swing. Then there was a break, as Firenzie and Hagrid brought out some tea from his hut.

"How have you been, Dubran?" Asriel asked. He sipped his drink, the warm tea in the cooling afternoon. "Is it any better at home?"

"No," Dubran. "Father still complains that wizards see us as half-horses, not worth bothering with. That they'd refuse to ever teach us the secrets of magic, so to Hades with them."

"I hope we're proving otherwise," Steven said. "I'm really glad to have the chance to have met you,"

Asriel looked down at the ground guiltily, feeling his wand in his pocket. "I know there are humans who feel the same way about monsters," he said. "But there's enough of them out there that I was able to get my chance. I think if he'd just give humans a chance, I mean," he fumbled for his words. "There are some really good ones, too. Like my friends."

"I think you are right, young Asriel," Firenze said. "Staying isolated won't change anyone's mind. That's why I'm so proud that you've wanted to keep coming back. And I'm glad you have been such good friends for him."

"Do you need to be going soon?" Chara asked. "Or do we have time for something else?" she added quickly.

"Father said he'd be gone all day," Dubran said. "I'm sure we have plenty of time!" Firenze looked uncomfortable for a moment, before looking at Dubran and shrugging to himself.

"I'd love to try shooting a bow," Opal said. "I've never done that before! Especially if you're willing to teach me!"

"I'd be happy to," Dubran told her, "Where's the bows we brought, Firenze?" he asked. The older centaur got them out, handing a smaller bow to Opal, and a larger one for Dubran.

Opal took some initial practice shots first, at a target that Firenze had hung on a tree. Her strength was good, better than the others, but her accuracy left quite a bit to be desired. "Look down the shaft," Dubran said. "You'll have better luck if you hold the bow like this," he said, demonstrating his grip.

"I didn't want to believe it," said a voice from deep within the forest. Dubran froze, turning suddenly to stare into the Dark Forest.

"I thought you said he was hunting," Hagrid whispered, but Firenze could only hold manage a halfhearted shrug. He too was staring into the forest.

"But you are here." Stepping into the light was Dubran's father, Magorian, his hands on a nocked bow. Next to him was Bane, with his arms folded impassively. A number of centaurs stood behind them, all of them with weapons in hand. "And you are teaching the humans our secrets. Where is the traitor that put you up to this?" He looked around, noting Hagrid and Firenze.

"Nobody 'put me up' to this, Father," Dubran protested. "These are my friends!"

"They are humans," Magorian spat. "They are using you, Dubran, and you can't even see it. What has happened to my son?" His tone was neutral, even impassive. But Asriel could see him shaking with barely constrained rage. "Take him," he said to the centaurs around him.

Chara and Asriel reacted as one, planting themselves in front of Dubran in an effort to protect him, drawing their wands. But any magic they were about to try went flying from their minds as they were simply swatted to the ground by two centaurs. They picked up Dubran by the arms, and began to drag him into the forest. Dubran shouted, dragging his rear hooves through the dirt, leaving deep grooves.

"Those are my students!" Hagrid roared, charging towards Magorian.

In one smooth, lightning fast motion, Magorian loosed his bow, and Hagrid toppled over, groaning in pain. The students cried in alarm, and rushed over to the professor as Asriel and Chara picked themselves up.

"Blast it, my leg, Magorian," Hagrid snarled. Then it seemed to dawn on him, "Yeh shot me!" He tried to climb to his feet, but pain in his leg was too much for him.

"You have done things for the centaurs in the past, Hagrid," Magorian proclaimed. He drew another arrow, "And I will not overlook that. But as for the traitor..."

"Yeh hurt anyone else on school grounds, yeh nag," Hagrid told him through gritted teeth, "And Dumbledore will hunt yeh."

Magorian stared at Hagrid coldly, but his eyes flicked up to the castle. "Hmph. Then I shall leave. But mark this, if I see any of you in my forest again," and he looked across from Firenze to Hagrid, and every student standing between them. "I will kill you."

Asriel stared at him and focused his concentration. He may not have been a match for Magorian physically, and he may not have known any spells to really effect Magorian. But he was still a monster, and soul magic was his birthright. He felt his soul, patched with the donations of those who had come to save him, colorful and bright. Across from him, Magorian's soul also blossomed into view. It looked, at distance, an extremely dark, almost blood red. A red tainted with black. And... was there something else? Around the soul?

Asriel felt his concentration broken by a hand put on his shoulder. "Don't!" Frisk said, and the souls vanished from view. They had been there for so short of a time that he wasn't sure anyone other than Frisk had seen them. Chara, maybe. "That's never the right answer," Frisk told him quietly.

But as Asriel listened to Magorian's centaurs drag his friend outside of even hearing distance, he had never felt less sure. It had reminded him of the day he was attacked by the humans outside Mt. Ebott, carrying Chara's body. It was easy to endure the attacks when they were attacking himself. It was much harder to do so when they were attacking other people.

Opal, Luna, and Steven were trying to help Hagrid to his feet, but Magorian's arrow must have splintered bone, and the best they could do is help him sit upright.

"I'll go get Madam Pomfrey," Frisk said, and began to run towards the castle.

"Someone should go get Dumbledore, too," Hagrid said. "He needs to know what happened here. Pro'lly in his study, password is Chocolate Frog at the moment."

"I know where that is," Chara said, following Frisk up toward the castle.

Luna had approached Firenze, "Are you alright, Mr. Firenze?" she asked, looking up at him with her unfocused gaze.

"I knew there was a chance this would happen," Firenze said. "I should have been aware when Magorian said he'd be gone the entire day. But Dubran was so excited to have a chance to see his human friends. I couldn't say no."

"But are you alright?" Luna insisted.

"I suppose I am. I am not like the other centaurs. I don't think the same way. I believe that aligning with wizards will do more for our race in the long run, much as it has done for monsters..." he gazed off into the forest. "Apparently, this differing point of view cannot be tolerated any more. Though, I suppose I was taking his child without his permission."

"I'd still be sad," Luna said, "if it were me. Losing everyone I know wouldn't be easy. I hope you feel better."

Firenze turned to Luna and smiled. "That's very kind, thank you."

"What do you think will happen to Dubran?" Asriel asked.

"I do not know," Firenze said. "Despite what it may look like, Magorian loves his son. But I have never seen him act like this."

"Where will you go?" asked Steven.

"I don't know that either," Firenze began.

"He may stay here, if he wishes," said a voice behind them. Striding down the path was headmaster Dumbledore, with Madam Pomfrey not far behind. Chara and Frisk were jogging to keep up with them. "I shall arrange a place for you to stay, indoors or out as you prefer it, Firenze," Dumbledore said. His gaze swept the area, looking for something. It settled on the forest for a moment before moving on. "I wish to talk to them in private," Dumbledore told the students. "You will be welcome to come back later."

"Headmaster," Asriel asked, as the others headed up towards the castle. "Is there anything we can do for Dubran?"

"Not at this time, I think," Dumbledore said. "I will let you know if anything comes to mind."

With a last look at the forest, Asriel joined the rest of his classmates, heading up towards the great hall.

A/N: Long note this time around.

This story's become incredibly difficult to write, partially because I think it isn't that good. Especially compared to Saviour, which is probably the best thing I've ever written, and may just be the best thing I'll ever write. The separate 'miniplots' which I thought would be interesting, instead bog down any one of them from being too involved, or feeling important. And that's because I never really did come up with a major plot.

While the big events in each bit seem important... Magorian discovering his son's "Disloyalty" and banishing Firenzie a year early seem interesting enough, I'm having a harder time writing the smaller, more 'fluffy' pieces, and making them feel interesting which are just as important.
I really do hope everyone's still enjoying it.

See you soon! (Sooner, I hope.)

-John