Disclaimer: I do not own a fair amount of the characters depicted in this story, although I will claim a few as my own. I hope you enjoy my takes on those both canon and original.
Language Key:
"English"
"Avantas" – This is the language all creatures use to communicate with each other
"So, what's the plan?" Heron asked, eyes peering out from behind the dense foliage. Their tiny group lingered near edge of the Forest, and he could see the massive school from where they stood. There was a little hut closer to them, partially blocking their view. Firenze said it belonged to the school's groundskeeper, a friend of his. The man didn't seem to be in at the moment, which was probably for the best. The brunette hoped to meet with the school's alpha before he spoke with anyone else. He turned and looked at Firenze in question.
The centaur's stance was contemplative, one hoof raised slightly above the ground as if the man was so involved in his thoughts that he forgot to set it back down. "I believe the best course of action here may be to simply…knock," he said, bright blue eyes moving from the stars down towards Heron. Those eyes were a feature in almost all of Heron's early memories, as the blonde man was distantly related to mother.
"You don't think there is a more direct way, Uncle?" he asked, eyes moving from the centaur back towards the castle. The doors seemed too large for words, even at this distance. Heron feared any sound from their knocking would be swallowed by its size.
"Humans are…jumpy," Firenze said, shrugging. "They would not trust you if you barged in. Rather, they would be more inclined to kill you. And while I believe your training with Lord Tepes and Nevier would serve you well, there will be many of them inside ready to jump to the offensive."
The centaur took a step forward and turned his gaze on Moony, or Remus as the humans called him. Yvla had departed shortly after the group met up with Firenze, so now he would be acting as interpreter for the wolf as well. "I believe the three of us-"
His words were abruptly cut off as the massive doors to the castle began to open and three men walked out. The oldest in the group seemed to carry an aura of strength and power, making Heron believe this was the alpha of the school. The three began to survey the area, eyes tracking the edge of the Forest. When their gaze reached the area by the hut, Moony gasped. His eyes locked on to one of the men, a shaggy looking man with black hair, and he darted out of the foliage before Firenze or Heron could stop him.
Moony shouted something at them as he ran. His tone sounded excited and relieved. The man whose eyes he had caught ran to meet him in the middle, sweeping the blonde wolf into a bone-cracking hug when they met. Heron looked on in mild surprise as the two then kissed. "Ah, his mate," he murmured to his uncle, coughing in mild embarrassment.
The brunette was familiar with kissing, as well as many other sexual acts. The veela he sometimes studied with made sure of that. They were sensual creatures, enamored with both themselves and pleasure. However, the kiss taking place between the two mates now was different. It was simply… more intimate. Heron almost felt like an intruder when he watched them.
Firenze glanced at Heron before nodding at the scene unfolding behind them. "I never realized you embarrassed so easily, nephew. One day that may be you embracing your mate – or mates," the centaur said. He ignored the youth's protests in favor of smiling mystically. "In any case, your wolf is giving us an opening. Watch, he waves for us to join him."
Doubting they would get a better opportunity to meet with the school's alpha, Heron grunted softly in acknowledgement, mentally preparing himself for what was to come next. He then sighed and stepped out from the Forest's embrace, for truly the first time since he had entered it as a child. He could feel Firenze behind him as he stiffly approached the group of humans.
"What do you think they will require of me to live here?" Heron asked as they walked across the vast lawn. "I know they have rules…which will likely be very different from those of the Forest. Will I also have to wear those odd garments of theirs? And what type of school work do you imagine they assign?"
Firenze muttered his reassurances that everything would be fine and Heron would find out soon enough. However, his words did nothing to placate the tumultuous emotions running through the youth. He grew more nervous with every step he took, though he did his best not to show any weakness in from of these humans…These other humans. It was hard to associate himself with their species. His experiences were just so different, he wondered if he would ever feel comfortable amongst them.
Inhaling deeply to puff his chest out in display, the brunette stopped several feet short of the alpha before giving a short, calculated bow. He never took his eyes off the older man, not wanting the other to see his bow as a sign of submission. As he stared, he felt an odd tingle run across his brain. The sensation moved around a bit, poking at a few different spots of his mind before it settled. The alpha looked…confused by something before he dropped his gaze from Heron to look over at the centaur.
"Firenze…it…you…I…who is this? I am…the Forest, a…"
Heron strained, trying to pick up every word he could from the conversation. There were many he didn't know, or couldn't catch due to the speed with which the alpha spoke. He could understand the jist of what was being said, however. It would be stupid for the alpha to take Moony at his word, after all, even if the wolf carried the best of intentions. He had the school, and his pack to look out for.
Speaking of pack, the green eyed youth glanced cautiously at the Alpha again. From closer up, he could now see the wrinkles running up and down the slightly taller man's face. He seemed…weary. There was a quiet, yet tightly wound strength and caution within his stance. With the right provocation, Heron was sure that strength could easily be sprung. It was a nearly tangible power he hoped would never be unleashed on him.
As for the Alpha's company…There was very obviously Moony's mate, but also a man who appeared to be Beta to this pack. The man was fairly tall, nearly matching Heron in height. His power was not quiet and subtle like the Alpha's, but large and overpowering. His deep, black eyes constantly moved as he surveyed the land, Firenze, Heron, his own pack, and more before recirculating; however, it was not a paranoid twitch, but almost like an innate quality born from his duty to himself and to his pack. Heron respected him for it, but he also understood this man's duty would prove a formidable motivation should the two ever butt heads.
"…is Heron. He has…the Forest…for you to…it in his…I am…you...him on as a…"
Heron tried to focus back on the conversation taking place…Well, what little he could understand. The Alpha's eyes shifted from between Firenze and Heron a few times before settling on Heron. The Beta made a comment, his voice too quick and low for the youth to make out. The tone sounded harsh and unforgiving. His black eyes burned as they settled completely, staring at the wild brunette in suspicion.
Next to them however, Moony's mate laughed, teeth flashing in the sunlight. He said something back, equally fast and biting, to the Beta who swung his head around to look at the other man with a scowl. The mate's grin became cold the longer the two stared at each other, and for a moment, it looked as if the two were going to brawl.
Then, the Alpha said something else. "You two are...I…the…if they…you…it?" His tone was light, but his body language was dangerous and warning. Immediately, the two stepped down, dropping their heads in submission. The Alpha sighed before turning his gaze back on Firenze, though he kept shooting glances at Heron as the two spoke.
Finally, the elderly man nodded slowly before waving his hand at the massive doors to the school. They reminded Heron a bit of where Lord Tepes lived, a castle nestled deep in the outskirts of the Forest. It was not as massive as this building, but it was still very impressive. Apparently the vampire had received it when he still lived, given to him by a generous and grateful king for his service to the crown.
It seemed they would get to go inside. Slightly, Heron turned and raised his hand to the forest, signaling to his mother and his aunts that he was fine. The three unicorns remained on the edge of the forest, deeper in than Heron, Firenze, and Moony had been. Though they wanted support the brunette, they collectively couldn't bring themselves to come closer to human territory.
In response to his wave, he saw a flash of golden light and understood the message of well-wishing. It warmed his heart. As he turned back around to face the castle, he caught the shocked expression on the Alpha's face before a cool and collected mask slid into place. Perhaps Moony's idea of having his family present hadn't been a bad one. If it could tip the odds in his favor…He was willing to work with it.
Firenze chuckled from having seen the interaction before putting his hand to his nephew's back. "Come. Head Mentor Dumbledore has invited us inside Hogwarts to further discuss the future. He does not trust you. He wonders if you may be a spy speaking in a coded language, or using an animal communication spell. You must gain his trust if you truly wish to reside within the castle and have free interaction with the mentors and students," he said, blonde tail flicking from side to side in agitation for a moment. "Humans are suspicious creatures…Though so are many centaurs. I don't imagine this war can be won without more trust…"
"What was that about a war?" Heron murmured, frowning. He placed a hand against the palomino shoulder of his uncle. "Is that why the humans are suspicious of me?"
The centaur nodded reluctantly. "That is so. I would let them speak with you of it though. I would not cloud your mind with my knowledge of the situation, as it is likely my information is fractured." The two followed the others up the stairs and into the massive building. Firenze's hoofs echoed throughout the vast cavern they found themselves in. It was even bigger on the inside than the outside, Heron realized as he gazed up at the vaulted ceiling.
"This way." The youth glanced back down to see the alpha - what had Firenze called him? Head Mentor Dumbledore? – to see Dumbledore point to another large door, though this was not nearly as big as those in the entrance hall. These doors, Heron discovered as he stepped through them, led to another large room with afternoon sky as its ceiling. Long tables covered the length of the area and pictures hung from above each. There were snakes and badgers and ravens and a weird creature the brunette was unfamiliar with…All of them were also different colors. How weird.
Firenze cleared his throat and motioned Heron to step through an even smaller set of doors to the left. This room was small in comparison to the two others he had seen, perhaps to match the size of its door. There were chairs in the room, one for each person. He recognized them and their purpose from the few times he had been within Lord Tepes' castle. Gingerly, Heron walked over to one and sat down. It was…soft and squishy. Slowly, he began to relax as the other filtered in.
Soon, the room filled and Dumbledore lit a fire with a stick in something Firenze called a fireplace. It made the room warm and cozy…It was a wonderful, calming sensation to be snuggled up into a plush chair with a fire crackling nearby. Heron didn't feel as nervous about his place here anymore, though he knew to stay on his toes. Despite the old man's age, the brunette could see a cunning glint in those baby blue eyes.
"…you are…to…with us? I…not…" Headmaster Dumbledore spoke, looking directly into Heron's eyes. He felt the odd tingle run across his mind again. There was a poking sensation, a slight pull, and then the feeling retreated again as the alpha turned to look at Firenze.
Turning back to his charge, the blonde centaur said, "He wants some sort of proof you are as I say you are – a wild wizarding child who's lived his entire life in the Forest, with no connection to any 'dark' organization. I only told him the basics, as I feel the full story should be told by you. I am not sure what would be considered satisfactory proof for them, however."
"Wizarding?" Heron asked, eyes wide. "What does that mean?"
"Ah, it is an adjective for what humans call those with proficiency in magic. A male is a wizard. A female is a witch. You are a wizard, Harry," Firenze said, smiling. "Although, I am sure they have never seen the likes of a wizard just like you…" Before the green eyed youth could question the centaur further, the man continued. "Anyway, would you submit yourself to some testing if they ask of it?"
With some hesitance – tests? – Heron nodded. With his agreement, Firenze turned back to the humans. His tone was all business, and it surprised the youth. It seemed very out-of-place on his uncle, or rather, on any centaur. It went to show how serious the situation was.
The brunette wondered at the negotiations being carried out between his uncle and the wizards. Wizards. Wizard. Such a strange word. Heron rolled it around in his mouth a few times, trying to get the gist of it. Up until a few minutes ago, he hadn't realized there were groups of people incapable of performing magic. He had done it for so long…and everyone he met in the Forest had their own special kind of magic. Even the Forest itself was magical.
Heron zoned out, contemplating the idea of magic. It was a hefty concept to try to wrap his head around when he thought of it as something other than in innate quality possessed by everyone. No wonder he heard the rules outside of the Forest were so much stricter. They had to be. Magic could easily grant individuals possessing it a huge advantage in the game of survival. It was, at its core, power – something not everyone could handle.
His thoughts dwelled on the idea of power and 'unfair' advantages. Was there any such thing as an unfair advantage? If one species was able to adapt to cold weather while the other species froze, was that an unfair advantage or just another turn of the wheel? The fittest survived. Part of him was willing to say humans should just let go of their rules and let nature take place. However, another part of him – perhaps the larger part – thought the humans had the right idea. There were acceptable channels through which one could let 'nature' take its course.
In the Forest, they created schedules. Wolves hunted three times a month: the first quarter, the full moon, and the third quarter. The quarters were day hunts, while the hunt on the full moon took place at night. Everyone knew that. If a relative was caught and killed then, then they died. They were mourned, and life carried on. There was no demand for justice, no thirst for vengeance. The consequences were known. Every tribe, clan, pack, family, herd had a schedule. It reduced conflict fivefold. He would hopefully learn more about human policies while here.
As he begun to focus on his surroundings again, Heron started slightly as he finally took notice of the pair of bright blue eyes staring at him. Moony's mate raised an eyebrow slowly, showing he knew the brunette had not been paying attention to what was taking place. The man glanced at the others: Dumbledore and Firenze were still deep in conversation – the Beta sneered at Firenze – Moony glanced at his mate before rolling his eyes. Then he turned back to Heron, slowly raising his other eyebrow.
The youth wasn't fully sure what the man was trying to say. His body language was unclear, though a lot of it was speaking to him. It seemed to say, "Not paying any attention? Well, I guess I wouldn't either if I couldn't understand any of it." The mate leaned forward and murmured something. Perhaps he had seen a spark of understanding in Heron, but now there was nothing.
Moony's mate pulled back and frowned. He tilted his head to one side and then the other. He leaned close again, staring deeply into Heron's eyes. His closeness was a tad uncomfortable, but Heron could understand. The man seemed to be wondering, "What? How can you not understand? This is English, simple English. You seemed to understand a second ago. Mental problems, perhaps?" There was so much subtext. Perhaps that is why Heron understood. The man's body language was expressive. He could pick up thoughts, feelings…
The man pushed a long black hair from his face. "…I…?" He twisted his upper body so he was looking at Dumbledore. "…you…if I…?" The Alpha thought over the apparent question over for a moment before he nodded cautiously. Moony's mate grinned, glancing at Heron in excitement.
Then something weird begun to happened…The man's face blurred, shifting, as it extended. His body shortened and his bones repositioned themselves…His skin was literally crawling as the muscles moved, lengthened, shrank underneath it before black fur began sprouting everywhere. Then…Then, he was a dog. It was a similar process to the change werewolves made. Yet, it was more peaceful. It didn't horrify Heron. As much as he loved the pack of wolves he called family, even he had to admit the werewolf change was disturbing in many ways. This seemed more…natural, if such a change could be considered such.
Heron looked helplessly at Firenze for a moment, confused beyond belief. What was going on? The full moon was over…
"Can you really understand me like this, or is Firenze putting us on?" The dog asked in a laugh. It was obvious he didn't think the brunette could really understand. "I mean, he had me for a while, but it all just seems too farfetched."
"You really should be more open to new things. The world is full of surprises," Heron remarked, grinning as the dog yelped loudly. Everyone's eyes swung to the two. "My name is Heron, and I really can understand you."
"By Merlin, you CAN. That means you really are a wild boy from the Forest…Oh sheesh." The dog got up and paced in a small circle. "I think I am going to hyperventilate. Am I already hyperventilating? I can't tell…Shit, you can understand me. Shit, shit, shit…"
The brunette rolled his eyes and slowly raised his hands to signal no harm before he reached out to put a hand on the man…dog's back. "It's really not that crazy, once you get used to it, um…" He trailed off, obviously waiting for a name.
"Sirius," the large grim-like dog settled down a bit, his pace slowing. "How is this not crazy? Am I crazy?"
Firenze broke into their conversation then. "You aren't. Not anymore than you were before. You just couldn't understand Heron before because you were completely human," he explained. "Heron only speaks Avantas. Although, he would be able to speak English if he stuck to his lessons…" The centaur trailed off, pointedly staring at the young brunette.
"Yeah, yeah. I get it. Next time I will listen to my wise and almighty mentor," the youth grumbled. He paused thoughtfully before he continued, "…Although, I did understand him somewhat when he was human, and I think he understood me too. Maybe through body language". He turned back to Sirius. "Would that be accurate? Also, my biological mother died in the Forest when I was a baby. The Forest has been my home ever since. What other language-" Firenze coughed. "-would I understand except for that of the creatures?"
"I guess…Well…" Sirius quit pacing and plopped down on the ground, huffing loudly as he did so. "Fine. It makes enough sense, I guess. I did understand your body language better than I do most people's and that would explain your being raised there…Sort of..." The dog paused thoughtfully, glancing at his Alpha and mate in question. He seemed determined to ignore the Beta however. "Would you be willing to indulge me – us – and tell us your story?"
Heron glanced at Firenze, feeling troubled. What if he said something wrong? Would there be anything in his past these wizards would not accept? "I…" He chanced a glance at the human Alpha. Dumbledore's eyes were intent, smile strained, wrinkles pronounced. It suddenly became apparent to the brunette how much of a pressure his presence put on the man. The mentor wanted to believe him, wanted to believe in crazy happenstance, in a boy's innocence, in something good and wholesome. Yet, the man had also his pack to protect. In most wolf packs, strangers were never accepted. They were killed. In dragon herds, outsiders lived on the fringe of the community, unwelcome for fear of the herd's safety. Veela clans were very protective of existing members, putting those who wished to near them through arduous tasks to prove themselves.
He understood this all with such clarity in that moment that he couldn't help talking. "I don't know when or where I was born. It is not important to me. All I know is that my birth mother was in trouble. She ran away with me one night. She…'popped' into place near where the unicorn herd lives, near the center of the Forest. She was injured and died. The unicorns raised me. My mother is Iris…Some would call her queen of the Forest, but it would be better to call her…mediator."
The brunette paused and listened for a moment as Firenze began to translate under the commands of the grumpy beta. He took a deep breath and continued. "I never really left until today. I have been inside a castle a few times before, but it's a castle in the Forest, so…I don't feel it counts as having 'left' the Forest."
Sirius spoke as Heron took another breath. "Well, why did you come now? Are you just interested in your own culture after all these years? It must have been difficult living as a human, a wizard, amongst all these other creatures. No offense meant to them," he paused to nod at Firenze, "but it's like being a fish among birds."
"Well…Maybe I am just a flying fish," the youth said slowly. Sirius' analogy was a good one. What the man didn't realize, however, was that fish Heron felt more at home with the birds than he did with other fishes. Hopefully, he could find a peaceful balance between the two before too long. "As to why I came here, I felt an…attachment to Moony. Not in a sexual manner!" He rushed to reassure the dog before his hackles could rise. "But he reminds me of a mentor of mine. I…actually, I see a similar glint in your eyes."
It was true. As he stared into Sirius' icy blue eyes, he could see them shift and swirl with meaning. The two mates would be important in his journey to become something more, to become something fate demanded of him. He just needed to figure out the path which lay before him.
Sirius smiled slightly and looking down in what Heron assumed to be a rare display of bashfulness. The man's personality was boisterous, but it seemed as if the brunette's statement embarrassed him. "Ah, well…Ahem, yes…Who were your mentors anyway?" The dog tried to steer the conversation away from himself with little tact.
Heron let him, smiling at the discomfort shown. "Obviously, my mother and aunts taught me much. Firenze was one. I consider him my uncle…He taught me a wide range of subjects. I would wager you even teach a few of the lessons he gave me here at the school. Then the Alpha werewolf…And a vampire lord…The veela queen. Now, she truly is a queen, as they operate on a different social structure than we do. I learned some from an elder dragon, but he wasn't really a consistent mentor like the others…" The youth paused in though, running a hand through his wild shaggy black locks. He could feel everyone's eyes following his movement. Slowly, he removed his hand from his hair and shrugged. "I never really spent much time learning from the elves or anyone else. Though, the mermaids did teach me how to swim and the goblins helped me learn about stone."
Sirius' jaw dropped. "You…You really are something, aren't you? I…that's…" The dog shook his head, eyes bulging slightly as he looked at Dumbledore. "I…you…Do you really have connections with all of these groups? They are truly all in the Forbidden Forest? How…is that even possible?" His pitch increased in his agitation, causing his voice to slip into a high pitched whine. The Beta made a move to swat at the dog, eyes clenching at the noise, but Moony gently intercepted the Beta and grabbed at his mate's muzzle with a much kinder hand.
The man…dog began to calm as his mate made a shushing noise. Finally, when he stopped whimpering, Moony let go. Once he had, Sirius lunged towards Heron in excitement. "You could help us win the war! You could rally the troops! Maybe that's why you were drawn here! To be our ambassador!" He let loose a small whine before clamping his mouth down on the noise. In a whisper, he added, "We might finally be able to kill the snake-faced bastard."
Firenze made a small cough sound, drawing attention to himself. "It would take much to involve them…There is a reason the Forest creatures have not revealed themselves. They do not wish to engage in a war that is not theirs…" His eyes turned upwards as if he could see the sky through the ceiling. "The human world, as it stands, is no place for many of them. And, it is not necessarily 'dark forces' keeping them in hiding." He meaningfully dropped his gaze to the wizards in the room.
"Oh…so…" Sirius positively drooped at the palomino centaur's words. "Is there nothing we could do…? He will come after the Forest eventually."
"I doubt that. And even if he did, the Forest is well protected…" The centaur looked at Heron and smiled wistfully. "There was once a time we all lived together peacefully. There…may be a map in your archives, from such a time. Humans knew the lay of the land, the magic of the Forest, the kindness of the creatures…"
Heron smiled back slightly at his uncle. "Maybe one day in the future," he said, imagining a world quite different from their own. "…It would be nice. But now…Now, could you tell me about this war?" He turned back to Sirius and raised his eyebrow in askance.
The dog stumbled over his words a bit before he finally collected his thoughts. "Th-the w-war? Y-you don't know? Right, right – you're a wild child from somewhere beyond the trees and all that. Um…Well…It's a war. There's much to say about war, but I personally don't think anyone – certainly not me - can ever explain it very well. It's…To try and explain it, to put into words what has been going on, would be dumbing it down and turning raw experiences and true emotion into…statistics. Facts. I don't…"
The man heaved a big sigh. In that one breath, he seemed to live a hundred lifetimes before he let them go again. "I will try," Sirius said, nodding his shaggy head quite gravely.
Though the humans sitting in the room couldn't speak Avantas and had to use Firenze as a translator, they too tensed and their bodies became like stone in anticipation for the story the dog was about to tell.
"There once was a man, because at the time, he was still a man…There once was a man who became obsessed with the idea of heritage, immortality, and power. He did things…Horrible things to himself and to a few others in an effort to become eternal. His soul split and he became less than man, less than beast. A monster."
"He started gathering followers early on, but only truly rose to power in the 1970's. He destroyed. He maimed and killed when and who and where he wanted. His followers did as they pleased…He…He…In 1981, he disappeared after…" The dog had to look away, but Heron still caught a glimpse of a small tear making its way down Sirius' muzzle. "He killed my best friend, his wife, their baby…He killed my family…And then…just disappeared. He was gone for 12 years." Sirius breathed in and out deeply, trying to move on with his thoughts so the rest of the story could be told.
"He tried to return a year before that, inside of Hogwarts, using a teacher's body much like a parasite. He came close to finding a way to create a new body for himself, but he fell into a trap. He managed to escape after killing his host's body. But the year after…A little girl here at the castle poured her heart and soul into a diary – a book, that is. Normally, such is just an expression, but she truly did pour her soul into the book. It stole her life energy, killed her, and it brought back a younger incarnation of the monster."
"He left Hogwarts, the school, before he could be caught. There was a basilisk crawling through the halls that year, which was enough to distract everyone. The beast killed two students and petrified several others before it was finally killed…The school wasn't as safe anymore. We strengthened the wards, tightened security…Student admissions are still down. Parents are sending their children to the continent instead."
"But…I don't blame them. That monster will come here one day to kill us all. When he thinks Headmaster Dumbledore is gone. He fears Dumbledore. But…Despite his fear, he will not stop before he causes its destruction. All we can do now is…train and try to pretend everything is okay. Hope we will be ready when the Death Eaters inevitably come."
Heron listened solemnly, though inside he could not hide his shock. How could all this have happened just outside the edge of the Forest? How could humans do this to each other? Because, despite his monstrous acts, the madman doing this was, in fact, a man. He was human. A fractured human, but one nonetheless.
"What was…his name? The monster?" Heron asked.
Sirius squirmed for a moment. "Many call him You-Know-Who, He Who Must Not Be Named…Others, his followers, call him the Dark Lord. His name though is…Voldemort."
The brunette nodded, deciding that would be the name he would call this monster. "Voldemort." He rolled the name around on his tongue. He would not give this man his fear. He would not cower from a name. He nodded. That would do.
"Do you have any other questions for me that may pertain to my acceptance into this school?" He asked, scratching his head slightly.
"Um…," Sirius trailed off, looking at Firenze for assistance. The centaur conveyed Heron's question to the three humans, who discussed it for a few minutes before passing it on. "Firenze already answered questions on the type of schooling you received in the Forest and the type you would be expected to learn of while here, which we will get someone to go over with you. He also asked Dumbledore about your visiting rights back home. The headmaster asks for you not to go back for the first month or so, as he would like to keep you here for some preliminary observation. Other than that, there is nothing we can think of," he said. "I am going to turn back into a man now so I can put my memories of this into a Pensieve. But, I will be available to you once Firenze leaves and you need an interpreter."
The big black dog backed up before he slowly stretched and contorted and rearranged himself back into a human. Heron watched the transformation more carefully this time. It was…exciting to see, but now that Sirius was a human again, he felt saddened by the loss of someone who could speak Advantas with him. This new environment left him feeling vulnerable more often than not.
"Firenze?"
The blonde centaur was busy shaking Dumbledore's hand as a way to seal the deal. Upon Heron's call, the ma turned towards his nephew and smiled. "Congratulations. You have just been accepted into Hogwarts, the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Heron."
Changes from the original script this time combined chapters 2 and 3 content and really focused on realistic interactions between Heron and Dumbledore/Sirius. Last time, the interactions were abrupt and...too accepting. "Wild child shows up at our door during a war? Well come on in!".
I also wanted Heron's questions to be asked and answered in a more calm manner than Sirius acting like a 3 year old on a sugar high. He's an adult, he has suffered, he wants his life from before back...But he CAN still do the fun stuff and act young ad excitable...Just not in the same way as before. I think this shows his ability to be carefree, but also his (and the world's!) background involving Voldemort - therefore, it also shows his seriousness and ability be a liaison.
Aaaaanyway, review please! I love hearing people's thoughts and opinions on my work. It's why I decided to continue writing and reediting my old work for you.