A/N: Oops. I meant to put this up a long time ago. It seems I never got around to it.

Interlude

Even though Hogwarts castle and grounds lacked students during the summer break, a lone wizard used the cover of night to walk into the Forbidden Forest carrying a large bundle in his robed arms. Despite all the life that crept and crawled within the Forbidden Forest, no noise was made except for the crunch of the wizard's boots. The crescent moon reflected off of his half moon spectacles, as Dumbledore gazed on a legion of centaurs that had come to meet him.

"The stars told us you would come here tonight, Dumbledore," the lead centaur, a dashing palomino with golden hair, declared in a deep, rumbling voice. "Although we are grateful for you allowing us to stay in this forest, but we do mind our privacy and peace."

"I don't mean to stay long," the wizard headmaster said. "I only came here to ask for a favor. Have the stars told you this as well?"

"Yes, and it said that we would accept this task of yours," the lead centaur said. "But the future is what we make of it."

"A valuable truism, to be sure," Dumbledore smiled. "Well, I will get straight to business." He unfolded the top of the bundle to reveal a plump baby face, with bright, golden curls on its head. The infant was peacefully snoring away, unaware of the conversation. "This is Amaranta, a Blommarian infant just plucked from her birthing tree. If you would be so kind as to take it upon yourselves to look after her for a while. . ."

"We firmly decline!" the centaur shouted. "We want nothing to do with that creature. We have no obligation to accept your request."

"Of course, you don't, that is what makes it a request," Dumbledore said politely. "Believe me, I have no desire to impose this task upon you, but I have very little choice. She is the last of her species and in great danger, she must be raised here, in secret, or else she will not live. I cannot trust anyone else with her safety."

"Why must she be raised in secret?"

"As I stated before, she is not human, and therefore will not be very well accepted in our society. I'd rather, for her sake, she only comes to human society when she is of age, but she will leave your care long before that. She is only an infant now, and cannot live on her own, yet. Since I cannot take care of her, I beg that you care for her. It will only be for a few weeks, and she will be willing to eat anything."

"She will even eat her own kin?"

"Only her heart is a plant, not her stomach, otherwise she is human, and thus, eats what a human eats. Laurreni, I would not impose such a taxing demand on you without something in return. You do know what she can do?"

"Yes, I know the influences this creature has on vegetation."

"As long as her heart is healthy and happy, the forest will flourish, and possibly even spread. Plants that could, before, not linger in here will thrive. Many rely on the well-being of the forest, even centaurs. You cannot say that this will not be beneficial to you and your herd."

Laurreni's face remained hard, and unemotional. The four centaurs behind him stayed upright and watched the proceedings humbly.

After a moment's silence, the centaur spoke, "The stars have not lied. We shall accept your request; however, after the length of two weeks, we will care no more for this creature. If you do not obtain it midnight of the last day, we shall release it out of the forest. We shall have no more to do with the creature after that span of time."

"You are quite generous, Laurreni," Dumbledore smiled broadly, the wrinkles of his face stretching. "That should be plenty of time. I am in your debt."

"We do have a slight obligation to you for giving us a place to live," Laurreni admitted.

He broke off from the legion and relinquished the bundle from Dumbledore's arms. With a quick glance at his kin, the centaurs galloped into the depths of the forest, leaving a relieved and smiling Dumbledore.