A little later, but here we are!

'So, where is Dolores, Harry?' Dumbledore commented once the Minister had made his ignoble exit.

'In the forest, sir,' Harry said reluctantly.

'Ah, any part of the forest in particular?'

'…With the centaurs.'

Dumbledore hummed. 'I suppose I will have to venture out and retrieve her.' He said musingly.

'But won't they have killed her by then?' Harry hoped he didn't sound too eager when he asked that question.

Dumbledore chuckled. 'Oh, no, Harry. Despite their grandstanding, the centaurs are a peaceful people. They won't cause her permanent harm. Regardless, for the sake of the centaurs, I will have to recover her before the Aurors show up.' Sighing, he got to his feet, followed shortly by Harry.

'Why don't you go and talk to your friends, Harry?' He said, looking down kindly at his student. 'We can meet after lunch, I think.'

'Actually, I was wondering if I could come with you, sir.'

'I see, and where have your thoughts taken you on this matter?'

'Uh … right, can I come with you to the forest?'

Dumbledore took a moment to consider the request. 'Well, you can,' he finally said. 'And if you are sure about accompanying a doddering old man on what is sure to be an unexciting trip, you may.'

Harry just shrugged in response.

'If that is the current teenager's sign for "yes", then after me.'

And so Harry found himself riding the moving staircase down towards the castle proper as Dumbledore hummed a tune next to him.

'I thought you said that the Aurors weren't allowed at Hogwarts, sir?' Harry asked curiously.

'Ah,' Dumbledore paused his humming to look at Harry. 'Cornelius certainly is under that assumption.'

'It's a bluff then?'

'It should make for some amount of consternation for Cornelius.' Dumbledore remarked. 'As much as I would like to bar groups of people, I can hardly enforce that. The security charms aren't that good. Although, a little myth building doesn't hurt.'

Harry shook his head, a smirk playing on his face as he thought of the prank Dumbledore played on Fudge.

'Now, I suggest caution, Harry.' Dumbledore said as they neared the forest. 'Do not speak, for they are a proud people who take offence at the slightest of things. Be as unnoticeable as possible.'

Traversing through the forest with the headmaster was a different experience for Harry. Low hanging branches seemed to move out of the old wizard's way of their own accord while his footing across the forest path was as sure as Hagrid's despite him wearing what Harry found out to be buckled boots.

It didn't take the centaurs long to find them.

'Dumbledore,' said a familiar centaur with a chestnut body and long flowing hair.

'Magorian,' Dumbledore replied pleasantly. 'It has been far too long.'

'What do you want from us now, Dumbledore?' another voice said to their left. The speaker shortly revealed himself to be Bane as he stepped out of the gloom. He cast a contemptuous look at Harry and snorted. 'Are you planning to show us off to your students?!'

'Hardly,' Dumbledore said, unruffled. 'Harry is here at my request and is not involved with what I want to discuss with you.'

'I guess that this involves the woman?' Magorian said slowly. 'If that is the case, then that boy is involved. He and his female companion did bring her into our lands, after all.'

'Yes, I remember this human,' Bane said threateningly. 'He and his companion wanted us to do their bidding! He has probably told all his friends about his exploits.'

'The woman, as you call her, had coerced Mr Potter here and his friend into entering the forest.' Dumbledore said quietly before Harry could even think of opening his mouth. 'I think you know very well where they were headed when you intercepted them.'

'They were headed towards the Acromantula colony,' Magorian said thoughtfully. There was a very long moment of silence as the two centaurs considered this. 'Very well, the foals were probably innocent.'

It seemed to pain the centaurs a great deal in making such an admission, judging by the way Magorian was agitatedly stamping the ground with his front hoof.

'Regardless, I am sure Harry is very sorry for any slights he and his friends have committed.' Dumbledore said diplomatically giving Harry a meaningful look.

At this, Harry nodded vigorously and apologised as contritely as he could manage.

The centaurs seemed appeased. 'I suppose he is still a foal,' Magorian said finally. 'They are bound to make mistakes.'

'Indeed,' Dumbledore said gravely. 'The young frequently make many mistakes as they grow. It is our duty to guide them.'

Magorian snorted. 'Very well, was this all?' he asked.

'Well, there is the matter of the woman you have in your custody –'

Bane reared on his hind legs. 'What about that woman?!' he snarled heatedly. 'We are not going to let her go just upon your say-so! Especially not after what she said and did to us!'

'Indeed, Dumbledore,' Magorian said a lot more calmly. 'She is not as innocent as your young. And there is no reason for us to do anything for you humans, even if you are one of the more tolerable ones.'

'I am not asking you to do anything,' Dumbledore said slowly. 'I merely would like to discuss the situation.'

'How so?' Magorian asked suspiciously.

'Well, the woman does work for the ministry,' Dumbledore began.

'And what does that have to do with us?' Bane interjected aggressively. 'We do not recognise your government!'

'I was never suggesting anything like that,' the headmaster replied evenly. 'I am merely noting that the ministry is currently searching for her. They haven't started anything yet, but soon enough a team of Aurors will be coming here. It will be only a matter of time before they come to you, and then suspect you of holding their employee. I cannot predict how they will react should they find out about her fate or your involvement in it.'

He let them process that information for a few moments. 'While I am sure that the centaurs are capable of holding their own against the humans, especially in this forest, surely keeping that woman isn't worth the trouble?'

'You won't find us, human,' Bane said arrogantly. 'Even Hagrid has no idea where we live!'

'Would that be a few kilometres after the hollowed-out stump of the rowan tree in the northeast part of the forest near the mountains?' Dumbledore asked politely, stunning the centaurs into silence. 'I have known about that place for the past twenty years or so.' He smiled benignly. 'It took me some time to come in possession of that knowledge, but in my defence, I wasn't looking. I wonder how long it will take a team of determined wizards and witches to find your dwelling…'

'I shall consult the herd,' Magorian finally said curtly. 'Wait with the humans, Bane.' Saying so, he galloped off.

No sooner had the sound of the centaur's hooves faded away, Dumbledore flicked his wand and conjured up two comfortable looking chintz armchairs.

'We might as well be comfortable while we wait, Harry,' he said as he settled into one of the chairs.

Harry watched as Bane stalked away with a sulky expression on his face. As soon as he was sure that the centaur was out of earshot, he leaned towards his headmaster and whispered. 'Why are we bothering to bring her back? Surely, she deserves whatever the centaurs decide to do with her!'

Dumbledore flicked his wand imperceptibly to mute the conversation before replying. 'True, but the centaurs would not deserve the hassle of tangling with the Ministry of Magic over Dolores Umbridge. Unfortunately keeping her with them will do them more harm than it will her.'

There was a long minute of silence that was broken by the headmaster.

'Why didn't you come forth earlier about what Dolores was doing in your detentions with her, Harry?' he asked softly.

'Well,' Harry said after an awkward pause. 'I doubt it would have made much of a difference. She was already starting to do things to give her more power over all of us. What would have been the point of complaining? She would have found some way to get back at me and made your lives miserable as well. Hermione told me to go to McGonagall, but I thought – no, I knew that Umbridge would find a way to wiggle out of it and then make her life hell.'

Dumbledore looked at Harry over his glasses. 'You were trying to protect us?' he asked slightly incredulously.

'And what if I was?' Harry said slightly defensively.

'Well, I am touched,' the headmaster replied. 'Although,' he said a tad more sombrely. 'It should be us trying to protect you.' He sighed. 'It is something that I fear that we have failed to do adequately in the past, but we are trying our best. I ask that in the future, you at least give us the opportunity to carry out this duty. However, I realise that you are at an age where independence is prized. So, I ask that you try and not hamper us. The current climate is too dangerous for us to indulge in such luxuries.'

Harry considered what he had just been told. His first instinct was to scoff. After all, when had running to an adult ever helped in the past? But then, when he really thought about it, he could appreciate where Dumbledore was coming from. He hadn't really gone to seek help in the past from either professor McGonagall or Dumbledore. Well, there was first year, but in hindsight, he could have been a little clearer. After all, while he had wrongly suspected Snape, and did not have proof of the greasy git's involvement, he had known at the time that Voldemort was after the Stone in some fashion. That at least would have had the old witch believing him.

And, quite frankly, he still didn't know what he was thinking at the time when he went to Lockhart of all people for help with the Chamber of Secrets.

'Okay,' he finally said. 'But I doubt you will be able to help all the time.'

'A fair assessment,' Dumbledore said with a nod. 'Regardless, I would appreciate being given a chance.'

'Good,' Harry replied. 'Then can you help me become stronger?'

Dumbledore chuckled. 'Well, it is about time, Harry!' he said approvingly. 'I do not mind helping you "become stronger" as you put it. I am sure professors Flitwick and McGonagall will be more than willing to help as well. Although, between you and me, I was kind of expecting such a request much earlier.'

'Why didn't you train me from the beginning anyway, sir?' Harry asked, feeling slightly annoyed. 'After all, you have known of the prophecy for so long.'

'"From the beginning"? My dear boy, you are currently a student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is one of the best schools in Europe if not the world.' Dumbledore replied. 'We might not be as good as some other schools in areas like Divination and Ancient Runes, but there are few that can match us in Charms, Transfiguration, and, despite our rather poor record of keeping a teacher, Defence Against the Dark Arts.' He paused for a moment. 'We are outclassed by Castelobruxo when it comes to Potions and Herbology, but that's mainly because they are located in the amazon rainforest. Our greenhouses can do only so much.'

Harry rolled his eyes, an act not missed by his headmaster. 'Professor Snape does get results consistent with an effective instructor who knows his subject, despite his … personality.'

Dumbledore leaned back into his chair. 'Getting back to the original subject. You are in the best school the wizarding world has to offer. Putting aside our various Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers, we have some of the finest individuals on staff. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick are both quite good in their fields. Either one of them would have been more than happy in giving a promising student some extra help. A good grounding in Charms and Transfiguration carries over quite well in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Not that you need much instruction in that subject considering what I know of your talents.' He regarded Harry over his glasses. 'I think you have been taught quite adequately from the beginning, don't you? Some might say that it could be earlier, but over the millennium of this school's existence, the general consensus is that eleven is the best age to begin teaching a child magic. It simply isn't feasible enough to do it earlier. Younger children aren't capable of keeping up with the stress of a formal education, and they also cannot understand the complex theorems of magic.'

'Then why not start preparing me when I reach the school?'

Dumbledore looked at Harry pointedly. 'Neither I nor any one of the teachers here can force you to learn something, Harry. So far we have found you to be adequately challenged in the regular course. Why should we move you to more advanced material then? You have the talent, but lack the drive. Your friend, Miss Granger, has the opposite problem, she does not have the same talent as you. But she compensates by her drive and natural intelligence.'

'What about the prophecy then?' Harry said sullenly.

'What about it?'

Hearing the glib response, Harry sputtered. 'I'm supposed to kill Voldemort!' he finally said. 'The prophecy said so!'

'No, it does not.' Dumbledore said matter-of-factly. 'The prophecy only states that you can kill Voldemort. It doesn't say that you should or that you have to.'

'But –'

'The prophecy is quite vague in its wording,' Dumbledore said over Harry's protestations. 'It states that either you or Voldemort will kill the other. There isn't anything definitive there. I might as well be giving you a prediction that tomorrow might be cloudy or sunny and calling it a prophecy. You have complete freedom to ignore the prophecy, Harry. If you so desired it, you could run off to another country under a different name and personality. I would help. But that won't break the prophecy. Can you tell me why?'

'Because he'll want me finished,' Harry said quietly. 'He's afraid of me. That I survived two Killing Curses cast by his own hand will be beyond frightening for him. He will want me dead, and he will want to do it himself.'

'Exactly,' Dumbledore said approvingly. 'So if you did try to divorce yourself from all of this and run to another part of the world with a new identity, a confrontation between the two of you will be inevitable because Voldemort will be obsessed with finding and ending you. And so, it will result in one of you dying at the hand of the other, as the prophecy states.' Stroking his beard, he continued thoughtfully. 'Such a course of action might be beneficial. Should you go underground, he might be distracted enough to pause his bid for power and focus solely on you.'

'No,' Harry said confidently. 'It wouldn't. All he would do in such a case would be to build strength. He'll go after the next biggest threat, that's you, sir, even more so after the good drubbing you gave him at the Ministry a few days back. Then he will take over the country, and when he has enough legitimacy, he will start looking for me. That is when I will be in … well, dire straits.'

'You seem quite certain of your theory,' Dumbledore said mildly, although he did have a look of curiosity in his eyes.

'I am,' Harry said confidently. 'Besides,' he took a deep breath, coming to an epiphany. 'I don't think I could go "underground", as you put it. No, I would want to see Voldemort finished as well.' He stared at nothing as he thought further about what he just realised. 'I think I've wanted this since my first year when I went down to stop him from getting the Stone.'

'So it truly is "neither can live while the other survives",' Dumbledore said sombrely. 'The first thing we should do after finishing this task is finish the meeting that was interrupted. I, myself, have some important news to share with you, Harry.'

'Uh, alright then,' Harry was very curious and slightly apprehensive about this "news". He hoped that it wasn't bad.

'Getting back to our original topic,' said Dumbledore. 'Since you have expressed enthusiasm for it, I can certainly organise some extra lessons with Professors McGonagall and Flitwick for your sixth year. In addition, I could teach you a few things.'

'Why not during the summer holidays?'

'You certainly are keen.' Dumbledore said with a smile. 'However, that might be slightly difficult. Having said that, I find the idea has merit. I shall see what I can do. In the meantime, I ask that you take up some initiative on your own. To start with, have you been keeping up with your Quidditch physical training?'

'Well…,' Harry said reluctantly. 'Not really.'

'See that you do. It always helps to have an athletic body. You are already a strapping young lad, so it shouldn't be too much of an imposition on you. You can also try and revise your textbooks, and if possible, buy the books for the coming year. I shall give you that list once we reach my office. Aside from the Defence Against the Dark Arts book, it is fairly the same.'

'And I have enough books in that subject thanks to the various birthday and Christmas gifts that I've been given.'

The sudden sound of hooves halted any further conversation.

Magorian burst out into the clearing, followed by two other centaurs who had with them a very dishevelled Umbridge and two openly disgusted expressions.

'The woman,' Magorian said as his two companions unceremoniously dumped the pink-clad employee of the Ministry on the ground.

'I see you have made your decision,' Dumbledore remarked, as he and Harry stood up.

'Ensure that we see no more humans in our abode, Dumbledore,' Magorian said curtly. 'Ronan won't be able to save you all.'

Without a word the centaurs all galloped away.

Dumbledore bent over Umbridge's unmoving form. 'Dolores?' he said, giving her a slight shake.

Harry leaned over to look at the loathsome woman. Aside from a few scratches and a bit of dirt, Umbidge seemed to be fine. Her eyes, though, were open and staring blankly into the distance.

'Hmm, no reaction upon seeing me or you,' Dumbledore said musingly. 'Not even a sneer. She clearly is catatonic. It would be best to ensure that she is asleep before we get her to the hospital wing.' With a wave of his wand, Umbridge slumped unconscious, her head lolling to the side.

Harry flicked his wand at the woman and muttered 'Mobilicorpus.' Turning around, he followed his headmaster back through the forest.

Dumbledore did not seem to notice if Harry was unusually clumsy with guiding Umbridge through the woods, and if he noticed that she had accumulated a few new bruises and scratches when they entered the grounds of the school, he did not comment on it.