Chapter 13: Children and Love

"Why have you not sired any children? Having children is a part of the human experience is it not?"

The human laughed.

"I am the pharos' right hand man, the unseen power behind the Roman senate, and the most powerful warlock that have ever walked this land. What makes you think I need a child to be fulfilled?"

"And are you? Fulfilled?"

"No. Not until I have the whole world under my control."

"How about love? Don't you want to experience unconditional love?"

"Unconditional Love?"

The grand warlock laughed.

"Love is about possession. It's to completely own the person you desire. To isolate them in loneliness until they have no other choice but to love you back. Why love a child when I can love the world?"

Watching his master get on his knees tend to a dying creature was certainly an… experience to say the least.

When his master hurriedly summoned him to the surface, the fist thing that Stevens saw was a dead centaur crushing his master. His first instinct is to use whatever power he has to raise the dead horse and save him. Harry however stopped him and insisted that he saved the creature.

Flashback

"Why? Why should I lower myself and save this animal?" He asked, his master's stubbornness driving him to his wits ends.

"How dare you…" Harry gave him a look and said in a commanding voice. "I ORDER YOU TO BRING MY FRIEND BACK TO THE MANOR. NOW."

Feeling the rage boiling under that command, Stevens winched in pain and obeyed.

Flashback

Now here he is, holding a priceless silver basin so his master can clean the dirt and blood from the centaur's dirty pelt and skin. Frankly, Stevens felt personally offended that he, a butler to 1000 generation of Black descendant is made to wait on a half-breed as low as a centaur. It smelled like it hasn't bathed in eons, and the infected wounds on his back certainly did not help. How Harry could stand to be near him is beyond him.

However, as much as he wanted to moan and groan about the stench that the animal is bringing into the house, he bit his tongue. This centaur is no ordinary creature. On his arms was some ceremonial bracelet, and his ears are pierced with bird's bones, a sign that he is highly esteemed in their community. In addition to that, the way his master cared for the animal was made him curious; just what is his relationship to the dying beast? What made the animal so special that his master would bother to know his name?

"What do you think Stevens? Those wounds seems serious… Should we call a mediwizard?" Harry asked shakily.

"I doubt it sir." Stevens rolled his eyes in jealousy but answered anyways. "His wounds, while it may stank horribly, are superficial. Portkeying a stranger that knows nothing about animal anatomy is not only wasteful, but is short sighted. You yourself wanted to keep the Manor's location a secret."

"You're right, as always." Harry laughed, glancing at him with a gentle smile, still preoccupied by the unconscious centaur. Steven sat there for a long time, feeling slightly stupid for holding a dirty basin while Harry is fawning over an animal.

This was not the first time that his master ignored him in a few days. Ever since he had that blowout with the werewolf, Harry has changed. He barely spoke to him, spending most of his waking hours fabricating the giant basilisk snake. The boy basically reverted to his first few days in black manor, which worries Stevens. He understood that Harry needed some alone time, but the less wishes the boy ask of him, the weaker he becomes. Something tells him that burning bridges with that werewolf was a bad idea.

Stevens decided that this was a good time to bring it up. Sighing, he cleared his throat hoping to catch his master's attention. When he failed, he coughed again, this time sounding more urgent. Harry glanced back at him, raising his eyebrow in slight annoyance. Surprised at the hostile look, Stevens turned the conversation on the centaur instead.

"I don't mean to be rude sir, but perhaps we should leave him by the edge of the forest. By the looks of his necklaces, he must've been the pack's shaman or stargazer. I'm sure his kind is looking for him as we speak. They would know better what to do with him than we would."

"Huh." Harry rubbed his eyes and slumped back onto the velvet sofa, his shirt soiled with dirt and blood. "I know that that's the best thing to do, but it doesn't seem right, does it? Leaving Firenze I mean." Harry sighed cleaning a smudge off his glasses. "… but then again we really don't know how to fix him either… "

Stevens smirked, amused that the boy is in a dilemma over what to do with a dying animal. Go back a few generations and some of his master would choose to behead the beast and roast it for dinner. This boy just keeps surprising him everyday. Deciding that he would swallow his pride, Steven set aside the basin and dirty rags and leaned down to his master.

"It's time to retire for bed sir." The demon whispered so not to disturb their guest.

"But Firenze-"

"-will be well looked after." Stevens smiled gently, taking the boy's hand. "If you care enough about the animal to soil yourself with his filth then I will take it upon myself to take care of him."

"Uh," Harry stared at him with a bewildered look on his face. "Really?

"I can heal his broken bones and wounds like I did on the manor."

"Yeah, no, I'm not doubting your magical healing abilities," Harry squinted his eyes suspiciously. "-I'm just confused why you would do something without me wishing for it…"

Steven laughed. "What is precious to you is precious to me, no matter how silly it is." he said earnestly.

At first the boy looked offended but he laughed instead. "Why do you have to sneak an insult in every time you do something nice for me?" he groaned, shaking his head walking away tiredly.

"Sir?" Stevens called timidly. "I hate to ask but, ah- it's been a while since…*cough * since you wished for anything."

"Oh…" Harry's eyes light up, remembering his promise to the demon to give him one wish a day. "Oh! I'm sorry. I've been so busy with the snakes hatching and all-"

"-It's fine sir, really." Steven said, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with how guilty his master feeling. "I didn't mean to be rude, I just feel rather weak without your wishes."

"Of course." Harry said quickly. "Well how about this, let me wish for a warm cup of milk before bed then. That should hold you off until tomorrow right?"

"Certainly." Steven answered, his eyes golden and body humming as power flows into his soul. "A warm cup of milk with a side of sugar, cocoa, whip cream, and cherries coming right up."

Harry snickered as he watch his butler skipped towards the kitchen enthusiastically. For some reason it makes him happy seeing his usually snarky butler excited like that. That's why he let the genie have free reign over the manor's domestic matters.

"A happy butler means a happy house, right little Cassandra?" Harry cooed to his new pet. The small white snake only licked his finger and titled her head curiously. Harry petted her with his fingers, finding her gentle nature much more enjoyable than the frantic hisses of her brothers.

"Ah that's right." He began in parseltounge. "I will have to start taking care of you and your brothers tomorrow." The small snake swayed back and forth in his hand, hissing gently in reply. Harry smiled and let her curl up in his palm and sleep.

"What am I going to do with you? I'm already too attached to you." He hissed, cradling her as he whistled up the stairs. This was the first time after the Grimlaud place fiasco that Harry ever felt excited. With this small little snake and her twelve little brother, he cant wait to see what the morning brings!

Harry used to love mornings in the Black Manor.

Usually Stevens would wake him up gently and wash his face bedside with scented rose water. Then after a long relaxing shower, Harry would emerge into his dressing room, where Stevens would lay out several branded set of clothes for the day. After having his hair handsomely styled and perfume sprayed on him, a luxurious breakfast would await him in the sun room, and after complaining to Stevens to tone down the level of service in the morning, (while secretly loving every minute of it) Harry would then read a book in peace as he eats his morning toast and caviar.

As much as he complained about how excessive the live of a noble is, Harry really got used to the routine. Besides, mornings are the only time where Stevens would hold in his snappy retort and veiled insults.

Since the snakes were hatched, things… changed. Those peaceful mornings are nothing more than a faded memory.

Steven no longer wakes him up gently or washes his face bedside. The impudent demon would fashion multiple yardstick into one very long staff, which he would use to poke him awake from a safe distance from the 'brain eating, egg laying baby snakes.' If Harry as much as move an inch, his male snakes would complain and hiss for the 'nest mate' to stay put. Being the loving surrogate snake mother that he is, Harry would comply and let thirteen of his snakes mooch heat off of him.

After an hour of sitting there in absolute boredom, Harry then would hurriedly wash his face while his snakes complain of being hungry. Then, after donning his bathrobe, he would ran down to sun room with a handful of temperamental basilisk babies flailing in his hand like angry spaghetti. In there, he would put the snakes under the ray of water-filtered morning sun so they could warm up. If he's lucky enough, the snakes would leave him to eat in peace, but most morning they just slithered back up to his plate and steal his franks and beans.

"I can't take it any longer Stevens…" Harry whispered as he drank his fifth cup of coffee today. " . it's 'feeeddddd usssss nestmate' 'we're colddddddd nestmate' 'I don't like underwater sunnnn nestmate, take us to the surface' " Harry blurted out in parseltounge out of frustration.

Stevens looked at his ragged master with pity, secretly judging Harry's lack of endurance and stamina. "It's only been five days sir."

"Is it? Oh…" Harry said, staring at his cup of coffee blankly. "I thought It's already been a month."

"… It's still October sir."

"Is it?" Harry gave a defeated sigh and let out a feeble laugh. "Haha, I guess time doesn't fly when you're not having fun."

"It's okay sir." Stevens smirked at his pathetic master, offering his hand out to him. "You will be fine. By next month the snakes will be big enough that I can help you with their care. In the meantime, I have several correspondence for you to answer."

"Hn." Harry mumbled unenthusiastically.

"There's some invoice from the tailors-

"Huh, look it over to make sure they're not slipping in an overly expensive scraf or something. Those high end brand. More like high end crooks!"

"Noted. Oh, and another from Ms. Prince-"

"Yeah don't look it over, just pay her whatever she wants. I don't want to give her a reason to pop in and bully me agai." Harry sipped his coffee and glared defensively at his butler. "What? She scares me."

"…. Very well." Stevens sighed, lamenting on the future of the manor at the hands of his weak master. "Ah, I think you will enjoy this one, a letter! From Miss Grindewald at that. She is inquiring about your promised agreement." Harry scowled at the mention of the 'agreement.'

"Write back a passive aggressive reply. No! Infact, I'll dictate it myself!" Harry said crackling mischievously.

"My dearest, whatshername pause. I would love very much to spend an evening with you eating pastries, which I'm sure you've spiked with other love potions, but sadly I cannot, pause. I have several guests in my house at the moment and to leave them would be to insult them, pause. Warm regards, Lord of Black- MERLIN'S BEARD ATTA!" He jumped after one of the basilisk babies who found it's way into the kitchen and almost slithered right into the hearth.

Stevens watched the commotion in front of him and walked away silently, leaving his preoccupied master with the unruly snake. As much as he enjoyed the boy's kindness and companionship, he knows nothing of running a royal house. 'Leave it to Sirius Black to ruin the future of the family.' He internally scowled.

After finding that he had no other duties to perform that day, Stevens decided to check on the injured centaur that his master was so fond of. The creature have been unconscious for a few days now, his only sign s of life was the occasional mumbling from the fever. And while he managed to heal his wounds and feed his sips of broth, Stevens still haven manage to rouse him from his slumber.

What he found in that small servant's quarter surprised him. The centaur was up, his tall height towering over the furniture majestically. He was staring at the fishes swimming right outside of his windows, barely noticing Steven's arrival.

"You're awake." Stevens said. The centaur turned to look at him, but averted his gaze back to the marvelous sight before him. Irritated, Stevens conjured himself a dog collar. "Do you speak human or do I have to gesture to you like an ape?"

The centaur chuckled, amused the demon's hostility. Clearly the demon hates him. Inspecting his surroundings curiously, Firenze walked outside of the servant's room, ignoring the demon completely. Stevens whipped the collar around the centaur's neck and blocked his path.

"No animals allowed in the main house. Now be a good pony and come out to the backdoor. There's some hay outside for you to eat."

"I have no time to waste on petty argument." Firenze said coldly, his deep voice thundering in his chest. "Move or be trampled demon."

Stevens smirked. Not only does the centaur understand human language, but he can see past his human façade. 'Intresting.'he thought.

"Is this how you treat your savior and caretaker? How brazen of you. Then again, what else do I expect from a wild animal." He said, intoning on the words that he knows will provoke the beast.

Firenze's mouth twitched at the insult. He grabbed the leash with his shaky fist, his hooves clopping in anger. "Watch your tongue or you will see it cut off smashed under my hooves." Stevens laughed.

"Don't underestimate a servant's of Lord Black. Before you take another step I will slice you up and feed you to the wolves."

"Is that a challenge?" Firenze nostril flared, his calm stoic façade wavering at the insult.

"Come at me and find out, beast."

Firenze smirked, showing his sharpened fangs and shrugged off his massive muscles. "I will take no pleasure in killing a life, but I will savor the moment you take your last breath."

"As will I when I slice your inhuman body off that horse." Stevens grinned, taking out the same blade he used to kill the basilisk.

"Um, yeah that's not happening." A voice called out from behind them.

The two dropped their murderous glares and turned towards the displeased voice. Harry was stomping his way down the grand staircase, clearly unimpressed that both his butler and his guest wanted to kill each other. Decided to spare them no mercy, Harry dug into his pockets and shoved a handful of his snakes to Stevens' hand.

"M-m-master!" Steven stuttered, turning as still as stone as he watch the baby snakes slither all around his rigid fingers.

"No." Harry growled. "You shush. That's for trying to kill my guest's in my home, and you-" the boy turned to the bemused centaur and slapped him on right on his open wound. "-that's for trying to kill my butler."

Firenze screamed silently as he goes down on his haunches, clutching the wound as it began to sting horribly. Harry smirked rather sadistically as he watches Stevens' mental and Firenze physical agony distracted them from their murderous rampages.

"I'm so good at calming people down." Harry said to himself, satisfied with the peace that be brought through small acts of terror and violence.

Two weeks later

Harry swam through the calm water of the lake, enjoying the peace and quiet that comes with the looming winter. Other than a few fishes and rock shrimps, most of the lake's inhabitant have either migrated to warmer waters or gone to hibernation. It makes exploring the lake much more enjoyable, especially with the hostile Grindylows deep in slumber.

Swimming right behind him was his brood of twelve male basilisks, the previously miniscule the snakes growing rapidly to the size of a water hose. At this point, they're big enough to be able to hunt for their own food, so Harry makes it a habit to take them out occasionally so they can practice their hunting skills.

As they pass a small school of freshwater fishes, Harry signaled for them to lay motionless in the water, their dark green scales making them indistinguishable from the kelp around them. When the fishes was close enough, the snakes cut though the water and grabbed a fish for themselves.

"Now eat them slowly boys. Wahid! Do you dare swallow that trout by yourself again. I don't want squeeze another fish out from your guts. Share with Otxi." Harry hisse through his breathing apparatus. Wahid, the biggest of the males hissed back in acknowledgement, respecting his nest mate's nagging. He hated to share, but if nest mate tells him to share then he'll do it within a heartbeat.

Satisfied with the way his pack of snakes are feeding, Harry made his way back to the manor, dropping gracefully through the bubble barrier and onto the lush green ground.

"Welcome back master Harry." A warm deep voice welcomed him from the newly tilled gardens.

"Thank you Firenze, and just Harry would be fine." Harry smiled, shaking the excess water away from his hair. The centaur stomped his hooves in response, stabbing his long shovel deep into the ground.

"The demon is making me say it." He grumbled, neighing at the thought of the demon butler. Harry sighed. 'These two again…'

"Yeah well, you have my permission to tell him to shove it. You know that I don't need useless titles like that. Besides, you're my friend." Harry retorted back. A grin spread through Firenze's massive face, lowering his head in respect for the boy.

After Harry stopped what could have been a bloody battle between Stevens and Firenze, he sat down with the centaur and listened to his story. Firenze explained his situation, how his clan drove him out for letting Harry ride on his back, how he wondered alone for a long time, and how the stars have led him into the small island where he collapsed on the boy out of hunger and exhaustion.

Both angered by the injustice and touched by the centaur's suffering, Harry didn't hesitate to open his home to the centaur, much to his butler's protest. At first Firenze refused, his pride misconstruing the act of kindness as pity.

Flashback

"Even if I am homeless and alone, I will not take charity, not even from you Harry Potter." Firenze answered weakly, soo overwhelmed by the generous offer that he turned and began walking away.

"Then don't!" Harry said, his desperate words stopping the centaur's steps. "I never said that you would stay here for free. Work for me and earn your keep. The manor huge and it's hard for Stevens to manage it alone. It would be a great help for me if you stay."

Stevens sneered at the idea. "What could a beast like him offer to a great house such as ours? Gardening services? Sir, I rather entrust the manor to a gaggle of geese than have him work here."

"The demon is right Harry Potter." Firenze said calmly. "I cannot dishonor my clan further by becoming a human's servant." Harry sighed, shooting daggers at his oblivious butler. "-but I am willing to stay and teach you about the stars."

Flashback

So Firenze stayed, his presence justified as an astronomy tutor to a noble, a high calling even in the eyes of his prejudiced clansmen. Once a week the three of them would ascend up to the surface to study the stars, and for the rest of the week Firenze would help around the manor like he promised. This new job gave him purpose and drive. Anything is better than wandering the forest starving and nestles.

Now he has a warm room inside the lavish manor where he stacks twigs and foliage for his nest. A small door leads him straight to the underwater garden, where Harry has allowed him to till and plant whatever greenery he desire for food and pleasure. With the help of the underwater mask, he can walk himself up the lake's seabed to the surface whenever he wanted, allowing him to observe the stars and collect berried to supplement his natural diet. In return for his minimal teaching services, the centaur received a very handsome payment, more money that he knows how to spend.

The centaur may not say it, but every second that he is awake, he is eternally grateful to the boy that he saved all those years ago. The centaur watched as the small human leaned down to observe a small sapling, hissing to his white basilisk happily. Suddenly, Firenze was overwhelmed with a sense of protectiveness. It pains him to know about the boy's terrible future. The least that he could do is to warn him, so that the boy would be prepare. The stars would allow him that, right?

"Harry Potter," Firenze called to the master of the house. Harry turned to him and answered cheerfully. Firenze hearts dropped at the sight of the happy smile. He shook his head. "It's nothing. Only called about your lesson tonight."

"Okay! He answered happily, eyes lighting up at the prospect of doing something new. With no further thought he skipped his way into the manor. "Let me gather my telescope and books! It's almost sundown and I don't want to miss seeing Venus rising!"

A demon, human, and a centaur sat on a checkered picnic blanket, each preoccupied with their own things. The demon was struggling to shoo away his master's snakes from his lovingly made sandwiches, which some is already nibbled beyond saving. The human was hopelessly trying to set up the stand to an ancient telescope he found in the attic; only to have it broke down after seconds after it's erections. Unlike his two bustling companion, the centaur was calmly staring at the lake.

"I don't mean to be rude, but if you can spare the time to stare into nothing, surely you can help me with the snakes." Stevens said, irritated by Firenze's idleness. The centaur neighed and flicked his tail.

"They have names you know. I didn't spend four hours naming them one to twelve in different languages just so you can call them snakes." Harry chirped, the stand breaking again the moment he averted his attention. "Dammit! Forget the snakes, can you help me with this contraption Firenze?"

"I would love to Harry Potter, but divination requires me to losing myself in the celestial waves." The centaur answered calmly.

"Divination? We don't pay you to read tea leaves." Stevens scoffed, giving up on shooing the snakes and started feeding them little chuck of tuna sandwich instead.

"Yeah, besides divination is hocus pocus anyways." Harry snickered.

"Not necessarily." Firenze said, taking Harry's small palm into his own and began reading it. "You've recently lost a connection with valuable people in your life, and you are struggling to come to terms with your new isolated life."

"Whoa." Harry pulled his hand away, a chill running down his spine. "Whoa! That is so true! Look Stevens, I'm getting Goosebumps!" Harry excitedly show his arm to his unimpressed butler. Firenze smiled at the boy's excitement.

"So I was correct?"

"Yes!" Harry laughed, still amazed at the centaur's accuracy. "Remember my friends who were with me in the forest all those years ago? Apparently they were ordered to pretend to be my friends, and my uncle didn't believe me when I told him I was left alone with no communication for a whole summer! And the Headmaster…" Harry sighed, his excitement suddenly gone as he began to remember about Albus. "Well, lets just say that other than you two, I'm not talking to almost all the people in my life."

"And you're okay with that?"

"Yeah! I mean of course it sucks, but I don't want to live with a bunch of liars anyways, right?" Harry said weakly. Firenze crooked his head, noticing the cloud of sadness that overtook the boy's usually happy demeanor. The boy trying to hide his emotion away.

He gently lifted Harry's chin and looked him in the eyes. "Do not be rash about burning bridges so you can be rid of disappointment. No one that lives in isolation is ever truly is happy. "

"I've lived alone all my life. I can handle loneliness." Harry said rebelliously, remembering his painful childhood where he literary had no one to turn to. Firenze flicked

"Now don't play the martyr." Firenze chided. "Remind yourself of the friends you surround yourself. With. Do you really think that the happiness you've shared is all but a mirage?"

"Yes! No… I don't know." The boy answered dejectedly. He thought about his friends, whose put themselves in danger more than an auror does. No wonder Dumbledore had to order them to stay. No sane person would willfully stay with a danger magnet such as him.

He then thought of how broken Remus must've been after Sirius's death, how his godfather's passion must've light up a religious fervor towards Dumbledore's cause. If Harry is truly honest with himself as much as he blames the man for not writing, he never did reach out to him in the first place, and that made me feel guilty.

"Damn." Harry sighed, rubbing the hair away from his eyes. "I think I messed up."

"Now wait just a minute." Stevens interrupted when he saw how distraught Harry was becoming. "It is better to loose a limb than to let poison reach your heart. The same goes with people. Master did the right thing cutting off the liars and fanatics out of his life."

"To burn a bridge that leads you out of an abyss is suicide." Firenze calmly answered. "Loneliness is a terrible abyss Harry Potter, do you let yourself be swallowed up by it."

"Master Harry will never be lonely, not as long as I am around." Stevens said defiantly, standing up toes to toes with the centaur. Firenze huffed and turned to Harry, his hardened gaze softening as he gave one last advice.

"Everybody has their own burdens, just as you have yours. Learn to be kinder to them young lord, just like you need to learn to be kinder to yourself."

Stevens just scoffed at the centaur, envious at closeness that the two shared. "Resorting to divination trash now Firenze? My golly, every single day I keep finding new things to dislike about you. What next, you'll look into your crystal ball and tell me about the price of beef next week?"

Firenze stomped his hooves angrily. "Magic balls and tea leaves lies. The stars never lies."

"Ah, but you didn't divined from the stars just now. You just looked at Master's palm and said some vague things that applies to everybody." Stevens said sharply, grinning victoriously as he found a fault in the centaur's defenses.

"Would you like me to?" he said with a challenging smirk.

"Ha! Now you've peaked my interest." Harry laughed, amused at the banter between the two. "Tell me my future then. Surely I have a better future now that I've moved away from Dumbledore.

The centaur turned to Harry hesitantly. "Are you sure you're ready for it Harry Potter? The stars never lies and nor will I."

"Sure. Why not. After all, what kind of properchy can be worse than the one's Trelawney gave me." Harry laughed.

"If you insist." Firenze sighed. He had hoped that they wouldn't have to come to this. He brought the boy to a mound, point to a distant light in the distance.

"See that? That is your birth star.

"You see there?

"You are born into happiness, but that star above it indicate the birth of a hero, so instead of living in happiness, the fates have given you a great task instead. In the end, you must face the great evil and only one of you can survive. I am sad to say that with Mars overwhelming the skies, you will not prevail."

"Oh." Harry said weakly, his shoulders dropping out of excitement. "That's it? I've already know that from a long time ago. Some batshit crazy nut said so."

The centaur then smiled and brought Harry to the edge of the river. "The stars in the lakes said differently."

"The lake?" the boy asked, confused at this new revelation. "I thought star gazers gaze at the stars above, not on reflections on the water."

"As do I. No stargazer in my clan has ever read the planets this way, and I'm not even sure that if the readings are true, but it lead me to you."

Harry sighed and shrugged, humoring the Centaur as they watch the waves of the lake blurred the reflection of the stars. Firenze spread his hand and the lakes shimmering reflection stilled. With a quiet voice that rings true, Firenze spoke.

"Your life will never be dull since you've been cursed with a hero's life. You will be acquire wealth and prosperity with ease, which in turn will bless the people around you. Powerful allies will flock to you from far away lands, and you will be their rock and banner, just as they will be your shield and sword. With the warlike Mars constantly above your star, this is a great sign. However, your fight will lead you to places where even your staunchest allies cannot follow. Just as you are alone as a child, you will be alone in your death."

Harry laughed pathetically. "Is that why you told me to make up with my friends? So that I will have some temporary happiness before my dreary and lonely death?"

"… Yes."

Harry laughed again, rubbing the bridge of his nose at the news. "Anything else?"

"… Yes." Firenze hesitated.

"Stop!" Stevens called, angered by the centaur's ominous divination. "Can't you see you're upsetting him?!"

"No, let him speak." Harry waved. "I want to know about what other horrible things the stars have in store for me. After all I want to be prepared. Now tell me Firenze, what other horrible things will happen to me?"

The centaur dropped his hand, looking away to hide the pity in his eyes. "Like your parents, you will be betrayed by the one closest to you."

For a long time Harry kept his silence, unsure what to say about that. "Ah." The boy finally said. "Well, that's irony for you. If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to bed now. Good night all."

With that brief goodbye, Harry placed the mask onto his face, hissing at his snakes to get on his arm and bring them home. Before his feet could touch the water, his butler stopped him.

"Sir." Stevens grabbed Harry's shoulder,. "Sir, I know that you're upset right now, and I don't know how to make you feel better than to insult that dammed horse. In fact, I'm terrible at cheering you up but, please sir," his voice shaking with desperation "Please don't lock yourself away again."

Harry smiled at his butler's words, happy that at least the gruff and sarcastic man made an effort to be kind to him. So he gave him a smile and touched the side of his face with his small hand.

"Don't worry, as long as I have you to lean on, I'll be okay." With a last goodbye and a pat to his demon's face, Harry waded his way into the lake and jumped, breaking the still surface of the lake so the ominous stars all rippled away.

Alone with the centaur, Stevens did what he does best. He raged.

"What do you think you're doing?" He said in an ominous voice, his golden eyes slowly fading into a malicious shade of red.

"What do you mean? I'm merely informing the master about the choices that he made." Firenze answered, unperturbed by the sight.

"Do you know how long it took me to make him okay again? Weeks! Weeks of coaxing and babying after he found out that he's been living in a lie. Then you came in and tell him that his future is all dark, and that its better to make up with those liars so he could be happy?"

"I was giving him advice as a friend. Like you, I want nothing else but his happiness."

"Don't put yourself in the same position as I, beast. He is my master. Mine."

"Yours?" Firenze turned to him, his usually stoic demeanor broken by the insult. "He is a much as my master as he is yours, but we both know the truth don't we? Harry Potter has never belonged to anybody and he never will. Not Dumbledore, not Voldemort, not even you could truly posses him. The stars dictates it so. To walk where others cannot follow, to lose himself to darkness so others may live in the light. That is his lot his life."

"Take that back." Stevens growled, those words reminding him of a master that he used to serve. "Take your uncivilized animal mumbo jumbo and shove it up your-!" Stevens roared and punching his fist on a nearby tree before he lose control. The centaur looked at him with fear in his eyes.

From the corner of his eyes he caught his reflection in the waters. The human disguise his master gave him was slipping. He could see his true from in the moon lit water. Ugly, twisted, wretched demon with horns as high as the sky and chains as heavy as the earth itself. He hissed, taken aback by his own form, quickly putting back his glamor on.

"I will follow him because is my master." He said calmly, more to himself than to Firenze. "You may stop and leave him like your stars said, but not me. Even if it's to the pits of Hades it self I will follow him! Because only he can…! Only he…" Stevens stopped himself, too sad to even say the words out loud. After hundreds of violent masters who've imprisoned and abused him him, this one might give him happiness. That boy kind and selfless boy might give him his freedom.

Firenze looked down sadly at the demon, understanding the unsaid words hanging in the air. What a pitiful creature. Behind the spiteful man was just a broken creature, his body scarred and his neck laden with the chains of slavery. Deciding that it is useless to continue to fight, Firenze tapped on Steven's shoulder and pointed to a blinking star in the distance.

"No matter how hard you look for salvation, you will never find it in a million years. To suffer, that is your lot in life. Remember that demon, and give up on your search on happiness."

Stevens looked up to the centaur, unaware of the tears that are streaming down his cheeks. He didn't lash out because he knows that everything that he said without malice. Only truth. Silently, he turned away and began walking back into the calm water. Maybe comforting his master would make him forget about his pain.

Firenze watched the demon's retreating back. "Poor demon." He said, as he knew what bleak future lies for the tortured soul. Silently, the centaur put his palms together and prayed to the old gods of nature, wishing futilely for both Harry's and Stevens' happiness.

AN: Whoa, what a bleak way to end the chapter Such a long chapter too! I wanted to divide it into two, but there was so much that I wanted to put in there. I'm trying something new and using flashbacks to tell the story better. Hopefully it didn't mess up with the story's flow too much XD

Also! If you noticed the book cover have changed! The very talented Sideburns004 have fleshed out Stevens perfectly into paper, and I couldn't be more happier ^^ Seriously he looks better in that pic that he does in my imagination XD If you want to see the full glorious uncropped pic, the link is available on the profile pic!

As always, I really appreciate all the follows, favs and reviews! Thank you^^

See you next :)