"Alright, team, here's the plan for today. We head west in the direction of their most recent haven. Forrest will be up front with Christopher and Luna—tracking, documenting, and keeping the peace as needed. David, as the most trusted of us, I want you in the back with Draco and Hermione. We're bringing strangers into their world, let's do it as courteously as possible. Jodie and I will float center."

Char must have caught the open hesitation on Hermione's face, because she smiled tightly. "Not to worry," she said with a nod. "We wouldn't spring something like this on them, especially not when we've spent the past year ever-so-slowly earning their trust. David informed them yesterday that we would have temporary additions to our team. They're aware of your presence here." Her smile shifted to a friendly smirk. "Whether or not they deem you worthy of their presence is to be seen."

Hermione felt herself relax a bit at that, a genuine smiling breaking out on her face. This was really quite a rare opportunity, being granted the use of an established connection with some of the magical world's most reticent beings. As the group arranged themselves in the assigned order, Hermione's resolve stiffened within her. She would succeed at this. Her efforts in this blasted forest would produce at least enough good to outweigh the bad. This troubling change in plans would facilitate their future efforts throughout the expedition.

Feeling sufficiently bolstered, Hermione followed the group away from the campsite and into the forest.

They went a short distance in single file until the path opened wide enough to walk more comfortably together. The long-haired man from breakfast, whom Hermione now knew to be David, arranged himself between her and Malfoy and began chatting amiably.

He was, they learned, the team's ambassador to the centaur herd. "I've been studying centaur-wizard relations since my 20s," he said, "and when I saw the call for researchers in a long-term study into the hierarchies and customs of centaur colonies…" David shook his head with a small laugh. "I couldn't get my application in fast enough. This is my dream learning opportunity."

Hermione realized she was somewhat captivated by the man's passion for knowledge. Not surprising, her mind snarked at her.

"That sounds deeply fulfilling," she replied earnestly, imagining the peaceful gratification with more than a little envy.

"How long have you all been at it?" Malfoy asked.

"Well the team's been running for about... fourteen months, is it? Not that we've spent that entire time in the forest, of course," he added, catching their shocked expressions. "Our campsite had to qualify for long-term semi-permanent permission, which allows us to leave our base assembled under muggle-repelling charms even when we're not in the field. Building and breaking camp each for each trip was diplomatically unimaginable, of course."

"Of course!" Hermione echoed, flushing slightly at her unintentional parroting. "I can't imagine they'd take kindly to the regular disruption."

David chuckled good-naturedly. "No they would not."

He went on, describing their progress and learnings so far and fielding the occasional question from Hermione or Malfoy. In their time here, the researchers had tentatively established the beginnings of a rapport with the herd. "It was at least half a year before they even let themselves be seen, and longer before they approached us. They only recently allowed us knowledge of their current haven. So the chances that they'll be particularly jazzed to see you…" He looked to either side with an apologetic smile. Hermione felt herself smiling back.

She and David continued chatting as they walked, Hermione asking more about the behaviors he'd come to observe and describing their brief experience with the herd in Hanger Wood. He seemed impressed that they had established contact on the first day—something she had taken for granted, having in the moment been more focused on the pressure of their limited timeline. She was about to say so when Forrest held up a hand to halt the group. Hermione stilled, eyes slowly scanning the area without moving. There was nothing.

And then three centaurs were emerging from between the trees, the first flanked by the other two. They approached slowly from a distance, and she heard David's whispered "What the…?"

His voice pulled Hermione out of her shock. She quickly assumed a position of deference (Malfoy was already posed) and saw the rest of the team standing tall, arms forward and palms up. Proof of trust planted and grown, she thought as she closed her eyes, amazed at what the team had accomplished in a little over a year.

"You bring passing travelers into our midst." A strong, clear voice rang out, bouncing off the trees and reaching for Hermione from all directions.

"Friends to us, and allies to our work," David replied, polite with a hint of familiarity. "They, too, seek the wisdom of living in connection with the universe."

"Among other things," the centaur said shrewdly. Hermione felt herself twitch forward, always eager to soak in centaur insight. At her movement, slight though it was, the centaur's voice hardened.

"Bring her forward."

Hermione tensed, shocked by the direct invitation—though she supposed it was more of an order. She shot a glance to Malfoy, but he just shrugged back, looking as surprised as she felt, the action almost comically exaggerated by his already-extended palms. Okay, this is… a thing that's happening right now and it doesn't make any sense with what I know of centaur customs but… okay. Hermione lowered her gaze again as she walked forward through the now-parted group of researchers, keeping her palms upwards in front of her and her arms straight.

"It is you," the centaur said when she broke through to the front of the group. Hermione heard shifting behind her at the proclamation. As deferentially as possible, she raised her eyes to meet the ones in front of her.

"How do you know me?" she asked, looking at each of the three in turn, wondering if she'd recognize a familiar face. She didn't.

"We have been here for nearly 200 years. Your brief time in this place disrupted much. We observed."

Hermione gaped, unable to help herself. At the time, she hadn't even considered the impact bringing a horcrux into the forest would have on the beings and energies that sustained it. Granted, there wasn't much she could've done even if she had considered it, but she felt guilty nonetheless.

She needn't have worried.

"You were the strength that kept the evil at bay even as it coated each leaf in its darkness. We are gladdened by your return." To Hermione's astonishment, the centaurs brought their forearms to their biceps and held their hands straight upward, palms facing over their shoulders and heads dipped in a half bow. Behind her, she heard David gasp.

"I…" Hermione swallowed and tried to clear her throat. "I am honored by your welcome. Thank you."

The centaur gazed deeply into Hermione's eyes, tilting her head thoughtfully. "Why have you returned?"

All too suddenly, the overwhelming wonder Hermione felt was edged out by trepidation. How was she supposed to shift from this historical reception to asking for assistance with Ministry research, of all things? It felt almost discourteous to do so. But she asked, Hermione chided herself. You don't get to decide what she wants to hear.

"My colleague and I are on a mission to reestablish communication with the merfolk of the Black Lake that shares its grounds with Hogwarts," she started confidently. "We hoped for, but did not presume to be granted, the opportunity to learn from your colony as keepers of tradition and sages of communication with beings and the greater universe."

The leader blinked slowly, head straightening as her gaze continued to pierce Hermione's. No one in the research party behind her made a sound as the moments seemed to stretch.

Finally, she spoke. "You did not plan to be here again, but perhaps you were meant to be. We can offer guidance into that which you seek." Hermione heard a collective inhale behind her. "But first," the centaur continued, "you must draw out the poison within you."

Hermione grew roots. The poison within you. She felt her muscles tense as her mind began cataloguing the parts of her past that had festered and, bit by bit, putrefied her plans for life after the war. And they wanted her to draw it out? Hermione shifted her weight, suddenly very aware of the seven other humans listening intently.

"I wish to focus on what's to come," she said finally, respectful but resolved, "not on that which has already come to pass."

The centaur leaned closer, dropping her voice to a hush that Hermione felt settle somewhere in her chest. "The future must sometimes wait until the past has been resolved. You carried such evil with you then." Her eyes softened. "You carry some of it still."

"I will never be rid of it," Hermione said firmly, feeling her chin raise slightly in reactive defiance. She was not ashamed that her lived trauma had left scars. She refused to feel less than whole because she had been irrevocably changed by being a child soldier in a brutal war.

"But you may lessen it," the leader replied, reaching her hand to graze Hermione's brow, "here," she moved her hand lower to Hermione's breastbone, "and here."

Moments later, the centaur raised her voice to address the rest of the group. "She will join me, for a time," she announced, then turned to the others that stood behind her. "I ask that you remain with them while we are away, but you are of course under no obligation if you wish not to indulge them today. We will join you when time enough has passed."

Still somewhat dazed, Hermione heard shuffling from the researchers behind her. She turned to see Malfoy stepping forward.

"With respect," he began, his submissive posture unchanged and the foreign lilt returning to wrap his words, "I humbly request you grant her accompaniment on what may be a difficult journey."

Hermione's heart stopped, or maybe it was time itself that froze for the flash of a second. Malfoy's request struck something in her, the impact occurring somewhere near her sternum and radiating out to fill her chest with a heavy fuzziness that temporarily outweighed her mind's indignation at his willingness to risk an already-delicate situation. Then she felt her heart's next beat, strong—fuller, somehow—and looked to the leader, who nodded.

"If you wish it," she said, "you may of course bring a companion on the path with you."

Hermione swallowed and nodded her gratitude, returning her gaze to the team. Malfoy had already begun retreating to their original position in the back of the group—still showing proper respect to the herd, her mind noted with a detached approval. Then her eyes found her friend's and she raised her eyebrows with a tense smile. Luna smiled serenely back and walked forward, nodding to the leader, palms up.

"Ah, hello again, daughter of the Moon," the centaur greeted Luna, far more warmly than she had spoken before. Then she looked between the two witches. "Come."