Snips and Scars In Which Centaur Conversations Occur, a harry potter fanfic

Chapter 83, everybody! Yay, OWLs are over!

So since Hagrid didn't get chased off by Umbridge he was able to work with Grawp more; he'll be great at getting the cobwebs Filch can't reach without a ladder. Also Firenze is out here asking the pertinent questions. In other news, the dog puns are still in full swing and glitter continues to happen.

Crivium, thanks for the review! Aha, Harry is a Dragon (And That's Okay) was one of the big inspirations for this fic, so thank you! And ah dang, that must have been an artifact that escaped later edits—fixed now, thank you!

Pipib, thanks for the review! Still plugging away at it!

Missy96, thanks for the review! I agree, that's gotta be rough.

The rest of the term went without incident, Harry and Ron mostly spending it relaxing outside now that their OWLs were over with Hermione pacing fretfully and worrying over her results.

"Hermione, it's done, it's over, don't sweat it," Ron said. "You'll get your marks in June, same as us."

"Think of all the other things you'll be able to do over the summer, since you won't have homework," Harry offered.

"Ah, that's it, that's what's bothering her."

"What's bothering me is you two being so—so blase about it!" Hermione snapped.

"A dark wizard wants me dead," Harry pointed out. "In the grand scheme of things, that kind of puts something like grades into perspective, don't you think?"

Hermione made a face at that, huffed and resumed her stalking.

"She's mad because she doesn't have a comeback to that," Ron told Harry—perked when he spotted Hagrid coming out of the woods. "Hey, Hagrid! How's finals been treating you?"

"Treatin' me right well!" Hagrid said, beaming. "Thinkin' everyone did right well—plus, I got meself an assistant fer gameskeeping!"

"Really?" Harry asked—twitched in surprise, Hermione stopping dead and Ron scrambling to his feet as someone taller than Hagrid came out of the woods and joined him.

"Meet me little brother Grawp!" Hagrid announced, looking so pleased he could burst. "Brought 'im back with me after me liasoning with the giants—been teaching 'im how to conduct himself, an' Dumbledore agreed to 'is apprenticeship over the summer, see 'ow he does! Say 'ello, Grawp."

Grawp beamed and waved.

"Wait," Ron squawked. "Was this what Firenze was talking about when he said 'the attempt isn't working'?"

"Yeah, 'e was of that opinion during the dicey parts."

"Is this why you've been all bruised up?" Hermione asked.

"Been havin' ta work with 'im about 'ow 'e expresses himself, yes."

"You have a brother?" Harry asked.

"Technically me half-brother—but!" Hagrid wrapped an arm around Grawp's midsection, the highest part of him he could reach. "Wot you lot think?"

"I'm—I'm speechless, honestly," Hermione said.

Despite saying that, she wasn't that speechless for the rest of the day.

Hedwig sought out Snips the next day. "Firenze wants to talk to you."

"The centaur?" Snips asked, almost startled off his perch. "Why?"

"I asked, he said it was personal," she said, looking a little miffed at that. "I'll keep an eye on Harry while you're gone."

Snips sighed, gave Harry an affectionate nip on the ear before flying off, Hedwig settling on the young teen's knee. Why a centaur wanted to talk to him specifically, he didn't know.

He found Firenze examining the gardens between the greenhouses and the castle, careful not to wander too close to the forest. "Do you even understand me?" Snips asked, settling on a limb well out of reach.

"I understand the language of the familiars," Firenze said, looking up. "We have met before."

"I remember, in the forbidden forest."

"And yet that is not the meeting I speak of."

Snips tipped his head at that, confused. "Was there some other time?"

"Yes." Pause, look up. "Mars has been shining brightly—war is coming back to the wizarding world."

"You don't need to look at some distant planet to see that."

"You have a noble goal of keeping Harry Potter safe, but that will only get more difficult as time goes on."

"Again, this is obvious."

Looked down at him finally. "And yet this was not the role you were intended for at this juncture."

Snips blinked, tail twitching as it dangled down. "Is this some centaur nonsense? Because I really do have better things to do."

"That is quite similar to what you said when last we spoke."

"Which was when?"

"If you were given a choice, between protecting Harry Potter and ending the coming war sooner, which would you choose?"

"What kind of question is that!? If the war ends sooner then protecting Harry is a moot point—the biggest obstacle to him living safely would be gone!"

"That path would require the death of Harry Potter."

Snips stiffened, staring at Firenze, searching for any indication he was lying...no, no he wasn't. He was dead serious, certain that this was what the future held.

"Then there is no question," Snips said stiffly, looking away. "Harry's survival is paramount."

"Why do you believe that?"

"Why!? Because he's Lily's son—"

"And have you asked yourself lately how you know her?"

Snips froze again—of course he knew how he knew her! They were friends—

How?

This was a good question, one he didn't have an answer to—he knew Lily Potter nee Evans, he knew he knew her...but he didn't know how, considering those hazy memories didn't line up with anything after waking up on the floor of the Potions classroom.

His hesitation didn't seem to surprise or concern Firenze, who simply nodded at his silence. "You will have to find the answers to these questions and make your decisions on how to proceed soon—the war the wizards seek to wage won't wait for you."

He shook his head hard enough that he actually shed a few feathers. "Those questions don't matter—I've already decided on how to proceed. Harry's safety is my priority, not the useless kerfaffling of centaurs!"

"You've told me that before as well," Firenze said, examining a flowering bush. "Farewell, and good luck. Until next time."

Snips snorted, flew off to where Harry was waiting.

There wouldn't be a next time, if he had any say in it.

Dumbledore's speech at the end of the year feast had a strong focus on unity between houses and how bonds made from loyalty and love were stronger than those made of fear. It was very serious stuff, and after his speech he let the silence linger for several long moments.

"But alas, I do not wish for you to end the year on such a dour note," he announced, clapping his hands and dimming the candles. "And thus, Flitwick and I have managed to find ourselves several galleons shorter but much richer in some very impressive fireworks created by some of our graduates this year! I am told you may purchase some for yourself at Weasley Wizard Wheezes on Diagon Alley, restrictions of course apply depending upon your proximity to Muggles and your proficiency in the Disillusionment charm. But, seeing as how we do not have that issue!"

Which was when several fireworks started going off outside, reflected in the great hall's enchanted ceiling, to everyone's delight.

"You charged Dumbledore for this?" Hermione hissed at Fred and George.

"Dumbledore insisted," Fred said.

"We did manage to talk him into a discount," George admitted.

"And had to beat Flitwick off with a stick—he wanted to know how we did the fireworks and swamp and then wanted to know why we didn't apply that same energy to Charms class as a whole."

"He agrees Charms is suffering from an appalling lack of glitter."

Which was when everyone realized that glitter was raining down from the exploding fireworks.

The trip home was fairly calm, all things considered.

"Ho!" Sirius greeted once they were off the train. "I already told Remus you were mad at him."

"How long do we expect this to last?" Remus asked, looking amused.

Honestly Harry had gotten over it once he had a decent night's sleep. "Give me a couple of days," Harry told him.

"Alas, Remus, you're in the doghouse," Sirius sighed.

"So are you," Remus pointed out.

Sirius opened his mouth to counter—"Actually yes, that's true."

"Your insistence came back to bite you, didn't it?" Narcissa asked.

"Like a dog biting his own tail."

"I've had to deal with dog puns, haven't I been punished enough?" Remus asked Harry.

"I guess so," Harry said. "So maybe one day."

"Fair enough."