Ten years after I began at Hogwarts, Sebastian Sallow is back. And he's Professor Sallow now. He disappeared after the fall of Ranrok and Rookwood, after I lost Professor Fig, and after Ominis and I couldn't keep him from losing himself. But I never...
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"I do not know how you spend so much of your days inside, my sun," Kai says to me as he replaces a book neatly on its shelf in the Magical Theory classroom. "Please, will you accompany me to the forest? I cannot stay here any longer."
"Of course!" I say, "but the castle certainly has its own charms. There are worse places..."
"I suppose that is true," Kai acquiesces as he makes his way to the large, magical cupboard at the back of the room that Professor Ronan created and charmed as a portal directly to the Forbidden Forest for Kai's benefit.
"How was your first day of classes?" I ask.
"I cannot yet say I enjoyed it," he says after a moment of consideration, but allows his face to wrinkle into a huge smile as he say, "but I cannot say I did not! The students are eager, and many of them seem willing to listen to what I have to say about Earth magic."
"Oh yay!! I'm so glad to hear it!" I exclaim, and reach my hand up to squeeze his forearm.
"It amuses me, however, that whether they wish to learn of Earth magic or not, it will still affect them day-to-day. But I suppose some prefer to live in mystery," he says as he swings open the cupboard door. "Ladies first," he says with a smile and I courtesy in an overly-ostentatious way to convey my gratitude, "oh why thank you, good sir!"
The way my heart fills up with oxygen and the way my lungs fill up with freedom from the crisp, cool air of the forest makes me glad Kai suggested walking with him to the centaur colony's keep. My father quoting 'all good things are wild and free' rings in my head and the older I get the more I understand the wisdom of it as life's commitments and constraints lace themselves as though into my very skin and seem to distort me as they pull me in various directions with their demands.
As though reading my mind, Kai's deep, velvet voice sounds behind me, "we have much to speak of," he says. "So much has changed these past days. But I must first make amends for the way Vannevar spoke to you. I am sorry for this. He is not himself and I was so surprised, I did not behave well to defend you."
"Is he your actual cousin?" I ask as we begin to walk, "or a centaur-style 'cousin'" I say with an emphasis on the final word.
Kai smiles, saying, "all centaurs are cousins to one another!" His eyes fill with mirth as he holds my gaze momentarily before acquiescing, "but by your standards, no, he is not my actual cousin. Though I have met him a few times before. He is known as a fearsome warrior and leader, but I have never known him to be so aggressive. It is no excuse, nor justification, but his land is under a great threat. He is very fearful and has wizardkind to blame. Our alliance, you and I, is more important than it has ever been."
"Is he still here or..." I begin.
"No, he has returned to his people. But what he told me concerns me greatly. He has encouraged our colony to relocate. It is unheard of. Centaurs hold their ground and do not concede. Especially one such as Vannevar. He has already sent scouts to find new lands for his colony."
