Chasing Shadows || Draco Malfoy x OC

Year 5- Ch.144

As they traveled back through the forest, they heard rustling through the tree. Hagrid stopped drawing back his crossbow.

"Hold it." He said quietly. The three of them stopped.

"Oh, blimey." Harry said.

"I thought I have told you, Hagrid." A voice said through the trees. Céline and the others pointed their lit wands in the direction and saw the naked torso of a man with long black hair. As he grew closer the his lower half showed of a horse's chestnut colors body. The centaur was also armed with a quiver full of arrows and a bow slung over his shoulder.

"How are yeh, Magorian?" Hagrid said.

More rustling was heard and then four to five more centaurs appeared.

"So, I think we agreed, what we are to do if this human ever stepped back into our forest?" Magorian said his voice laced with venom.

"Human now, am I?" Hagrid said testily, "Jus' fer stoppin' all of yeh committin' murder?"

"You shouldn't have meddled, Hagrid." Said Magorian, "our ways are not yours, nor our laws. Firenze has betrayed and disgraced us."

"Don' know how yeh got that." Hagrid said impatiently, "he's done nothin' except help Albus Dumbledore—"

"Firenze has entered into servitude to humans." Said a grey centaur said.

"Servitude?" Hagrid scoffed. "He's doin' Dumbledore a favor—"

"He is peddling our knowledge and secrets among humans." Magorian said quietly, "there can be no return from such disgrace."

"If yeh say so." Hagrid said, "I still think yer makin' a big mistake—"

"As are you human," said one of the centaurs, "coming back into our forest after we warned you—"

"Now yeh see here," Hagrid argued back, "enough of this our forest. It's not up ter yeh who comes and goes—"

"Nor is it up to you." Said Magorian calmly, "I shall let you pass today, only because you are accompanied by your young—"

"They are not his, they are student from the school." One of the centaurs protested.

"Regardless, the slaughter of a fowl is a great crime." Magorian countered. "We don't touch the innocent. Today, Hagrid, you pass. Henceforth, you shall never return to the forest. You have forfeited your friendship with centaurs when you helped the traitor Firenze escape."

"I won' be kept away from the forest, by mules like you!" Hagrid huffed angrily.

"Hagrid!" Hermione said, she looked terrified. "Let's go, please, let's go!"

Hagrid started moving slowly, still hiking his crossbow up.

"We know what you're keeping in the forest, Hagrid." Said Magorian as they continued walking away, "and our tolerance is waning."

Hagrid turned as if to return back to them and continued the argument, but Céline, Harry, and Hermione tried stopping him, trying desperately to push him to continue forward.

"Please Hagrid!" Céline whimpered.

He looked down at them as if he just noticed them. "Don't worry calm down."

"Hagrid," Hermione started, "if the centaurs don't want humans to come into the forest, I don't think we will-"

"Nah, yeh'll be fine. Remember what Magorian said, they don' hurt fowls, er kids."

"Nice try," Harry said to her.

They continue through the forest, the light starting to shine through the tree line. In the far distance they heard roaring cheers.