The Marauders: Year One (female)

19. The Path of the Stars

Lillian shivered miserably. 'Well, I'm never coming on a two in the morning romp with you lot again,' he said bitterly.

Jamie's temper flared. She looked absurd in her duck pyjamas. 'No one forced you to come!'

Remus looked up. 'Actually, we sort of did.'

Jamie kicked a tree trunk, fuming.

Remus froze as she heard a clip-clopping of hooves nearby. 'Shut up!' she hissed at everyone. Knowing this was the Forbidden Forest, Remus knew it could be anything. Their lives could be on the line, here.

Dumbledore had given her a thorough warning about the Forest, due to the fact that she would often have to leave the school, and roam the grounds at night.

It was imperative that she made no mistakes, and kept her journey direct, to avoid any mishaps and accidents. Remus had  flinched at this, knowing what Professor Dumbledore meant by "mishaps and accidents".

Jamie looked indignant, and opened her mouth to retort, oblivious to the threat, but Remus threw a piece of fallen bark at her.

Remus strained her ears towards the sound. She had the sharpest hearing, due to her Lycanthropy. It sounded like a second set of hooves.

'Greetings, Bane,' came a first voice.

Remus hoped it wasn't centaurs. They didn't take kindly to intruders on their land.

'Greetings, Basachus,' returned the other voice.

They seemed to be coming from the other side of the bush. Petra looked petrified. Remus shoved Sirius aside, and discreetly made a hole in the shrubbery to peek through.

Her fears were confirmed, she saw, with a sinking heart. One was a black haired, dark coloured centaur, the other was a white haired, pale coated centaur, although his face was youthful. His blue eyes shone with wisdom beyond his years.

They stared at the sky for several long minutes. 'Trouble comes to Hogwarts,' Basachus murmured.

Bane nodded. 'The night star burns brightly tonight.'

'I fear for the foals,' Basachus said. His face creased with worry. 'Much darkness lies in their futures.'

Bane scowled at him. 'It is not our place to get involved in the lives of humans. The path of the stars is decided.'

'The future is not yet set,' Basachus argued. 'There is time yet to alter the course of destiny.'

'It is not our place,' repeated Bane. 'Fooling around with fate comes with larger consequences. It would be foolish to intervene. And we do not serve the humans. Come, let us go from this place. The fates are agitated.'

Basachus looked up at the stars blazing brightly overhead, and his face contorted in anguish. He shook his magnificent head, and began to follow Bane.

Remus was about to heave a sigh of relief at their departure, worried and bewildered at the message as she was, when Petra clomped forwards clumsily, and tried to get a look. Remus slipped, and the bush between the two sides shook violently. She shot Petra a withering look, and cursed loudly inside her head.

Bane swiftly turned around, and drew his bow and arrow. 'Who goes there?' he demanded imperiously. 'Show yourself!'

Slowly, Remus emerged from the bush, dusting herself off. Leaves were stuck in her hair. She only hoped they wouldn't kill her. She held her hands up in surrender.

Still, Bane kept his arrow pointed at her. 'Who are you? Are you armed? Who is with you? Why are you trespassing on our land?' he asked suspiciously.