FIC: "Written in the Stars" for lunarcartwheels
Recipient: lunarcartwheels
Author: ???
Title: Written in the Stars
Rating: PG
Pairing: Firenze/Parvati
Word Count: 1400
Warnings/Content Information (Highlight to View): * None*.
Summary: Mars had his chance but now it's Venus's turn to brighten the night sky.
Author's Notes: Thank you to my betas for their assistance. lunarcartwheels, I hope you enjoy this.
Ever since Firenze was small he'd been taught to avoid humans. They took advantage of Centaurs. Wanted to control them, own them.
"Do not ever let a wizard ride on your back," his father told him as they stood in a clearing of the Forest when he was four years old. "They do not respect us. They treat us as if we were mere beasts of burden rather than the majestic centaurs we are. You understand, Firenze?"
Firenze nodded his head. He'd seen wizards and witches before, but perhaps because he was still young they weren't trying to take advantage of him yet. Perhaps they would when he was grown and more of a threat.
For some reason he didn't think so though.
Firenze watched Parvati Patil as she went from bed to bed helping tend to her fellow students, lingering most often at her friend Lavender's side. She'd been working in the infirmary for the past week, since the final battle.
His arm had been broken though he was thankful it hadn't been any of his legs, a much more grave injury for a centaur. He was allowed to recuperate in the hospital wing because his own quarters had been damaged and getting up and down the stairs made it difficult to relocate on a permanent basis. He'd stay in the infirmary until he was ready to leave Hogwarts.
Which would be soon.
As Parvarti walked by, he couldn't help but admire the grace of her movements. He knew she had a keen mind and, though he'd never taken the time to study her before, he could see she had grown into a beautiful woman.
"How are you this morning, Firenze?" Parvati asked, her dark eyes alight with joy. He liked to believe it was because of him, but as she was always just as pleasant with everyone he thought he must be imagining it.
She conjured a bright yellow pillow and sat down next to the pallet where Firenze was resting in the corner of the infirmary. It had been a good spot for him, well out of the way, though most of the hustle and bustle of the first days had died down significantly.
"Venus was bright last night," Parvati said as she unrolled the star chart she'd been working on in her free time. She made a point to update him on the movements of the stars each day when she sat with him. He appreciated hearing the news, though he longed to look up at the night sky himself. "Padma and I made some notes if you'd like to look at them."
"It will be only one more pass of the sun before I will be able to see the stars for myself," he replied solemnly.
"Stay away from the students," his mother told him. "They are ignorant of our ways and only bring attention to our kind. We are better off without them meddling in our affairs and we want nothing to do with theirs."
He didn't want to be a wizard, no, as centaurs had their own magic and he was proud of that, but like anything forbidden he was soon fascinated by witches and wizards. He often waited in the shadows at the edge of the forest, watching the students as they began the walk to the village. He sometimes imagined what it might be like to walk on two legs, not four.
"You're leaving already?" She moved closer, the scent of her hair familiar and comforting to him, reminiscent of the flowers which were in bloom even now in the forest. "I always enjoyed your classes and hoped you'd be back teaching again. We learned so very much from you."
He sighed. "The headmistress has informed me that Hogwarts will no longer be offering Divination or, more accurately, the study of the stars." The truth was the students rarely possessed a proper understanding of the movement of the constellations and planets. Very few were gifted with the insight required, though Parvati was one of those students.
He was certain she was an old soul reborn in a young, beautiful body.
An uncomfortable blush began creeping across his cheeks when she laid a hand on his arm. She had only ever touched him to tend to his injury, checking that it was healing properly. This was differentóit made his skin tingle pleasantly and his heart race.
"I've been doing some research. There is a magical forest in Wales," she told him, concern written across her face. "You'd be safe there," she added, almost as if she was pleading with him.
"Centaurs do not do well alone." A painful truth but one he needed to accept as he would leave the castle soon and he could not go back to the forest on the Hogwarts grounds.
"You have defied us," Bane shouted, the other centaurs forming a circle around Firenze. He'd seen the centaurs cast out one of their own before and he knew what they were capable of when angered. Once a centaur was an outcast, he was considered no better than the lowest creature.
He only had one chance to make his escape, and when an argument developed about his punishment and banishment, he bolted between two of the older centaurs who weren't as quick or agile and galloped toward the castle as fast as he could, never looking back. If they caught him, he knew the consequences.
Once safely ensconced at Hogwarts, he felt quite fortunate that he'd got away. The stars were with him, at least in this.
"Padma and I will be leaving Hogwarts soon..." she began but trailed off, turning her head toward the window. The bright sunlight streamed down, dust motes floating in the beams. "Once you've survived a war, studying for exams seems juvenile."
"Where will you go?" he asked curiously, never having considered before just what it was the students hoped to achieve once they finished their schooling.
"I have an uncle in Wrexham," she looked at him again, a shy sort of smile playing across her lips. "That's in Wales, too."
His chest felt tight as he said, voice quiet, "Near the forest you spoke of before?"
"Quite near." She moved closer still, until she was nearly touching his front legs with her own. She was kneeling, leaning toward him, almost as if she wanted to embrace him. "We could keep in touch."
"In touch..." He blinked as he felt his heart clench with something like hope.
"I mean," she stammered, a rare display of nervousness, "you could teach me more about the stars."
He smiled then, on surer footing. "You were a very quick study."
"I had an excellent teacher." Her hand slid up his forearm to his shoulder, her eyes searching his.
To his ears, and his heart, it sounded like she might be suggesting something more than a mere friendship after all.
"There is something stirring in the Forest, something dark," the centaurs whispered. They'd seen a dead unicorn, never a good omen, and the stars told a story that foretold the beginning of the end. "Do not get involved," he was warned, more than once.
He found Harry Potter and his heart told him what he must do. He allowed Harry Potter to ride on his back as he escorted him away from the darkness and evil which would cause him harm.
This act had caused Firenze no injury or embarrassment, though he was chastised for his involvement. He'd always hoped one day the others would understand there was nothing wrong with consorting with wizards. Or witches. It seemed the other centaurs were not ready for the day to be this one. But he was.
Opening his arms, he exhaled when she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her face to his shoulder. They stayed that way for several long moments until he hesitantly reached up and began stroking her hair, soft and silky, which cascaded down her back.
She pressed her lips to his cheek then pulled back to look at him, a soft smile on her face.
"Come with me, to Wales?" she asked, then sighed as he cradled her in his arms, pressing them close together once more.
"I must see the stars," he replied, a sense of peace washing over him as he felt the warmth of Parvati's body against his chest. "Then I will know what to do."
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Author: ???
Title: Written in the Stars
Rating: PG
Pairing: Firenze/Parvati
Word Count: 1400
Warnings/Content Information (Highlight to View): * None*.
Summary: Mars had his chance but now it's Venus's turn to brighten the night sky.
Author's Notes: Thank you to my betas for their assistance. lunarcartwheels, I hope you enjoy this.
Ever since Firenze was small he'd been taught to avoid humans. They took advantage of Centaurs. Wanted to control them, own them.
"Do not ever let a wizard ride on your back," his father told him as they stood in a clearing of the Forest when he was four years old. "They do not respect us. They treat us as if we were mere beasts of burden rather than the majestic centaurs we are. You understand, Firenze?"
Firenze nodded his head. He'd seen wizards and witches before, but perhaps because he was still young they weren't trying to take advantage of him yet. Perhaps they would when he was grown and more of a threat.
For some reason he didn't think so though.
Firenze watched Parvati Patil as she went from bed to bed helping tend to her fellow students, lingering most often at her friend Lavender's side. She'd been working in the infirmary for the past week, since the final battle.
His arm had been broken though he was thankful it hadn't been any of his legs, a much more grave injury for a centaur. He was allowed to recuperate in the hospital wing because his own quarters had been damaged and getting up and down the stairs made it difficult to relocate on a permanent basis. He'd stay in the infirmary until he was ready to leave Hogwarts.
Which would be soon.
As Parvarti walked by, he couldn't help but admire the grace of her movements. He knew she had a keen mind and, though he'd never taken the time to study her before, he could see she had grown into a beautiful woman.
"How are you this morning, Firenze?" Parvati asked, her dark eyes alight with joy. He liked to believe it was because of him, but as she was always just as pleasant with everyone he thought he must be imagining it.
She conjured a bright yellow pillow and sat down next to the pallet where Firenze was resting in the corner of the infirmary. It had been a good spot for him, well out of the way, though most of the hustle and bustle of the first days had died down significantly.
"Venus was bright last night," Parvati said as she unrolled the star chart she'd been working on in her free time. She made a point to update him on the movements of the stars each day when she sat with him. He appreciated hearing the news, though he longed to look up at the night sky himself. "Padma and I made some notes if you'd like to look at them."
"It will be only one more pass of the sun before I will be able to see the stars for myself," he replied solemnly.
"Stay away from the students," his mother told him. "They are ignorant of our ways and only bring attention to our kind. We are better off without them meddling in our affairs and we want nothing to do with theirs."
He didn't want to be a wizard, no, as centaurs had their own magic and he was proud of that, but like anything forbidden he was soon fascinated by witches and wizards. He often waited in the shadows at the edge of the forest, watching the students as they began the walk to the village. He sometimes imagined what it might be like to walk on two legs, not four.
"You're leaving already?" She moved closer, the scent of her hair familiar and comforting to him, reminiscent of the flowers which were in bloom even now in the forest. "I always enjoyed your classes and hoped you'd be back teaching again. We learned so very much from you."
He sighed. "The headmistress has informed me that Hogwarts will no longer be offering Divination or, more accurately, the study of the stars." The truth was the students rarely possessed a proper understanding of the movement of the constellations and planets. Very few were gifted with the insight required, though Parvati was one of those students.
He was certain she was an old soul reborn in a young, beautiful body.
An uncomfortable blush began creeping across his cheeks when she laid a hand on his arm. She had only ever touched him to tend to his injury, checking that it was healing properly. This was differentóit made his skin tingle pleasantly and his heart race.
"I've been doing some research. There is a magical forest in Wales," she told him, concern written across her face. "You'd be safe there," she added, almost as if she was pleading with him.
"Centaurs do not do well alone." A painful truth but one he needed to accept as he would leave the castle soon and he could not go back to the forest on the Hogwarts grounds.
"You have defied us," Bane shouted, the other centaurs forming a circle around Firenze. He'd seen the centaurs cast out one of their own before and he knew what they were capable of when angered. Once a centaur was an outcast, he was considered no better than the lowest creature.
He only had one chance to make his escape, and when an argument developed about his punishment and banishment, he bolted between two of the older centaurs who weren't as quick or agile and galloped toward the castle as fast as he could, never looking back. If they caught him, he knew the consequences.
Once safely ensconced at Hogwarts, he felt quite fortunate that he'd got away. The stars were with him, at least in this.
"Padma and I will be leaving Hogwarts soon..." she began but trailed off, turning her head toward the window. The bright sunlight streamed down, dust motes floating in the beams. "Once you've survived a war, studying for exams seems juvenile."
"Where will you go?" he asked curiously, never having considered before just what it was the students hoped to achieve once they finished their schooling.
"I have an uncle in Wrexham," she looked at him again, a shy sort of smile playing across her lips. "That's in Wales, too."
His chest felt tight as he said, voice quiet, "Near the forest you spoke of before?"
"Quite near." She moved closer still, until she was nearly touching his front legs with her own. She was kneeling, leaning toward him, almost as if she wanted to embrace him. "We could keep in touch."
"In touch..." He blinked as he felt his heart clench with something like hope.
"I mean," she stammered, a rare display of nervousness, "you could teach me more about the stars."
He smiled then, on surer footing. "You were a very quick study."
"I had an excellent teacher." Her hand slid up his forearm to his shoulder, her eyes searching his.
To his ears, and his heart, it sounded like she might be suggesting something more than a mere friendship after all.
"There is something stirring in the Forest, something dark," the centaurs whispered. They'd seen a dead unicorn, never a good omen, and the stars told a story that foretold the beginning of the end. "Do not get involved," he was warned, more than once.
He found Harry Potter and his heart told him what he must do. He allowed Harry Potter to ride on his back as he escorted him away from the darkness and evil which would cause him harm.
This act had caused Firenze no injury or embarrassment, though he was chastised for his involvement. He'd always hoped one day the others would understand there was nothing wrong with consorting with wizards. Or witches. It seemed the other centaurs were not ready for the day to be this one. But he was.
Opening his arms, he exhaled when she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her face to his shoulder. They stayed that way for several long moments until he hesitantly reached up and began stroking her hair, soft and silky, which cascaded down her back.
She pressed her lips to his cheek then pulled back to look at him, a soft smile on her face.
"Come with me, to Wales?" she asked, then sighed as he cradled her in his arms, pressing them close together once more.
"I must see the stars," he replied, a sense of peace washing over him as he felt the warmth of Parvati's body against his chest. "Then I will know what to do."
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