.where.there.were.no.trees,.stood.Firenze..
.Harry.Potter,..he.said,.holding.out.a.hand.when.Harry.entered..
.Er.‐.hi,..said.Harry,.shaking.hands.with.the.centaur,.who.surveyed.him.unblinkingly.through.those.astonishingly.blue.eyes.but.did.not.smile...Er.‐.good.to.see.you...
.And.you,..said.the.centaur,.inclining.his.white‐blond.head...It.was.foretold.that.we.would.meet.again...
Harry.noticed.there.was.the.shadow.of.a.hoof‐shaped.bruise.on.Firenze.s.chest.
.As.he.turned.to.join.the.rest.of.the.class.on.the.ground,.he.saw.they.were.all.looking.at.him.in.awe,.apparently.deeply.impressed.that.he.was.on.speaking.terms.with.Firenze,.whom.they.seemed.to.find.intimidating..
When.the.door.was.closed.and.the.last.student.had.sat.down.on.a.tree.stump.beside.the.wastepaper.basket,.Firenze.gestured.around.the.room..
.Professor.Dumbledore.has.kindly.arranged.this.classroom.for.us,..said.Firenze,
.when.everyone.had.settled.down,..in.imitation.of.my.natural.habitat..I.would.have.preferred.to.teach.you.in.the.Forbidden.Forest,.which.was.‐.until.Monday.‐
.my.home….but.that.is.no.longer.possible...
.Please.‐.er.‐.sir.‐..said.Parvati.breathlessly,.raising.her.hand,..‐.why.not?.We.ve.been.in.there.with.Hagrid,.we.re.not.frightened!..
.It.is.not.a.question.of.your.bravery,..said.Firenze,..but.of.my.position..I.cannot.return.to.the.Forest..My.herd.has.banished.me...
.Herd?..said.Lavender.in.a.confused.voice,.and.Harry.knew.she.was.thinking.of.cows...What.‐.oh!..
Comprehension.dawned.on.her.face...There.are.more.of.youT.she.said,.stunned..
.Did.Hagrid.breed.you,.like.the.Thestrals?..asked.Dean.eagerly..
Firenze.turned.his.head.very.slowly.to.face.Dean,.who.seemed.to.realise.at.once.that.he.had.said.something.very.offensive..
.I.didn.t.‐.I.meant.‐.sorry..he.finished.in.a.hushed.voice..
.Centaurs.are.not.the.servants.or.playthings.of.humans,..said.Firenze.quietly.
.There.was.a.pause,.then.Parvati.raised.her.hand.again..
.Please,.sir….why.have.the.other.centaurs.banished.you?..
.Because.I.have.agreed.to.work.for.Professor.Dumbledore,..said.Firenze...They.see.this.as.a.betrayal.of.our.kind...
Harry.remembered.how,.nearly.four.years.ago,.the.centaur.Bane.had.shouted.at.Firenze.for.allowing.Harry.to.ride.to.safety.on.his.back;.he.had.called.him.a.
.common.mule...He.wondered.whether.it.had.been.Bane.who.had.kicked.Firenze.in.the.chest..
.Let.us.begin,..said.Firenze..He.swished.his.long.palomino.tail,.raised.his.hand.towards.the.leafy.canopy.overhead,.then.lowered.it.slowly,.and.as.he.did.so,.the.light.in.the.room.dimmed,.so.that.they.now.seemed.to.be.sitting.in.a.forest.clearing.by.twilight,.and.stars.appeared.on.the.ceiling..There.were.oofis.and.gasps.and.Ron.said.audibly,..Blimey!..
.Lie.back.on.the.floor,..said.Firenze.in.his.calm.voice,..and.observe.the.heavens.
.Here.is.written,.for.those.who.can.see,.the.fortune.of.our.races...
Harry.stretched.out.on.his.back.and.gazed.upwards.at.the.ceiling..A.twinkling.red.star.winked.at.him.from.overhead..
.I.know.that.you.have.learned.the.names.of.the.planets.and.their.moons.in.Astronomy,..said.Firenze.s.calm.voice,..and.that.you.have.mapped.the.stars.