.Whose.Forest.is.it.now,.human?..bellowed.Bane..
.Filthy.half‐breeds!..she.screamed,.her.hands.still.tight.over.her.head...Beasts!
.Uncontrolled.animals!..
.Be.quiet!..shouted.Hermione,.but.it.was.too.late:.Umbridge.pointed.her.wand.at.Magorian.and.screamed,..Incarcerous!..
Ropes.flew.out.of.midair.like.thick.snakes,.wrapping.themselves.tightly.around.the.centaur.s.torso.and.trapping.his.arms:.he.gave.a.cry.of.rage.and.reared.on.to.his.hind.legs,.attempting.to.free.himself,.while.the.other.centaurs.charged..
Harry.grabbed.Hermione.and.pulled.her.to.the.ground;.face.down.on.the.Forest.floor,.he.knew.a.moment.of.terror.as.hooves.thundered.around.him,.but.the.centaurs.leapt.over.and.around.them,.bellowing.and.screaming.with.rage..
.Nooooo!..he.heard.Umbridge.shriek...Noooooo….I.am.Senior.
Undersecretary….you.cannot.‐.Unhand.me,.you.animals….nooooo!..
Harry.saw.a.flash.of.red.light.and.knew.she.had.attempted.to.Stun.one.of.them;
.then.she.screamed.very.loudly..Lifting.his.head.a.few.inches,.Harry.saw.that.Umbridge.had.been.seized.from.behind.by.Bane.and.lifted.high.into.the.air,
.wriggling.and.yelling.with.fright..Her.wand.fell.from.her.hand.to.the.ground,
.and.Harry.s.heart.leapt..If.he.could.just.reach.it.‐.
But.as.he.stretched.out.a.hand.towards.it,.a.centaur.s.hoof.descended.upon.the.wand.and.it.broke.cleanly.in.half..
.Now!..roared.a.voice.in.Harry.s.ear.and.a.thick.hairy.arm.descended.from.thin.air.and.dragged.him.upright..Hermione,.too,.had.been.pulled.to.her.feet..Over.the.plunging,.many‐coloured.backs.and.heads.of.the.centaurs,.Harry.saw.Umbridge.being.borne.away.through.the.trees.by.Bane..Screaming.non‐stop,.her.voice.grew.fainter.and.fainter.until.they.could.no.longer.hear.it.over.the.trampling.of.hooves.surrounding.them..
.And.these?..said.the.hard‐faced,.grey.centaur.holding.Hermione..
They.are.young,..said.a.slow,.doleful.voice.from.behind.Harry...We.do.not.attack.foals...
They.brought.her.here,.Ronan,..replied.the.centaur.who.had.such.a.firm.grip.on.Harry...And.they.are.not.so.young….he.is.nearing.manhood,.this.one...
He.shook.Harry.by.the.neck.of.his.robes..
.Please,..said.Hermione.breathlessly,..please,.don.t.attack.us,.we.don.t.think.like.her,.we.aren.t.Ministry.of.Magic.employees!.We.only.came.in.here.because.we.hoped.you.d.drive.her.off.for.us...
Harry.knew.at.once,.from.the.look.on.the.face.of.the.grey.centaur.holding.Hermione,.that.she.had.made.a.terrible.mistake.in.saying.this..The.grey.centaur.threw.back.his.head,.his.back.legs.stamping.furiously,.and.bellowed,..You.see,.
Ronan?.They.already.have.the.arrogance.of.their.kind!.So.we.were.to.do.your.dirty.work,.were.we,.human.girl?.We.were.to.act.as.your.servants,.drive.away.your.enemies.like.obedient.hounds?..
.No!..said.Hermione.in.a.horrorstruck.squeak...Please.‐.I.didn.t.mean.that!.I.just.hoped.you.d.be.able.to.‐.to.help.us.‐..
But.she.seemed.to.be.going.from.bad.to.worse..
.We.do.not.help.humans!..snarled.the.centaur.holding.Harry,.tightening.his.grip.and.rearing.a.little.at.the.same.time,.so.that.Harry.s.feet.left.the.ground.momentarily...We.are.a.race.apart.and.proud.to.be.so..We.will.not.permit.you.to.walk.from.here,.boasting.that.we.did.your.bidding!..