The Centaur Clan

Five- The Cave

Alexio blew into a horn, sending the rich noise that came out from it all across the camp. All of the sleeping centaurs stirred in their sleep, climbing to their feet in attention.

"Today is the day, my brethren. The day that Harry Potter and Hermione Granger come to meet us, and fall right into our trap. Today is the day that our plan starts to unfold, and in no time we will have our leader back. We have a few days of traveling to come after the witch and wizard's capture, and then we will exchange them to Rodolphus Lestrange for Sibelius." He looks to the skies, where the sun has only just begun to rise on the hilltops. "Get into position!"

*  *  *

Hermione got up early that morning- earlier than she had wanted. She needed a pair of pants that she could move quickly and easily in that day, and so she resulted in a pair of her favorite black jeggings. She glanced at the weather forecast on her phone, saw that it was going to be chilly, and so she pulled on a gray sweater and a sweatshirt over it. The sweatshirt was black and said "Gryffindor: House of the Brave" on it in red letters. She pulls on a black hat and black gloves, and a pair of black boots. She braided her hair into a french braid the night before, and pins back a few of the stray pieces to her head with some hairpins. When she looks in the mirror, she frowns.

"I look goth." She whispers to herself. Then she shrugs. "Oh well. Who cares."

She gives Ron a quiet kiss on his forehead, and apparates to the outside of the entrance to the Ministry of Magic, a telephone booth, where Harry had text her to meet him earlier that morning. Harry was standing there with two coffees and a smile that Hermione warmly returned. She takes the cup from him, letting the warmth flood into her fingertips.

"Good morning Harry. Did you sleep well?" She asks him, taking a scalding sip.

He shakes his head. "Not at all. What about you?"

"Hardly a wink."

He nods. "So. Do you reckon we get on with it then?"

Hermione nods, holding her hand out to him. He takes it, and she closes her eyes as they spin on the spot, apparating to the outskirts of Godric's Hallow. Hermione looks wearily into the woods letting go of Harry's hand and grabbing her wand.

Harry grins at her. "Scared?"

"Would you like an honest answer or a lie?"

Harry taps his chin. "Honest, please."

"Okay. I am terrified. I hate the woods- they bring back terrible memories. And wandering around in the woods, looking for a herd of centaurs wile trespassing on their territory?" She shakes her head. "I'm terrified. Perfectly scared out of my mind."

Harry thinks for a moment about how when they were younger, Hermione would grab his hand or his arm when she was scared. He takes his hand out to her, a small smile on his lips. "Take my hand then- I'm pretty scared too."

She slips her hand into his without hesitation, looking into the thick forest beyond them. "Ready?"

"Yes ma'am."

She takes a step forward, and then another, and he does as well, the two of them entering the dark forest, the trees getting thicker the further they walked. The sun started to raise from the hilltops, illuminating the trees with the morning sun, and leaving streaks of orange and pink in the sky, blending with the blue.

Their breaths came out in harsh puffs of white smoke, and they kept quiet, only slightly afraid of the possible monsters lurking in these woods. Though the sun had started to rise, it was not yet bright enough for the two of them to diminish the glow of their wands.