Professor Potter

Chapter 47

Chapter 47 

Harry wasted no time in approaching the Centaurs about whatever it was he was sensing in or about the forest. Before he left Hagrid's hut he had asked his friend to make the request for a meeting with Zentese, the Elder of the herd. They had agreed, so bright and early Saturday morning he was striding down the path to the clearing where so many meetings had taken place. When he arrived at the clearing he found the elder Centaur as well as Bane and Ronin and a small retinue that stood at the far edge of the open ground. Harry smiled to himself a bit at the thought of these meetings being observed by other members of the herd. 

"Greetings, Serpent King. We bid you welcome," Zentese said. 

"My thanks for your welcome. I am pleased to be amongst the herd once again. And I thank you for your prompt response to my request," Harry replied. 

"We always stand ready to assist you, friend Harry Potter, in your endeavors. How may we do so?" Zentese asked. 

"The other evening I was feeling a bit restless so I took walk. As I was nearing the forest I got a sense of something. A presence perhaps you'd say. It seemed faint but everywhere. Are you aware of anything like that?" 

Zentese looked down at Harry, his expression serious. 

"I cannot say that we are, Serpent King. We are, of course, aware of the sounds of the forest and what any variations might tell us. Then, too, we are aware of changes that are driven by the seasons but in my experience what you have described is unknown to us. Do you feel it now being under the trees?" the elder asked. 

"Yes, it feels like a thin gauzy veil laying over the whole of the forest. It's just sort of there. It doesn't feel like it's aware or alive, just there," Harry said. 

"I am afraid that we cannot be of assistance to you at this time, Friend Harry Potter," Zentese said apologetically. 

"Well, there's no help for it I suppose. I'll just have to look into it myself. Perhaps I'll walk about a bit today and see if I can make any sense of it," Harry said, looking thoughtful. "I just wonder why now?" 

"That's a question that has driven many to distraction, Serpent King. There is a time for everything and everything in it's time. Perhaps it is only now that you have developed the ability to sense whatever it is." 

"Then you think there really is something out there? Or in here, I guess." 

Zentese laughed a bit and said, "It is a fool who goes against the intuition of the Serpent King." 

Harry merely nodded once and then the elder asked some questions about Harry's family. They spent another half an hour or so discussing more mundane matters of the herd. The Centaurs then took their leave of Harry and faded back into the trees. Harry stood in the clearing looking about trying to get a feel for what he was sensing. That's when he made his first 'discovery'. Whatever it was, he was feeling it. Not hearing or seeing anything. It was almost as if it resonated with some part of himself. 

He walked around the perimeter of the clearing and there was no variation in intensity of what he was feeling. It remained faint but constant and consistent. He decided to walk further into the forest along the trail leading to the larger meeting circle. He knew there were several smaller paths that led away from the main track so he'd explore those. He was also aware that his activities were being watched. He smiled a bit, thinking that despite the assurance that he was the most formidable creature in the forest the Centaurs were still keeping an eye on him. 

As Harry walked he thought that perhaps what he was feeling had something to do with the life of the forest itself. Perhaps a manifestation of some sort of the collective essence of all the living things therein. He stopped and directed his attention to the trees around him. He stepped up to one that was near the edge of the path. He placed his hand on the bark and closed his eyes. Nothing. He could feel the roughness of the bark but that was all.