A Strange Friend

[Katerina Montereal]

Sunday morning when Katerina was sitting under the tree reading a Hogwarts: A History book. She was quite bored today and she had no mood to read a book, but she really have to learn something and wanted to learn more and more. She was expecting that she could hear a noise of click of a camera made by Lionel but she knew that he was quite sick today because of some crazy things of pranks he made. It wasn't dangerous he just accidentally made a prank from a potion, forgetting that it was a serious task to do and he was absent for two days. But now, Katerina had just received a letter that Lionel was okay while ago, all he need to do was to rest. Katerina closed the book and sighed. She wished that her best friend could attend the class tomorrow. She starred at her book and caressed it gently for a few seconds. Then she looked at her right side. The Forbidden Forest was just right beside her for a few steps. Katerina suddenly frowned a bit. Why on earth she always sit under the tree near that forest in accident without noticing? It was uncanny and this made Katerina chuckled. She had been visited the forest once, a few months ago with Isla. The forest was quite creepy, but there was no danger behind its creepy appearance. However, Katerina didn't want to visit the forest since she have no company to go in. And since they weren't caught by any people such as the care keeper, Katerina was still aware. What if this time she might caught? So the Little Ravenclaw stood up getting ready to get away near the forest, but something made her stop. She suddenly heard a bounce from the meadow and to her surprise, the blue ball with two yellow thin lines on it's center which Lionel gave it to her as a birthday present, was bouncing its way towards the Forbidden Forest. She watched it go with her eyes widened as the ball had finally entered the forest until it's already out from sight. Katerina's heart suddenly gave a leap, it was a gift from her crush and best friend, she wouldn't let it lost. So Katerina grabbed her book and ran out through the Forbidden Forest, forgetting that she's scared to go alone.

"Lumos!" Katerina cast, and a light flickered and shone brightly at the very tip of her wand and pointed it on the ground. She could see lots of trees' thick roots that were connected (or maybe not), confusingly. The air was cold and it was very different outside the forest. Katerina kept walking slowly with her knees bent, still her wand was pointing on the ground. "Little blue ball, where are you? Please, show yourself... where are you?" Katerina said to herself in a low tone. She was very anxious with this now. What if she couldn't see it anymore? Would Lionel would get mad? And because of this Katerina, became aggressive of searching for the lost ball. But it gave no sign that she saw it under the light from her wand.

 

[Aspen]

Aspen was nearing the edge of the forest today. she had been checking her snares. right now she was nearing the end of her route and she had four rabbits in her bag clung across her back. she saw a small girl enter the tree line. looking at the floor as if she had lost something. she walked over trying to make a bit of noise to give her some warning, though not enough to scare her, she checked and made sure her bow was secure on her back along with the arrows in a way that said i am not going to shoot you before calling out to her "Hello" she said when she was within an acceptable distance. and made her way between the trees until she was near the girl. "Hello, are you alright there?" she asked again. up close she could see that the girl was very young, probably one of the youngest students in the school, she also looked like she was looking for something. "I'm Aspen by the way" she said introducing herself, as far as centaurs went she was an exception. she loved talking to the two hoofs and tried to as much as she could, she was fascinated by magic, and what went on in the castle, and she was also surprisingly friendly.

 

[Katerina Montereal]

Katerina was getting teary, her hazel brown eyes were glistening when she suddenly jumped from her feet. She heard something a soft noise somewhere inside the forest. And to her tension, her heart pounded heavily as if it she couldn't breathe anymore. Was it a ferocious werewolf? Or was it a little cute rabbit? She really don't know. Katerina's tension was increasing now as she took a grip from her wand, thinking about the defensive spells she had learned from her year, but her mind was blocked out. Then a cold breezy wind blew the whole shrouded place, feeling the somersault over her head. She wanted to run away, but her feet remained steady from the ground. She's still thinking about the missing ball. The noise was getting nearer as it continued to walk in the middle of nowhere of the dark forest. Then the Little Ravenclaw stepped backwards when she realized that the noise was a 'thump'. It couldn't be a werewolf because werewolves doesn't have hooves. Then at the same moment, Katerina pointed her wand when someone had spoke, greeting her 'hello'. At first Katerina was relieved that there was a woman. At first, Katerina thought that it was a Hogwarts Professor wandering in the forest which made her felt daunted because she might give her some detention from wandering the forbidden place. "Er... yes I am, miss?" she said, not sure if she have to call her ma'am or professor. But when the woman stepped forward, Katerina dropped her jaw. It was a centaur appeared from the darkness. Katerina starred in astonishment, actually double astonishment, couldn't believe that the centaur spoke to her. The little girl could see that half of the body of the centaur was a human and lower of it's body was horse's body. She was dark haired and Katerina didn't expect that centaurs were big like that compared from her imagination, seeing them in the pictures. Katerina stammered for a few seconds, the centaur introduced herself to her! Katerina was surprised, it was really her first time. "I - I'm Katerina. My name's Katerina Montereal." she said in a daunted voice even though she wasn't scared anymore.

 

[Aspen]

they were still near the edge of the forrest so there was no problems with the light. and from what aspen had seen of the girl before she had seen her the girl did seem to be looking for something though she didn't know what. infact se looked rather distraught that she couldn't find it. when she she had looked up to her she saw that she looked shocked and maybe a little scared. it made her feel bad, she hadnt meant to scare the girl. putting her hands in front of her in a gesture that showed that she wasn't meaning to scare her and she was also unarmed. "i didn't mean to scare you" she said kneeling down so that they were about the same hight, being a seven foot creature the only person she had met in the forest who was a similar height to her was madlyn who was half giant.
as the girl introduced herself herself she saw that there were tears in her eyes. "it is nice to meet you Katerina" she said it really was, it was always nice to meet people from the school, well at least the students, some of the professors she wasn't that keen on particularly professor Blaze who she downright disliked for killing her sisters dad. "are you sure you are okay, you seem upset" she said. opening her arms this time incase the girl wanted a hug. she knew that this was sometimes what was needed when people were upset though it wasn't a particularly centaur thing to do she had watched a lot of students from the forest and knew a fair amount about their ways.

 

[Katerina Montereal]

Katerina stand still, lowering her wand as the centaur, Aspen, kneeled on the ground. She wasn't crying anymore as she felt that Aspen was a friendly one. Trying to make her sure that she would be alright until she finds that this centaur was gentle. But then on Katerina stammered when she was asked if she was alright which made her feel alarmed with the question. Of course, she don't want to act as a childish eleven year old girl, acting like a four year old who had lost a lollipop. Actually, she didn't know if she's being childish in a wrong time. "Yes.. um, it's just I lost something..." she admitted in a modest tone. And because the centaur showed a presence as a sign if she wanted a hug, Katerina walked towards her and suddenly hugged her gently.

 

[Aspen]

Aspen watched as Katerina lowered her wand. she seemed like a sweet girl. "What is it you lost? I can help you look" she said. she was probably better at finding things in the forest as that was how she survived. she was slightly surprised when Katerina gave her a hug. even though she knew she had offered it it was still surprising to her.
a moment later when she felt like the girl was calmer and less upset she let go. "are you enjoying your time at the school?" she asked starting a conversation when they were looking for whatever they were looking for.

 

[Katerina Montereal]

"A little blue ball with two small yellow stripes." Katerina described as she let go Aspen with her arms. Actually, hugging Aspen made Katerina felt company and really made her feel okay. Though it was her first time to hug a centaur, it really made her feel happy. "Small as this..." she added, shaping her hand trying to imitate the size.

They took walk when Aspen decided to help Katerina. It was getting more creepy as they go further down the forest, however Katerina was feeling safe with Aspen. "Yeah. It was always fun there. Studies, exams, and friends... All are great including the castle and the professors." said Katerina gratefully.

 

[Aspen]

Aspen hadn't seen a blue ball with yellow straps on it, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to look, it meant that it would need looking not memory. "I haven't seen it. maybe we should try looking this way" she said gesturing to a part of the forrest near the edge. and she was pretty sure it wouldn't have gone too far in if she had lost it from outside. she had walked a few steps before she had a thought. can't you just summon it?" she asked she had seen her sister and brother summon things before. as she walked she kept an eye out for the ball and listened as Katerina talked about her time at the school it really did sound like she was enjoying it though the young centaur was glad she never had to worry about exams and study, life as a centaur was simple, find food and survive. was the only real test, and she had been doing it for years.

 

[Katerina Montereal]

Katerina followed Aspen as they made their way to the other part of the forest which was quite dim lighted. She kept looking around while pointing her wand on the ground, crouching while strolling. Near the edge, Katerina could see the way out from the very boundary of the forest, she suddenly felt that staying in the dark was very cold compared to the bright side. She then shook her head and continued searching.

"Sorry, but we still haven't learned about the Summoning Charm..." Katerina apologized. "We're still learning about some basic spells for beginners." she explained. She knew that her parents have used that charm all over again when some things are lost or things that are away from them, but they didn't teach her on how to do that. She had just learned two spells from their house which the incantation was 'Lumos' and 'Nox'. On the other hand, in Hogwarts, she learned only how to levitate objects from Herbology when they have to carry their pumpkins to the Entrance Hall, which was usually must be teach in Charms and lots of spells that are only suited for first years or beginners. Katerina suddenly took a grip on her wand, hoping that she could find the blue ball.

"Anyway, Aspen. Do you think it's scary or dangerous sometimes here in the Forbidden Forest?" she asked politely, jumping the topic about the spells. After all, she was now feeling curious about the Dark Forest.​