Open Abusing My Authority

[Aine Thompson]

open after Verity!

Aine didn't often head out to the far edge of the grounds. The forbidden forest was exactly that, forbidden, and she hadn't really had the nerve nor the foolhardiness to try and explore it to find out why. After all, in her first year there'd been a basilisk loose out there, and when she had come out to the forest for Herbology or Care of Magical Creatures, it hadn't exactly been a relaxing stroll. Still, now she was not only a prefect but in fact the queen of the prefects, and also on her mission to face up to fears, on the basis of keeping an eye out for first years breaking the rules she set foot in the forest herself. Her wand was lit up as she whistled a tune she had stuck in her head, not heading too far in as yet and hiding any fear with nonchalance.

 

[Cecras]

As the new school year commenced at Hogwarts, it was customary for young witches and wizards to explore the Dark Forest, supposedly forbidden to them. Cecras normally left the young ones to it whilst maintaining a watchful eye in case they ventured too far. Today was no different, until Cecras discerned the distinctive sound of a whistle nearby. Puzzled by this peculiar human noise, he chose to investigate. The centaur couldn't work out the purpose of a whistle, considering it neither a mating call nor a war cry.

Approaching cautiously, Cecras identified a fully grown witch with her wand drawn, a sight that sparked a level of fear within him. Vigilant and wary, he readied his bow and arrow as a precautionary measure, mindful of the potential danger posed by magic. "Stop right there, wand carrier!"

 

[Aine Thompson]

Aine was starting to wonder if maybe it was all just to scare the younger students into behaving. Of course, there had been the whole basilisk thing in first year, which seemed to have actually happened - allegedly a student had been petrified, and 2 students had been expelled. Which, if it was just made up, seemed like an overreaction. But there hadn't been any incidents since, and from what she'd heard the basilisk hadn't been native to the forest anyway. Just when she was about to call her curiosity sated (and mildly disappointed), a stern voice rang out and Aine dropped her wand in shock, stumbling backwards and looking around fearfully. She swore, wishing she had actually continued with Care of Magical Creatures. A professor wouldn't call her a 'wand carrier', after all. "I'm sorry!" she called, putting her hands up. "If you're going to kill me, all I ask is that you make it quick and painless."

 

[Cecras]

Cecras approached, his bow still at the ready as he curiously observed the human's submissive reaction. Her words elicited a mix of amusement and disdain from the centaur. "Kill you?" he repeated, his tone scornful. "Pathetic." Lowering his bow slightly, he regarded her with a mixture of pity and contempt. "I have no intention of harming you, human." he stated firmly, emphasising distain on the word human. "But I cannot speak for all in the forest."

 

[Aine Thompson]

"Pathetic? That's my middle name," Aine said, drolly, ignoring how ever time a barb that she shot first still managed to hurt. The hurt had become somewhat dulled over time, but it was still a fresh wound on her psyche. She lowered her arms, slowly bending down to retrieve her wand. At least the spell was still lingering, so it was easy to find with the light. She didn't raise it again, though, not wanting to provoke the man. Horse-man. Centaur. She knew of the centaurs, but hadn't ever actually seen one before, and paused a little to look him over in fascination. He was strangely beautiful, in a way, not that Aine would admit that as she suspected it would only make things worse. "Then you've admirable restraint."

Her heart beat faster in her chest, but she drew in a deep breath and affected a nonchalant look once more. "So there are bloodthirsty types in the forest, then. Perhaps I ought to tell the professors to give a more upfront warning rather than 'it's scary, don't go in'." She grabbed the sides of her robes, giving a small curtsey now she's gotten past the initial fear to 'brain running on fumes'. "I assure you, good sir, I mean no harm and will be out of your way momenta...ri...s**t." As she looked around, the path she had followed had seemingly disappeared. "Christ almighty, can magic ever do something helpful or is it all about making everyone's lives worse?"

 

[Cecras]

Cecras regarded the human's peculiar behaviour, his stance reflecting his restlessness. His hooves pawed at the ground as he felt the urge to move, while his human torso leaned forward slightly, his expression stoic and unreadable.

Unmoved by the human's observation, Cecras remained guarded. "Restraint is a virtue," he replied curtly. He bristled at her mention of blood thirsty creatures, his centaur instincts causing him to feel protective of his domain. "Humans do not respect the forest's boundaries," he began, "You seek its secrets without comprehending its true nature. It is a place of solitude, where nature thrives undisturbed."

As the human attempted to leave, Cecras noticed her confusion and issued a warning. "Be cautious, human," he advised, "The forest does not forgive those who trespass without reverence."

 

[Aine Thompson]

Aine had to work past letting the mask slip when startled. All her practice with Professor Styx meant she was getting a lot better at concealing her thoughts deep, deep down, but she still had a way to go. And the mask so easily slipped, leaving her scrambling to put it back in place. And when she did, she wasn't sure whether it was exactly a good thing or not. At least it probably had the desired effect of putting people off and keeping them out. Ironically, as she was the one being asked to get out.

"When do humans respect anything? We're a bunch of b******s." Aine slipped one hand in her pocket, the other holding her wand dangling by her side. "Probably why they don't try and explain any of this to us. 'Cept in Ancient Runes, where we were taught about honouring the trees. Came off kinda silly from a professor, though, now I think about it." She shuffled a little on the spot, drawing in a deep breath to hide her uncertainty. She was old enough and allegedly wise enough to handle this. They had been ditched in the forest for exams, after all, so this wasn't really any different. "Ah, but if I wasn't irreverent, I'd have gone mad years ago, sir." She winced as the words left her mouth. This probably wasn't helping at all.

 

[Cecras]

The centaur remained silent as the human spoke, his expression unreadable. "Respect for the natural world is not a matter of convenience, but of necessity." His gaze drifted upwards towards the canopy of trees, "The forest is untouched by the folly of humankind, and it is a centaur's duty to preserve it."

As the wand carrier confessed her irreverence, Cecras offered a small nod of acknowledgment. "Wisdom often comes from the most unlikely sources," he remarked, "Irreverence may shield you from the harsh truths of the world, but it can also blind you to its beauty." With that, the centaur concluded his conversation with the human, his thoughts drifting elsewhere as he turned and began to tread deeper into the forest.