A/N: I have a terribly bad habit of starting new things when I still haven't finished the other things I started... But I had a sneaky plot bunny that made me wonder about what would have happened if Harry wasn't raised by humans (and, at my sister's request, fem!Harry). The question followed, of course: by whom would she be raised? The answer seemed pretty obvious to me – centaurs! Thus, this story was born. I'm not done writing it, but I have through book four plotted, and I know with your support and feedback it will come along nicely.

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Extract from 'A Wizard's Guide to the Enchanted Forests of Europe' by V. Inture

The Forbidden Forest's size has never been accurately mapped, due to its dangerous and ever-changing nature, but it is well known that it stretches from Hogwarts all the way to the little wizarding village known as Godric's Hollow.

A great many species of magical beasts and beings dwell within, many still unknown. The residents respected above all others, however, must be the centaurs that live there. Extremely prideful and reclusive, they claim the forest as their grounds, roaming over the whole. They are very protective of their own kind; female and young centaurs are never seen by outsiders, although they are known to exist.

Any attempt to enter the forest for an extended period of time must mean an encounter with them. Such encounters rarely go well for the witch or wizard involved, as centaurs do not take kindly to uninvited visitors. The occasional witch or wizard has managed to befriend the centaur, but their trust is rarely bestowed and easily revoked, therefore, many wizard-centaur friendships have ended very poorly.

This author has found that it is wisest to simply make small excursions into the forest in daylight hours, and not risk incurring the wrath of the centaur herd.

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Extract from 'Modern Wizarding History' by N. Ackyrate

On the night of October 31st, 1981, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named entered the residence of James and Lily Potter, in Godric's Hollow, and murdered them. He then attempted to also kill their fifteen-month-old child, but failed, and was in the process destroyed.

Sirius Black, the first person on the scene, was the last to see the young Miss Potter. Now in Azkaban for the murder of Peter Pettigrew, it is believed he finished his master's work, and killed his former friend's daughter as well, although the body was never found, and Black denied all allegations.

What is known, is that somehow, the young Miss Potter withstood the Killing Curse from You-Know-Who, ending the tyranny of the Dark Lord, and the wizarding world will forever remember the sacrifice of the Potters and the Girl Who Died.

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Draco scrambled back, tripping over a tree root in the process, and earning himself a sore bum. It went ignored, however, in the face of the greater danger in front of him.

Longbottom, having no such difficulties with tree roots, ran past him, howling for Hagrid. Draco didn't blame him, really, but it did feel incredibly unfair that he was stuck alone facing this… whatever it was.

The cloaked thing (a ghoul, maybe?) had lifted its head from the neck of the unicorn when the boys gasped at seeing it, and now it advanced slowly across the forest floor toward Draco, leaves skittering away under the edge of the cloak.

Draco tried to fumble for his wand as he awkwardly crab walked backwards, not wanting to get up and risk taking his eyes off the thing. It wasn't like he knew any useful spells though. Wingardium Leviosa certainly wasn't going to help in this situation.

(He spared a second to scoff at the luck of one Ronald Weasley, who'd gotten a lucky shot at a mountain troll.)

He was backed into a corner between roots, shakily lifting his wand up to the approaching ghoul (if that's what it was), when a voice said, "Hey," above him.

Draco's head whipped up so fast, he was pretty sure it would hurt tomorrow, too.

There was a girl standing on the topmost root, arms folded, glaring at the ghoul. She didn't spare a glance for Draco, but he didn't really mind, since the ghoul's attention was now wholly fixed on the girl, instead of him.

"Get out," said the girl, her eyes catching the moonlight and flashing a dangerous green. Draco watched in complete and utter awe as the ghoul turned and swiftly retreated, as if terrified.

The girl watched it go, with a scowl on her face. Draco took the opportunity to inspect his savior. He'd never seen her at school, but Draco couldn't imagine the girl was younger than himself. She wasn't any bigger than Draco, but she gave off an aura of power.

She was also only wearing trousers and a long-sleeved shirt, and no shoes, either, despite it being a very chilly night.

(Draco himself was wearing a fur-lined cloak and was very comfortable.)

A temperamental breeze blew the girl's long black hair around her face when she finally turned to Draco.

"Thanks," Draco blurted quickly, hoping his belated gratitude was not too late. The girl just shrugged.

"That was, um, some ghoul, huh?" Draco asked, feeling incredibly useless. The girl's eyes flashed green at him again.

"It wasn't a ghoul."

Draco was about to inquire what exactly she thought it really was, because it had sure looked like a ghoul to him, when hoofbeats sounded, not far off. The girl's attention was immediately fixed in that direction, and very shortly afterwards, a centaur burst into view.

Draco had never seen a centaur before; he'd only ever read of them. They were supposed to be proud, and territorial, but very reliable astronomers and diviners. This one was light in colouring, his hair long and blonde, and his eyes were a brilliant blue. The centaur stopped in front of the girl and looked down on her with reproach.

The girl looked back up at him fearlessly, and said, defensively, "Mars is bright tonight."

The centaur, to Draco's astonishment, threw his head back and laughed. "You are not wrong," he said, sobering again. "But this is no excuse. We will speak of it later. Now, who is this?"

Draco was suddenly pinned by their gazes. He dredged up every last bit of etiquette he could remember his mother teaching him and bowed gracefully to the centaur.

"Draco Malfoy, sir. It is a great honor to meet you."

The centaur was still smiling when Draco looked back up again, so he couldn't have messed it up too bad, even though the girl was looking at him oddly.

"I am Firenze, Mr. Malfoy," the centaur replied. "I am pleased to meet such a polite wizard as yourself."

Draco was flattered by this compliment, but he tried very hard not to show it.

One of Firenze's legs came forward, nudging the girl, who stumbled a little, and huffed irritably.

"Cygna," she said, shoving one thin hand at him. Draco shook it, unsure what to say, and ended up just nodding stiffly.

"You had better get back to Hagrid," Firenze said. "Mars is bright. It is still not safe in the forest tonight."

"Is it ever?" Draco asked, genuinely curious.

"No," Cygna answered, with a sharp, toothy grin. Draco was inclined to believe her.

"Come," said the centaur, "I shall take you back."

Cygna leapt easily onto Firenze's back, and Draco stared in awe.

"You're going to let me ride on your back?"

"Do not make me regret it, Mr. Malfoy," Firenze said solemnly, and Draco gulped.

"N-no, of course not."

Cygna held out her hand to boost him up, and Draco took it, thankful for the help.

"Hang on," said Firenze, and that was all the warning he got before the centaur charged forward, speeding through the forest. Draco squeaked (very quietly) and grabbed a handful of Cygna's shirt.

Draco had ridden horses before, but this was different. Firenze had much more care for his passengers, and although they were riding bareback, it wasn't hard to keep his seat. He couldn't say it was as smooth as a broomstick, but it was exhilarating, all the same, and Firenze was slowing to a gentle halt long before Draco was ready for his ride to be over.

"This is where we must part, Mr. Malfoy," the centaur said, and Draco took his cue to dismount. He could hear Hagrid's bellowing voice, calling his name not far off, but he hesitated.

"Do you know what it was? That thing back there? That killed the unicorn?"

Cygna had grown very still on the centaur's back. Firenze looked at Draco solemnly.

"Only one very desperate, with nothing to lose, and everything to gain, might slay something so pure and defenceless. One who is clinging to life, waiting to return to power," Firenze said, and his voice had an eerie tone, as if he spoke from somewhere far away. Draco shivered. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."

Then he turned, with Cygna still on his back, and cantered back into the depths of the forest.

Draco spent a long time trying to figure everything out that had happened, that night in the forest.

After Firenze and Cygna left, he'd walked slowly in the direction of Hagrid's calls, finding them easily. He didn't mention the centaur or the girl. He told Hagrid that he'd cast a Lumos (which really had been on the tip of his tongue), and that the ghoul had fled from the sudden bright light.

It was plausible enough, and Hagrid seemed to believe him, although the other three didn't. Weasley probably just on principle, but Granger and Longbottom had probably actually read up about ghouls and knew that they weren't typically driven away by light.

Draco honestly didn't care what they thought. He was too busy thinking about Cygna. Normally, he'd be feeling slighted. The girl had been incredibly rude, after all, but Draco figured it was not wise to hold a grudge over politeness against someone who'd saved your life. Also, she appeared to have been raised by the centaurs, so perhaps she just didn't know how to act around other wizards. (Draco felt very satisfied by this conclusion.)

He didn't really want to contemplate what had almost killed him in the forest, because he realized there was only one option, given what Firenze had said, and he didn't want to believe it. Or think about it.

So, he didn't. Until the end of the year, when Longbottom, Weasley, and Granger landed themselves a week of detention. The professors wouldn't say for what, but this was Hogwarts, so pretty much everyone knew what had happened anyway. (The ghosts and the portraits were terrible gossips.)

Professor Quirrell had tried to steal the Philosopher's Stone, and Granger, Weasley, and Longbottom had tried to stop him. They hadn't made it past all the protections, however, and Professor Snape had to rescue them from a bunch of flying keys and arrest Quirrell, who, in his efforts to get the Stone, had nearly killed himself.

The Slytherins all thought it was hilarious, until the end-of-year feast, where Dumbledore had lauded the Gryffindor trio's 'bravery' and awarded them enough points to take the House Cup from them.

Draco sulked along with them, but when the train left for home the next morning, hurtling through a stretch of the forest, he wondered if the centaurs had really seen what could have happened, and if Quirrell had succeeded, if He really would have-

He felt a shiver of cold, despite the sunny day, and then the train was through to open fields and pastures, and Draco turned back to his companions.

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