“And you’re sure it was a werewolf, Severus?” Albus asked Severus as the man paced in his office.

               “Of course, I’m sure! I know exactly what a werewolf looks like, unless you’ve forgotten what happened in my sixth year here!” Severus snapped.

               “Now, Severus,” admonished the older wizard, “the past is best left behind us . . .”

               “Don’t give me that! I have to live with my history every night as you well know. Regardless, I believe you need some enforcement around that forest to keep the students away from it! Potter was nearly killed last night.”

               “I see your concerns, Severus. And I am glad you were around to prevent a tragedy. I will explain the seriousness of keeping away from the forest once more at dinner tonight. But you know as well as I that the forest has a magic of its own. The forest will not be contained by any magic, even my own. However, if you are so insistent on keeping students away, perhaps you can patrol the forest at night.”

               “As if I wanted to lose any more sleep than I already have.”

               “I know this is difficult for you. But can’t you see any beauty in this curse?”

               “Don’t play this game again. There is nothing beautiful about this.” Severus spat out the word ‘beautiful’ as if it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

               “What about the chance of rescuing a young boy from a dangerous creature?”

               “That doesn’t make this affliction any better. Excuse me, headmaster, but I have a class to teach.”

               Severus stormed out of the Headmaster’s office. He suddenly remembered that it was Friday. He had Harry’s class to teach. How wonderful. As he passed the Great Hall he saw Harry and the boy’s redheaded friend – Ron, was it? – prancing to the school’s front entrance. Class started very shortly, honestly, where did those boys think they were going at this time.

                   “And where do you think you’re going?” he snapped at the children.

               The two boys spun around just before opening the front door. He glared down at them as he waited for an answer.

               “We were just going outside for some fresh air, sir,” Harry answered. “And maybe to . . . see Hagrid.”

               Ah, yes, for that talk that was so important last night, Harry had to leave the safety of the castle and nearly be slaughtered by a werewolf. Severus rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

               “Classes start in ten minutes,” he reminded them. “You better be back inside before then.”

               “Yes, sir,” the redhead said before both boys disappeared out the door.

               Severus narrowed his eyes. If they were late for his class, he’d finish the werewolf’s job and slaughter the boy himself. The nerve of that child.

               Harry and Ron just entered the room as the bell rang for class to begin. Harry gulped and looked over at Severus’s desk. The man was standing in front of it and glaring right at them.

               “Five points from Gryffindor for nearly missing the bell. Any later and I would have given you both detention. Find your seats.”

               Harry and Ron quickly shuffled to a table behind a bushy haired girl named Hermione and another girl named Parvati. Hermione shook her head at them with a glare – like she was on the professor’s side or something! Ron rolled his eyes and Harry just remembered that there really hadn’t been a reason to take points – he and Ron had technically been on time. Professor Snape was just being a git as always.

               Class began and Severus began talking about aconite, a purple flower plant with magical properties. Severus used his wand to create draw a realistic plant in the air, a rather cool 3D effect in Harry’s opinion. But the lecture for the day was rather boring and Harry’s mind wandered back to looking for Ajax later. What if centaurs were nocturnal? What if Ajax only ever came out at night? Or what if centaurs did belong to a specific territory? Did Ajax return to where he belonged, never to be seen again? What a terrible thought! Ajax had been so nice – a little distant - but still nice all the same. Ajax was probably with his friends and family. Harry sighed as he daydreamed about Ajax and his centaur friends. Did Ajax have a girlfriend? Harry bet she was a pretty centaur – maybe with red hair all over and green eyes like his own mother . . .

               “Potter!”

               Harry jumped as his surname was hissed. He stared up at the glaring professor.

               “And what is our celebrity daydreaming about that is more important than paying attention?”

               Slytherins laughed from their side. Harry blushed at having been caught.

               “Nothing, sir. Sorry sir.”

               “Since you clearly already know about aconite and feel privileged to focus on other matters, perhaps you can inform the class as to what art of the plant is toxic?”

               Harry’s face blanked for a brief moment. He saw Hermione’s hand shoot up in the air, as it did in every class. Ron gave Harry a pitiful look, along with other Gryffindors, but the Slytherins were smirking and sniggering all the while. This was humiliating.

               “I don’t know, sir,” Harry said.

               “Clearly you didn’t read the book, Potter,” Severus rolled his eyes. “If you had read the book, then you would have known that . . .”

               “Well,” Harry interrupted, glaring at Severus, “if we were supposed to read the book, then why even bother teaching us what we already read?”

               Severus’s eyes narrowed even more as the Gryffindors smirked at Harry’s rebellion. Harry would have smirked, too, but Severus looked ready to murder him.

               “Because clearly, not everyone is smart enough to read the required passages, isn’t that right, Potter?” Severus snarled. “And another two points lost from Gryffindor for your cheek.”

               Harry seethed at his seat, glaring back at Severus.

               When class finished, Harry stormed out of the potions room, wanting to be as far away from Severus Snape as possible. He didn’t understand it. What did that professor have against him? No one else in the school had a problem with him – only that professor. Did he wrong him in another life or something? Ron rushed at his side to keep up with Harry’s angry strides.

               “Hey, don’t take it to heart, mate,” Ron smiled encouragingly. “Everyone knows Snape is a greasy git. Don’t let him get to you.”

               “Yeah and everyone knows that Snape hates me more than anyone else,” Harry returned. “I don’t get it, Ron. I never did anything to him. I didn’t even know him before I came to this school. What does he have against me?”

               “Maybe he’s jealous?” Ron suggested. “You’re famous and he’s not.”

               “I doubt it,” Harry muttered.

               “On the bright side, Halloween is in a couple days. It’ll be so much fun – I heard a lot about the fest here from my older brothers. You’ll enjoy it. You can just forget about ol’ mean Snape.”

               Harry smiled at Ron. It felt so nice having friends.

               Later that evening, Harry quickly snuck out of Hogwarts. The sun wasn’t gone yet, so he hoped he didn’t get into too much trouble if he was caught outside. He decided to start looking near Hagrid’s hut. It had been where the werewolf was but Ajax had run to his aid. Maybe the centaur would stop by and visit the area? It was worth a shot. Harry looked around the hut, being careful not to disturb Hagrid’s chickens. It didn’t seem like Hagrid was home.

               “Ajax?” Harry called into the trees. The sun was slowly lowering more and more. Harry inched closer to the forest, adjusting his glasses as he peered into the darkening woods. “Ajax?”

               Severus watched Harry impassively from a tree he was leaning against in the forest a good distance away. He had watched Harry leave Hogwarts as the sun slowly dropped in the sky but he knew soon he would transform and there was nothing he could do to send Harry back inside. He had wondered what the boy was up to now, figuring that he could be looking for Hagrid for another talk of whatever matters.  

               Then he heard it.

               “Ajax?”

               Harry was looking for Ajax. Harry James Potter was looking for him.

               Of course, the boy didn’t know it was him – the horrid Professor Snape, greasy git, most unfair teacher in Hogwarts.

               The sun was disappearing behind the hills, the last bit of light glistening on the lake. Harry was inching closer to the trees. Didn’t that boy learn anything from last night. At least it was no longer a full moon. Severus resisted rolling his eyes for the hundredth time that day. He just watched as Harry wandered closer to the trees, looking for a centaur that only existed at night.

               What was he supposed to do? Severus tilted his head in Harry’s direction. When the transformation happened, should he approach Harry? Send him back inside the castle for his safety? Severus hoped Harry would turn and go back to the castle on his own. He really didn’t want to deal with the James Potter replica.

               But he couldn’t leave the boy to fend for himself, now could he?

               Finally, the last of the sun disappeared and Severus felt the familiar deep ache of his bones elongating and changing, shifting and rubbing to form a new look; the pain of growing two extra limbs and a tail sending little sparks of pain up and down his spine. Severus’s head burned as the bones and muscles in his face elongated like a horse’s, his ears stretching beyond what should be normal. He felt himself growing taller and his body went through an abnormal hypertrichosis phase – excessive hair growth at an abnormally fast rate – something werewolves would normally go through. Soon, he was covered in black hair, his entire centaur body and most of his torso. He flicked his tail right then left, then stretched his four legs, moving every part of his centaur body.

               After a good warmup, he looked over at where Harry was bravely inching closer to the trees, standing just before the forest now.

               He might as well as stop the boy from going any further. He galloped deeper into the trees, staying out of sight until he was directly in front of the boy – though beyond Harry’s vision with those abysmal glasses. Severus walked forward until Harry gasped at the large shape moving slowly towards him. The young boy backed away from the forest then paused and peered into the trees.

               Severus stopped just a bit before exiting the forest, remaining in the dark covering of the trees.

               “A-Ajax?” Harry hesitated, stepping back a little more.

               “I see you’ve learned to be cautious of the forest,” Severus remarked, not moving out of the trees. “But clearly not cautious enough.”

               “Ajax!” Harry exclaimed happily. “You came back!”

               “What are you doing so close to the forest again? At night?” Severus demanded, before remembering he sounded a lot like Severus Snape, all gruff and condescending. Clearing his throat, he softened his voice and spoke in a calmer and gentler tone. “I mean, after I specifically told you that it is dangerous to be around at this time?”

               “I wanted to see you again,” Harry smiled, stepping closer to the trees.

               Snorting aggressively, Severus trotted forward, effectively removing the smile from Harry’s face and backing the boy away from the forest. Severus walked circled around Harry, as if creating a protective bubble, though why he bothered, Severus didn’t know. Harry watched curiously as the centaur circled him.

               “Why would you want to see me again?” Severus asked, still moving around Harry.

               “I . . . I thought . . . I don’t know, I guess I thought we could be . . .”

               “Friends?” Ajax finished. “I assure you, I need no friends. Especially that of a little child.”

               “I’m not a child!” Harry defended.

               “Then what do you call yourself? A young man? A preteen? You are not a teen yet, so that won’t do.”

               “I’m just a . . . I don’t know.”

               “You don’t know what you are? Do you even know who you are? The savior of the wizarding world? The Boy-Who-Lived? The pampered, spoi–”

               “Can’t I just be Harry? Just Harry for one night.”

               Severus stopped his pacing and looked down at the boy who looked so contrite. He had gotten a bit carried away, falling into old habits. He forgot that he wasn’t Severus Snape to Harry, but instead Ajax, a potential friend Harry sought. He had to bite back his normal behavior and play the role of Ajax the hero centaur as Harry surely saw him as.

               “Just Harry, hmm?” Severus questioned.

               “Yes. Just Harry. That’s me. I’m not some savior or . . . anything. I’m just me. I’m all I know.”

               “Interesting,” Severus commented, staring down at the boy.

               Looking down at the boy, Severus really noticed how small Harry was. He was tall as a man, but as a centaur, everyone seemed so much smaller. Especially Harry. Severus lowered his torso slightly, trying to recreate Severus’s height and see from that perspective. What difference did it make – being Ajax rather than Severus? Why did he bother trying to hide his voice, besides for the sake of hiding his true identity? He really saw no difference in Harry as he leaned down more to be at his height as a man. His leaning down made Harry look up at him curiously. Severus pulled himself up to full height once more. He sighed.

               “What do you want?” Severus asked.

               “What?” Harry scrunched his face in confusion. “What do you mean?”

               “You wanted to see me, searched for me even, and here I am. What do you want?”

               “Oh. I wanted to see you. I wanted to talk to you.”

               “As what? Friends, perhaps?”

               “I think we could be friends,” Harry smiled.

               “It was a rhetorical question. We are not friends. I don’t do friends.”       

               Severus stepped away from Harry moving towards Hogwarts and away from the forest. Harry quickly followed him, falling in step at his side. Severus hoped he could send Harry on his way back inside and be done with the boy for good. The small boy looked up at the centaur.      

               “What do you mean you don’t do friends? What does that even mean? Everyone needs friends.”

               “I don’t. I walk alone. I need no one.”

               “Really? No one? Are you always alone? Don’t you ever get lonely?”

               “Are you always full of questions?”

               “Professor Flitwick says questions inspire a brilliant mind.”

               “I didn’t ask for an aphorism.”

               “A what?”

               “Never mind, child. It’s getting late, you should head back inside. Go on.”

               Severus stopped halfway to Hogwarts and motioned for Harry to go to the castle on his own. Harry looked up at Hogwarts and then back at Ajax. Then he stared down at his feet and shuffled slightly, fiddling with his fingers as he bit his lip and glanced back up at Severus with his eyes. Severus knew the boy wanted to ask something and he refrained from sighing irritably.

               “You want to ask something. So ask.”

               “Can I see you again?” At Severus’s hesitation, Harry quickly continued. “Please, sir, I promise to do what you say and stay out of the forest and all and I’ll be good and . . .”

               “Why do you want to see me again?” Severus interrupted.

               “I like talking to you.”

               That answer surprised Severus.

               “Why?”

               “I just do. You seem nice and . . . like you care about me. I don’t have many friends. And I guess you don’t either, so . . .”

               “But I am . . . content without friends,” Severus said. “I am used to being alone. What makes you think I’ll enjoy your company?”

               “Well, you haven’t sent me away yet.”

               “I remember telling you to go to the castle not even a minute ago.”

               “But you haven’t told me to leave again. You knew I had a question and you let me stay to ask it.”

               True, Severus thought. The boy had him there. Smart kid.

               Severus shook his head. What was he thinking? The boy hardly paid attention in class. Damn, he was losing it. Severus finally let out that sigh and studied Harry. What was he supposed to tell him? <i>No, you can’t come looking for me again? No, I don’t want to be your friend?</i> No mater what he thought may be appropriate, the answers just never seemed right.

               “Please, Ajax,” Harry pleaded, pulling some kind of puppy dog look. “Can we meet again? Maybe around this time?”

               “You want me to encourage you to sneak out of your dorm, out of the castle after curfew, go outside in a potentially dangerous environment considering it is dark, just to see me to talk?”

               “Well, when you say it like that . . .” Harry mumbled.

               Severus stared down at Harry. What if he did tell the boy no? Would that really stop him from seeking him out again? It may be better to just give in to the boy’s wishes. He’ll tire of seeing Ajax again and again for sure give a few nights. He was sure of it. So, what was a couple nights of rule breaking if it meant getting the boy to leave him alone? Besides, he could always find ways to punish the brat as a man for his late-night adventures. Even if it meant taking points for the smallest things the boy did during the day. Eventually, this fascination with Ajax would wear and Severus would be alone again.

               “Very well,” Severus said. “But you cannot come looking for me near the forest. It is dangerous to do so.”

               “Then where should I meet you?”

               “Hmm,” Severus looked around the Hogwarts grounds. “Ahh, there’s a good place. Follow me.”

               Severus walked towards the greenhouses, Harry walking quickly at his side.

               “Can I ride on your back again?”

               “No.”

               “Why not? You let me last night.”

               “That was because I had no other way to get that werewolf away from you. Trust me, if I had at least had a wa- err, a bow and some arrows, I wouldn’t have had to resort to letting you use me like some broken horse.”

               “Oh,” Harry said. “I was thinking, when you said you needed no one, does that mean you have no family either?”

               Severus glanced down at Harry.

               “I have no one, child,” Severus answered honestly. “I am the last of my lineage. But as I told you, I fare well alone.”

               “But you have to get lonely sometimes,” Harry insisted.

               “Perhaps. But I am used to it.”

               “Oh.”

               “Here we are,” Severus stopped in front of the greenhouses. “Here is what I am thinking. When the sun has set completely, you may come here. I will meet you between greenhouse three and four. Try and stay well in between them so you are out of sight of potential predators. We may talk for a few minutes and then you will return to your dorm. Deal?”

               “It’s a deal,” Harry grinned madly.

               Severus had never seen a wider smile on Harry’s face. It made him rather uncomfortable and he shifted his weight off his right hooves.

               “Very well,” Severus nodded his head. “Head back inside. It is very late.”

               “Okay. Goodnight,” Harry reached his arms out to hug Severus as he had down the night before, but Severus retreated a few steps before Harry could touch him.

               “The embrace is not entirely welcomed,” Severus said.

               “Oh,” Harry lowered his arms but smiled nonetheless. “Well, goodnight, Ajax. I’ll see you tomorrow. Right here, between three and four. Got it. Bye!”

               Harry ran back to the castle.

               Severus waited until Harry was inside before sighing heavily and retreating into the trees. What did he just sign himself up for? It wouldn’t be for long. Harry will quickly learn just how unlikable Ajax was. Ajax was still Severus Snape and if there was one thing Severus Snape knew how to do – it was make Harry Potter miserable.

               This arrangement wouldn’t last long at all.

               He was sure of it.