"Let them come near, so that I may feel them, herd-daughter."
The old grey guy was sitting, legs folded under him, at the cavity between the roots of a great old tree probably as old as he was, though it bore its age better. Ranko was the first to trot up, with typical Gryffindor boldness (or rather the bold self confidence most of that House wished they had but didn't). The wizened old guy ran one hand's fingers as light as snowflakes over her face, the other started at her head hair and carefully followed her spine all the way down to her horse's tail. With a flick to the flank he set her hopping off, and the next in the queue, Ukyo, trotted up to have the same done to her.
Shampoo was next, and then Kodachi. By then the girls' jitters had calmed down. The old guy was blind, and this was the only way he could see them. They'd been half afraid he'd want to touch naughty bits, but this was just another form of introduction, so they all got in line.
"This first was your foal. You energy tingles all throughout her." The elder spoke when he was done getting to know their faces and outline of their spines.
"She is," Nodoka answered simply. She'd informed the girls before they got here that none of them would be required to speak at all; and in fact it was best if they didn't, as there were customs and culture none of them would be aware of, and a misstep could be disastrous.
"Let them stand at rest, or sit comfortably. Not many come to learn this lesson anymore. The hearts of the herd have turned toward the stars, finding in them enough to sate their hunger for things unknown." Kodachi's ears perked up at this, her devious mind sensing a test.
Nodoka's answer did not disappoint her. "These know the stars, honored elder. They are not remiss."
Apparently Nodoka's knowledge was not complete of this ceremony of introduction, either, as the ancient, blind elder then proceeded to quiz each girl there on stars, their movements and patterns, names and details. he didn't repeat a question once, and he addressed each girl directly allowing no others to interfere. Hermione had to be shot a stern, and somewhat frightened look, by Nodoka when on impulse she'd raised her hand. While it was difficult for the Granger girl to stay in her seat and not answer every question put to anyone, they all came through alright, though most of them were surprised by how much they knew and how easily they could access that knowledge.
Nodoka was even more surprised that the old centaur had questions they didn't know the answers to. Fortunately, he provided the answers in a kindly manner what they admitted they didn't know.
"It is enough," the elder centaur declared, once he'd done grilling them one by one. "Their knowledge is sufficient, even admirable for ones so young."
Taking a deep breath, the old centaur heaved himself to his feet, composing himself with arms folded across his chest, shoulders back, in what had to be a ritual pose. "You have come seeking to know the Arts of Divination. Humans taught us in the start what we know, but we have expanded upon this knowledge while they have largely forgotten. They focus on the future. This is an error. While the future can be seen, it is as a distant mountain viewed through fog at night. Through great skill, devices and cunning one might pierce the fog and shadows of the night, yet the distance itself will render all things seen indistinct. However, as one moves closer more becomes visible.Yet if you want to know great events of futures not yet come to pass, it is best to study the past. You can easily know the details of the mountain if you have been there. The leaves and grass may have changed, yet the bones remain unaltered, so when you cast your gaze to the mountain again the slightest hints tell a deeper story, for you already know the patterns."
The old, grizzled, grey head looked as though it would shake in sorrow, but could not without dropping its ritual pose. "As with gazing at a mountain, events of the future can be detected in the broadest sense from far away, and in increasing detail as you get closer to that future becoming the present. Yet always you must be mindful of what patterns you seek. Great events are as predictable as the patterns of the stars, and just as complicated. Small events are as infinite as the faces of the sea, and as subject to change without warning from pleasant to dire."
The old, grey bread nodded gravely. "For the future, remember not to ask 'what will be' for yourself. That surrenders your will to a prediction. Instead, when asking for yourself ask the question 'what would be the consequences of this decision'. That is perhaps the highest of all the arts of predicting the future, and the only one that is useful if applied properly. That is the Great Riddle, and the first mystery of Divination: What the heart most yearns to know, the uncertain future, it profits least from learning. Our futures should be shaped by actions, not bound by predictions from tea leaves."
The old guy dropped his pose, and Nodoka motioned the girls, who brought forward the baskets of fruits she'd previously given them to carry and lay them at the base of the tree, after offering a sample of each to the centaur.
"Return this evening, when you have thought on my words." The grey coated elder told the group as they were about to leave his clearing.
"That was a great teacher," Ranko breathed, obviously impressed, as soon as they'd passed the centaur patrols and crossed enough forest so that she thought it was safe to talk.
"But it didn't mean anything!" Susan Bones protested.
"Sure it did!" Ukyo replied, trotting along. "Look, sugar, that was the most practical lesson we've had all day!"
"I don't get it," Parvati voiced finally. "He didn't teach us to do anything we couldn't before going to see him."
"Old man centaur not tell what do. He tell much more important: Why do, what not do, and where value in doing. Not waste self struggling for what you not want achieve. Very good lesson!" The purple haired amazon enthused.
"But all he taught us was that it wasn't very useful to see the future. How can that be right?" Lavender objected.
"Child," Nodoka instructed, trotting along back toward Hogwarts. "Compare it to casting a curse. Today he did not mention an incantation for how to cast the spell, he told us when and under what circumstances it is best to use it. Only once you know those is it safe to learn the spell. And if you can grasp the metaphors he was using, it was both practical and beautiful. What concerns me is there has typically been a ten day waiting period between lessons in the centaur culture, and now he wants to resume with you this evening. It worries me. But it seems I have returned you in time for lunch. Sorry about your morning free study period, but I trust you won't regret using it for these extra lessons."
The girls reassured her that it was interesting and they would be there that evening, after dinner, as she passed out the antidote drinks for the centaur candies.
Kodachi reserved her opinion as they came back in sight of the castle.
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(Posted Fri, 12 Aug 2005 13:47)
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