Firenze
Origin: Harry Potter
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Species: Centaur
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Residence: Centaur Colony in Deep Forest
Occupation: Teacher of Divination in the Magic Academy
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Talent: Magic
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Import Date: 5
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Firenze was, presumably, born to the centaur colony in the Forbidden Forest, and lived part of his life there.[4] He was gifted in Divination and taught fellow centaur Torvus about it.[10]
In the 1989–1990 school year, Firenze was chosen as the centaur who decided whether Jacob's sibling was allowed to visit the Centaur Camp based on the three gifts offered by them. Firenze decided the student could stay, and helped them figure out what Professor Trelawney's prophecy meant.[10] Jacob's sibling later spoke to Torvus and Firenze in the Centaur Camp to discuss Trelawney's prophecy and how Jacob's sibling would face the final Cursed Vault. Firenze told them that his prediction implied they would face a powerful decision, a powerful adversary and another loss, but that he could not be entirely certain his prediction was correct.[11]
On the night of 26 May 1992, Hagrid took Harry, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and Draco Malfoy to their detention in the forest. Their task was to find out why unicorns were turning up mauled and dead. Harry and Draco later discovered a dead unicorn and a hooded figure (Quirinus Quirrell in disguise) drinking its blood. As Draco ran away, horrified, the hooded Quirrell turned to face Harry. The pain on his scar made him fall to his knees, but Firenze, coming across the scene, galloped forwards and charged at Quirrell before he could attack Harry, forcing him to flee.[4] Harry found out afterwards, it was Lord Voldemort who, drinking the unicorns' blood while sharing Quirrell's body, tried to remain alive long enough so that he could drink the Elixir of Life and return to both his body and full strength.[12]
Realising how dangerous it would be to let Harry stay in the Forest, he let him on his back so that he could take him to safety. Bane and Ronan, two other centaurs from the colony, arrived there and, while Ronan said he was sure Firenze thought he had been acting for the best, Bane started yelling at him because he regarded it as a despicable action, because a centaur is not for humans to ride. Firenze was angered and, leaving both centaurs behind, carried Harry on his back to safety where he was reunited with Hermione, Neville, Draco and Hagrid.[4]
1995–1996 school year
Firenze talking with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley after his first Divination lesson
In March 1996, Albus Dumbledore hired Firenze as the Divination teacher when Dolores Umbridge (then-High Inquisitor of Hogwarts) sacked Sybill Trelawney.[3]
This resulted in Firenze being cast out of his colony, since agreeing to work for a human was considered a betrayal of their kind. His colony had even attacked him, and might have killed him if not for the intervention of Hagrid.[13]
Dumbledore transformed the classroom into a forest-type state for Firenze, and students were requested to lie back and look at the stars on the small enchanted ceiling. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil found him very appealing and looked forward to his lessons, even though they liked Professor Trelawney as well.[14]
1996–1997 school year
With the departure of the headmistress Dolores Umbridge from Hogwarts at the end of the school year, Professor Trelawney was reinstated by Dumbledore to her post of Divination Professor. Firenze, however, could not return to his still resentful colony, so Dumbledore let him continue teaching Divination alongside Trelawney.[15]
Firenze taught the fifth-year Ravenclaws, though sharing classes with him caused Trelawney much consternation, as she considered it an insult to be sharing classes with a "horse".[1] In turn, Firenze did not seem to think much of Trelawney, seeming to find her attempts at Cartomancy "almost comical".[2]
After Dumbledore's death at the hands of Severus Snape atop the Astronomy Tower on the evening of 30 June 1997, Firenze attended Dumbledore's funeral. He stood "like a sentinel" by the shores of the Black Lake, paying his respects to the wizard who had welcomed him and given him a job and a home. Dolores Umbridge was startled by his appearance at the funeral, considering her previous experience with Centaurs.[16]
1997–1998 school year
Firenze continued teaching at Hogwarts during Snape's tenure as Headmaster, and the Death Eaters' control over Wizarding Britain.[8]
The Battle of Hogwarts
In the evening of 1 May 1998, Firenze stood with the remaining teachers and members of the Order of the Phoenix who had arrived to fight after Snape's ousting.[8]
Minerva McGonagall talked to students about how the underage among them, and those who were not willing to fight, were going to be evacuated before the start of the battle that would soon ensue, as Voldemort and his Death Eaters were going to start their attack at midnight.[8]
Firenze witnesses Harry Potter's final defeat of Lord Voldemort and the end of the Second Wizarding War
Firenze stayed to fight, and was seriously injured on his flank which poured copious amounts of blood. He was laid on the raised platform at the Great Hall during the hour-long fighting interregnum, and was shaking and unable to stand by himself.[17] Given his state, it is most likely Firenze did not partake in the second half of the Battle. It is likely, however, that Firenze witnessed the duel between Harry and Voldemort in the Great Hall and Voldemort's final defeat.[18]
A celebration feast was later held, but teachers, parents and students were all jumbled up. Firenze, however, lay recovering in a corner after having received treatment by Madam Pomfrey.[18]
Later life
After the battle, Firenze was welcomed back into his colony, when they were forced to acknowledge that Firenze's pro-human leanings were not shameful, but honourable.[19] It is known that he still remained a Divination professor at Hogwarts during the late 2010s, continuing to share the role with Sybill Trelawney,[9] though he was not seen teaching the Hogwarts students that enrolled in 2008 at least in their first three years.[20] In the winter of 2009, Firenze greeted two of those students, Robyn Thistlethwaite and her friend, outside the Forbidden Forest and warned them not to go in despite their interest in investigating a case that possibly involved a Yeti.[21]
Physical appearance
Firenze was a centaur with a palomino horse hindbody and pale blond human hair. He had blue eyes and looked younger than both Bane and Ronan.[4]
Personality and traits
Firenze was willing to stand up for what he believed in even if it meant defying his colony;[4] unfortunately this resulted in him nearly being stomped to death by the other centaurs.[13] However, after the Battle of Hogwarts, his colony acknowledged his ways as being honourable and welcomed him back.
He was friendly with Hagrid,[4] and seemed to get on quite well with Harry Potter,[4] who was on speaking terms with him unlike most students, who initially found him intimidating.[14]
Like all centaurs, Firenze commonly tried to read the future in the stars, and Ron Weasley considered him to be a slightly better teacher than Sybill Trelawney, though he was still frustrated that Firenze seemed to be able to provide very little definite information.[14]
Magical abilities and skills
Divination: Being a centaur, Firenze was naturally gifted in divination. He taught the subject at Hogwarts from 1996-1998. Being a centaur, Firenze performed divination through observing planets, moons and stars, and had a low opinion of human divination, viewing it as nonsensical.[14]
Combat: Firenze was skilled in physical combat as he notably saved Harry Potter's life in the Forbidden Forest by charging at Quirinus Quirrell and forcing him to flee before he could attack Harry. This was especially notable as Quirrell was possessed by Voldemort at the time, which enhanced his magical powers, although Voldemort was also in a weakened form at the time.[4] Despite getting injured in the first half of the battle,[17] he also survived the Battle of Hogwarts with no fatal injury.[18]