Firenze

"This is Firenze. I think you'll find him suitable"

- Albus Dumbledore on Firenze

Professor Firenze was a centaur and one of two Divination teachers at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1996 to 1998. He once lived with his herd in the Forbidden Forest, on the borders of Hogwarts in Scotland. In 1992, Firenze came across an endangered Harry Potter in the forest and saved him from Lord Voldemort, frightening him away and carrying Harry on his back to safety. Despite his heroics, his herd saw this as a dishonourable act, as they considered themselves too great to be ridden by humans. About four years later, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School, hired Firenze to teach Divination in Sybill Trelawney's stead, after she was fired by Dolores Umbridge. But once again, his herd were disgraced and attacked him, and would have killed him were it not for the intervention of Rubeus Hagrid. He taught his lessons in Classroom Eleven, which was decorated as a forest by Dumbledore. By the next school year, Trelawney was reinstated as Divination Professor, but because of Firenze's situation with his herd, allowed them both to continue teaching, though Trelawney was uncomfortable with sharing her classes with a centaur. He also took part in the Battle of Hogwarts, where he was injured, and returned to his herd afterwards, who realised that pro-human leanings were not shameful.

Life with his herd
"... like a common mule!"

- Bane, a fellow centaur.

Firenze lived part of his life in the Forbidden Forest with his herd. In 1992, he saved Harry Potter, who was serving a detention in the Forbidden Forest, from Lord Voldemort. He carried Harry on his back to safety where he was reunited with Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, and Neville Longbottom, who were also serving detention, and Rubeus Hagrid, who had been escorting the students. Firenze's herd saw this as a despicable action, because a centaur is not for humans to ride.

Life as Hogwarts Professor
In 1995, Albus Dumbledore hired him as a Divination teacher when Dolores Umbridge (then-High Inquisitor of Hogwarts) sacked Sybill Trelawney. This resulted in Firenze being cast out of his herd, since agreeing to work for a human is considered degrading for a centaur. His herd had even attacked him, and might have killed him if not for the intervention of Rubeus Hagrid. Dumbledore turned 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.

With the departure of the Headmistress Dolores Umbridge from Hogwarts in the next school year, Sybill Trelawney was reinstated by Albus Dumbledore to her post of Divination Professor. As his herd was still resentful of Firenze, Dumbledore let him continue teaching Divination alongside Trelawney, causing Trelawney much consternation, as she considered it an insult to be sharing classes with a "horse".

The Battle of Hogwarts
Firenze presumably continued teaching Divination during Severus Snape's tenure as Headmaster of Hogwarts. On 2 May, 1998, Firenze fought in the Battle of Hogwarts, defending the school bravely against the Death Eaters. He was seriously wounded during the Battle.

Later life
After the Battle, he was welcomed back into his herd when they realized that pro-human leanings were not shameful. It is unknown if he kept his teaching post after that.

Personality and traits
Firenze was a courageous centaur who was not as traditional or prideful as most of his kind. Whereas most centaurs believed it was shameful to work alongside humans, Firenze was happy to allow Harry Potter to ride him and became a teacher in Hogwarts. Firenze was willing to stand up for what he believed in even if it meant defying his herd; unfortunately this resulted in him nearly getting kicked to death by the other centaurs. He was friendly with Rubeus Hagrid and seemed to get on quite well with Harry Potter, who was on speaking terms with him whereas most students found him intimidating. 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.

Behind the scenes

 * He is portrayed by Ray Fearon in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
 * In the books, Firenze is said to have silver-blond hair and is even considered handsome by some students. In the film adaptations, however, he has dark hair and is computer animated. He doesn't stay with Harry or let him ride on his back either because Hagrid and the others appear straight away.

Etymology
"Firenze" is the Italian name for the city of Florence. It is interesting to note that Galileo Galilei, arguably the greatest astronomer in history, lived out his final years there. Firenze's teaching of Divination deals with Astrology and Astronomy, as opposed to Trelawney's fortune-telling, hence this connection.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4

Notes and references
Firenze Firenze Флоренц Firenze Firenzo