Hermione Granger and the Centaur Boy

"He's what?!" Ron asked, sitting opposite Hermione in her classroom.

Hermione had just shared everything she knew about Cyrus with the two youngest Weasleys. The Christmas holidays had come, and most of the students weren't at school. She sent Ginny an Owl that brought her to the school and Hermione immediatly sat down to chat with her two friends.

"I should have known," Ginny added.

"I know, his coat ... it was so obvious," Hermione added

"And that mark on his head," Ginny said. "It seemed to be a symbol of something."

"Don't you see? We were all wrong. He's not a centaur, or a unicorn either; he's something else."

"But he's still not human," Ron added. "How does this help you or change anything? To most they're just pretty horses."

"Pretty horses whose blood and hair have powerful magical properties."

"Why won't you just leave it alone?" Ginny asked. "Centaur, unicorn, or both, he's where he belongs."

"If his father loved and wanted him as much as I do, I'd leave it alone. I can't do that knowing what I know about the relationship between them."

"Well now that you know the truth, maybe you can reason with him," Ron said.

"You still have the problem you had before," Ginny pointed out. "Centaur, unicorn, or both, he's a beast."

"Too bad he isn't an animagus," Ron said to no one in particular. "Then he could just transfigure himself into a human boy."

Ron started to laugh at his own comment when he saw Hermione's eyes light up.

"Ron, you're brilliant."

"Hermione, you can't be thinking ..."

"Why not?"

"You told me a hundred times in school, it takes years and powerful magic to become a proper animagus, and you have to register and —"

"He has unicorn blood Ron; he IS powerful magic. Besides, I can always transfigure him myself. It's so simple. I can't believe it never came to me before."

"I don't know," Ginny said. "Isn't that wrong, to expect him to live as something he isn't."

"We don't know what he is or what he can be, and we won't know until we give him the chance."

"But have you ever asked Cyrus if he wants to be human?"

"Of course he wants it. It means he can be with me."

Hours after the 'brilliant' idea had been discussed, Hermione found herself out on the school grounds ready to meet Cyrus again. A fresh coat of snow had fallen. Only Hermione's footsteps were seen as she found her way to the greenhouse where Cyrus was waiting to meet her. Despite the lack of clothing, he didn't look cold at all. Still, Hermione offered him her cloak, which he refused. Then she told him about her idea.

"Human?" he questioned when she was done. "That would be weird."

"Weird? You grew up with humans."

"But I'm used to four legs, and I'm kind of fond of this body. I think you're beautiful, Mum, but I always found the human shape to be ... well ... rather odd."

"But you could come and live with me in my world. Maybe you could even study magic. I doubt you'd ever be able to be formerly trained at a school like Hogwarts. But I could teach you ... and maybe, if we faked the right papers, I could adopt you."

Cyrus tried to hide his smile at the thought of really being her child and having no one question it. "I would love that, Mum, but can I think about it?"

"Yes," she replied.

They hugged, and Cyrus turned to walk away. Then, suddenly, he turned back.

"Mum," Cyrus began, "I've always wanted to fly. Sometimes I hide and watch the Quidditch team practice or play a tournament. I always envied them."

"I'm sure Ron would be first to volunteer to give you a flying lesson. And Harry could show you a trick or two when he visits this summer ... if you want that."

Cyrus looked up at the sky. "I'll let you know."

Cyrus walked away still looking at the sky.

Hermione still hadn't heard from Cyrus when school got back into motion after the Christmas holiday. Hermione taught classes, with Cyrus in the back of her mind, but she was able to concentrate. Almost a month had passed when she got a letter from Cyrus. He asked to meet her near Hagrid's that evening, and she sent a reply back that she would.

She left around dinnertime, and Ron came with her. When they met Cyrus, he simply said, “Follow me, we have to talk to someone.”

They followed Cyrus deep into the Forbidden Forest, deeper than they had ever been before, in a direction they had never gone. Or, at least Hermione had never been in that way before. Ron looked rather nervous.

"Are you okay, Ron?"

"Lets just say there's someone in this forest I don't fancy meeting again."

"Don't worry. We're not going anywhere near Aragog," Cyrus assured him. He would have asked how the boy knew what he feared, but he didn't. He believed that Cyrus had a sixth sense about certain things.

Cyrus turned away from the path they were on and led them through a group of trees. They finally reached a clearing where they saw a fire and a collection of huts. A few adult centaurs were carrying bows and arrows. Two others, who looked older, were talking.

"Brilliant," Ron said. "It's a village."

"Where'd you think we lived, in caves?"

Well, yeah," Ron said.

"At least you're honest," Cyrus said, leading them into the village.

They got a few strange looks. Just then Raine emerged from a hut and came over to them.

"What are you doing with my son?" Raine said to Hermione.

"He's my son too, we need to talk about—"

"There's nothing to talk about. He’s home now, and you need to go." Raine grabbed his son and started to trot away.

"Raine," a voice called out from behind him.

Raine turned toward an older centaur. He was going gray, but flecks of gold were in his hair and beard (which covered most of his chest).

" I'm just trying to get rid of these humans."

"Well, I wish you wouldn't. I need to talk to them."

"Yes sir," he said, still trying to leave with his son.

"Cyrus, too," the older centaur said. " I will speak with you later."

"Yes, Tarek," Raine said, walking away.

"Come," Tarek said to the group. He led them to his hut at the edge of the centaur village.

His hut was warm inside. He had all types of star charts spread on the table and a collection of interesting objects. In a way, Tarek's house reminded them of Dumbledore's office.

"Despite what Raine thinks, there are many who know what Cyrus is. It's hard to hide it, and there were those who saw the signs the day he was born."

"Signs?" Hermione said.

"In the stars," Tarek said. "Great things are expected from Raine's son." Tarek sighed. "There was a time when centaurs had little respect for humans. The birth of Cyrus enlightened many of us."

"Then why did you let me keep him?"

"Raine is his father. He chose to let him go," Tarek said. "What made you name him Cyrus?"

"I like the name, and it means the Sun. The Sun is the center of the universe, and he was the center of mine for a long time."

"It's a good name, for the Sun is a star; he will not only be able to read the stars, he will be among them one day."

"What does that mean?" Ron asked

"You will understand when the time comes," Tarek said. "What you need to know is that Cyrus is a gift to the world. Raine cannot see that; guilt and pain have not let him. If he could only let go of his own guilt, he would see that all his mother was Cyrus is now — and more. Raine was once a great counselor and healer ; people could go to him. He was not always as he is now, but those good qualities seem to be in his son. However, he has closed his heart, and I no longer know how to heal him. Perhaps Cyrus will know one day, but the signs say his time among the centaurs is at an end. He is now meant to be someone else."

"Someone else for how long?" Hermione asked. "How long before you take him again?"

"When he returns to us, he will come back to us on his own, and he will be what he is meant to become."

"Which is?"

"You will understand when the time is right. Take him. I will talk to Raine."

They left the hut with Cyrus. Raine was waiting for them outside.

"He will never be like you," Raine said.

"That's the difference between me and you," Hermione said. "I don't care if he's like me or not. He doesn't have to be human for me to love him."

"I loved his mother," Raine said.

"Then why can't you see that she's in him?"

Hermione saw regret in his eyes for the first time.

"I was drawn to her," Raine said. "When my son was born. I was supposed to take care of him, her words."

"Unicorns can talk?" Ron asked shocked.

"It isn't speech like I speak to you now," Raine replied a little annoyed. "It's a different understanding. She seemed to slip away as he was given life, and I couldn't touch him for that reason. I only left him for a day ; when I came back for him, he was gone and there was blood and the wolf. I thought he was dead. I had failed her, and I tried to forget, but I could not. Then I found out he was alive and I knew I had to fulfill her last request."

"I don't hate you, Dad," Cyrus said. "You are my father . I'll always be a part of you. I love you, but I need to be with my mother, Hermione. She loves me as much as my real mother would, and she only wants the best for me."

He smiled at his father, and something in Raine's eyes seemed to indicate a piece of the pain and guilt had melted away. Then Cyrus led the humans away from the centaur village. As they passed back onto the familiar path, a creature emerged from the darkness. Hermione and Ron immediately pulled out their wands, but Cyrus approached the creature as if he had expected his arrival.

"It's the wolf," Cyrus said as moonlight fell on it.

The creature was as sad as Hagrid described. There were spots where fur was missing from his coat. He looked deathly ill. He was so thin it was hard to believe he was still alive.

Cyrus approached it, and it looked at him.

"Cyrus, don't touch it," Hermione said.

"It's okay," Cyrus said to his mother. He touched the wolf, and it looked at him with pleading eyes. "I think you've suffered enough," the centaur boy said.

Suddenly the wolf dropped to the ground.

"What did you do?" Hermione asked, coming to him.

"I released him from his pain, I think, I don't know how I did it." Cyrus suddenly looked shaken by what he'd done.

"He killed him," Ron said taking a closer look at the wolf.

"You did a good thing," Hermione said, looking into her son's nervous eyes. "He was in pain, and he's not anymore." Then Hermione led her scared son away from the wolf.

*****

Hermione had never thought about how different Cyrus would look as a human boy. It seemed so ... unnatural, like he wasn't himself. Some of the striking beauty he had as a centaur seemed gone altogether, as well as his grace, and some of his age. He looked 11, younger than he had been as a centaur, older than he should be in human years.

"I feel off balance," Cyrus said stumbling around the classroom.

"You have the summer to learn to walk normally."

Cyrus had spent the rest of the school year living with Hagrid. It was decided they would perform the transfiguring just before Hermione went home at the end of the school year, after the students left.

Cyrus was now walking like he was wearing stilts. He tried to sit in a chair and did it so awkwardly that he almost fell out of it. He picked up the envelope McGonagall had personally handed to him a few hours before.

"I'm actually going," Cyrus said. "I can't believe I was allowed. I hope I'm in Gryffindor, just like you."

"Well right now we should just work on trying to get you to walk like a normal boy."

Cyrus laughed.

"You know I love you, no matter what you look like," Hermione assured him.

"I know," Cyrus said. "I just wish I knew what will become of me. Tarek spoke as if this transition is not my last. I killed my mother when I was born. I made a wolf suffer for years, and then I killed it. What if we're all wrong? Maybe I'm not good for the world, maybe I'm bad."

"You can't believe that. Your mother passed on her beauty and light into a new generation through you. And that wolf paid for attacking you, but you forgave him and released him from that pain. " She touched the side of his face gently. "And your father, you'll one day heal him, too. I saw it begin the day we left." He looked at her and grinned. This was why he needed her; she knew just what to say to make him feel better. "Now, let’s teach you how to put on a pair of trousers," Hermione said, trying to get his mind off the bad things.

After a struggle to teach him how to dress properly, they headed to the Great Hall where Ginny and Ron were waiting. The Weasley siblings saw Cyrus holding Hermione's hand, looking like an 11-year-old sized baby new on its feet. They were as shocked as Hermione at how different he looked. They could hardly believe it was him. And if not for that impression of a star on his forehead, they might have thought it was a different child all together.

"It's me," Cyrus said. "I just have two legs now, like you. But it's really me."

"Wow," Ginny finally said. "I never thought you would be so ... seem so ..."

"Different," Ron finished.

"I'm still me," Cyrus assured them again.

"You ready for that flying lesson I promised you?" Ron asked.

"Ron, he's just learning to walk."

"But Mum, I've been waiting for this," Cyrus said. "I've always dreamed of flying."

"Fine, go have your fun, but be careful."

Ron started out the hall and Cyrus ran after him so quickly that he forgot the change and fell over his new two feet. The two women ran over as he fell flat on his face, but he was already getting back on his feet with a huge grin.

"I'll get the hang of it," he said. "It's okay, I'm not hurt."

As Ron walked to the Quidditch Pitch with Cyrus (each of them carrying a broom) he noticed he was more comfortable on his feet, but still stumbling occasionally.

"Ron," Cyrus said.

"Yes," he replied.

"You should marry my mum."

"What?"

"You love her right? You were ready to fight my dad because he insulted her, and she held you back because she didn't want to see you hurt."

"That's what people who love each other do; they protect each other."

"Don't people who love each other get married?"

"If they love each other in that special way."

"Don't you love her that way?"

Ron laughed to himself. "I guess I do. You make it seem so bloody simple."

"It was always simple," Cyrus replied. And then Ron saw the same old Cyrus, so young and yet so wise.

"You ready to fly?" Ron asked.

"Let's do it," Cyrus said, mounting the broom all wrong and falling.

Ron helped him up and taught him how to mount properly.

"This is always what I thought having a dad would be like," he said getting on the broom.

Ron gave him a confident pat on the shoulder, and they took off.

****

A day later they were home. Cyrus, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron. They were all under the same roof. Hermione was elated to have Cyrus home again. Knowing he was at home sleeping in his room like any other child filled her heart with a certain completeness. She sat in the kitchen sipping tea with Ron that first night back. Ginny was asleep, and the house was completely quiet.

"How did Cyrus's flying lessons go?"

"He took to the sky better than he took to his feet," Ron said. "He loved it. Wouldn't be surprised if he ended up on the house team."

" I can't believe I have a child off to Hogwarts next year, and I haven't even married yet or been pregnant."

The both laughed.

"Hermione, have you ever talked to Cyrus and he made the complicated really simple."

"Yes, but I think that's just a gift of being a child. They see things in a simple way. The more we grow up, the harder it is to see things simply."

"Then maybe I should take your kid’s advice."

"Advice?"

Ron got down on one knee.

"What are you—" Hermione began.

"Just give me a second. I know this isn't the perfect place to say this or the perfect moment, but it should have been done long ago. I love you, Hermione. I loved you when I was too young and stupid to know it. I loved you when you were driving me crazy. I loved you when I was away from you. I loved you when I hated you, if that makes any sense at all. And if I loved you through all of that, I know I'll love you forever. So, I was wondering if you would do me the honor of being my wife."

Hermione didn't say anything for a moment. She looked as if she was going to cry.

"Oh Ron," she said throwing her arms around him. "Of course I'll marry you. All you had to do was ask."

Ron and Hermione got married the next year. Harry was the best man, Ginny was the maid-of-honor, and Cyrus was the ring bearer. Less than a year later they had a son, whom they named James Weasley (after Harry, but he insisted they use his middle name). James would come to have several sisters. And all of them loved Cyrus as equally as they loved each other.

But Cyrus's life story does not end here; it only has a new beginning. Cyrus' Hogwarts years started a whole new journey for him. That however, is another story.

-END-