The Birth of a Project

Sally-Anne sighed to herself as she ate lunch with her friend, Susan Bones. Hogwarts had been thrown into commotion by the escape of Sirius Black the previous night and the revealation that Professor Lupin was a werewolf. It had been known that Professor Snape had been after his job and had struck at his rival by telling all the Slytherins that morning and almost immediately the news spread to the other three houses. Sally brushed her hair away from her face as she reflected on the injustice of it. Lupin's lycanthropy was not a curse. It made him different, but need that be written off as wrong? In her view, all magical creatures should look out for each other. Why should hostility rend their little world apart? Magical beings and beasts were her special interest. To think what secrets could be unlocked if inane bigotry against other forms of life should cease...

The mood in the castle had lightened now that the Dementors were gone. Everyone knew Dementors were unbeings. Demons. They were the real enemy of light and reason. When wizards fought wizards and magical creatures hated one another, only those foul fiends would benefit.

"You are a dreamer, Sally," said Susan Bones, flicking her long, red plait over her shoulder. With a start, Sally realised she had been lost in thought while her friend had been trying to speak. Sorry, Susie, she said, blushing deeply. "I was just, um, thinking about how lucky it was that Hagrid's hippogriff escaped last night."

"I agree, my auntie should probably have intervened," agreed Susan.

"I just want to congratulate Hagrid," said Sally, getting to her feet. "See you in class."

Hagrid was in a very cheery mood when Sally arrived at his hut. "Sally! How are yer," he said, clapping her on the shoulder and making her knees buckle. "It's a won'erful day today. Beaky is free... and I have some good news... I think yer should know that one of my students has done ruddy brillian' in her special project."

"Special project?" For a moment Sally was indignant. Hagrid had been wasting the third years' time on flobberworms. To think he had been showing other years the true wonders of the magical world! "You mean she gets to look after proper creatures like Hippogriffs?"

"It's alrigh' Sally, you can come and see," said Hagrid. "Ye'll appreciate it."

Hagrid beckoned her to follow him and he gathered up his crossbow and strode into the Forbidden Forest with Sally hurrying to keep pace with him. They went along a winding path, almost overgrown with thistles and brambles. Stray branches kept snagging on Sally's hair and robes. Eventually they reached a clearing with a curious, ramshackle wooden house and Hagrid went inside.

Sally followed, finding herself in a surprisingly well appointed room, with a soft featherbed in the middle. Lacey, a seventh year girl also from Hufflepuff house lay on the bed, stark naked, her long, blond hair loose. With a surge of amazement that left her quite giddy, Sally saw that she was cuddling what looked like a baby - and a tiny foal fused into one body. It had the body of a little foal, legs sprawled higgeldy-piggeldy over the bed, but it also had the torso, chubby little arms and head of a human baby, suckling on Lacey's breast.

"Congratulations Lacey!" Said Hagrid, beaming at her. "I knew yer could do it. Ye'd never leave yer own foal over stupid reasons. Sally would like to congratulate you too. She's interested in what magical creatures ye can create by mixing magical genes." Lacey had been away from the Set (as Hufflepuff house's common room was called) for a while and she had been heavily pregnant before her absense. But Sally had had no idea that she would be having a baby centaur!

Lacey's face had a somewhat haggard look, but she beamed at Sally, her blue eyes sparkling. "That's so sweet of you, Sally," she said. "I knew you would want to support me."

Sally spoke up, bursting to give voice to what was on her mind. "Lacey, you and a unicorn...? Wow." Sally knew full well that centaurs were born from unions between witches and unicorn stallions, but the centaur herd in the Forbidden Forest retained rigid control of all centaur breeding. She felt quite giddy at Lacey's boldness.

"The Herd wouldn' like it - they've caught witches and unicorns and made 'em breed before, so there'd be more centaurs, but then they keep their own mothers and fathers prisoner," said Hagrid, his beard quivering in indignation.

"Hagrid was really supportive, he knows how I love unicorns," said Lacey with a sniff. "He found one that would lie with me and it was an interesting experience. I don't care if others are going to judge me. My son and I will just ride away, go where we please."

"Let me touch him," whispered Sally, enchanted. Lacey's centaur child was still suckling at his mother's breast, but Lacey nodded and Sally stroked the centaur's flank, which was already covered with silver fur.

"I'm goin' ter make new interestin' creatures, there's something happenning next year," said Hagrid mysteriously. "But I'd like ter try a new experiment, too," he added, looking significantly at Sally. "A brand new cross of human and magical creature, but it'd need a volunteer?" Sally stared. Was Hagrid saying what she thought he was?