Title: Hermione Granger and the Centaur Boy
Author: EV /Rhonda Weasley
E-Mail: lady_vader21@yahoo.com
Timeline: future fic, post-Hogwarts years


Chapter Six: The New Cyrus
Summary: Hermione works on bringing Cyrus home again.


"He's what?" Ron asked sitting opposite Hermione in her classroom. Ginny was there too, Hermione had sent her an Owl. The Christmas Holidays had come and most of the students weren't at school, so Hermione had time to talk to 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? We studied unicorns in 'Care of Magical Creatures. To most they're just pretty horses."

"Pretty horses who's 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 know 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."


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 will be weird."

"Weird? You grew up with humans."

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

"But you could come and live with me in my world. Maybe 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 this. "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 will be first to volunteer to give you a flying lesson. And Harry will 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 Hagrids that evening and she sent a reply back.

She left around dinner time 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 before. 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 neat Aragog," Cyrus said. He would have asked how the boy knew what he feared, but he didn't. He always believed Cyrus had a 6th sense about certain things.

Cyrus did turn 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.

"Cool," 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.

"We need to talk about Cyrus," Hermione said.

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

"Raine," a voice said from behind him.

Raine turned toward the voice. It came from an older centaur, but not too old. He was going gray, but flecks of gold were in his hair and beard (which covered most of his chest).

"Sorry sir, I'm 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. "You I will speak with later."

"Yes Tarek," Raine said walking away.

"Come," Tarek said to the group and lead 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.

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

"Signs?" Hermione said.

"In the stars," Tarek said. "Great things are expected from Raine's son. 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 my center."

"It's a good name, for the Sun is a star and 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, Cyrus is a gift to the world, Raine can not see that, guilt and pain have not let him. If he could only let go of his own guilt just the sight of his son could cure him, for he would see that all his mother was, he now is and more. Raine was once a great counselor and healer, people could go to him. He was not always as he is now and 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 centuars 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 se was born. I was suppose to take care of him, her words."

"Unicorns can talk?" Ron asked shocked.

"It isn't speech like I speak to you now. It's a different understanding. She seemed to slip away as he was given life and I couldn't touch him. I only left him for a day, when I came back for him, he was gone and there was blood and there was the wolf. 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. This mother. 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 into the familiar path, a creature emerged from the darkness. Hermione and Ron immediately pulled out thier wands, but Cyrus approached the creature.

"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."

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 his nervous eyes.


*****
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 end 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 walking like a normal boy."

Cyrus laughed.

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

"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. Just like you said you did." She touched the side of his face gently. "And your father, you'll one day he'll him too. I saw it begin the day we left. Now, lets teach you how to put on a pair of trousers," Hermione said.

After a struggle to teach him how to dress properly, they headed to the Great Hall where Ginny and Ron were waiting. They saw Cyrus holding Hermione's hand, looking like an 11 year old sized baby new on it's feet and 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 forhead, 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 said.

"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 started after him at a run. That quick 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 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 cause 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 so 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.


****

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. Ginny was asleep too and the house was completely quiet.

"How did Cyrus' 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."

"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 less things make sense."

"Then maybe I should take your kids 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 to 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 love 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."


And I guess all there is to say now is that Ron and Hermione did get married the next year, Harry was the best man, Ginny was the maid-of-honor, 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). And James would come to have several sisters. And all of them loved Cyrus as equally as they loved each other.

Cyrus did well at Hogwarts, but he only went for four years. At the end of his fourth year he achieved something he had been working on since his second year, he became an animagus. Though Cyrus adjusted to his human form, it never felt natural. But as an animagus he discovered his true form, that of a unicorn. But not just any unicorn, a strong, male, white winged unicorn. And flying in that form felt more natural then any broomstick. So at the end of the year he kept this form and did not return to Hogwarts to finish. But Cyrus' story in that form and the story of how he discovered his destiny and returned to the centaur village, well it's another story all together. But one thing never changed in all their lives. Inside himself Cyrus always saw Hermione as his mother and he was always her son.

June 13.2003

Whoo, hoo, I finished it before Harry Potter's Book Five canon came into play.