Centaur

Centaurs are a composite race of creatures, part human and part horse. While their origins are in the Middle East, centaurs can be found almost anywhere in the world with the largest populations in the forests of Greece and Scotland. Due to their isolation from other races it is not fully known what their population status is, but an educated guess says that they are now endangered due to the Great Purge. In the past, centaurs were classified as beasts by the Ministry — by their own choice, mind you. However, as times changed the ruling for what classified as a beast, being, or spirit changed as well.

Characteristics
Very easy to recognize, a centaur is a creature with the torso of a human and the hindquarters of a horse. Their appearances can vary greatly in both halves. The horse's coat can be a variety of colors and patterns where as the human half is typically muscled with complexions varying from fair, tan, dark, or even gray.

Centaurs seem to be very prideful of their race and are not prone to trusting outsiders. Even those who do gain their trust can lose it in a heartbeat should they say or do one small mistake to insult the centaurs. These creatures are not patient or forgiving, and have a particular dislike of being used as a work animal. You will very rarely find a centaur that will offer to give rides on their back or pull carts. In fact, many would trample you to the ground for even suggesting it.

While they do not possess any real magical abilities of their own, centaurs are acknowledged for their skills in archery, healing, Divination, and Astronomy. They seem far more interested in nature than technology even after so many years of the rest of the world (including wizarding society) evolving. Centaurs seem content with their bows and arrows and knowledge of the earth and stars to get them what they need.

Half-Centaurs
These half-breeds are a rarity, but they do exist and have experienced plenty of discrimination from wizarding society in the past, and they are still quite discriminated against in centaur society. Many half-centaurs are a product of rape, as centaurs are known to capture and gang-rape female trespassers before leaving her for dead in the wilderness. Some of these females are found and rescued, later giving birth to a half-breed. Even more rare, is the consenting union between a centaur and witch or wizard. Most (if not all) of the time, a centaur who takes a partner of a differing race is exiled/disowned/sometimes even killed by their herd.

Half-centaurs are described as having athletic (or sometimes lanky) builds and fast metabolisms, and are slightly taller than average for a human with females having abnormally large busts and for males, abnormally large genitals. They are generally hairy around the knees and elbows and most half-centaurs have a horse's tail though it is usually advised to keep them trimmed and hidden from view. If their human parent is a wizard, the half-centaur will inherit magic abilities and be allowed to attend Hogwarts.

Known Half-Centaurs

 * Hermes Lestrange
 * Rhaegar Lestrange