Did Hagrid Really Raise Werewolf Cubs Under His Bed?

This seemed like a throwaway statement by Tom Riddle in Chamber of Secrets, but with new information from Pottermore, this quote might have some truth to it:

Big, blundering Hagrid, in trouble every other week, trying to raise werewolf cubs under his bed, sneaking off to the Forbidden Forest to wrestle trolls… – Chamber of Secrets

Pottermore’s information pertains to werewolves and more to the point, confirms the existence of werewolf cubs:

One curious feature of [lycanthropy] is that if two werewolves meet and mate at the full moon… the result of the mating will be wolf cubs [that] resemble true wolves in everything except their abnormally high intelligence. They are not more aggressive than normal wolves and do not single out humans for attack. Such a litter was once set free, under conditions of extreme secrecy, in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts, with the kind permission of Albus Dumbledore. The cubs grew into beautiful and unusually intelligent wolves, and some of them live there still, which has given rise to the stories about ‘werewolves’ in the Forest – stories none of the teachers, or the gamekeeper, has done much to dispel because keeping students out of the Forest is, in their view, highly desirable.” – Pottermore

If Albus Dumbledore had to give permission, we know the occurrence of werewolf cubs in the Forbidden Forest took place in the last 50 years.

We also know the stigma associated with werewolves is intense, and therefore, it is highly unlikely the mother of these werewolves would want/be able to look after her litter as a human.

So taking into account:

1. A litter of werewolf cubs was born in the Forbidden Forest in the last 50 years.

2. The cubs would most likely be orphaned in the forest as soon as the mother transformed.

3. Hagrid loves the Forbidden Forest and probably spent time there during his school days.

4. If 12-year-old Hagrid came across the orphaned cubs, it is no stretch of the imagination to believe he would’ve tried to look after them.

5. Tom Riddle loved knowing people’s secrets, so if Hagrid had been raising werewolf cubs, Riddle would’ve undoubtedly conned the information out of him… however, Hagrid “wrestling trolls” remains to be seen (although not out of the question… read more about Hagrid as the secret bad boy of the Harry Potter universe here.)

Therefore, it is highly likely Hagrid really did raise werewolf cubs under his bed.

Also – they’re really cute.