Chapter One:
A new presence in the Forest
Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts, swept up to the Astronomy Tower. He had just had a bout with Minerva McGonagall over the use of a certain potion on students, and was in no mood to run in to anyone. He stood facing the Forbidden Forest, calming himself. It wouldn't do any good for someone to make him blow up. He couldn't risk it.
Suddenly he saw something. A small light of some sort, like moonlight glinting off a shiny object. He looked harder, then gave up and used one of the ever-present telescopes. When he looked through it and had it focused, what he saw blew his mind.
There, at the edge of the forest, stood a young woman of 17, dressed in dark breeches and a slightly lighter shirt, both hidden under a long dark green cloak which blew out about her, giving her an air of power. Long tendrils of dark –brown or red? He couldn't see clearly…- hair twined around her to her waist, falling like a curtain behind her and twining like eves around her neck.
It was her companions that completely blew him. With her stood three wolf-like figures, except something was wrong. Not wrong, he corrected, but different. Literally.
One wolf was a deep red, but the way it's coat of fur moved, it looked like dancing flames. It seemed lean, and had a warlike manner. Although it moved around, there was no sign of singed ground (he checked the next day). It was as if it wasn't burning.
The second was another wolf, this one an icy blue, but not in the manner of ice. Indeed, it did not walk but glided. It glided around the girl, then back towards the Forest. Once it looked up towards the Astronomy Tower, but then continued it's "pacing". It, too, had a warlike attitude.
It was the third that caught his attention. Looking at it, he felt a sense of peace and calm flow through him. Before him stood a wolf of a startling blue, like a river. It's fur was always moving in the manner of a river, and it's eyes were such a deep blue that one could almost drown in them. It did not move about, but sat sedately at the girl's feet. The two watched the sun set as they waited.
He looked around after a while, and noticed a bird that seemed slightly larger than most seen around the castle. Flying towards the girl was a large golden hawk. It landed on the girl's shoulder. Together, the wolves, girl, and hawk went into the Forest.
Snape stepped back and immediately went to tell the Headmaster. This was serious; the girl had to be taken away and the animals seen to. He had a feeling that, though they might not be there to go against the Light, they might not be there for it either.
Dumbledore was most interested in this new development. He listened silently as Snape explained all he had saw and felt.
"They were waiting for that Hawk, like it was something important."
Dumbledore nodded slightly. He remembered what Severus had described the wolves like: the red one with a coat of flames (Fire, he thought); the icy blue one that glided (Air,); and the blue one with the rippling coat and peaceful sense (Water). He realized that one was missing.
"Severus, if you must watch for her again, be careful. I have a feeling that there is more to that young girl than you would imagine."
Snape nodded. He too had come to the same conclusions. He was about to leave when he stopped.
"Professor… If I should by chance find her in person, would there be harm in my inviting her in for a meal?"
Dumbledore smiled. "No, no harm at all. As long as she is within sight, there would perhaps be a chance of friendship… If she is trustworthy."
Snape nodded. "If she is trustworthy." He left then, going to his room and making plans. After all, he had a girl to search for on the morrow.
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The girl in question was laying curled up in the roots of a great oak who had taken a liking to her. She yawned, smiling softly as the wolves came to arrange themselves around her. The hawk had fallen asleep just above her. They would be her guardians, as they'd said often enough. She stretched slightly, smiled, and fell asleep.
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Hagrid walked carefully through the Forest, right to where he knew she'd be. Quietly he stepped up and set down the package where she'd seen it when she woke. Inside was some food he'd taken from the kitchens. He had seen her there every night for the past four months, and seeing as she'd done nothing harmful, he had taken to feeding her. He did not let her see him, knowing she'd run (he's a half-giant, after all), but smiled when he saw her. Then he would leave just as quietly, and return the next night. It had become routine. One neither of them wanted to break.
As he left, he felt something cold land on him, then another, and another. He looked up. Snow was falling; winter had come. He sighed, taking off his cloak and dropping it down nearby. Then he turned and walked away, not seeing her bright green eyes open as she watched him silently before taking his coat and covering herself with it.
A/N: That was completely off the top of my head. I'm crazy, I know.
The Elemental wolves were something I had in mind for a long time, though it's always stayed in RPGs before this. The girl is the Earth one, if you didn't guess that, and this will be SeverusOC relationship. You won't learn her name yet, though! Lol. Have fun!
