One afternoon Lirawin's door swung open, sending her scurrying for her bed. A young boy came in and looked around before approaching the bed.
"Hello? Is someone in here?" the curtains slowly opened and he smiled at her curiously. "Do you live here?" she nodded. He spotted the collar. "Who do you belong to?" ashamed by the question she looked away from him.
"Severus Snape if anyone, as Dumbledore's trapped me here because I won't serve him,"
"I'm Draco Malfoy, I'm a student here, I'm sorry I frightened you." He held out his hand.
"I'm Lirawin, it's ok, company is welcome." She smiled warmly.
"I was looking for a quiet place to do my work, would you mind if I did it in here?"
"Not at all, though I must tell you that Severus comes and takes me out after dinner so I won't be here then." Draco nodded and sat down on her couch and set his work on the table. She followed him; now in fall plumage, the blue-gray was striking against the pink fabric as she curled up next to him watching with interest. He opened a few books and a bit of parchment and began scribbling away. She peered curiously at the books with the rows of odd markings on the pages. Draco noticed her curiosity and smiled.
"You don't know how to read do you?" She shook her head. "Well, I've never taught someone to read before but I can read it to you if you like." She smiled.
"That would be nice." She listened intently to him fascinated as he ran his finger along beneath a row of symbols translating them into words. By the time Draco had completed his work she could recognize a few common simple words. As he packed up his things he gave her an absentminded pat on the head and she gave a soft purr.
"I'll come back tomorrow if that's ok with you?"
"Please do, its horribly lonesome in here,"
Draco's visits became daily almost without fail and it was not long before Lirawin was a passable reader. They became good friends and she particularly enjoyed his habit of bringing her sweets in exchange for trick performing.
Months passed and became years and still Lirawin continued to live in her little room undisturbed by anyone but Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy.
That is, until the afternoon Dumbledore wandered in on her playing a game of chess with Draco. Magic crackled across her fur and she snarled at the intruder.
"What do you want?" she demanded.
"I see you have company," Dumbledore eyed Draco dubiously. "I'd like to speak to you…"
"You are," she snapped, interrupting him. "And I'd appreciate it if you'd finish as quickly as possible."
"..in private." He finished glaring at her. Draco rose.
"I'll be going then, see you tomorrow Lirawin, we can continue the game tomorrow, I trust you won't cheat while I'm gone," He smirked and tousled her fur as he left, provoking a small amused smile. As the door closed behind him the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes appeared.
"I'm sure you'd like an update on the outside world,"
"Not if I'm never going to see it again," she muttered darkly.
"The Dark Lord Voldemort has returned to power, we are readying Potter to defeat him according to the prophecy, but we could use any available help. Are you ready to visit the outside world and help us to defeat Voldemort?"
"Join you, you mean?" at his cheerful nod she chuckled darkly. "Nope, good luck," She continued to smile as the twinkle left his eyes.
"I'm not giving you a choice this time, you insolent beast," The smile fell from her face replaced by a wary expression. "You're going to work for Professor Snape, helping him brew potions and do research I've asked him to do. And another student will be one of your visitors; she's in the same year as your earlier visitor. She will be studying you for healing possibilities." A mocking smile lit her face for a split second only to quickly fade into a façade of steely indifference.
"And if I refuse?"
"I'll destroy the leash and tell the house elves to stop feeding you. You'll never leave this room again." She winced. "Now, are you going to cooperate with me?" She nodded defeatedly. "Excellent, Miss Granger will be here tomorrow afternoon." Dumbledore swept out of the room.
Working for Snape was nothing new to Lirawin and she easily followed Snape's orders in the lab as she was already accustomed to doing so at all times, influenced into easy obedience of him from years of dependence on his kindness to go outside of her room and from being under his control because of the leash. Working with Miss Granger however was a challenge. Not only did it interfere with her time with Draco, but the strain of being questioned, examined and be-spelled was exhausting.
However, within a few visits, Hermione had come to respect the strange creature she studied and her friendship with the Slytherin Hermione despised, and delayed her visits so they could have time together without her interference. The two students developed a friendship over the course of the year and often worked together on Hermione's project of healing spells and potions both for Lirawin and for their own kind utilizing her.
A little over a year later the castle broke into such a ruckus she could hear it deep in her dungeon cell. It sounded as though bits of the castle were falling apart. Terrified, Lirawin huddled in a corner of her room.
"The whole castle's going to come down on me all because of that wretch, Dumbledore, please, someone let me out of here!" She begged to her empty room. After a particularly violent crash there was a split second pause and she felt the magic restraining her shift and loosen slightly. Hopeful, her things shrank and vanished into a sachet at her waist. Cautiously she approached the door to her room and thinking twice she took the leash still hanging on the wall though it no longer tingled with magic at her touch and she slowly pushed open the door. Yells sounded through the halls as though there was some sort of battle going on. Suddenly a black shape rushed down the hall towards her, she ducked away from it before realizing that it was Severus.
"Come on girl! We've got to get out of here!" Rapidly he leashed her and led her out of the dungeons where they were met by Draco. They rushed out of the castle chased by stunners and hexes and fled into the Forbidden Forest. Deep in the forest they finally stopped and Snape turned to Lirawin.
"We are going to Voldemort to report on the attack. You will obey me in everything and will not speak to anyone or transform unless I tell you too. Is that clear?" Spooked she nodded then pushed through their mental link.
'May I speak to you through this?' he responded in kind.
'Yes, that would be best,' The terseness of his mental voice betrayed the great stress he was under but before she could ponder this further there was a pair of resounding cracks echoing through the forest and they had Apparated.