DISCLAIMER: I own my character, Gryphon, everything else revolves around
J.K. Rowling.
When the pair stepped back into Hogwarts Great Hall Dumbledore was the only person there. Nero was curled up in his lap, sleeping.
"I sent the students to their common rooms for the rest of the day." he looked up at Gryphon and Severus as they walked to the Headmaster's chair at the staff table. "I feared that you two might not make it. But I did not know you were in possession of such magic, Siani. You should have told me."
"It was nothing to be concerned about. The fact that wielding it did not kill me is still quite a shock." she took the sleeping Nero into her arms carefully.
"Quite." Dumbledore stood. "Classes are cancelled for the rest of the day. I suppose that there are a few things that need to be explained... " the Headmaster's eyes moved from Gryphon to Severus.
"Yes." Gryphon said quitely and motioned for Severus to follow her.
"Where are we going?" Severus asked, realizing that hey weren't heading for Gryphon's classroom or office.
"To my quarters. The potion you need is there."
"Potion?" Severus asked, confused yet curious.
"I suspect that you are not used to planeshifting. If you do not treat your body with a certain chemical soon you'll start to fade back and forth between the two planes." she stroked the gryphon knocker on the door and lead Severus into her room. She set Nero down on a pile of pillows. In a whoosh Shan landed on her shoulder.
"Oh thank Gods you are alright! I can't believe that wretch Trykan would try to get the stone when you were in a school! Completely uncivilized is what he is!" the ravix huffed, ruffling his feathers to emphasize his point.
"Shan, everything is fine." Gryphon gently stroked her companion. "But I must talk with Severus now."
The bird started to protest, but thought better of it and quietly made his way out an open window.
Gryphon motioned for Severus to take a seat; he chose a large wine, floofy chair. "So who is Rhianon?" he asked as Gryphon took a seat on her bed.
"That..." she motioned to the large tapestry on her wall. "...is Rhianon. Or was, technically. He was my gryphon mate. The only other soul I ever needed in this world. We both protected the magic of our clans, and it seemed fit that we chose one another... the bonding of two gryphon clans. Trykan discovered how a gryphon's magic could be harnessed, and in his battle for power, killed Rhianon. I have vowed my revenge. And I will have it."
"But haven't you?"
"No. Not even the magic of my clan could destroy Trykan at his current power. The magic I cast only traps him in a barren plane for a period of time. He will be back, and with greater anger. Which is why I have this human form, to try to hide from Trykan while I develop my magic." she sighed and looked at the tapestry. "Without his spirit I couldn't have cast that ancient spell..."
Severus steepled his fingers and started blankly ahead. "Then you're not an animagus..."
"Quite the opposite." Gryphon interrupted. "I am a century and a half old, although my human form retains that of a woman of about twenty. And the many experiences that form has had..."
Severus just raised his eyebrows at her.
"Oh, I am tied to Hogwarts and the people in it in more ways than you can imagine. Dumbledore helped me build my human form. I used to own Young Potter's owl, Hedwig. A few less appropriate ties include affairs with James Potter and Lucius Malfoy... although those were a good while after they graduated."
Severus almost fell out of his seat at the last line. "What?"
Gryphon tried no to laugh. "I traveled for six years, building a human life for myself. In my travels I encountered many men. And me, being the curious creature that I am, explored many things. James was just one night, both of us very drunk, just after he had married Lily. Lucius, well... that was a bit longer than one night. Just after Voldemort's fall Lucius wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. I met him in a tavern not far from the Malfoy mansion. I'm sure he loved me, for a time. And then he started to treat me as he does his wife. And, unlike her, I don't stand for that. I think I was the first, and maybe only, woman to defy Lucius Malfoy."
Severus still wore a shocked expression but his hands had fallen into his lap. "This is a bit much to digest. And I'm betting there is much more to your history."
"Oh, there is... but nothing to trifle with now. AHHH!" Grpyhon jumped up. "The potion!" She ran to a cabinet and pulled out a small clear vial filled with a swirling purple fluid. "Quickly, drink this."
Severus complied, his extensive knowledge of potions not needed to understand the urgency in such a situation.
"You better lie down... sometimes the potion has adverse effects." Gryphon guided Severus over to her bed.
Just before he could sit Severus lost his balance and fell towards the bed, his weight and the surprise pulling Gryphon down on top of him.
They both laid there in shock for a moment, remembering their previous encounter. Severus slowly wrapped an arm around Gryphon's waist and pressed her to him. He reached up and took her lips with his.
"The potion... it's messing with your mind... you don't know what you are doing... what you want..." Gryphon whispered, pulling away.
Severus's eyes narrowed at what he took to be an insult. "I know exactly what I want." he hissed and forced Gryphon to look him in the eyes. "Do you?"
Gryphon shuddered under the force of his stare. "I want you... but I must warn you, this form doesn't rid me of my gryphon instincts."
Severus raised an eyebrow, not quite sure what he was getting into. "Fair game, I've been warned." he whispered and pushed Gryphon under his body. "And I know exactly what I am doing..."
When the pair stepped back into Hogwarts Great Hall Dumbledore was the only person there. Nero was curled up in his lap, sleeping.
"I sent the students to their common rooms for the rest of the day." he looked up at Gryphon and Severus as they walked to the Headmaster's chair at the staff table. "I feared that you two might not make it. But I did not know you were in possession of such magic, Siani. You should have told me."
"It was nothing to be concerned about. The fact that wielding it did not kill me is still quite a shock." she took the sleeping Nero into her arms carefully.
"Quite." Dumbledore stood. "Classes are cancelled for the rest of the day. I suppose that there are a few things that need to be explained... " the Headmaster's eyes moved from Gryphon to Severus.
"Yes." Gryphon said quitely and motioned for Severus to follow her.
"Where are we going?" Severus asked, realizing that hey weren't heading for Gryphon's classroom or office.
"To my quarters. The potion you need is there."
"Potion?" Severus asked, confused yet curious.
"I suspect that you are not used to planeshifting. If you do not treat your body with a certain chemical soon you'll start to fade back and forth between the two planes." she stroked the gryphon knocker on the door and lead Severus into her room. She set Nero down on a pile of pillows. In a whoosh Shan landed on her shoulder.
"Oh thank Gods you are alright! I can't believe that wretch Trykan would try to get the stone when you were in a school! Completely uncivilized is what he is!" the ravix huffed, ruffling his feathers to emphasize his point.
"Shan, everything is fine." Gryphon gently stroked her companion. "But I must talk with Severus now."
The bird started to protest, but thought better of it and quietly made his way out an open window.
Gryphon motioned for Severus to take a seat; he chose a large wine, floofy chair. "So who is Rhianon?" he asked as Gryphon took a seat on her bed.
"That..." she motioned to the large tapestry on her wall. "...is Rhianon. Or was, technically. He was my gryphon mate. The only other soul I ever needed in this world. We both protected the magic of our clans, and it seemed fit that we chose one another... the bonding of two gryphon clans. Trykan discovered how a gryphon's magic could be harnessed, and in his battle for power, killed Rhianon. I have vowed my revenge. And I will have it."
"But haven't you?"
"No. Not even the magic of my clan could destroy Trykan at his current power. The magic I cast only traps him in a barren plane for a period of time. He will be back, and with greater anger. Which is why I have this human form, to try to hide from Trykan while I develop my magic." she sighed and looked at the tapestry. "Without his spirit I couldn't have cast that ancient spell..."
Severus steepled his fingers and started blankly ahead. "Then you're not an animagus..."
"Quite the opposite." Gryphon interrupted. "I am a century and a half old, although my human form retains that of a woman of about twenty. And the many experiences that form has had..."
Severus just raised his eyebrows at her.
"Oh, I am tied to Hogwarts and the people in it in more ways than you can imagine. Dumbledore helped me build my human form. I used to own Young Potter's owl, Hedwig. A few less appropriate ties include affairs with James Potter and Lucius Malfoy... although those were a good while after they graduated."
Severus almost fell out of his seat at the last line. "What?"
Gryphon tried no to laugh. "I traveled for six years, building a human life for myself. In my travels I encountered many men. And me, being the curious creature that I am, explored many things. James was just one night, both of us very drunk, just after he had married Lily. Lucius, well... that was a bit longer than one night. Just after Voldemort's fall Lucius wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. I met him in a tavern not far from the Malfoy mansion. I'm sure he loved me, for a time. And then he started to treat me as he does his wife. And, unlike her, I don't stand for that. I think I was the first, and maybe only, woman to defy Lucius Malfoy."
Severus still wore a shocked expression but his hands had fallen into his lap. "This is a bit much to digest. And I'm betting there is much more to your history."
"Oh, there is... but nothing to trifle with now. AHHH!" Grpyhon jumped up. "The potion!" She ran to a cabinet and pulled out a small clear vial filled with a swirling purple fluid. "Quickly, drink this."
Severus complied, his extensive knowledge of potions not needed to understand the urgency in such a situation.
"You better lie down... sometimes the potion has adverse effects." Gryphon guided Severus over to her bed.
Just before he could sit Severus lost his balance and fell towards the bed, his weight and the surprise pulling Gryphon down on top of him.
They both laid there in shock for a moment, remembering their previous encounter. Severus slowly wrapped an arm around Gryphon's waist and pressed her to him. He reached up and took her lips with his.
"The potion... it's messing with your mind... you don't know what you are doing... what you want..." Gryphon whispered, pulling away.
Severus's eyes narrowed at what he took to be an insult. "I know exactly what I want." he hissed and forced Gryphon to look him in the eyes. "Do you?"
Gryphon shuddered under the force of his stare. "I want you... but I must warn you, this form doesn't rid me of my gryphon instincts."
Severus raised an eyebrow, not quite sure what he was getting into. "Fair game, I've been warned." he whispered and pushed Gryphon under his body. "And I know exactly what I am doing..."
