When Severus reached his rooms, he opened his door with extreme caution. He was bracing himself for a big surprise. Slowly and quietly, he opened the door. He peaked in the little crack and saw that it was pitch black. She must not be here yet, he thought, or she might be hiding somewhere.
He opened the door the rest of the way and switched on the light. He found his place to be exactly the way he had left it. How curious, he mused. Just as he walked into his bedroom to put away his robe, he noticed something peculiar. A biscuit in the shape of a bone, was lying on his huge, four-poster bed. He stared at it with curiosity as he removed his robe. He then walked over to his closet and hung his robe inside it. While he was doing this, he swore he heard a patter of feet rush across the room. He whipped his wand out as he simultaneously turned around. Nobody. Not even a mouse was in sight. He walked over to the bed where the curious biscuit lay. He picked it up and sniffed it. Severus' face crinkled up in distaste as he threw the biscuit back down onto the bed. It smelled as though it were an animal treat of some kind. He then picked the treat up again and walked into his lounging room. As he was making his way toward his chair, he was analyzing the foreign treat. He noticed a strange carving in it.
"Milk-Bone," he read off of the treat. "How curious."
He then sat down in his chair and glanced at the fire. But he found he was not alone. There, laying on a sheepskin carpet in front of the fire was a beautiful, snowy dog. It wagged its tail with mirth as he realized that Severus was looking at him. Severus' eyes were nearly popping out of his head. He couldn't even render how the animal had gotten into his rooms. He stood up and tried to shoo it away with his hand that had the treat in it. The dog wagged its tail even faster as he got up to steal the biscuit from Severus' hand. After he finished chomping on the treat, he licked Severus' hand as a thank you.
"How?. .Who?" he started but then heard a giggle from inside his bedroom. "Becky!?"
Becky walked out from his bedroom, a big grin on her face. "Happy Birthday, darling!", she ran over to him and gave him chaste kiss on the lips, "Isn't she wonderful!"
Severus sat there, to awestricken to speak. The dog sat down and rested its big, furry head on Severus knee, her big, hazel eyes staring at him. Severus reached his hand out to pet the dog, but she got excited again and started to lick his hand. He made a face when he pulled away his wet, drool-soaked hand.
"What do you think of her, Severus?" Becky asked as she sat down on the rug to pet and snuggle the dog.
Go on, Severus, his inner self told him, tell her what you think of the dog! Severus looked at the dog's chocolate, brown eyes and felt himself feel something he had never felt before. Was he actually already starting to warm up to this. . . beast? He reached his hand out again and petted her. Her fur was blindly white, long, and extremely soft. Her ears were perky and always twitching whenever she heard the slightest sound. In size, she was like a baby, polar bear. Quite frankly. . . he thought she was pretty cute.
"She's one of the most beautiful of all breeds, the Pyrenean Mountain Dog was originally bred to guard the flocks from wolves and bears, and to protect the shepherd," she stated as she pet the fuzzy dog with interest sparkling in her eyes. "They were also a valued sentry for fortresses and chateaux where their immense strength, vigilance, innate ability to discriminate between friend and foe, and utter fearlessness made them worth their weight in gold. The troubadours that traveled from castle to castle were often accompanied by these magnificent dogs!"
Severus arched an eyebrow at her and she blushed. "And you bother to know all of this because. . .?"
Becky laughed and swatted Severus on the leg. "I was just interested in her breeds history, that's all!"
Severus laughed and asked, "Well, do you know their current use?"
"Well, nowadays, the Pyrenean Mountain Dog's main role is a companion and guardian of the home. Despite her size, she makes an ideal house pet, being the perfect all-round dog for town or country and is a gentle playmate for children-."
"Just what I need!" Severus exclaimed. "He can guard my storage room so no pesky students steal my precious ingredients AND he can play with my students!"
Becky saw that he was joking and added, "Her splendid white jacket requires regular grooming but no trimming."
Severus smiled contentedly and scratched the magnificent dog behind its ears. "What should we call her?"
"It's up to you," Becky said. "She's your dog."
"Our dog," Severus corrected as he grinned at her sudden merry smile.
"Well then? What do you want to call her?" Becky asked urgently.
"How about. . . Ivory."
"Ivory is just fine," Becky replied with a smile.
Is Ivory a dumb name? I thought it would be good since the dog is ivory white. By the way, if you want to see how utterly adorable this dog is go to http://www.petnet.com.au/dogs/D163.html
He opened the door the rest of the way and switched on the light. He found his place to be exactly the way he had left it. How curious, he mused. Just as he walked into his bedroom to put away his robe, he noticed something peculiar. A biscuit in the shape of a bone, was lying on his huge, four-poster bed. He stared at it with curiosity as he removed his robe. He then walked over to his closet and hung his robe inside it. While he was doing this, he swore he heard a patter of feet rush across the room. He whipped his wand out as he simultaneously turned around. Nobody. Not even a mouse was in sight. He walked over to the bed where the curious biscuit lay. He picked it up and sniffed it. Severus' face crinkled up in distaste as he threw the biscuit back down onto the bed. It smelled as though it were an animal treat of some kind. He then picked the treat up again and walked into his lounging room. As he was making his way toward his chair, he was analyzing the foreign treat. He noticed a strange carving in it.
"Milk-Bone," he read off of the treat. "How curious."
He then sat down in his chair and glanced at the fire. But he found he was not alone. There, laying on a sheepskin carpet in front of the fire was a beautiful, snowy dog. It wagged its tail with mirth as he realized that Severus was looking at him. Severus' eyes were nearly popping out of his head. He couldn't even render how the animal had gotten into his rooms. He stood up and tried to shoo it away with his hand that had the treat in it. The dog wagged its tail even faster as he got up to steal the biscuit from Severus' hand. After he finished chomping on the treat, he licked Severus' hand as a thank you.
"How?. .Who?" he started but then heard a giggle from inside his bedroom. "Becky!?"
Becky walked out from his bedroom, a big grin on her face. "Happy Birthday, darling!", she ran over to him and gave him chaste kiss on the lips, "Isn't she wonderful!"
Severus sat there, to awestricken to speak. The dog sat down and rested its big, furry head on Severus knee, her big, hazel eyes staring at him. Severus reached his hand out to pet the dog, but she got excited again and started to lick his hand. He made a face when he pulled away his wet, drool-soaked hand.
"What do you think of her, Severus?" Becky asked as she sat down on the rug to pet and snuggle the dog.
Go on, Severus, his inner self told him, tell her what you think of the dog! Severus looked at the dog's chocolate, brown eyes and felt himself feel something he had never felt before. Was he actually already starting to warm up to this. . . beast? He reached his hand out again and petted her. Her fur was blindly white, long, and extremely soft. Her ears were perky and always twitching whenever she heard the slightest sound. In size, she was like a baby, polar bear. Quite frankly. . . he thought she was pretty cute.
"She's one of the most beautiful of all breeds, the Pyrenean Mountain Dog was originally bred to guard the flocks from wolves and bears, and to protect the shepherd," she stated as she pet the fuzzy dog with interest sparkling in her eyes. "They were also a valued sentry for fortresses and chateaux where their immense strength, vigilance, innate ability to discriminate between friend and foe, and utter fearlessness made them worth their weight in gold. The troubadours that traveled from castle to castle were often accompanied by these magnificent dogs!"
Severus arched an eyebrow at her and she blushed. "And you bother to know all of this because. . .?"
Becky laughed and swatted Severus on the leg. "I was just interested in her breeds history, that's all!"
Severus laughed and asked, "Well, do you know their current use?"
"Well, nowadays, the Pyrenean Mountain Dog's main role is a companion and guardian of the home. Despite her size, she makes an ideal house pet, being the perfect all-round dog for town or country and is a gentle playmate for children-."
"Just what I need!" Severus exclaimed. "He can guard my storage room so no pesky students steal my precious ingredients AND he can play with my students!"
Becky saw that he was joking and added, "Her splendid white jacket requires regular grooming but no trimming."
Severus smiled contentedly and scratched the magnificent dog behind its ears. "What should we call her?"
"It's up to you," Becky said. "She's your dog."
"Our dog," Severus corrected as he grinned at her sudden merry smile.
"Well then? What do you want to call her?" Becky asked urgently.
"How about. . . Ivory."
"Ivory is just fine," Becky replied with a smile.
Is Ivory a dumb name? I thought it would be good since the dog is ivory white. By the way, if you want to see how utterly adorable this dog is go to http://www.petnet.com.au/dogs/D163.html