In Every Darkness
Chapter Twenty Four: Parenthood
2.8.1998(Morning)
Harry lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, panting a serene light blue. He was still feeling somewhat amazed from the events of the night before – the gift presented to him by the Order of the Phoenix was bordering on the impossible to comprehend.
There was a slight click of claws as that very gift approached Harry's bed. Then there was a slight pause, followed by fluttering of wings and then a heavy thump as something landed on the bed. There was a low, demanding cry and Harry opened his eyes wearily.
He looked into the fierce golden eyes of a griffin. Though still very young, Harry knew that it was incredibly dangerous, as were any of it's kind.
They'd learned about these creatures some time ago in Care of Magical Creatures, and Harry had been very captivated by the pictures of them.
This ones parents had died at the hands of Death Eaters no longer than a week ago, before the Order of the Phoenix could come to the creatures defense.
This one cub had been alive when the Order had defeated those Death Eaters left alive. Dumbledore had brought it back, apparently with Harry in mind.
The night before, Dumbledore had told Harry that griffins gave birth only once every several centuries, and so no one had ever been able to find out what happened with their young.
From what the Order had been able to work out, baby griffins would bond to anyone who was a major figure in their lives for the first four months.
What made this creature so important was that it was only three months old. With it's parents dead, it would have to find something else to become its 'parental figure', and quickly.
Having been presented to Harry, the Order of the Phoenix hoped that it would bond with him, and therefore become a great protection against dark forces.
Griffins, it seemed, were very loyal and defensive of those they befriended. If Harry won this creatures friendship, it would protect him to the death.
The little creature screeched at Harry again, and the boy rested a hand gently on its head, it stilled its cries, momentarily, and Harry swung himself up from the bed.
On his bedside table was a bowl of fresh minced meat. The griffin watched him lift the bowl, and immediately sat down, half unfolded its wings, tipped its head back and opened its beak, demanding to be fed.
Carefully, Harry lifted some of the meat in his fingers and dropped into the griffins open mouth. It closed it's beak, swallowed, then opened again, demanding more food.
Half an hour later, the creature was full, and sleepy. Harry lifted it gently, letting it droop itself comfortably over his arm before he stood up.
There was a sudden crack and Dobby appeared.
"Master Harry has fed the griffin?" The little creature asked him. When Harry
nodded, Dobby reached for the bowl. "With Master Harry's permission?" he said,
removing it from Harry's bedside.
"Thanks Dobby," Harry replied, smiling
gratefully at the house elf. Near ecstatic with the praise, Dobby disappeared
in another crack to perform whatever duties he thought were needed.
The griffin did not seem particularly disturbed by the house elf, and merely opened one golden eye to look the other creature over with interest, and then allow itself to fall back into a drowse.
Harry headed downstairs so that he could eat his own breakfast, and found that just about everyone was up before him.
"You missed Snape," Hermione muttered to him. "He was in something of a good mood."
"I suppose someone must have told him about Lupin's death," Ron remarked darkly.
"Ron!" Hermione sounded scandalized. "He might be mean, but he isn't evil."
Harry rolled his eyes as the conversation between his two friends developed into an argument. He ate at a leisurely pace, while watching the griffin that nestled in his lap for any signs of needing anything.
When the creature stretched and yawned, Ron and Hermione stopped their argument to watch it with expressions of surprise and a little awe.
Then it curled up and settled itself once more, not yet ready to wake up properly. Harry knew that it would become more active in the next month or so as it finished it's period of babyhood.
Then it would begin to grow, very fast, for a few months until it reached roughly the size of a sheep dog, before it's growth slowed until it reached its adult years.
This was about all that Order could piece together from the various references to griffins throughout history. There was very little to go on.
"Keep a diary of what you observe about the griffin," Tatsu had advised him the night before. "You'll make a fortune if you ever wanted to publish it. As you know, very little is known of them."
Harry had decided to do just that, in case someone else ever found themselves in a situation like the one he had stumbled into.
Just as the argument between Ron and Hermione risked becoming an all out war, Harry stepped in. "Don't you think we should get some homework done? There is a little under a month till we go back to Hogwarts," he pointed out.
"Of course!" Hermione cried. "Oh dear, I've been so neglectful about homework this holidays. Come on you two, we need to use the library," she headed out of the kitchen and Harry and Ron trailed after her.
"What did you say that for?" Ron moaned. "I won't get away from the library all day now."
"I was getting tired of listening to you argue," Harry replied simply, and Ron rolled his eyes.
After three hours in the library, with Hermione sending them off for obscure books, while she hunted for even more obscure titles, Harry was beginning to wish that he hadn't said anything.
Suddenly, just as he was seriously considering disappearing into the secret passageway, the griffin woke up properly, it had been dozing fitfully for some time now.
It screeched, demanding food, and Ron and Hermione, just coming back with arms full of books, looked as if they wanted to just drop all of the books and cover their ears – or run.
In the end they made it to the table, dropped the books on it, and backed away, covering their ears.
Dobby appeared with a crack, accompanied by a bowl of mince meat. Harry smiled in relief and took the bowl from the elf. The moment it saw food, the griffin assumed a 'feed me' position.
Harry sighed and obeyed its commands while Dobby hovered, waiting to take the bowl away again. Eventually the creature finished eating, and settled down to sleep again for a little while.
Dobby took the bowl away and disappeared with a crack, just as Tatsu turned up. "Harry! I need you, now," he said.
Harry knew that this meant his teacher was ready to give him another lesson, and hastily made excuses to Ron and Hermione, then hurried after Tatsu.
Hermione sighed as Harry left. "At least he isn't angry like he was last summer. I just wish he had more time to spend with us."
"I wish he did too," Ron agreed. "But I don't think he'd appreciate us forcing our company on him right now. I wonder what Tatsu's teaching him?"
"Who knows," Hermione responded. "Oh well, Harry's finished the Defense homework, so we may as well start on that now, since he won't want any help with it."
Ron sighed and started sorting through various books to find the defense ones and get started.
Tatsu led the way to Harry's room. "Put your new friend down," he told Harry, nodding to the griffin.
Harry placed the little creature on the bed and turned quickly slipped into the walk-in wardrobe, changing in record time into the Gi. Tatsu had shown him how to put the outfit on a while ago, back on Privet Drive.
Harry forced his thoughts away from there, knowing that it would remind of Remus's death … Too late, he realised he'd just thought of that.
Voldemort's fault. Voldemort's fault. Voldemort's fault, he thought hard, forcing away the feelings of guilt and sadness that momentarily threatened to overtake him.
Then, in a seconds concentration, his mind dropped, falling easily into the centre.
When he walked out, Tatsu gave an approving nod, and a moment later his face, also, fell into the almost expressionless mask that meant he'd entered his centre also.
Then the fight began as Tatsu kicked out towards Harry's stomach, Harry turned aside and kicked for Tatsu's other leg, hoping to trip him, but Tatsu flipped backwards onto his hands, and then onto his feet again, punching for the side of Harry's head.
Harry rocked backwards a little without even thinking about it. The fight continued, both of them completely caught up in what they were doing.
Suddenly there was an angry shriek and something golden-brown in colour launched itself at Tatsu. Harry spent one moment wondering what in the world it was, then remembered: the griffin.
"No," he told it quietly, Tatsu had caught it was trying to keep it from scratching him with its bared claws. "It's alright. Tatsu is teaching me how to fight, not trying to hurt me," he gathered it into his arms, and creature snuggled against him, then clacked its beak apologetically at Tatsu.
Harry assumed that it could understand English.
"I think that perhaps we should leave your training for a little while, until your friend becomes more familiar with you and your human friends," Tatsu remarked, smiling slightly.
Harry gave a half laugh and nodded his head in agreement. "Right. A pity. You can still show me some moves to practice though."
Tatsu grinned. "Tomorrow," he promised. "Right now you've got an owl," he nodded to the window before withdrawing.
Harry turned in surprise, and watched as a bird flew closer and closer. He wondered why Tatsu thought the owl was coming for him, then remembered that everyone else had their mail come to different places, lest this one be discovered.
He threw the window open one handed, just before the bird arrived. Setting the griffin gently on the bed, he took the letter from the owl and read through it quickly.
Dear Harry,
This is Michael. I'm not sure where you've gone now, but I heard about the attack on your family. I know that you are with Dumbledore, so perhaps it would be a bad idea for us to continue your extra help in the Potions front – I wouldn't want either of us to get in trouble for it.
I will see you again soon sometime, I hope, as I enjoyed our last meeting – I believe that, given time, we could become friends.
If you wish to contact me, I am not hard to find (I sent this owl out simply hoping for the best, I do not know that it will find you).
Hoping to hear from your soon,
Michael.
Harry smiled slightly and took out one of the quills he'd been gifted with to write a quick response.
Michael,
Sorry for disappearing like that. Your bird did find me, as this reply will confirm. I am with Dumbledore, yes, and I agree, it would be dangerous for both of our positions for you to come here.
If there comes a time when it will be safe and beneficial for both of us to meet up, I'll let you know immediately.
Thank you for the letter, I really appreciate it,
~Harry.
"Here," he said, handing the note to the bird, which took it immediately and soared from the open window. Harry quickly closed the window again, as the griffin was watching it with interest.
"Come on," he told it wearily. "Let's get back to Ron and Hermione."
***
Not even a cliffie! Lucky people! *grins* review please!
~WolfMoon