Author's Note: This is the first fanfiction of any sort i've ever
written. I'm told my style is addictive, so if you choose to read be
warned that you might find yourself begging for more.
And I welcome commentary, positive or negative, just so long as the reviewer is polite.
Summary: Snape meets a gryffin in the Forbidden Forest and she follows him back to Hogwarts. After being injured she is allowed to stay in the school. But why is the Dark Lord interested in the newcomer? And will she regain her former power before it's too late?
A Gryffin to Remember
Section 1: Tail of Our Meeting
Professor Snape strode quickly through the Forbidden Forest, his black robes fluttering behind him. It had been a less than wonderful day and he was in a very foul mood. You'd think that after years of his careful instruction the students would be able to mix their potions without catastrophe striking. Why was he cursed with such incompetence? Through all his years of teaching, there had always been that one student whose very purpose in life, it seemed, was to make him miserable.
He thought back to the class in question. It had been another tiring lesson with the Gryffindors and Slytherins. That dimwit Longbottom had, as usual, added the wrong ingredient and caused the caldron in front of him to explode in a bright flourish of colored smoke. It had taken hours to turn the students back to their original state after the smoke stained them purple.
Snape was so focused on his own thoughts that he did not notice the peculiar object which blocked his path. He stepped squarely on what he'd thought to be nothing more than a log when the thing moved. He lost his footing and fell as a loud, shrill roar sounded. Landing hard on his back, Snape reached for his wand as he tried to see what creature had made that noise.
He was still fumbling in the folds of his robe when his eyes found the source of the shriek. Two glowing green orbs looked down on him from a good fifteen feet above. The eyes were set in an avian head, which had long eartufts, and short, curling red horns. The feathers were black, but the throat and belly of the creature were a dusty gray. The pale yellow beak was jagged at the edges and Snape could just make out the long, slender fangs that lined it. He looked at the body of the great beast and saw that its wings were folded tight against its body, the red tips contrasting sharply with the black feathers. The dark red rear seemed to be leonine in structure, though the grey feet were obviously draconic. The tip of the long, swishing tail possessed a black tuft of fur which ran along the underside for half its length.
A scratching sound attracted his attention to the ground beside him. The gryffin, for that was the only creature he knew that could possibly match the beast before him, was scraping her talons through the leaves on the forest floor. The tips were razor sharp, and the black claws were attached to four pale yellow digits, three in front and one to the rear. Snape froze as the creature hissed, its beak now only a few feet from his face.
"Watch your step, human. Might wake something up. And I'm not very nice when my napping is interrupted."
Snape blinked in surprise. This creature could speak his language! He'd heard of gryffins being used to guard treasure, but never of one speaking so clearly. The beast was apparently waiting for some sort of reply, for its eyes held a questioning look. Snape gathered his thoughts and spoke, though he had to admit his explanation was rather incredulous.
"I didn't see you."
The gryffin snorted in disbelief.
"I'm fifteen feet tall, you're less than half that, and you didn't see me?! You step on my tail, wake me up, and expect me to believe that lame excuse? I should eat you just for your stupidity."
Snape did not like anyone, especially a beast, talking to him in that insulting manner. Anger overpowering common sense, he shouted at the creature.
"It may be pitiful but it's what happened! This has not been a good day and I've more important things to be concerned with than an idiot gryffin who decides to sleep on a well-worn path in the forest! Now either eat me or fly back to wherever you came from."
The gryffin blinked. She'd never known a human to be so aggressive towards her, especially when she was threatening their life. This strange man might be worth further study. She lowered her beak to within an inch of his body and sniffed deeply.
"Wizard? I smell magic in you..."
Again the creature had managed to surprise Snape. He'd fully expected to be ripped to tiny pieces by the beast, but instead it was sniffing at him.
"Yes, I'm a wizard. Do I take it you are not going to eat me after all?"
If a gryffin could look sly this one certainly did. It seemed she was smiling at him.
"No, I won't eat you. You're too stringy."
"Will you allow me to stand then? I don't particularly enjoy laying in the dirt with a giant gryffin peering down at me."
"Of course. I never meant to make you feel trapped."
Somehow Snape sincerely doubted that. This creature had intended for him to run screaming or beg for his life. He could tell the gryffin was both annoyed that he did not act as it'd expected, and intrigued with his boldness. He stood after the beast had backed off a few paces and brushed the leaves from his robes.
"Do you have a name, wizard? I'd like to know what to call you."
"Snape. Professor Severus Snape of Hogwarts."
"You're a teacher then? Noble profession. I assume you teach magic in some form, being a wizard and all."
"Potions."
Snape looked up at the gryffin and met the gaze of the green eyes.
"Do you have a name?"
"I'm called Leiko. Though some would call me stupid for hanging about with a human. Your kind tend to kill us, more often than not."
"I doubt I'll be killing any gryffins. Unless they attack first."
The two regarded one another for a moment. They nodded to each other, having reached an understanding. The gryffin, who Snape had by this time realized was female, opened her beak to yawn, the purple tongue curling slightly. She then stretched the whole of her body and turned to the wizard.
"You said you were from a place called Hogwarts? I assume that's the school. Wouldn't mind seeing it, as I'm in the area. Lead on, dear professor, or I shall make you very uncomfortable."
The gryffin seemed to grin through her fang-lined beak and the green eyes twinkled. Snape knew she was joking, but at the same time this was an order. He could not refuse, not now when she had the advantage. Those eyes would see him reach for his wand and she'd strike before he had time to grasp it. Deciding it would be better to go along with her, Snape turned and began walking towards the school.
"Very well. This way."