Title: Code of the Griffin
Author: Knife Hand
Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated
Spoilers: Nothing Specific, general for first few books.
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I do not own Hermione, or Luna, or Ginny, or Cho, or... I would buy them all but I am broke.
Summary: From a war ravaged future, someone is sent back in time to change the course of the war.
Mirath tugged nervously at the wrap around her chest and made sure her bow was secured in its case on her back. With a final deep breath, she stepped out of the Forest and headed towards the Human Castle, holding her hands a small distance out from her flanks to show she was unarmed as her equestrian lower half kept a slow walking pace.
She knew from the moment she emerged from the Forest that she would be under the eyes of the Humans, but she was careful to avoid the big wooden Human place on round supports in the meadow near the lake and the wooden structure that Hagrid lived in. Her hooves clicked on the stone as she walked up to the main doors, which opened when she was still half a bowshot away to reveal over a half-score of Humans.
They were all dressed alike and carried those strange Human weapons, but she only recognised two of them from the embarrassing incident where she had shot at them the previous year. One was Luna, the girl she had almost shot, and the other was Harry, who had been in charge of the group she had encountered at the time.
"Mirath!" Luna said, slinging her weapon over her shoulder.
Mirath had only a second to notice the Clan Badge that she had gifted Luna as an apology secured to one end of the weapon by some kind of string before the Blonde girl was wrapping her up in a hug. Being a young Centaur, Mirath was only a few inches taller but it was enough of a difference for Luna to be effectively nuzzling into her just spouting breasts.
"What are you doing out of the Forest, Mirath?" Harry asked.
"I have been sent to inform Clan Member Luna Lovegood that a full meeting of Clan Sandarth will be occurring in three hours." Mirath replied. "While her presence is not required, it has been strongly recommended by the Elders that she attend."
"I am Grand Marshall Granger." A bushy haired female with an air of authority around her said. "I am Chief of Luna's Warband."
Stepping back from Luna's embrace, Mirath bowed deeply to the Chief. Any Warband Chief was to be respected but Clan Sandarth knew how well Luna's Warband protected their territory from those who threatened but were not aggressive to their neighbours. On a few instances, Luna's Warband and a few of the Centaur Clans had shared information on prospective threats to their collective safety, including cooperating to keep the Acromantula colony under control.
"We were just about to have a meal, would you like to join us?" Grand Marshall Granger asked.
Mirath looked down at Luna to see a hopeful look on her face, so she nodded in agreement. Luna practically squealed in excitement and then proceeded to drag another Human female over to Mirath as the group headed inside. It was the first time Mirath had been inside one of the big stone huts the Humans built, so she took a moment to stare around.
"Mirath, this is Michelle Waters. She's my Spotter." Luna said.
"Nice to meet you." Michelle said.
"I'm sorry, I don't understand." Mirath replied. "What is a Spotter?"
"We work as a team in battle." Michelle explained. "We watch each other's back."
Mirath looked between them and recognised a connection between the two and could not help herself from asking.
"Are you Mated?" she asked, then blushed as that was not a proper question to ask in polite company.
Michelle contemplated for a few moments before replying.
"Not yet, but we hope to be some day."
The group passed through another doorway into a room almost as large as the big glade where Gatherings of multiple Clans were held. Apart from Luna's Warband, there were the black robes of the residents of the Castle and two other groups, one in red and one in blue, who mostly kept with their own kind. Mirath searched out and found the other two from the incident last year. Susan was sitting with the red group, next to one who seemed to be following her every move like a young Stallion sniffing after a Mare in Heat. The final member of that incident, George, was sitting at the table full of Luna's Warband, sitting next to another Human male who looked identical to him.
A slight buzz of conversation followed the group's progress down the aisle between tables towards the 'front' of the Hall, but after all that had happened over the last few years, including a full Military response to a Death Eater attack and the spectacle of the return of Harry, Luna and Hermione after Harry's capture, a mere Centaur entering the Great Hall was nothing particularly noteworthy. Chairs at the table of Luna's Warband were moved to create a space for Mirath, who folded her equine legs up under her in the Centaur version of sitting. The moment she was settled a plate appeared in front of her with a nutritious Centaur meal not unlike what her mother would serve.
"How did your cooks know?" She asked. "I've never heard of Human cooks creating a Centaur meal."
"Our cooks aren't Human." The male who looked like George said.
"They're House Elves." George added.
"Descendants of the Children of the Forest?" Mirath said in wonder. "Can I meet them?"
"That can be arranged." The twins said together.
Hermione smiled to herself as she saw the Centaur Mirath, Luna and Michelle head off down towards the Forest. Luna had agreed to go to the Clan Meeting only if she could bring Michelle. Professor McGonagall joined her at the main doors as the visitor they had been expecting was walking up from the main gate. The figure was dressed in black dragon hide leather pants, jacket and boots with a white shirt under the Jacket. His long red hair was held back in a ponytail.
"Mister Weasley, welcome back to Hogwarts." Professor McGonagall said.
"Thank you, Professor." Bill Weasley acknowledge. "Greetings Grand Marshall."
"Cursebreaker Weasley." Hermione said with a slight nod. "Once our business is concluded, I have set aside a room for you to spend some time with your Brothers and Sister. Your Brothers are off duty rotation today. Where would you like to begin?"
"Let's start with the Classroom, then the Office. We'll see what turns up and go from there." Bill decided.
McGonagall lead the way into the Castle and up to the Defence Against the Dark Arts Classroom. Four hour later the three of them gathered in Professor Dumbledore's office, along with the Headmaster himself.
"Well, I can confirm there is a Curse on the DADA Position." Bill concluded. "It's two part. The first is tied to the DADA Professor's Office."
"We have tried moving the Office. It didn't work." McGonagall noted.
"That's the second part of the Curse." Bill continued. "It is tied to the contract for Defence Against the Dark Arts post. You change the office and the Contract portion updates the Office portion. It is designed to be very hard to break, unless a specific person takes the job."
"Considering that person is Lord Voldemort, I don't think that is a viable option." Dumbledore pointed out.
"Indeed." Bill said.
"Is it specifically 'Defence Against the Dark Arts' or is it any Defence based position?" Hermione asked.
"Defence Against the Dark Arts, specifically." Bill replied.
"Simple then. Next year we will have the position for DADA unfilled and no students enrolled in it. We will create a new 'Magical Defence' Class to teach what DADA used to teach." Hermione concluded.
"Why didn't we think of that?" Dumbledore asked McGonagall and simply got a shrug in response.
TBC…