The Return of the Griffin

Chapter One

He was flying over the Forbidden Forest, his golden wings shimmering in the moonlight. He could see a light at the top of the astronomy tower and he banked to the left, feeling the wind ruffle his fur as he turned to land. He saw Ginny standing on the parapet waiting for him to land. Her hands buried themselves in his tawny mane. He rumbled at her soft touch.

Harry jerked upright suddenly, his body covered in sweat. Ginny was sleeping peacefully beside him. Her hand was resting on his thigh. He watched her face, smiling while sleeping in the predawn light. Knowing he wouldn't sleep anyway, he carefully pulled himself away and picked up his running clothes.

It wasn't the first time he'd had that dream. It was only one of myriad things he missed since he had given up his magic. He quietly slipped out the door.

"Harry Potter." He heard a hiss. "You are up early once more."

"Hi, Sandy. Yeah, I'm up early. Feel like a run?"

"If you wish. It is chilly here anyway."

Harry carefully lifted up his reptilian friend. Sandy wrapped herself around his arm. She was much larger now, and usually slithered her head onto his shoulder.

He did his stretches in the front garden. The dew clung to the early June columbine blossoms. Neville had asked them to save the seeds, because fairies had ravaged his crop.

He missed the days when Ginny could run with him, but someone needed to stay home with Davey and little Victoria. He looked up as the sky lightened. He could see the pines mixed with birches rising at the back of his yard, only vaguely reminding him of home.

Home. You'd think after living in this house for eight years, I would consider this my home, Harry thought, but he knew better. Hogwarts was the first real home he ever had and he still considered Britain home. Where he lived here was just a house, someplace to be while he hid from the world. He was just another expatriate waiting to return.

He finished his stretching and began to run around the suburban streets going past parks and schools. The high stonewall that protected Cresheim Hall, the wizarding girls' school where Ginny worked was up ahead. He slowed down to say hello to the Boulder Guards, creatures who looked like cairns to Muggles. Harry himself took a while before he could see them. He murmured a passing hello before turning toward home.

"The Lion shall return home."

"Sandy. You're slipping. That's where I am headed now."

"It is not your house. You will see."

Continuing his thoughts about home, Harry thought about how he hadn't wanted to stay in Britain. It was hard enough that summer to work with Aberforth, all the pitying looks. It's why he left. He knew Draco was feeling guilty as well. The rest of the summer with Sirius wasn't much better. What was it Dumbledore had said when he had been at school before? As it was a secret, of course, everyone knew. It didn't take long for the Wizarding world to learn that Harry Potter gave up his magic to save Draco Malfoy, especially after the publishing of his book. Some of the stuff he had admitted to made it quite the shocking read. Draco might've been a royal arse, but in the writing at least, Harry could see the appreciation there, as well as the guilt. He was a real good bloke to explain why he could have been saved rather than others. Draco dedicated it to those he thought should've been saved rather than him. Even though she had never had chance to live in this world, it comforted Harry to think his sister Jamie had had an influence on Draco.

So Harry had to run away from England, from the pity. He knew it. Best to make a clean break he had thought to himself. He went to Muggle school, after wrangling for some records. He had had plenty of job offers in the wizarding world of course; even a squib can do plenty of things. Neville had offered him a job in his greenhouses. There was even talk that Harry could teach Muggle Studies at Hogwarts, but thankfully, Dumbledore never actually offered. Harry slowed down as he turned back onto his street. His hand went up to Sandy, softly stroking her supple skin. His chats with her were one of the few things that kept him sane and to help remember those seven years at Hogwarts weren't imaginary.

"Hell, Sandy, I'm getting downright maudlin. It's that damn dream." He opened the gate to the front garden, and sat down, doing his stretches. Sandy slithered off his body, lying on the ground next to him.

"You are flying again?"

"I know, Sandy. It's just been the last few months. It's getting on my nerves though. I thought I had finally gotten used to this life without magic and the dream keeps reminding me of what I had."

"Harry, did you have the dream again?" Ginny asked stepping out onto the step in the long t-shirt she wore to bed over leggings she pulled on to run in. "I wish you'd tell me these things. You know Maggie said something about those when I owled her."

"Good Morning, Ginny Potter."

Ginny smiled brightly. It wasn't very often she heard her name that way.

"Good Morning, Sandy. Have a nice run with Harry?"

"Yes, I feel warmer now. Thank you."

Ginny leaned down to give Harry a soft kiss. He took advantage of her imbalance and pulled her into his lap. He looked at her and frankly couldn't believe his fortune. He may not be living home; he may not have his magic; but he had her.

Her red hair was a bit darker from what it was at Hogwarts, but still long and wavy. Harry nuzzled into it, taking in her scent.

"Good morning to you." He squeezed her gently.

"Harry, we're in the garden!" she said with a smile in her voice. "Mum owled again."

"Yeah? What did she have to say this time?" Harry asked, nuzzling her ear.

"She asked if Davey was going to go to Hogsmeade elementary. They're registering four-year-olds now for the fall."

"Gin, the bus doesn't travel over the ocean." He paused for a moment as understanding dawned over his face. "Oh."

"She misses us terribly, Harry. We're the only ones so far away. She feels like she's missing out on seeing the kids grow up. Mum even said that she would watch Victoria while we were working."

"You sound like you want to go," he answered noncommittally.

"Yes. No. Oh, I don't know. I miss my family. I miss Bernie Botts'."

"You are mad!" Harry chuckled. "No one in their right mind would miss those." He didn't bother telling her they all tasted like black liquorice when you didn't have magic.

"Well, think about it, okay?" She kissed his nose. "Now it's my turn for a run. The kids should be up shortly."

Harry stood up, said goodbye to Sandy, and headed back into the cottage. He got himself a mug of coffee, and some toast. Upstairs he could hear the thud of his son. He's getting good at that cushioning charm, even without the wand, he smirked to himself. Harry remembered the first time he saw Davey do that. He had gone up to get Davey out of his crib, and caught him tipping over the edge. Harry couldn't reach him in time, but as Davey landed on his head, he giggled and bounced. Now, Davey cushioned everything so he could bounce. Ginny would have to go around the house and undo the charm before she left for work.

Harry poured a bowl of Pixie Dusties for Davey. It was some American cereal all the wizarding kids were going wild over. When Davey would eat it, he would turn blue for an hour or so.

"Davey, come down and get your breakfast!"

Davey scrambled down the stairs, an old cloak streaming behind him like a cape. He jumped into his seat, his red hair uncontrollable and his green eyes twinkling.

"Daddy, you gave me Pixie Dusties! Thank you!" He happily began munching them and Harry watched as his son started turning azure.

"Daddy," Davey asked between slurps, "why does Mommy do the magic, and you don't?"

"From the mouths of babes," Harry thought then sighed. "Because before you were born something happened and now Daddy can't do magic anymore."

"I was listening to the wireless yesterday, Daddy. They had my cartoon on, and they were talking about the Famous Harry Potter. That's you, isn't it? So why are you famous?" He kept shoveling in the cereal. By now, he was cornflower blue.

"Do you remember Mommy and Daddy telling you about a very evil wizard named Voldemort? Mommy and Daddy stopped him from being evil."

"Oh. Okay." He went back to his cereal, now colored a bright blueberry blue.

A snow-white owl flew in through the open window in the kitchen. Hedwig was no longer as young as she used to be, but still was very proper and refined. Since most of their wizard mail came from overseas, Hedwig only had to go to the local wizarding post office. She carefully handed Harry the mail, then took the bread crust he had in his hand, before heading back into the garage where Harry had set up her owlery. He opened the seal as he swigged his coffee.

Dear Harry,

I hope this finds you well. We miss you on this side of the pond.

I'll get right to the point. I need your help. I've been consulting for a reservation of Hebridean Black Dragons. They're sick, Harry. No one knows how or why because it's never happened before. We've already lost two, and two more are really sick. One is even brooding. I've been wracking my brain. But then I remembered the Swedish Short Snouts at Stonehenge.

Ginny told me you can still speak parselmouth. I'd ask Ginny, but brooding dragons are a bit funny. They don't like women around when they have a clutch and you know how Ginny is around them anyway. I need to speak with them, see if we're missing something. I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate mate. There's only one other reservation of Hebridean Blacks, and we need this clutch to hatch.

I've spoken with the Minister of Transportation, and squibs are able to use Portkeys, since the object is magic, not you, so it's fine. They've arranged it so you can get one through Ginny's school if you agree.

Owl me and we'll set up the details.

Give my love and a hug to Ginny, Davey and Victoria,

Charlie

"I guess you're right, Sandy. I am going home," Harry murmured as he rose from the table to get Victoria out of her crib.

* * *

"Davey and Victoria should be able to be around their cousins, don't you think?"

"Are you just thinking out loud? Or are you suggesting something?" Harry asked as they sat at the dinner table.

"I don't know, but we need to decide. If we move, registration for Davey is this week and next, and we have to bring him there. And if we do, we need to arrange for the house, give notices..." she trailed off.

"Owl your mum. Tell her to start digging around for some place to stay."

"Really? Wow! I thought it would take sometime to convince you." Ginny grinned, leaned over and pecked his cheek.

"Actually, Charlie owled me this morning. Dragons are getting sick and they don't know why."

A look of concern crossed Ginny's face. "But Harry, dragons don't get sick. That's why we use their blood and skin in potions."

"That's why I owled back and agreed to come. They want me to talk to them. The dragons that is."

"Are you going to be okay with this Harry?" she asked quietly.

"Okay with it?" he shrugged, "I really don't have much of a choice. They've already lost two, and two more are sick. There's only one other reservation of Hebridean Blacks other than Charlie's. The only reason he didn't ask you was because they're brooding mothers." Harry leaned over and picked up Victoria who was crawling on the floor next to his feet, mumbling baby gibberish.

Ginny nodded. "That's so sad. Charlie wrote me that they had some eggs. He was incredibly excited. Well, when I go into school today, I'll be sure to tell them that I can't attend the conference in Salem this summer. It looks like we're going to be a bit busy."

"Well, school's already ended for me. What can I do to help?" he asked as he bounced Victoria on his knee as she gurgled.

"What are we going to do about the house?"

It wasn't easy to sell wizarding houses.

"Is Ruth still living in that teeny apartment in Philadelphia? Ask her if she'd be interested. It's out in the country, but she can always Apparate to work."

"Excellent idea! Ruth always said she liked it out here. I bet she would do that. Why don't you start packing stuff up? Oh, and make sure to ask Sandy if she's willing to come with us. She can be very tetchy about that."

Harry nodded, but he knew Sandy didn't like the weather here as much. It meant a lot to him that she was willing to stick with him. Perhaps she felt sorry for him too, but it was a lot harder to read in a serpent than a person. Victoria must've caught on the conversation, as she was hissing s's at Ginny.

"We're going somewhere, Mummy?" Davey asked. "But I like playing with the dryads- they play the best hide and seek!"

"Do you remember how Mommy and Daddy have told you that we used to live across the water where Grandma and Grandpa and all your aunts and uncles and cousins live? That's where we're going. You're going to have all sorts of playmates," Ginny consoled him.

"But- but, I can say goodbye can't I? Seirah will be so sad. I hope she doesn't drop her leaves." Seirah had been his friend from early on. She was a dryad from the forest behind the house. Tall and slender, like her birch tree, she often watched the children when Ginny and Harry were working.

Ginny hugged Davey. "That is such a sweet thing to consider. You are so like your dad. No wonder I love you both!" she said, looking at Harry.

"We're going to go live near Grandma and Grandpa, so you can go to school. Your cousins Fred and Rina will be in your class in the fall, won't that be fun? I bet Mr. Longbottom's daughter Fern will be in that class too! And you'll still get to play with the rest of your cousins...Rowena and Rufus and Natalie as well."

"Natalie is too old to play with. But Rufus sent me that divining rod for Christmas. That was cool!"

Harry felt a sudden jolt. He never really thought about Percy and Alicia's son, or George and Angelina's daughter being the same age as Davey. God, I'm an insufferable git. Taking that away from Davey like that. Harry remembered from his other life how fun it was to play paper chase with all the other kids around. He remembered too, this life, where it was so lonely having no one else around, until he'd gone away to Hogwarts. Davey on the other hand, played with dryads and garden gnomes- he had a talent for communicating with them. Victoria was still too young to be of much fun for Davey.

"It will be a few days before we hear from Mum and Charlie, but we can get some things completed now," Harry told no on in particular.

"Okay. What do we need, and what do we leave for Ruth?" Ginny asked. "Accio parchment. Accio quill."

She sat down in the chair, and caught the objects as they flew from the room they both used as an office. She smiled over, "I'm ready."

"Well, personal things we need obviously, like the photo albums. Our old school trunks might be useful since we don't know what work mum will dig up for you, and it wouldn't hurt to have my old books to research the stuff with the dragons." Harry smiled as he watched her scribble the items down, the firelight from the fireplace shining in her hair.

"Don't forget clothes and Davey and Victoria's toys," Ginny added. Victoria gurgled in response to her favorite word, "toy".

"What do you want to do with the car?" Harry asked. "We could leave it here for Ruth, I suppose. Or we could sell it."

"I'll ask Ruth if she has a preference. She might already have a car, or plan on Apparating everywhere."

"What about things people asked us to bring next time we came out? Neville asked me to raise some things. He can't get the greenhouse to keep an American climate yet."

"Oh, yes! Mum will want some of that Spot-Off Spray. She can't get it there, and last time she visited, she was totally amazed at how well it cleaned. Said it was FAR better than Mrs. Skower's."

"And I'll ask Sandy if there is anything she'd miss."

"Oh, and what did she say about the move?"

"She seemed quite relieved, actually. We're really lucky, she says. Not many of her sort of snake would put up with this climate. She is really looking forward to going back as well." Harry smiled, remembering how adamant she had been. Her real words were, " it's about time."

"I gave my notice at Cresheim. They said they'd been expecting it for a while. The term doesn't end for another week, but they said if it's an emergency, they can handle it so it all depends on when you get the Portkey."

"I called too, and told them I was giving my notice. I said there was a family problem back in England--that seemed to satisfy them." Harry chuckled, "It's not as though I could tell them I was going to go talk to sick dragons, although Charlie might consider them family."

"Well, I guess we'll leave most things for Ruth then. I think I'm going to call her now, let her know what plans we're making for her."

"Mummy, can I come say hi?" Davey piped up. Ginny smiled nodding and walked over to the hearth. She took dust out of a jar on the mantel. "Ruth Pelta."

The fire turned green and then Ruth's head popped into the fire.

"Hey, Ginny! How are you?"

"Fine thanks Ruth. I just have a really big favor to ask."

"Can't baby-sit Saturday night, Gin- I have a recital," Ruth replied.

"Bigger than that," Ginny said as she noticed Harry standing in the doorway holding Victoria who was patting his cheek.

"Mummy's taking us back to England so I can go to school!" Davey called out from Ginny's side.

"That's great Pumpkin! You sound excited!" Ruth answered with false cheerfulness, giving Ginny a questioning look. "Harry's okay with this? He's ready for it?" she asked quietly. Not quietly enough though. Harry didn't have to have Ron's super hearing to hear what Ruth said. He strode across the room to join his family at the fire.

"Actually, Ruth, It was my idea. There's a problem back home." Ruth jumped at his voice, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, Harry. It's just..." Ruth demurred.

"I know, Ruth," he replied softly, "But it's time."

"So what's the favor? Just ask, it's yours," Ruth said obviously changing the topic.

"Well, we were wondering if you'd be interested in house sitting indefinitely."

"So this is going to be permanent?"

Harry and Ginny looked at each other. They hadn't really discussed it, but he knew why they were in America. They both knew under other circumstances, they would've stayed in England.

"It's time to face everything we...I left behind," he murmured. Ruth watched him sympathetically.

"A lot of people have missed you." Ruth shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Of course I will. I'll even keep the rooms, the guest room is more mine than any other anyway as much time as I've spent in it. How about I stop by tomorrow Ginny and help with the details?"

"That would be great, Ruth. We owled back, but I have a feeling that the answer will come back much more quickly."

"That important, huh?" Ruth quickly understood.

"I'm afraid so. See you tomorrow," Ginny replied. The flames changed back to the yellow orange glow it was before.

"Well, Davey my lad, it is time for young wizards to get ready for bed." Ginny reached over to tousle his already unmanageable hair.

"Daddy, will you tell me a story?" Davey wheedled.

"Go get ready and I'll meet you in your room. And don't forget your teeth!"

"Don't worry Dad, the mirror reminds me," Davey replied.

Harry walked up the stairs, looking at his house. I have done all right, he thought. Except for a few touches here and there, (such as the talking mirror) Even Aunt Petunia would have felt at home. It had been a trick to get the Muggle technology and magic to not interfere with each other, but they needed to use both. After all, how would each of their schools get in touch with them? The Quaker school had never heard of Floo, much less used one, and the headmistress at Cresheim had probably never used a telephone. He sighed as he could hear the mirror in the children's bathroom singing a toothbrush song. While Davey got ready, Harry changed Victoria's nappie, washed her face up, and put her in her nightie. He laid her down in her crib, and sang the song his mother used to sing to him:

Sleep my child and peace attend thee,
All through the night
Guardian angels God will send thee,
All through the night
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping
I my loved one's watch am keeping,
All through the night.

Angels watching, e'er around thee,
All through the night
Midnight slumber close surround thee,
All through the night
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping
I my loved one's watch am keeping,
All through the night.

"Mummy will come in a minute to light your nightlight for you Victoria."

It was a simple charm, which would turn off as soon as she'd fallen asleep. He stepped out of her room, and went into the adjoining one.

All sorts of forest items were in the room, and even his bed looked as though it had just grown there, rather than built. Seirah had a way with wood. Davey jumped into his bed, and pulled his dark green coverlet up to his chin.

"What story would you like tonight?"

"Tell me about the Forbidden Forest, Daddy."

Harry sighed inwardly. The boy was never going to leave the woods. "In the Forbidden Forest, there are trees so close together that even a rat could not squeeze through their trunks. Some trees stand so high, they even hide giants. It is a large forest, one that would take days to walk through, and hidden spots even Headmaster Dumbledore doesn't know about."

Davey watched raptly, snuggling deeper into his blankets. "What lives in there, Daddy?"

"On the fringes you can find bowtruckles, and fairies, and pixies. A bit deeper there's a whole herd to Centaurs. Unicorns like it there, and there are wild Hippogriffs. There used to be werewolves, but now that people aren't so mean to them, I think they've all come out."

"Like Uncle Ron, right Daddy? He made it better for werewolves."

"Yes he did, didn't he?" Harry smiled. "When I went to Hogwarts, there was even a few giants living there," Harry stopped, thinking of Hagrid's mum. "Now, they say giants are nasty, violent creatures, and indeed some are. But they're just like humans. Some people would rather hurt people and some would rather help. The giants in the Forbidden Forest were there to help Headmaster Dumbledore, and I never knew such sweet creatures.
They were loyal, honest and considerate. The prefects used to scare us with stories of bugbears, but I had never seen them. There weren't any dragons there when I went to school, either."

Davey yawned, "Uncle Charlie used to work with dragons."

"Yes, he did, still does sometimes. You have one on me, though. I never met a Dryad in all the times I was in the Forbidden Forest. They are usually quite shy." Harry paused, looking at Davey's eyes at half-mast. "I think that is enough for tonight. The next few days are going to very busy, so I think it's best if you get some sleep." Harry tucked the cover, and kissed Davey's forehead. "Sweet dreams."

Ginny stuck her head in the door, and swished her wand. "Lumos nocte" and a faint glow appeared above Davey's head. "Goodnight," she whispered.

Harry shut the door, and followed Ginny down the hall to their bedroom. He quietly caught up to her, and wrapped his arms around her. He smiled as her hands touched his arms.

"This is going to be a good thing," he said.

"You've done harder things. I have to admit though, I'm happy to be going home."

Ginny peeled off her clothes. Harry gazed at her, in awe sometimes that she was here with him. Her translucent skin glowed pearl like. Her curves were more pronounced now than when they were at Hogwarts, but still lovely. Slowly he pulled off his own sweats. Ginny raised her eyebrow and smirked.

They both climbed into bed, pulling up the covers. Ginny rolled into him, her head on his chest, her leg over his thighs.

"I love you, you know," she murmured.

"Thank God," he smiled. "I love you too."

He kissed her hair softly, his fingers playing with its tendrils. His own eyes lowered as he fell into sleep.