HP: Dragon's Coffin

Ladon moved with precision, his elder wand in one hand and his sword in the other, the sweat on his brow glinting in the afternoon sun. Asclepius stood opposite him, his silver eyes calm and focused, the faint hum of magic in the air as they circled each other. The training grounds were silent save for the crunch of their boots on the gravel and the occasional crackle of Ladon's spellwork.

"Focus, Ladon," Asclepius instructed, his tone sharp. "Your form is precise, but your intent wavers."

"I'm not wavering," Ladon replied flatly, his voice as cold as ever. He lunged forward, his sword arcing toward Asclepius in a flawless strike. But just as their blades were about to clash, a small, unexpected interruption stopped them both in their tracks.

A fluffy, dark grey—almost black—kitten strutted confidently between them, its tiny wings fluttering as it meowed up at Ladon. The sound was so absurdly out of place in the midst of their sparring that Ladon froze mid-strike, his dragon-like eyes narrowing at the creature.

"What is that?" Ladon asked, his tone betraying the faintest hint of annoyance.

The kitten, unfazed by the tension in the air, sat down on the ground between them, its bat-like wings folding neatly against its sides. It tilted its head up at Ladon, its bright green eyes sparkling with mischief. Another soft meow escaped its mouth as if demanding his attention.

Asclepius lowered his blade slightly, his silver eyes narrowing in thought as he observed the creature. "It appears to be a felis umbra Draconis—a shadow dragon cat," he said, his voice tinged with mild surprise. "Rare. Very rare. And quite bold to wander here."

The kitten stretched lazily, arching its back before prancing over to Ladon. It rubbed its small head against his boot, purring loudly, its wings fluttering slightly as if in approval.

Ladon stared down at the creature, his face unreadable. "It interrupted our sparring," he said flatly. "Should I remove it?"

The kitten meowed indignantly at that as if understanding his words. It swatted at his boot with one tiny paw, its green eyes flashing in defiance.

"Remove it?" Asclepius said, his lips twitching in what might have been the ghost of a smirk. "It seems to have chosen you, Ladon."

Ladon frowned, his dragon-like eyes narrowing at the kitten. "Chosen me? For what?"

"Companionship," Asclepius replied, sheathing his blade. "Shadow dragon cats are intelligent and selective. If this one has sought you out, it is no accident."

The kitten leaped onto Ladon's foot and then up to his knee in one fluid motion, its wings flaring slightly to help it balance. It perched there, staring up at him with an expression that seemed almost smug.

Ladon sighed, reaching down to lift the creature off his leg. Its fur was softer than he expected, and it purred contentedly in his hands. "It's a distraction," he muttered.

"Perhaps," Asclepius said, his tone contemplative. "But even distractions can serve a purpose. Take it as a sign, Ladon. Bonds—whether with people or creatures—are rare for someone like you. Do not dismiss it lightly."

Ladon glanced down at the kitten, its small body warm against his hands. It stared back at him with unblinking green eyes, its purring growing louder as it snuggled into his chest. He sighed again, his stoic mask faltering for a brief moment.

"Fine," he said at last, cradling the kitten in one arm as he turned back to Asclepius. "But if it causes any trouble, I'm throwing it away."

Asclepius chuckled dryly, his silver eyes glinting with amusement. "I have no doubt it will, Ladon. But perhaps the trouble is exactly what you need."

The kitten continued to purr as Ladon begrudgingly cradled it in his arms, its tiny wings fluttering with satisfaction. Asclepius watched the exchange with faint amusement, his silver eyes glinting as he sheathed his sword and stepped closer.

"I doubt you've ever been chosen by anything that didn't have a deeper purpose," Asclepius said, his voice calm but tinged with intrigue. "Shadow dragon cats are said to bond only with those who carry both light and darkness in their souls. Quite fitting, wouldn't you agree?"

Ladon's expression remained impassive as he stared down at the small creature nestled against his chest. "It's just a cat," he said flatly, though the faintest hint of doubt crept into his voice. "A strange one, but still just a cat."

The kitten, as if offended by his dismissal, swatted lightly at his hand with one paw before curling into a ball, its wings folding neatly around its body. It let out a soft chirp, a sound that seemed almost like a rebuttal to Ladon's words.

"Clearly, it disagrees," Asclepius remarked dryly. "You'd do well to name it. If it has chosen you, it will be with you for the foreseeable future."

Ladon blinked, his dragon-like eyes narrowing slightly as he looked back at Asclepius. "Name it? I'm not naming it. It's a distraction."

"Distractions can be useful," Asclepius countered, his tone sharpening slightly. "Or would you prefer it wander off and bond with someone else? Someone who might not hesitate to use its abilities against you?"

Ladon frowned, his grip on the kitten tightening slightly. The thought of the small creature, so bold and confident, ending up in the hands of an enemy unsettled him more than he cared to admit. He glanced down at the kitten again, its bright green eyes peering up at him with an almost knowing expression.

"Fine," he said after a long moment. "I'll name it."

"Good," Asclepius said, stepping back to give Ladon space. "Choose wisely. Names carry power."

Ladon studied the kitten for a moment, his mind turning over possibilities. It yawned widely, showing tiny but sharp teeth, and stretched its wings before curling up again. Its dark fur shimmered faintly in the sunlight, almost as if it were absorbing the light around it.

"Hesper," Ladon said, at last, the name falling from his lips with quiet certainty. "I'll call it Hesper."

The kitten chirped again, its purring growing louder as if in approval. Asclepius raised an eyebrow, nodding slightly. "A fitting name. Evening Star and Guardian in one. Perhaps this bond will serve you better than you expect."

Ladon said nothing, turning his attention back to the training grounds. Hesper clung to his arm as he walked back to where his sword had fallen, its tiny wings fluttering slightly as if testing the air. He picked up the blade and sheathed it, glancing back at Asclepius.

"Are we done for the day?" he asked, his tone as monotone as ever.

Asclepius smirked faintly. "For now. But training will resume tomorrow. The kitten's presence does not excuse you from discipline."

"Of course not," Ladon replied, his voice cool and detached. He glanced down at Hesper, who had settled comfortably against his chest. "It'll just have to learn to stay out of the way."

Asclepius watched as Ladon turned and strode back toward the manor, the small shadow dragon cat perched securely in his arms. A rare flicker of something almost like pride crossed his features as he murmured to himself, "Perhaps that creature will do more for you than I ever could, Ladon."

The training grounds fell silent as the two disappeared into the distance, the faint sound of Hesper's contented purring lingering in the air.

Later that night, Ladon was in the manor archives, studying potion-making.

The soft glow of candlelight flickered across the ancient tomes and glassware that cluttered the long, polished table in the manor's archives. Ladon stood at its center, his movements deliberate and precise as he measured ingredients for the Veritaserum potion. The delicate process required his full attention; one misstep and the entire batch would be ruined.

His dragon-like eyes narrowed in concentration as he carefully added a single drop of moonstone essence to the simmering cauldron. The liquid inside was clear and still, its surface reflecting the faint light of the room. It already resembled water, but he knew better than to assume it was ready. Veritaserum was an advanced potion, one that required patience and skill to brew. It would take an entire lunar cycle to reach its full potency, and Ladon had no intention of rushing it.

On the edge of the table, Hesper stretched out, her tiny bat-like wings fluttering lazily before settling back against her sides. The shadow dragon cat let out a soft yawn, her green eyes half-lidded as she watched Ladon work. She seemed unbothered by the complexity of the task, her tail flicking back and forth in a slow, rhythmic motion.

"You are turning out to be rather useless," Ladon muttered, his voice flat as he glanced at her briefly. He returned his attention to the cauldron, using a glass rod to stir the potion clockwise three times before reversing the direction.

Hesper meowed in response, the sound soft but unmistakably unbothered. She rolled onto her back, stretching her paws toward him as if to taunt him further.

Ladon sighed, though his expression remained stoic. "Of course. I suppose being a rare magical creature should count for something in the future."

The potion began to emit a faint shimmer as Ladon added powdered asphodel root, the final ingredient for the night's preparation. He leaned closer, inspecting the liquid's surface for any imperfections. Satisfied, he carefully lowered the heat beneath the cauldron and stepped back, crossing his arms as he studied his work.

"That's enough for tonight," he murmured to himself. "Three potions for three troublesome individuals. I might need to up the potency, however." His mind was already spinning with possibilities, calculating how and when he would use the Veritaserum to achieve his goals.

Hesper chirped softly, drawing his attention. She had rolled onto her side, her wings tucked neatly as she rested her head on her paws. Despite her relaxed demeanor, Ladon couldn't shake the feeling that she was watching him closely, as if she understood far more than she let on.

"Hmm," he mumbled, stepping away from the table. "I think that's enough for tonight. I need to get up early tomorrow anyway."

Hesper stretched again, hopping gracefully off the table to follow him as he extinguished the candles one by one. The archives fell into darkness, the faint hum of magic lingering in the air.