[quote=TheHangedMan]
Hm . . . Griffins are fairly hard to tame, not to mention dangerous. So if she were to have one, it would be fairly young, but that also raises the question on how she got it at that state. And if she's just starting out, it's less likely, as she should have almost no knowledge on how to raise one. Your best bet would make her a senior student with a young Griffin (those are still bigger than horses, mind you), but you can also have her be new and wanting to learn.

As for how intelligent Griffins are; they are fairly intelligent, enough to deliver messages and pick-up ingredients without guidance, but aren't intelligent enough to work simple machines
[/quote]

:sun Dangerous is the idea. My thought was, in fact, exactly that: she's a senior student (19), who got lucky and managed to acquire a Griffin egg around five years ago (having been in Pythomancy classes a few years by that point), and raised the chick with the help of her instructors at the Academy. So, it's quite young, but still large enough to stare people down and discourage violence, and generally be a useful companion.

And the intelligence is exactly where I was thinking, as well. :) I'm glad we're on the same page.

(She was always going to be a senior student; I don't think that was clear. And her family is quite wealthy, considering their heritage...)