Veela have a close relationship with birds. That was especially true for Ognyana. She and her gyrfalcon had a bond tighter than most, able to see from each other’s eyes and share perceptions, ideas, concepts. The duo had been protecting their forest and growing increasingly alarmed at the rising tensions between the magical people and the non-magical.
During one attack on the forest by angry loggers, she had been surrounded and wounded badly, but to her surprise, she had been saved. Not by her sisters, but by a foreigner, a wizard, wielding wand and blade with obvious skill. Her wounds, however, proved too much to heal, even with magic. She had to stop her sisters from attacking him, and so a group of veela and a wizard bore witness to her passing. Her last request was for the wizard to tell her his name. Calder Potter, younger brother of Ralston. With her last look at him, her gyrfalcon alighted on Calder’s shoulder. The other veela told him what an honour he received, the gyrfalcon, Zornitsa, would be his faithful companion for the rest of his days.
Centuries later, Harry Potter was a curious child. Though he quickly learned to hold his tongue at the Dursleys, he maintained good cheer. For he had a secret. He had a friend, a large, white and spotted bird, bright and beautiful as the dawn, kept him company. Nobody else was able to see the bird. And yet, Harry felt reassured, looked after. When he needed to escape his cousin, the bird warned him where Dudley and his gang was, showed him where to go, where to hide. The bird was his secret, one he never wished to share with anyone.
Harry was therefore understandably shocked when the champion of Beauxbatons approached him, asking how it is that he is followed by a veela’s familiar.