Merle Ambrose's office was a place of commerce. New arrivals from all over the Spiral flooded into the tiny, unkempt room of the Headmaster's house seeking enrollment in the prestigious Ravenwood Academy. Books filled with records and listings of students were scattered about, cluttering the desk, garrisoning the tiled floor, and blocking the door directly parallel to that of the Spiral Projection Chamber.
It was common knowledge that The Commons was the most popular area in Wizard City for young wizards to gather and chat, fish, and cavort in the sunshine. While Merle Ambrose stood by the crystal ball in his stuffy, book-riddled office, his students were off enjoying their free time in any way they could.
Many a time had Ambrose longingly watched happy couples strolling through The Commons, arm-in-arm. A feeling awoke deep within him; a feeling he had not been familiar with for quite some time.
Then, all at once, the Headmaster remembered. His mind bubbled like a steaming kettle of tea, thoughts racing around his brain like gladiators in a chariot race, though only one thought would win the Headmaster over; that of his one true love.
Ambrose shakily exhaled. He could never deny his true feelings. Not now, not ever. It was often he would find thoughts of the day's tasks replaced with dreamlike images of the one he sought to claim as his own.
Snowy-white feathers ruffled and fell back perfectly in an incredible display of grace as the owl they belonged to landed and perched himself upon his usual stand. His little velvety graduation cap fit perfectly on his head, and the remarkably clean glasses that perched on his nose magnified his stunningly luminous eyes.
Ambrose had seen Gamma preen and groom himself countless times. The way his feathers danced as they were cleaned with great care and meticulosity were enough to sweep the Headmaster right off his feet. As amusing as it was to watch Gamma fret about his feathers with his finicky personality, Ambrose found himself more and more drawn to the little owl as if he were a young, foolish mouse skittering towards a deliciously promising chunk of cheese, blissfully unaware of the trap set to capture him.
One particularly soggy afternoon, Ambrose managed to pull himself away from his work long enough to behold the impending storm, several tiny droplets of rain teasing the window as they plummeted to the earth in thousands of tiny cascades. Gamma would soon be awakening for his meager breakfast of choice, Ambrose has thought to himself as he reached up and stroked his untamed, unshaven beard out of habit.
Ambrose took a few cautious steps towards the door to the Tower, the only thing separating him from the love of his life. He gently pressed his ear against the wood, listening for any telltale signs that Gamma was awake. When he heard a gentle coo and the sound of wing beats as Gamma re-perched himself on his stand, Ambrose slowly opened the door, the caress of the brass doorknob against his nervous, sweaty palms doing little to ease his nerves as he mentally prepared himself for the conversation that was about to ensue.
The Headmaster took a cautionary step towards Gamma, who sat perched upon his stand, picking little bits of instructive fuzz from his otherwise pristine feathers. "My vision is failing me, but you look quite marvelous today," Ambrose complimented genuinely.
Gamma craned his head curiously. The Headmaster had been acting weird as of late, but he was starting to reach the level of outright creepiness. When the little white owl didn't respond, Ambrose swallowed hard. His shaky hands made their way up to readjust his monocle before he cleared his throat and gave a small smile, his confidence slowly gathering for his big confession.
"I have always loved you, Gamma," The words echoed endlessly in the tiny room.
"Hoo," Came Gamma's response.
"You, Gamma," Ambrose clarified.
Gamma shook his head profusely. "No, no...I said hoo, not who. I'm an owl, you dumbass. How damn oblivious can you be?"
The Headmaster remained silent before giving a meek nod of acknowledgement. "Indeed."
A/N: I've been wanting to write this for years. YEARS. I told this story to my best friend as a joke, and haha, I turned it into a fanfiction. This is what I do when I'm bored, so you'd best enjoy it. Comments are much appreciated!