Wounded Owl: Rescue
Harry potter had been at the Leaky Cauldron for a week when he heard a owl cry out in pain from his window showing the muggle side of their surroundings. Opening his window he spotted three boys abusing a completely albino owl, not recognizing the species he knew he had to help regardless. Running out of his room he ran into the empty bar to find Tom, the bar tender, behind the counter. This surprised him since it was well past midnight.
"'Arry is somethin' tha maddar? Ya looked lik' thar' was a emergenc'a tha' ya was rushin' ta." Harry decided to be simple and grabbed his arm before rushing outside to see the owl fighting a lossing fight. "OI! GET AWA' FRUM DAT OWL!" Tom yelled at the teenagers startling them into looking at him. They froze before running away in fright and leaving the wounded owl behind.
"I'll take care of the beauty, Mr. Tom. But I would like to be allowed into the alley to find medical supplies. Do you think it will be alright? Oh, it is a girl, hello there fair lady, I'm going to try to help you so I need you to be calm." Tom allowed Harry to pick up the suddenly calm owl and motioned them into the bar. He stopped him from heading toward the alley and walked around the bar before digging under it for something.
"'Arry, I've a few wrapin's fur ya ta use on 'er. Ya will 'ave ta wait 'til in tha mornin' ta get 'er some supplies and such tha can beh safely used fur 'er. I've an extra bird stand tha she can use, it cleans itself an' ever'thing. In tha mornin' I'll floo call tha Weasleys ta help ya shop fur tha best supplies. Fur now we should make 'er comftable." Pulling out a bottle of water and some basic cleansers Tom placed them on the counter.
"Tis in tha blue container is basic cleanser. In tha red is somethin' ta help wit' pain. Tis bottle ova' 'ere has min'ral watah ta help wit' health in general. I think I've a few owl vitamins as well as meds ta perven' infection if applied directla ta tha feathahs. Le' meh look-see ta beh certaint." He walked into the alcove behind the counter and sounds of rummaging could be heard. Suddenly it sounded like several things fell before a clear "Ah-ha!" rang out from within.
Walking back out Tom motioned for them to go up the stairs with a large bag of treats and something similar to a shampoo bottle. Harry knew they were going to his room so he gently carried the owl, two creams, and the mineral water up the stairs. Opening his room door he held the door for Tom and realized that Dobby might be able to help. "Mr. Tom, may I call a free elf to help?"
Tom nodded mindlessly as he conjured a bird bath-like tub. "Dobby." a long eared, three feet tall person dressed in rags appeared in front of him with an eager look on his face. "Hello friend, I need help caring for this owl. I heard her out my window a few minutes ago and she is hurt so I need you to be gentle when you help her. Do you think you can go ask professor Dumbledore to send help to us. I'm worried about her."
Dobby puffed out his chest and replied with worry. "Mr. Dumbles isn't awake and is hard sleeper, does it matter whosie Dobby gets to help Athena?" Harry thinking that someone named an owl after a greek legend stopped to think.
Turning to Tom Harry found him looking at the condition of Dobby with a scrutinizing eye. Feeling Harry's eyes on him he gave the boy his attention. "Mr. Tom, since Hagrid isn't always that reliable, even if his heart is at the right place, I need to know who you would chose first to help the owl." Tom nodded in approval.
"Ya 're a goo' boy, I'd say Snape. He has potions tha' may help tha owl in no time. If he can't help I'd ask for professor Flitwick. Dobby, will you go get one of the two of them as well as Madam Poppy Pomfrey or professor McGonagall. Tell tim that Tom tha bar ten'er needs tim." Dobby puffed up his chest as he apparated to the school.
Harry seemed to be the only one the owl liked so Tom had to instruct him on what to do. Harry started out filling the water for a bath and gently set the bird in the bath allowing it to start cleaning itself. "Tha infection perven'ion shampoo shoul' be applied aftah ya've cleansed it completely."
Harry nodded as he watched the bird bath itself until it looked at him and squawked as if demanding him to help. He placed some cleanser on his hand before slowly reaching for the bird. He gently lathered the bird up while being careful not to get it on certain spots. He didn't realize that Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape had arrived until after he had rinsed the bird off and applied the antibiotic.
"Well done, Potter. If we were at school I'm sure that Hagrid would have awarded you points for animal care. How is she?" Harry looked at Athena as she hopped toward Snape before squawking in a demanding manner. Stepping forward Snape pulled out a few potion vials and handed them to Tom.
Tom quickly interrupted him, "Tha bird doesn't like meh, she seems ta lik' ya though. Maybe if ya ask 'er nicely she'll let ya apply tim ya-self." Snape sighed before stepping closer to the bird until he felt it could jump to him without use of her wings.
"Hello, Athena. Dobby has asked me to help you so I need permission to treat you. I doubt it will have been any-good if you die after Potter has treated you this far. He may be reckless but most of the time he does the right thing... unless you count mishaps in potions class." The bird knew that he was being honest so it chirped before trying to walk on the dresser to him. Snape quickly walked to the bird and mildly glared. "Don't hurt yourself, Athena."
Athena stilled as he gently tended to her before he opened a potion, at this point she decided to open her beak knowing that she would have to drink it. "Good girl Athena, I'm very proud of you." Snape slowly poured it down into her beak so that she wouldn't choke, she was able to drink all of the potion which left the bandages as the last thing to do.
"Harry, if I instruct you while showing you how will you be able to change her bandages daily or as needed?" Harry quickly nodded before correcting himself.
"Yes, Professor Snape. If I can't I will ask Hermione to come and get her while giving her your instructions to help... You will have instructions, right Professor Snape?" Snape nodded as he explained the type of wrapping and why not to wrap as tight as a person' would be. "I understand, Professor Snape... Will I be allowed to take her to Hogwarts? My family would kill her if I sent her to their house."
Snape quickly turned toward Harry as if he would attack him, "I knew Petunia in my youth, young man. I have no doubt that Athena would be dead before you arrived at Hogwarts if you left her at home so I am ordering you to keep her with you at all times until after the feast at Hogwarts. Are we clear?" Harry seemed to glare at Snape as he curtly nodded in agreement. "Good."
Snape pulled out a few labeled bottles before grabbing a piece of paper and writing instructions in a neat calligraphy. After he had the instructions written down he made a copy of it and gave it to Tom. "Please make sure that Athena is properly treated daily, Tom. If he needs any help or runs out of potions floo-call me. Now I must be going, good night everyone."
Harry ran in front of Snape as he was leaving and decided to be nice. "Thank you professor Snape, how much do I owe you for the potions." Snape paused as if he was hearing things before he realized that he heard correctly.
Looking at the vials he now had empty he muttered to himself. "I believe that the rare ingredients would cost near five galleons so I will say seven Galleons. Five as I said, one for common ingredients, and one for the time of night I helped as well as the help." McGonagall looked as if she would protest but before she could Harry was digging out eight coins.
He gave the eight galleons to Snape before quickly explaining. "I didn't think you would come so I want to add a Galleon for actually being willing to help. Thank you, Professor Snape." No one noticed the bird's look of pride that was aimed at Harry other than Dobby.
"Since you are actually willing to pay for expensive goods completely instead of acting like they are free I must say that you are different than I thought you would be. If you need potions for anything else and can pay feel free to contact me. Just for emergency's though." Snape yawned before leaving the room. "As I said before I was held up, good night everyone."
Harry turned to Tom to ask him the same thing before the old bar tender shook his head. "I believe tha' tha most tha' I'll ask is ta have Dobby help ever' now an' tin if he is willin'." Harry was about to tell him to ask Dobby when Dobby grabbed his arm and nodded to him before looking at Tom and nodding.
Harry sighed knowing he couldn't talk the house elf out of it before turning to professor McGonagall and seeing her smile sternly at him. "If that is all I believe that I will follow Professor Snape. I wish you all a good night, and for the owl, a quick recovery. Dobby, will you please return me to my rooms at Hogwarts, if you don't mind." Dobby reached towards her and once their hands were touching disappeared with her.
Harry turned to the owl who seemed to have greyish-blue intelligent eyes and smiled. Tom spoke up from where he was when Dobby reappeared. "I'll get ya my ol' bird stan' from tha storage room so tha' Athena may sleep." Dobby quickly disappeared again a second later before reappearing with a golden owl stand. "Ne'er min' now, 'Arry. It seems Dobby has on' fur ya bird frien'. Well, ya need rest so I'm ordering fur this room ta have lights off or dim until in tha mornin'. Good night ya two."
The lights instantly dimmed as Dobby carefully placed Athena on the stand to prevent harm to her by jumping. "Good night, Athena, Dobby, Tom." He climbed into bed like he had been before Athena was discovered. Athena used a special ability to read Harry's Aura to determine if he deserved a reward.
Athena internally screamed at the pain that the boy had gone through and knew that the boy deserved any help he could get. Athena hooted to Dobby in a way that he understood as orders to appear in the bank. Seeing a chance to help the great goddess he instantly obeyed and appeared with her in the office of Ragnarok, the noble goblin. Looking up he quickly spotted Athena and froze wondering how she had been wounded.
Before he could ask Athena telepathically spoke to him. "Goblin Lord Ragnarok, I must inform you of the abuse that Harry Potter has suffered by the hands of those meant to care for them. I have also found that Harry Potter has often had broken bones, internal bleeding, and other ailments that has never been treated since they have not been found. Since his magical guardian has not been treating his wounds nor checking on him I must request that you contact McGonagall and Snape of Hogwarts and tell them that you believe he needs a trial by magic. If they push for it then he might be able to be properly cared for. Also inform them that the Potter's wills were never read like they should have been and I will grant you more blessings."
Athena paused before waiting for him to acknowledge her. He quickly nodded soon afterward. "I must request that you read the will tomorrow to the press so that they know that Dumbledore illegally became his guardian. If there are other ways to discredit him use those as well. If you must use veritaserum and tell your employee, Bill Weasley, to tell the truth, do so. Then tell him to go to a reporter and do the same thing. Dobby, lets go back silently."
Dobby eagerly nodded and quickly obeyed her before helping her onto the goddesses owl stand. By now Harry was asleep and had a peaceful look on his face. "Good luck, Master Potter... You will need it come morning time. Now Dobby must go home and sleep too, sweet dreams Lord Potter."
Hello. I will have a poll and a forum based on this story. The forum is Yukimori's Poll Talk!