Hedwig's Last Flight
Based on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Whether Harry was aware of it or not, Hedwig knew why she was being released. She could sense that it was for her safety.
The snowy owl stretched her wings as he lifted her into the air with his hand, and she flew.
Hedwig knew how much she meant to him, even if they could never have an actual conversation. Harry talked to her, though, and they still had a strong bond.
She was there since he had first been introduced to the wizarding world, following Hagrid; before Ron or Hermione, or any Weasley. She stayed in her cage in the summers, and she knew he couldn't do anything or else his uncle would surely have his head.
The owl soared through the dark sky, but she didn't want to leave just yet.
She landed on a tree nearby the Dursley's now old home. They had already left, for their own safety. Hedwig sat on a branch, mostly hidden by leaves. She watched as Harry's friends and members of the Order came, who were going to get him to safety. After a fairly short amount of time, they were all outside. There were several broomsticks, and skeletal horses with wings – Thestrals – outside. The group got onto their assigned transportation and prepared to set off. Despite there being several 'Harry's when they came out of the house, Hedwig saw that the real Harry sat next to Hagrid on a motorbike, although she didn't know exactly what it was, which made her a bit nervous.
All at once, they set off from the road, flying away from Four Privet Drive. Hedwig spread her wings once again, flying close enough to see what was going on, but far away enough to not be seen by anyone. She wanted to make sure he got to the place safely.
Soon, though, there were dark figures surrounding them. Curses were flying in the air from the new figures. The owl prepared herself- she couldn't let him get hurt, and she knew if she could prolong his life by even just a moment, she would do it.
Hedwig flew above Harry and Hagrid, watching carefully while following them as they tried to lose the Death Eaters behind them. The motorbike went through the streets, causing chaos as they went.
As they came out of a tunnel, Hedwig decided it was time for her to fly in.
She flew in front of the Death Eater right behind them, swooping in front of their face in attempt to distract him.
As she flew towards Harry, strange as it may seem, she felt pride in who he'd become. She knew everything he'd been through at the Dursley's- whether she'd heard it, indirectly or from Harry, or seen it. She knew that he'd come far from the boy in the cupboard, even if she hadn't known him exactly when he'd lived in there. She knew he could do what he needed to.
Just before the green curse hit her, her eyes caught Harry's.
The owl fell from the sky, her heart now stopped. She would never see Harry again. But as she knew that he would successfully do what he must, she had been alright with that. She'd known that he would grieve for the loss of her, as he'd let her go to keep her safe. But she also had known that he would realize she'd done it for him, willingly. Whether he liked it or not, she sacrificed herself for him. And because it was for Harry, Hedwig was not fearful of this fate.
A little boy saw a flash of white fall from the sky.
"Mummy!" he called, pointing his finger, "Something big just fell from the sky!"
The woman holding his hand rolled her eyes, "Matthew, don't be silly. Come, your father is waiting."
The little boy, however, wouldn't give up. He knew he had seen something. He pulled his hand from his mother's grasp and ran towards what had fallen.
"Matthew!" his mother called, running after him. When she approached where he had stopped, she saw that he had in fact seen something.
"Mummy," she heard her son whimper, "It's dead."
The woman frowned, "Oh, Matthew." She knew of her son's strong love for animals. "Do you wish to bury him?"
"Her," he corrected her. "And yes."
The woman nodded, and took her coat which was draped on her arm. She, too, was fond of animals, being a veterinarian herself. She picked up the lifeless owl gently, also being careful not to touch it just in case of any diseases, and carried it home with her son by her side.
When they arrived home, the woman's husband and the boy's father saw that his wife had something in her arms.
"Another animal?" he smirked, until he saw her frown.
"Yes, but sadly not one we can save. We're going to bury her, alright?"
The man nodded, rubbing her back for a moment. He walked out to the backyard and got his shovel, and started to dig a hole. His wife walked out of the house with their son, the owl wrapped in a few blankets.
The young boy dropped a flower onto the owl, now in the hole his father had dug, which he had gotten from a vase inside the house.
As a tear rolled down his cheek, the boy spoke softly, "I bet you were a brave owl."