Chapter 1: A death in the family
"What is being wrong, young Master Raven?" Jasper squeaked out in a tone slightly higher than his usual squeaky voice.
"He's dead Jasper, Old Crow is dead." Came the reply from the small black haired boy curled up in an old armchair by the window. He was staring numbly at a letter that had just arrived by the usual method of mail delivery. Well, usual for this child and unusual for most others. The black bird that had brought the letter had just performed the last task its Master would ever ask of it. It was now perched on the back of the armchair as if reading the fate of its late Master over the boy's shoulder.
"I know he never came very often, Jasper, but he did rescue me. He gave me this place to stay in. I'm not sure I'd come out very often either if I had his ability. The letter said he seen his death this morning. He knew he'd be dead by the time Ebony got his letter to me." The boy could remember every time he'd seen Old Crow. He remembered the first time Crow had shown him magic even if it was just a reparo on a broken cup.
"Ma-Master Crow is dead, Master Raven?" Jasper managed to eek out breaking the boy out of his memories for a moment. A determined look came over the house elf. "Jasper be doing Master Crow's orders if Master Crow is really gone. Master Crow tell Jasper what to do when Master Crow die. Master say last order really important. Jasper be doing orders now. Jasper be leaving." With that the house elf disappeared with a crack.
"Have I lost Jasper now too, Ebony?" Raven said while stroking the feathers of the bird perched above his shoulder.
"Crow always said he would know when he would die. I asked him one year if he was feeling ok. He said he would be okay until he wasn't but at least he would know beforehand when he wasn't going to be okay. He used to say it was a curse that ran in the family. I just never thought… I'll never see him on my birthday again. Never hear him ask 'so what have you learned this year my little Raven?' in that gravelly voice he said he got from smoking for too many cigars." The black haired boy's eyes glistened with tears despite his determination to never cry again. He learned long ago that crying never solved his problems. Crying wouldn't being Crow back and crying couldn't make Jasper stay now that his real owner had died. At least crying no longer brought about his Uncle's wrath. Crow had seen to that.
It had been almost 4 years ago; he had just turned six that day. It had started like most days in the Dursley house; indeed it started like all the birthdays he could remember. His aunt woke him up pounding on the door to the cupboard he slept in and he limped out of the cupboard to start his morning chores. The limp was a remainder of a badly healed broken leg. Not that his relatives had tried to help him heal after his Cousin pushed him down the stairs. He had been picked up by the shirt at his neck and tossed in the cupboard under the stairs courtesy of his uncle. He was however yelled at for getting blood on the carpet and later handed a bottle of carpet cleaner with a threat of worse hurts than a broken leg if the stain didn't come out.
The newly turned six-year-old had cracked a few eggs into the frying pan and moved to set the table. He, of course, was not allowed to eat with his relatives. No, if he was lucky he could steal something from the kitchen to hide and eat later when no one was watching. He wished himself a happy birthday as he swiped a half brown banana. The day progressed and he had done his chores while his Cousin watched his favorite shows on the telly. He had cleaned the kitchen and mowed the lawn and was starting on the weeds in the flower beds when his uncle came home. That was when this birthday differed from all the rest. His uncle announced that he had a gift for him but they needed to get in the car so he could get it. He had never gotten a birthday present other than a beating. Hesitant, he climbed into the car behind his Uncle in the driver's seat. They drove for hours that day before they stopped in one of the seedier areas of London. He got out of the car when his Uncle told him and watched with mounting panic as his Uncle sped away. His gift had been a one way trip to London. His family was now rid of the freak, as they called him.
However, not 20 minutes later his uncle's gift turned out to be the best thing he had even gotten. Crow walked up to him. "I saw you here little Raven. Come, I have new home ready for you." And with that the newly-dubbed Raven walked into an old apartment and newly adopted family.
"Happy Birthday, Raven." He was in awe, the small loft held minimal furniture, a little kitchenette, one bedroom and bathroom. The rest of the living space was taken up with books. Bookshelves lined the walls and stood alone creating library like halls all of them nearly groaning under the weight of the tomes that spilled out of them. There were books stacked on the floor, books lining the mantle over the fireplace and books laying haphazardly on the two armchairs and desk in the room. Raven had always loved books. They let him escape from his relatives and once he had read them his Aunt and Uncle could never take that knowledge away from him as they had everything else. Crow left soon after telling him to "learn what you can Raven, and learn it well." He followed Crow's advice and learned about the magical world the books spoke of. A few days later the house elf Jasper popped up saying that his "Master Crow" had asked him to look after Raven on occasion. Raven didn't see Crow very often. He would send Ebony sometimes with short letters or a potion telling him that he had seen Raven have a small accident like when the whole top shelf of books toppled onto his head. But Crow had come back every year on his birthday to ask what he had learned.
"Are you going to leave me now too, Ebony?" The teary-eyed boy stopped his reminiscing and turned to address the bird behind him. As if in answer to his question, the bird let out a caw, spread his wings and flew to the makeshift perch beside the fireplace. He ruffled his feathers and settled down to sleep after his long flight. "Thanks Ebony."