Hedwig alighted on a nearby branch and folded her wings with as much grace as she could muster. It was a windy evening and it was difficult to remain regal while the warm summer wind tugged at ones feathers. In fact, she knew it would give her a sort of punk hair do and her companion would laugh when she saw it but there was nothing else to do. The lower branches, which were much more sheltered, were just too low. Nagini had always spoken politely to her but she just couldn't trust the snake. Hedwig was sure that, given the chance, she would be lunch.
She was just thinking about leaving when the dry rustle of leaves moving caught her attention. Glancing down, she spotted the dark snake moving easily through the undergrowth, "Good evening," Hedwig hooted. The snake looked up. She looked… ragged.
"Not sure what's so good about it," she hissed.
"Been a rough day?"
"I sometimes wonder whether I am more than just a muggle trash bin," the snake grumbled. "I know master is doing what he thinks is right by destroying these beings but they taste so… bland." She curled herself up on the warm ground and rested her large head on her coils. Her tongue flicked in and out as she tasted the air. Hedwig could make out the grim expression she was wearing and rolled her eyes, the snake was always such a drama-queen. Reaching up with her foot, she scratched her ear before shaking her head from side to side.
"I can bring you some owl-treats in you'd prefer them?" The snake pulled a face, which was somewhat ridiculous and the owl opened her beak in a sort of mocking laugh.
"Just wish that he'd feed me something different once in a while, I'd even settle for mud-blood but he isn't going after them currently, something about waiting for the right time."
"Don't be so dramatic, you're getting fed which is more than some," Hedwig hooted. Nagini nodded her head and let out a sort of hissing sigh.
"At least I don't have to find my own food."
"You have no idea! If I have to eat another field mouse I'm sure I shall go bonkers. Hardly any meat on them at this time of year and I swear someone had given them all glasses. Suddenly they've become hard to find." The owl ruffled her feathers and settled down again after a gust knocked her.
"What's it even like? Living with the so called 'Chosen One?'"
"I might ask you the same thing," Hedwig said, "It's alright, he sends me on enough errands to keep me busy and he keeps the cage clean. I do think he needs some better friends, they always seem to lead him into trouble."
"He needs to get better control of them. Master had a couple of followers like that but he soon dealt with them. People need a firm hand sometimes." Nagini said. A glazed look filled her eyes and Hedwig recognised the look. She was pretty sure that those wayward people were now rotting somewhere as snake dung. She shuddered.
"Maybe, though I don't think Hermione would take kindly to that sort of treatment," Hedwig said. The snake moved her coils in a shrug.
"That's Harry's problem. I just do as I'm told," Nagini said.
"True." The owl hooted her response and scanned the horizon. The sun was setting and it was almost time to hunt. "He'd be in hospital less if he didn't follow them!"
"He is always getting injured, or so you keep telling me, what was it this time?"
"Thrown by the whomping willow." The snake laughed.
"Why would the boy keep going near it?" she hissed.
"I have no idea," the owl said with a shake of her head, "Humans can be so stupid sometimes."
Silence descended between the unlikely companions and Hedwig glanced down at the snake. "I should go," she said.
Nagini nodded her large head and yawned, "Me too, I can feel my blood cooling, it's making me drowsy." Hedwig wasn't entirely sure what it was the snake was on about but she nodded anyway.
"Until next time then?" the owl asked. The snake nodded and yawned before she began moving away again. Hedwig watched the snake go. Once she was out of sight, she stretched her snowy white wings and launched into the air. Perhaps tonight, she would find something to eat that wasn't field mouse!