A small umber coloured owl sat perched perfectly still on a street lamp in front of number four, Pivet Drive. He clutched a letter between his talons, careful not to drop it and alert the tabby cat watching the same house and the same family that he had watched all afternoon of his presence. He did not put it past her to pounce on him if she got the chance. Darkness washed over the street and the only lights left were the shooting stars still streaking across the sky above him.
"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."
The owl's attention snapped from the tabby cat to the man speaking. He recognised the man in the purple cloak, although it had been months since their last encounter. Albus Dumbledore had not changed a bit. The owl listened in on their conversation, still gripping the letter until he found the right time to make himself known. He solemnly sat as Dumbledore told Professor McGonagall the news.
"I've written them a letter," said Dumbledore.
Professor McGonagall quickly argued with Dumbledore, but was reassured that leaving him in the Muggle world was for the best. The owl let go of his letter, letting it fall in front of Professor McGonagall, who took notice of him immediately. Her eyes narrowed, seeming less than thrilled to see him, but familiar with him nonetheless.
"Ah, Talons." Dumbledore's eyes sparkled as he peered at him over his half-moon spectacles. "I did not expect your presence here tonight."
Professor McGonagall handed Dumbledore the letter. "Mr. Wellington is surely too busy celebrating to have come himself." Her tone was evidence of her dislike of the absent Mr. Wellington.
"Perhaps," said Dumbledore, winking at the owl as he opened the letter. "I see." Professor McGonagall watched him read the letter intently. "It seems that young William is in possession of a few of James and Lily's items he thinks Harry might care for when he gets older. He may have them upon request."
"You trust William to return them undamaged? The boy is a walking disaster. I'm surprised he made it through the war."
Talons let out a loud, threatening hoot directed at Professor McGonagall.
"It seems that Talons disagrees." Dumbledore folded the letter and slipped it in his robes. "And so do I. Whatever William is in possession of will be fine in his care until they can be confidently handed over to Harry."
A low rumbling disrupted the discussion. Talons saw the large motorbike fall from the sky and took off from his resting spot on the street lamp by Professor Dumbledore. He relocated a short distant down the street, but out of sight, continuing to listen to the conversation. Dumbledore looked back to the street light to find Talons gone.
The owl had long since disappeared by the time Dumbledore placed Harry on the doorstep, leaving a young man leaning against the street lamp it was previously resting on. He observed the best he could as the three figures standing in front of number four Pivet Drive stared at the bundle left on the doorstep. He watched as the light from the motorbike hit him briefly as Hagrid took off into the night. Dumbledore nodded slightly when the light caught him. All he could do was nod back. He pushed down the sleeves of his oversized jumper and walked off toward the end of the dark street, not knowing the next time he would see any of them.
The streets were filled with wizards, running freely around in their cloaks, and witches exchanging gossip. He dug his hands in his pockets and looked up at the sky, shooting stars still falling freely.
"To James and Lily," he whispered.
He pushed his way through the crowds of Muggles and magic folk alike, looking for a secluded place to apparate back to Diagon Alley. The last place William Wellington wanted to be for a while was in the mist of excitement and action.
A/N: Quotes and plot from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling, chapter One, The Boy Who Lived, pages 8 to 17.
I figured that by the logic that there are five boys in Gryffindor house in Harry's year there very well could have been five during the Marauder's years at Hogwarts.