Warning: Deathly Hallows spoilers.
I want to dedicate this piece to Anne, who was the first person to review my other piece, Obituaries, which remembered the deaths in Deathly Hallows, and remarked that I didn't mention Hedwig. So here's her turn. Please tell me if you liked it or not.
In Memory of a Feathered Friend
Harry, Hermione, and all of the Weasleys had gathered in the yard behind the burrow. Everyone was silent except for Fleur who was sobbing on Bill's shoulder. They had just finished a small funeral ceremony, remembering all of the people who had died fighting at Hogwarts. They just stood there, their tears drying as a sense of peace and acceptance finally replaced the grief.
After a few minutes, Harry stepped forward. "I will miss these people so much," he started. "Many of them have been part of the family I've formed in the magical world. I don't think I'll truly ever get over any of their deaths, but I think they would want us to be happy about the outcome of battle. I just want to remember one other companion."
He picked up a beautiful wooden box, carved with a view of the sky framed with leaves and branches. He opened it and set it on the ground in front of him, now showing the preserved body of a white owl. "Hedwig was one of the first friends I had. Hagrid bought her for me on my birthday, when I first learned about Hogwarts. During the summers when I had to stay with the Dursleys, she was always with me. Not only did she help me keep in touch with my new friends at Hogwarts, she also gave me company for the first time in my life.
"Whenever I was lonely those summers, when I wasn't able to contact Ron and Hermione for one of the multiple reasons, Hedwig was still there. Animals are comforting when you're lonely. She even gave me someone to talk to, someone I could always reach and didn't need to hide anything from. Someone who was more that a pet, but one of my oldest and dearest companions, who had always managed to find me, wherever I went." He paused.
"And now she's gone. Killed by an Avada Kedavra curse, just like many of the wizards who were shot down. I will miss her dearly, but now she can finally be truly free. May her soul fly forever, my feathered friend!"
George set off some special fireworks he had made with Percy, who had become a lot easier going since coming back to the family. As the lone twin lit the fuse, they exploded into a glittering white-gold bird that spread her wings wide as the letters HEDWIG formed above. At the same time Harry closed the box and pointed his wand at it and said "Incendio". The box and the bird inside it slowly turned into ashes as flames enveloped them. The wind picked up suddenly, blowing the ashes into the firework bird as they scattered together. Hedwig was now part of the sky again, flying free.