Quoth the Raven, Nevermore
Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Reviews are welcomed, flames aren't.
A/N: The names of the ravens as well as their daily routine can be found in the Tower's official website. It's so amazing on what you can read on the Internet.
Chapter 4: Ever Yet Was Blessed
The littlest raven was snug in his nest box, sleeping peacefully, unconcerned by the sounds of the night around him. The Ravenmaster had just left after visiting to make sure everything was done for the night.
A soft silvery glow chased the last of the dark shadows from the rookery. All of the adult ravens were alert but silent. They knew very well who was approaching and it would not do to alert the humans.
A glowing white hand reached gently into the nest box and carefully lifted the sleeping fledgling.
"Awake, my little raven," came the breathless whisper of a woman's voice. Scrapper lifted his drowsy head. He recognized that voice! He'd heard it in his dreams almost every night since he'd arrived here!
The little raven gave a weak squawk as he looked up. She smiled as she waved a hand over the youngling.
When she removed it, the fledgling had morphed into a little boy - a very naked, grubby little boy. He had messy black hair that hadn't been combed or washed in a very long time and a very dirty face. He rubbed his sleepy green eyes as he looked up at the strange lady before him.
She smiled and kissed his forehead. "How are you doing, my little raven?"
The child blinked. "I. . . I. . . 'm . . . Mum?"
She laughed. "No, child. Your mother watches over you from the Undying Lands. She loves you very much."
A tear formed and slowly fell from the small child's wide green eyes. "Daddy?"
"Him too," she said sadly. "Do you know your name, my raven?"
"Frrr. . .Freak?" he stuttered sadly. He hated his name but that was the only one he knew, the only name his family had ever called him.
The ravens cawed and hissed in anger as the goddess scowled. The spirits that had followed gasped in shock and murmured among themselves.
"Hush child," she chided, placing a finger on his lips. "Freak is not a name for a little raven such as yourself. Your name shall henceforth be Hadrian Ravenschilde."
"Ha . . .Ha. . drian . . . 'Hadrian'," Hadrian stuttered, mulling over the new name with a tongue unused to speech. It sure was better then being 'Freak' or 'Boy.'
"My Lady, if it please you, The wards will not permit a child of magic to live within these bloody walls," Queen Anne said from outside the rookery.
"I will see to that," The Morrigan said. She reached up and brushed away a stray lock of black hair that fell across Hadrian's brow. Her long cool finger traced the jagged scar that marred his grubby young forehead. As she pulled her finger away, Hadrian cried out in pain. A long, black cord-like mist seemed attached to her finger as it came out of the scar.
"There now, don't you feel better, childe?" She asked as the black thread-like mist swirled in her open palm.
Hadrian clutched his forehead, whimpering in pain.
"Shh child. All will be well," The Dark Lady reassured him. "I have something very special for you, if you would look upon Me."
Hadrian blinked and dropped his hand. "I. . . never had anything special 'fore. . . wan't 'lowed. . . Freaks. . ."
"Hush! You are not a freak. You are my childe, my Hadrian, my little raven," she calmed him. "Look in My hand and see what I have for you."
Hadrian stretched up on tiptoe and peered cautiously into her hand. Where once was a blackened, misty thread was now a pendant shaped like a raven on a silvery chain.
"For me?" Hadrian looked up at her in awe.
The Morrigan laughed as she placed the pendant around his grimy neck. "For you indeed, my little raven. It will protect you in this time of growing and learning. And learning you shall do, my childe. Here, in this dark place, you will be safe from prying eyes and interfering forces."
Hadrian touched the pendant that hung over his heart, then looked back up at her. "Th. . . thank yo. . . you."
She laughed a chiming, echoing sound that rang out like church bells on a wintry night. Her dark eyes sparkled in merriment and she leaned over and kissed his forehead once more.
"Blessed be, my little one. If you need me, My Hadrian, you need but call to me in moonlight and I will come, or send a messenger," She said as she stood up.
"Wh. . who are you?" he asked, still fingering his pendant.
Placing a hand on his shoulder she seemed to grow in stature and power. "I am The Morrigan, daughter of Danu. I hold sway over life and death and all who would rule do so at My whim." The goddess turned to the assembled spirits. "He is my Chosen. He has been ill-used and ill-kept. No longer will it be so. This will be his home until it is time for him to fulfill his destiny. You will teach and protect him."
"It shall be as you command, My Goddess," Queen Anne said, holding her head under her arm as she sank into a deep curtsy.
"As you command." The rest of the spirits echoed reverently.
Hadrian let out a huge yawn, not really paying any attention to the fact he was in front of a Goddess and several hundred ghosts and spirits. He didn't know why he shouldn't be afraid, standing here, in the middle of a bird cage in the middle of the night. He just wasn't.
The Morrigan laughed. "It seems that a little one needs to finish his sleep. Thor! Hardey! This little raven is in your care. Protect him well."
With another yawn, Hadrian could no longer hold his shape. True he was really a little boy that took the form of a baby raven, but he was much happier as a raven. So he once more morphed back into a fledgling.
The Morrigan carefully picked up the sleepy bird and placed him in Hardey's nest.
"Sleep well my little raven. Until we meet anon."
She stepped back into a shaft of moonlight and faded away as the spirits quietly filed past, pledging their support before they too faded from sight.
0O0o0o0
The next morning when Ben McIntrye came to check on how Scrapper spent his first night in the rookery he gasped, dropping the small bowl of mush he had prepared.
The nest box that held the fledgling was empty. After close inspection, he found that the cage was still securely locked. No sign of force was found and clearly the ravens haven't messed with it. He looked around calling for Scrapper. Surely he was still here!
"Poor little Scrapper. Just where are you?" he called.
A squawk sounded from the rookery causing Ben to look up into the row of nesting boxes.
"Well Hardey. What have you for me?" he asked, coming over.
The adult ravens weren't in individual cages. They usually spread out on the perches provided. A row of nesting boxes, much like a chicken coop, also lined the back wall for the birds to settle in if they felt like it. He looked over at the nest box hosting the Tower's lead female raven.
"Oh I say!" Hardey moved aside to preen a small fledgling beneath her wing. "Scrapper! How did you get in there?"
He wasn't fool enough to stick his hand into Hardey's nest. She had a wicked sharp beak that could take off a finger or pierce a palm if she was a mind to. Ravens were, after all, scavenger birds. From the brief visual check he could see no injuries or wounds so Ben decided best to let things be.
The fledgling protested losing Hardey's warmth. The adult bird emitted a soft sound to reassure Scrapper who quieted back down.
"Well, Hardey, Ol' thing. I guess we won't be letting you out today or anytime soon if you've taken on his care. Little Scrapper looks just fine. You take good care of him, hear?"
Hardey squawked, ruffling her feathers as she settled down over the chick.
0O0o0o0
Summer turned into Autumn. Scrapper stayed with Hardey. She became his mother, teacher and protector. Thor stayed close and between the pair they taught Scrapper how to be a proper raven.
Ravens at the Tower are on a very strict regimen. To say they are tame would be wrong. The ravenmasters all have a healthy respect for the birds and the damage an angry raven can do. The birds are pampered and well fed, but treated with the deference given to a large and dangerous creature. These are semi-wild birds that have their wings clipped to keep them from flying away. They've been conditioned to be around humans but they aren't what anyone would consider safe.
Scrapper was included in that regimen. He was fed and encouraged to bathe daily. His meal included more nutrients than the adult birds, he was after all, still a growing. All of
them were given medical inspections weekly. Even though Scrapper filled out nicely, he still remained a fledgling much to the dismay and puzzlements of the Warders.
Ben couldn't understand it. Why wasn't Scrapper growing? He should be a bit bigger and ready to fly by the first frost but the poor youngling still had the pin feathers of a chick mixed in with his secondary feathers. He didn't even try to strengthen his wings. It was puzzling.
On top of that, the spirits took to hanging around the rookery during the evenings. Her majesty and the little princes were frequently spotted. As well as Sir Walter and one ghost that looked like he was Merlin, which was strange.
Merlin never visited the Tower! In fact, the Tower was built some 100 or so years after the venerable wizard's death. They didn't even know this spirit's name, but that wasn't unusual, many spirits that haunt the Tower didn't give out their names.
Well, whatever was the matter with Scrapper it didn't seem to bother the ravens. They protected him as they would any of their own chicks. To them, life was one big prank and full of shiny things.
He said as much to Maggie one night. She got a strange look on her face and sighed. "I can't do magic in the rookery, Ben dear. The wards wouldn't like it. I didn't think to test Scrapper while he was with us."
"What is going on in that mind of yours, Maggie my love?"
She shook her head. "Nothing. Just a passing thought. It is too bad you can't bring him back."
Ben shook his head. "No reason to. Regs. We want them to stay semi-feral. They aren't pets, Maggie Love."
"I know Ben dear."
And with that he returned to filling out his reports. Something strange was going on but then, strange is normal when you
live and work in and around the Tower.
0o0o0o0
We tried to make this chapter longer but it want us to. Sorry.
We've done quite a bit of research on the Tower and its ravens. We even got someone(Thanks again Phil) to help!
So we were wrong about a murder of ravens. * le sigh * Thank you all that pointed it out.
We've always felt that Harry's animagus form should be a either a cat or raven. Both suit his personalities just fine.
As for the comments about the Cold War, sorry, but there was some fighting ( they had the dubious honor of being called police actions or crisis, not war) during that time frame. Both Frau and I lived through it. I was like 8 when JFK was assassinated and Frau was a few more years older than me.
Anyways, keep reading. Frau and I have only just started.
Until next time. -GF and the Frau