House: Ravenclaw
Position: HoH
Category: Drabble
Prompt: [Animal] Eagle
Word Count (excluding header): 823
Beta: LadyS and RowenaHermioneRavenclaw
AN- In canon, The Bloody Baron is never given a first name. LadyS used the name Roman for her own story in a previous round and I liked it.
"I'm glad I finally found you," Roman said. "I know you are trying to avoid me, but we need to talk."
He'd been wandering around the castle looking for his fellow Head student since classes had finished for the day. They'd had yet another fight when he reminded her of her obligations to carry on her regal bloodline and secure an appropriately pure spouse. Of course, he was the perfect candidate for the role.
She'd responded that she wasn't ready for marriage. She wasn't even certain if she even wanted to continue on her family legacy. However, she made it abundantly clear that if and when she decided to take that step, Roman would be the last man on earth she'd consider.
Helena asserted that he knew next to nothing about her as a person and was only fixated on her last name. To prove her point, she'd turned her back to him and asked him for the color of her eyes. His guess that they'd been blue like her mother's and earned her ire and a death stare from brown orbs.
For the last few days, he'd been trying to find her and force the conversation again. He'd finally found her in her Animagus form of an eagle in an abandoned study room in the Astronomy tower.
The large eagle was coated in well-groomed grey-ish brown feathers with lighter colored feathers on its chest and head. The eagle was contentedly dozing on the stone window sill of one of the open windows.
"Helena," Roman pleaded with the eagle, "please turn back to your human form."
The majestic white-tailed eagle awoke from its sleep and turned its stubborn, steely eyes on him. He felt the stare as though it were a physical dagger, burying itself in his chest.
"Please, Helena. I did not mean to offend you. If you would just give me a chance, you'd see that we are very compatible. I come from an entirely unblemished bloodline. I am willing to overlook your father's indeterminate blood. Our children will be some of the most respected in the Wizarding World. Our sons will carry on my name and I will allow our daughters to have your name so that the Ravenclaw family may live on."
The eagle expanded its wings to their full seven-foot span and flapped them violently.
"I know that you profess not to care about such things, but you will see that what I am saying is true."
The eagle let out a loud screech.
"Helena!" Roman scolded, "this behavior is unbecoming of a witch of your standing."
The eagle flew across the classroom to perch on another windowsill to get away from Roman. The three-foot-tall eagle flexed its talons, as if ready to attack Roman at any moment.
"Please, Helena," Roman softened his tone. "I love you. I know if you would just listen to me, you would realize that you could love me, too."
He slowly approached the eagle with his arms outstretched to intimate that he meant no harm. The eagle continued to glare with unmasked hostility.
When his hand was within a foot of the eagle, he stilled. "May I touch you, Helena?"
"What do you think you're doing?" called an incredulous voice from the doorway.
"I'm speaking with Helena Ravenclaw," Roman replied without turning away from the eagle. "This is a private conversation, so if you don't mind…" he trailed off as his brain suddenly recognized the voice. Turning towards the door, he sputtered, "Hel— Helena?"
The witch herself was struggling and failing to contain her laughter. "You thought that bird was me?"
Roman glared at the imposter eagle. "It looks just like you in your Animagus form."
"That bird looks nothing like me."
"You're just saying that to make me look foolish."
"That bird is a white-tailed eagle. I transform into a golden eagle. Even if you failed to recognize the different species, you should have realized that my eagle is nearly a foot smaller. I have brown eyes in my Animagus form and the ends of my neck feathers are black like my hair. This just proves once again that you know nothing about me."
"Because you won't let me!" Roman said. "You won't even give me a chance to prove myself to you. You owe itー"
"ー I owe you nothing," she interrupted, her eyes narrowing. "That's what you've always failed to understand. The pure blood that you are so proud of does not mean you deserve anything from anyone. I am my own person and I am the only one who gets to decide who I choose to have in my life."
"Helena," he pleaded.
"No, Roman. Just, no," she said with finality.
The room was pitched into a tense silence. The eagle took the opportunity to stretch its wings once more and launch itself out of the open window. Helena pushed away from the doorway leaving Roman by himself.