I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Extended Family
Chapter 34 – Feathered Protector
Starts right after chapter 31
Dedicated to pinkelmo3
Katie blinked when they reapparated, landing them right outside of their home. "That is probably the smoothest side-along apparition I've ever had."
Harry smiled, looking a little strained but was still warm and sincere. "I've gotten better at it with all the transfiguration work I've been doing. Plus I pumped a lot of my magic in it to make it as smooth as I could for you and Dahlia."
Katie kissed his cheek. "Thank you, I appreciate it and I know Dally does." She looked down at their newborn daughter. She fussed a little, making noises of discomfort and Katie gently bounced her in her arms. "My magic is still a bit funny so it was better that you brought us home."
Harry gently stroked Dahlia's head and the baby quieted down a little. "Sorry for the rough trip Dally," he said soothingly. "But you're home now. Welcome home!" He looked around. "You're about to meet the last person in our little family."
A low keen grew in strength and they looked up, smiling at the white silhouette coming closer. Hedwig extended her wings wide and landed on Harry's head. She hooted with welcome, tugging on Harry's hair and leaning over to nuzzle Katie's head. Then Dahlia made a noise and her head snapped, eyes widening as she looked down at the baby.
"Hedwig, this is Dahlia. She's here with us now," Harry said. He reached up and took Hedwig in his arms and brought her close to Dahlia. He noticed Katie's look of concern. "I'm sure Hedwig will be really careful."
Katie smiled wryly. "I'm sorry. I know she will. Guess I'm just being overly cautious."
"You're being a mum," Harry said warmly. "Let's go inside."
They walked into the house and smiled at the decorations their friends and family had left: fresh flowers, floating garlands, and lots of gifts and things sitting about. Katie gently set Dahlia down on a large pillow on the living room couch. "There we go," she said softly. "Do you like your home baby?"
Dahlia looked around, blinking and gurgling softly.
"I think she will," Harry chuckled. He gently released Hedwig who flew around the room for a little bit, dodging between floating things. "They really made things homey for us, didn't they?"
"They sure did," Katie said fondly. "I'll call them later. Let me call the mums. They'll want to be here soon."
"Good idea. I'll call the others and tell them we got back okay." He went to put their things away and was called back by Katie. "What's up?" he asked as he walked back in.
Katie was looking down at the couch with the softest expression. She beckoned him over.
Hedwig was sitting right beside Dahlia, plumped up and hooting softly. The baby was nestled against her downy feathers and looked indecently comfortable. She had one tiny hand in Hedwig's feathers, holding a handful gently. Hedwig continued to hoot softly, musically, her large amber eyes never leaving Dahlia's face.
"That's my girl," Harry said proudly. "With my other girl."
"I have nothing to worry about," Katie said. She rubbed Hedwig's head gently. "Thank you so much Hedwig.
Hedwig cheeped and nibbled on Katie's finger's lovingly, blinking slowly at her.
"I guess she considers Dally to be her chick," Harry smiled.
The owl bobbed her head in agreement. She shuffled closer to Dahlia, enveloping her side in soft feathers.
"We're really lucky," Katie said.
"We really are," Harry agreed.
-0-
"Your owl is really intense," Tonks said. She suppressed a shiver at Hedwig's flat stare.
"She's really protective of Dahlia," Harry smiled. "From the minute we got home. But don't let that intimidate you."
Tonks snorted softly, making sure to keep Dahlia secure in her arms. "I'd rather have a staring contest with Mad-Eye than Hedwig right now. She looks like she'll cut my throat if anything happens to Dally."
Hedwig hooted in a not very reassuring way.
"Hey, this is Dora, she's fine," Harry said, rubbing Hedwig's back.
Hedwig rolled her eyes.
"Was she always this cheeky?" Tonks asked.
"Yup," Katie said easily. "She's gotten more so lately."
Samantha laughed. "Clapper always treated you two well but he wasn't ever especially fond. Definitely a working owl."
"We got our cuddles from Bailey," Lyla agreed. "You know, usually."
Bailey was sitting in front of Tonks, her head on the woman's knee and she was looking adoringly at the baby in Tonks' arms. Her tail wagged slowly as she pressed her nose against Dahlia's side, snuffling softly.
"Abandoned by our pets," Lyla sighed dramatically.
"They're just obsessed with Dahlia right now and who could blame them?" Samantha said.
-0-
"Ouch! Hey, what's wrong?" Harry looked up at Hedwig who had landed on his head and tugged on his hair. "Aren't you going to go fly tonight?"
She shook her head and flapped to her roost. It was usually by the main window in the living room. She would either nap or rest on it or the small nest-like bed on the shelf beside it. She danced up and down on the roost before gripping it in her talons. She flapped hard, dragging it a short distance before letting go and flying back to Harry.
"You want me to move your roost?"
She bobbed her head.
"Okay, where?" He smiled when she pointed with her wing. "You're the best Hedwig, you know that right?"
She dipped her head down to nuzzle his.
Katie looked up from where she was nursing Dahlia. She smiled when she saw Harry walk into Dahlia's bedroom with Hedwig riding on top and him holding her roost. "What's up?"
"Hedwig wanted me to put her roost in here," Harry said. He began to set it on the other side of the crib close to the door but stopped when Hedwig hooted softly. "Not here?" He moved it to the top of the crib between it and the window. "Here?"
Hedwig nodded and hopped to it when Harry set it down. She sat on it and her head swiveled back and forth from looking out the window and to the crib. She flapped once more and waited for Harry to move it back a little more so she could look out of the window more easily and look down into the crib. Satisfied, she hooted and walked across the top of the crib to plump down beside Katie.
"You're the best Hedwig," Katie said with a big smile.
Hedwig hooted in a very dignified and self-assured way.
-0-
"How's the first week treating you?" Alicia asked.
"Not too bad thankfully," Katie said. "Lots of feeding of course, waking up at odd hours and feeling just tired as heck. But I've had good company at night."
"Oh? Harry goes with you every time?"
"No but he's been great about taking turns with me to feed Dally. Hedwig roosts in Dally's room now and whenever I come in, she's hooting and cooing to Dally and she loves it. Doesn't cry as loudly or hard. She keeps me company and it's kinda nice to chat with her. She's a good listener."
Alicia smiled. "That's oddly adorable."
"Hedwig loves Dally. Like, really. When Dally is napping out here, Hedwig will plump beside her. Sometimes I bet she'd sit on Dally if she could." The two women laughed. "I mean, look at her."
They looked at the couch where they had set Hadley and Dahlia down. Hedwig was sitting between the two baby girls, cooing at the both of them, though she was pressed against Dahlia.
"I wonder if she's the first nanny owl," Alicia smiled.
"She's one of a kind, that's for sure," Katie said gratefully.
"Well she's always been incredibly possessive of Harry. It only makes sense she's that way for Dahlia."
"Such a lucky girl," Katie said.
-0-
"Katie! Come quick!"
Katie came running over. "What's wrong?!"
"Nothing's wrong but look!" Harry pointed and Katie's heart melted.
Hedwig was on the ground, taking large exaggerated steps with her wings wide. Dahlia was following behind, taking the same kind of steps as the owl. Harry and Katie had already cheered when Dahlia took her first tottering uncertain steps earlier in the week, praising her and taking many pictures. Now Harry had taken more as he watched his first friend and his first daughter walk together.
Hedwig was extraordinarily patient. She would take a large step and wait for Dahlia to follow suit. Then another. Dahlia fell, landing on her rear with a bump. Hedwig cooed softly, butting her gently with her head until the little baby became a toddler once more, climbing up with an intense look of concentration before following Hedwig once more. The little girl held her arms wide as well, flapping them gently for balance.
Once Dahlia walked around for a bit, Hedwig barked with victory, nuzzling the girl and hooting up at the parents proudly.
"Thank you, Hedwig," Harry said, lifting his owl up and hugging her tightly. "You're such a good owl."
Katie took the owl while Harry lifted Dahlia up in the air, the girl screeching with delight. "Such a good mama bird," Katie laughed.
-0-
A few years later
Dahlia gathered wildflowers, picking a few here and there. Uncle Neville had taught her to never pull too many at once so that they would come back the following year, a lesson she took to heart. She was not far from the house, but far enough to be slightly out of sight.
Hedwig sat on the ground next to her, eyes blinking in the sunlight. She preened slightly when Dahlia held a red blossom to the snowy owl, hooting in agreement when Dahlia tucked it in her chest feathers. The owl yawned but then suddenly stopped, head turning sharply. She looked into the trees, eyes narrowing slightly as she peered into the woods.
"What's wrong Hedwig?" Dahlia asked, noticing how the owl had stilled and was staring off into the distance.
Hedwig barked and butted Dahlia's arm. She pointed back towards home with a wing, barking sharply.
Dahlia never questioned the owl and got to her feet, beginning to walk back home. "What about you?" she asked, concerned.
Hedwig barked again, clacking her beak at the girl. Message received, Dahlia took off towards home and Hedwig launched herself into the sky. She landed at the apex of a tree, looking down at the ground below. She started to keen, a low warning sound full of threat.
The wild dog ignored her. It continued to prowl along the ground. It scented something, something large and helpless. It was utterly unconcerned by the sound of an owl. What owl would be brave enough to attack a large dog? The dog began to lope faster, searching for prey. It ignored the second and final warning, a deep throaty bark.
The dog sped up, seeing its prey far ahead. It was small and would be helpless to his teeth and jaws.
Hedwig struck the dog in the face at speed, coming at a sharp dive, screeching a war cry. The dog yowled as it tumbled over and over with Hedwig latched firmly on. She continued to shriek with rage. Talons sank deep through fur and skin and her beak flashed as she bit and barked. The dog screeched in rage and pain, snapping its jaws and jumping frantically, trying to shake the angry owl off. Teeth just missed feathers as the dog tried to fight the owl off.
Hedwig let go and rolled in the air, flying up slightly before diving once more. She stabbed with her talons, one set into the dog's muzzle and other into its neck. She bit hard into the dog's ear and pulled, her beak sawing and snapping.
The dog cried in pain as the ear came off its skull. It no longer wanted to fight, felt no hunger or rage. Instead it was filled with fear. It had found a match in this snowy owl and the dog wanted to flee while it still could. It ran away from the prey, yelping and whining and tried to shake the attacker free.
Hedwig clung on grimly, holding the dog's ear in her beak, beating her wings wildly. At the last moment she practically dragged the dog in a direction and let go, flapping away and the dog, lost in pain and panic, ran straight into a tree. The dog fell over, whimpering in pain before climbing onto unsteady legs and running away.
Hedwig dropped the ear from her beak and caught it in her talons on her right leg. She puffed out her chest and barked loudly and shrilly. Every animal in the vicinity froze at the pure threat and anger in her voice, cowering at the sound. Her cries rang off the trees and countryside, a warning cry, laced with intent. The more predatory animals slunk away, they knew a territorial cry when they heard it. Between the threatening display and the yelping dog, they knew easier hunting grounds could be had with much less trouble.
She waited for a moment, then nodded in satisfaction at the ensuing silence. With a dismissive flick of her tail feathers, she flew back to home, still holding her earned trophy of conquest.
Dahlia ran for home, never stopping. Katie saw her running up the back yard and she came running out. "Dally?! Are you okay?"
"I'm okay but Hedwig might be in trouble!" Dahlia cried. "She told me to run home."
Katie held her wand ready and pushed Dahlia behind her. She looked out into the woods, eyes searching. "Hedwig? Are you okay?" she called out. She and Dahlia relaxed when they heard comforting hoots coming towards them. Her eyes popped wide when she saw Hedwig come soaring. "Sweet Merlin! Hedwig! Is that blood?!"
Hedwig landed on the table beside them, hooting proudly. Her talons and beak dripped with blood, her snowy white feathers daubed with droplets and streaks of crimson vitae. She looked utterly unbothered by it however.
"Are you okay?" Dahlia cried, trying to get close.
Hedwig bobbed her head, cooing softly.
"I don't think that's her blood thank goodness. Oh…oh what." Katie looked at the ear in her talons. "Did you rip that off something?" She gawked at the very proud looking Hedwig who puffed her chest out. "Was it something that was coming after Dally?"
Hedwig's eyes narrowed and she barked sharply again, stabbing her talons deeper into her grisly trophy. She mooned the woods, waggling her rear condescendingly.
"You drove it off?" Katie sighed with relief. "Thank you, Hedwig."
Hedwig cheeped, flapping her wings.
"Let's get you cleaned up and I better tell Harry to get you a nice fat steak or something for dinner," Katie said.
When Harry got home, with a large package from Linette's, he listened with open jawed amazement at the story. Hedwig was sitting in Dahlia's lap, cooing happily at the attention and praise. Harry looked at the ear with surprise, the owl having prevented Katie from throwing it away. "You are really the best Hedwig. Thank you so much."
Hedwig gave Harry a fond and exasperated look.
"I know, you are just looking out for your chick too." He hugged his daughter and his owl, kissing them both. "I'll run a circuit later but I bet you ran it off for good. Well! You're going to have the hero's share tonight. Look what I got you." He revealed a large piece of pork belly and a large uncut slab of streaky bacon. "I'm cooking both tonight and you're going to get the biggest piece."
Hedwig fluffed up contentedly, wriggling happily as Dahlia continued to run her fingers through her feathers. A foe vanquished, a chick protected, a happy family, and plenty of bacon for dinner. Life was grand.
-0-
Some time later
"Hi pretty lady," Katie smiled. Lately Hedwig had sat with her a lot at night when Katie relaxed. The owl would puff up on Katie's abdomen, sitting comfortably and hooting serenely at Katie.
"Aww, you two look very comfortable," Harry smiled.
"Hedwig is a very lovely cuddle buddy," Katie said. "She's been so sweet to me too lately. I mean, she's always sweet to me but it's been really nice with the extra cuddles." She rubbed Hedwig's belly.
"She usually sits on my head or shoulder for cuddles," Harry said. "She only sits on my chest or stomach when she has something to say."
Katie giggled. "Yeah, she used to be like that too. But for a while she's been on my stomach. The last time she did that was…" Her voice faded and she looked into her memories. She stopped and her eyes widened and she looked at Harry.
"What?" Harry asked, alarmed.
"When I was pregnant with Dally," Katie whispered. She looked back at Hedwig who blinked slowly up at her.
Harry cast a diagnostic charm on Katie. Then a second one. Then a third. "You're pregnant," he said softly, eyes wide.
"I'm pregnant?!" Katie gaped at him and looked down at Hedwig. The owl plumped up more and wriggled back and forth, sitting down firmly on Katie's front. "You…you knew I was pregnant?"
Hedwig cheeped.
She looked at Harry. "We're going to have a second baby."
"We're going to have a second baby!" Harry leapt forward and crushed Katie in a hug and Hedwig squawked as she was smooshed between them. She flapped her wings irritably, nipping at Harry through his shirt.
"Ouch! Sorry sorry!" He laughed and hugged them both more gently. "We're going to have a second baby!"
Katie smiled through her tears and laughed. "What a way to find out!" She hugged Hedwig who bit her nose gently. "You're protecting your second chick already?"
Hedwig hooted and nodded, nuzzling Katie's cheek.
Katie sat back and let Hedwig settle back down on her stomach. "I can't believe it."
"I can, Hedwig is very smart," Harry praised and rubbed her head. "Want me to call everyone?"
"No, it can wait until tomorrow. Let's all just sit like this together and we'll need to tell Dahlia she's about to be a big sister."
Hedwig blinked slowly, puffed and plumped on Katie's abdomen. She looked at her family with pride, soaking in Harry and Katie and Dahlia's happy voices and expressions. She hooted with satisfaction as she wriggled comfortably on Katie, perfectly content.
-0-0-0-
diffident-serpiente - I'm so glad you enjoyed it. It was fun to write and think about. I posted it early to help another reader's day and nothing makes me happier knowing I can help bring some levity and happiness to others. They made a comment that inspired today's chapter and I shuffled a few chapters around to post this today. It felt tight and hope you like it too and hope your days are kinder.
Arnie1701 - Yup, can't get enough of Hedwig fluff.
alix33 - Angry tiny Hedwig in the handy Hedwig pocket is the best mental image.
guest - I really like writing fun Hedwig stories surprisingly.