Good morning, afternoon, or evening, depending on the time during which you will read this next thrilling installment of CONSULTING THE FLOWER! I know it has been an eternity, my darlings, but the third chapter has finally arrived, artfully spread before your eager and hungry minds and souls in an ornate tapestry of words that will soothe the inner turmoil I know resides in your mortal hearts for the time being as you dive daringly into a world that is not your own, yet feels like home. That was such a wicked sentence! All right, I've had my fun for today. ATTENTION! SJW ACTUALLY HAS USEFUL ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR ONCE IN THE ENTIRE COURSE OF HER EXISTENCE!! Now that I have your attention, I would like to point out a few things. If, in any way shape, or form, the characters become a little OOC (Out Of Character for the blissfully ignorant… Just playing! You're not ignorant!) please inform me via reviews, and I will send you an e-mail or whatever explaining my reasons and/or promising to fix it if it was not part of my devious plan to make the fanfic interesting! (Oh, dear God, what is this world coming to when my fics actually are worth boasting, truthfully, no less, about!) So, on with it!
Consulting the Flower
Rated PG, just in case
Chapter 3: A Plan In Bloom
Harry walked about in circles in the Hogwarts Owlery, trying to find a suitable owl to use. He would have chosen his own Hedwig, but she was off hunting somewhere.
Finally, after much careful deliberation, (every little detail had to be perfect, after all!) he selected one of the school eagle owls by the name of Archimedes, known to be one of the most apt and intelligent delivery owls available to the students. As the beautiful bird fluttered down to his arm, Harry showed him a picture of Hermione.
"See this girl?"
"Hoo…"
"This is the girl you're looking for. Understand?"
"Hoo…"
"I want you to search the entire school to find her, then deliver this box right into her arms. Okay?"
"Hoo hoo…"
"Good. Now, I'm going to change your looks just a little… don't be alarmed. It'll wear off after you've delivered the package and when you're at least 200 feet away from the girl. Got me?"
"HOO!"
"Okay, okay, I'm going. Now…Transfiguro!"
Immediately, Archimedes's form shrank, and his feathers turned pure white. His eyes became small and beady, and his beak became smaller, and more elegantly shaped.
The best school owl had just become the best school dove. The only school dove, for that matter.
"The only thing I changed was your appearance. You obviously still have your same memories… if owls have… memories… And you will have the same strength. But to make things look a little more believable…"
Harry pulled out his wand again, tapped the object in his hand, and the little wooden box became a perfect, pure white rose, so beautiful it only could've been conjured by magic. Placing it in the owl… dove… um… dowl's beak, he threw his arm up a little, and Archimedes flew away to deliver his package.
~*~*~
Hermione hummed softly to herself, roaming the empty halls of Hogwarts. The beautiful cherry blossom was perched just above her ear in her bushy brown hair, bringing out the slight natural blush of pink in her cheeks. Her thoughts drifted away to Japan, where cherry trees grew everywhere. She remembered her first visit there with her parents, when she was seven or eight. They had gone to perform some mouth surgery on some ambassador there, and had decided to take Hermione with them. Then her thoughts drifted some more, as she fantasized about her and Harry sitting under the shade of a cherry tree in full bloom, lying on a soft blanket after having their fill of a picnic lunch…
But her pleasant fantasies were interrupted as the soft cooing of a dove nearby penetrated the dreamy fog she was in. Looking up, she found the white bird perched on a leafless branch quite close to her own head. She held out her arm with a careful smile, inviting it to perch there. It cocked its head and cooed for a second, looking as though it were considering, then it fluttered over and landed right on her left forearm.
"Oh, you're a pretty little bird, aren't you?" she whispered, stroking his head softly. He closed his eyes, as if enjoying it, then bumped his little beak against her arm.
"Oh, what's in there?" she asked, now spying the rose clamped between his jaws. "A rose? How beautiful!"
He nudged her again, and she then realized what he was doing.
"For me?"
"Coo…"
"Oh, my…" She took it in her hands, then with a flash, it transformed into a gorgeous little wooden box. With trembling hands, she lifted the lid, and a haunting melody began to play. That wasn't the best part, though. It was filled to the brim with fully bloomed, perfect cherry blossoms. She gasped as she spied a note hidden among the pink flowers, merely signed:
"Hopelessly Pining."
"Oh, my. Look, Dove, it seems I have a… a secret admirer!" she cried softly, sheer surprise evident in her voice.
The glint in the little white bird's eyes seemed to show that he agreed.
~*~*~
Archimedes circled the Owlery, apparently trying to find a spot to slip through, now that he was back in owl form. He finally found one of the glass-less windows and soared inside the stone tower. Harry spotted him out of the corner of his eye, and extended his arm as a perch for his cunning little delivery bird.
"So, how'd it go?"
"Hooo…"
"Did she like it?"
"Hoo hooooo hoo hoo hooo."
"Wonderful! Absolutely fabulous! Here's a reward for you!" Harry held out a fistful of brand-new, mouse-flavored Owl Treats, which Archimedes ate gladly before flapping over to his usual perch to rest before the night's hunt.
"Thanks a bunch, Archie!"
"HOO?!"
"Sorry, I won't call you that again."
"Hoo…"
Harry turned and left, realizing that he had just had a full conversation with an owl, and that he had almost understood what the bird was saying. Shaking his head, he walked in the direction of Gryffindor Tower, just hoping that having conversations with animals was merely another delusional side effect of falling in love.
~*~*~