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CLAWS
OF A RAVEN
by Tyde
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Chapter Sixteen
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Hedwig pecked loudly on the window next to Harry's bed. The noise woke up Harry and he rolled over to put on his glasses. A small piece of parchment was clenched in his owl's claws and she seemed rather impatient. He quickly opened the window, let her in, and shut it just as quickly. An icy wind was whistling outside of Gryffindor Tower and it had blasted him in the face, causing his eyes to water, even through the glasses.
"What have you got there Hedwig?" He unwrapped the parchment from her leg and unravelled it. It was a messy piece of parchment with splotches of ink and numerous spelling mistakes. He lit the candle by his bed so he could read.
Dear Mister Hairy Potter, sir. You're presents, along with that of Rhon and Hermiownknee (we'd appreciate if she didn't mention S.P.E.W.) is requested at midnight on the endge of the Forbidden Forest. We are putting to rest a deer friend, Jippy. We hopes to see you their. From Dobby.
Harry looked about the room and noticed that everyone else appeared to be asleep. He shook Ron gently by the shoulder and held a finger to his lips so he wouldn't cry out. Ron rubbed his eyes and mouthed "What's wrong?" The black-haired boy pulled the curtains around Ron's bed and sat down.
"The house elves are having a funeral for Jippy tonight, at midnight" he whispered. "Dobby has invited us. I think we should go, for Dobby and Winky. You remember how she was when we had to tell them all about Jippy's passing"
"Yeah" said Ron remembering the horrible shrieks she'd emitted. "I might want to take my earmuffs though"
"No time for jokes Ron"
"I know"
"You get dressed and get my Dad's cloak out of my trunk. I'll go get Hermione. We'll meet you in the common room in five minutes"
"Okay then" Ron said sleepily as he pulled on his black robes.
Harry hadn't needed to wake Hermione, she'd had the curtains pulled around her bed and he could see a soft glow coming from behind them. She had been studying a Dark Arts Defence book that Professor Palgetti had lent her and making notes on a rather long scroll of parchment. She had been surprised to see him and her instant Prefect look of disapproval descended upon her face.
"You know you're not supposed to be sneaking into the girl's dormitories at night, Harry" she said haughtily, albeit quietly. "Rule 16 of the Code of-"
"Hermione as Ron would say, put a sock in it. They are having a service for Jippy and Dobby wants us there. Put on your cloak and let's go, I told Ron we'd meet him in the common room"
"Alright then" and she stepped out of bed fully clothed. Harry looked surprised. "What? With the mischief you and Ron get up to half the time it's always good to be prepared".
"Fair enough"
The three of them huddled under the cloak and snuck out into the castle grounds. The icy wind that Harry had felt before seemed to have disappeared and the night was as still as death. A dark cluster of house elves stood on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, to the left of Hagrid's hut. The groundskeeper himself stood with them, a large shovel in his hands. A black velvet cloak embroidered with vines was wrapped around a wooden box that the three assumed contained the body of Jippy. The Headmaster and Professor McGonagall emerged from the forest and joined the hundred or so elves gathered. A distraught looking Winky scurried over to McGonagall's side and buried her face in the Professor's robes. Minerva patted her on the back comfortingly and tried to hide the tears that were filling her own eyes.
A house elf by the name of Rilly broke the silence. She was the oldest and the most articulate of all the house elves at Hogwarts and it had fallen upon her to do the funeral speech. "My fellow elves and friends it is with sadness that we gather tonight. Our brother Jippy of Hogwarts has been taken in a foul manner, but he served his masters well and true. Professor Snape" and as she said this name a small ripple ran through the crowd, a lot of the house elves feared him just like the students did, "wishes to extend his deepest sympathies and as you can see has provided Jippy's death shroud"
A murmur went around and you could tell that the opinion of Severus Snape by the house elves had changed forever. Ron looked quizzically at Harry who could only shrug his shoulders.
"For those not familiar with house elf burials it is the last honour a master can bestow upon his loyal servant. Professor Snape, in thanks for Jippy's efforts to save his life, has freed Jippy by providing him with clothing, so that in Jippy's afterlife he may serve another, as is our custom and what makes us happiest" Rilly's eyes glanced momentarily at Hermione and then fell once again to the faces of her fellow elves. "I ask now that you kneel and bow your heads"
A high voice broke through the crowd as Dobby rose his head and began to sing. In a language that none of the people could understand in words but the meanings washed over them. Here lies a brave house elf whose mission in this life is now complete. Rilly indicated that they could all stand again and delivered the last part of the ceremony.
"I speak in the ancient language now as we commit our brother to the ground from whence he was born – Eid revenl liwu oy rofev ol. Eca epnid nay lefas og" The house elves repeated after her and the trees in the Forbidden Forest seemed to creak in sad agreement.
Hagrid picked up the tiny box and placed it in the hole and each house elf took a handful of blessed soil to place over it. The hole quickly filled and Dobby came up to the trio.
"Dobby thanks Harry Potter and friends for coming. It is a sad occasion but now Jippy can be at peace. You may come to place dirt on the grave also" The three filed up to the mound and added their own handful of soil. A spray of bluebells burst forth from Hermione's wand and she added this to the top. Rilly smiled at her and nodded.
The Headmaster and Head of Gryffindor had remained silent throughout the ceremony and only now did they go towards the grave. Dumbledore waved his wand and a Hogwarts crest appeared next to the flowers. The wave of McGonagall's wand added a Gryffindor crest. "Because he was brave of heart, like a Gryffindor" she sobbed.
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Author's note: Sorry for the short, non-plot development chapter. I just thought Jippy's funeral deserved it's own chapter. Obviously Snape gave the cloak to Rilly in the morning when he was told of Jippy's demise and was confronted by Fudge in the evening.
Colleen – Sorora's going to pull some courage out of somewhere. She's already collapsed emotionally over too much stuff already, now is the time for her to gather up her metaphorical nuts and soldier on.
