Disclaimer: The only thing that belongs to me is this plot. All of the characters belong to one J.K. Rowling, who sadly is not me.

Chapter Three: The Owl

Harry buckled his sheath to the thick leather belt around his hips and jabbed the poniard into it, giving an experimental wiggle to make sure it was secure. That done, he was fully equipped and almost ready to leave this village for good.

"Excuse me," Harry said, tapping on the bar. Yanil's head appeared followed by his chest and shoulders. "But... Can you tell me how to get to the Black Citadel?" Yanil let out a long whistle and eyed Harry as if sizing him up.

"What do you... Ah, nevermind. Best if I not know. An empty mind is a happy one, they say around here. But you must know, no one remembers how to get there anymore. There's alot of bad feeling 'bout the place. Horrible stories..." Yanil shook his head. Harry only nodded; he had expected as much. He was on his own, then.

"Thank you," he said, tossing Yanil a coin before leaving the inn. The innkeepers scratched his head in bewilderment, but wasted no time in pocketing the coin. "Outlanders. I'll never understand 'em." A dismissive shrug, and he was back to wiping down the bar.

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Three days later, and Harry was sleeping with his back against a tree's trunk and his han on the hilt of his sword. Some fifteen feet behind him, a doe snapped a twig making her way through the forest. Harry's eyes flew open and he was on his feet in seconds, blade in hand. When the doe picked her way across the clearing, Harry let himself relax. He had been on edge ever since he left the valley hamlet behind to hunt in earnest. His prize was close, he could feel it in his bones, but it seemed the more he traveled, the further his destination became. The forest was playing tricks on him, shifting trees and stones... Whoever lived in that castle was powerful. Victory would only be that much sweeter for the challenge.

But still... Harry shivered and drew his cloak closer about him. He would never get used to this northern chill. Reaching out for a stick, the hunter stirred the coals in his dying fire before adding a bit more wood. Harry looked up and sighed almost contentedly. They sky, or what he could see of it through the canopy above him, was thick with brilliantly burning stars. They looked so much bigger, brighter... closer up here. 'The air must be getting thinner...' a slightly cynical and paranoid part of him said. Harry ignored it. To his left came the hooting of an owl, strange and wonderful in the oddly silent night. 'I wouldn't hang around either, if I were an animal,' Harry mused. Glancing about he saw that the owl had taken up a perch in a nearby tree. Harry smiled. He always had been fond of owls.

"Hello, White Lady," Harry said softly. The owl's head spun to stare at him with large yellow eyes. "My, what lovely..." All at once, Harry felt pinned down by eyes... Yellow owl's eyes... But no, they were set in the face of a girl, a mere slip of a thing with white hair... Or were they feathers?

Harry was taken aback as what had so recently been and ownl became a young girl of twelve or thirteen, dressed entirely in white with long feathery white hair. She was beautiful, more so than any creature he had seen even in dreams, but there was something off about her face... It was a long time until Harry realized what it was: her eyes had no whites; they were all golden iris and huge black pupil.

"Harry Dragonslayer." The voice in his mind was a beautiful mezzo soprano, with a delicate mixture of cruelty and compassion, innocence and wisdom so close to perfection that his heart ached and he nearly wept and the sound of it. "I have been watching you, Harry, from the time you were very small, a mere babe in your mother's arms. Do you know who I am?" Through his blurred eyes, Harry could see that this, this divine creature was radiating a soft white light. He shook his head. "I am the Great Goddess Hedwig, and your patron protector. Harry," her heavenly fingers touched his face gently, "you are seeking vengence, are you not?" There was no need for him to reply. Hedwig's touch burned like white-hot metal, but Harry could not bear to pull away. "Your quest, young one, will change the whole world," Hedwig was saying, every word exquisite agony.

"The--the world? I don't understand..." Harry managed. Hedwig smiled.

"Of course not," she said, "But you will, in time. For now... take this." Hedwig handed him a long, thin object that Harry could not see. "When the time comes, you will understand its purpose." Harry nodded dumbly. Hedwig's smile turned sad, almost regretful, with her next words. "Your parents were good people, Harry. I am sorry for your loss. But your quest has only just begun."

The clearing filled with a white light so dazzling and beautiful, Harry's poor mortal eyes couldn't take it. He was forced to shut them and throw his arm over them to stop himself from going blind. When he cautiously opened them again, Hedwig was gone. Almost. On a nearby tree stump was a white owl. Harry saw a small bit of parchment tied 'round its leg. Curious, Harry approached the owl. When it did not move, he tenatively reached out and carefully removed the parchment.

'My dear Harry,' it read:

'This Lady is my most trusted attendant. She will stay with you, and guide and protect you as I would. She too, is called "Hedwig". Treat her well.'

Harry smiled and tossed the note on the fire, where it exploded into a shower of violet stars. "Well, fair lady," Harry said to the bird, who reguarded him thoughtfull. "It would seem your mistress has decreed us partners. I welcome your companionship." Settling back, he reguarded the gift that Hedwig had given him, a feather of white gold, pensively, until he fell asleep, owl-Hedwig nestled near him.

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A/N: Chapter three! Look at that, a plot emerges! Yes, I made Hedwig a goddess. I was thinking of how to work her in. Originally, she was going to be merely Harry's hunting bird, but it was about midnight and I was trying to think of what to write when I just got this mental picture of Hedwig as a goddess in the form of a bird-child. I think it turned out rather well. Don't you? Please R&R! Let's aim for ten reviews, okay? You know I love you all! Until chapter four!