Hedwig's Eggs
Harry Potter was an unusual boy and his family never ceased to find reasons to mock and degrade him for them. But since this summer return from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry they seemed to understand he was best left to his own devices. A strange man with a magical eye may have caused this sudden turnaround.
Harry was just glad they were leaving him alone. It had been a hard school year ending with the tragic loss of his godfather. The prophecy had just been the final straw and Harry was ready to completely withdraw from the world, but his owl seemed to be ill and she had always been his first true friend.
It was because of Hedwig that Harry Potter had snuck out of his bed to make this phone call. On the third ring a sleepy sounding man answered the phone.
"Hello."
"Umm hi, I apologize about the late hour but I need to speak to Hermione it's very important." Harry said in a rush.
"Who is this?" Mr. Granger asked warily.
"Harry Potter, sir."
"Hold on Harry, I'll go wake her up."
Harry heard Mr. Granger set his phone handle on a table and he waited patiently for what seemed like hours till Hermione picked up the phone.
"Harry? What's wrong are you ok?"
"Sorry about waking you. I'm ok, but Hedwig is sick and I need someone to check her out. I can't send messages without her and I was hoping you could send a message to Dumbledore." Harry said pleading with his friend.
"Oh Harry, I'll floo him immediately. My parents have a permit for summer connections to the network in case of emergencies. Is she bad off Harry?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know Hermione, I wish I did. I have never seen her sick, hurt once but this is different."
Hermione set down the phone and made the floo call. A few moments later she was back at the receiver. "Harry Professor Dumbledore will be sending over someone in a few minutes to take a look at her for you. Listen Harry in the meantime, promise me you'll write and..."
Harry cut her off. He knew what she wanted but didn't feel like he could make any promises to his friend at the moment. "Hermione I have to get off the phone now. If I don't Uncle Vernon will be very upset."
Hermione whispered, "Oh. Ok Harry, I hope to speak to you again soon."
Harry quickly said his goodbyes and though he felt bad for upsetting Hermione, he wanted to go the back door and wait for his magical guest to arrive.
True to his word, the door slide open and Dumbledore himself arrived. "Harry I understand your owl is not feeling well?"
Harry nodded his head but pointed his wand at the Professor. "What did I do in your office when we last spoke?"
Dumbledore nodded. "Good idea Harry, it's always best to make sure the person in front of you is really who they say they are, and on that evening you helped me unclutter my office."
Harry put his wand back into is waistband before leading Dumbledore upstairs. "She looks really sick Professor. She hasn't been eating or hunting or even leaving her perch. At the same time she looks tired, like it hurts too much to sleep."
Dumbledore nodded and followed Harry into his small room. He paused at the door to look at the locks and the cat flap but other then frowning, he did not stop to comment on them. As the old wizard sat at the small desk he ran his hand over Hedwig's weary head.
Harry watched his headmaster examine his owl and for the first time Harry noticed the slight tremors in his ancient hands. He knew that Dumbledore had apologized for keeping everything from him, and he knew that he was genuinely sorry. For the first time Harry felt a lifting from his shoulders as he came to accept that even the wisest old man wasn't perfect.
When Dumbledore stood up, Harry sat poised on his cot and wondered if Hedwig was sick or if she was dying. He didn't think he could handle hearing it was the later. "How is she?" He asked softly.
Dumbledore waved his wand and transfigured Hedwig's carrying case into a piece of hollow log. Her water was attached to a small branch. Hedwig hooted her thanks before climbing into the shelter of wood and disappearing from sight. Dumbledore then turned to face Harry.
"My dear boy, your owl will be fine. She seems to just be a bit young and inexperienced in the matter and didn't want to follow her instinct to find a hollow tree nearby and leave you alone. Now that she has her nest, I'm sure you will see an improvement in her appetite and strength."
Harry blinked in confusion being finally asking his question. "Why does she need a nest, sir?"
Dumbledore smiled broadly, while his eyes twinkled merrily. "Harry, I believe congratulations are in order. Hedwig is going to lay her eggs."
-------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------
This is going to be a fairly short ficlet. Paternity tests on the dad will not be done. I can promise no Weasley owl or a certain phoenix had anything to do with her delicate condition. You will all just need to accept that Hedwig is a scarlet woman, err owl. I do wonder if this makes Harry an uncle?
Harry Potter was an unusual boy and his family never ceased to find reasons to mock and degrade him for them. But since this summer return from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry they seemed to understand he was best left to his own devices. A strange man with a magical eye may have caused this sudden turnaround.
Harry was just glad they were leaving him alone. It had been a hard school year ending with the tragic loss of his godfather. The prophecy had just been the final straw and Harry was ready to completely withdraw from the world, but his owl seemed to be ill and she had always been his first true friend.
It was because of Hedwig that Harry Potter had snuck out of his bed to make this phone call. On the third ring a sleepy sounding man answered the phone.
"Hello."
"Umm hi, I apologize about the late hour but I need to speak to Hermione it's very important." Harry said in a rush.
"Who is this?" Mr. Granger asked warily.
"Harry Potter, sir."
"Hold on Harry, I'll go wake her up."
Harry heard Mr. Granger set his phone handle on a table and he waited patiently for what seemed like hours till Hermione picked up the phone.
"Harry? What's wrong are you ok?"
"Sorry about waking you. I'm ok, but Hedwig is sick and I need someone to check her out. I can't send messages without her and I was hoping you could send a message to Dumbledore." Harry said pleading with his friend.
"Oh Harry, I'll floo him immediately. My parents have a permit for summer connections to the network in case of emergencies. Is she bad off Harry?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know Hermione, I wish I did. I have never seen her sick, hurt once but this is different."
Hermione set down the phone and made the floo call. A few moments later she was back at the receiver. "Harry Professor Dumbledore will be sending over someone in a few minutes to take a look at her for you. Listen Harry in the meantime, promise me you'll write and..."
Harry cut her off. He knew what she wanted but didn't feel like he could make any promises to his friend at the moment. "Hermione I have to get off the phone now. If I don't Uncle Vernon will be very upset."
Hermione whispered, "Oh. Ok Harry, I hope to speak to you again soon."
Harry quickly said his goodbyes and though he felt bad for upsetting Hermione, he wanted to go the back door and wait for his magical guest to arrive.
True to his word, the door slide open and Dumbledore himself arrived. "Harry I understand your owl is not feeling well?"
Harry nodded his head but pointed his wand at the Professor. "What did I do in your office when we last spoke?"
Dumbledore nodded. "Good idea Harry, it's always best to make sure the person in front of you is really who they say they are, and on that evening you helped me unclutter my office."
Harry put his wand back into is waistband before leading Dumbledore upstairs. "She looks really sick Professor. She hasn't been eating or hunting or even leaving her perch. At the same time she looks tired, like it hurts too much to sleep."
Dumbledore nodded and followed Harry into his small room. He paused at the door to look at the locks and the cat flap but other then frowning, he did not stop to comment on them. As the old wizard sat at the small desk he ran his hand over Hedwig's weary head.
Harry watched his headmaster examine his owl and for the first time Harry noticed the slight tremors in his ancient hands. He knew that Dumbledore had apologized for keeping everything from him, and he knew that he was genuinely sorry. For the first time Harry felt a lifting from his shoulders as he came to accept that even the wisest old man wasn't perfect.
When Dumbledore stood up, Harry sat poised on his cot and wondered if Hedwig was sick or if she was dying. He didn't think he could handle hearing it was the later. "How is she?" He asked softly.
Dumbledore waved his wand and transfigured Hedwig's carrying case into a piece of hollow log. Her water was attached to a small branch. Hedwig hooted her thanks before climbing into the shelter of wood and disappearing from sight. Dumbledore then turned to face Harry.
"My dear boy, your owl will be fine. She seems to just be a bit young and inexperienced in the matter and didn't want to follow her instinct to find a hollow tree nearby and leave you alone. Now that she has her nest, I'm sure you will see an improvement in her appetite and strength."
Harry blinked in confusion being finally asking his question. "Why does she need a nest, sir?"
Dumbledore smiled broadly, while his eyes twinkled merrily. "Harry, I believe congratulations are in order. Hedwig is going to lay her eggs."
-------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------
This is going to be a fairly short ficlet. Paternity tests on the dad will not be done. I can promise no Weasley owl or a certain phoenix had anything to do with her delicate condition. You will all just need to accept that Hedwig is a scarlet woman, err owl. I do wonder if this makes Harry an uncle?