Chapter 2
"Professor are you sure?" Harry asked with a bit of a squeak. He had thought up a huge list of diseases but it never occurred to him that Hedwig could be...
"Oh yes Harry. I assure you it happens quite often at Hogwarts and I've seen the symptoms Hedwig has among quite a few owls in my time there. Now Harry she will need your support. Warm meals when she is too busy to leave the nest and plenty of fresh water. It also couldn't hurt for you to bring up some bits of leaves and grass so she can line her nest in fresh greenery." Dumbledore seemed to look through Harry, and although Harry could not sense if Dumbledore was trying to read his mind, he did think that the old wizard had come to a few conclusions.
Harry felt like his world was spinning but he wanted to be there to take care of poor Hedwig and he felt like he suddenly had a million questions. "Sir, when will she lay her eggs? How long will they take to hatch? How many will she have at once? When did this happen? Who got her...?"
"Harry, please calm down. I will do my best to answer all of your questions. She will probably lay her eggs any day now. It will usually take a day or two to lay all her eggs. It will take a month before her eggs hatch." Dumbledore sat down and opened a small owl guide. "As to how many eggs, I believe her breed will lay anywhere from 5 to 14 depending on how much food is available. For the mating part that happens in the spring, and unless I question every owl in England I'm afraid that I won't be able to give you the particulars on the who."
Harry nodded and closed his eyes before asking the next question. "Is it safe enough for her to remain here with me?"
Dumbledore smiled and nodded his head slowly. "Yes Harry. In fact this is the safest place for Hedwig to have her first brood. And by the time the chicks have all hatched, we can move you to Headquarters for the rest of the summer." Harry stiffened up at this. "That is if you want to go there Harry."
Harry thought about it briefly. "Professor, can I get back to you about that later? Oh I just thought how will I send letters to the order? Hedwig will need to take care of her eggs?"
Dumbledore thought about it. He then conjured two small mirrors. After placing several charms on them he handed one to Harry. "Use this to call for us. I will have the mirror left at headquarters and will make sure Molly takes it with her wherever she goes. She can pass you over to whoever you want to speak to."
Harry felt the lump in his throat when he looked at the mirror, but he nodded his agreement so that Dumbledore would know he understood.
"Very well Harry, I will be going now. I'll make sure to send someone from the order out to buy you a book on owl breeding."
Harry blushed. "Thanks Professor. I umm want to thank you for coming and helping Hedwig. I'm ... sorry about end of term. I know you were only trying to protect me."
Dumbledore stepped over to Harry and reached out his hand. Harry shook it and Dumbledore nodded. "Thank you Harry. Your trust is important to me and I will do everything I can to keep you from losing faith in me again."
Harry led Dumbledore back downstairs and to the back door. With a wave and a soft pop the old man disappeared from sight. Harry walked back upstairs to have a talk with his owl on relationships and a certain thing called morals.
"Professor are you sure?" Harry asked with a bit of a squeak. He had thought up a huge list of diseases but it never occurred to him that Hedwig could be...
"Oh yes Harry. I assure you it happens quite often at Hogwarts and I've seen the symptoms Hedwig has among quite a few owls in my time there. Now Harry she will need your support. Warm meals when she is too busy to leave the nest and plenty of fresh water. It also couldn't hurt for you to bring up some bits of leaves and grass so she can line her nest in fresh greenery." Dumbledore seemed to look through Harry, and although Harry could not sense if Dumbledore was trying to read his mind, he did think that the old wizard had come to a few conclusions.
Harry felt like his world was spinning but he wanted to be there to take care of poor Hedwig and he felt like he suddenly had a million questions. "Sir, when will she lay her eggs? How long will they take to hatch? How many will she have at once? When did this happen? Who got her...?"
"Harry, please calm down. I will do my best to answer all of your questions. She will probably lay her eggs any day now. It will usually take a day or two to lay all her eggs. It will take a month before her eggs hatch." Dumbledore sat down and opened a small owl guide. "As to how many eggs, I believe her breed will lay anywhere from 5 to 14 depending on how much food is available. For the mating part that happens in the spring, and unless I question every owl in England I'm afraid that I won't be able to give you the particulars on the who."
Harry nodded and closed his eyes before asking the next question. "Is it safe enough for her to remain here with me?"
Dumbledore smiled and nodded his head slowly. "Yes Harry. In fact this is the safest place for Hedwig to have her first brood. And by the time the chicks have all hatched, we can move you to Headquarters for the rest of the summer." Harry stiffened up at this. "That is if you want to go there Harry."
Harry thought about it briefly. "Professor, can I get back to you about that later? Oh I just thought how will I send letters to the order? Hedwig will need to take care of her eggs?"
Dumbledore thought about it. He then conjured two small mirrors. After placing several charms on them he handed one to Harry. "Use this to call for us. I will have the mirror left at headquarters and will make sure Molly takes it with her wherever she goes. She can pass you over to whoever you want to speak to."
Harry felt the lump in his throat when he looked at the mirror, but he nodded his agreement so that Dumbledore would know he understood.
"Very well Harry, I will be going now. I'll make sure to send someone from the order out to buy you a book on owl breeding."
Harry blushed. "Thanks Professor. I umm want to thank you for coming and helping Hedwig. I'm ... sorry about end of term. I know you were only trying to protect me."
Dumbledore stepped over to Harry and reached out his hand. Harry shook it and Dumbledore nodded. "Thank you Harry. Your trust is important to me and I will do everything I can to keep you from losing faith in me again."
Harry led Dumbledore back downstairs and to the back door. With a wave and a soft pop the old man disappeared from sight. Harry walked back upstairs to have a talk with his owl on relationships and a certain thing called morals.