Harry sat quietly beside the open window of the dark owlery lost in
thought. The room itself was mostly still and quiet, since the majority of
the owls were out hunting, though Harry had found Hedwig still perched on
one of the higher rafters and had easily coaxed her down. It was somewhat
of a relief for Harry to discover Hedwig still knew who she was, and was
rather indifferent to the situation.
So as Harry whiled away the time casting long thoughtful looks into the depthless night sky through the owlery window, she would reach up to Hedwig who now sat perched on her shoulder and give her a treat. Hedwig was not complaining.
It had been her original intent to write Sirius, was why she had first found herself in the large room that served as hundreds of owls nest. Though once again common sense had butt in and she was forced to rethink her actions. Now was not the time to be writing her godfather, nor any member of the order, lest Hedwig get intercepted and hurt as what seemed to have happened the last time her owl was out.
So as she sat defeated amongst the owls in the dark, she had found something of a refuge in the quiet, large room. The sky was already a brilliant wash of tiny angelic pinpricks, giving Harry a small glimpse of just how infinite the universe really was. Were she to consider herself in the cosmic scheme of things, she was less than a pinprick. She wasn't even comparable to a grain of sand. Up against something so huge and magnificent as the starry galaxies that shined down upon the earth, lighting the night sky, Harry could find a small sense of relief. Her curse was nothing compared to it. Her life was but a short flicker amongst the billions of stars that had been before, and would remain after her. Something as silly as a single individuals problem with gender, was not something that mattered.
Harry reached up and felt Hedwig snatch another treat from her hand. In the cosmic scheme of things... She repeated in her mind.
The door to the owlery gently opened and Harry heard the sound of someone else entering into the room. Their footsteps were light upon the wooden floor, and Harry strained to adjust her eyes to the shadow-filled interior of the room in hopes to locate the source of the steps.
"Hello, Harry," Came a familiar voice, the speaker stepping into the light cast from the sky outside.
"Hello Ginny," Harry answered simply.
"Everyone's looking for you, you know," Ginny said in a quiet concerned voice. "Ron, Hermione, even several people from the DA are helping."
"Well, you found me," Harry said with a small sad smile. "I don't mean to worry everyone... I just needed some time to myself. How did you know where to look for me, anyway?" Harry finally asked.
"I borrowed this." Ginny explained as she held the marauder's map before Harry. Harry couldn't remember ever having shown it to Ginny and wondered how it was she knew of it; let alone how to use it.
Ginny seemed to sense the unasked question written on Harry's face and smiled sheepishly. "I've heard Fred and George speak of it loads of times in the past, and I remembered you with it from the DA meetings. And since it –was- in the girls' dormitory I didn't think you would mind if I –brought- it to you." Ginny said with a smile. "I'm really surprised Ron or Hermione didn't think of it," she added.
"So why didn't you tell them," Harry asked in a somewhat annoyed tone.
Ginny shrugged. "Would you have liked me to?"
"Not really," Harry admitted truthfully. The thought of Ron and Hermione pestering her all at once, didn't really appeal.
Ginny nodded, "I thought not."
Harry smiled back, thankful.
"Your friends are here with you, Harry." Ginny said after a moments pause. "We all know how hard this must be for you, but..." Ginny paused, as if looking for the right words. "Well, this isn't exactly the end of the world now is it?"
"No," Harry agreed. "It's not."
"Right, then." Ginny said, somewhat relieved to hear Harry say so. "If you... need an ear, we're here for you... I'm here."
Harry nodded her thanks, truthfully.
"Oh and... I found this too, figured maybe you might want it if... Y'know; you were planning on being late." Ginny said as she produced a bundle of cloth and handed it to Harry along with the marauder's map. Harry discovered Ginny had brought her, her cloak of invisibility.
Harry took the cloak with genuine appreciation. "Thanks, Ginny."
"It's no problem Harry, and..." She seemed to struggle with her words again before finally, "You –do- make a pretty girl, you know."
Harry said nothing, not quite sure how to take the compliment. "Well then, I'll be leaving now."
"What will you tell the others?" Harry asked as Ginny turned to leave the owlery.
Ginny shrugged. "If they ask, I'll say we should probably leave you alone for now."
Harry smiled again, and Ginny left the owlery without another word. Hedwig nipped at Harry's ear, clearly indignant that she had stopped feeding her treats. Harry handed her another and looked back out at the night sky. She wasn't going to let this curse beat her. She was still Harry Potter. Girl or boy, it didn't matter.
So as Harry whiled away the time casting long thoughtful looks into the depthless night sky through the owlery window, she would reach up to Hedwig who now sat perched on her shoulder and give her a treat. Hedwig was not complaining.
It had been her original intent to write Sirius, was why she had first found herself in the large room that served as hundreds of owls nest. Though once again common sense had butt in and she was forced to rethink her actions. Now was not the time to be writing her godfather, nor any member of the order, lest Hedwig get intercepted and hurt as what seemed to have happened the last time her owl was out.
So as she sat defeated amongst the owls in the dark, she had found something of a refuge in the quiet, large room. The sky was already a brilliant wash of tiny angelic pinpricks, giving Harry a small glimpse of just how infinite the universe really was. Were she to consider herself in the cosmic scheme of things, she was less than a pinprick. She wasn't even comparable to a grain of sand. Up against something so huge and magnificent as the starry galaxies that shined down upon the earth, lighting the night sky, Harry could find a small sense of relief. Her curse was nothing compared to it. Her life was but a short flicker amongst the billions of stars that had been before, and would remain after her. Something as silly as a single individuals problem with gender, was not something that mattered.
Harry reached up and felt Hedwig snatch another treat from her hand. In the cosmic scheme of things... She repeated in her mind.
The door to the owlery gently opened and Harry heard the sound of someone else entering into the room. Their footsteps were light upon the wooden floor, and Harry strained to adjust her eyes to the shadow-filled interior of the room in hopes to locate the source of the steps.
"Hello, Harry," Came a familiar voice, the speaker stepping into the light cast from the sky outside.
"Hello Ginny," Harry answered simply.
"Everyone's looking for you, you know," Ginny said in a quiet concerned voice. "Ron, Hermione, even several people from the DA are helping."
"Well, you found me," Harry said with a small sad smile. "I don't mean to worry everyone... I just needed some time to myself. How did you know where to look for me, anyway?" Harry finally asked.
"I borrowed this." Ginny explained as she held the marauder's map before Harry. Harry couldn't remember ever having shown it to Ginny and wondered how it was she knew of it; let alone how to use it.
Ginny seemed to sense the unasked question written on Harry's face and smiled sheepishly. "I've heard Fred and George speak of it loads of times in the past, and I remembered you with it from the DA meetings. And since it –was- in the girls' dormitory I didn't think you would mind if I –brought- it to you." Ginny said with a smile. "I'm really surprised Ron or Hermione didn't think of it," she added.
"So why didn't you tell them," Harry asked in a somewhat annoyed tone.
Ginny shrugged. "Would you have liked me to?"
"Not really," Harry admitted truthfully. The thought of Ron and Hermione pestering her all at once, didn't really appeal.
Ginny nodded, "I thought not."
Harry smiled back, thankful.
"Your friends are here with you, Harry." Ginny said after a moments pause. "We all know how hard this must be for you, but..." Ginny paused, as if looking for the right words. "Well, this isn't exactly the end of the world now is it?"
"No," Harry agreed. "It's not."
"Right, then." Ginny said, somewhat relieved to hear Harry say so. "If you... need an ear, we're here for you... I'm here."
Harry nodded her thanks, truthfully.
"Oh and... I found this too, figured maybe you might want it if... Y'know; you were planning on being late." Ginny said as she produced a bundle of cloth and handed it to Harry along with the marauder's map. Harry discovered Ginny had brought her, her cloak of invisibility.
Harry took the cloak with genuine appreciation. "Thanks, Ginny."
"It's no problem Harry, and..." She seemed to struggle with her words again before finally, "You –do- make a pretty girl, you know."
Harry said nothing, not quite sure how to take the compliment. "Well then, I'll be leaving now."
"What will you tell the others?" Harry asked as Ginny turned to leave the owlery.
Ginny shrugged. "If they ask, I'll say we should probably leave you alone for now."
Harry smiled again, and Ginny left the owlery without another word. Hedwig nipped at Harry's ear, clearly indignant that she had stopped feeding her treats. Harry handed her another and looked back out at the night sky. She wasn't going to let this curse beat her. She was still Harry Potter. Girl or boy, it didn't matter.
