Final Curtain

Author: Mysterious Phantom Shyraz

Disclaimer: HP not mine, don't sue.

Act III scene ii

"Finally," Hedwig resumed her phoenix form once the girls left with their father after sunset, "I thought they'd never leave."

"I thought you liked all the attention." Harry spoke to the familiar as he retrieved the parchment from the bookshelf.

"I do, but not when they're so loud. My ears are still ringing from their squealing." Hedwig flew by her master and peaked at the parchment in his hands. "I'm guessing you're not going to help that old man then?" She gestured to the clock. It was 6:30 and if Harry wanted to be there in time before the dinner rush, he needs to leave.

"After I see what this is all about. Normally he won't send mail through other owls if it weren't important. He'd have waited for you to arrive at his place." Hedwig gave him a surprised look at the statement.

"How'd you know I go there anyways?"

"Is there a reason for you not to? From what I know, he does treat you pretty well. Plus what else would you do when I'm not around?" Hedwig looked undignified at that response.

"I am no youngling that needs looking after my Master." She stressed the last word. Harry winced, she would not normally address him in this term. "May I remind you who it was that saved you so many times?"

Harry scratched the back of his neck and looked away. Then pretended the topic was over and done with.

Emergency. Heard attack scheduled at the Alley. Three days hence at midday. Said wanted to make an 'everlasting impression' to those that opposed them. See if you can make it here on time this time round.

"Why must everyone criticize me?" Harry knew that he was joking about his recent visit to Diagon Alley where he had just missed the attack by a day. The same day he found Draco in scratches and bruises in Knockturn Alley.

"Because you're an easy target. Now if you want to make it to the restaurant in time, you better hurry." Hedwig turned back into an owl and flew off.

"Hey, where're you going? I thought you're going to watch the place." Harry exclaimed after his bird left his shoulder. Hedwig gave him an incredulous gaze as if to say 'I'm going to gather more information you idiot.' He just shook his head and grabbed the coat to leave the place.

Harry thought back to the incident with the twins not so long ago as he walked towards the restaurant.

'It could only mean one thing,' Harry told himself, 'the parents must have some sort of link with the wizarding community.'

But thinking further, there was another explanation for their knowledge in these creatures. Even in muggle stories, they appear very often. So if either one of the parents were a writer or reads regularly, it would not be surprising that the children be exposed to the information.

"But to know what it looks like." Once again, Harry spoke out loud as he entered the restaurant.

"What what looks like?" The old owner of the bar asked Harry.

"Nothing, nothing in particular." Harry noted the surrounding, there were not many people here today. "It's strange, there's not many people today."

"Dunno," The old man replied, wiping the bar top down with a damp cloth, "it could be because they're all helping out in the village nearby." He pointed at the window.

"Huh?" Harry looked out of the said window. Smoke was rising from what looked like a settlement near the base of the hill. He had visited there a few time but had found there were nothing much there; only a few farms, a convenience store and a handful of homes. "What could it be?"

"Someone must have left the stove on before heading next door to a conversation or something. Here you go." The old man handed Harry a plateful of pasta. It seemed that during the time that Harry was engrossed by the scene, the old man went back to the kitchen. "No need to stay that long tonight. I doubt they'd wanted to come down here to eat afterwards. If there's not much business in the next two hours, you can go back."

Harry nodded as he finished off his dinner. It had become a custom for him to come down to the restaurant for dinner then help out a bit. Every now and then, the old man would give him a small pay that would last him for quite some time. At rare times, the patrons would hand him tips, where the old man told him to keep it for himself.

Two hours with no patrons entering the restaurant, the old man closed the place for the night and Harry headed back home only to be met by his owl on the way. Hedwig perched on her master's shoulder for the ride back home. Though Harry couldn't help but notice, even in the dim moonlight, there were soot and dust on her feathers. Once inside the apartment, Harry locked the doors and closed the balcony windows. Then placing a silencing charm, as it is easier to hear through the walls at night when everything is quiet, Harry began questioning his owl. Hedwig, quickly turned into phoenix form not long after the charms were placed. In this form, the dust and soot were more visible.

"Ok, what happened?"

"Death Eaters." Hedwig ruffled her feathers again, trying to clean herself from the dust.

"WHAT!" Harry exclaimed, he was just about to sit down on the chair when he stood up from the surprising reply from Hedwig.

"Death Eaters. It seemed they found a formidable wizard hiding there. I only arrived in time to watch it all happen but not enough time to intervene. They didn't leave after offing the wizard though. They stayed and toyed around a bit."

"I don't think I even want to know what they did."

"Of course you don't."

"But why didn't you come back and find me, or use the link to call me." Harry took Hedwig into his arms and helped her dust of the soot from her back.

"The thought never came. I was too preoccupied in trying to stop the fire from spreading…"

"Great, you just performed magic in front of a muggle community."

"Oh, I don't think they care that much." Hedwig flew and sat by Harry on the sofa once Harry finished with cleaning her off. "I mean I doubt they noticed it."

"Was there a lot of casualty?" Harry could probably guess the answer but he wanted to know for certain.

"Would you define a whole village of around 100 people a lot?" Hedwig shook her feathery head, "it seemed to me that the Death Eaters were using muggles as hunting prey."

Harry sighed in disgust. "How could anyone do that? How could any HUMAN do that?"

"Simple, they're not human anymore." Hedwig stated clearly. It seemed as though her words echoed in Harry's head as he sat contemplatively.