The Great Hall was filled with murmurs and whispers; the infamous Hogwarts rumour mill once again churning as the juicy piece of gossip pertaining to Harry and a child went around. Talks of adoption, a long lost sibling, and even that he had become an unexpected father; such were the increasingly outlandish rumours that the students had on their minds.
"Damn, and he didn't even tell us. I'd be an awesome uncle!"
Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's proclamation, "Don't be daft, Ron. I'm sure it's just a big misunderstanding. There has to be a reasonable explanation."
On cue, the Great Hall fell silent as Dumbledore strided in from the side, along with Harry and Hedwig, and stepped in front of the podium to speak to the students, who waited to hear about the mystery child that stood right beside the Boy-who-lived.
"A pleasant morning to all of you! Now, I am sure you all are informed of the child that appeared in the school. And I have heard many different stories, most of which are quite enrapturing and might make a good novel, but alas the truth is sometimes not as exciting as we hope. The mysterious child is none other than my niece, Holly Dumbledore. She had been in this castle since the start of the school year and I had wanted to keep her a secret, as she is not fond of crowds or strangers. Of course, a child's curiosity is a strong motivator and she escaped my sight and explored the castle, making her way to the Gryffindor Common Room. Thankfully, Mr. Potter had been there and he was courteous enough to help her find her way back to my office. For now, I shall ask Mr. Potter to keep watch on my niece. Please be kind and any untoward behaviour towards my niece will be dealt with accordingly. Thank you and let us tuck in!"
With that, all the students resumed talking to each other. Some had believed the Headmaster's words at face value and promptly talked about other, much more exciting topics, others still eyed Harry and Hedwig, whispering to each other as they both walked towards the Gryffindor table. Harry sat next to Ron and helped Hedwig sit next to him, with Hermione right across the three of them.
"Niece huh?" Ron started off, a disbelieving eyebrow raised at Harry's direction.
"I'll explain later." Harry gave succinctly and started to pile some food on his plate. He turned to Hedwig and asked if she wanted something to eat.
"Umm… Can I have some treacle tart?"
Harry nodded and took a small plate and reached out to cut a slice of treacle tart and presented it to Hedwig with a small smile. She took her knife and cut a small piece and it entered her mouth. A small blissful expression came upon her face as she tasted the delectable dessert, making Harry grin.
"Looks like she's your daughter rather than Dumbledore's niece."
The small jab from Ron had Harry blush a bit, as well as Hermione giving an amused smile.
In an abandoned part of the castle, in an empty classroom, Harry explained his situation and the circumstances that led to Hedwig's transformation to Ron and Hermione.
"Huh, so the daughter thing wasn't really that far off." Ron commented absentmindedly.
Harry rolled his eyes but let the comment slide, "Anyway, for now, Hedwig's going to stay like this for the foreseeable future. Dumbledore sent Hagrid to Diagon Alley to talk to the person he bought her from and hopefully we'll have an explanation."
Hedwig, for her part, idly wandered in the classroom, touching this and that. Hermione watched on and couldn't help but smile, "Regardless, she is quite adorable."
Sensing that the topic of conversation shifted to her, Hedwig looked at the trio and saddled up to Harry, "Can we leave now? I'm bored."
"Hm? Ah, sure. Where would you like to go?" Harry asked her in a complying tone and she shined brightly.
"The Quidditch Pitch!"
Ron grinned at that, "Now that's what I'm talking about! Come on, let's show her how papa Harry flies."
The papa in question blushed at the sudden nickname. He grabbed a hold of Hedwig's hand and the trio made their way to the Quidditch Pitch. As they traveled to the pitch, several bystanders were treated to the sight of Hedwig happily skipping along, humming an unknown tune. Her cute movements swinging Harry's arm up and down.
A short journey later, and they arrived at the pitch. But it was not as unoccupied as they thought.
"Heya you four!"
They all looked up and saw a student on a broom flying down to them, and as the person grew closer, Harry and the others had identified the flyer.
"Ernie? Why are you flying around the pitch?" Harry asked the Hufflepuff boy.
Ernie pointed his thumb towards a pile of brooms and answered, "Madam Hooch got me and some others testing brooms she found in a closet. Justin and the others just went inside to get some food, you just missed them. How about you guys?"
"Holly wanted to see the pitch." Ernie's eyes widened in realization at Harry's statement.
"Oh yeah, Dumbledore's niece. Well, I'm pleased to meet you, Holly."
Hedwig let out a squeak and hid behind Harry, who gave an apologetic look to Ernie, "Sorry, she's not good with strangers."
Unperturbed, Ernie gave an understanding smile and nodded, "No problem."
"Hey, it's Harry, Ron, and Hermione!"
A group of Hufflepuffs waved at them, carrying an assortment of storage devices that contained food.
"Hello, Justin, Hannah, Susan, Zacharias." Harry greeted all of them individually. He felt Hedwig shaking and he softly held her hand, signalling for them to wait a moment, and walked further away from the group momentarily. He knelt down and smiled comfortingly.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Hedwig looked away as Harry tried to figure out what's wrong.
"I don't like any of them. They were all mean to you."
He was thrown for a loop at that one. Harry awkwardly remembered that he had used Hedwig as a sounding board to vent his frustrations, especially when Hermione was petrified and Ron had a row with him. Meaning the only background she had of the Hufflepuffs were of Second Year and Fourth Year, probably the worst years he had with the House of Badgers.
"I know that I said some things about them that makes you think they're the worst, but that was when I was angry and not thinking clearly." Harry said with a melancholic smile on his face, "Ernie has already apologized and the other four didn't have any hand in attacking me when I was a part of the Triwizard Tournament."
He went to Hedwig's side and looked at the group, "I mean, look at Hermione and Ron; I was angry at Hermione about the Firebolt and Ron for abandoning me when I needed him the most, but you're fine around them."
Harry looked down and saw a pensive expression on Hedwig's face. He knew he was close to convincing her, so he finished it off, "That's because I forgave them. It's not healthy to hold on to anger; it'll make you a bitter and unsympathetic person, not unlike Voldemort. So trust me when I say this; Ernie and the others aren't so bad."
A small frown sat on the young girl's face as she tried to comprehend his words, before the corners of her lips slowly went up, "Ok, I understand."
Harry smiled brightly and chuckled, "Good, now come on. They might finish the food while we speak."
As the duo came closer, they overheard the conversation that only two of the group had engaged upon.
"Look, all I'm saying is that the Chudley Cannons could make the playoffs this season."
"The only way they could make the playoffs is if every other team drops dead!"
"I'll make you drop dead in a second you little!"
Zacharias and Ron went off on one another. Harry and Hedwig sat down next to Hermione, Hedwig's ears being blocked by Harry's hands as the argument quickly dissolved into attacking each other with barbed words not suitable for younger audiences.
"What brought this on?" Harry asked Hermione, who looked to be slowly developing a great headache.
"Apparently, Zacharias thought Ron was joking when he started spouting off about how great the Chudley Cannons were and sarcastically made some offhand comments about the team, which of course did not sit well with Ron. One thing led to another and…"
The group watched on as the argument then dissolved into them handling each other aggressively, not before Hermione quickly covered Hedwig's eyes as such actions were not appropriate for the eyes of a child.
"Do you think they'll come to blows?" The nonchalant tone Harry had asked that question had Hermione stifling a laugh. Hermione tugged on Ernie with her other hand and gestured towards Hedwig, asking him non-verbally to cover her eyes. Ernie obliged and switched places with Hermione. The group looked on as Hermione made her way to Ron and Zacharias, rolling up her sleeves as she approached the both of them.
Thud! Thud!
As Hedwig's vision and hearing finally came back, she was treated to the sight of two bodies laying slump on the ground, a swelling bump on both of their heads, while the others munched on the food splayed out.
"What happened?" She asked the others curiously, and it was Justin who answered.
"Righteous retribution, Holly. Righteous retribution."
Hedwig blinked…
"Righteous retribution looks painful."
The Golden Trio and Hedwig made their way back to the Gryffindor Common Room, with Ron massaging the back of his head tenderly.
"Blimey Hermione, couldn't you have been a bit softer with the knockout smack? I think this bump's gonna be with me for the rest of my life."
Rolling her eyes at Ron's hyperbolic complaint, she retorted with a frigid tone, "Maybe that bump can make you remember to act your age, especially when children are around."
A pitying whine was all he could respond with and Harry and Hedwig looked at each other and both hid a smile at Ron's expense. As they entered the common room, they were greeted by the stern gaze of their head of house, Professor McGonagall.
"Ah, Mr. Potter. The Headmaster would like to have a word with you and her niece."
The bespectacled boy nodded and gave Hermione and Ron a look that he would inform them of what will transpire in Dumbledore's office later. The Deputy Headmistress led them to the Headmaster's office, and when they opened the door they were greeted by Dumbledore's usual twinkle addled eyes and merry tone of voice that rivalled Santa Claus.
"Good evening you two. Thank you very much Minerva, I'll handle it from here."
Professor McGonagall gave a nod and left them to their conversation.
"How are you two holding up? I hope none of the student body has been too intrusive to my niece's predicament?" Dumbledore inquired.
"No, no problem at all sir." Harry let Hedwig go as she started playing with Fawkes, who flew softly around her.
"That is good to hear, and as you share your good news I shall share mine; Hagrid has found out more about Hedwig. An interesting piece of information is that Hedwig was not a part of the store's original catalogue of owls, the store clerk informed Hagrid that Hedwig was donated by an anonymous donor, whom we are now trying to investigate the identity of and whether they had a hand in Hedwig's transformation, or that Hedwig was an owl to even begin with."
Harry had a relieved smile; glad that the investigation was underway and hopefully they could discover something that explained what happened to Hedwig. A stray look at Dumbledore's bowl of confectionery sour sweet had him frowning, something that Harry had seldom seen.
"I would have offered a lemon drop to you, but recently I have been encountering some sort of curse that has affected the lemon drops. I have called the help of an old cursebreaker friend of mine and hopefully with his help my bowl of lemon drops can return to their sour and sweet glory."
Keeping up a poker face and trying his best not to break out in hysterical laughter, he nodded and didn't say anything, afraid that one word could destroy his composure.
Mistaking Harry's shaking as a sign that he too had been negatively affected by the loss of the lemon drops, he continued to lighter topics, "And that is not the only reason why I called you here, Harry."
Keeping one eye on Hedwig, who was now playing tag with the fiery bird, he waited for Dumbledore to expand on his statement.
"The concern of where Hedwig should sleep was one aspect I have thought of. So for now, I have prepared a living space for both you and her; as sleeping in the boys' dorm room would be uncomfortable for both parties, and I'm sure she isn't prepared to sleep all alone in the girls' dorm room." Harry had to agree with Dumbledore's assessment, and he was glad that the Headmaster had thought that far ahead.
"Thank you very much sir."
Hedwig walked towards Harry, yawning and rubbing her eyes. He smiled and lifted her off her feet and held her in his arms, letting her head rest in the crook of his neck, "Looks like she's all tuckered out. If we can, we'll go to the room now, sir."
"Of course, Professor McGonagall should still be outside. She'll accompany you to your new room. Goodnight and sweet dreams, Harry. And to you as well, Hedwig."
Fighting off the urge to succumb to sleep, she mumbled something incoherent and waved at the old man, who could guess what she had said and smiled a hearty smile at her. Harry silently mouthed a thank you once again and exited the office, leaving Dumbledore to his lonesome once more.
"Hmm, now to figure out this particular puzzle."
Dumbledore turned his attention to the glass bowl on his desk and proceeded to pick out a piece of candy and examined it closely with his wand in excruciating detail.
Fawkes' laugh had been misconstrued as a supportive trill for Dumbledore, who only further increased his scrutiny.
He will soon find out why his bowl of sweets smell like piss and he will finally regain his favourite sweet!
Harry entered the room, holding an asleep Hedwig in his arms. He surveyed the room; a king-sized bed lay at the center of the room, a nightstand beside it. He noticed a door at the side of the room and went to investigate, he opened the door and was met with the moonlit tiled floor, sink, and shower curtain. Satisfied with his search, he closed the door and went go the bed, where he softly carried Hedwig down and tucked her in, pushing strands of hair that had come onto her face. He did his nightly routine in silence, and after he was done he sneakily entered the covers and laid beside Hedwig. He took a moment to drink in her peaceful expression, and smiled happily that she had enjoyed the day, and he couldn't help but think of anything else they could do tomorrow.
After a while of thinking up of fun activities Hedwig would enjoy, sleep overcame him.
And if anyone were to enter the room, they would see Harry hugging Hedwig. Content smiles on both of their faces.
A/N: Got some excess free time on my hands, so here is another chapter! What do you guys think of the dynamic of Harry and Hedwig? Leave a review to let me know! And to also give an angel its wing… Yes, a singular wing.
