[a/n: My endless thanks to the reviewer who remembered that I hadn't actually shown Harry releasing his owl! I have since fixed, and will refix to show him breaking the stupid cage to absolute flinders! (Harry, as you might guess, doesn't exactly like putting wild things in cages. Reminds him too much of himself). In honor of this, we have an owl-chapter!]
Harry Potter raced away from the sudden attention. He hadn't wanted this, and though it truly seemed like it wasn't Ollie's idea (or even the twins, they had liked the prank of Harry being the Seeker well enough, and they'd have mentioned if they were pranking him. Probably.).
Eyes on him wasn't his idea of fun, in the first place. And after yesterday, with the whole Ron thinks this isn't proper Gryffindorish fiasco, Harry Potter especially didn't want eyes on him.
Eyes on him meant doing things was difficult. Particularly things he didn't want to get noticed. And he really, really didn't want anyone considering what it meant that Harry Potter wanted a detention with Snape, of all people. Someone would get a weird idea, and then the gossip mills would really start churning out broadsheets. It was too much to contemplate.
So whenever Harry saw someone coming, he turned away, his feet taking him steadily but surely upward.
At the top of a tower, Harry found the Owlry, where the owls nested. It's floor was positively filthy with powdered bird droppings, and the little bones of mice crunched under his feet. Harry found himself beside the human-sized opening, sliding his bottom to the floor as his back oozed down the wall. He was practically hidden from sight here, and that was just how he liked it.
He spent minutes luxioriating in the silence. Finally, he said, "I want to fly. I want to fly away, and I'm not sure if I should ever want to come back." Harry's eyes were downcast, staring at a small bat-skeleton on the floor.
Suddenly, he felt a rush of air, as he looked up in alarm. A white bird was flying upward. Harry's breath caught. He knew that bird! It was the one Hagrid had gotten him. "There you are!" He exclaimed happily, "I'm glad you made it. I didn't want you to get all blinded in suburbia, and not know your way back to the Wizarding world." The owl floated down again, landing gracefully on one of the lower perches. "Have they been feeding you well?" Harry asked, and the owl eyed him expectantly, as if he was just a foolish little boy.
A seventh year Hufflepuff entered the Owlry, throwing his hand up for his familiar (by the name of Jaytu) to land upon. "Oh, here you go, an owl treat for my pretty." (Harry had a brief, silent laugh at that - he sounded like the Wicked Witch of the East).
Harry Potter mentally pulled himself together, sitting up straight and waitin for the Hufflepuff to leave.
It was not to be - the Hufflepuff noticed him just as he was turning to leave. "Harry Potter?" the boy asked, a bit bewildered.
Harry wasn't going to let this older guy show him some form of bloody hero worship. "How do you get owl treats?"
The hufflepuff said, "You can always ask at the kitchens, or you can order them from a book. All the Heads have a catalog, and you can order nearly anything you need. It's how they keep us penned up in here. You wouldn't believe how many potion ingredients Sasha's gone through. And he's in the NEWT course!" The Hufflepuff laughed loudly, causing some of the owls to ruffle their feathers.
He left shortly after that, but Harry was starting to smile a slow smile. The Hufflepuff had rather inadvertently giving him a good idea.
[Well, there you have it. Little resolution, but harry's New Plan = well, read and find out!]