I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Note: I originally wrote this as a chapter for Extended Family, but decided to post it as its own story as a separate one shot. I needed something nicer and sweeter when I wrote this and I hope it makes you smile. As always, thank you for reading. It means so much to me. Thank you for making me a part of your fanfiction family.
-0-0-0-
Feathered Family
Katie stopped and looked at the door to the bedroom. She could hear rustling going on within and she took a moment to look around. Iris was reading in the sitting room and Lucas was sitting beside her, also lost in a book. She knew Harry was out of the house at the moment. "Dahlia? Are you in there?"
"Yes Mum," Dahlia called back.
Katie pushed the door open and leaned against the jamb, smiling at her oldest daughter. "And what are you doing in your daddy's and my bedroom?"
Dahlia was arm deep in a dresser drawer and smiled winningly. "Looking for some of Daddy's oldest clothes."
"You'll want to look in the closet then, close to the back." She watched Dahlia close the dresser drawer and go into the closet. "Also, why are you looking for old clothing of his?"
"Hedwig wants some," Dahlia called back.
"Why does Hedwig want them?" Katie asked.
"I don't know," Dahlia replied. "I saw her going through the laundry basket earlier and she was trying to pick out some of Daddy's clothes. She was pulling on some of the older ones so I told her I'd look for some." She came walking out of the closet holding a few shirts.
Hedwig came swooping into the bedroom, flying a few times about the room before landing on the bed where Dahlia laid the clothing out.
"You want some of Harry's old clothes?" Katie asked.
Hedwig bobbed her head as she walked around the shirts, clacking her beak thoughtfully as she inspected them. After some careful consideration, the snowy owl sat on one, decision made.
"Well alright then. I doubt he'll protest," Katie said, bemused. She watched Hedwig fly out of the bedroom and waited for Dahlia to put the other shirts away. "Do you know why she wants one of his shirts?"
Dahlia shook her head. "I don't but we steal Daddy's clothes all the time."
Katie smiled. "We do steal his jerseys to wear. He always complains that as soon as he gets some broken in and comfortable, one of us steals it."
"They're comfy!"
"They sure are." Katie picked up the chosen shirt and walked into the sitting room with it, leaving it beside Hedwig's roost. "We'll find out why soon enough I suppose."
-0-
"No, I have no idea why Hedwig would want one of my shirts." Harry scratched his head. "I don't mind of course. Now that you mention it, she was rooting around the closet the other day. I thought she heard a mouse or something or was playing hide and seek with the kids."
"She picked that one," Katie said and pointed.
"That's fine. I barely wear that one anymore." He sighed when he noticed what Katie was wearing. "Is that my newest practice jersey?"
"What, this old thing?" Katie smoothed it out with her fingers. "You have so many practice jerseys, you must be mistaken."
"Uh huh," Harry snorted. "You know I'm charged for all of my stolen jerseys by the way."
"Stolen?! What a terribly inaccurate accusation!"
"Terribly accurate you mean!"
Katie giggled and embraced him, kissing him sweetly. "I can firmly say that I, nor Dahlia, nor Iris have ever stolen a jersey from you. We use the ones you don't use."
"Because you lot are using them and I can't," Harry laughed.
"Semantics," Katie said, waving a hand. "Besides, it's not just us."
"No it's not. Luna does proudly say she nicks my jerseys when she needs to," Harry sighed.
"It's a lot easier for her to do it now," Katie laughed.
Hedwig came flapping through the window and she did a circuit around the room before landing on Harry's head. She cheeped and pulled on his hair gently.
"Hi Hedwig," Harry smiled. He scratched her belly and she nibbled on his fingers. "So you want one of my shirts? Do you want me to shrink it for you?"
Hedwig shook her head and flapped to it. She bit onto a sleeve and pulled on it while digging her talons into it, stretching it out.
"You want me to cut it up?" Harry frowned slightly at her nodding. "Why do you want me to do that?"
The owl flapped to the small bed that sat on the bookcase beside her roost. It was designed as a pet bed for a dog or a cat but after some charms to make it more durable, it became a nest of sorts for Hedwig. She danced around the bed, flapping her wings and pointing at the corners with her beak.
"Aww, you want to decorate your nest with the pieces?" Katie smiled at Hedwig's nodding. "That's just adorable."
"I love you so much," Harry smiled. "Want me to cut it up with a knife or some scissors? No magic?" At her happy barking, he did so, cutting the shirt into long strips. After the shirt had been reduced to many long pieces, he helped her tuck them around and arrange them into the bed.
Hedwig plumped down inside the bed and wriggled about, moving pieces here and there before she was satisfied with the project. With some satisfied hooting, she flapped around the room contentedly before landing on Harry's shoulder, pressing against his face with fluffed up feathers.
"Such a good owl," Katie praised and scratched her head.
"She's the best," Harry said and cheeped at her, smiling when she cheeped back.
-0-
"Oh hello Katie!" Luna said, opening her door wider. "Do come in. How are you?"
"I'm doing just fine, yourself?"
"Doing well, thank you. Just finished a rather large project. Would you like to see?"
"Oh yes, please." Katie followed Luna into her home and sighed softly at the large painting in the middle of Luna's art studio. It was a beautiful piece of Hogwarts, seen from across the Black Lake. The moon shone pearly light onto the castle and the grounds with the waves of the water undulating peacefully. "Gorgeous," Katie breathed softly. "I love it."
"Thank you! I did the initial sketch at the school and took some pictures so I could deepen the colors and the like here where the lighting is better." Luna looked at the painting proudly. "I am very pleased with it."
"You should be. I love it so much."
Luna's smile was as bright as the moonlight. "How can I help you?"
"May I borrow those books of yours on owl care and magizoology?"
"Of course. Is something wrong with Hedwig?" Luna asked worriedly.
"I don't think so, but I want to double check. She's been a bit odd lately."
Luna went to her bookcase and began pulling books off of it. "How so if I may ask?"
"She's been very clingy when at home. Sticks next to Harry or I as much as possible. Not that that's a bad thing of course, but it is a bit different than normal."
"She has always been affectionate," Luna said.
"Oh yeah she has, but it's even more so lately. She doesn't fly around as much as she used to and she refused to see the animal healer when we suggested it. Got a bit nippy with us. Our diagnostic charms show nothing wrong but we're not great with the animal ones so I'm hoping there's one in the owl care book that we can do."
"I'll come too," Luna said, putting the books in a bag and slipping it on. "If need be, I'm sure we can find a healer or animal specialist to come over and do a house call. Hagrid would be happy to."
"I'm sure we're making something out of nothing," Katie said as they left Luna's house and walked down the path. "But better safe than sorry. I'd hate for something to be wrong and we do nothing about it."
"No, I agree." When they walked into the Potter home, Luna smiled as Lucas ran to her. "Hello Luke," she said, hugging him tightly.
"Hi LunaMum!" He hugged her hard, smiling happily.
Luna eventually let him go and hugged Dahlia and Iris who came running to her too. "Now then, where's Hedwig?" The children led her and Katie to the sitting room where Harry sat on the couch and Hedwig was fluffed up on his stomach.
Hedwig tilted her head when Luna sat on the ground before her. When Luna took out the books, she narrowed her eyes and hooted dismissively, turning to wave her tail feathers at Luna and Katie.
"Now now, we are simply worried about you," Luna said soothingly as she opened her books. "Do be a dear and cooperate."
Hedwig waddled away from her, trying to burrow behind Harry's back.
"Hey, enough of that," Harry scolded. "We're worried about you." He reached behind his back and tried to pull her out. "Ow! Come on now!"
The owl hissed at him, digging her talons into his back and flapping her wings irately. She latched onto his shirt with her beak, wriggling away from his fingers.
"You're being very combative right now!" Harry twisted and finally managed to get a grip around her wings, pinning them to her side. He pulled her out and held her firmly in his lap, ignoring her kicking and avoiding her nips. "Hedwig! The children are better about going to the healers than you! I'll make you a big piece of slab bacon for dinner!"
Hedwig scowled up at Harry and closed her eyes, going completely limp. She hooted dolefully.
"I suppose we should take advantage of this," Luna said. She murmured softly, waving her wand over Hedwig. "She's not sick nor hurt," she said and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Hedwig opened one eye and hooted condescendingly.
"We're just making sure," Harry chided.
"She's very healthy otherwise. Cholesterol is a bit high," Luna continued.
"I knew it!" Harry said. "We need to cut back on your-ow!"
Hedwig glared at him, her beak firmly sunk into his hand.
"Everything else seems just fine." She looked at the book and back at the results of the animal diagnostic charm. "You're at the higher end of your weight range, sorry that is a bit rude of me to just announce but just being thorough. And…" Luna's voice trailed off and her eyes widened. She cast the spell again.
"What's wrong?!" Harry asked, voice rising in panic.
Katie's eyes widened too as she thought about what Luna said. "Wait! Are you-is she-"
"She's about to have a clutch," Luna whispered, voice shaking with delight.
"What's a clutch?" Dahlia asked.
"You're pregnant!" Katie shouted.
Hedwig fluffed up and preened.
"You're pregnant?" Harry turned her around and stared down at Hedwig. "You're going to lay eggs and have babies?"
Hedwig nodded. She barked in surprise when Harry jumped up and hugged her tight.
"My girl is having babies!" Harry shouted. "My owl is going to be a mum!"
The room exploded with cheers and gasps of delight. Dahlia and Iris and Lucas jumped up and down, clapping and cheering. Katie and Luna did the same and Hedwig hooted loudly and happily as Harry hugged her again.
"You're going to have owlets! Your own chicks!" Harry spun in a circle, holding Hedwig high. "That's incredible!" He stopped and sank back onto the couch. "Dear Merlin, I'm going to be a grandfather."
Katie laughed seeing Harry's face. "I thought you were her chick, not the other way around. How are you the owlets' grandfather if you're their mama's chick?"
Hedwig plopped down onto Harry's lap, fluffing up. She cooed when the children gathered around her, rubbing her head and petting her and soaking in all the attention.
"I'll leave you the owl care book," Luna said. "I'm sure we can find an animal healer for advice, perhaps an owl caretaker or Eeylops." Luna smiled when Hedwig snorted and gave her an insulted look. "But Hedwig is very capable and I think we will be fine with some help from the book."
Harry leaned forward. "Sounds good to me. Let's see what we need to do to make sure Hedwig is comfortable and her babies taken care of."
-0-
"Wow, she's going to have owlets then? That's exciting," Alicia said. She, Angelina, and Katie watched Harry and Luna working around Hedwig's nest. Hedwig sat beside them on her roost, watching with interest and making suggestions via barking and wing flapping.
"It is," Katie smiled. "Harry's in a frantic state as you see."
"As much as when you were pregnant or more so?" Alicia asked, an equally large smile on her lips.
"At least as much," Katie laughed.
"I don't know, he seems to be doing a lot right now," Angelina teased.
"Hey let's be fair," Alicia said. "Baby bird was incredibly kind to all of us when we were pregnant with all our children."
"Yeah that's true," Angelina conceded.
"I don't even know what to call him right now," Katie giggled. "Baby bird doesn't quite fit at the moment with him caring for Hedwig like that, and he's not going to be the mama bird of the owlets. Grandmama bird?" The trio laughed at that, laughing harder at the look that Harry threw them.
"You know, I think I had a nightmare about this once," Angelina said, chuckling still. "One Hedwig is enough to deal with, but more Hedwigs?"
"They won't be exactly like their mother," Alicia chided, poking her friend. "Is the father still in the picture?"
"Not as far as we can tell," Katie said. "We think Hedwig went out looking for a suitable mate for the moment and then came home. According to the owl books, some species don't mate for life so it wasn't that big of a deal. Also, mates are needed to help watch the chicks and protect them and there won't be a safer place for Hedwig and her babies than here. Especially after Harry is done with everything."
"Poor Hedwig, a single mother," Alicia sighed.
Angelina's snort was deep and rich. "As if, she's the most spoiled here at Potter Village and that's saying something with our children here."
"Harry spoils everyone," Katie smiled lovingly. "I don't mind that he spoils Hedwig a bit more, especially now."
"Do we know how many eggs she's going to have?" Alicia asked.
"I think three to five is average but can go up to seven or eleven even," Katie said. "She will lay them over a period of a few days."
"Did you ever think you'd have a home full of babies again and so soon?" Angelina snickered.
"At least I'm not having this bunch," Katie snorted. "Mum and MumAndi have been dropping hints again. They say I'm still short on the projected five."
"I already told George that I'm not having as many as he had sibs," Angelina laughed. "He didn't want that many either, thank goodness. What about you, Alicia?"
"Oliver and I discussed it but we haven't made any plans for or against," she said. "We will see what happens I suppose. I'm certainly not against having another but that would be the last."
"Watch you have triplets or something," Angelina laughed. She then shrieked when Alicia hit her with a deep tissue Stinger straight into her leg. "Ow! Hey!"
"Don't you jinx me like that!" Alicia bolted from the table and began running with Angelina chasing her, swinging a heavy pillow back and forth.
"Now that's a familiar sight," Harry smiled as he walked over.
"It sure is," Katie said with a nostalgic sigh. "Though with how strong Angelina is now, she might actually do some damage if she hits Alicia."
"Oh she can. She managed to deflect a practice Bludger one day by swinging a pillow," Harry said. "The pillow didn't survive sadly, which made it that much more impressive actually."
"Good thing we're here to heal her up after then," Katie said. "How's the preparations going?"
"Good! We put the warming and protection runestones under the nest. Not too warm because they normally are in colder climates but we can adjust the temperature as needed. Cushioning Charms are in everything and I made the rug under the bookcase and the roost extra soft and resilient. And I got some extra owl food ready."
"Like mice? Please don't put them into our ice box. I don't want to open it up and see mice in there."
"I transfigured a separate one," Harry chuckled. "And I got ones that've been cut up and portioned already. There's geese and rat too. I also have a few frogs because I know she likes them." He sighed and rolled his eyes. "I also got a lot of bacon because she insisted on it. I don't know if it'll be appropriate to feed owlets bacon."
Angelina and Alicia came back to the table, the former limping slightly and the latter rubbing her shoulder. "I hate you," Alicia grumbled.
"You're lucky I didn't peg you in your thick skull," Angelina retorted. She sighed with relief when Harry healed the Stinger pain. "Thank you, Rabbit."
Alicia sighed too when Katie healed her shoulder. "Thank you, Katie. So are you going to bond with all the owlets and have a flock of owls at your command?"
"Now that'd be amazing," Harry smiled. "Not this time. According to the magical owl book, owls can bond to someone a bit earlier than you would if you got them at an owl store. Magical owls differ in strength and temperament of course but sufficiently strong ones have a very close bond to ones they choose, like Hedwig and I."
Luna came over, carrying Hedwig in her arms. The snowy owl hopped out of them when they reached the table and she waddled about, sitting between Katie and Harry, hooting comfortably.
"When they're old enough, we're going to gather everyone who lives here in the village and see who bonds with who," Harry continued.
"Oh that'll be nice," Angelina said. "That way they'll all stick close together and can still visit and all that."
"Yeah!" Harry said enthusiastically. "Our families will be even closer."
-0-
"This was so cool of you to do, thank you so much," Harry said with a big smile.
"You are welcome of course," Daphne said warmly. She smiled with delight when Hedwig nuzzled her face. "You too, Hedwig. We want you to be very comfortable and happy."
When Daphne and Hermione heard that Hedwig was going to have her first clutch, they did a little research on the environment of snowy owls. Then using Daphne's contacts with people who grew plants for potions, they went out and got a selection of plants found in the tundra and brought them over.
Hedwig had eagerly gone through them and they nestled them into the nest and around it. Arctic moss, cottongrass, sedges, and arctic poppies were placed around and through the nest bed.
"Was it hard to get them?" Harry asked.
"Surprisingly not," Daphne said. "It took some finding of who grew them within the United Kingdom, but once found, they were more than happy to sell some for a very small fee. Much cheaper than having them imported."
"I can't wait," Hermione said eagerly. "I bet they're going to be so cute. Will they look like Hedwig when she was shrunk and de-aged that time?"
"Not quite. I think snowy owlets are grey where she was white but that was a magical circumstance. But I think they turn white pretty rapidly." Harry smiled as Hedwig cheeped happily in her newly adorned nest.
-0-
"Daddy! Mummy!"
Harry and Katie came running. "What's wrong?!" Katie asked hurriedly.
Iris pointed into Hedwig's nest. They had moved it to a low table beside her roost and more inside the sitting room for safety and comfort for them all. A gleaming off-white egg sat in the middle of the nest. "Hedwig's first egg!"
Hedwig sat beside the egg, chest puffed out. She looked incredibly pleased, hooting with unmistakable pride.
"Congratulations pretty lady!" Katie cooed, rubbing Hedwig's head. "Your first baby!"
"That's my girl," Harry praised, kissing Hedwig on the head. "Remember kids," he said to Iris and Dahlia and Lucas, "don't touch the eggs okay? Check with me or Mum or Hedwig before that. And be gentle with Hedwig too." He rolled his eyes at Hedwig's look. "You're a nesting mother and you're delicate and need to be cared for. Hey!"
Hedwig had shown her delicacy by pecking him hard on the hand. She then shuffled slowly over the egg, plumping down and enveloping it with her soft feathers. Once comfortable, she gave Harry an expectant look and opened her beak wide, clacking it.
"Guess you're hungry then," Harry smiled. "Come on kids, let's get Hedwig some food and you can feed her while she sits on her egg."
-0-
"Aw, she's glowing," Lyla said, looking at Hedwig. "Wait, is she actually glowing?"
"It really looks like it," Katie smiled. "But no. She's not actually glowing. She's just very comfortable and very happy."
"How many eggs did she lay?"
"I think she's stopping at six. It's been a few days since she's laid the last one, longer than the intervals she had between the others."
"Is that a lot?"
"About average. The book said they can have up to eleven, especially when there's plentiful food and a stable environment. At first we were worried that she wasn't having as much as she could, considering our home is safe and she has more than enough food, but magical owls are a bit different than normal ones after all." Katie shrugged. "She's still healthy and is happy so we're not worried."
"And she's still young right? She can probably have more later."
"Yeah that too."
"When do you think they're going to hatch?"
"Incubation is about thirty days so in a couple weeks the first one should hatch."
"That's so exciting," Lyla said.
-0-
Harry woke up. He laid there for a long moment, trapped in the state between actual wakefulness and lingering sleep. He blinked slowly, squinting myopically at the clock that sat on his nightstand. A yawn came up lazily and he closed his eyes again.
His eyes popped open wide and he sat up so suddenly, the bed shifted and Katie slid into the space where he was, waking her up too.
"Ha-Harry?" she yawned, blinking. "What's wrong?"
"I think one of the eggs is hatching!" Harry jumped out of bed and ran into the sitting room. Katie yawned once more before she registered what Harry said. She too jumped up and ran after him.
"Really?!" she asked as she dashed up to Hedwig's nest.
Harry waved his wand and several lamps around the room glowed with soft light. Hedwig hooted happily, seeing Harry and Katie there. She was plumped up around the other eggs but one was slightly in front of her and it shook from side to side. Tiny faint cracks started appearing in the shell and after some gentle coos of encouragement, a piece popped off. Very faint soft noises spilled from within the egg and it continued to shake.
Hedwig gently pecked at the shell, pulling off pieces and breaking it carefully. Finally the egg completely broke and a tiny little owlet spilled out.
"Congratulations!" Harry and Katie shouted and Hedwig barked loudly and proudly. She carefully inspected the small chick, rubbing it gently with her beak as she prodded it about gently. Satisfied, Hedwig cuddled the chick close, eyes half closed in an expression of deep contentment.
"What's going on?" Dahlia asked, yawning. She stumbled down the stairs, rubbing her eyes. "I heard yelling."
"Hedwig's first owlet hatched," Harry said, smile wide.
"Oh!" Dahlia dashed up and she sighed at the sight of the small owlet cuddled into Hedwig's feathers. "Congratulations!"
A few hours later, Iris and Lucas were awake and clustered around the nest as well. They watched as the little owlet ate bits of meat that Harry cut into tiny pieces and he fed it by hand. "Is it a boy or a girl?" Lucas asked.
"A girl," Katie said. She had learned the animal diagnostic charm from the book and cast it to check on the health of the owlet and Hedwig. "Perfectly healthy!"
"Are we going to name them?" Iris asked.
"Whoever bonds to them will name them, that's the tradition," Katie said. "We can come up with nicknames for them as they get bigger though, when they show their personalities."
"She's so tiny," Dahlia cooed. "How long does it take for them to grow as big as Hedwig?"
"About a year and a half, for them to be considered adults," Harry said. "They can start learning how to fly in about five weeks."
"Adults in a year and a half?!" the three children repeated with wide eyes.
"Bit different for owls," Katie smiled. She kissed them in turn. "No need for you lot to grow up that fast."
"Thank goodness," Dahlia said with immense relief, echoed by her siblings.
-0-
"Okay, now that is so adorable," Alicia smiled.
A week later, all the eggs had hatched and every chick was perfectly healthy. By then, all their eyes had opened and they were all covered in soft grey feathers. After moving the nest to the ground, the chicks were eager to explore their surroundings, waddling on their legs and holding their tiny wings out for balance. Hedwig occasionally flew around outside for exercise but never strayed far.
Harry was sitting on the ground and the chicks were climbing and scrambling all over his legs and lap. One slowly climbed up his shirt and another slumbered in his hand. All the children in the village were there and clustered around them, watching and playing with the chicks as they stumbled about and cheeped and barked and hooted squeakily.
"Just like their momma," Angelina smiled, "obsessed with Harry."
"Must be a Hedwig lineage thing," Katie agreed.
"How is dealing with the noise and the mess?" Alicia asked.
"Not too bad actually. Hedwig grooms them and we've learned how to care for them too. Magic definitely helps with the waste. Harry added a cleaning runestone and one for the smell. I have to be a lot more careful when walking around here. They're starting to get a little underfoot but they're so cute, it's worth it. They definitely like using Harry as an exercise and play space."
Katie sipped her coffee and summoned some pictures from the counter. "Look at this picture."
Angelina and Alicia sighed softly seeing a sleeping Harry on the ground with all the chicks plumped up on his stomach, also deeply asleep. They rose and fell with Harry's breathing, a raft of slumber on a sea of contentment.
"Now that's adorable," Angelina said.
-0-
"Okay, definitely no question that Hedwig is your mother," Harry said with an awed look.
Up until then, he had fed the owlets with cut up meat from their traditional prey, and slowly gave them things he had cooked. Hedwig had even refrained from bacon herself up to this point, but had started poking and prodding for him to feed them, and her, bacon.
He had put small pieces of bacon down in front of each owlet and they had looked at them closely. Seeing their mother noisily enjoy a large piece of her own, they slowly took little nibbles and licks. Which then became a feeding frenzy of sorts as they greedily gobbled down their portions and started begging for more.
To keep them from stealing from each other and fighting over pieces, Harry made a large piece and put it in front of them. Now he watched as the six owlets tore it apart, enjoying it with every bit of enthusiasm as their mother. They gorged themselves, not stopping until not a speck remained.
"No, that's enough," he said to Hedwig. "They will get more when they start flying and exercising more, same as you. Now that I know how to do the animal diagnostic charm, I can check your cholesterol!"
He hurriedly closed his eyes to save himself from seven identical looks of longing. "No, not fair! You can't do that!"
Katie walked by and stopped, seeing Harry on his back with his hands over his eyes and the owlets and Hedwig clustered around his face, cheeping and hooting and trying to pry his fingers loose. "What's going on?"
"Help me!" Harry said, his voice muffled by his hands and the owlets. "They're trying to break me into giving them more bacon!"
"Oh I'm not getting involved," Katie laughed. "I've learned to never get between Hedwig and bacon, and I'll definitely not risk getting between the babies and bacon."
-0-
"Is something wrong with this one?" Fleur asked worriedly.
"Hmm? No, I mean, we don't think so. We think he likes doing that."
She looked again at the owlet hanging off the end of the nest upside down. "He likes it?"
"Yeah." Katie handed her a cup of coffee. "They're getting to the point where we can recognize them due to different personalities and that one is definitely a personality. We nicknamed him Quirky because…well he's quirky. He likes to hang upside down and he likes to walk and climb even though they're starting to fledge and learn how to fly short distances."
"As long as he is healthy and likes it." Fleur scratched his head gently and smiled when Quirky nipped her finger lovingly. "What are the others like?"
Katie pointed at one that was fluttering and skipping about the room. "That one's Zippy. He likes to go fast. Running, flying jumps, he's very athletic. He was the first one to learn how to fly too."
Fleur gasped when Zippy jumped over her legs, flapping his wings hard and skipping along the ground. "Incredible!"
"That one we nicknamed Aqua."
"Aqua?"
"Hermione came up with it. That owlet was the first one to hatch and she's so like Hedwig. Very opiniated and very protective of everyone. She follows her mum around a lot for the most part and we were calling her mini-Hedwig. Hermione started laughing and said she was H too and she added an O at the end and had a laughing fit."
Katie shrugged at Fleur's confusion. "Apparently it's a Muggle potions thing. Something about water."
"Interesting, at least it is a pretty name," Fleur said. She smiled when an owlet landed on her lap and plumped down. "Who is this?" she asked as she started petting her.
"Princess," Katie smiled. "She really likes to sit on soft things and be carried."
"I like her," Fleur laughed. "She knows what is important."
"We call that one Libby, short for librarian. She liked to sit with the kids when they read and on books. And that one is Nibbler."
"Because he likes to nibble on things, I assume," Fleur said and smiled as Nibbler started to nibble on her fingers. "Goodness, they are all so cute and affectionate. How are you going to bear them leaving?"
"I have no idea," Katie laughed. "The nice thing is that they're probably going to bond with people here so we'll still get to see them a lot."
"That will be good." Fleur smiled. "The Barony will be the largest home of snowy owls in all of England."
"That's the dream," Katie said.
-0-
"Look at them go," George said, holding a hand over his eyes and looking up at the sky.
Hedwig was leading flying practice and her fledglings followed her in the sky. They all flew well enough, some dipping and falling a bit before finding their air once more. Some were more dexterous and flew with more grace than the others, but all were in their element, wheeling about in the sky.
"It was a bit more chaotic when they were learning indoors," Harry smiled. "A couple of them tumbled into bowls and pots and cauldrons. We had to cover most things to prevent accidents. Zippy took out one of the vases actually. He was fine of course. The vase wasn't but I've been meaning to do something with it so blessing in disguise really."
Fred chuckled. "Soup's back on the menu then. This is giving me an idea for something new. It's really relaxing watching them fly around. I bet we can have something like that. Fluttering Flock: something to let your mind wander while you watch something fly about the room."
"Hey I like that," George said. He snorted when two of the fledglings collided in mid-air, squabbling at each other as they righted themselves. "I've seen that before, done that before too."
"You going to be a mess when they leave?" Fred asked Harry kindly.
"Probably a little," Harry said frankly. "I've gotten attached but if they bond with people here, then I know they'll have a good home and we can see them often. Them having good homes and bonds is what's important."
"I don't like the way she's looking at us," George said, noticing Hedwig looking their way.
"It's just to let me know she's ready for part two of training," Harry said. He took off at a run, weaving left and right. Hedwig barked an order and all the fledglings responded, homing in on the running Harry. They chased him about the gardens, gleeful hooting mixed with his laughter.
"Better him than us," Fred said with a shudder.
"I still get a tingle in my backside when she flexes her talons at me and no that's not a euphemism," George snorted.
-0-
"How do you get anything done when you're home?" Samantha asked. She smiled as she watched Harry walk around the home, followed by a line of walking and fluttering fledglings.
"We haven't really," Katie laughed. "Thankfully we're in a lull period so we've been able to spend more time at home and not worry too much about work things. Though I've had to go to Portree Port to do some work here and there so I'm not distracted by the adorableness."
"They're getting really big and their white feathers are coming in," Samantha observed.
"Yeah, they're about ready to start bonding and choose a home. It's still early technically. I mean Hedwig was a bit older when Hagrid got her for Harry. But they bonded really well and we figured it would be good to let them start getting used to being in their own homes too. They've spent some time around everyone here at the village so I think things will work out."
"Are you going to miss having them around all the time?"
Katie nodded. "Yeah. To be completely honest, there are some things I won't miss. I've woken up in bed with all of them in it too. Found out when I rolled over once and accidentally squashed one of them. She bit me hard in retaliation." Katie shook her head while Samantha laughed.
"Doesn't Hedwig usually sit on the headboard?"
"She does sure but the little ones wanted to be snuggled in the bed too apparently." Katie smiled. "Still, it's all around nice and I think Hedwig will have another set or two of babies in the future. So we will get to do this again."
"Aw that does sound nice." She gave her daughter a considering look. "Speaking of babies-"
"Mother!"
-0-
Everyone crowded into the Potter home sitting room. After many weeks, the fledglings were proper juvenile owls and they would be choosing the homes they would be going to that day. They all stood in a line and waited for their mother to give them the okay.
Hedwig gave them all a last look, a careful preen, and nodded and barked, giving her blessing.
Dahlia exclaimed with delight as Aqua fluttered to her. The snowy owl most like Hedwig flew a few times around Dahlia and landed on her head, hooting loudly and flapping her wings. "Thank you!" Dahlia squealed, reaching up and bringing the happy owl down to hug her tightly. "I'm going to name you Helena! It means bright."
Helena cheeped happily and bit Dahlia on the nose gently, nuzzling her and making the girl laugh brightly.
"Oh my goodness," Fleur breathed as Princess flew to her and plumped down in her lap. "You have chosen me?! I am so honored!"
"Of course the one that likes to be pampered chooses you," Aimee laughed.
"Something about birds of a feather, no?" Colette sniggered before wincing when Fleur pinched her. She gasped when Princess leaned over and nipped her hard on the wrist. "Like your mother I see!"
"What are you going to name her?" Katie asked eagerly.
"I think I will name her Marguerite," Fleur said after a moment of thought. "Since her original family have a penchant for flower names as is my name. Would you like that?"
Marguerite hooted happily, wiggling in Fleur's lap and throwing her head with deep satisfaction.
"Oh hello!" Luna smiled when Quirky climbed up her leg, using beak and talon to climb up slowly and carefully before he too sat in her lap. She giggled when he laid down on his back and looked up at her, eyes blinking slowly. "You want to be mine? I would love to have you! I already had a name in mind if I was so lucky to be chosen. You will be my little Hadrian, named after your grandfather."
Hadrian clacked his beak and nodded, snuggling closer to Luna.
"Uh Rabbit? Why is Zippy looking at me like that?" Angelina asked, nervous. Zippy had flown up to her and settled down on her knee, looking up at her adoringly.
"I think that means he chose you," Harry grinned.
"I swear I didn't entice him or anything," Angelina said hurriedly while others laughed.
Hedwig stared at her son, barking a question. Zippy barked back, nodding emphatically before looking back up at Angelina with large open eyes. Hedwig shook her head and gave a very maternal sigh before giving Angelina an expectant look.
"We've been talking about getting an owl," George smiled. "I think Zippy would be a great addition to the family."
"Well alright then," Angelina said at last. She petted the owl and smiled when he nuzzled against her hand. "I promise to take really good care of you. Hmmm, oh I have an awesome name for you." She winked at Harry. "I'm going to name you Raijin! You're fast and loud. What do you say?"
Raijin beat his wings and hooted loudly with approval.
"Raijin it is." Angelina smiled when he flew to her shoulder and sat there, puffing his feathers up.
Hermione squealed happily when Libby flew to her, nestling down in her hair. "Oh my goodness! Thank you for choosing me!"
"Oh boy, she's going to love your home," Harry laughed.
"I do have the best library," Hermione said, her smile from ear to ear. "I already have a great name for you." She looked up at the young owl. "How does Athena sound? Goddess of wisdom and her symbol is an owl too!"
Athena hooted appreciatively, waggling her tail feathers in delight.
"Poor Crookshanks will have to learn how to share now," Hermione laughed.
"No way!" Tracy exclaimed. Nibbler flew to her first and after circling for a moment, did the same to Daphne before settling down between them. He nipped their fingers before plumping up comfortably, hooting with satisfaction.
"He liked to chew on the grasses and plants you brought over," Katie smiled.
"Is that so?" Daphne smiled with delight. "Thank you for choosing us. Hmm, what will be a good name for you? Oh, I know, how does Taiga sound?"
"What does that mean?" Heather asked.
"It is the type of environment snowy owls live in," Daphne explained. "Snowy forests. I remembered the name when I spoke with the plant specialist that sold me the plants I got for Hedwig and her babies."
"Hey I like that," Tracy said. "What do you think, Taiga?"
Taiga tilted his head thoughtfully before nodding, turning pleased.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked when Iris and Lucas looked glum.
"They didn't want us," Iris said in a small voice. She looked up when Hedwig hooted softly, beckoning them with a wing flap. When she and Lucas walked to her, she picked out pieces of eggshells that were still in the nest and dropped them delicately in their hands before nuzzling them. She did the same with Hailey and Hadley and Melanie.
"I think Hedwig is saying that she will be having more owlets in the future," Harry said warmly. "And that there will be a chance that others will want to bond with you then. She wanted to have this clutch and give Dahlia a chance to bond before she goes to Hogwarts in a few years. Helena will be as old as Hedwig when she and I first met."
"Really?!" the youngsters said. At Hedwig's emphatic nodding, they smiled and looked happier.
"I can wait then," Iris said happily and Lucas nodded.
Alicia smiled kindly at her daughters. "It's just as well for now, you know how Archimedes is. One day we will look forward to having another owl in the family, once he gets used to the idea."
"I can play with Helena too while I wait, right?" Hadley asked.
"Of course," Dahlia said stoutly. "And you and Hailey can borrow her at school to send letters and stuff."
"That's good. Raijin looks like he's going to be Mummy's owl," Hailey smiled.
"You alright love?" Katie asked softly as the owls flew about and everyone chatted.
"I'm alright. It's great that we will see them all the time and we know they'll be taken care of," Harry said, and rested an arm around her shoulders. "I'll admit and say I do feel a bit sad about it."
"We're going to be messes when the kids go to school and beyond," Katie sighed gustily. "At least we'll get some practice in like this."
"That's a small silver lining," Harry chuckled. "I hope it doesn't get easy though."
"Me neither."
-0-
"Poor mama birds," Katie said with a soft sad smile.
The house was much quieter. For months there was the ever-prevalent sound of chicks then owlets then fledglings cheeping and hooting and barking. Now that there was only Hedwig and Helena in the Potter home full time, it was incredibly quiet.
Hedwig had become moody and clingy since her brood left, cuddling with everyone but especially Harry. She was currently under his shirt, hooting dolefully.
Harry patted her gently. "Now I really know how the term 'empty nest' feels." He and Katie looked at the nest that held the owlets for so long. The plants were still there and vibrant, but there was a hollow feeling that made it seem that much more forlorn.
Katie sat beside Harry and she rested a hand on the Hedwig bump. "We're with you pretty lady," she said softly. She smiled when Hedwig shuffled under the shirt and felt the owl nip at her hand through it. Flapping wings drew her attention and she watched as Helena came fluttering over. She flopped over the Hedwig bump and hooted softly.
Harry and Katie looked to the door, hearing the cat flap they installed for Crookshanks rattling. Hadrian popped through and he walked over to them, waving a wing in hello. He clambered up Harry's leg and hooted at him and Katie, then plumped up beside Hedwig.
"Came for a visit?" Harry asked with a big smile.
Hadrian nodded and flopped over his mother too, making her squirm from the sudden weight.
The window rattled and Marguerite flew in from outside, hooting a greeting. She landed primly on the Hedwig bump and blinked comfortably at Harry.
"Oof!" Harry winced.
Hedwig, squashed by her children, bristled and began to bark loudly, writhing around. Digging her talons into Harry's stomach, she wriggled her way out from under her three young, and Harry's shirt, and she glared at them with maternal indignation. She puffed up, ready to unleash a barrage of scolding, but Raijin came through the window next and barreled right into her, knocking them over beak over talon. They tumbled to the ground in a riot of feathers and noise.
Marguerite hooted with indignation, landing once more on Harry and fluffed up, looking down at her mother and brother. Helena leapt down to break up the fight and help scold Raijin while Hadrian shifted over to give Marguerite more room, looking down with lazy interest.
The window rattled once more and Taiga flew in, holding a brightly colored flower in his beak. He dropped it in Katie's hand before settling down on Harry's shoulder, also watching his fighting siblings and mother with interest. Athena was the last to arrive, landing daintily on Harry's knee and giving a very familiar sigh as she watched her family squabble.
"I guess they'll always come to visit," Katie laughed, tucking the flower behind her ear.
"This is their home after all," Harry smiled broadly, speaking up over the barking and hooting owls. "They're always welcome."
Soon it led to Helena chasing Raijin and Taiga around the couch, barking at them shrilly while they hooted back and fled from their older sister. Athena roosted on Harry's head and Marguerite sat on Harry's lap, the both of them watching the scene with heavily lidded eyes and Hadrian was lying on Harry's shoulder, eyes following the action. Hedwig hissed with indignation at Harry being thoroughly covered by her children.
"I know how you feel," Katie said and held Hedwig in her arms. "Once you have children, they steal all your things and you have to share."
Hedwig sighed wearily and nodded in agreement. However, she looked very happy and content with her family nearby.
Her feathered family and the family she chose.