I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Extended Family
Chapter 145 – A Union in Parliament
Takes place during Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts, around chapter 118 of Family.
There were many different kinds of people in the world. Some wear their emotions and their thoughts openly, easy to see and understand. Others were more guarded, hiding their thoughts and their heart under a façade of civility. Others wore a mask with some and were more open with others.
This person was just unpleasant in every sense of the word. Their eyes were beady and narrow. Their features pinched, as if permanently smelling something unpleasant. Their robes looked high-class and expensive, and they walked with an air of self-inflated importance.
He looked around the space, his face twisting even more. "Why is it so cold? The wind just blows right through!"
McGonagall resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. "We are in the Owlery," she said with as much patience as she could muster. "Owls fly in and out at will. So the space is open for them to fly."
"And why is it so messy?" he continued, glaring at the floor with disgust.
"Again, this is the Owlery," McGonagall said through gritted teeth. "The charms actually keep the space quite clean. But it will be messier than other places on average."
"Why do we even have owls here?" he sniffed, glaring at the rows of owls that sat on roosts or in nests.
"Why do we-" McGonagall sighed deeply. "Owls are the traditional form of sending packages and letters and we have owls that serve the school and the owls that belong to the students. We cannot expect owls not to have a place to rest and eat. They are living beings and deserve as much for the work they do."
"It would save costs and be better if they weren't here," the wizard sniffed unpleasantly. "Filthy creatures. Unnecessary." He gasped loudly. "And that one! That one isn't even native to Britain!"
The one he called 'that one' felt his look and turned her head. She looked down at the man and narrowed her eyes, making him grow angry. "It dares look at me like that?!" he said loudly.
"You are rather insulting," McGonagall said acidly. "Owls do understand us."
"Bah, brainless beasts," the man snorted. "I will be bringing this up to the Wizengamot and the Minister. We need to make some genuine changes and this will be very important." He curled his lip at the owl. "And you will be gone, useless ugly thing." He stomped away and McGonagall walked behind him so that the man did not see her expression or the way her fingers twitched, as if they wished to wrap around something.
Hedwig's eye twitched and she puffed out, swelling from sheer anger. The owls closest to her inched away from her while others fled from her. All the owls knew her by now and they knew she would not react well to the direct insult. Hedwig screeched loudly, her voice echoing all around the roof of the castle and the grounds, making the other owls quail and quiver.
Hedwig flapped her wings and stomped a foot, barking loudly and angrily. The other owls stopped to listen to her and one by one, they nodded along, hooting in agreement. Hedwig flapped to the edge of the roof and brooded there, watching the man leave the castle far below. Her expression was remarkably like one of the gargoyles, only much harder and a lot more dangerous.
-0-
It started the next morning.
Breakfast appeared on the tables and for a long moment, no one noticed anything amiss. McGonagall applied ketchup to her eggs and reached out with her other hand as he did every morning. This time however, she grasped empty air and she finally looked up, confused. Her eyes swept the great hall and her confusion grew.
"Is something wrong?" Flitwick asked, noticing McGonagall's confusion.
"The paper is not here," she said.
"Oh, that's odd. Perhaps something is wrong with the delivery," Flitwick said. He looked around. "Wait, nothing was delivered today." He and McGonagall looked up at the ceiling and they were not the only ones.
"Where are the owls?" Sprout asked.
"Hagrid, could you go check out the Owlery?" McGonagall asked and the big man got up from the table and walked out swiftly, also concerned. However, a moment after leaving the hall, he reappeared at the door and waved a hand at her. Thoroughly confused now, McGonagall walked out of the great hall and into the foyer and stopped short.
"Oh my," Flitwick gasped, having followed her. "These are letters and packages and things. And there's the Prophet." He pointed at copies of the newspaper stacked neatly on the ground, in front of piles of letters and collections of packages.
"They weren't delivered into the hall or to the students," Sprout said. "I wonder why."
"Inky, Fanny," McGonagall said. The two house elves popped in front of her and looked at the mail with wide eyes. "Could you and any available House Elves please distribute the mail for us?" She smiled when they nodded and more elves appeared to swiftly organize the mail. "I wonder what is going on," McGonagall said, scratching her head.
"I hope the owls are okay," Sprout said.
After some time, Hagrid appeared looking sheepish. "You're goin' to want to come up and speak to them," he said.
"To who, the owls?" Flitwick asked.
"They're in a tizzy," Hagrid nodded.
Flummoxed, McGonagall led the way. She and the other professors walked up the backstairs directly to the Owlery and came out onto the rooftop. The owls were sitting in their nests or on their roosts like they normally did but as soon as the professors approached, they quieted down and the napping ones woke up. They all looked down at the professors in unison, something they had never experienced before.
"This is rather unsettling," Sprout gulped.
McGonagall looked at them sternly, eyes roaming. Her eyes finally fell on one particular owl who was sitting on her roost and looking completely unimpressed at her. "Dear Merlin," she sighed, recognizing her. "Is something the matter?" she asked as pleasantly as she could.
Hedwig nodded, bristling slightly. Her feathers were a little mantled and she looked coolly back at McGonagall.
"Is this about what happened yesterday?" McGonagall asked and groaned when Hedwig nodded emphatically.
"What happened yesterday?" Flitwick asked.
"The new inspector from the Ministry came," McGonagall sighed. "He was very rude and said some impolite things about the owls, wanting to do away with them."
"Do away with them?!" Hagrid shouted. "Our owls?! I'll do away with him!"
"He was also very rude to Hedwig in particular," McGonagall continued. "Citing her non-native origins."
"Oh no, this won't end easily or well," Flitwick said.
McGonagall turned back to Hedwig. "I can appreciate that you are upset with him, but that does not mean that students cannot receive their mail."
Hedwig barked loudly and stomped her foot. She fluttered to the ground and in the general debris on the stone floor, sketched something with her talon.
"Yes, we did see them outside the great hall," McGonagall said, seeing the sketch. "But surely that takes more effort than to bring them to the students?" She sighed at Hedwig's head shake and flat look. She looked around. "Mortimer, as leader of the Hogwarts parliament, you will not renege on your duty, yes?"
A very large and stately Barn owl blinked at her and turned to look at Hedwig before he looked back at McGonagall and hooted, flapping his wings. He emphatically looked at the sketch Hedwig made and folded his wings and closed his eyes.
"Is…is this really happening right now?" Sprout gasped.
Hedwig barked and every owl turned their backs on the professors and the four of them gaped at the motion made in unison. Hedwig sniffed and fluttered to her roost and did the same.
"Okay, this is unsettling," Sprout said.
"Let us go," McGonagall said, irritated and impressed in equal measure. "This cannot last for long."
-0-
A week later, the students were getting used to seeing the packages and things being left outside the great hall. Now they walked past the tables and found their mail and to the majority of them, they were not bothered. At first, they were alarmed about the owls not showing up but since they could be visited still, they were no longer concerned.
The concern of the professors and the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts however, grew.
"What did you say?" Flitwick asked. "This cannot last for long?"
"Clearly, I was incorrect," McGonagall said through gritted teeth. "I did not wish to do this, but it looks like we must."
"What are you goin' to do?" Hagrid asked, frowning.
"Do not look at me like that," McGonagall scolded. "I will not do anything to the owls. No, I will have to speak to the owner of the apparent leader of this," she said.
"I thought you and Mister Potter had a very cordial and close relationship," Sprout said.
"Yes, but he can be a bit…unreasonable when it comes to his friends and family," she said fondly. "And his owl is at the top of that list."
-0-
"I'm sorry, what's going on?" Harry asked, deeply confused.
"We need you to talk to Hedwig," McGonagall said slowly, realizing how inane she was about to sound.
"I talk to her every day unless she's flying to and from France," Harry said, still perplexed. "What's this about?" He looked at Hedwig who was standing on the desk in McGonagall's office. "Hedwig, what's wrong?"
"We believe Hedwig has…unionized the owls here at Hogwarts," McGonagall said at last.
"You expect me to believe that Hedwig has managed to convince all the owls here, school and personal ones, to form a union?" Harry asked, looking at McGonagall with a crooked eyebrow.
"You do not believe she can?"
"No, I know she absolutely could. The thing is, that sounds like a lot of work and Hedwig doesn't do things that are a lot of work unless it's for a good reason. Or if she wants to because she thinks it'll be funny."
McGonagall ignored Flitwick and Sprout's snickering. "There…probably is a good reason for it."
"Okay," Harry said slowly.
"The other day, there was an inspector from the Ministry and he might have said some unkind things about owls in general as well as saying some rather unkind things about a specific owl," McGonagall said with a wince.
"Wait, this person said something unkind about Hedwig?!" Harry looked at his owl in shock who in turn shocked everyone in the office by suddenly wailing out loud. Hedwig began to cry, holding her wings over her eyes, body wracked by grief.
"Hedwig!" Harry picked her up and hugged her to him. "Who's this bloke that was rude to you?! How dare he!"
"I have never seen her do that before," Flitwick gasped.
McGonagall stared with wide eyes that narrowed when Hedwig's head popped over Harry's shoulder and the owl glared back at McGonagall before she continued to sob, burying her face into Harry's chest. "Oh come now, you are carrying on a bit!"
"Professor! You're telling my owl she can't cry when someone else was rude to her?!" Harry gasped, looking incensed.
"What?! NO! I mean-" she glared at Flitwick and Sprout who were stifling their laughter, turning red in the face.
"I don't think it's funny either!" Harry said loudly, making the two professors sober up swiftly.
"Harry, please," McGonagall said in a placating tone. "Please try to convince Hedwig to stop this…delivery strike and we will do our best to make sure amends are made."
"You're not trying to convince me to go against my Hedwig, are you?" Harry sniffed and Hedwig hissed at McGonagall.
"No, not at all," McGonagall soothed. "We just want things to go back to normal as soon as possible and for that to happen, compromises must be had."
"Let's go over here," Harry said, carrying Hedwig away to the far side of the office.
McGonagall pinched the bridge of her nose very hard as Harry and Hedwig sat in the corner together.
"I bet you never thought you would have to do something like this," Sprout said wryly.
"No, I never in my wildest dreams," McGonagall sighed.
"She is a wonderful actress," Flitwick mused, looking at Hedwig.
"Problem is, she is not acting about her anger," McGonagall said.
"Can you blame the poor dear?" Sprout asked.
"No, and that's the worst part," McGonagall muttered.
Eventually Harry returned, still holding Hedwig in his arms. "We have terms," he said and Hedwig cheeped.
"Do we now," McGonagall said flatly. She sighed at Hedwig's glare. "Okay then. Please."
"The owls want the charms for better cleaning and for warming the roosts and nests," Harry said.
"Easily done," McGonagall immediately agreed.
"They also want a side space indoors to hold packages if they come over night so they aren't just keeping them in the Owlery," Harry said.
"That makes a lot of sense and will be easily done," McGonagall said. "Not sure why we never thought that before."
"Finally, but most importantly, the owls want a written apology from this arsehole bloke-"
"Harry Potter!" McGonagall exclaimed while Flitwick and Sprout laughed.
Harry continued, unbothered, "-and assurances, in writing, from the Ministry of Magic that they won't interfere with post owl business at Hogwarts and a second written apology to Hedwig in particular."
"That…might have to wait until the Headmaster returns tomorrow." McGonagall held her hands up at Hedwig's hiss and glare that was mirrored by Harry's look of displeasure. "I am merely the Deputy Headmistress! As we all know, Professor Dumbledore's word and name carries far more weight and consequence. I am sure he will be more than happy to try and obtain the necessary letters and assurances. But simply put, Harry, not everyone thinks so highly of owls like you do."
"No deal then," Harry said and Hedwig turned around and mooned McGonagall, making her huff and Sprout and Flitwick choke.
"Please, as a show of good faith, resume the post duties," McGonagall said. "And do not flaunt your rear at me so openly, young lady."
Harry and Hedwig shared a look.
"Fine. They will resume their post duties," Harry said at last when Hedwig nodded reluctantly. He gave her another look that made her perk up and Hedwig nodded more enthusiastically.
"Thank you," McGonagall said with relief. She paused when Harry opened the window and Hedwig flapped out after giving him a nuzzle. "Wait. Harry."
"Yes?"
"Why did you put an emphasis on the words 'post duties'," she asked worriedly.
"Did I do that?" Harry asked, tilting his head.
"No, oh no, do not do that to me," McGonagall said sharply. "I had suffered seven long years of that sort of tone and expression from Those-Two-That-Shall-Remain-Nameless and I cannot tolerate that from you!"
Harry grinned before schooling his features into a mask of pleasant placidity. "I only reminded Hedwig that she has post duties she can perform to the best of her ability." With a nod to them, he left.
"That sounds pretty good," Sprout said slowly.
"Sounds yes, but it is not what it sounds exactly like," McGonagall sighed deeply, rubbing her forehead. "Albus cannot return soon enough."
"Doesn't he return tomorrow?" Flitwick asked.
"Not. Soon. Enough."
-0-
Dumbledore stifled a yawn. He had just returned to Hogwarts from a trip to the ICW headquarters and it was still incredibly early. The sun was just rising over the horizon and he was desperately looking forward to breakfast and then a nice long nap. He had only just taken off his cloak when the Floo in his hearth burst into flames and he nearly jumped when he heard his name be shouted.
"Yes?! Minister, what is the matter?" he gasped.
Fudge's head sat in the flames and the man looked very harried and irate. "We have a problem," he said shortly. "I need you to come to the Ministry, now."
Fearing the worst, Dumbledore walked through the Floo.
-0-
"Oh welcome back Albus," McGonagall greeted. She peered closely at him. "Are you well?"
"I am very tired and very confused," Dumbledore said wearily. "I just got back from the Ministry."
"The Ministry? I thought you went to Rome for the ICW meeting," McGonagall said, confused as well.
"Yes I was. I returned around six this morning and was summoned to the Ministry by the Minister. I only just returned. What happened the last few days I was away? Why was all of Hogwarts' mail at Inspector Jakes' office this morning?"
"What was where?!" McGonagall gasped.
"All of the mail, packages, even newspaper delivery were stuffed into the Inspector's office," Dumbledore said, shaking his head. "And it was made known to the Department of the Post that he had stolen the mail and he is now charged for theft and all sorts of associated charges! I was there when he was being detained and he kept shouting about owls staring at him at all hours and how this was some sort of vendetta. He sounds positively mad but he claims it all started after his inspection of Hogwarts a week ago."
"Oh no," McGonagall groaned. "We better get you some tea and coffee. You are going to need it. And we will need to get Potter."
"Potter? What has Harry have to do with…oh." Dumbledore sighed. "Owl. Right. Yes, I think I need a full pot of tea and a large mug of coffee."
-0-
"Wow, not only is he rude to owls and insulting innocent owls for just being owls, he steals mail. Real stand-up inspector he is," Harry said lightly.
Fudge stared at Harry with wide eyes while Dumbledore continued to drink his tea and McGonagall swore softly under her breath in a different language.
"So you're saying you don't know anything," Fudge said slowly.
"I didn't say that," Harry demurred. "I know lots of things. Like I know I feel like I should have Uncle Ted here with me before I or Hedwig say anything else."
"Uncle Ted?" Fudge asked.
"Edward Tonks, solicitor," Dumbledore sighed into his teacup.
Fudge's eyes popped open dramatically. "What?! No! That won't be necessary at all! I assure you Mister Potter. It's just, well, you see, this is all rather strange and suspicious."
"I mean, it is a little suspicious," Harry agreed, cuddling with Hedwig who sat in his lap. "You really think that my owl, while being the best owl ever, is solely responsible for taking every single letter and package from Hogwarts, making multiple trips between here and London, and somehow breaking into this bloke's office and putting them in all in there, by herself? How many things were there again?"
"86 articles of post," McGonagall said, deciding to lean into the absurdity of the situation to preserve her mental state.
"Right, 86 articles. Sure, she can carry several letters at a time but not a few boxes at a time." He held his hand over her beak when Hedwig looked like she was about to voice a protest about her abilities. "How else could she have done this? Somehow convinced all of the owls here to do that with her?"
"It does strain credulity when phrased like that," Dumbledore said, hiding a smile with his cup.
"So what's more likely?" Harry continued. "That my owl somehow 'magically' made all the Hogwarts mail appear overnight in his office? Or that he did something to try and inspect the mail when he didn't have the right to, and that he let power go to his head and overstep?"
"I always thought he was a bit shifty," Fudge frowned. "When you say it like that, I think we will need to be more careful about what the inspectors can and can't do." He shook his head. "But he claims he doesn't know how the post ended up there. How do we keep it from happening?"
"Hogwarts, as we know, is a magical building," Dumbledore said. "After centuries of magic here, it has its own form of, care let us say. I do believe that this all started with the inspector overstepping while here. Many counter-curses and rituals needed to break a Curse do require a written component. Perhaps if the inspector will write a letter, on official documentation of course, with sincere contrition, then this will not occur again."
"Sounds simple enough," Fudge said, nodding agreeably. "I'll phrase it as a way for him to avoid harsher punishment and I'll have the legal department ensure it looks and sounds good. Thank you for your time Dumbledore, Deputy Headmistress, Mister Potter."
"And Hedwig," Harry added.
"And Hedwig," Fudge said, nodding at the owl who nodded back. "I'll try to do a better job of finding competent inspectors. Dear me, what a mess. Also, get rid of owls? Owls are a part of our society and magical tradition from the beginning! People these days," he sighed. He bowed and walked through the Floo and left Dumbledore's office.
"I hope this ends things to your satisfaction," Dumbledore said with more than a little bit of ironic seriousness in his voice and expression.
Hedwig nodded.
"Yes Sir," Harry said.
"I would see it as a kindness for future problems be brought to me directly before any…more extreme measures are taken," Dumbledore said with a smile. "I am always open to negotiation and compromise."
Hedwig looked up at Harry before looking back at Dumbledore and shrugged in a noncommittal way.
"I will accept that," Dumbledore said. "Thank you for your time, the both of you."
McGonagall scowled when Harry and Hedwig left with Hedwig making eye contact with her and the owl mirrored the scowl and waggled her rear at her, smirking when the door closed.
"Well that was a first," Dumbledore said. "Very amusing though."
"It was not when we were in the middle of the strike," McGonagall sniffed.
"You know what they said: all's well that ends well," Dumbledore yawned, stretching. "Is there anything else?"
"No, go to bed," McGonagall said, amused.
"Thank you," Dumbledore smiled. "Wake me only if the castle is about to break or if Hedwig goes on the rampage."
"Or if both of those two are occurring at the same time," McGonagall smiled, shaking her head. "Should we be worried that she can essentially hold us hostage so easily in the future?"
"I am sure if I was more awake, I would be more duly concerned," Dumbledore said sleepily. "In any case, we know that Harry will mediate and she cares about him the most so as long as both she and he are treated properly, she is less likely to do any hostage taking."
"I suppose," she sighed.
-0-0-0-
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - My best to you. I'm sure you will be who you want to be with how much you cherished your mother.
odonnellzoo99 - Thank you. I had hoped this chapter would feel like a proper Family chapter. A little bit of difficulty, a show of growth, and warm fuzzy feelings smoothing things over. Glad you enjoyed.
poka - Thank you. I like to think I have improved. I sometimes go back and reread what I wrote to see how I've grown and changed and I most definitely have compared to the beginning of this fic. In a good way I like to think. I think that Harry might not ever fully escape his past, but he has plenty of warm and wonderful people to help him when he needs it. And you're right, he has become who he is because of his past and has a brighter present and future because of it.
TheSphynx - Thank you for the kind words. It really is something to see all the chapters here in one setting, and an extra one shot because of Feathered. I am quite happy and proud of the OCs and some of the characterizations here and I don't think I'll ever want to officially end things because I like to imagine it constantly and forever growing.
Ghostwriter - Thank you. Yeah, he has plenty of people to remind him that he won't be what he fears to be. Not just because of them, but because he won't be either.
ttaM livE - Thank you for reading.