Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.

The Ever Twisting Wind: The Gaean War

Interlude: The Owl of the Wild

Beta: *Beta Wanted*

Almost there. The Snowy Owl Hedwig thought to herself as she flew over the foothills of the mountain known to the mortals as Mount Tamalpais.

How could a mere Snowy Owl even have such Human thoughts? Well, Hedwig was no mere Snowy Owl. No, she was a Wizarding Post Owl and thanks to the magic that separated such Owls from their mundane peers, she was quite a bit smarter. What more, she was the Post Owl of Andromeda Aurae, goddess of the wild, breezes, and Wizarding magic, and the divine energy that surged through her via the bond they shared from her Partner served to enhance her intelligence even further.

But sadly, these enhancements only improved her mind and that just wasn't enough! Ever since her Partner had achieved apotheosis and became a goddess, she had been feeling useless. It had been unbearable during the Second Titanomachy but now her Andi was fighting a new, more dangerous war! Kronos and the Titans had been a major threat, but it was nothing like the Earth Mother and her Gigantes children!

Hence, her current Quest. One that had seen her fly round the world, the last leg of which she was on the verge of completing. A Quest that would prove her worth for ascension and grant her the strength to stand beside her Andi in the difficult times that were to come.

A Quest that she was determined to complete even if Andi had tried to convince her it wasn't necessary…

~ Flashback ~

"Hedwig, you don't need to do this. Really, you don't!" Hedwig heard her Partner insist after she informed her of her plan. "You don't need to become stronger. You're plenty strong enough."

Hedwig shook her head, not willing to accept her Partner's white lie. She appreciated it but she knew that she was weak. Too weak to be of any help to her Andi in a fight. She wasn't even very useful. With few, if any, friends in the Wizarding World, there wasn't anyone for her Partner to have her fly letters to. Thus, she was left to do nothing except be useless. Which was why she turned to look her Andi firmly in the eye and pressed her case.

I must do this, Andi. Hedwig insisted in a firm bark.

Andi frowned. "But Hedwig it would be danger-"

Don't worry, Andi! I'll oversee her Quest and take care of her. Hunter, the Kyon Khryseos and another of Andi's animal companions, said in a series of barks from where he was sitting next to Andi as their goddess was lounging on a sofa as she and her closest lieutenants took a break from her seemingly never ending paperwork.

"Even then-"

"Actually, Andi, I think this is a good idea." Ida, Andi's Oread mentor, chimed in as she poured their goddess a cup of tea. "It would be good for Hedwig to become stronger. Every bit of strength would benefit us in the war with the Earth Mother."

Andi frowned at this and turned towards her Aurae and Dryad lieutenants. "What do you think?"

"I'm with Ida on this, Andi." Wendy the Aurae said as she took a sip from her tea. "It's a good idea for Hedwig to become strong enough to defend herself."

"I think it's a good idea too, Andi." Kate the Dryad echoed as she nibbled on a cookie. "At the very least, it wouldn't cause any harm. The most we have to worry about is Hedwig getting hurt but with Hunter keeping an eye on her, it should be fine."

Thank you for your support, everyone. Hedwig told the Kyon Khryseos and the nymphs earnestly before she turned to once more look at her Partner earnestly. So, Andi, may I go on this Quest?

Andi sighed. "I don't like it. But yeah, if you want to do this-"

I do. Hedwig barked insistently.

Her goddess nodded in acceptance of that. "-then yes, I will let you go on this Quest."

~ Flashback End ~

The setting sun and her flying through the Misty barrier that separated her destination from the mortal world pulled Hedwig from her recollections. She did so just in time to finish escaping the thick banks of supernatural fog that served as the boundary of the garden and could take in the amazing sight that was the Garden of the Hesperides.

It was absolutely beautiful. Almost as beautiful as the garden of her goddess, Andi. The grass that covered much of the garden shimmered with silvery evening light, and the flowers were such brilliant colors that they almost glowed in the dark. Stepping stones of polished black marble crisscrossed the garden and congregated in its center where they rounded a five-storey-tall apple tree that dominated the garden. A tree whose every bough was weighed down by her goal, the glittering golden apples of immortality. And wrapped around the tree, serving as the only blemish to the garden's ethereal beauty was Ladon, the hundred headed dragon that served as the Guardian of the Hesperides.

Ladon was truly as intimidating as his description portrayed him to be. He looked like a hundred pythons that had been fused together into a massively thick serpentine body, and had bright scales that shimmered like copper. His terrible presence was added to by his breath, which smelled like acid. A stench that reminded Hedwig of the rotting carcass of a rat, one that turned her stomach, but a hundred times worse.

Hedwig, over here. The familiar voice of Hunter yelped.

Twisting her head in its direction, the Snowy Owl spotted the Kyon Khryseos hiding in a bush on the very border of the Garden. Adjusting her course with a shift of her tail and wings, Hedwig banked towards where the Golden Dog was waiting.

Hunter. Hedwig greeted as she landed on a low branch of a tree just over where the immortal dog was hiding.

I'm very impressed by you, you know that, Hedwig? Hunter praised with a canine grin. Your breed is not built for round the world flight but you managed it nonetheless.

Hedwig shrugged. It was necessary, was it not? I would not have been unable to enter this garden if I had not done so after all.

Hunter nodded. That's true, but-

It is nothing, Hunter. Hedwig insisted. For Andi, I would do much more than this. Much, much more. Besides as a Post Owl and Andi's Owl no less, I am stronger than a normal owl.

Even so, it's still quite an impressive feat but enough of that. Hunter said with a shake of his head. Are you ready, Hedwig, for the climactic part of your Quest?

Hedwig did not hesitate. I am.

Hunter nodded with pride and turned towards the center of the Garden of the Hesperides and the Tree of Golden Apples located there with Ladon coiled around it protectively.

Then you know what you need to do?

I do. Hedwig confirmed with a nod.

Then go, Hedwig. I will await you here.

Taking the dismissal for what it was, Hedwig pushed off her perch and leapt into the air and without a single backward glance, she began flying as quickly as her wings could carry her towards the Tree of Golden Apples. As she neared, the stench of Ladon's stench grew ever stronger, to the point that Hedwig was almost forced back as her stomach rebelled against her. However, she steeled her resolve and ignoring her growing discomfort, she kept to her flight path.

She was getting within thirty meters, or a hundred of the feet that Andi was increasingly using when measuring distances, of the Tree when Ladon finally noticed her. Half his heads seemed to be asleep but the awake heads began tracking her movements with their eyes and a dozen of said heads lifted from where they had been lounging to follow her better. Yet, he did nothing to drive her way.

That was his folly. With one last burst of speed, Hedwig shot forward towards the nearest bough of the Tree of Golden Apples and one of the glimmering golden apples that weighed it down.

Only then, with her intent clear, did Ladon act. Every one of his hundred heads snapped awake and moved to stop her. The sleeping heads were too slow to intervene meaningfully but the already awake heads lunged at her or spat his caustic breath at her.

Not that any of that stopped Hedwig. Pulling off every trick she knew, the Snow Owl jinked around everything that Ladon threw at her and sinking her talons into the golden fruit, she tugged it free before she flew away as quickly as she could. Swiftly making distance from the furious hundred headed dragon as he roared in impotent fury.

Well done, Hedwig! You have done it! Hunter praised as Hedwig winged in for a landing in a tree in the foothills of Mount Tamalpais.

Yes, thank you. Hedwig replied breathlessly as she caught her breath from her desperate flight from Ladon. Now, what do I need to do to complete my Quest? I presume I have yet to do so since I have not yet achieved the ascension that was supposed to be its prize.

An astute observation. Hunter said with a canine laugh. As expected of you, Hedwig.

The Snowy Owl just shot the Kyon Khryseos an impatient glare, wordlessly demanding that he stop dilly dallying and tell her what she wanted.

You know there's no need to be so impatient, right? It's not like Ladon will abandon his guard over the Garden of Hesperides and the Tree of the Golden Apples just to recover a single lost apple. It's hardly the first one he's lost anyways.

Just tell me what I need to do. Hedwig hooted impatiently.

Hunter let loose an exasperated sigh but nevertheless compiled. Very well. All you need to do to complete the ascension you seek is to consume that golden apple that you've stolen.

Finally! Hedwig barked in indignation, before turning to the golden apple and without hesitation began consuming it.

The moment the first piece of the fruit slid down her throat, Hedwig found her body being filled by the divine power that the golden apple contained. Power that just grew and grew as she methodically finished the fruit. Power that soon poured out of her body and surrounded her in a brilliant golden light as it began to change to accommodate it. A new, powerful body that Hedwig prayed would help her serve Andi better.

Even as Hedwig was making her way back from her Quest, Andi paced impatiently in the sitting room of the treehouse main building of her palace as Hedwig and Hunter made their way home. Her omniscience told her that she'd completed her Quest successfully but she wasn't sure about the specifics. Despite its name, a god's ability to foresee events in the present and future wasn't exactly perfect. A fact that in that moment, a worried Andi hated.

"Andi! They're back!" Wendy shouted at the top of her lungs as she blew into the room in a blistering breeze that lightly burned Andi's naked body and solidified into her equally nude Human form.

The goddess of the wild breathed a sigh of relief at the news and began heading to the entry hall to welcome her returned animal companions.

"Are they alright, Wendy?" The young goddess heard Katie ask as she hopped off the chair where she'd been nervously watching the daughter of Zeus pace and clutching Brick and her plant self close to her chest, as she always did, she joined the Aurae in trailing behind Andi.

"Yeah, they're fine. In Hedwig's case, better than fine."

"Really?"

"Yup." Wendy agreed with an enthusiastic nod.

"What do you mean?" Katie asked with an adorable tilt of her head.

"Oh, don't be so impatient, Katie." Ida said as she stepped out of a branching corridor and joined their little procession. "I'm sure you'll see for yourself soon enough, right, Wendy?"

Wendy nodded, smiling mischievously as she did so.

Her partner's refusal to answer tickled Andi's curiosity and she was sorely tempted to use her omniscience to spoil the surprise. It was good enough for this at least. Extending her awareness to just a few dozen feet from where she was? Within her palace, her seat of power, no less? That was easy! But she refrained from doing so. She wanted her reaction to what Hedwig had become upon completing her Quest to be wholly genuine and to do that she could not sneak her peek. No matter how tempting it was to do so. Thus, she had to wait an agonizing three minutes before she rounded a corner of her treehouse - Why did I make it so big again! - and stepped into her entry hall.

"Hunter, Hedwig, welcome back!" Andi shouted in earnest gratitude that they had come home unharmed.

We're back, Andi. Hunter greeted with a happy bark.

We're home, Andi. Hedwig said affectionately as Andi could not help but stare at her. Andi had known that the successful completion of her friend's Quest would change her, but the extent still shocked her.

Where she had been a normal looking Snowy Owl before, Hedwig was now anything but normal looking. If anything, Andi would say she had become an Owl Dragon. She had massively grown in size and was now as big as a lion and gained a draconic body and a matching set of limbs. Her hind limbs were, Andi could tell, her original limbs that had just grown much more muscular even as they were now supplemented by a fresh set of similarly powerful front limbs and a much larger, more powerful version of her original wings. She had also gained a long sinuous tail that ended in a fan of feathers, all whilst she retained her snowy white plumage that now covered her whole body. A body that radiated the scent of immortality and a healthy dose of power.

"Beautiful," Andi couldn't help but say as she finished taking in the sight of the transformed Hedwig and made her way through the crowded room. Alice and what seemed like the entire palace's staff had crowded into it to greet Hunter and Hedwig, and marvel at the latter's new form. But they nevertheless parted without a word as Andi made her way to her first true friend.

I'm glad you like my new appearance, Andi. Hedwig said with an amused bark.

"Like it? I love it!" Andi declared as she threw her arms around Hedwig's now elongated neck. "And I love you, Hedwig!"

I love you too, Andi. Hedwig returned as she rubbed her feathery head affectionately against Andi. And now I can be with you forever.

"Forever and ever, my Owl of the Wild. Forever and ever."

Done and done! Thanks to Nameless as always!

Man, talk about a wild ride for one now not so little Owl! Thankfully she didn't die like in canon, and thus wanted to grow with Andi and become something more. At least she had a buddy in Hunter to lend a paw if needed. So here's to the Owl of the Wild!

Nameless: Hope you guys this little interlude explaining what Hedwig and Hunter had been doing in the last few chapters. In particular, we hope our readers liked the power up that we gave Hedwig. On another note, I don't know if anyone noticed but I wrote Hedwig with a strong British voice. She is after all British, much more so than Andi, so it just makes sense to paint her accordingly British. ;)

Here's a response to a valid question brought up in a review by chm01 over on FFN for Chapter 2. They asked about Fukushima. So here's what we have to say about that:

Basically, in the story Fukushima hasn't happened yet and that's why Andi never mentioned it.

If Fukushima was brought up as a counter example example instead (the review was not clear on its purpose in doing so) then you have picked the wrong horse. Fukushima was a success of engineering and containment measures. It was faced with a tsunami and earthquake on a scale that the plant was NEVER designed to withstand and whilst the reactors melted down, there was no mass contamination event. Any radiation that was released, significant though it was, was contained. The impact to the environment was actually exceptionally limited. Were there human errors that meant it could be better managed? Definitely. But considering the unprecedented circumstances, it went better than anyone could've expected.

E4E: You know what to do! Smash that review button and tell us what you love! No flames and peace off my peeps!