In The Safety Of Magical World

Chapter 10

Weeks were flying like hours and I was released from the hospital wing in a good time – shortly before Christmas. I borrowed Hedwig to send a Christmas card to my parents. This was going to be the first Christmas I would spend without my family and that filled me with deep grief. Even though I was constantly surrounded by people who cared about me, I felt more alone than ever.

When I went to the owlery that early morning, my heart was breaking. I hadn't seen my parents' faces for months and would be willing to risk a Death Eater snatching me just to have a single glimpse at them. That was, however, unnegotiable. I should have realized that much myself when I asked McGonagall to allow me to visit my parents at Christmas. 

The elderly witch's reaction was very similar to what it would be if I said Hogwarts is burning down. She strictly forbade me to even think about as much as setting a foot outside of Hogwarts bounds, no questions permitted. So when Ron invited me to celebrate Christmas with his family, I had no choice but to refuse.

" Come with us, " my red-headed friend said, as he was packing his bag the day before Hogwarts Express took students back to their homes. " My family lives in a plain but very comfortable house. My mom is a great cook, she'll fatten you up in no time with those awfully good tasting meals of hers. And my dad adores Muggles. He could talk to you for hours. "

" Thanks, Ron, " I said regretfully, grieved by the fact that Hogwarts would stay the only part of the magical world that I was allowed to explore. " But I can't leave Hogwarts premises. It's...one of the conditions from the Ministry of Magic. "

" Oh? Well, pity. But Christmas in Hogwarts is beautiful too and you're not going to be the only one staying in school. "

This conversation was stuck in my head when I woke up earlier than anyone else. Nearly Headless Nick had started to enjoy messing with me. Whenever he saw me, the ghost would fly in front of the exit of the Gryffindor tower and wouldn't leave, so that I had no choice but to walk through him. Usually, I played along but that day I was in no mood to dick around with him. I stepped out of the tower without saying a word.

With my letter in hand, I went out of the castle on the very cold winter morning. The coldness that came from walking through a ghost was very much like the outside temperature. It was freezing. The bitter frost stung my face, nostrils stuck together and I hid my bare hands in pockets. Being stupid and hasty, I had forgotten to bring gloves or mittens with me.

Heading to the owlery, I looked behind my shoulder at the castle that looked like a sparkling monument, forged out of ice. Hogwarts almost seemed to be in an almost different time zone. It was hard for me to remember the last time it was snowing in my Muggle neighborhood. Winters were more like autumns – dark, wet, rainy, and without any trace of snowflakes. Perhaps it had something to do with global warming and this planet that people had successfully managed to fuck up.

I waded through the snow, the tiny ice crystals were crunching under my boots. No one else was around, most of the students and staff were still sleeping. When I entered the owlery, many owls were sleeping too after their nightly rodent hunting. I found Hedwig in the very upper cage, the snowy-white owl looked as if she was sleeping as well, her head tucked under her wing. However, after a few moments, the bird looked at me and flew down onto my arm. The sharp claws dug into my skin even through clothing.

I petted Hedwig's head, she was keenly watching the envelope in my hand. The owl knew what she'll have to do and the strong, curved beak vice-gripped the letter from my hand. I considered explaining the directions to the bird but Harry assured me she'll know where to go herself.

" Fly to my parents...please. "

Hedwig looked at me with her large, yellow eyes and instantly soared up in the air, flying out of the owlery into the winter sky. I followed her with my eyes until the owl became nothing more than a tiny white dot in the distance and then completely vanished behind the clouds.