Extended Family

Chapter 3: Oul Praefectus

Takes place during seventh year.

"Harry, what's wrong?"

Harry was patting his pockets and looking about.  "I can't find my badge."

"Which one?"

He snorted.  "I just realized that I have more than one technically to look for which is kinda silly but my Head Boy badge specifically."

"Harry!" Hermione said with immense disapproval.  "How did you lose your Head Boy badge?"

"I don't know!  I put it down on my nightstand like I do with my other things and it's gone."  He and Hermione looked around their common room and his room.  "See?  It somehow disappeared."

"It does seem that way."  She sighed.  "I suppose we will have to go tell Professor McGonagall."

"That'll have to wait," Harry sighed looking at his watch.  "We gotta get to class."  He scratched his head.  "I have no idea how it went missing.  I just hope no one took it."

Hermione snorted.  "I doubt it.  I can't think of any of our friends that would dare take it, much less any other student."

-0-

"Hey look what I got!"

"No way!"

The two fourth year Ravenclaw students were huddled in an alcove.  One looked quite smug and the other looked quite impressed.  "Where did you get it?" the latter asked.

"My brother sent it!  Snuck it in through owl post."  He gleefully waved the bottle of firewhiskey.

"Your brother is so cool!"

"Right?!  Now we can drink this and..."  He looked over the shoulder of his friend, voice coming to a halt.

"What's wrong?"  The second boy turned and gasped at the gigantic amber eyes that glared from him from within the helmet of the armor that stood in the alcove.

A harsh scratching noise spilled from the armor, something clawing violently against the metal.  The eyes emerged, framed by snow white feathers.  The snowy owl slid out of the open visor of the helmet, her wings opened in a threatening display.  Her eyes radiated disapproval and for some reason, the boys felt a flash of shame.

"Go away!" the first boy said.

Hedwig screeched loudly, making them flinch.

"I-I-I'm not afraid of you!" the first boy said unconvincingly.  He raised his wand with a shaky hand and he dropped it with a yelp when Hedwig pecked his hand severely.

"Oh no," the second boy moaned.  He pointed at the thing that hung from a silver chain around Hedwig's neck.

"Oh shit!  He's the Head Boy?!"

"Don't be daft!  I've seen the owl before, she belongs to the Head Boy!"

"Do you think she's patrolling for him?"  The first boy sounded incredulous.

Hedwig screeched again, beating the air with her wings and the boys cowered.

"Let's get out of here!" the second boy said.  They began to move off but Hedwig flew around them, cuffing them in the head with her heavy wings.  The first boy left the bottle of alcohol and he joined his friend in fleeing.