A Taste of Magic

Chapter 95: 95th Course - Season's Seasonings

"Hi Hedwig," Sirius said, looking up to see the owl flapping into his office. He took the envelopes from her. "Thank you." He smiled when she bobbed her head and fluttered off. Hedwig would occasionally deliver him mail as well, if she intercepted a message on delivery or it was convenient to get for whatever she was delivering for Harry at the time. She had been extra busy due to the season and her coming and going was not an uncommon sight. He watched her fly to the right after leaving his office which meant she would be going downstairs, so her work was most likely done.

After going through the envelopes, he rose from his desk and left his office too, going left. He read the newspaper as he walked, moving to the side to let Hedwig fly past. "Hi Hedwig," he said on reflex but paused and looked up when he realized what he said and what he saw. He turned to see the owl fly around the corner and scratched his head for a moment before continuing on his previous path.

Finished with the restroom, he opened the door and saw Hedwig standing on the ground, waiting patiently. "Hi Hedwig," he said and let her walk past him into the restroom. As he turned to look again, the door closed behind him and he looked at it dumbly for another moment before walking away. He then remembered something he left on the rooftop garden and walked up the stairs to it.

He opened the door and stood to the side, letting Hedwig flap past him. He acknowledged her hoot of thanks. "Hi…Hedwig?" He stared down the stairwell at the flying owl and was definitely confused at that point. Grabbing his pipe, he walked down the stairs and went to the kitchen.

"Hi Sirius," Harry greeted with a smile, looking up from a bubbling pot.

"Hi Harwig, I mean Harry. Uh. Dumb question. You only have one owl, right?"

"Yeah. I don't think Hedwig would tolerate sharing me with another owl," Harry said easily. "She doesn't share much."

"Huh. That's what I thought," Sirius mused, scratching his head.

"Ooh, Bad Master has obtained true status as Head of the Blacks," Kreacher said eagerly.

"What does that mean?" Harry asked.

"He has gone mad." Kreacher tilted his head and grinned in an unsettling way. His eyes rolled independently of each other, turning around and around as he held a finger to his temple. Winky snorted and thwapped him with the towel she held while Harry laughed.

"He might not be wrong," Sirius said, crossing to a cupboard. "I swore I saw Hedwig multiple times in different places within moments of each other. It's as if she was in-" He opened the door to the cupboard and stopped when three sets of silver eyes and a set of amber eyes turned to look at him. "-in multiple places at once."

He shouted when the three Patroni and the snowy owl exploded out of the cupboard. They flew around him in circles, cackling with glee and he fell onto his rear with a loud thump. They landed and ran around him with their wings up and out, giggling mightily before they launched themselves into the air and flew to Harry. They landed on the counter and did a victory dance before the three Patroni faded with a wink and Hedwig settled on Harry's head, still giggling.

"Right, the Patroni," Sirius laughed, shaking his head ruefully. "You know, normally you control the Patronus."

Harry's smile was from ear to ear. "I can direct them to fly somewhere but that's the limit of my control really."