HEATHER BLACK AGREED TO DO THE THING THAT NOBODY ELSE COULD TO DO.
Use her animagus form, and protect Harry Potter for fifteen years.
As an owl.
As Hedwig.
***
Travis McKinnon wanted nothing more than to do something useful.
So he used his animagus...
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THE SNOWY WHITE OWL that always watched over Harry Potter swooped into the Eeylops Owl Emporium, hooting a bit as it perched on the owner's shoulder, an old woman named Elizabeth.
"Hello, Heather," Elizabeth said, gently stroking the owl's feathers, "How are you doing today?"
Elizabeth was one of the only people who knew that the snowy owl with the intelligent grey eyes was actually Heather Black. In fact, Dumbledore had entrusted Elizabeth with the care of Heather because he trusted her. The Professor had also instructed Elizabeth to try to sell the snowy owl to Harry Potter.
Dumbledore had told her to expect Harry Potter to go to Diagon Alley today—so she was preparing to finally be able to meet the boy that she had spent so much time guarding and keeping safe.
She was so excited to finally see Harry at Eeylops Owl Emporium at last—after so much waiting.
Heather was very excited to go to Hogwarts with Harry, but of course, in order to do that, she'd need to make sure that Harry picked her.
The black-haired boy adjusted his round glasses as he looked around the dark shop. Heather quite liked the darkness, because being an owl, she'd always enjoyed the night-time, but Harry seemed to be trying very hard to see.
"Hagrid," Harry said, in awe, "There are so many owls."
"You're going to choose one," Rubeus Hagrid said with a smile, "For your birthday."
"Hello, Hagrid," Elizabeth said in a friendly tone from where she was standing at the counter, "How are you?"
"Good," Hagrid replied, "I'm on Hogwarts business today, though—I've got Harry Potter here with me, y'see."
Hagrid hadn't been told of Heather or Travis' situations, so he was clueless to the fact that the snowy owl that was perched on Elizabeth's shoulder was actually a human girl called Heather Black.
She let out a few enthusiastic hoots from where she sat on the shop owner's shoulder, successfully catching both of Hagrid and Harry's attention, and Harry's eyes widened at the sight of the owl that he'd seen every day outside the window, sitting on the same fencepost every single time.
"Hoot," The owl said as she took in Harry's face, looking so excited and energetic, which she was quite unused to. The owl was used to seeing Harry's face looking exhausted—the wondrous look on his face made her feel excited.
"Hagrid," Harry said, his eyes not leaving the snowy owl, "That one."
"The snowy owl?" Hagrid asked, turning to face the white-feathered owl perched on Elizabeth's shoulder, "Are you sure, Harry? There are plenty of others you could look at before you decide—,"
"No," Harry cut him off, "That one."
"Oh, well, alright," Hagrid said, "She—it's a female, isn't it?"
"Yes," Elizabeth said, "She's a girl."
"Alright," Hagrid said, turning back to Harry as he dug through his pockets to find some coins, "You sure, Harry?"
"Yes," Harry said, meeting the grey eyes of the snowy owl, "I'm sure."
***
HEATHER SAT IN A CAGE, but she'd never felt more accomplished and free as she was held in Harry Potter's hands. She couldn't believe that after all the years of waiting and watching, she was finally here—she had finally done what she'd wanted to do, and that was become Harry Potter's owl and go to Hogwarts with him.
She wasn't paying attention to what Harry was talking to Hagrid about, because she had caught sight of a familiar woman and her son.
It was Narcissa, with a bleach-blonde haired boy beside her. They were striding in a very dignified, superior way down Diagon Alley, sticking out from the crowd very obviously.
They were dressed in black, whereas the other witches and wizards around them were dressed in a variety of bright colours.
Narcissa was more than a familiar face to Heather, because she was Heather's older sister.
Heather was the youngest of the four Black sisters—Bellatrix, Andromeda, Narcissa and Heather.
Heather had gone with her older sister after Andromeda was disowned, so she was also disowned from her family.
She had been arranged to marry Carter Yaxley when she turned seventeen, but that changed after Heather was disowned.
For that, at least, Heather was glad, because Carter was the most irritating boy that she had ever met, and she wouldn't have been able to stand spending the rest of her life with him.
But the sight of Narcissa brought back memories that Heather would rather not revisit.
Since she was a child, Narcissa had been emotionless and cold towards Heather—even Bellatrix showed more emotion towards their youngest sister, even though the only emotion Bellatrix ever showed was anger.
Andromeda was by far the nicest of Heather's three older sisters.
Heather watched as the boy and Narcissa disappeared around the corner—the corner that led to Knockturn Alley.
It wasn't a surprise.
But Heather wondered if Narcissa had married Lucius Malfoy, like she'd always bragged she would when they were little.
However, before Heather could ponder anymore, Harry had turned in the opposite direction and they were in the Leaky Cauldron all of a sudden.
She must've zoned out a bit.
"Hedwig," Harry said suddenly, breaking the silence between him and Hagrid.
"What?"
"Her name is Hedwig," Harry said, reaching a finger inside the cage and gently stroking the owl's wing.
Heather—or rather, Hedwig—hooted a bit in approval, and Harry smiled.
Author's Note:
Yay for Hedwig meeting Harry finally!
Please vote and comment if you enjoyed, because I'd really appreciate it!
