Never Stop Looking (A Hogwarts Mystery Fanfiction)

The Hooded Figure

Talbott Winger sat on top of the Owlery. On his lap lies 'Unfogging the Future', the divination textbook. Occasionally, he would flip the pages back and forth aggressively in between taking a large bite of sandwich that he took from the Great Hall. "This is rubbish." the dark skinned boy muttered. He is beginning to consider quitting Divination as he finds the whole studies are very much of a fraud.

After a good few minutes of studying, Talbott slams the book shut and toss it backwards. At this point, he doesn't care if the book lands on a pile of straws and owl's droppings. —The book belongs there anyway. In the process, the loud thud of the book hitting the stone floor echoed loudly in the circular stone room startled some of the sleeping owls and begins to fly away.

One particular barn-owl that flies out of the glassless window caught the Ravenclaw boy's attention. He recognize that pale brown bird is the same bird that stole his bread last year. The same bird that regurgitated on his robes in his second year. But also the same bird that comforts him whenever he is feeling anxious about upcoming exams. Sure there are abundance of barn-owls with the same colour, but Talbot knows every single one of the owls in the Owlery as he spends most of his time at Hogwarts in there instead of interacting with other students. The owls are his friends.

The said owl were still flying around the Owlery. Talbott Winger is holding his urge to transform into his animagus form to fly alongside the Owl as he observe that majestic creature sailing through the air. He does that plenty of times previously. Not just for the sole purpose on flying alongside owls, he may have took advantage of that to spied on people. Particularly at the Clocktower Courtyard. But just for this time being, Talbott decided not to transform simply he is too bummed out about failing to understand Divination earlier.

Talbott finished up the remaining sandwich that has gotten cold by now. He noticed that most of the owls that flies out earlier has gotten back in the Owlery into their own perches. The pale brown barn-owl too has gotten back, not back to it's own perch but resides next to Talbott Winger, making a low hoot sound as he landed.

Talbott immediately pats the owl on it's head. "Hello, Wingsworth. Have you sensed that I'm having trouble with my studies?"

Wingsworth is one of the owls in Owlery that Talbott likes. That owl sure cause some shenanigans over the past few years that annoys him but that owl too shows him the most compassion and friendship values that draws Talbott closer to Wingsworth over the years. —In other words, Wingsworth is just like his owner.

"Well, I guess Divination is not my strong subject. But hey, do you know what's your owner up to now? Not that I worry but she tends to attracts danger to herself, especially now that there's new curse plague upon Hogwarts."

Wingsworth seems to enjoys Talbott stroking his feathers as the boy continue on talking.

"It has been a month since the school started. Also a few weeks of me tailing her around. I certainly am not happy that she goes around asking information about that Rakepick woman. Blimey, why does she like to do things recklessly, Wingsworth?"

The barn-own suddenly flapped his wings and hooted loudly, seemingly disapproving the fact that Talbott has been stalking his owner.

Talbott Winger retracted his arm from Wingsworth swiftly and reposition himself to lean against the window frame as his back started aching. "Well, if your owner are aware of the dangers happening around Hogwarts and would not go around attract more danger, I wouldn't have to be so worrie-"

The Ravenclaw boy cut himself off mid sentence, realizing that he did mentioned that he does not worry about Wingsworth's owner. Embarrassed, Talbott closed his eyes and sigh heavily and he let his head fall back and hit the stone window frame, feeling heat started to spread throughout his chest and into the roots of his straight hair. He is lucky that Wingsworth is just an owl that's incapable of teasing in respond on what happened. Instead, he is busy grooming his feathers, much to Talbott's relieve.