Thank you all once again for all the comments I had a hard time writing Artemis' bit just because it is so tragic and sad not to mention that I know how his story is going to end so it gave me warm fuzzies and not so warm fuzzies.

Anyway, hope everyone is having a fantastic day and I think this is going to be my last update in 2010! See you all again in 2011

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Year 1: Hedwig and the Origin of Species
■□Chapter 5: Slobber and Quidditch

As time passed and summer faded into fall, Hedwig too began to feel the same ominous changes that Fawkes had discussed in his opening speech. Something sinister was within the walls of Hogwarts and it made Hedwig’s feathers stand on end just thinking about what could happen to Harry while she was stuck in the Owlery at night. The only time of day where she felt at total ease was when Harry would make his afternoon visits. He always brought her some sort of treat and shared stories about what happened on the other side of the walls.

“Ron’s cup didn’t fare well,” Harry laughed holding his sides. “Poor Scabbers’ tail was sticking out and Professor McGonagall had a fit. Told Ron that he needed to concentrate more. You should have seen her face!”

Hedwig chirped in alarm, not so much from thinking that Harry’s story was interesting or that she felt sorry for the rat, but rather she was happy that he had not enlisted her help. She was just happy to have him around where she could keep an eye on him and make sure he was safe instead of having to peer through windows during his classes. As Harry continued to talk about his classes, Hedwig found herself not paying much attention and instead going into a dreamy state at Harry’s touch on her back feathers.

“I think I understand why you like it so much,” Harry smiled leaning against one of the wooden pillars. “Flying, there really isn’t anything like it, is there? The feeling of the wind against your face and the freedom.”

Wait, why had Harry’s talk shifted from turning animals into water goblets to flying? Wizards certainly couldn’t fly on their own, could they? She had never seen such a thing. Hedwig chirped her concern and disapproval to Harry, but the boy could hardly contain his excitement at his new discovery and continued to talk about his flying lesson and how he had caught something called a Wemberall – at least, that’s what it sounded like.

“The best part is that I was selected to be on the Gryffindor Quidditch team! I’m the youngest Seeker in a century. Ron was saying that first years never make their house teams, but here I am! I’ve even got a new broom! It’s a Nimbus 2000, the faster broom there is. You should see it Hedwig, it’s brilliant and wicked fast.”

To Hedwig, Harry was going on about utter nonsense. At least she figured out how witches and wizards flew. Brooms, what a novel idea!

“Perhaps we can go flying together,” Hedwig chirped as she nibbled on his right sleeve.

“Well, I’ve got to get going. Oliver is holding extra practice sessions to make sure that I get enough experience before our match against Slytherin.”

“Wait, you’ve only just got here,” Hedwig said in protest as she tugged on Harry’s sleeve. She wasn’t ready for this visit to be over.

“I’ll come back later,” Harry laughed stroking the feathers on her breast. “I heard that there will be some mince pie tonight at dinner. I’ll save you some.”

Hedwig reached out with her beak again to tug on his sleeve, but Harry was too fast and was already heading down the stairs by the time she reacted. Frowning as only owls know how to do, she walked back to her perch with her head drooped and tail feathers dragging on the ground.

“Did Master Potter leave already?” came an eccentric tone from above where Hedwig sat pouting.

“Yes, Errol, he did,” Hedwig sighed as she kicked away a stray mouse bone.

“His visits do seem to be getting shorter and shorter,” he mused as he began crunching on his newest calcium deposit. “It was the same with Percy, I’m afraid. The boy was so excited, despite my being a hand-me-down owl, when I was given to him. Soon, I was passed on to the twins and now to Sir Ronald. Next year, no doubt, I will be given to the youngest of the group.” Hedwig looked up at Errol and sighed. The owl was babbling again. “How are we to compete with what lies within those walls,” he continued pointing his wing towards the castle. “We are merely mail deliverers.”

“We are magical familiars,” Hedwig corrected him. There was no way she was just going to become Harry’s mail carrier.

Errol’s head spun around so it looked as though he were looking upside down. “I suppose you are correct, Miss Hedwig. It has just been so long that my brain has gone to the birds.”

“Errol…you are a bird,” Hedwig chuckled ruffling her feathers.

“Oh, that I am,” Errol laughed back.

“Would you two mind keeping it down, some of us are trying to watch the Quidditch practice,” Artemis said in a very annoyed tone like that of a small child trying to watch their favorite TV program but their view is blocked by a parent.

There was that word again: Quidditch. Hedwig huffed in agitation at Errol distracting her from what Harry had just told her. If it concerned Harry, then it concerned her. Hopping over to where Artemis stood on the edge of the tower, she could see a great field marked with flags representing the various houses and stands all the way around. She could see gold and crimson robes flying around on brooms and one, in particular, zooming around the field chasing after a small golden ball with wings. Hedwig recognized the two red-headed twins watching some ball with their bats from the station. If this was Quidditch, it certainly looked like a ludicrous game.

“Is this…Quidditch?” she asked naively looking at Artemis.

“You really are an Owlet,” he said rolling his coffee eyes in disbelief. “Yes, that is Quidditch.”

“How are the teams shaping up this term?” Errol asked between crunches. “Who do you figure is going to go all the way?”

“Well,” Artemis said as he puffed out his sleeves. “I am afraid that the currently Hufflepuff team is just too nice. Not enough anger there. Slytherin, on the other hand, has got plenty of anger but I am not sure if they have discipline. That bloke they have for a captain is a real rock brain. Wood down there is really working the Gryffindor team and with that new Seeker they have,” he flashed a glance towards Hedwig. “I think they’ve got a good shot. He really looks at home there on his broom.”

“Well, then I shall be placing my owl feed on Gryffindor this term,” Errol tweet with excitement. “Quidditch really is a gentlemen’s sport,” he said nodding to Hedwig.

“It is only a gentlemen’s sport until one of those Beaters gets a good wack on a Chaser,” Artemis laughed squinting his eyes at Errol. “This isn’t bloody cricket. Quidditch is more barbaric than gentlemanly.”

Hedwig flapped her wings and shook her head in confusion. What in Merlin’s beard were these two going on about? Hedwig continued to watch the team, her attention mainly on Harry, until she heard a loud thump and saw one of the Gryffindor players take a nasty blow to the face from a tan looking ball.

“Harry is down there,” Hedwig said shakily as she watched the team gather around the now red faced player. “He said he is a Seeker…can they…get hurt?”

“A Seeker’s job is to catch a golden ball called the Snitch,” Artemis explained. “Sometimes teams can go after a Seeker to prevent them from catching the Snitch, but those players just vanished for a little while. They come back in a month or two.” Hedwig gasped. “Why don’t you come watch the match with me? We can cheer on Harry together.”

Hedwig nodded slowly. She wasn’t too sure she was going to like this thing called Quidditch. However, Quidditch soon became the last thing on her mind over the next few days. During one of Harry’s visits, he mentioned the scar on his forehead hurting when a professor by the name of Snape had done nothing more than look at Harry during the opening feast. Then, from what Harry explained about a Potions class with the very same professor, it seemed to Hedwig that this man had it out for Harry. As Hedwig pondered these thoughts from the Owlery, she saw a man with rather greasy hair and all black robes come storming out of the castle and marching towards a small hut. Hmm…very suspicious. She must investigate this.

“I told ya Severus, no one knows how to get past Fluffy beside me,” sausage fingers said in a rather agitated tone. “Fluffy never ‘urt a fly just as long as ya play him a bit of music.”

The Snape fellow said something in response, but the beating of Hedwig’s wings made it too difficult for her to hear. Who was Fluffy? Snape began to exit the hut and it was very clear that he was limping from an injury that Hedwig assumed was caused by whoever this Fluffy guy was. Hedwig was going to follow Snape as he made his way back up to the castle, but found her path blocked by an excessively drooling boarhound dog.

“Whatcha doin’?” the black dog asked as he shook his head and sent drool flying all over the place.

“Nothing that concerns you,” Hedwig snapped as she tried to pass, but the dog stepped on her tail feathers.

“Who are you?”

Realizing that she was never going to catch up to Snape now, Hedwig ceased her struggling and faced the mut. “I’m Hedwig,” she said trying to avoid a few flying bits of slobber.

“Gorsh, you’re Hedwig?! Hagrid told me ‘bout you,” the dog slobbered. “Names Fang.”

“Nice to meet you,” Hedwig chirped hoping that the drool would continue to avoid her.

“Likewise,” Fang replied looking over at the hut. “I’m Hagrid’s magical familiar. He tells me everything.”

Hedwig raised an eyefeather at Fang. Perhaps their chanced meeting wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“Really?” Hedwig asked with an almost overly excited spark in her eyes. “Like what?”

“Well, for starters, he’s got a dragon egg in that there hut! Showed it to me and everything. Said he had a won a dragon egg in a card game at the Hog's Head. It’s nowhere near time for it to hatch though. Hafta wait a while yet.”

“Why would someone just give sausa—I mean, Hagrid a dragon egg?” Hedwig asked a bit concerned. “Seems like something rather valuable to use as a bet in a card game.”

“Well, Hagrid told me the fellow was asking him about all sorts of magical creatures and took a real interest in Fluffy.”

Aha! Now they were getting somewhere.

“Who is Fluffy?” Hedwig asked in a sweet and innocent tone. She probably didn’t have to try so hard with this dog. He seemed willing to tell her anything and everything. Hedwig and this stranger certainly had something in common, they were both interested in Fluffy.

“Fluffy is a three-headed dog that Hagrid bought from a Greek chappie,” Fang said rather pleased with himself that he was able to offer so much information. “Used to be a pet, but now he is protecting something in that there castle.”

Both animals looked up at the castle. Whatever Fluffy was guardian, Snape and that guy at the pub were both after it. Hedwig’s thoughts immediately went to Harry.

“What is Fluffy guarding?” she asked slowly not taking her eyes off the castle.

“Something that we magical familiars call the Origin of Species.”