Chapter 5
Suddenly, Alan has an epiphany! No! Scratch that! Who is he even kidding? Alan doesn't have the epiphany; he just remembers about setting Sirius free of Azkaban!
Alan admits that he completely forgets about helping to free Sirius. He doesn't even have an excuse for forgetting about setting the man—the one who might be his...biological father—free. It just doesn't even cross his mind until he spends some time trying to find a way to interfere with Harry Potter's living situation without making Dumbledore to have an interested in him.
Alan knows that Dumbledore has someone to keep an eye on Harry Potter for him, an old Squib called Ms. Figg. No matter how much of a poor job Ms. Figg is doing with her job of keeping an eye on Harry and the Dudleys, yeah, she really is. Because be real, if she does such a good job, she's sure as Hell will know that Harry's living situation is not ideal and will tell Dumbledore right away. And if Dumbledore knows how bad Harry's living situation is, Alan's sure that Dumbledore, even being a manipulative old coot as he is, will not let it slide. He, at least, will drop by to give the Dudleys a piece of his mind and tell the Dubleys to stop or else, if not more.
So, even though Ms. Figg is not doing her job properly and Alan is, biology speaking, honest to god, still a kid, he doesn't want to test out whether Ms. Figg will tell Dumbledore about a strange, unfamiliar, nonlocal child getting close to Harry or not. There is a thing called Polyjuice potion, after all. Hence, if she does, Dumbledore might look into it and find out that there is a very strange child who wants to interfere with his plan for Harry Potter. And that scares the shit out of him.
Mostly it is because Dumbledore is a Master Legilimen, meaning that Dumbledore can look into his mind, and all of Alan's memories will be like an open book for Dumbledore to read, and Alan truly has no way to prevent him from doing it. The only thing Alan can think of is to pray that Dumbledore's morals are still intact after so many traumas, that he won't stand that low, and that he will stop himself from reading the memories of a 7-year-old child.
In his opinion, in the whole Potterverse, forgetting about Avada Kedarva or other branches of Dark Ark, Mind Magic is the one that Alan deems the scariest branch of magic. Alan simply doesn't know what Dumbledore will do if he can access his memories and learns that a woman named J.K. Rowling is the author of the world they are currently inhabiting. Honestly, Alan still hasn't fully comprehended the concept of living in the book himself...
Hence, in the meantime, until he manages to master Occlumency—the art of magically closing one's mind against Legilimency—Alan will stay away, as far as possible, from Dumbledore and will try his best to keep a low profile and not paint a target at his neck. In order to make it happen, Alan has to find the best way to interfere with Harry Potter's living situation without being too obvious, and then it hits him: Sirius!
Being a godfather granted by Lily and James Potter witnessed by magic and also being distantly related to Harry through Dorea Potter (nee Black), married to Charlus Potter, uncle of James Potter. If Sirius is free of Azkaban—a prison for the magical folks guarded by the utmost dark creatures called Dementors—he will right away and also legally jump in to get custody of Harry Potter—his godson!
By doing so, the Dudleys will be out of the picture, and Alan won't have to bother with the Dudleys at all. Of course, Lily Potter's blood protection placed upon Harry is also a huge factor that needs to be considered, but Alan is confident that Dumbledore and Sirius will work everything out eventually. They have to, because, knowing Sirius, the man sees James Potter as his brother, even more important than his own blood brother Regulus, Alan cannot even imagine that Sirius will give up the custody of Harry Potter for anyone but himself, not even Remus Lupin. One thing about Sirius is that no matter how much he hates his family, he is still a Black, and as a Black, he is extremely stubborn and will not stop until he gets what he wants. Just like how he stubbornly survives all those years in Azkaban and then becomes the first person ever to manage to escape it, only to hunt down the person who betrayed James and Lily Potter—Petter Pettigrew!
Speaking of Petter Pettigrew, all Alan needs to do now is get that rat! If Alan dislikes the other Marauders for being bullies, then Alan despises Petter Pettigrew with all of his beings for that man's betrayal. Betrayal hits deep when it comes from your closest ones, and Petter Pettigrew's betrayal makes Alan's blood boil with rage. Alan swears to God that if he can get a hold of Petter Pettigrew, he will make sure that man suffers!
Currently, Petter is acting as a rat living in The Burrow - The Weasley's House. So to get him, Alan has to get in touch with the Wizarding World first, and it makes Alan realise that reaching out to Andromeda is now even more important than he thought in the first place.
In his plan, currently, Alan has two jobs to do, and...he has failed at both of them.
The first thing is that Alan still hasn't found a legitimate excuse to cover for his action of getting in touch with Andromeda. He can't just tell her that: "Hey! I'm 90% sure that I'm your nephew because your daughter and I share the same magical ability. Oh, I also know that Sirius is innocent, and I need your help to set him free." Now that's just stupid! He really has to find a better way to explain why he contacts Andromeda in the first place...
Another thing is that he still can't figure out how to get in touch with Andromeda. To tell her about his existence, he has to find a way to contact her first, right? Well, he also failed at that!
Knowing that the magical folks use owls to deliver letters, Alan has been trying multiple ways to find an owl and still cannot find one! The first place he looks is at an animal rescue center in the area. He has to tell Madame Maxime that he wants to volunteer at said animal rescue center so that she will let him go without questions.
Arriving at the center, Alan finds there are dogs, cats, some hamsters, a few different kinds of birds, and even some turtles...they're really cute, by the way. At the center, luckily, there is an owl. But with one look at the owl, Alan just knows that it won't be able to help him deliver letters. Not because it has any injuries or is too old to deliver letters; it's because, somehow, Alan just knows that the owl doesn't have the ability to deliver letters like the owls in the wizarding world.
Everything in the wizarding world is based on magic, and maybe because magic will recognize magic, Alan somehow—he doesn't really know—doesn't have the feeling of magic existing in that owl. Alan has no idea how that feeling comes to him, but Alan decides to trust his instinct and goes along with it. He died, was reborn, and is currently living in the book where magic exists after all, so Alan won't waste his time questioning about having some strange feeling of sensing magic in an owl.
Later on, after joining the wizarding world, Alan learns from Andromeda that there are owls, and there are magical postal owls! The owls that Alan finds in all the animal rescue centers are ordinary owls, while the ones Alan wants to find are the magical postal owls that were selectively intentionally bred with magic infused in them by wizards and witches. That magic gives these special owls the ability to find any living person in this world and deliver letters to them without fail. And these owls are being controlled and monitored closely by the wizarding government, so, of course, Alan can't find them anywhere in the Muggle's world or in the wild.
Being stubborn, Alan doesn't want to give up yet; he goes to another, and another, and another animal rescue center but still hasn't found an owl that gives him the feeling: "Yup! That's the one!". Deciding that he has enough, Alan decides to change the plan by checking out some pet stores instead. But nope, he still hasn't found 'the owl" that he wants to find. Doesn't know where else to look; he tests out his luck by spending all the evening jogging around the surrounding area to see if he will get lucky enough to find "the owl" in this area. Well, after jogging around for almost three whole weeks while constantly looking in the trees, that he's almost seen green in everything, Alan can proudly state that he has unlocked a new achievement: A Pet Owner!
How does it happen, you ask? One day, meaning two days ago, he decides to change the scenery and go in another direction instead of jogging on the east side of the area; this time, he goes to the south instead. Let's just say that, on that day, Alan, once again, doesn't find that special owl, but he finds something else. While searching in the tree for an owl, Alan suddenly hears the hopeless chipping sound of a bird. Curiously, Alan looks for it and then finds out there is a bird—a nestling, to be exact—alone inside a nest on the tree nearby.
The reason why a nestling is chipping hopelessly is because it senses danger nearby, and death is waiting for it as a snake is slowly but surely getting close. Having a slender and smooth appearance with brown and darker markings on the skin, the snake is completely faded into the tree and almost invisible to Alan's eyes if he doesn't have 10/10 perfect vision and is paying close attention to it. Seeing the snake slide closer and closer to the nest with a very sure intention of hunting the nestling, Alan acts before he can even think as his hair extends in a flash and then grabs the nest along with the nestling inside back to him.
Holding the nest with his hands while looking up to see the snake, who is now very confused about losing its prey in a flash, Alan isn't sure whether he is doing the correct thing or not. The animal kingdom has its rules! You can't fault the snake for hunting a nestling; everything the snake does is simply follow the rules of nature and try to survive. However, even though the snake doesn't do anything wrong here, Alan still can't help but save the nestling. Well, what's done is done, and you have to move on, right?
Looking down at the chipping nestling in his hands, Alan really can't tell what kind of bird it is. Both in his past and current life, Alan likes fish—or aquariums, to be exact—and butterflies more than birds. If someone asks him to tell them about aquariums and butterflies, Alan can spend a whole week talking about them without feeling tired. But truth be told, he knows nearly nothing about birds except for pigeons and chickens.
His grandfather used to raise pigeons in his gardens. He built a large cage with multiple nests built in for the pigeons to breed them as pets and, sometimes, well...food. What can he say? Even being a very pretty, extremely intelligent, and simple-to-train animal that also serves as a symbol of peace and reconciliation won't prevent the Asians from eating pigeons! Our Asians really like to eat a lot of things that Westerners find super weird. But with all honesty, Alan has to admit that pigeons are super delicious and even have more nutrition than chickens. "So, pigeons, here is the pot. Off you go!"
Speaking of chickens, now it's the one that Alan is most familiar with. In his past life, his family used to live in the countryside for a long time. They had a garden, not too large but big enough for farming, raising chickens, and other animals. One thing about Vietnamese people when chickens are involved is that they like to eat garden-raised chickens, meaning letting the chickens roam free and not eating commercial livestock feed, as they believe the kinds of chicken raised this way will be much more delicious and nutritious. Alan and his family believe it wholeheartedly. When he lived in the countryside, every morning, Alan had to let the chickens out, collect the eggs, and then usher them back to their nests when the sunset. Honestly, it's a very fond memory of him watching the hens and their chicks return to the nests, and Alan will keep it close to his heart...
Seeing the snake is now gone, Alan puts the nest along with the nestling back on the tree where it's originally built and decides to wait out for the parents. From the things he knows about chickens and pigeons, most birds won't leave their offspring alone for far too long. They will leave the nest to find food and bring it back to feed their offspring. If they feel danger nearby, they might leave the nest to hide, but they'll be nearby and only for a short amount of time. They will always come back to check up on their offspring. So, to not make the parents scared of him, after putting the nest back, Alan steps away, and finds a place to hide, covered enough but is still able to see the nest, Alan starts to monitor the nest from afar from the tree.
Two hours have passed, and Alan starts to feel worried. Feeling the early cold of September hitting him in all directions while seeing the sun setting, making the sky burn brightly with beautiful clouds dipped in scorching orange and yellow colours, Alan's anxiety increases as minutes pass with no sight of the parents. By witnessing the burning horizon, Alan knows that he has to return to the orphanage soon, or else Madame Maxime will get worried, and Alan doesn't want her to worry about him. Knowing that he has to leave now or else he will be late returning to the orphanage, Alan still can't make up the decision to leave. He can't leave the chick here, all alone, without parents, and possibly still in danger, can he? Who knows if the snake will come back to catch the prey it lost earlier? Not to mention that, as time passes, the nestling is now chipping with much less force; Alan can even feel its hunger, tiredness, and scare from where he's hiding...
Nope, it just won't do! Alan decides to fuck it! He's going to save this little nestling and will face the consequences later. Stepping out of his hiding place, Alan walks back to the tree and brings the nest down to him. Looking down at the nestling, who is still chipping but getting much weaker due to fatigue now, Alan says: "Hello, little fella, seem like you're coming with me now! Well, back we go, or else Madame Maxime will start a rescue mission for me!"
No more waiting; Alan brings the nestling back with him to the orphanage. The road back is quite a long one, as he really strayed far from the orphanage. Seeing that the sun is now almost going down, Alan just knows that he can make it back to the orphanage on time, but still, he has to try, right? Deciding to pick up the pace and run back to the orphanage while covering the nest from the wind and the cold as best as he can, Alan finally manages to reach the gate right when all the sunlight is out. Just as he passes the outer gate and arrives at the front door, Alan halves his steps as he sees Madame Maxime standing waiting for him at the front door with a serious look on her face. Looking at it, she says:
- Well, where have you been? I remember that you told me you would be back before sunset, and as I can see outside, the sun is already gone! So where have you been? Do you know how dangerous it is to return so late?
Before Alan opens his mouth to answer, the nestling chips again, making Madame Maxime look down, searching for the source of the sound, only to find Alan holding a nest in his palms. Raising an eyebrow, she then asks:
- Alan, please do not tell me it is what I'm thinking it is...
Instead of answering Madame Maxime's question, he shows the nest to her and says:
- Uhm... Well, Madame, you teach us not to lie, right? So... it's a bird! A nestling, actually! I don't know what kind of bird, but yeah...
Looking up and taking a deep breath, Madame Maxime asks again:
- Do tell me, Alan. How can you have a bird, a nestling, as you said in the first place? And please do not tell me you took it from its parents, because if you do such a thing, I will ground you until you turn 60!
To answer that, he tells her about how he had a nestling in the first place. As the story goes by, Madame Maxime's eyebrows raise higher and higher... Alan knows she wants to give him a piece of her mind right then and there, but she keeps her cool, doesn't say anything, and just lets him finish.
Finishing the story, Alan starts telling her that he will keep it as a pet, but only for now; he will raise it until it becomes full-fledged, or at least until it's old enough to hunt for itself, then he will set it free. Alan really has no intention to keep the bird for too long. Birds are meant to fly freely. They are born to soar high in the open sky, gracefully navigating the boundless expanse, and not to be kept in a cage. Alan doesn't know what kind of bird he's having, but Alan wants it to be free. Cause freedom is what he truly yearns for, freedom to love whoever he wants, freedom to live however he likes,...
Of course, he leaves out the part about him using his power to save the nestling from the snake; he says that he used the stick to shush the snake away instead. Alan doesn't know whether Madame Maxime believes him or not, but at least it's the most plausible excuse he can find, alright?
After hearing Alan's story, Madame Maxime takes a deep breath and then spends the next 15 minutes lecturing about how dangerous and irrational it is to use a stick to shush a snake away. Alan knows she is just worried about his well-being, so he keeps his mouth shut and doesn't say anything, and just gives out some small noise of agreement to let her know that he totally agrees with her. Seeing that Alan understands his action is really irrational, Madame Maxime then says:
- However, I must say that your action is not truly a bad one, because at least you saved a life. A little bird, but still...a life nonetheless! And for being a knight in shiny armour and saving a bird from an evil snake,..
- Oh my god! That sounds so cringe!!!—Alan protests quietly.
- I will say that you at least do not deserve any further punishment. Now off you go, and please find something for that bird to eat. It sounds so hungry.—Madame Maxime keeps continuing without blinking an eye at Alan's protest.
- Sure Madame! I'll be on my way right away! So goodbye, Madame, and see you later at the dinner.
No more speaking, Alan leaves Madame Maxime behind, who is having a really fond look on her face looking at Alan, to go out to find some tiny bugs in the gardens. 10 minutes pass, and Alan manages to catch 10 tiny bugs, thinking that it's enough, Alan then feeds them to the chick. While feeding it, Alan realises that the chick hasn't even opened his eyes yet. But seeing that there are some white feathers growing out, Alan thinks it will open its eyes soon. Alan can't express his gratitude to God enough to see that the nestling is eating normally. Because the nestling is able to eat is a good sight. Eating means it's in good health; good health means it'll live.
"Be strong, little bird; I don't know what kind of bird you are, but I know you will fly beautifully in the sky one day!" - Alan tells the nestling quietly.
Bringing the nest with the nestling inside back into his training room, Alan puts the nest on the desk he places in the right corner of the room. Mentally makes a note about making a better nest—or should he call it an aviary—for the bird in the future, when it gets bigger. Alan leaves it there to sleep and then comes to take a shower. Changing into some comfort clothes, Alan goes to the kitchen to help with making dinner.
The kitchen at this time is a blur of actions and uncountable delicious smells. At this late hour, Mr John and the other helpers are almost finished making dinner, so he helps with other things and makes some dishes that other kids were asking him to make a few days ago. Lately, engaging in gardening and assisting in the kitchen, though physically demanding, effectively distracts him from dwelling on the uncertainties that lie ahead when he reaches the age of 11. Alan knows that the Wizarding World is a wonderful world with so many marvelous things; however, there are still some existing factors that're preventing him from truly emerging wholeheartedly into its wonders. Alan knows he shouldn't dwell on it much, but he can't help it! He's an overthinker after all...
Setting plates and sharing food, everyone has their dinner with lots of talking and sharing stories about schools, work, and, of course, the shop. Recently, Alan has been kind of neglecting the shop, but in his defense, he has his reasons, right? On the bright side, Selena is doing such a wonderful job with the shop. All the reports Alan looked at last week showed that the profit was gradually increasing as the holiday season approached, so he didn't worry too much about it. Besides, is it the reason why Alan hands the shop over to Selena? So that he can have time to take care of his personal issues? It means he made the correct decision, right?... However, Alan is aware that he must assist Selena with the shop soon, or else she will lose it for feeling overwhelmed in her first role as a boss and managing the shop by herself.
Putting the dishes in the sinks for other kids to handle, he cooks and helps to make dinners, so of course he doesn't need to wash dishes. Honestly, he likes to cook but hates washing dishes. Alan washes his hands after cleaning the tables and the floor; he then decides to pay Mr John a visit, only to find Mr. John's room door open. Gently knocking on the open door three times as a warning, Alan then says:
- Mr John, hey! It's me, Alan. Can I come in?
- Sure! Please come in, Alan!
Most of the kids in the orphanage are wary of Mr John because, most of the time, Alan will say, Mr John looks quite stern. But Alan knows him and works with him every day, so he knows that under all of those stern looks and seriousness, Mr John is just a kind old teddy bear. He is very easy to talk with, and he will listen to all of your stories if you seek him out and will help you as best he can if you have questions or need some help.
Opening the door and stepping inside, the first things Alan sees are many pictures, paintings, and some illustrations of all kinds of birds, and this is the reason why Alan seeks him out!
While Alan loves and likes to learn everything about aquariums and butterflies, Mr. John is the one who possesses a huge wealth of knowledge about birds and all things related. He loves to paint or take photos of birds in his free time, while also studying as a hobby. When working together, both Mr John and him share some information and exciting things about their hobbies with each other from time to time. Mr John sometimes shows him some of the paintings of birds that he's working on. Alan even has a chance to visit Mr John's room a few times, and whenever Alan gazes upon Mr. John's collections, he can understand why Mr John loves these little fellas very much. They're truly one pretty creature!
Taking his eyes off all the paintings, Alan looks back at Mr. John and asks:
- Hi Mr John! How you're doing? Uh...I don't know if Madame Maxime told you, but I have a pet bird now! Can you help check it out to see if it's healthy? Also, I don't know what kind of bird it is, so I really need your help.
- Ahh! The bird! Of course, Irene told me about it. She said that you're a knight in shiny armour, saving the bird!
- Oh my god! She isn't gonna let it go, is she? It's so cringe!!! — Alan protests.
- Of course, she isn't!
Mr John laughs seeing his protest, but then, with stern eyes and seriousness in his voice, Mr John continues:
- What you did was irrational and dangerous, Alan. I hope you know that; that's why Irene has to teach you the lesson, right?
- I know, she's just worried. That's why I promised that I would "try my best" to not do something like this again.
Looking at him with a knowing smile, Mr John says:
- Try your best? Meaning that you know you will do it again, will you?
- You know me so well!
Now, both of them can't help but burst out laughing. Calm down a little bit, Mr John tells Alan:
- I just can't with you. So mature, but still such a kid.
- Well, what can I say? I'm such a wonder, right?
- Don't get your head too big, boy! Well...I actually wait for you to come seek me out. Now, let's go find your pet, shall we?
- Sure! Thanks so much, Mr John!
- No problems!
Closing the door behind them, they come to Alan's training room to find his pet. Doesn't pay much attention to the room; Mr John goes straight to the nest placed on the desk. After spending some time checking on the chick, Alan somehow sees Mr. John's face become brighter and brighter the longer he checks the bird. If Alan has to describe it, he will say that Mr John finally finds wonder in the mundane world. Getting the idea that Mr. John is now very interested in the bird, Alan tries to keep silent so he won't disturb him. Another moment passes in silence, and then another one, and another one...
Seeing that Mr. John might not say anything if he doesn't speak first, Alan decides to speak up and asks:
- So... Mr. John, is there something wrong with the bird? He is healthy, right?
Realising that he has been taking a long time, Mr. John takes one last look at the bird and then turns to talk to him. He says:
- Oh, don't worry, Alan! The bird will be fine—a little malnourished, but he'll be fine when you start feeding him properly. However, there is another thing, though...
- Uhm...and that is?
- You see, I love the birds and all the things related to them. I have been studying many breeds of birds for a long time, but mostly I study the breeds that are native to the British Isles, like the European Robin, Common Blackbird, Owl, and, of course, the Crow and Raven. Even though I love owls the most, I can still tell a raven when I look at one.
- Oh! So it's a raven! Awesome! I always love them. I think they're super smart and so cool!
He really is. The ravens always fascinate Alan. In his past life, people usually associate them with bad luck and omens of death, but Alan wholeheartedly disagrees with that. To Alan, the raven is the symbol of wisdom and intelligence. In his past life, Alan saw so many videos showing how smart a raven can be. They're just really interesting.
- They truly are! One of the smartest birds in the world. But Alan, your raven is not a common one...
- Why? Is there something wrong with it? I thought you said it's fine? - Alan worrily asks.
- No, Alan. It's fine! You don't have to worry about it. What I mean about your raven is not a common one, is because all of its feathers are white!
- Yeah, I see them too. The feathers are growing out, and all of them are white....wait a minute!
Alan now suddenly realises what Mr. John means to say. He excitedly says:
- All of them are white! My raven, who is supposed to have all black feathers, has all white feathers!
- Yes! Your raven has all white feathers!—Mr John, who is as excited as Alan, says back.
- Holy fucking shit!
- Language! - Mr John says mindlessly.
It's more like a habit now because everyone in the orphanage knows it doesn't do much. Alan, however, could care less, as he has a fucking white raven on his desk at the moment! An—honest to God—white raven! Alan doesn't doubt Mr. John; he has been studying birds for far too long to be mistaken between a common raven and a white raven! How cool is that? Alan really can't get enough of saying it. Who cares? He is now having a fucking white raven on his desk!
- So my raven is an albino raven?
- Well, about that...You see, when it comes to ravens, there are three kinds of ravens in the world. There are the common raven, the leucism raven, and the albino raven. The common raven is the one we usually see with all-black feathers. The leucism raven and the albino raven are the ones we call white ravens, as they both have all-white feathers. Even though the white colour of the leucism ravens is closer to creamy-white. They're both extremely rare and nearly unable to be found in the wild. The albino ravens are actually much rarer than the leucism ravens.
Taking another breath, Mr John continues:
- I believe the reason for this is because, with their striking white feathers, they are usually abandoned at a very young age by their parents, and most of them will die soon after that. Only a few lucky enough to grow up will also be easy targets for other predators and even their own race, as their all-white feathers are too stand out in the wild. They both share similar appearances, with the only difference being their eyes. The leucism raven will have blue eyes with black pupils, while the albino raven will have blood-red eyes and deep red pupils like other albino animals. And...
- And because my raven hasn't opened its eyes yet, you don't know for sure if it's a leucism raven or an albino raven. —Alan follows with Mr. John's speech.
- Yes! So we will have to wait a little more, and then we'll find out! —Mr John says it with a smile on his face.
Being affected by Mr. John's excitement, Alan can't help but smile along with him. This is the first time ever since knowing Mr John that Alan sees him being this excited about something. Alan can totally get it, because if someone tells him there is an extremely rare butterfly perching on his desk, Alan will die of overjoy! No, right at this moment, Alan is already overjoyed! Having a raven as a pet is so much different from having a fucking white raven as a pet! Alan doesn't plan to keep it long, but he will sure as Hell enjoy having it as a pet as long as he can!
Alan can now definitely say that he did the right thing when saving the bird. Being a white raven, it, of course, was abandoned by the parents. If he doesn't save it, the young raven will absolutely become food for other predators or starve to death because no one feeds it. And if the raven dies, it'll be a loss to the world, as they're extremely rare. Their being is extraordinary and should be witnessed by everyone.
"Well, sorry snake for taking your prey, but a white raven will be much more important for the world than being in your stomach." - Alan talks to himself.
Suddenly remembering something, Alan takes his eyes off the little raven and turns to look at Mr John. He asks:
- Wait...Do I need a licence to keep and raise a raven as a pet?
Looking at Alan surprisingly, Mr John says:
- I don't know that you know about it. Yes, you're gonna need a licence to keep and raise a raven as a pet. They're protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981. But don't you worry, I have a licence!
- No way! You're joking!
- Nope! I had a licence a few years ago! Remember all the owls I told you about? Yeah, I need a licence to take care of them, so I got one, and then I thought: Why not get the licence for other birds as well? So, you know, I got them as well...
- Oh my god! I never know!
- There is not much to say, so I didn't tell you about them. It's not important. Well, for now, you can still keep the raven with you under my monitor without worrying about the laws. But Alan, I will tell you this. Birds aren't meant to be kept in cages, so when the time comes, I hope that you will let them go.
- I know. I don't mean to keep it here forever. I plan to return it to the wild when it's old enough to fly and hunt for itself.
And that's why John likes Alan the most among all the kids in the orphanage. It's not because Alan is the only kid in the orphanage that he can talk with him without being afraid of his stern face. No, it's because he and Alan share lots of similar moral standards when it comes to wild animals. They all believe that wild animals should belong to the wild and not be kept in cages or to entertain humans' satisfaction. Mr John looks at Alan and says:
- Well, let me tell you more about how to properly raise a raven. Shall we?
- Sure! I'm all ears!
And then they spend a long time talking about how to raise a raven from the nestling stage to the adult stage. Mr John even shares some stories about all the birds that he saved, raised, and reintroduced back to the wild several years ago. Most of them are owls, as they're Mr John's most favourite breed of bird. "They're just so majestic! The way they fly silently in the night sky is just marvelous." - Mr John says. Hearing Mr John's talking nonstop about owls makes Alan can't help but think about the letter sent to him by an owl when he turns 11. He bets Mr John will surely gush over a bird and make it startling. He can't wait to see that moment! Wait...Raven and Owl hate each other, right?
The night is quite late, so Mr John has to bid him goodnight. Saying goodnight back to Mr John after watching him leave, Alan changes into his sleeping clothes after brushing his teeth and goes upstairs to his bed on the second floor. He truly has to make some time to bring his bed down to his training room soon. He just had enough of sharing a room with six other boys who cared nothing about keeping the room clean if he didn't force them to clean it.
Making a mental note about it, Alan then emerges himself into the land of dreams...