Hedwig is best owl momma
“Er…Harry, you know Hedwig is on top of you?” Hermione asked.
Indeed, a sleepy Hedwig, feathers puffed up had pinned Harry under her. “I hadn’t noticed.” Harry said dryly. “When she said I am her chick, she treats me like one. And like any mama bird she sits on me like I’m a baby egg.”
“I think it’s rather sweet.” Luna noted.
“I agree but please can you get her off me? I’m kind of suffocating.” Harry noted.
“She’s grouchy when woken up, I won’t have my paintjob scratched.” Bolt noted.
“You guys overthink it.” Maps noted. “Bacon sandwich!”
“Bacon! Hedwig noted as she jolted up. I want bacon! Is it crispy?” She shook her head to clear the cobwebs and looked down. “Oh…sorry Harry. My instincts took over again.”
“It’s ok. But if it’s fine, I have Transfiguration within thirty minutes.” Harry said. Hedwig got off and Harry got up. “I know you try Hedwig, and you are a good momma. But being an owl mom is different from being a human mom.”
“I guess so…” Hedwig said as she hung down a little. “I’m still also learning about being more than an owl now.”
“That’s fine. We’re all still figuring out things together. I’ll go off to class, see you later Hedwig. We’re still going to fly together later, right?”
“Ok, later, my chick.” Hedwig said. Hedwig vowed to be a good owl momma. But she had a few things to learn. But where to go. Wait, one of Harry’s potential mates, Hermione loves learning and she is at the library a lot. With all the book things. Book things have a lot of knowledge and stuff so maybe she should go to this library.
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“You got any books that can help with becoming a good mother?” Hedwig asked the librarian, madam Pince.
“A few. Because in a school full of hormonal teens, despite our efforts to give the talk about the ‘Jobberknolls and the Glumbumbles’, they risk pregnancies.” Madame Pince said. “Just careful with these claws of yours, the books are valuable.”
“I promise to be careful, Madame Pince.” Hedwig said as she took the books the cranky librarian gave her. She took them to a nearby table and took a seat. She opened up the first of the books as she came to a conclusion: “I can’t read.”
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“You forgot you can’t read?” Maps chuckled.
“Well, I am able to talk and understand human language you’d assume I’d automatically have the means to understand written language.” Hedwig huffed. “All of you can read, it’s not fair.”
“I got the brains of four people whom all could read, even the rat.” Maps noted.
“Bolt and me can read, but we are not sure how. Maybe because the ones whom created us when we were still objects left something behind on us too?” Cloak wondered.
“Anyhow, I want to learn how to read. I may be an elevated owl but I’m a mom now too. I can’t be going through life as a stupid mom, I wouldn’t be able to take care of my chick otherwise.” Hedwig said.
“You’re not dumb. You were a really smart owl, even for a magical one. So you are smart now too. I’m sure you’ll pick everything up you need quickly.” Cloak assured Hedwig.
“Well, if my chick can study and the human kids can study, I can study too! I can learn to read!” Hedwig noted.
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“Hermione, can you learn me how to read?” Hedwig asked after meeting up with the bookworm Gryffindor.
“Read? You mean you can’t?” Hermione asked.
“Hermione, I was an owl! And the transformation didn’t come with instant reading skills. Please Hermione, I want to be a good mom for my chick and reading would help.” Hedwig asked.
“Well, I guess I can do that. I guess I can’t ignore someone whom wants to delve into the wonders that are books. I have my own studies, but I can free up some time for this.” Hermione said.
“Thank you, Hermione.” Hedwig said happily.
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“C…A…T…Cat?” Hedwig said. It has been a few lessons with Hermione already.
“Very good Hedwig. You are picking it up rather quickly, quicker then a human child would.” Hermione noted. “That’s all the time I can spare for now. You keep doing the exercises.”
“That’s good to hear.” Hedwig said, proud of her process. “I could do with spreading my wings a bit, I have been inside for a while.”
“Oh, that reminds me, can you deliver a letter for my parents? Your post owl magic still works and luckily you don’t need to read for that.” Hermione asked.
“Sure. It has been since I was a normal owl that I delivered a letter. Would feel nice to have a nice long flight.” Hedwig flapped her wings for a few moments as she took it. “I’ll be back soon.” She said as she jumped out the window, spread her wings…and vanished in a puff of white feathers.
“What?” Hermione asked, wondering if she just saw that.
In a puff of white feathers Hedwig reappeared. “Holy Mooncalf! I was there in an instant, your parents saw me and freaked out, I dropped the letter and wanted to fly back and now I’m here again!” she said panicky.
“You vanished! Teleported, apparated, whatever! Normally Diricawls and Phoenixes are the only magical birds that can do that. And I’m sure Diricawls can’t teleport that long a distance.” Hermione said. “Oh my gosh, my parents are freaking out, how could I be so stupid to forget that you’re no longer a normal owl?”
“Wait, you can explain things to your parents!” Hedwig realized and took Hermione’s arm. “Hold on!”
“Wait, Hedwig…” Hermione said and they vanished in a puff of feathers. Right in the middle of the Grangers’ living room. “…Er, hi Mom! Hi, Dad! You met Harry’s own Hedwig, though she is not an ordinary owl anymore.”
Dan and Emma Granger, looking on baffled as the owl harpy lady was behind Hedwig trying to hide…though she was much taller and it was a bit comical. Hermione looked nervous. “So…is that a thing that happens often?” Dan asked.
“No, just to Harry.” Hermione said.
“Ah yes, the Potter boy.” Emma said with a fond smile. “The one you write more about then about then any other person. Finally asked him out already dear?”
“What? No! Harry and me are just friends!” Hermione said with a blush.
“I used to say the same when I was dating your mother.” Dan teased.
“To be fair, you and my chick would make a cute couple.” Hedwig said, finally speaking up again.
“Chick?” Dan and Emma asked.
“Yeah, I’m now the mother figure in Harry’s life now. Or I try to be.” Hedwig explained.
“Oh, I get that. When you become a parent, you have to grow almost as much as the little one does.” Emma said. “So, that makes you are our future in-law?”
“Mom!” Hermione said. “Aren’t you and Dad supposed to be freaked out?”
“It was a scare at first, but we remind ourselves its magic and weird things may happen. We calm now. Want to join us for lunch, Ms. Hedwig? Do you want anything in particular?”
“I would like some bacon, please!” Hedwig asked.
“I still need to go back to school!” Hermione said.
“But…bacon!” Hedwig whined.
“Why don’t you pop in after you drop Hermione back off at school?” Emma asked. “We can talk about our ‘chicks’.”
“That’s fine with me.” Hedwig said.
Hermione buried her face in her hands.
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“Hi Hedwig, how is your reading coming along?” Harry asked as he got back from class.
“I have been doing better. I can read simple books now. Speaking of which…Has anyone ever read you a story before?” Hedwig asked.
“Probably James and Lily did, but I can’t recall. But the Dursleys, never. I had to listen in to hear a bedtime story they read Dudley.” Harry noted.
“Ok…Maybe you are a bit old for it but, now I can read enough to at least read a simple story, can I…?” Hedwig asked.
“I would actually like that. What are you going to read?” Harry asked.
“Oh, Tales of Beedle the Bard. Apparently Wizarding fairy tales, different from the ones non-magicals read if Hermione is to be believed.” Hedwig said.
“It would be interesting to hear.” Harry noted as he sat down. “Ready when you are.”
Hedwig beamed. It was nice if she could show her chick she can read to him now. She sat down, opened the book and read aloud: “There was an enchanted and enclosed garden that was protected by "strong magic". Once a year, an "unfortunate" was allowed the opportunity to find their way to the fountain, to bathe in the water, and to win ‘fair fortune’ forever more.”
A while later… “The four set off arm-in-arm,and the four friends lived long, happy lives, never realising that the fountain's waters carried no enchantment at all.” Hedwig finished as she closed the book. And Harry had fallen asleep in his chair. Hedwig smiled softly. She gently picked Harry up, brought him to his room and put him on his bed. She kissed the top of his head. “Sweet dreams, chick!”
As she left the room in peace, Maps, Cloak and Bolt stood there, awaiting her. “Hedwig, you’re a good mother.” Bolt said softly, patting her back. Hedwig felt pleased at that.
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“I’m off to class, see you later mom.” Harry said the next day as he left the Potter Quarters to go to his next.
“Don’t forget to work hard, son!” Hedwig said as she waved Harry off. She then grabbed a book, to improve her reading.
Harry was quite a few steps away from the Common Room Entrance as both he and Hedwig realized what both of them had said.
“I called her ‘mom’! She called me ‘son’.”
“I called him ‘son’! He called me ‘mom’”
Both of them stood there for a few moments, before smiling. “It feels right.” Before they continued about their day. But they’d definitely talk later.