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-   -   Owlery (https://www.snitchseeker.com/term-52-may-august-2019/owlery-112353/)

DaniDiNardo 12-04-2018 12:45 PM

Owlery
 

https://s26.postimg.cc/3rt4nvl3t/owlery-banner.jpg
At the very top of the West Tower is where all owls, whether belonging to you individually or the school, reside. As you ascend the tower and its many stairs, constant hooting can be heard and you can feel the temperature gradually dropping. Once you open the door, you can feel a draft blowing straight at you because there is no glass where the windows would be. A few owls flutter in and out of the windows as the door closes.

Stepping deeper into the owlery, hundreds of owls lining the walls in their little nooks turn their head at you. Some even swoop down from their perches to say hello in the hopes that you'll give them a few owl treats that are in a closed bag inside a drawer of an old wooden desk that was placed in the centre of the room. If you investigate the desk further, you will find spare ink, quills, and parchment should you need to write a letter on the spot if you aren't here to just check up on the owls. Pellets, old animal skeletons, belladonna berries, and owl droppings cover the floor, so watch your step.

The Narrator 05-23-2019 09:16 PM

The Scottish winter is creeping closer and with it, the air is growing steadily colder. It is not uncommon to find the rafters a little overcrowded this time of year as rows upon rows of owls huddle together to keep warm.

Should you choose to brave the bitter cold and venture up into the owlery to pay a visit to your winged familiar or send a delivery, however, you'll notice that the owlery is more crowded than normal. Even for this time of year.

Nestled among the owls are a number of forest birds you wouldn't usually see here in the owlery; buzzards, falcons, kestrels and... is that hint of blue in the rafters a jobberknoll?

DaniDiNardo 05-24-2019 08:30 AM

It was just his luck, not realizing until after the family owl was gone that he’d forgotten to add that little trinket for Mavis and the book for Kale. It had been something they were likely looking forward to and the man could only imagine the disappointment at the owl returning home without them. It was that reason that found him in the owlery tod....ay.....

“What in Merlin’s beard...?”

Malachi squinted up at the rafters, finding it hard to ignore all the new guests that made the owlery outright too crowded to be comfortable. It had been a while since he’d been up here but he was certain he could tell an owl from...well...everything else.

“Out. Out you go.” The Headmaster began making shooing motions at the extra birds. First the unicorns and now this. “Shoo shoo. Back to the forest with you, go on now.”

No room in this inn, thanks.

Daemon 05-27-2019 07:45 AM

Ayana was well aware that Britain was very different from Ethiopia. She was also aware that flying in British weather must be vastly more complex for a non-native owl. She was considerate of all of these major differences. But Ayibe has been in England for several years now, not to mention the amount of cross continent trips he has made, so his insistence on hiding in the owlery instead of resting in her office was simply to frustrate her and nothing more.

Grumbling to herself, her letter to home tucked safely in her rose red robes, Ayana climbed up to the Hogwarts owlery with every intention of chiding her unruly owl, when she was met with quite an unusual sight. There was the Headmaster, doing what she assumed was his best bird imitation. She would have questioned this dance had she not immediately then noticed the numerous non-owl birds lining the walls.

And Ayibe, looking as unpleased as ever, squished between two large birds. Serves him right.

"Need a hand?" Ayana made her presence known, looking between Malachi and the offending birds. "I suppose this isn't a normal migration route for most of these birds?" she asked as she, too, began to methodically shoo the birds away, with less arm flapping and more pointed, stern requests with methodical arm gesturing. Very different from flapping.

DaniDiNardo 05-28-2019 11:50 PM

He was not flapping.

But he could certainly use the help. Malachi turned at the appearance of the Arithmancy Professor, his arms still gesturing in that shooing motion while he did. Were the birds moving? They didn’t appear nearly as frightened as he needed them to be. Aside from shifting and shuffling a bit to get away from his waving arms, not one seemed particularly inclined to buzz off.

”Not a normal migration pattern at all. I know the winters can be a bit much at times but it’s nothing they haven’t handled before.” And certainly nothing that now needed to become their concern.

”I’d never suggest we hurt the little things but we may need to become a bit more forceful.”

At the same time, the man was eyeing that falcon that was eyeing him. Intimidated by a bird, the perfect way to go about one’s day.

Jessiqua 05-29-2019 12:26 AM

With a letter in hand, Hanna went to the owlery to send it. She didn't bring an owl with her, because she wanted her cat. And the Hogwarts owls were sufficient. Heading up, up, she didn't really expect to find anyone here. Or perhaps she would. All she needed was an owl, and she would be headed back to the warmth of the common room.

But there wasn't just other people in here - there were SO many birds. "Merlin," Hanna muttered as she walked into the area. What were all these birds doing here? They weren't usually here. Certainly not. She sent letters home at least once a week and had never, or at least very rarely, seen any hint of anything besides an owl. What were all of these birds doing? Spotting the Headmaster and Professor Sissay, Hanna asked "Are we training these birds to deliver letters too?"

DaniDiNardo 06-03-2019 12:19 AM

Were they training these birds too? “We most absolutely are not, Newton.” He replied, still distracted by the bird who now very clearly wanted to have him for dinner. All in his head you say? Maybe but the longer that thing stared at him was the more closely it resembled a terror bird and that was the only criteria needed to put the man on edge.

“Not sure what they’re all doing here. It’s a big forest, they’ll obviously have more space out there than in here.”

Bird logic was strange and in the moment rather inconvenient as well. He could hardly get to the school owls with all these others in the way and was....understandbly hesitant to try.

The Headmaster tentatively reached his wand out to nudge at one of the closer intruders, jumping back when it began to sqwack and flap about MENACINGLY (in his mind).

“Anyone got any better ideas?”

SneakySeverusSnape 06-03-2019 03:03 AM

Analiese clutched a letter in her hand, addressed to her mum. She wrapped her scarf around her tightly and shivered. It sure was cold up here. As she turned around the corner, she saw a prefect, the Headmaster and Professor Sissay talking about how to get the forest birds out of here. "Maybe they're fleeing from something in the forest. Or it's just too cold out there." She reasoned with them. She shooed a buzzard with her hands and it tried to bite her finger. Thankfully, Analiese moved her hand in time so the buzzard missed. She put her letter in her robes.

Daemon 06-03-2019 06:00 AM

These birds were almost as stubborn as her own Ayibe. And Ayibe was the most stubborn bird she'd ever had the misfortune of encountering. "Analiese makes an interesting point Headmaster," Ayana nodded towards the girl as she turned to Trent. Hanna's suggestion had amused her quite a bit, trying to imagine attempting to train a jobberknoll to carry letters to and fro. She imagined these birds had vastly better things to do. Like annoy Trent with their presence.

"And I'm afraid that if they want to stay here, then even if we coax them out they'll likely come right back," she added with a glance upwards at the unfriendly eyes gazing down on them. By Hypatia, birds are so unfriendly. You'd think they'd insulted their ancestors from the way they stared and squawked and screeched. "Maybe we could set up something nicer for them out in the grounds? Consult with Professor Cornish? To at least make some more room for the owls who are the rightful residents here.."

She looked up once again. If more birds from the forest decided to change their home address, this place would become overcrowded very very quickly.

DaniDiNardo 06-04-2019 08:31 AM

"The forest?" The Headmaster mused aloud. The expression that briefly flashed across his face was one of wonder...namely wondering if the Ravenclaw was privy to something that he was not. It wouldn't surprise him that there were secret happenings around the castle, though the more he thought about it was the less likely it seemed a First Year of all people would be fully briefed on forbidden forest gossip.

"Toddles did mention having the fright of his life in there a month or so ago." And the unicorns seemed to think it best to leave it as well. "Might be worth a proper look into." The man might have too, back when the elf disrupted his lesson but between the elf then begging him not to go in and other things pulling his attention, the idea had long since left him.

Sissay also had a good point. They wouldn't leave without an alternative. Circe. "If you've got some free time, I'd love if you could stop by either man's place to inform them of the situation." Malachi was suddenly more interested in a little stroll through said forest, just to make sure everything was in tip top shape.

"Goes without saying I'd like you two to stay out of the forest, but I'll warn you anyway." Not that he hadn't at the feast but with both Ravenclaws standing here, a reminder couldn't hurt.

Goblinfrog 06-04-2019 09:44 PM

Alice was just walking into the Owlery to deliver a letter to one of her in-laws (Emily Valentine) when she noticed a small gathering which included the headmaster and Ayana. She heard Toddles name being mentioned and instinctively clinched her fists in anger.

"Toddles? What has that unruly elf done this time?" She walked closer to them to partake in the conversation. That was when she noticed they were all looking up. Looking up, she saw all the extra birds and quickly realized that Toddles may not be the source of the trouble this time.

Well, they couldn't just stay there. "Why don't we just immobilize them? It wouldn't hurt." She was quick to add the last part just in case her suggestion triggered any mmneories from last term.


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