"Thanks, Catherine," Avalon whispered in response to her housemate. Should she be slightly embarrassed that a first year figured out what kind of bird that was before she did? Maybe. Perhaps she should have done some more reading over the summer.

She was right in the middle of jotting down some notes on her parchment when the professor told them to cover their ears. Avalon had the feeling that this was not going to be a very pleasant experience. Reluctantly covering her ears with her hands, she watched carefully as Professor de Nostredame whispered something to the bird. And then it began.

It was a bizarre sound, a frenetic one that reminded her of a cassette tape rewinding. She winced as the noise seemed to increase in volume, causing her skin to erupt in goosebumps. It was so piercing that Avalon couldn't pick up on everything, but she heard a few things more clearly than others. For one, she heard some pleasant music. Followed by something that sounded like a waterfall, and then a baby crying. She hoped that Nostredame had put a sound muffling charm over this are. If not, the entire castle might think that someone was being brutally murdered on the grounds.