A walk through the grounds counted as Meserimus afternoon constitutional - it was about as much exercise as someone at 125 needed on an average day. Archimedes followed him on silent wings and as they passed the ground keepers hut the owly Valenduris brother glided down to sit on the wood box. ’Can’t we turn around Meserimus, that’s far enough for the day’ He complained and preened a long tail feather with no small amount of pride.

’I don’t know why you are complaining’ the oldest Valenduris retorted, and cracked his back with a twist. ’You sat on my shoulder most of the way and flew less than a hundred yards’ Archimedes looked like he was about to retort when he stopped, hopping on one foot and peering into a crack in the wood slats that formed the top of the wood box. ’By Merlin Meserimus, I think there is a student in here, either that or it’s a very large mouse.’

Meserimus shooed his brother with a flick of his long bony fingers, indicating he should move and rather than trying to heft the logs and lid himself he wandlessly levitated the logs from the top and the lid to reveal a student crumpled inside

’Good grief!’ Meserimus exclaimed, and Archimedes swore violently behind him. ’Are you all right my boy?’ Meserimus asked, recognising a member of his own house and extending a hand to help the boy up.