February 28th, 1890 — The Great Hall, Hogwarts

The morning flock of owls streamed into the Great Hall like they did every morning, dropping off letters and packages to eager students hoping to hear from home. Archer took very little notice, intent on concentrating on his breakfast. After all, his clumsy owl usually straggled in once the morning meal seemed to be just about finished.

Tiredly, the young Ravenclaw worked at cutting into his eggs. He kept his head down, like he did most days, trying to just remain under the radar. He didn't notice the startled noises around him, until a shadow fell over his plate. Tentatively, he glanced up, a sinking feeling forming in his stomach. Who was here to terrorize him at this early hour? Wasn't stealing his belongings enough?

However, he didn't expect to lock eyes with a bird, nearly three feet in length, clutching a letter clearly addressed to him in its curved bill. It stood among the breakfast plates, unconcerned with the other students' gaping stares. This had to be a joke.

He couldn't move. What if this was the type of bird that could slice one's eyes out? How was he supposed to retrieve his letter? The avian was eerily silent, its mottled brown and black feathers lifted slightly as if it were waiting to fly off once more. Its head was strangely bare, aside from some dirty looking, white-ish fluff that gathered very densely at the base of his neck. Where had it even come from? Surely, not from Scotland?

"O-oh."


Open to anyone who might be at the Ravenclaw table, staff, or even gawkers from other houses.

Archer's new Ruppell's Griffon Vulture. Thanks, Florida!

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It seemed to be just a normal morning thus far. Though odd things were happening and everyone seemed to be having surprises that seemed to not surprise anyone around them. Dorothy's dorm mate now had a rat instead of an owl, apparently. So far no surprises seemed to surface for the Hufflepuff as she carefully made her way to breakfast. Today, she was far more scared of the always mobile stairs than usual. Terrified that they would move all the faster and leave her flying off suddenly. But so far she had yet to experience said fear. Only hoping that no one else suffered such a fate. Perhaps classes should have been cancelled and food brought to the rooms. But Dorothy was not Headmaster.

Seated beside a Ravenclaw friend to discuss a letter that said friend had received, it was utterly unnerving to encounter the large bird once it flew by. Even she could not help but stare as it stared at young Mr. Belby. After a few moments of such a staring contest, she was sure that she was not the only one that really just wanted the bird to be on it's way. "Mr. Belby, please just take the letter and make that bird of yours leave." She called over quietly, not wanting the bird to go into a fit.

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"If you try using..." Idunn trailed off, noticing with some annoyance that Helixa was no longer paying attention. Instead, her friend's eyeline had drifted down the Ravenclaw table where some sort of vulture had delivered mail...

...to Archer Belby.

Idunn was used to eccentricity from her parents, but the younger Ravenclaw had always been quite benign. Certainly not something she had to worry about—but this was a horse of a different colour.

"Merlin's trousers," Idunn voiced loudly enough for the boy to hear. "What is that doing here?"

  

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Who had sent him a letter carried by such a monstrosity of a bird? This had to be some sort of sick joke. Was that his mother's handwriting, though? Archer narrowed his eyes in order to try and see if he was correct, but he was interrupted by a pair of voices commenting on his latest misfortune.

First, he gaped at Miss Finch. The vulture in question appeared as if it might just rip his arm off. Owls could cause quite a bit of damage, and they weren't nearly as large or intimidating. How did she expect him to retrieve his letter unscathed? Then again, how had his mother survived, if that was, indeed, hers.

"H-How."

To Idunn, he lifted his shoulders hopelessly. "I-I don't know. It's not mine." Or was it?

The bird was rather patient. Perhaps, it expected the boy to be a nervous wreck, or maybe it was vain and just enjoyed the other children admiring its plumage.

  

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Well, talking about it sure wasn't helping. It wasn't like anyone else could just take the letter away from the damn thing. This bird was staring pointedly at Mr. Belby and almost everyone else seemed far too stunned to make a move. Why was it even here? Couldn't the most nervous Ravenclaw of all just get an owl like everyone else? "Stun it perhaps?" Seemed like the only logical solution. Merlin, if they had to deal with this every day from now on....

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"Well it doesn't seem to know that," Idunn replied, pursing her lips in disapproval. Merlin, why did he have to be so embarrassing?

  

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Archer simply blinked at Miss Finch's suggestion. She wanted him to stun it? In front of the entire Great Hall? It was one thing to practice such spells in private; it was another to be completely put on the spot. Merlin, what if it didn't work on the bird, and he caused it to become irate?

Or worse. What if he missed?

That would go over well. Not only would he lose house points, but he was sure he'd lose any remaining ounce of respect from his classmates. If they even had any for him to begin with.

He also wasn't one to hurt animals who technically weren't threatening him.

Archer shot Idunn a sideways glance; she was never the most helpful or sympathetic of cousins. Then again, she'd been saddled with him, so, perhaps, the older girl had good reason.

"Can...Can I have my letter?" He questioned, softly, trying to reason with the poor creature, as if it would do as he asked. Skin white as a sheet, the young Ravenclaw reached out to pinch the bottom of the letter, intent on tugging it out of the vulture's beak.

Just as he started to pull, the large avian beat its oversized wings, colliding them with his trembling arm. Archer, who, of course, was very lionhearted, let out a girlish shriek and toppled backwards off the bench. Various breakfast items joined him on the stone floor, but it could be noted that the letter fluttered onto his chest.

The vulture picked at some sausages that had been left upon his plate.

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   Idunn Fraser

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The horror in her eyes got worse as Dorothy watched the scene unfold. Letting out a distressed noise, she was hoping to dear Merlin that one of the staff would come over and stop this madness.

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Merlin's beard, he was useless! With a huff and an eyeroll, Idunn rose to her feet. She did not much care to be associated with Archer in this particular capacity, but she couldn't just leave him on the floor, much though she wished she could. That the noise that he had emitted was more feminine than anything Idunn had ever uttered only compounded the slight against the family's honour (or whatever).

"I hope that whatever you've been sent is worth it," she told him dryly, gesturing with her nose at the letter on his chest as she reached out a hand in a half-hearted offer of aid.

  

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Archer clutched the letter that had landed on his chest as if it were some great prize he'd won. It certainly felt as if he'd had to brave danger in order to retrieve some sort of treasure.

Glancing up from his spot on the floor, he eyed Idunn's outstretched hand almost suspiciously. Why was she being so nice? If he truly thought about it, he'd probably connect the dots that he was likely embarrassing her, but the sight of the vulture had him in panic mode still. He allowed his cousin to help him to his feet.

"Me too."

Archer glanced down at the letter and opened it. His blue eyes scanned the parchment, and he let out a small sigh. It was just an ordinary letter from his mother, nothing terribly important. It just answered his last note home, "It's just a letter from my mother..." She hadn't made any mention of his new bird.

Why hadn't his mother sent--Merlin, what was his owl's named? Try as he might, he couldn't retrieve the name of his clumsy owl. What was going on? It had been replaced with another.

"Caliban?"

The vulture twisted its neck to settle another piercing glance on the terrified Ravenclaw. Was that really his name? Archer glanced about, not quite sure what to do, so he blurted out the only thing that came to his mind. "Er...thanks?"

That seemed to be the vulture's cue. It suddenly took flight, knocking various breakfast items about with the beat of its wings.

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The beating of the wings was utterly unsettling. Merlin, this was probably the last time that Dorothy would sit at the Ravenclaw table. Her friends could come talk to her instead. From the safety and sanity of the Hufflepuff tables. When the beast was gone, she got up and hurried off without another word.

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Idunn watched wide-eyed as the bird—who seemed to be known to Archer—took off. This entire situation was foolish and with one last eye-roll at her cousin, the redhead returned to her seat.

  

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