Basilisk Eyes

Chapter 37: The Owlery

For a second, Harry was missing his little room at Privet Drive and the moments of being completely alone there—then he shook his head.

That's ridiculous!

I just feel weird here because everyone can see me and I can't see them. Well, actually, I don't know if everyone can see me. Just assume that they are not staring at you, Harry. They are busy getting settled. They don't care about you.

He used his staff to map out his area, figuring out the distances between his bed, wardrobe, and desk—touching each surface to gain an understanding of them. They were all wood—carved, not particle board like a lot of the flimsy furniture the Dursleys put in his room. The linens on the bed reminded him of the linens at Hogwarts—clean and stiff. He thought about unpacking his staff, but decided to do that later. He did unpack his book bag and put everything into his staff. Now that he was in a magical environment, he didn't need to worry about using it in front of muggles.

He knew he was supposed to be getting to know his roommates, but he really wanted to get to the owlery.

Besides, I already have met most of them. Just one... what was her name? It started with an 'A'. I'm going to have plenty of time to get to know them later.

He sat on his bed for a moment as he debated about whether or not to head to the owlery. As he struggled internally, he listened to his roommates, trying to figure out who was where and what they were doing. He was listening to the girl on the other side of the room whose name he couldn't remember, talking to someone in a low voice.

"Why are you staring at me?" Mei asked.

"What?"

"Quit staring at me," she insisted.

"I'm not staring. I can't see. I'm not looking at anything." Harry felt heat rising in his neck.

"Right. Likely story."

"Mei," her mother pleaded. "Hush. Leave him alone. He really is blind. Remember, Tony was telling you."

"Yeah, Tony also said that he's 'The Boy Who Lived,' and you know that's a lie."

Harry stood up and said, "Navigant owlery." He walked swiftly to the door and out into the corridor. He had a feeling he'd be spending very little time in his room during the next month.

[break]

As Harry made his way back down the corridors toward the owlery, he wondered if he should try to find Mr. Burbage first or just go to the owlery on his own. He finally decided to try to find Mr. Burbage in the reception area and told his staff as much.

His staff directed him directly to the reception desk. There was a steady and very loud clacking noise that put Harry in mind of an old-fashioned typewriter, but not quite. "Mr. Burbage?" Harry asked and the noise stopped.

"Yes?" Mr. Burbage responded.

"It's Harry. I was wondering if we could go visit the owlery now?"

"Oh, sure. Let me just tell Healer Jordan where I'll be," Godric got up and Harry heard the tapping of his staff and then a door open and close. Harry's mind was on Hedwig and a litany rang through his head: Let her be okay, please be here, let her be okay...

Mr. Burbage came back through the door.

"Harry?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm over here."

"We can head over to the owlery now," Godric stated as he walked back toward the reception desk.

"Er, should I just follow you or should I cast the navigation spell to the owlery?" Harry asked.