Feather Hunt

Noah had been bored so decided that rather than sit in the Gryffindor common room he would go exploring again, it didn’t seem to make any difference to the number of times he actually went exploring, there was always something else for him to find.

He found himself climbing the steps up to the owlry, he didn’t know what he would find up there instead of the usual owls, but he kept putting one foot infront of the other as he climbed his way to the top. His fingers ran over something in his pocket, and he pulled out a rather battered looking feather, and then he knew what he was going to do. One way or another he was leaving that owlry with a new collection of feathers.

He pushed open the door and his ears were filled with the screeching and hooting of the owls and the ruffling of feathers. He looked around and wondered how on earth he was going to get any feathers when they were still attached to the body of the owl. But on closer inspection there were lots of feathers that were stuck in the nests of the birds; all he had to do was get close enough to steal them away.

He wandered around looking to see if there were any cool looking feathers, he didn’t want just any old fluffy thing, what was the point in that. He couldn’t believe his luck when there was one on the floor just beneath a shelf; he got down on his knees and stuck his head under the shelf so that he could reach.

Mark found himself wandering around the castle, bored and with nothing else to do. He had been walking around the school and now found himself among the towers. He knew the Owlry was nearby, so he decided to search it out, that way he could at least see the owls, maybe someone would've left something interesting. He walked through the heavy doors, looking at all the owls swooping and swerving around. He noticed someone else was already here. "Hiya Noah." He said to him, he knew him from the many goings on in the Gryffindor dorms, which the whole house tended to find out about.

"What're you up to today?" He asked Noah, wondering why he would be in the Owlry today, and not off on some adventure.

Noah had just grabbed hold of the feather when a sudden voice behind him caused him to jump and he banged his head on the shelf above. Crawling out backwards he stood up rubbing his head, that was one more bruise to add to a number he was beginning to collect.

"Well there goes another few brain cells," he joked turning to see who it was that had sneaked up on him, "Oh hi Mark, didn't hear you come in, evidently."

He showed him the feather that he had just found, it was an array of browns and golds and it seemed to shine in the shafts of light that streaked through the room.

"I'm kinda collecting feathers," he put another hand in his pocket and pulled out a couple of the ones he had collected before, "See. I like to collect lots of things, random stuff, like coins and strange odds and ends. Are you sending an owl or something?"

Mark bit his lip slightly when he heard a soft bang which he assumed was Noah banging his head on the shelf. "You alright mate?" He asked him, walking over to make sure he was okay. He grinned at the brain cell comment. "I don't think you've got many left now have you?" He asked jokingly, before staring at the feather. "That is a pretty feather, looks like it could even be good enough quality for a really nice quill." He said. It really did too, or it seemed so. "Wonder if there are any more like that around." He said.

He looked around at all the owls, some of them with golden dusty plumage to the snowy owls which made a stark contrast with their striking white. "Hey Noah, need some help rustling up some feathers for your collection then?" He asked, no one said he had to give them all to Noah after all... "Nah, I was just wandering about looking for something to do to stop me being bored, which means it must have been a good idea to come over here." He said with a smile.

"Oh great thanks," Noah glared playfully at Mark almost tempted to stick out his tongue but didn't think he needed to be that childish, "At least I've got more than some of those Slytherins do."

Noah twirled the feather between his fingers, Mark was right, he had never though of making his feathers into quills. He just liked to collect them for the sake of collecting, he had a whole box under his bed in his dorm full of weird things he had found.

"That would be great yeah," Noah grinned and looked up, it seemed as if the whole tower was filled from floor to ceiling of owl perches and nests, there was bound to be a good mix, "I've seen a couple that are up high that are just out of reach, if I give you a leg up, then maybe you could grab them."

He walked over to a spot and pointed up at a group of nests that were empty of owls, Noah thought that it was best to take the feathers from places where there was less chance of losing a finger.

Mark nodded. "I second that, but then, everyone has more brain cells than Slytherins, except maybe that Caretaker, but then, he's a right nark." He said. He absolutely despised that Caretaker. Campbell, more like...

But never mind.

He widened his eyes at the idea of him actually taking a moment to think about his idea, usually his ideas were just throw-away suggestions, no one took long to think on them. "Well the idea is there if you ever want to use it." He shrugged, Noah probably never would.

"You're asking me to try and get up there?" He asked sceptically. "I will... But it wouldn't surprise me if something goes wrong. I will blame you if it does." He stated, no way was he taking the blame for it if something went wrong.

Noah laughed with his fellow Gryffindor, he was sure that the Gryffindor/Slytherin rivalry went right back to the days of the founders. He could just imagine Godric and Salazar arguing over the salt at the dinner table or where to put the staircases when they were building Hogwarts.

He knelt down on one knee, and locked his hands together and nodded upwards signalling for Mark to jump up and grab the few feathers that were over head.

Noah could see this going wrong, but it didn't really matter, they were ok, there weren't any owls around at the moment that would get territorial and attack them for getting too close to their homes. So it was safe and Noah had given so many boosts that he had lost count, it was the easiest way to get over the fence at home to get to the park.

"Go, on," he called Mark over, "Up you go."