Hedwig is Harry’s owl, bought by Hagrid in Diagon Alley as Harry’s eleventh birthday present. A beautiful snowy owl, Hedwig is a fiercely intelligent bird. She causes frequent arguments between Harry and his uncle, Vernon Dursley, as her loud hoots repeatedly wake Vernon up at night. Harry claims these hoots are down to boredom but Vernon refuses to accept Harry's pleas to let her out at night.
Hedwig screeches loudly when Harry almost climbs into the flying Ford Anglia without her. This screech wakes up Vernon Dursley and causes him to catch Harry in the act of escaping.
Hedwig arrives in Harry's bedroom with Errol and an owl from Hogwarts bearing Harry's gifts and letters. She flew to Hermione's house to pick up his present.
Hedwig arrives on the window-sill of the Gryffindor common room to deliver a reply from Sirius. She flutters onto Harry's knee, hooting softly, as he reads the letter aloud. Hedwig hoots indignantly when Harry jolts her out of his lap after reading the letter. She clicks her beak expectantly, waiting for Harry to give her some food but is offended when Harry snaps at her to go to the Owlery if she wants something to eat. She takes off for the open window, cuffing Harry around the head with her outstretched wing as she goes
Hedwig is sleeping in the Owlery between a barn owl and a tawny owl when Harry arrives. She takes a while to awaken, and is evidently still furious with Harry's lack of gratitude the night before. She is only persuaded to take his letter to Sirius after Harry suggests she might be too tired, and mentions asking Pigwidgeon to take the letter. She nips his finger rather harder than normal, but hoots softly in a reassuring sort of way before spreading her wings and taking off into the sunrise.
Hedwig flies down onto Harry's shoulder in the Owlery, ready to take his letter to Sirius. She is offended when Harry tells her he can't use her, and takes off so suddenly that her talons cut into his shoulder. She keeps her back to Harry all the time he is tying his letter to another owl, and clicks her beak at him furiously when he tries to stroke her, soaring up into the rafters out of reach.
Hedwig has been staying at number twelve, Grimmauld Place ever since she arrived with Harry's notes to Ron, Hermione and Sirius. She soars from the top of the wardrobe when Harry arrives in the room and lands gently on his shoulder, nibbling affectionately at his ear as she greets him. Ron says that Hedwig has been in a state since she arrived with Harry's most recent letters, and kept pecking at them, making a deep cut in one of Ron's fingers and marking Hermione's.
Hedwig is not allowed out every night to hunt, as Professor Dumbledore doesn't want to draw attention to number twelve, Grimmauld Place by having owls swooping around the square. She clatters around the top of the wardrobe in Harry and Ron's bedroom, rustling her wings restlessly.
