He commanded, and the owls obeyed. He wandered the room in the eery silence, looking for the swiftest owl to send his message in haste. There was a chill in the air as the Owlery had no roof or walls and was instead caged by metal bars. There were dozens of owls perched on the bars watching Albus with their large unblinking eyes. Putting on his glove Albus decided to send Herod; he called her name, and she swooped over to perch on his arm. Albus gave her some grain from a pocket in his robes as a reward. He tied the scroll to her leg and gave her instructions to send the letter to Garforth in the Court of Magical Misuse. Herod beat her wings and flew away swiftly as a feather through a gap in the metal bars and into the distance behind the sun, which was now setting. He apparated back to his chambers, and as he disappeared, the hooting returned in full chorus.