Susannah Stephen Memorial

Is this one of Sirius Black's mail delivering exotic birds sending word of Sirrius racing home to protect Harry?

Was the poor exhausted parrot cared for by one Susannah Stephen who died in 97?

Memorial to Susannah Zannah Alice Stephen in James Court off the Lawnmarket
Probably not

It's a charming memorial in it's own right. The monument reads ‘Keep your face to the sun and let the shadows fall’. It's a Maori proverb that's been incorporated into a Rihanna pop song.

There’s a similar sentiment in an earlier song about Helen Keller. She lived in the 1800s and was blind and deaf but graduated with honours and became an author. She proved disability is no impediment to living a full life, the chorus of her song goes

Keep your face to the sunshine.
You won’t see the shadows fall.
Trust your spirit when you hear it call.
You can do it all.

Walk down one of the closes here and James' Court will unfold

The memorial was placed by friends in memory of landscape designer ‘Zannah’ Stephen, who loved these closes off the Royal Mile, just like here there’s something pleasing to discover down many of them. Susannah also loved travelling - as you can see, Parakeets aren't native to Scotland.

She helped found the Scottish Society of Garden Designers and was clearly cherished. My friends' tribute would be a half eaten packet of Rolos on a bench.

She died in a diving accident off the Galapagos Islands. She did it all.

Sirius Black holding baby Harry Potter
Sirius Black because he's dreamy

Harry Potter sights nearby

Besides the neighbouring writer's museum we have Wardrop Court's dragons. JK Rowling would push baby Jessica around, exploring the old town, where a fantastical world is always footsteps away.

Uphill we have the Camera Obscura where a wizard saved a city from demon-lition.

Art Credits
INS's Sirrus Black 

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