King of the Jungle PET Approved

Ami sighed as she breathed in the scent of the pet shop, gently pushing open the door before stepping inside. She eagerly scanned the cat section of the shop, although her jaw was certainly agape in wide-eyed wonder at all of the life around her. Hadn't every little girl gone through a phase where they wanted to be a veterinarian? She certainly had- most of her knowledge about animals came from her more-than-brief stint as a wannabe-vet. Indeed, her love for animals had been what sparked her sudden twist into veganism, a lifestyle she still chose to uphold today. 

Stop it, she gently chided herself, her head swiveling every which way on her head. You're here to find him... if he's not here, you go home. End of story. You don't need to retell yourself the story of how you became vegan. Her eyes drifted back to the cats over and over, her heart leaping every time her gaze landed on grey tabby after grey tabby. Each time, however, her hopes were beaten down a little bit more, retreating back into their cages, as she didn't see the specific cat she was looking for.

"Are you looking for something in particular, dear?" a voice called, and Ami turned to look at a kindly-looking woman emerging out of what seemed like nowhere. She couldn't but sigh nostalgically as she was reminded of her own grandmother, who always wore floral patterns and curled her hair... it had been years since she had last seen any of her grandparents, although she couldn't pinpoint the exact reason as to why. If only she could see them this year... Focus, Ami... you have a job to do. Stay too long, and mom'll be pissed. Ah, her mother- her mother, wandering around outside through the rest of Diagon Alley; her mother who couldn't be bothered to come pet shopping with her only daughter. Whatever- this wasn't her mother's cat, it was her cat. She was here on a mission, and nothing would stop her from completing it- nothing short of a tornado.

The woman repeated her question once more, probably because of the dumbfounded expression Ami had plastered on her face, as well as the lack of an answer. "I- uh, sorry. Um..." Glancing down at her palm where she had written all of the details in Sharpie on the drive to Diagon Alley, Ami looked back up at the shopkeer. "In early June of 2018... Hogwarts sent a gray tabby to you? Male, about eight, nine months old at the time? He had a yellow and red-striped collar, the tag said 'Leo'..." 

That had been the result of the short escapade she had endured with one Max Avery. The two of them found Leo outside of the Forbidden Forest, and Ami, without much council from Max, had decided to name the cat 'Leo', an homage to the Latin word for 'lion'. She knew that once Leo grew older, he'd certainly be the King of the Jungle- or, at the very least, King of All Those Other Cats that Weren't As Good as He Was. 

But of course, how could two first years manage to take care of a kitten? Leo had found his way to the Magical Menagerie, and Ami couldn't help but pray and hope that he was still here. There was something about the way that the cat had warmed up to Ami, the way that her day just instantly got better when he was around that made her long for him again. Looking hopefully at the shopkeeper as she was clearly reminiscing of better times, Ami's tentative smile was almost heartbreaking.

"I think so... awfully specific, aren'tcha?" Ami nodded eagerly, and followed Anita as she walked through the cages and cages of cats in the shop. Spotting a familiar shape in a cage, Ami gasped. "Spotted him, didn't ya?" Ami nodded wordlessly, knowing that she probably looked absolutely ridiculous, her mouth hanging wide open in sheer joy. She didn't realize she could get this lucky, and she didn't even realize how much she had missed that cat until this moment. Although she couldn't see it, Anita's smile represented just how pleased she was that she had so obviously made this girl's day.

Slowly approaching the cage, Ami offered her hand up to the cat, who sniffed it suspiciously. "Come on, buddy... hey, Leo, it's me... Ami? Do you remember me?" The cat glared at Ami, before licking her hand through the bars of the cage. "I'm guessing the two of you have already been acquainted?" Anita guessed with a chuckle. Ami nodded happily, scratching Leo's head, behind his ears, stretching her fingers through the bars. "Well, he's ten galleons... I'm going to go ahead and assume that you want him?"

Another nod from Ami, a wide smile stretching across her face. "Oh, Leo..." she said quietly, staring at the cat in complete adoration. "We're going to get into a lot of trouble together, aren't we?"

Word count: 833
What animal do you wish to purchase? A gray mackerel tabby.
What do you want to name it? Leo.
Is this a boy or a girl? Boy.
What is your pet's date of birth? August 3rd, 2017 (08/03/2017).