Pet You Are with Me Now

Zach went home again for the Christmas Holiday. Swanton Morley looked the same. Nothing really changed from the last time he remembered. He opened his uncle's car and ran inside the house. His mom was already inside. She took a half day off just to see her son. With a great smile, she greeted Zach in her hug. “Welcome home,” she said. Zach nodded with a similar smile. Like a mother like a son.

They talked like usual. Zach told his mom everything that happened in the school except for some parts that would likely make his mom change her decision and transfer Zach to a muggle school. Zach's mom could understand what Zach's saying better now, better than when he told her about the wizarding world when he was a first year. Laughs and giggles filled the room until Yarnitia noticed something weird from the things Zach brought home.

An owl cage was put on a log across the room. Zephyr was in it, drooping. Yarnitia immediately ran towards the owl and took him out. Zach followed behind his mom. “Zephyr!” His voice was so loud, trying to get his beloved owl's attention. Yarnitia quickly brought Zephyr to her work room for better veterinary devices. Zach could only wait for them. He sat not far from Zephyr and Yarnitia with nothing he could do. He prayed that Zephyr was okay.

Fate had answered. The owl opened his eyes. Yarnitia treated him for a little bit more and explained to Zach that Zephyr must be treated at her hospital. The boy could only nod.

The next days were filled by Zach's visits to the veterinary hospital. He took care of Zephyr carefully. The owl slowly regained his strength but he still looked weak. Until one day, some days near the time of Zach's going back to Hogwarts, Yarnitia told his son that Zephyr must be observed closely in the hospital. Zach just nodded with nothing he could do, again.

Yarnitia remembered something. She led Zach to a room and said that she wanted to show him something. Zach wondered what it was. Once they entered the room, Zach could see a terrarium with many reptiles. Yarnitia showed him a baby bearded dragon with yellow scales. The lizard was actively moving, making Zach smile seeing the creature. Yarnitia told him that she found the bearded dragon when she bought Zach emergency things in the Diagon Alley. Yes, Zach sent an owl to her room, whining that his ingredients to make a potion were empty due to his trial and error. So Yarnitia went to the Diagon Alley to buy the needed ingredients and accidently found the baby bearded dragon when she was leaving the place. The creature was found curling at the transition area between Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley.

Yarnitia was curious. So she took the little creature and asked the worker in Leaky Cauldron if it was their pet but no one claimed it. So Yarnitia left her name card and told the workers if anyone was looking for the bearded dragon, they could contact her. But no one contacted her until Zach was home.

Zach looked at the yellow creature. It was small, with the size around his palm, a bit larger. “How old is it?” Zach asked his mom. Yarnitia estimated that the bearded dragon was about five months old. Than she offered him if he wanted to take care of the bearded dragon. Zach was in doubt. He was thinking about Zephyr but his mom knew him better. She told him that Zephyr would be okay in her care.

After thinking for some minutes, Zach agreed. He wanted to take care of the bearded dragon and named him, “Zarcon.”

===+++===

And now he was visiting Magical Menagerie. He greeted the shopkeeper as usual and introduced them to his new pet Zarcon. The shopkeeper told him the things he could get for Zarcon to be brought to the school. Zach took a note and showed the list at Yarnitia. She smiled and brought the things that were necessary and skipped some that were already in the house.

Zach was happy. Then they went home afterwards. Zach had some days to bond with Zarcon before he brought the active little boy to the school.

Word count: 715 words

What animal do you wish to purchase? Baby Bearded Dragon
What do you want to name it? Zarcon
Is this a boy or a girl? Boy
What is your pet's date of birth? IC, no one knew his birth date. But it should be around August 2024. If it needs to be specified, it's probably should be on August 19^th 2024