Pet Unexpected Arrival

Note: This thread is forward dated to July 2^nd, 2025, but the 'flashback' is on July 1^st!

The black cat stood vigilantly at Sadie's side as they entered the pet shop. The place was no danger to them, but still the cat's eyes scanned the shop as if searching for any threats that could possibly arise.

The night before had been a surprise, to say the least.

Summer had only just begun, and the Murdock house was abuzz with excitement for the return of Sadie for holiday.

Chloe had tried to play it cool, pretending she held little interest. Reina had done the opposite, bombarding Sadie with questions from her right while Miles did the same from her left. Their parents watched with fond exasperation, but Sadie had caught the complicated look in her father’s eyes. It wasn’t jealousy, like Chloe’s obvious envy, but there was certainly a longing there as he, like the rest of the family, listened to Sadie explaining potions class of all subjects to her siblings.

“…and then you got to wave your wand, or it won’t have any magic in it,” she finished, watching Miles for whatever question he came up with next.

The question never came. As soon as Miles opened his mouth, a soft thud sounded against the kitchen window. All eyes shot to it, and the sight would have been quite strange if Sadie hadn’t just spent a year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Standing on all fours with a posture that more appropriately suited a broad chested guard dog was a black cat that seemed quite small, even for its species. Its eyes held Sadie’s gaze with more intelligence than she had known a cat to hold. Its sleek black fur was meticulously cared for, whether by tongue or brush. Its tail danced lazily from side to side, the only contradiction to the beast’s disciplined perch. One of its front paws rested atop an envelope.

The envelope was thick, suggesting quite the letter within. It was sealed with a wax seal, much like Sadie’s first letter from Hogwarts, but the seal depicted a diligent hound, unlike the seal of the crest on the Hogwarts letter. The letter was addressed to ‘Mr. Rudolph Murdock and Ms. Sadie Murdock.’

“I reckon I’ll get that, then,” Sadie’s dad said, stepping toward the window to open it. It struggled to open, being as old as it was, but he did manage with a grunt. The cat eyed him warily before moving its paws, allowing him to take the letter, but there was no mistake in the cat’s posture: it was allowing him to take the letter, which was clearly a privilege he didn’t deserve.

The whole family watched as Richard opened the envelope, setting the wax seal on the table. Sadie pocketed the seal, but no one noticed. Everyone was watching Richard, whose eyes were scanning quite the long piece of folded parchment. The telltale signs of a quill and fresh ink were there in the subtle way the words were inked into the parchment. This was from a wizard or witch of some sort, certainly not a muggle. When he finished reading the letter, Richard sighed, reaching into the envelope and pulling out another bit of parchment, which he handed to Sadie.

“This is for you,” he said, putting an arm around Miles in a half hug to prevent him from being nosey as Sadie accepted the letter. The cat’s eyes watched Sadie intensely, and its posture almost seemed to stiffen.

Sadie Murdock,

I was so very happy when I learned of your existence. You don’t know me, but I’m your father’s brother. An old friend of mine let slip that there was a Murdock girl at Hogwarts with his son, and he’d assumed you were my daughter. Since our dear sister has no children, and I’m the same, I knew you had to be Rudy’s.

I suppose you must be wondering why I’ve written you this letter. Well, there are a few reasons. First, as a matter of family responsibility. You are the only Murdock child to wield magic, which makes you the proper heir to the name and our ancestral home. If your father agrees, I’d like to invite you there.

Second, there is the matter of the cat which delivered this letter. Her name is Midnight, as cliché as that might sound. She was the runt of the litter of my own cat, but she carries the pride and courage of the Murdock name like any Murdock should. I think she belongs with you, the heir, as your faithful companion.

If your father agrees to both of these matters, I look forward to meeting you in person. If he doesn’t, Midnight knows the way home.

Yours,

Uncle Rory

Sadie stared at the letter for a long moment, then at Midnight, then at her dad.

“I thought you two don’t talk,” she said to her dad, wincing as she realized it almost sounded like an accusation.

“We don’t.”

Sadie didn’t like how quiet his voice was. Apparently, neither did her siblings, because they all turned to leave, offering privacy, even as curiosity burned behind their eyes. Even Sadie’s mom left the room.

“What’s all this about an ‘ancestral home?’” Sadie asked. “And an heir?”

“Heiress,” he corrected her. His eyes were staring hard enough at Midnight that Sadie half expected them to burn a hole in her, but the cat ignored him, staring instead at Sadie. There was a question in her feline eyes.

“Heiress,” she agreed, testing the word and finding that it came out of her mouth clumsily.

The silence hang in the air like a heavy morning fog. Sadie didn’t know what else to say. She’d never seen her dad so pensive, and that scared her. Finally, after the longest minute of her life, he spoke.

“We’ll start with the cat. She’s yours, but you’ve got to take care of her,” he said, tucking his own letter into his pocket. Sadie wondered what it said, but for now she disregarded it and watched as Midnight, with a grace only a cat could have, jumped onto the kitchen floor, stalking over to Sadie’s leg and rubbing against it. Her purring vibrated against Sadie’s calf, and Sadie knelt to scratch behind her ear, unsure what cats liked.

“Midnight,” Sadie tested the name on her tongue. It felt more comfortable than the word ‘heiress’ had. Midnight looked up in response to the name, her green eyes shining with obedient expectation.

Today, nearly twenty-four hours after the fact, Sadie's eyes scanned the shelves of the Magical Menagerie, fingers rubbing the single galleon in her pocket as she tried to figure out what supplies she would need to take proper care of Midnight.

What animal do you wish to purchase? Bewitched Midnight Stalker
What do you want to name it? Midnight
Is this a boy or a girl? Girl
What is your pet's date of birth?13/04/2024