A Muggle in the Menagerie
Athene grinned. She had the perfect pet picked out. The little girl had spent weeks wondering about having her very own owl, but she knew that owls were very expensive and she didn't think her parents could afford one. Athene also knew that secrecy was very important and as both her parents were Muggles, they didn't really want 2 owls in the house during the holidays in a Muggle town in Buckinghamshire. Athene's sister had been told the same thing when she went to Hogwarts two years before Athene did.
Charlotte still didn't have an owl of her own, but their parents had hinted that an owl might be on the table for good OWLs later on. Athene flipped through the book one last time. She already knew what she was going to call her new magical companion but she wanted to look at in one more time, to make sure it was right. Poppy or Rosie, Athene thought to herself, putting the baby names book back in her bag.
"Are you ready?" Athene's mum said gently.
"Yeah!" Athene jumped up and down. "I've been ready for ages!"
Together, they walked into the pet store. Athene's eyes lit up. She wasn't animal mad like some of her friends at school, but she'd always wanted a pet of her own. Athene knew it was a no, but she gave it a shot anyway. If you don't ask you don't get, she thought to herself with a grin.
"Mum, I want an owl!" She announced.
"They're very expensive, Athene, and you're a bit young to be looking after a big bird all by yourself." Athene's mum said.
Athene scowled. "It's allowed! First Years can have owls! You just think they're scary because you're a Muggle!" Athene took a deep breath. "Please Mum? I'll be able to write to you all the time!"
"No, Athene. It wouldn't be very fair on your sister now, would it?" They looked at the owls a moment longer.
"Ok," Athene said. "So what am I allowed?"
"Not that!" Her mum said, as a gentleman bustled past with a spider in a cage, a small boy beaming behind him.
Athene shuddered. "Definitely not! Anyway, I think I know what I want really." She said, heading towards the cats. Athene lingered over a fluffy silver cat with gorgeous fur. She turned away when she saw the price tag, though. It would be a pain to brush all the time anyway, she thought to herself.
While they were checking out a cute Siamese, Athene's mum nodded gently, but Athene shook her head. Drumming her fingers on her chin, she glanced around. There she was! A Silver Mackerel tabby cat looking curiously at Athene. "She's mine!" The little girl yelled, in case anyone else got there first, but no one was interested. They were all too busy with the Maine Coons and the brightly coloured Pygmy Puffs. "She's perfect!"Athene held out a hand for the little silver tabby to sniff. Athene was rewarded with a sleek furry head rubbing into her outstretched hand.
"What are you going to call her?" Her mother asked, smiling.
Athene grinned back. She couldn't believe she was finally allowed a pet! "Um..." The baby name book thunked against her hip in her bag. Athene stared at the little cat. "You don't look like a Poppy or a Rosie," She said softly. Athene hadn't meant to fall in love with a grey cat! She was expecting something white or cream and fluffy, but instead she got... "Lily!" She said, triumphantly. "Her name is Lily,"
"Well, welcome to the family Lily Woodcroft," Athene's mum said, laughing.
"Welcome to the family," Athene whispered, gently picking her new pet up in her arms.
625 words.
Charlotte still didn't have an owl of her own, but their parents had hinted that an owl might be on the table for good OWLs later on. Athene flipped through the book one last time. She already knew what she was going to call her new magical companion but she wanted to look at in one more time, to make sure it was right. Poppy or Rosie, Athene thought to herself, putting the baby names book back in her bag.
"Are you ready?" Athene's mum said gently.
"Yeah!" Athene jumped up and down. "I've been ready for ages!"
Together, they walked into the pet store. Athene's eyes lit up. She wasn't animal mad like some of her friends at school, but she'd always wanted a pet of her own. Athene knew it was a no, but she gave it a shot anyway. If you don't ask you don't get, she thought to herself with a grin.
"Mum, I want an owl!" She announced.
"They're very expensive, Athene, and you're a bit young to be looking after a big bird all by yourself." Athene's mum said.
Athene scowled. "It's allowed! First Years can have owls! You just think they're scary because you're a Muggle!" Athene took a deep breath. "Please Mum? I'll be able to write to you all the time!"
"No, Athene. It wouldn't be very fair on your sister now, would it?" They looked at the owls a moment longer.
"Ok," Athene said. "So what am I allowed?"
"Not that!" Her mum said, as a gentleman bustled past with a spider in a cage, a small boy beaming behind him.
Athene shuddered. "Definitely not! Anyway, I think I know what I want really." She said, heading towards the cats. Athene lingered over a fluffy silver cat with gorgeous fur. She turned away when she saw the price tag, though. It would be a pain to brush all the time anyway, she thought to herself.
While they were checking out a cute Siamese, Athene's mum nodded gently, but Athene shook her head. Drumming her fingers on her chin, she glanced around. There she was! A Silver Mackerel tabby cat looking curiously at Athene. "She's mine!" The little girl yelled, in case anyone else got there first, but no one was interested. They were all too busy with the Maine Coons and the brightly coloured Pygmy Puffs. "She's perfect!"Athene held out a hand for the little silver tabby to sniff. Athene was rewarded with a sleek furry head rubbing into her outstretched hand.
"What are you going to call her?" Her mother asked, smiling.
Athene grinned back. She couldn't believe she was finally allowed a pet! "Um..." The baby name book thunked against her hip in her bag. Athene stared at the little cat. "You don't look like a Poppy or a Rosie," She said softly. Athene hadn't meant to fall in love with a grey cat! She was expecting something white or cream and fluffy, but instead she got... "Lily!" She said, triumphantly. "Her name is Lily,"
"Well, welcome to the family Lily Woodcroft," Athene's mum said, laughing.
"Welcome to the family," Athene whispered, gently picking her new pet up in her arms.
625 words.