30 Mar 2024, 01:59
Owl Odyssey
Theodore's parents wandered through Diagon Alley like lost explorers in the Amazon rainforest. Being muggles, everything seemed foreign to them, often eliciting disdain for the unfamiliar. Though Theodore shared a similar disposition, he felt less intimidated and eager to explore on his own. After some reluctance, his parents finally relented and handed him a small bag of wizard money.
"Sweetie, why don’t you go pick out an animal from the pet shop?" Theo’s mother suggested, leaning down and pointing towards the Magical Menagerie.
A few moments passed without a reply, then Theo shook his head. "I don’t need a pet. The list says it’s optional."
His mother responded instantly, "Now-Now, I don’t want any of the other children to think your family is too poor to afford one."
Theo rolled his eyes. It was a typical response from his mother, who was once again prioritising social status over everything else. "This could be my only chance to go off and do something on my own," Theo thought to himself, then started walking swiftly towards the Menagerie.
"Don’t forget to buy a cage!" His mother shouted after him.
Upon entering the shop, Theo halted and instinctively lifted his hand to his face, scrunching it up in disgust. He had to stop himself from swearing aloud. The smell was utterly grotesque, and he pondered how the store owners coped being in there all day. Perhaps their sense of smell had diminished due to prolonged exposure.
The man at the counter gave Theo a small wave in greeting as he entered. Quickly composing himself, the boy smiled back, not wanting to appear rude.
He walked past the cats, toads, and ferrets without giving them a glance, focusing all his attention on the owls instead. For a moment, he entertained the idea of finding an animal that would upset his parents the most, but this mischief quickly faded as he caught the eye of a great horned owl.
"Whoa, does this owl really have horns?" he said over his shoulder toward Mr. Witticker, who chimed back, "Names can be deceiving. Those tufts on his head are actually feathers."
Theo shrugged, still considering the great horned owl the most impressive among the selection, especially with its persistent hooting and vibrant colours. Its feathers started off brown and transitioned into lighter shades, complementing the lemon-yellow of its eyes.
"I'll, uh, take this one," Theo declared with a smile, pointing to the great horned owl. Mr. Witticker happily strode over, moving the owl to a new cage and placing it on the counter. The creature looked around, its head swivelling back and forth in confusion.
"Thought of a name for him?" Mr. Witticker asked cheerfully. Theo hadn't thought of one yet, so he quickly recalled a name from a book he had been reading recently. "Lightoller," he said, handing over the small bag of wizard money.
"Sweetie, why don’t you go pick out an animal from the pet shop?" Theo’s mother suggested, leaning down and pointing towards the Magical Menagerie.
A few moments passed without a reply, then Theo shook his head. "I don’t need a pet. The list says it’s optional."
His mother responded instantly, "Now-Now, I don’t want any of the other children to think your family is too poor to afford one."
Theo rolled his eyes. It was a typical response from his mother, who was once again prioritising social status over everything else. "This could be my only chance to go off and do something on my own," Theo thought to himself, then started walking swiftly towards the Menagerie.
"Don’t forget to buy a cage!" His mother shouted after him.
Upon entering the shop, Theo halted and instinctively lifted his hand to his face, scrunching it up in disgust. He had to stop himself from swearing aloud. The smell was utterly grotesque, and he pondered how the store owners coped being in there all day. Perhaps their sense of smell had diminished due to prolonged exposure.
The man at the counter gave Theo a small wave in greeting as he entered. Quickly composing himself, the boy smiled back, not wanting to appear rude.
He walked past the cats, toads, and ferrets without giving them a glance, focusing all his attention on the owls instead. For a moment, he entertained the idea of finding an animal that would upset his parents the most, but this mischief quickly faded as he caught the eye of a great horned owl.
"Whoa, does this owl really have horns?" he said over his shoulder toward Mr. Witticker, who chimed back, "Names can be deceiving. Those tufts on his head are actually feathers."
Theo shrugged, still considering the great horned owl the most impressive among the selection, especially with its persistent hooting and vibrant colours. Its feathers started off brown and transitioned into lighter shades, complementing the lemon-yellow of its eyes.
"I'll, uh, take this one," Theo declared with a smile, pointing to the great horned owl. Mr. Witticker happily strode over, moving the owl to a new cage and placing it on the counter. The creature looked around, its head swivelling back and forth in confusion.
"Thought of a name for him?" Mr. Witticker asked cheerfully. Theo hadn't thought of one yet, so he quickly recalled a name from a book he had been reading recently. "Lightoller," he said, handing over the small bag of wizard money.
- 479 words -
What animal do you wish to purchase? Great Horned Owl
What do you want to name it? Lightoller
Is this a boy or a girl? Boy
What is your pet's date of birth?11th July 2021
"I stand astonished at my own moderation." Sta - 8 | Eva - 4 | Str - 3 | Wis - 10 | Arc - 10 | Acc - 8 |
15 Apr 2024, 18:09
Owl Odyssey
Take great care of your new little friend!
If you're reading this... You're awesome.
Calming Presence/Healing Sage/Wandless/Non-Verbal
STA - 16 | EVA - 6 | STR - 15 | WIS - 16 | ARC - 8 | ACC - 4