Selim stared up at his older brother, Corvus, hesitantly, yellow eyes glistening in question as his ‘bodyguard’ led him through the streets of Diagon Alley, humming a cheerful tune under his breath.

The taller, older boy’s long back hair swayed softly behind him, tied together in a low ponytail.
He always wondered how his nii-san did it, kept smiling, kept moving forwards despite everything that was trying to pull him back. How did he keep his happiness? How, if he was a pacifist forced to do the very thing he hated?

It was a question that Selim had asked his technical older cousin many times, “How do you keep standing?”

Despite such a vague inquiry, his brother understood what he was asking, and every time he asked it, the boy responded with the same words, “I have something to protect.”

Selim cast his eyes back to the cobblestone, clutching the hand of the first person he ever dared trust, tightly squeezing the appendage, in search of comfort.

As always, his brother squeezed his hand back, that kind aura Selim had never felt until he met him seeming to travel through their linked fingers, warm, reassuring.

“Nii-san, where are we going?” Selim finally asked.

The taller boy looked down at him, that genuine smile on his face, spring green eyes seeming to twinkle with a hidden mischief, a dash of amusement. “That’s a secret, Selim-kun. Just wait until we get there, then you can thank me later.”

Selim’s brows furrowed in mild confusion, before he sighed, giving up on trying to wheedle information out of Corvus.

They continued down the streets, turning corners and dodging other wizards with caution. Diagon was bustling, as per usual, and Selim knew he caught some glimpses of Hogwarts students here and there, 1st years preparing for the magical school with excitement in their eyes, 2nd years a 3rd years merely smiling lightly perhaps at the thought of seeing friends again, and the years above looking indifferent, or grim, as if preparing to go into a battle once more (There were very few with smiles on their faces).

It was three days before Selim would be sent off again to that troublesome school the second time. He would be sent away from his family… and despite that… he felt… immense relief.

The summer he had gone through was tedious, painful, and stained with blood, sweat, and many tears. It wasn’t relaxing, it wasn’t fun, like Selim guessed most children’s summers would be.

He had been broken down and built back up multiple times until he barely remembered what he was like before he had arrived back at the clan compound.

Now, he had many masks, one after the other, layers upon layers ready to slip on at a moments notice. He had long since forgotten which was his true personality, true self, and which was a fake persona built to fit specific situations.

He had lost himself under the storm, almost drowning and drifting out to the endless sea of masks… if not for his anchor.

His older brother had tried his best to stay at his side, tried his best to pull him out of the water… but one person could only do so much.

“Ok, gaki, we’re here.” His older cousin spoke, humor lacing his voice.

Selim looked up, catching sight of the sign above a quaint storefront.

“… Magical… Menagerie?” The twelve-year-old turned to look at the teen with a confused expression, “What are we doing here?”

Corvus rose a brow, voice wry, mirthful, “Obviously, we’re buying you a furry companion.”

The younger of the duo copied the expression, “And tell me, dear brother, why do I need one of those, I already have my snake.”

The long-haired young man let out a scoff, “I know you do, but you can’t bring him to Hogwarts, can you? So we’re getting you a cat… or a rat, depending on what you’d prefer. You already have an owl back at the compound that we can send out to you for letters, toads are useless, and there’s plenty of spiders and lizards around. So I see no point in buying one of those for you.”

Selim frowned, face unimpressed, “What about a pygmy puffs?”

The older boy snorted, “What? Those living pompoms? They’re hardly intelligent, the brains of goldfish, I swear, and I doubt you’d want to carry around a hot pink ball of fur with you everywhere.”

Selim shrugged, obviously agreeing to such a thing.

“But you can get what you want, I suppose, I have enough gallons from my missions to buy half the animals in there, I bet.”

Humming, Selim turned to the shop, before walking in, his brother following on his heels. “I still don’t see the point of getting a pet.”

He then let out a surprised shout as a hand descended on his head, fiercely ruffling his hair. “Let's call it a late birthday present, ok, gaki? Now shut up and accept my gift.”

Selim scowled as the hand left his head, trying to straighten out his hair, “Fine, fine.”

“Good,” Selim could hear the smirk in his cousin’s voice, “Now look around, I’ll wait for you with our other supplies.”

Waving a hand laxly in offhand confirmation, Selim let his gaze roam the store curiosity glinting in his gaze as he looked upon the creatures all set up nicely for customers to see. Cats, birds, reptiles, arachnids and amphibians, they were all sitting there, waiting for a home… now which one fits him?
Selim wasn’t going to choose one carelessly, despite his outward reaction, he deeply appreciated the gift his brother had decided for him.

Anything would’ve been fine for Selim, if his brother had gotten him a dagger, a book, even a senseless bauble, he would cherish it like it was a rare diamond. Because the care in each gift his brother gave him, was genuine, unlike the thousands of gifts his clansmen got him, meant only to further his abilities, a new sword, a new set of knives, body armor, books of literature, all of it was to better him, to make him a more efficient weapon.

But his brother? Every present the young adult got him, had only the motive of making Selim happy, making him feel… human, to feel cared for.

So this decision would be made with as much care as Selim could give back.

After browsing the store… he finally caught sight of something.

A cat, eyes green, like his brothers, was staring at him.

Selim stared back, examining the nearly solid-black fur of the feline, faint darker patterns underneath, seen only in the light. He then examined the wedge-shaped head, elegant, yet soft plush fur, and the ears, a bit larger than a normal cat’s.

He meowed at him, tone soft, quiet, as if greeting him.

Blinking, Selim watched his reflection do the same in the feline’s green gaze.

Then he turned, glancing at the shopkeeper and asking them to take the cat out of its enclosure. They agreed, warning him to keep an eye on the feline.

Crouching down, Selim held out his hand for the cat to sniff, which it did so… then it rubbed its head against his palm. The preteen couldn’t help the small, soft smile that curled up his features at it began to purr.

“What are you doing?” He spoke, softly in a chastising tone, “You shouldn’t act this way towards someone who has blood on their hands…” His voice became sad, somber.

The cat looked up at him, reacting to his voice, before walking up and purring louder, climbing onto his shoulders and curling around his neck, tongue rasping against his ear as it proudly claimed his shoulders as its spot.

Selim heard a chuckle behind him, and turned around, seeing his brother smiling gently down at him. “Seems it chose you, not the other way around.”

After a moment’s hesitation, the younger boy nodded, his lips upturning ever so slightly.

The three (including the cat) walked up to the counter, the shopkeeper’s eye shining with amusement as they spotted the feline laying across Selim’s shoulders.

Huffing, Selim looked away, faint pink dusting his cheeks, and curtly asked whether the cat was male or female.

“He’s a male, an Egyptian Mau mix, ‘bout a year old, I suppose you’ll be buying ‘im?” The clerk asked, to which Corvus nodded in confirmation.

They did, indeed, buy the feline, the older of the two boys placing 14 gallons on the counter as the shopkeeper provided a kennel, and a navy blue bandana (Which Selim promptly tied around his new companion’s neck).

They walked out of the store, the cat stubbornly remaining on Selim’s shoulders, kneading his shirt with sharp little claws.

After a while of walking back to the exit of Diagon Alley, Corvus turned to his little brother, a question on his face, “What will you name him?”

Selim stared off into the distance, deep in thought as he held his nii-san’s hand, and after a few minutes, finally answered.

“Kioshi,” He spoke with finality.

“Quiet?” The older boy asked, Selim simply nodded in response, Corvus smirked, “Fitting.”

With that they continued on, heading home to prepare further for Selim’s return to Hogwarts.
Idly, Selim decided he’d stitch Koshi’s name into his bandana.

Because that’d be pretty cute.

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Credit and gratitude to Anastasia Beckett for donating 7 gallons, allowing me to buy a cat