Brian stumbled through the door of the shop ungracefully, the end of his walking cane catching on the slight gap of the doorway. As a result, the bell above the door rung noisily. Several disgruntled hoots and hisses let Brian know that his clumsy entrance wasn't much appreciated.
Carefully, as if to make up for his blunder, he closed the door behind him. An owl that perched in one of the many, many cages looked at him so reproachfully that Brian was almost tempted to apologize to it.
"Hello, son. May I help you?" A gravelly, male voice brought Brian out of his musing. Turning his head to the right, he saw an elderly man stand by a tank filled with brightly colored toads, a jar of insects in his hands that he most likely feeding the amphibians with. Brian assumed that this was probably the owner of the shop.
"Ah...eh...yes. I'm here to look for a pet."
"Most people that come here are, yes," the man replied jovially. Brian had to admit that it had been a rather stupid thing to say.
"I'm looking for a cat. I've recently got the job as the new Potions Master of Hogwarts and -"
"Why, that's wonderful news, son!" the man laughed delightedly as if Brian wasn't just a total stranger. This man seemed to be genuinely happy for him. Embarrassed, Brian shuffled on his feet, his cane nearly catching on yet another gap between the floorboards.
"So, you're looking for a companion, then?" the man asked, placing the jar of insects down and made his way over to Brian. Brian, a good bit shorter than the shopkeeper, had to tilt his head back to look at the elderly man.
"Eh...yes, sir."
"Sir? None of that, now. Call be Mr. Witticker. I'd offer you to call me Ernest, but some people don't react well to too much familiarity. So Mr. Witticker is just fine. Now, you're looking for a cat, you said. Any special type of breed you have in mind?"
"A small cat would be preferable, I think. I don't know how big my office and private quarters will be and I don't want the cat to feel too boxed in."
"Alright, we have a few smaller breeds. Now keep in mind that some of them can be quite a handful. They may be smaller but they make up for it in energy and smarts."
"Uh," Brian mused. "If possible, I'd like a cat that isn't very prone to throwing things off the shelves. I don't think that would turn out very well for anyone. Especially with potion ingredients."
"I think I have someone for you. Come along, son." With that, the man walked into the back of the Menagerie, Brian fumbling to hobble along after the taller man.
Slightly out of breath and with an uncomfortable stinging in his bad knee, Brian caught up with the man a minute later. Mr. Witticker had already stopped (the main reason Brian was able to catch up with the man in the first place), now standing in front of a tall cat tree that reached all the way to the ceiling of the menagerie and had several caves and hammocks for cats to lounge in, away from prying eyes. Brian wondered just how Mr. Witticker would know which cat to look for, but he assumed that the elderly man had plenty of experience.
And yes, Mr. Witticker reached into one of the caves with little hesitation and lifted a small, half-asleep bundle of fur out of it.

The cat was tiny, its ears almost comically large in comparison. Its fur was a beautiful, silvery color with darker dots and streaks making up its pattern. Pale green, sleepy eyes were currently looking at the man that had disturbed its sleep.
"This little one is an Egyptian Mau. Eight months old but hardly causes any trouble. She likes climbing on high shelves to watch people and sleep. If she's feeling particularly adventurous, she sometimes climbs onto my wife's shoulder and lets herself be carried around. I'm sure she won't give you much trouble."
"What's her name?" Brian asked, unable to deny that he was kind of smitten with this tiny ball of fur. Mr. Witticker shrugged, the movement jostling the small cat and causing her to voice her displeasure in the tiniest meow.
"Doesn't have one yet, but I'll leave that space blank for your adoption forms. That way you can find a name on your own time. That is if you want to buy her."
As if understanding what was going on, the cat's head turned. Previously so drowsy eyes now locked onto Brian with intelligence that felt almost uncanny. A moment passed where the cat simply continued to stare. Then she blinked, slowly, as if pleased with what she found. She let out another tiny meow.
"I'm pretty sure the decision was just made for me. How much do I owe you for her?"

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What animal do you wish to purchase?
An Egyptian Mau

What do you want to name it?
Hekate

Is this a boy or a girl?
A girl

What is your pet's date of birth?
February 8th, 2020