07.17.21

Summer was here, and along with it, a fast-approaching new school year. Callista touched upon many of the shops that lined Diagon Alley, consulting her new supply list occasionally. She spent a while at Flourish and Blotts, buying perhaps a bit too many books. Wizard money jangled in her pocket, the result of her father’s exchanges at the Gringotts Bank. As her pockets gradually grew lighter, she paused at their last stop for today.

Tapping her mother’s shoulder, Callista looked at the shop - the sign read, “Magical Menagerie”. “We can go in and browse if you would like,” her mother said with a knowing smile. With Aurora and her parents in tow, Callista headed into the shop. The door jingled when she opened it, but it could hardly be heard over the cacophony of animal noises that greeted her. Behind her, Aurora let out a small gasp of wonder.

“Whoaaa, Calli, check out all these animals! Omg look, there are tons of cool owls and cats and stuff!” Aurora chattered excitedly. Callista nodded, looking around with amazement. The owls were certainly majestic and pretty, but she had seen her fair share at the Owlery. Although some of the rats were, admittedly, quite cute, she wasn’t altogether that interested in them, nor was she considering buying a toad, lizard, or spider. Aurora practically bounced over to the Pygmy Puffs, crying out excitedly something about “puffs of hot pink”.

Laughing at her younger sister’s antics, Callista watched as her father followed Aurora over to keep an eye on her. Her mother, on the other hand, stayed with the Hufflepuff. What really interested her were the cats. The family owned a cat back home, a Siamese-Burmese mix named Miluku, but she wasn’t allowed to bring him to Hogwarts - nor did she think the old cat would enjoy the journey.

She browsed through the cat section, occasionally reaching out with slim fingers to pet a cat or two. Some were pretty, some were handsome, some were downright adorable, and others were as elegant as queens. And yet, none of them particularly caught her eye… until she spotted one. Its silvery fur was silky smooth, and it seemed to have been napping until Callista had come by. Stretching lazily, the kitten looked at her with inquisitive golden eyes.

“Hey there, little one,” Callista murmured, stretching her hand out slowly to pet the cat. It stepped forward into her hand, purring at her touch, and the young girl couldn’t help a smile from spreading across her face. The cat was old enough to be an adolescent, hardly a kitten anymore. Callista suspected that it was about 7 to 9 months old already, which was perfect since she didn’t want to go through the hassle of getting it neutered and training it. However, she would still be able to witness its growth from a kitten to an adult cat.

“Say, koneko… would you like to come home with me?” The kitten mewed, as if in reply, still rubbing up against her palm. With a grin, Callista turned to her mother. “Let’s get this one,” she said confidently.

By this time, her father and sister had returned. Aurora had been begging her father to get a Pygmy Puff, but her father refused, saying that as she wasn’t a student at Hogwarts, it wasn’t necessary. Her father turned to ask Callista if she was sure, saying, “Taking care of a kitten is difficult, and you’ll be responsible for it.” Callista nodded, sure by now that this was the one.

When they made their way to the counter, the nice old lady there gave her a friendly smile. “This little girl will be 15 galleons,” she told them. Digging into her pocket, Callista placed the last of the wizard money onto the counter - 15 galleons and a couple of sickles. The old lady, who was around her height despite their age difference, separated the galleons and collected the money. “Take good care of her!”

—

“Ne, Calli, what are you going to name her?” Aurora asked curiously. Gazing down at the small cat cradled gently in her arms, Callista thought for a few seconds before replying.

“Sachiko - Sachi for short.”

Word Count: 700

What animal do you wish to purchase? Silver Siberian
What do you want to name it? Sachiko
Is this a boy or a girl? Girl
What is your pet's date of birth? 10/16/2020

Reducio

Yep, same birthday as Kenma! No, it’s not a coincidence~