Second Chances, New Encounters Solo Complete

Date: August 21st, 2021
Location: Diagon Alley/Magical Menagerie
Ability: Parseltongue

Between explaining what she considered to be the basics of the wizarding world to her sister, Dorothy, who would be joining her at Hogwarts as a first year this upcoming term, and chatting with friends over her mobile phone, summer break had gone by in a melancholy blur for Adlai. Now she wandered the magical shop lined street of Diagon Alley with Johanna and their great aunt, Margret-Viktoria, who had self appointed herself as their guide.

With Dorothy discovering her magical abilities all but a few months ago, Adlai could tell that her baby sister was uneasy and over all afraid about everyone and everything around her and she had every right to be since her whole world had been turned upside down. Once and a while she’d come out of her silent state to ask a question, often times about the several products lined up in window displays or about people in posters plastered on public bulletin boards or the outer walls of the shops. Aunt Margret would answer each one with overwhelming joy as if she had waited her whole life for someone to ask her that very question.

Hearing their aunt’s shrill voice cut through the bustling sound of the crowd they inhabited made Adlai wince and as the trio rounded a corner she felt something grab her hand. Looking down she saw Dorothy’s hand wrapped around hers, her eyes darted to Dorothy’s face which was morphed into a petrified look as she took in the sight in front of her. Cocking an eyebrow, Adlai allowed her eyes to drift to where Dorothy’s gaze was fixed to only find a mere half goblin going about their weekly shopping trip. “Don’t stare, it’s rude.” she whispered to her, squeezing her hand as if to offer some form of comfort. Johanna remained silent.

Though half giants, half goblins, vampires, and others born from magical races had features which differed themselves from those who lacked magical genetics, Adlai could only assume how out of place the two of them looked as they bobbed after their aunt, whom they looked nothing alike too. Then again who really did fit in, in this uncanny world they called home.

Threading her fingers between Dorothy’s, Adlai broke their path from their aunts and began to lead her in a different direction. Surprisingly enough Dorothy didn’t protest like she normally would have when Adlai decided to be a bit rebellious. Nonetheless, as the two dodged between strangers and familiar faces a like they eventually stood in front of the Magical Menagerie.

Squinting to peer through the windows Dorothy turned her attention to Adlai, whose hand she still held. “What is this?” She asked her. “You’ll see, come one!” Adlai replied excitedly as she held open the door to the establishment for he sister and ushered her inside. “Tada!” she exclaimed spreading her arms out wide, as if to present the interior of the shop with great gusto.

“A pet shop?” Dorothy asked, crossing her arms.
“Yeah! Isn’t it great?”
“I’d guess, I mean it’s the most normal thing here so…” Dorothy’s voice trailed off once her eyes landed on a Pygmy Puff. “Nope, never mind, not normal.” She sputtered out as she scattered back to her sisters side.
“Don't worry, they're the most magic related thing in here, I promise.” Adlai stated as she traced an ‘X’ over where her heart would be. “Come on, I’ll show you the cats!” Cats were one of the many few things Dorothy couldn’t seem to resist, in fact if Dorothy had to be any sort of animal it would definitely be a cat. An indoor cat anyway.

Once Adlai was certain the cats had captured her little sisters full attention she began to venture off her own in the store, scanning the amphibious section of creatures. Recently the idea of reptiles and those related to the reptile family had intrigued her. Whether it was the persistent nature documenters she had been watching with her father lately or the fact that she could speak to snakes was anyone's guess, though one took more action than the other. Aside from that, this was just your average window shopping at the pet shop, something she had done in the muggle world and in the wizard world quite often when given the chance.

That was until an small voice began to seemingly squeal in her left year as she bent down to look into one of the toad habitats. “Hideous.” They peeped. Startled, Adlai immediately looked up only to come face to face with a petite snake. “Pardon?” she said, standing up right to look down at the slithering creature that poked their head out of its inclosure. “Hideous.” was all they said again. “What is?” she asked only to be answered with the same word “Hideous.”

“Hideous?”
“Hideous.”
“Hideous.”
“Hideous!”
“Is that all you know how to say?”
“Hideous.”
“Do you know any pretty words?”
“Hideous...”
Adlai frowned, why would such a small creature no such a nasty word when they couldn’t be anything more than a few weeks, maybe even days old. “Say ‘pretty,’ can’t you do that?” she asked as she mouthed the word to the little one. “P R E T T Y, yeah?” she inquired again after no response after her first attempt. Still the sake said nothing.

“There you are!” a voice wailed from the doorway, spinning around Adlai locked eyes with Margaret-Viktoria. Dorothy flinched at her aunts shrieking as she solemnly shuffled her way over to Adlai. “I have been looking for you two everywhere, do you know how dangerous it is for the two of you to go wondering around the Alley alone? What if something were to happen to you? What would you have done?” She scolded. “I’m sorry Aunt Margret, but I just-” Adlai began. “No excuses, you’re parents have entrusted me with you’re safety while you are here and-”

“Hideous!” said the snake cutting through Margret’s chatter, causing her to halt her flailing tongue. The older woman raised a greying brown as she found the source of the sudden noise. Adlai watched nervously as Dorothy watched in utter confusion, not knowing what could have ended her aunt's verbal assault on the two. “Me?” she asked the scaled creature which only spoke one word in response, “Hideous.”

Adlai was sure she had never seen her aunt so red in the face before, if she didn’t know better she would have thought someone had placed some sort of spell on Margret. “Hideous, you say?” she inquired only to be given the same response, “Hideous.”
“You tell it how it is, don’t you?”
“Hideous.” The snake answered and it bobbed its petite head in some form of a positive response.

Dorothy merely looked between the two and then to Adlai, “What’s happening?” She asked only for Adlai to shrug her shoulders. Even though she could understand them she hadn’t the slightest clue what was taking place in front of her. “I like this one.” Margret-Viktoria said, looking to the girls at her side. “I’m upset with you two for running off but you aren’t hurt so it’s something I can forgive and forget,” she started, “and you both seem like you would get lonely without one another at school so how about a new pet?” she motioned to the small enclosure the snake was located in and the two girls locked eye with one another.

Reducio

What animal do you wish to purchase?
Emerald Grazer
What do you want to name it?
Dafina
Is this a boy or a girl?
Girl
What is your pet's date of birth?
July 4th, 2021