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During the summer, Vale's family took her to get a friend for school. Just to ensure their daughter wouldn't be so lonely during her first year. They decided that taking her to the well known pet shop that resided in Diagon Alley's North Side was a decent enough choice.

Magical Menagerie, all in its glorious lettering in the front of the store. And there the Ashwoods stood, looking the store over like it was a strange sight to behold. "Well would you look at this place! It's like a full circus but without homicidal clowns inside them!" Vale's father blurted, holding a pipe that blew bubbles.

Duncan was a man of many words, but words that meant nothing at all. Unlike him, his wife was the voice of logic and reason in the Ashwood household. "Mpenzi¹, a circus is more than just the animals. Why, it involves the terrible, horrific accidents that come out of them." Well, when it comes to talking to those that aren't Ashwoods, that is.

Duncan's eyes lit up. "You're right! Why I remember when we watch that terrible accident back in America with the man and the elephant! Everyone knows the winner of any debate is the one that takes out their opponent first." Adana smiled at her husband's logic. It was all so very charming to her. She wrapped her arms against one of her husband's and hugged it.

"Are we finally getting my pet, mum?" Adana looked down to view her ever so small, youngest child. Vale Ashwood, whose size was just barely over that of a half-goblin's size, was peeking back to her own mother and father. Adana made a smile, remembering the days of Vale's struggle to travel across their entire mansion and needing to be carried by various members of the family for travel.

"A pet is a big responsibility, Vale." Vale frowned, recalling this discussion more than once when her parents decided to announce her Hallowe'en present. "Yes mum. I know. They're not like my dolls. They can't fight back so well." Adana nodded, glad Vale realized the extent of what having a pet was like.

"Already got something on your mind, kiddo?" Duncan made a large smile, unblinking as usual of an Ashwood trait. But Vale kept her frown, "I'm not so sure, papa. " "Well, you'll get a good look inside then! Come then, dears! Maybe they have vultures." "Mpenzi¹, why a vulture?" "Poor guy I know said his wife's beloved bird passed away. Gonna surprise them with a new one if I can! Something easy to handle and very docile." Adana shook her head as they finally decided to enter the shop. "You always are so generous to our friends." Duncan kept his smile along with his unblinking eyes, which made some people around them slowly move away to avoid whatever the Ashwoods seem to be.

"Why don't you give a look around and tell us what blows you out of the water, kiddo. Your mom and I are going to check out to see if they have vultures." Vale watched her parents wander away into a different area of the shop with some people already watching them with wary eyes already. Her parents, always so generous in practice, yet people can't seem to appreciate their kindness it seems.

Vale patted her little, black dress of its wrinkles and decided to find the new member of the Ashwood family along the walls of the shop. Various creatures stared back at her or were too busy among themselves in creating noise pollution to care what the little girl was committing herself to.

As she roamed the shop, she noticed a group of some people in awe of animals in various shades of pink and purples off the corner of her eyes. Pygmy Puffs, she noted. But immediately she lost interest of the commotion, instead turning deeper into the shop. She bypassed the owls, the cats, the lizards, and even various snakes that probably eat children like her on a daily basis.

But what made Vale Ashwood stop in her tracks with sheer delight was when her eyes caught with various, little black eyes staring back at her with curious intent.

A spider, she noted. Vale blinked and moved up close to the rather large terrarium it took as a home. As she observed the rather large spider that did the same to her, she heard a voice behind herself.

"A European Hairy Trapper." It was a woman's voice. A gentle one at that. But Vale didn't miss a beat, "Female. They like to live in hair." The woman was slightly taken aback by a small bit of knowledge Vale had. Vale turned around to look up at the elderly woman. "Grandma used to take care of some. Females got big abdomens." The woman only made a smile, and moved to open the terrarium. The spider immediately rushed up its high-hanging web and hid away for the time period.

The woman sighed, "So shy for a Trapper. Could never find her the right owner." Vale kept an eye as to where the spider went, and moved her hand as best as she could to reach up through the terrarium. Instead of stopping Vale, the woman simply watched.

In the midst of the silence, the woman's eyes widen when the large spider slowly came out from its webbing and moved gently down onto the small girl's hand. "I don't believe it..." She muttered, witnessing what seemed like a miracle in action. Vale moved her hand down with the spider down to her normal level. A small giggle escaped her lips as it moved along her arm, all the way up to her very hair, and hid into it immediately.

The woman's shock slowly turned into a faint form of happiness. "She finally found her match, it seems, Miss Ashwood." "How did you know...?" "Your father is making it known who you guys are." The woman pointed out Duncan on the other side of the shop, shouting at the top of his lungs in villainous glee as he and his wife instead found a raven to take as a gift instead, apparently. An elderly man watched them with a nervous smile, possibly wondering when they will leave his beloved shop.

"Oh..." Vale hummed out. "I'll just put the coin of the Trapper with the Raven then. Oh! Do you have a name for her then, dear? Can't just go calling her 'Spider' or something." Vale nodded, turning her head slightly when the spider moved through her hair to watch the scene happening around them. Vale only made a smile at her father's antics.

"Familia." She answered, sure of the name. The woman looked back down to Vale and her new pet spider. "It means family, in Swahili." She explained, watching her mother encourage her father to settle down.

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What animal do you wish to purchase? European Hairy Trapper
What do you want to name it? Familia
Is this a boy or a girl? Girl
What is your pet's date of birth? October 13th