A Stormy Rescue Pet

EmmaLee beamed and skipped down the cobblestones streets of Diagon Alley. It had been a wonderful and fulfilling day of shopping with her mother and stepfather. They had started off by getting her wand at Ollivander's and then proceeded down her school supply list until they had shopped for everything she needed to go to Hogwarts. They had even stopped at a few shops for her parents, Celeste and Victor, as this was their first time is Diagon Alley as well.

"So, the very last thing on this list you need is a pet. It says that you can get an owl, a cat, a toad, a lizard, a rabbit, a rat, a ferret, a fish, a spider or a pygmy puff." Victor said, staring intently at the list in his hands. "We can get you a new pet here, E." He continued, lowering the list, slowing down, and gesturing grandly to the front door of the Magical Menagerie.

Celeste looked at her husband with a raised black eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Apparently he had forgotten that their daughter's one and only possible choice was waiting for them back at the hotel. That cat would follow EmmaLee to the moon if it was allowed to. There was no way it was not going to Hogwarts with her.

EmmaLee, on the other hand, scoffed loudly. She frowned deeply at her stepfather, almost offended at the suggestion. "Obviously, I am bringing Minx. How could you even suggest I bring another pet?" She asked, almost rolling her eyes at her stepfather's forgetfulness, but her mother's warning look toned down her reaction. Victor held his hands up in a surrender motion and chuckled.

"Ooooooor we can get Minx all of the supplies that her kitty heart desires here instead and you can take Minx." He said, reaching for the door of the shop and ushering the ladies inside. "Far be it from me to get between a girl and her cat."

EmmaLee remembered the day that she and Minx had met as she wandered into the store that was very clearly for animals. It definitely had that distinct pet shop smell. The smell of animals, bedding, and food all mixed together in a weirdly....pleasant or....distinct maybe smell. It was really go or bad, just, what it was.

In the fall, when EmmaLee was 7 and still living in France, her mother had sent her into the village on an errand to buy some meat for dinner. When she had left that morning, it was a bright and sunny day, but cloudy, and by the time she headed for home, the sky had suddenly opened up to torrential rain showers.

EmmaLee, umbrella-less even though she knew better in this autumnal French weather, was caught in the down pour. She put the bag she was carrying under her shirt to protect it and started running home in the rain that just got worse and worse.

Quickly she came to a small bridge over a creek near her house. Normally, the creek was probably up to EmmaLee's knees and she often played in it on sunny days, but by the time she got there today, it has risen up to her waist. As she approached the creek, she heard a loud and panicked mewing. It took her a moment to locate the sound and when she did, she saw that the water had rose up around a tall rock to create a little island in the middle of the rushing creek. On that island, was a tiny, grey kitten that could only have been about a month or two old. It had apparently gotten onto the rock before the rain started and could no longer get across now that the water has risen.

EmmaLee looked around to try and find help. She thought about running to get her mom, but the water was rising even more and she wasn't sure that she could get home and back in time before the poor little creature was washed away. So she took her bag from under her shirt and placed it on the ledge of the bridge, then carefully held on to the side of the bridge and waded into the water over to the kitten. She slowly edged through the water, still almost slipping a few times as the water whooshed around her, scooped up the kitten, and carried it back to shore before the water got too much deeper.

Afterwards, she grabbed her bag and ran the rest of the way home with the shivering little creature bundled her her seriously soggy shirt. When she had gotten home, her mother helped her and the kitten dry off, fed them both a good, hot meal, and let EmmaLee keep the kitten. EmmaLee had named her Minx and the two have been as inseparable as they could be ever since.

"Smart move." EmmaLee said, teasing and walking inside the shop. The family had a further good time picking out a food container, special treats, and even a little bag to hold the treats in so that EmmaLee could carry them around. The elderly couple of the shop happily rung them up and sent them on their way.

What animal do you wish to purchase? Silver Siberian
What do you want to name it? Minx
Is this a boy or a girl? Girl
What is your pet's date of birth?September 17, 2007