Hidden in the shadows Pet Finished

Jack had been told by his parents not to buy a pet to bring with him to Hogwarts. They told him he wasn’t responsible enough to take care of one. Jack hadn’t wanted a pet before they had told him this. But now that it was forbidden, he was naturally intrigued. And a little bit offended. Why wouldn’t he be responsible enough? He already had his own horse and she was perfectly fine and alive! Yes, maybe he occasionally forgot to feed her. And maybe Jack’s brother had to do it for him every once in a while. But that was completely besides the point!

So while shopping for school supplies in Diagon Alley, Jack separated from the rest of his family. He told them he wanted to go look at quidditch supplies. It was only half a lie because he really did want to do that. He just wasn’t going to. At least not right now.

His plan was simple. He would buy a nice pet and hide it in his pockets until they got home. He’d keep it hidden for a while and make sure to take very good care of it. Once some time had passed he’d show his parents how well he had done and they’d be proven wrong about him. And if they still disagreed with his decision? Well, it’s always easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

A little bell rang when Jack opened the door to the Magical Menagerie. But it was barely audible due to all the loud meowing, hooting, squeaking and croaking that was going on inside the shop. The sounds came from all kinds of animals imaginable, both magical as well as non magical. Most of them sat in cages or terrariums but there was also the occasional free roaming cat.

Jack had to stop for a moment to consider his options. He realized that he hadn’t thought this part of the plan through properly. What kind of animal did he even want to buy? He wasn’t sure. As he stood there he managed to think of a few criteria to help narrow the selection down. First of all it had to be small enough to be easily hidden from view. He couldn’t buy a cat or an owl and expect his parents not to notice. It also had to be cool. He wasn’t about to buy some pink and fluffy pygmy puff. What kind of message would that send to his new classmates at Hogwarts? And finally it had to be easy to take care of. He didn’t want to put too much of his responsibleness to use if he didn’t absolutely have to.

He started walking further into the shop while scanning the shelves for something he liked. But the longer he walked, the more he began to fear that a gross toad would be his only option. Just as he was about to give up and walk away, he spotted an odd looking terrarium. The inside of it was completely covered with black spider webs. It piqued Jack’s interest and he went to investigate. He kneeled down next to it and pressed his face up against the glass.

And there it was. In the far corner of the terrarium, hidden by the shadows, sat a very large spider covered in black hair. Which is about as cool as it gets. It was also small enough to fit in a pocket, and it seemed unlikely that a spider would require much care. It was perfect in every way! He looked at the shopkeepers and said “I’d like this one, please.”


Word count: 607

What animal do you wish to purchase?Black Webber
What do you want to name it?Arachne
Is this a boy or a girl?Girl
What is your pet's date of birth?19 July 2022