A Friend of a Friend pet

Date: Easter break 2024

This had been a difficult one to explain to her mom.

Yes, mom, I can talk to snakes. Yes, this is a magical snake. And no, it won't hurt our dog. She quite likes our dog. Yes, she's a she. Yes, she did tell me. C'mon after all this magic stuff, this can't be your sticking point!

But here they were, taking an impromptu trip to Diagon Alley for pet supplies. Della's mom had finally been convinced to let a new member join the household on the condition she wouldn't scare guests and she wouldn't bite anyone.

The night before Della had revealed what she thought of as her darkest secret to her mother. It came out as confusing, excited word vomit. She needed her family to understand, to let her new companion live with her—if they refused, then she, too, would be slithering out the door.

The day had been like any other when Della was at home. She spent the morning lying in the grass of her Paddington backyard, sketching, waiting for her cousin to get home so they could play board games. Her cousin was with friends (people that Della knew and somewhat liked and usually expected to see her on breaks from her "fancy boarding school"), but Della decided not to join them. She only had a feeling that she would rather be alone.

That feeling morphed into something deeper, and she became lost in a memory of an old friend. She had met a snake as a child who had become her constant companion. Gus was clever and worldly—and hilarious. Della's uncle died while he was hibernating. They ended up moving before Della could tell Gus where she was going. The loss of a beloved family member and faithful friend blended together for her, and it was a time in her life she tried not to think about. But today she found herself sketching her uncle and Gus—they never met, but the two would have definitely gotten along if they could speak the same language.

I know that guy!

The voice startled Della. She reflexively grabbed her wand from her pocket and turned behind her. No one was there.

Did you hear me?

Once again, Della looked around, this time more frantically.

Down here.

Della looked down as instructed, and there was a snake. She was a more lush green than the grass around her, but she was small enough to blend in. She was raising her head curiously off the ground. "Oh, hello."

Hello. Isss that a drawing of Gussss?

This had to be a dream—but Della didn't want to wake up. "You know Gus?"

We met in passsssing. Nice sssssnake.

"He was my friend. I haven't seen him in a long time. I—I didn't get to say goodbye." The snake moved closer, bobbing her head in comprehension.

I essscaped a pet sssshop. He gave me a few pointerssss on living in London backyardsssss. Never met my parentssss; I didn't have any guidance before him. Once again the snake inched closer. He did sssssay there'sssss a rare chance I might meet a magical human who can ssssspeak like ussss. I'm Greta.

Della wanted to reach out to her and touch her, but she wasn't sure of the proper etiquette for parsel-serpent first meetings. "I'm Della. I'm very pleased to meet you, Greta." She had trouble keeping her voice steady with all the emotion ready to leak out of her.

Well, Della, you wouldn't happen to have any food? Or a warm place to sssssleep? Or... Or... I'm ssssorry. You ssssseem like a friendly face that'ssss all. In all her excitement, Della wasn't fully processing the snake's appearance. Greta looked small, a little sickly, and a few of her scales looked scratched. There was a sad desperation in her eyes, but also warmth. And from that moment, Della welcomed Greta into her life—which Greta accepted without hesitation. That night, as Della explained everything her to mother, Greta slept under a lamp, belly full of raw chicken breast—the first comfortable and safe night of her life.

Word Count: 679/400

What animal do you wish to purchase? Emerald Glazer
What do you want to name it? Greta
Is this a boy or a girl? girl
What is your pet's date of birth? March 3, 2023