Alice doesn't usually ask for much.

She's never needed to. Her mother and step-father have always been quite wealthy, so all of her needs were met, and if she wanted anything, she simply had to make her case to her mother, and, if it was reasonable, she would get it.

When she moved in with her Dad, he wasn't... quite as wealthy as her Mother. Meals were less grandiose, clothing was simpler, and sometimes there were concessions her Dad had to make as a result of his working-class status. They were still comfortable, though, and Alice felt more of an attachment to her Dad than she ever felt to anyone at her Mother's home, save Lucienne.

Still, despite this, her Dad always insists on buying her things that he thinks kids her age want. She doesn't even have to ask.

When a few of the muggle kids in the neighbourhood were playing football, he bought her a ball and encouraged her to try and join them. When she glanced - unintentionally - at a dress in a nearby shop while they were walking through the city, he bought her the dress.

Alice is quite bright for her age. She doesn't miss the fact that her dad is buying things he probably can't afford, but she doesn't have to heart to turn down his gifts when she sees the smile on his face as she accepts them.

This gift, however, might be a bit much.

Her Dad, being a muggle through and through, has never been to Diagon Alley, so Alice suggested that she could show him around the place. Give him a glimpse into the other world to which she belongs.

Entering Diagon Alley was funny enough, if only because of his reaction when they walked into the Leaky Cauldron and saw some of the interesting folk around the pub, but when he saw some of the strange and interesting magical shops as they entered Diagon Alley, Alice giggled as she realized her Dad looked more like an excited child than even she had when she first came.

Of course, he insisted on visiting every shop. Every. Single. One. They'd avoided Knockturn Alley, of course - even her muggle father understands that some places are too seedy to bring your child to. Then, after a long couple of hours in Flourish and Blotts, their legs finally led them to Magical Menagerie.

As they walk into the shop, Alice recognizes the look on her Dad's face, and she's well aware that she won't be leaving the shop without a pet. He excuses himself, offering a quick goodbye to the elderly couple at the counter, and walks out of the shop, leaving Alice to browse the creatures within.

An adorable lizard called Rex stands out at first, his scales almost purple depending on the light, but Alice realizes that she doesn't think she can handle the sensation of the scales touching her skin, so she doesn't try to pet him.

Then, she finds a cute owl called Bucephalus. It's an amusing name, and the owl's feathers are quite eye-catching. However, as Alice's hand reaches out to try and pet the bird, it pecks at her fingers, scaring her just a bit.

After several minutes of looking closely at most of the creatures in the store, Alice stumbles upon a cat called Marbles. A young cat, as far as she can tell. It's quite small, and it can probably almost fit in her palm. Its fur is a plain brown that doesn't quite match the floorboards, and it looks at her lazily, not even moving its head as its eyes follow her hand.

Her hand gets closer to the cat, and still it doesn't move. Her hand finally reaches its neck, where she offers a small, delicate scratch. The cat watches her without moving, same as before. As her hand begins to pet the cat's back, the cat slowly - very slowly, even for human standards - lifts its paw and drops it down onto Alice's hand. Marbles drops her head onto Alice's arm and rubs it.

Alice knows how this is going to end even before her Dad walks back into the store, his pockets jingling with galleons.

What animal do you wish to purchase? Brown Classic Tabby
What do you want to name it? Marbles
Is this a boy or a girl? Girl
What is your pet's date of birth? 12 July, 2023

Pet Granted

Look after Marbles well.