Pv with @Damien Dragonclaw- August 2025 - Magical Menagerie

The Castellano Manor was grand, made that way through centuries of both magical expansion and the labor of those deemed under them who stacked brick upon brick to create the large walls that kept Theophilus warm at night. Doors that led to ballrooms, bedrooms, and the lone potions laboratory, were a common sight as the youth walked through the halls of their new home. Portraits of Castellanos long dead and buried would try to pull him into conversation as he traveled the halls. Madam Agnes, his great grand aunt, loved to pick at him about his blonde hair, as most of the other Portraits had dark hair, a trait that seemed to skip a lot of the new generation, much to the elders’ dismay.

“Dark hair and powerful magic! That’s how people would know a Castellano! The Malfoy would keep their blonde brats to themselves, and those Weasleys would make sure they said red, but us? We were proud of our hair, it was like black velvet to those commoners,” Agnes would rant on the wall right besides the upper stairs potion lab, always brushing a hairbrush through her waist length dark hair. He learned to ignore her.

Close to the Owlery was a Portrait of a younger man, maybe only 10 years senior to Theophilus if that old. He never told the lad his name, only smiling every time the heir asked. “Coming to send off another letter?” He would ask whenever the boy climbed up all the stairs that separated the rest of the house from where the owls stay. “Merely making sure they are not starving,” The boy commented at the other. The man in the Portrait smiled, “I’m sure the house elfs can do that too, they do feed them, you know.”

“Yes, but,” The boy slipped into the owlery to the soundtrack of the Portrait’s laughter, looking through the rows of owls with a smile. The Manor housed upwards of 30 birds at once, though the owlery never stayed that full, most of them flying with a letter during the day. Small fingers petted over the heads of the owls as he walked across the room. There were 5 Indian Eagle Owls, 3 Snowy Owls, 6 Morepork Owls, 11 Tawny Owls, 4 Barred Owls, and one Arctic Owl; his grandmother’s personal Owl being the Arctic one. Most of the time the Tawnys were the ones sent out, the ones that were fast enough without being too out of the ordinary if they needed to fly over any muggle neighborhoods.

“If you were my owl, I’d have you in my room,” He mumbled petting the head of one of the Moreporks, “A perch by the window so you could see outside even in the warmth of my courters.” Theophilus knew he couldn’t actually take one of the birds in the owlery, all of them working owls, not pets, for his grandmother.

Maybe he could get one before he left for Hogwarts, it was only a month away now, and he would need one to write to his grandmother…. Smiling, the young boy left the owlery, a plan in his head. The portrait guarding the owlery watched him go; the matching eyes the two shared crinkled when he smiled at the boys back.

–
The Magical Menagerie was a rather loud shop, full of animals making all sorts of noises. Theophilus was surprised the shop didn’t have a smell but that could have be because of spells, or maybe even a smell-good charm. The young boy was allowed to head to the store by himself, as his grandmother instead went to held some business of her own, something he was very deliberately told nothing about. The heir was so used to being told almost all of the family business, or what he thought was all, that when he get a sharp looking after asking about her plans, he was shocked.

Inside the shop was full of other shoppers, mostly students who were getting last many pet supplies or some even getting last minute pets. The other teens mostly knew what they were doing and some even pushed past the younger kids; who stood curious but confused close to the front of the store. He spotted many people who looked muggle, clothes playing a big role for them, the lack of robes.

Theophilus was wearing navy blue robes himself, a small crest embroided on the front, the Castellano family crest was on all his robes and even on some of the button up he would wear under them. His robes were a symbol that he was pureblood, and he knew that, had been taught that; he just never thought that the opposite would show in the ones without robes- that they weren’t as pure.

The lad made his way to the owls, trying to bypass as many people as he could to get to them. He wasn’t too successfully, as even though he made it to the back corner where the owls coo and caw, he bumped into another boy looking at the items along the opposite wall. “Oh, I’m sorry, it is a bit crowded in here. Are you alright?”
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The Magical Menagerie was quite packed on today as it seem like everyone was in their getting their pet for their first year or return at Hogwarts. It was quite nostalgic as he remember stepping in here the first time after he went to Hogwarts and buying his cat Apollo one of if not the cutest cat Damien ever saw. But the reason Damien was there wasn’t because he himself was buying a pet it was because his precious cat Apollo need food and a few other things.


Damien was Dressed in his Black robes with the Dragonclaw crest on it as he had on a buttoned up ruffle white shirt and his fancy black boots standing at his height of Five foot one with his curly dark hair neatly curled while wearing a red ring on his finger that belong to his mother as-well as a shiny blue necklace that matched his blue eyes. If anyone was to look at him they would immediately notice he was apart of the Dragonclaw family a very well known pureblood family due to his father working in the ministry but also due to the family crest.


The Dragonclaw Crest consist of the top half of a dragon with one claw visibly raised showing while covering up a good portion of the crest and in the bottom right corner the bits and pieces of its wings show. While a simplistic fires are shown layered behind the dragon itself. As Damien walked around the Magical Menagerie he began picking up a few items and putting it into his basket such as two bags of cat food one to keep in his dormitory at Hogwarts but as well as one for the Dragonclaw Manor, a purple and gold cat bed as well as a few cat toys he thought Apollo would like. He continued walking around the store as he figured he would look at the treats next as he was trying to make sure Apollo was trained and he found the best way to train him was rewarding him with treats when he did something good. Now granted his father told him that was the muggle way of doing it Damien didn’t understand how their would be any different way to train a cat and besides he quite enjoyed spoiling Apollo.


Once all of that stuff was in his Basket he tried to think of what else he could possibly need for Apollo he pulled out a crumbled up piece of paper and began reading off the list he wrote for himself. The list consisted of cat food, cat toys, a cat bed as well as cat treats. Damien felt as if he covered the whole list he couldn’t think of anything he had missed but that’s when it hit him, this whole time he hasn’t gotten Apollo a name tag yet. He figured while he was here he could look around and pick one out for Apollo so he began to look at the different tags they had to offer, as he looked around he spotted it the most perfect tag ever, it was a tag that was design to look like the sun which was perfect for Apollo as in Greek mythology the Greek god Apollo is most recognized with the sun as his icon so it fit Apollo the best.

Suddenly a boy bumped into him causing him to fall as he wasn’t expect it at all causing all his stuff in his basket to fall onto the floor with him as he slowly looked up he noticed a boy looking down at him as he apologized for bumping into Damien and mentioning how it was extremely crowded in the menagerie and asking him if he’s alright. “Yes yes I’m quite alright thank you for asking.” He said as he slowly began to get up looking down at all his stuff he would have to pick up.


Word count: [656/220]

Pv with @Damien Dragonclaw- August 2025 - Magical Menagerie

There was a lot to learn when your world is unheaved. A new language of existing overtaking all that you knew; every belief and value pulled from you as others replace it. Theophilus didn’t know any muggles in his old life, nor any muggleborns. Or, more accurately, he didn’t know what anyone else was, blood wise. His school taught all who needed its lessons, and his days were spent under the gaze of his family, so he never needed to know anything other than anyone’s name.

He didn’t even know about the Wizarding Wars that his grandmother had lived through until he moved to his father’s homeland. Statues in wizarding parks, plaques in certain neighborhoods, graves overcrowded with flowers and grieving people who never even met the dead that laid there.

Theophilus had only been to one memorial service; during the first couple of public appearances his grandmother had set up. Many pureblood families were there; lots of families who remained neutral or even moved during the war coming to make it known that they too feel for the losses of the light side. 27th years had passed since the war ended, but it was hard for that to really seem like too long when the kids born in the aftermath were just now getting older than their parents who didn’t make it out of the war. Or that's what his grandmother told him in a low voice as they walked past witches and wizards in their finest dressing robes, to stand at a stone pillar with the words the fallen 50 carved in it.

His father was only a child when the war had ended; his grandmother and grandfather taking over the Castellano Legacy just half a decade before the Second Wizarding War really began.
His grandmother often told him the years after the war were worse than the years in them; as Purebloods now were looked down on by some unless they tied themselves to the light side. “Do these people understand nothing about taking care of one's own? Was I supposed to send my children to die like them? Was I supposed to die for muggles when I had babies at home? Selfish, that's what they were. Stupid too.” His grandmother would say as she explained those days to him.

He learned alot about the Purebloods that remained neutral; and even more about the ones who said they were neutral but truly just didn’t publicly join in on the impolite side. The years between the war and now were full of their family working to make people know that purebloods were still a good part of the narrative, or at least it was.

“I don’t know why your father did what he did,” His grandmother said one night a couple weeks before he was set to start his first year at Hogwarts. “I wish he would have stayed here with me. Things would be different if he would have remained closer.”

The days spent in the sitting room, going to events held by his grandmother and her other older pureblood friends, and his own small glimpse into the British wizarding war made him very confident he could look at another child his age and determine their parentage.

A boy with similar robes to him, another crest embroidered on his black robes, had been the unfortunate victim to Theophilus’ bumping. From the ground, Theophilus viewed the dark haired boy, his curls almost rebelliously proper; contrasting to the clean short cut the blonde was forced to wear. As the other looked up to him, Theophilus saw his blue eyes, looking almost white in contrast to the dark of his hair. “I honestly didn’t think I was, umm, that I could bump into someone enough to knock them over,” The younger boy said, blushing slightly as he stuttered. The other’s stuff was knocked around, but Theophilus couldn’t force himself to get himself on the dirty floor to help. The most he did was bend to collect the basket for the other.

“My name is Theophilus Cornelius Castellano, heir to the Castellanos. I am terribly sorry.” He said as he handed it back. His voice going somewhat deeper, as Theophilus started to feel worst; subconsciously wanting to jump into a more comfortable language to showcase his true sorrow. He was embarrassed and upset that the first true interaction without his grandmother controlling who he talked with and he goes and knocks them to the ground! How unpureblood could he get!

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Damien just smiled at him softly before shaking his head when he heard him apologies. “No no it’s quite alright I promise! I should have been paying attention better..so on behalf of the noble house of Dragonclaw I am quite sorry.” he said as he bowed in apology as he remembered the etiquette lessons his mother had taught him when he was younger. He noticed the other boy had handed him his basket and he smiled softly at him before taking it and getting down the pick up the car supplies he had dropped putting it back into the basket slowly.

Normally he wouldn’t care if his robes were getting dirty but these were very expensive and nice Dragonclaw robes and he knew his father wouldn’t be too happy with them being dirty. “Man ima have to wash these robes before I get home father will kill me..” Damien mumbled to himself softly as he knew he had to clean these before his father got home.

He smiled when he heard the boy mentioned that his name was Theophilus Cornelius Castellano and he was the heir to the noble house of Castellano. Once he finished picking up all the stuff he stood up and dusted off his robes trying to not look too worried about it and to make himself look presentable as he held out his hand and smiled down at the boy softly. “Pleasure to meet you I am Damien Orion Dragonclaw.” he spoke gently as his blueish grey eyes look at Theophilus.

Pv with @Damien Dragonclaw- August 2025 - Magical Menagerie

The worry that filled Theophilus just seconds ago dispersed fast when the elder boy smiled at him; a sign that maybe he didn’t look too civilized to the other. The boy’s smile was soft, making his perfect teeth shine in their perfect white. The noble house of Dragonclaw? Theophilus felt relief as he realized he was right, the boy in front of him was pureblood. Last he needed was to knock over so rich muggleborn who would spread lies about his rudeness.

There were some things that couldn’t be untaught, and some things that had to be just about beat into a person. Manners and etiquette were things that pureblood families made sure their children knew no matter where they were raised, in snow or sand. Muggleborns though? Who knows what they are taught in their muggle schools.

The elder boy bowed to him, making Theophilus step back some in confusion. He had never been taught to bow but maybe that was the appropriate reaction, instead of just standing there like Theophilus did. The Russian raised boy didn’t think he had ever had another boy bow to him like this. It reminded him of the curtseys his sisters were taught during their own etiquette lessons.

He watched as the boy picked up his items, having to bend over for each item. He didn’t seem to care for the act like Theophilus did. Maybe his family taught their sons different manners for them? Theophilus would have probably left the items on the floor before he’d bend over in front of so many people, or Merlin forbid, bend to his knee to reach for something that had rolled away.

When the boy mentioned his father, even if it was just a personal remark under his breath, Theophilus tensed slightly. His father was going to miss his Hogwarts start. The thought hit the young boy suddenly as he watched Damien finish collecting his stuff and stand again. What would his father think of everything that had happened so far? Would he be taking Theophilus to get an owl instead of just letting him go shopping alone like his grandmother had? Would he even be going to Hogwarts if his father was still here?

“It’s a pleasure to know you, Mr. Dragonclaw,” He said, his voice soft as he looked down at the older boy’s hand. Slowly he extended his own, slipping it in Damien’s for a handshake. He saw the other boy’s smile and tried to match it but he didn’t think it really had the same effect as as the Dragonclaw Heir. “Sorry again,” He said, feeling odd about the whole encounter.

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made by the lovely Elena Clark
Word count: 470/200