29 August 2025 | Solo

Today is the day: it is Christina's birthday. Christina was excited when she woke up this morning. Usually, birthdays at the Rose household are a big celebration. That's why Christina wasn't surprised that when she woke up this morning and went downstairs, she was met with her sister, her mother and her father sitting at the kitchen island, with a huge cake on the counter in front of them. Her sister being her sister, she was the first one to smile brightly and wish her a happy birthday. That's when her parents followed, and they all broke into song.

Christina had become very interested in magical creatures last year at Hogwarts, which is why she was bummed that the course wasn't given until third year. However, the cake which was sitting on the counter was decorated beautifully with... pets. All pets one could take to Hogwarts. Christina was visibly surprised when she heard her father say: "Put on some clothes, Christina, we're going shopping", and she quickly ran back upstairs to get dressed.

Now, here she is, standing in front of the Menagerie in some light blue shorts and a white, frilly top. She never expected this gift: an actual pet of her own. Especially considering the fact that she wasn't allowed a pet for the first year. She didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth however, and pushed open the door, walking inside with her family right behind her.

It was quite packed inside the Menagerie, but it didn't matter. She was a little taller than last year, and managed to slightly tower over some first years, who were enthusiastically looking at pets. Most of them were looking at owls, but Christina already knew she preferred a different type of pet. While owls are very functional, and one can definitely form a bond with an owl, she preferred a more active pet.

Christina honestly hadn't expected to see this many different types of pets. There were cats, snakes, bunnies, toads, even spiders and lizards! She was a little overwhelmed, and just walked around the shop, waiting for something to catch her eye. Her sister was walking alongside her and started asking her questions. "So, do you know what you want?", she asked first. "Look! That one is cute!", was the next thing that came out of her mouth, while she pointed at a cute, little bunny. "Are you ignoring me?", was the last thing she said.

"I'm sorry Elle, I'm just a bit overwhelmed with all these choices", Christina responded. Apparently, her sister understood, since she nodded quietly. Christina let out a breath when suddenly, a cat jumped on her shoulder. Did this cat escape? Christina grinned, thinking about all the times she and her sister escaped the house when they were younger.

Christina tried to quickly grab the cat off of her shoulder, but before she could do so, the cat gracefully jumped off and quickly jumped on her back again. Laughing out loud, Christina playfully said to her family "I think we found the one!". Her entire family burst into laughter as well when the cat planted itself in her hair, which was already a little messy from the trip.

That's when a tall man came over with a smile on his face. He had broad shoulders and seemed to have some whiskers on his face. "I'm so sorry, this little ball of energy managed to escape.", he said, grabbing the cat off of her head. Oddly, the cat allowed the man, presumably the shop keeper, to grab it with no issues.

This is the first time Christina was able to have a proper look at the cat she was planning to take home. It was quite an exotic looking cat, with a goldish color and beautiful marbled circles on its fur.
.................................

"Oh, don't worry!", Christina said, "We are taking her or him, home". "Well, isn't that lovely. Why don't you follow me to the counter?", the kind shopkeeper responded.

The Rose household followed the man to the counter, where he started a conversation with a friendly lady. She was a little small, but smelled great, and she quickly walked off to help some other students. The shopkeeper told Christina how to take good care of the cat, who was indeed a girl, and recommended some basic necessities that the cat would need. Christina listened carefully, wanting to take great care of her girl. When the shopkeeper was finished explaining, Christina handed him 17 of the galleons her father had given her for her present.

After this interaction, the family walked outside, with one new addition: a beautiful, playful cat. On the way out, Christina and her sister started brainstorming some names. One name stuck with them: Moxie. Very softly, she heard her mother say: "What did we get ourselves into..", to which Moxie responded with a loud noise. After another fit of laughter, the family finally walked through the door, closing it behind them.

Word count: 831

What animal do you wish to purchase? Bengal
What do you want to name it? Moxie
Is this a boy or a girl? Girl
What is your pet's date of birth? 2 December 2024