Everything of importance was upheaved onto any available surface in his room. Despite having an enchanted satchel that could fit a vast array of items, Simon was still having difficulty deciding what to bring to Hogwarts that year. Some healing references? Of course. Ice skates? Sure. His guitar? Absolutely! His skateboard? Unsure.

Not wanting his guitar stuffed in his trunk, he gently lowered it down into his enchanted satchel, knowing that in there it wouldn't get crushed by a closing lid. Softly, the rhythmic sound of a clack, clack, clack caught his attention and he watched as hiswand rolled against the floor.

His gray rat, his aging troublemaker, poked his head up from behind a stack of books and sniffed the air as if he was judging what Simon's considerations were. He was still acting as sassy as ever, still sharp, still stubborn. He still acted as though he had somewhere better to be.

"Don't look at me like that," Simon told the rat, "I haven't decided yet."

Rascal twitched some and then looked to Simon straight on with his beady little eyes as if to say 'yes you have."

Simon hadn't brought Rascal with him to school this past year and at the time it felt like a compassionate move. Rascal was getting older and starting to nap more than his already compulsive napping self and the noisy crowded chaos of castle life seemed like something he could use a break from.

But that noisy crowded chaos of castle life seemed a little more empty without his little gray rat pal.

Simon had missed their late night study sessions or essay writing marathons - he with quill and parchment and Rascal contibuting by helping him stay away with his squeak, squeak, squeak of his wheel. He missed Rascal causing trouble in the Library, climbing to the high shelves just to obstinately knock over books onto the floor. And he missed the derby races that he and Rascal seemed to sometimes partake in through the corridors when Rascal wouldn't behave and then would dash off in lightning speed.

And now Percy was injured on top of it all. The small owl had tried to protect Simon and both defend him from a raven and avenge him all the same but was now met with a bad leg and a torn wing. Percy currently resided at AngelFyre's family's animal sanctuary and was in the competant and caring hands of Hugo.

That left him with a choice..... bring Rascal back to Hogwarts or get yet another pet.

Simon glanced over toward the rat to see him attempting to gnaw on the corner of one of his books, slowly and deliberately. "Really?" Simon said, quickly snatching the book away from the rodent, "that's one of the books I need to start studying for the N.E.W.T.s!" Rascal gave a squeak to show his discontent at losing his chew toy and Simon just laughed before leaning down to the little creature. "You haven't changed, mate."

Later that afternoon he was leafing through the books he'd bring with him. He came across a collection of poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Simon had always appreciated the poet for his musicality and hope and optimism in his writing. He opened the book to a random page and saw the poem titled "The Arrow and the Song."

The Arrow and the Song
I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.

I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of song?

Long, long afterward, in an oak
I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song, from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend.

He read it aloud and Rascal climbed up on his arm as he did so, almost as interested if interested in the words themselves but Simon figured it was probably just the rhymthmic flow of the text. Simon looked down to the little gray rat. His heartache the winter he lost one of his best friends was something so profound and it was as if Alexa herself, former owner of Rascal, had been the archer and she sent her arrow, Rascal, to Simon. Together, healing had been theier flight of song.

It had been a fairly good year at Hogwarts this past year in Simon's Fifth, but his Sixth year was already beginning with lots of turmoil from the summer events of his father's coven. He could use an arrow with sight keen and strong close within his life again and he could find that again in the heart of his little rat pal.

"Alright, Ratman. We've still got a few adventures left in us."

Link to your RP Thread Of Mice and Magic
What animal do you wish to purchase? Gray Rat
What do you want to name it? Rascal
Is this a boy or a girl? boy
What is your pet's date of birth?October 17, 2020

Done