Two Strays Pet

mentions| n/a ooc notes| your girl has cash now you best believe im getting a cat

690 |word count slytherin school uniform, mary janes |outfit

An unusual companion appeared in Valour’s life not long after settling in at Hogwarts.

From the get-go, Valour had settled into a comfortable rhythm of independence, roaming the halls and grounds of the castle freely, exploring whenever the urge moved her. She made passing acquaintances, often classmates and reoccurring figures in the dungeons, but largely kept to herself. It wasn’t an active effort on their part. They lay awake some nights while groups of girls whispered to one another by candlelight and wondered if they were missing out on this experience of kinship with other students. Perhaps they were too resistant to others, or maybe they didn’t pay enough attention to others in their own wayward nature. Irrespective of all this, Valour wasn’t one chase. Life went on as usual, and they were perfectly happy to bask in their own company.

One afternoon, while sat in the courtyard with a beaten copy of ‘Fantastic Beasts’, the witch spotted a figure skulking among the greenery. Valour snapped their book shut, a small gust lifting their hair as they stood up to investigate. Before they made much progress, the beast retreated.

This shadowy ‘thing’ seemed to appear wherever Valour roamed beyond the castle walls. By the Herbology greenhouse, amongst the pots; on the outskirts of the Great Lake, its beady, amber eyes peering out from the trees. The first time Valour really got a good look at the thing was as they took a short detour by the Viaduct to clear their head. There it was, strolling languidly along the stone railing. It had a warm orange-brown coat, dotted with the most peculiar black rings, reminiscent of a cheetah. Its tail tapered into black stripes, swaying lazily behind it. Lithe and calculating, the beast was nothing more but a cat. Still only young, big enough to be cradled like a newborn, but its presence was intelligent and cautious. She approached Valour hesitantly, cocking her head before turning with a flair and trotting away, unbothered. Valour could only raise their brow in surprise and huff; her stalker had an attitude.

Back where this all began, Valour was lounging in the courtyard, comfortable against the trunk of a winding tree, now with a copy of ‘The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection’. Valour thought humourlessly to herself that she might need it, given the company she had accumulated over the past few days. As they lost themselves between pages, they hardly noticed the feline approach her from behind. Her wide eyes found the pages of Valour’s book, and then their face with curiosity. Valour felt the nudge of a small paw against her arm and looked down at her small friend. They gave a soft eyeroll and cracked a smile, “I don’t suppose you know anything about this?” They gestured to the book, earning a small chirp from the cat. The witch chuckled quietly and gestured to their lap.

The cat eyed her cautiously, jerking backwards and stepping away at Valour’s movements. For an animal so distrusting, the witch found it odd that it had become so enamoured with following her. She whispered again, almost certain that other students were looking at her strangely for speaking to an animal, “Well? Do you want to be friends or not? You won’t bloody leave me alone.” This seemed to do it for the young cat, as it stalked towards Valour and made itself quite comfortable on her lap. She playfully bat at their chest, earning an endeared grunt from the witch, who had already returned to her reading.

“You best behave yourself if you’re going to stick around. I suppose you need a name too.” They looked around, wondering if inspiration would strike her, “What about… Sable? Or… Vega? Is that too ‘Argentum-y’? Maybe…” They pondered a bit longer as the cat now stared up at her. Valour clicked their tongue and met the cat’s eyes, with a look of self-satisfaction. “Khepri. That’s a winning name.” The Bengal looked entirely unbothered by the choice, entertaining itself with the pages of Valour’s book instead; the witch snorted softly and muttered.

“Some friend I’ve made.”