"George! Wake up! We have to leave!". That was the first thing George heard in the morning when he woke up. Where was he… of course! It was his first day of the Winter Break, and he was at London with his dad!
"Coming, Mom!", George shouted back. In fifteen minutes, they were walking down the street towards the Leaky Cauldron. "Alright George, I hope you've decided what you're gonna buy?, his father asked. Of course Dad, don't you worry!, George said. He had decided it— a cute fluffy little... cat. But what about the name? Lucy? Jasper? That was a big problem…
As they entered the shop, a flurry of noises hit George. "Hoot hoot! Ruff ruff! Meow! Squeak! Squeal! Hiss!". George's eyes averted at once to the region where all the cats were kept. He stared with wonder at all the cats. All of them looked beautiful and cute, all were joint-first place. Maybe that one? No, that one? Oh, I get it, THAT one! Oh well I hate this., George's mind raced.
"Hmm, I guessed as much. Alright Georgie, let's use reasoning and deduce the breeds.", Dad said. He used to be a Quidditch Seeker and an Auror, so he knew about that stuff. "I was about to say that.", Mom said. "Yeah... good idea.", George was forced to agree.
"Look, pretty obviously, we're not buying the Bewitched Midnight Stalker, it gives off cursed vibes.", Mom said. "And of course not the Bengal one, that gives off jungle vibes, and forget the Siamese one, it's too thin. I personally don't want tabbies, but the brown classic tabby and the red classic ones do stand a chance though.", Dad went off at top-speed. "Egyptian Mau is too thin, and so is Chartreux. That leaves out just three, Red Classic Tabby, Silver Siberian, and Brown Classic Tabby.", his sister Lily also interjected with some helpful tips.
George, who had been watching the discussions in silence, now put in, "Alright, now, everyone's opinion matters. Vote!". "Red Classic Tabby!""Brown Classic Tabby! Hmm, did I mess up? Red Classic is also okay.""Silver Siberian!", three voices cried out."Whoa, that was not what I was expecting.", George reacted.
"You know what guys? It's George's cat, so he really should have the last say here.", Lily said with incredible common sense. "Yeah, I agree with Lily. Choose, Georgie!", his mom said. Dad nodded in approval.
"I- I- choose...". Before he said it, he knew what he was to do.
"... the red classic tabby.".
There was silence. Only the crowd's noises can be heard. Then Lily, Sophie, and Leo erupted into cheers, making a couple of Pygmy Puffs nearby squeal. "Well, now that that's settled, let's go buy it up!". Saying that, Sophie walked up to the shopkeeper.
"One Red Classic Tabby. Also, a pet bed, two tins of cat food, and a self-walking leash, please.", Sophie looked at George. He nodded. "Excuse me Ma'am, but what would you name it?"
It was here. The part George was dreading. Suddenly, he had an idea. He turned to Lily and took her hands. "Lily,", he said, "You've been a lot of help to us today. Your reward is that you get to name her!"
Lily was stunned. "Oh, um, name her? She's a girl, right? Very well, let's name her... Bella.".
Ten minutes later, not four, but five members of the Calder family walked out with radiant faces. They went back home, and the first reaction Bella faced was "Aww, she's so cute!"
On the 5th of January, as George was leaving with Bella with him, Sophie walked up to him. "George,", she said as she took his hand, "Take care of your new pet, okay? And be safe.". "I promise I will, Mom.", George said as he boarded the Hogwarts Express. "Goodbye, Mom!", he waved as the train whistled and chugged out of King's Cross.
