June 27^th, 2026

Breakfast in the Ashcombe manor went as usual on that Saturday morning. House elves, with their peculiar brand of magic, filled Eveline's empty bowl with porridge. They even added the little banana slices she liked so much. Careful to keep her face calm, Eveline nodded politely to one of them in thanks - Milsie, she supposed, was the house elf's name.

Breakfast, as usual, was a relatively silent affair at first. Mother calmly read the Daily Prophet while Father focused on the sausages on his plate like they were the only things to exist. It was normal. Predictable. Until Father spoke.

"...Eveline, dear," Father said, looking up with that familiar distance in his eyes, but he was looking at her. That must have meant she'd been well-behaved lately, Eveline reasoned.

"Yes, Father?" Eveline asked, placing her spoon into her bowl and looking up.

"I think you're due a gift. To celebrate your admission to Hogwarts," Father said.

Her birthday was half a year away, so Eveline wasn't entirely sure why she was being given a gift. But she wouldn't say no to a gift. It would be rude to do so, and Father always gave the nicest gifts. Even behind Mother's back, at times.

"Thank you," Eveline said calmly, but she did smile. Just a tiny little thing.

Hours later, having traveled by floo powder, Eveline was in Diagon Alley. Particularly, she was standing in front of the Magical Menagerie. Father stood just behind her, close enough that his chest touched her shoulder. Surprisingly, even Mother had come along. There were no house elves, this time. Only her two parents. Eveline felt her chest swell with pride. Both of her parents had accompanied her for a gift-giving, and then they'd led her to the Magical Menagerie. She must have been quite good, indeed.

Stepping into the shop, Eveline didn't move about to look around like most children might've. She remained well-behaved, standing at her parents' sides. Even as the shopkeep and his wife greeted them, Eveline simply let her father do the talking while she remained with her mother.

"Eveline, sweetheart," her mother's voice was low, meant only for her. "We've brought you here for your gift. Have a little look around, won't you?"

Mother sounded happier than usual. Eveline reasoned that she must have done something very good indeed, for Mother to be in such a good mood.

"Thank you, Mother," Eveline said with a small smile.

She began walking toward the beasts within. She knew pets were allowed at Hogwarts, of course. She'd read her Father's old acceptance letter plenty of times since she was a little girl, memorizing the words within. An owl, a cat, or a toad, his letter had said. Things were different now, though. Eveline was quite certain the limitations had been loosened quite handily, but still, she didn't want to appear uncouth, so she avoided certain pets such as toads or rats entirely.

Then she reached the cats. They were adorable, yes. Graceful, even. But the thought of maintaining a litter box while at Hogwarts didn't sound very appealing. Even if she knew magic enough to help with it by then, she wasn't too keen on the thought. And cats had a tendency to scratch and maim, and she was very fond of her unblemished skin, thank you very much.

Then she came upon the owls. As soon as she did, one owl flew out of its open cage with a shriek and landed on her shoulder. It was an ugly little thing, with ruffled feathers and a crooked beak. Eveline sneered at it, but only briefly before she realized what she'd done and schooled her emotions to a calmer expression once more. It was nuzzling her hair with its beak, as if looking for worms. The stupid thing.

"There, there," Eveline said to the owl. "Your cage is right over here."

And she offered her hand, letting the owl roost onto it, then guided it back into its cage so she could browse for the pet she actually wanted. She did, however, catch the ugly owl's name. Kerfuffle. The owl's name was Kerfuffle.

Eveline quickly turned away from Kerfuffle, instead looking at the other owls. Only then did she see it. She didn't know much about owls, but the one perched politely and stately upon the roost in its own, larger cage was perfect. It was a beautiful bird with clean, well-kempt feathers of gold which she was so sure would shine in the sun every morning. With an owl like that, she would be the envy of her entire class. And this was an owl that truly deserved Eveline's arm.

Her eyes must have lit up quite excitedly, because Mother was standing beside her, smiling sweetly.

"It's a Tasmanian Spotted Owl," Mother said, reading the card on the beautiful owl's cage. Eveline hadn't even noticed it. "You quite want this one, don't you?"

Eveline looked up at her mother with hope in her eyes.

"I... do," Eveline conceded, trying not to smile too brightly, but failing.

Mother stared at her, then glanced at the beautiful owl, then back at Eveline.

"...then this should be a lesson for you, darling," Mother said, voice no less sweet, but the tone was familiar enough to make Eveline's heart drop. "It isn't wise to reveal that which you desire. Others could exploit it. Be grateful all you desired this time was an owl, but when someone knows what you want, they have leverage. They can get you to do what they want."

Another of Mother's lessons. Here. In the Magical Menagerie, while Eveline was getting a gift from Father. Eveline shouldn't have been surprised, but there was a familiar twinge of disappointment in her belly. One she kept carefully off her face.

"I understand, Mother," Eveline said, keeping her voice calm this time.

Mother smiled. A warm, genuine smile.

"Good. Then you understand why you'll be getting the other one," Mother nodded toward Kerfuffle's cage.

Eveline's heart sank, but still she didn't let her face show it.

"Yes, Mother."

As the ugly little owl moved to Eveline's hand at Mother's beckoning, Eveline approached the counter, where Father was speaking fondly with the shopkeep and his wife.

"Oh, my dear!" Father said, sounding utterly delighted. "You went with an owl! What a beautiful little thing. It reminds me of my first owl when I attended school!"

Somehow, Father's delight lifted the haze of disappointment slightly. But only slightly.