Sometime after receiving his letter--but still long before he made his way to Hogwarts--December sat in his room, excitedly looking around for what else to put in his trunk. Seeing as wearing clothes every day was definitely not optional, they didn't have much in that way packed at the moment, despite numerous times having said they'd "manage with my draws just fine, ma!"

So instead, he started becoming slightly bored. If he had to pack his stuff, he'd have nothing to do. But if he didn't pack it, he'd feel that anxious gut feeling one could associate with putting tasks off or not being prepared. Or, being 'lazy,' which he felt ashamed he could possibly be fitting the description of at the moment, as he was sprawled out uncomfortably on his floor while staring into oblivion. Shaking it off, he decided to get up and walk downstairs, maybe grab a drink or a snack or look for something to do. Or stare into space on the first floor in a slightly different manner than when he'd stared into space on the third floor.

"Yes.... This must be what productivity is alllll about during break months," he decided, mumbling to himself as he took the spiral stairs in a rush, just barely skimming the sturdy banister at a consistency one could consider safe, jumping two or three velvet-carpeted stairs at a time before making it to the second floor and stopping to catch his breath for half a second--then dashing through the halls like a reindeer during winter, once again flying down the bifurcated stairs much faster than safety called for or, indeed, necessary.

When he stepped off the final step and started to make his way to the kitchen, slightly winded (though that was his own fault), he found himself interrupted near the ornate door by none other than his mother, who looked fully dressed and washed, as though she was about to leave somewhere, which was odd, because as she was the only one home with him, she should tell him before she went away, right? December got confused by his thoughts, and ran up to her nervously. "Mama? Are you going somewhere?"

"Actually, no. We are going somewhere, 'Émber, my baby." She said softly. And when he asked where, she patted his head all affectionate-like and then told him, "Diagon Alley. Go get dressed, lovie."

~ ~ ~

As Prometheus entered the Magical Menagerie hand in hand with his mother, he thought that he was pretty sure he'd been in this shop once, or maybe he had walked by it and looked at the window displays, because he remembered seeing lots of other cute animals like this beforehand. He also remembered that, when it came to pets, there were always issues. They were cute and all, but there were reasons he's never had a pet of his own before...

Dogs were too big, loud, or aggressive, and cats were too distant, needy, or standoffish. He had no interest in toads or lizards as he thought of them as much to slimy and much too small, which was a squishing hazard he definitely wanted to avoid at all costs, and then fish... were just fish. The point being that there was always some issue or another, and as much as he had wanted to get a pet, at least for the sake of just having a companion, he wouldn't want to have an animal in his care that he didn't love enough.

And then that day, when he walked into the store, he saw a bunny.

It was the most beautiful little fluffy thing in the world. It had delicate long ears, big eyes, a moist little nose, and a fluffy tail round its rump that looked like a cotton ball. He rushed over immediately, ignoring the 'tsk' sent from his mother's direction, probably telling him off for not saying hello to the shopkeepers. He wouldn't say it out loud, but he didn't care for doing things like that, as they made him feel a little hopeless and left tiny erosions on his soul. He took the last step across the softly wooded floor to reach a little shelter in which the adorable animal resided, full of hope and excitement.

"Wow, look at that...!" Prometheus gasped, shifting to his knees to peer down curiously from above. The rabbit's head seemed to have different colouring than its upper body, from the tips of his ears to his fuzzy cheeks, his fur was black, though the cute little pink nose and mouth area was white, creating the illusion of some sort of mask, maybe like a dancer's, or a robber's!

"That's so neat," he admired, leaning closer, "You're like a little penguin! ...kind of," he added, squinting dubiously. "Okay, you don't look like a penguin at all, what am I even saying...?" He sighed, then hesitantly stuck his hand out over the cute mammal's head, whispering: "Can I pet you?" In response, the bunny eagerly sat up on its back legs and leaned forward into the young boy's hand. Prometheus gaily gasped, his eyes going wide in excitement. He quickly lowered himself from above the bunny so he could sit cross-legged, and eagerly brushed his fingers through the fluffy tufts atop its head. What an adorable bunny...

December stood up (a little reluctantly) and looked around the store until he laid eyes on his mother, who was looking at an owl curiously, and made his way over to her. "Mama, Mama! Come over, look what I found!" He said enthusiastically, tugging on her sleeve until she obliged. "Oh, what did you find?" She asked, crouching down, and immediately December could tell she was infatuated as well. "Oh, my! How adorable! Is this the rabbit you were looking at, 'Émber?" She asked, turning to face her child in excitement, and receiving a nod of agreement from him. "I want the bunny, is that okay, Mama? Is Paa going to be OK with it?" He asked, rubbing the bunny's head once more with glimmering eyes.

"Yes, of course! Well, I don't know what your father will say about a furball, as opposed to an owl, but I will get you the bunny despite that, he's not in charge of everything, and you need a companion at Hogwarts!" She explained, hugging December. "Why don't you think on a name for him, hmm? I'm going to go and settle finance with Mister and Missus Witticker, alright? And then why don't we make our way home with your new friend..."