Ruthie grew up amongst wildlife, but the family was not wealthy and she had never had a pet of her own. Instead, she saw herself as a part of the nature around her. This was something she enjoyed, but once she arrived at Hogwarts, she found herself missing this lifestyle. Furthermore, seeing Gris will an owl of her own in the owlery made her feel like she was missing something--or someone. Someone who didn't judge or talk or, say, get stabbed in the middle of a ball. Someone who would just sit with her in moments of stress or difficulty.

So it came as a great surprise when on a school break, her mum took her down south to London. And in Diagon Alley, they visited Magical Menagerie. The entire alley had taken her breath away like the it had on her first visit, but nothing was quite as enchanting as the magical menagerie. Ruthie stood outside the shop dazzled by the creatures, unfairly put away in cages. The owls, in particular, she felt sorry for because they, more than any toad or cat, could feel the restriction of a cage. They deserved to be out flying high and wide. Her mother, Claire Greer, must have seen the crooked expression on her face because it was just then that she felt a comforting hand on her back, urging her to step inside. Ruthie looked back at her mother, unsure, but Claire just nodded so Ru stepped inside.

All round she saw so many animals, all of which deserved a better existence, but it was a white and brown owl, about medium weight, kept in the corner that caught her attention. Slowly, she came over to it, careful not to frighten the poor dear. Ru wanted to outstretch a hand, but instead she just looked right into those warm dark eyes, offering an expression of empathy. "You want to fly, don't you?" she said eventually. The owl seemed to perk up, turning its head slightly while looking at the young Scottish girl. Ru looked up at Claire and then back at the owl. She wished, in that moment, desperately to be an adult. An adult would have money and could set this bird free, set them all free.

But she knew that wasn't what was about to happen. Money would go towards books or supplies. This was just a visit. But she turned to find her mother to presumably head to door, she saw Claire pointing in her direction while speaking to someone at the counter. This was unexpected. The girl walked up and asked her mum, "What's going on?"

Claire smiled softly and kneeled down slightly to look her daughter in the eye. "We're getting you an owl," she said clearly. Ruthie couldn't believe those words. "Really?" she asked. Claire just nodded keeping an eye on the shop keeper to ensure he was handling the bird with care. Ruthie couldn't quite believe this. Her mother's book on her research was not supposed to come out for several months yet and Ross' earnings from fishing were steady but not large. She wanted to ask how, but her mother, who knew her better than anyone, anticipated the question: "My owl was my best friend at Hogwarts. Besides making the house Quidditch team is no easy feat."

Ruthie ran into her mother's arms and hugged her tightly. The past few weeks had been stressful to say the least. She hadn't even told them about everything that went down at the ball. An owl seemed like exactly the sort of companion she needed.

As the shop keeper reached over to present the girl with her new pet, Claire asked, "Well then, what do you think you'll call her?" Ru looked the owl in the eye again and said, "Darby." After all, the owl was bright and alert like a Tulane law student out to solve a conspiracy. And more to the point, she simply took the girl's breath away.

WC: 668

What animal do you wish to purchase? Barred Owl
What do you want to name it? Darby
Is this a boy or a girl? Girl
What is your pet's date of birth? March 8, 2019