Mum and dad went out to get my birthday stuff ready, tomorrow I turn 11 and come into the first major stage of my inheritance. There are three, once at 11, technically the day after ones' birthday, when the young mage gets a small boost to their existing core, it expands a few times depending on the family magics and then it expands and wanes with regular use, and then it takes 7 years to stabilize. At 17, again, the day after one's birthday, the core rests itself into place and fixes itself to a type, dark, grey, or light, depending on usage over the 7 years. It also writes onto itself your most used spells, with or without a focus, the mana channels that are used most frequently and how your body responds to its usage. Then finally at 23, one last change comes into play, and it's entirely dependent on family magic, changing drastically from one bloodline to the next. It's rather unknown what will happen to one such as myself who has inherited multiple family magics.
My friends and family are coming over today and some of my parents' too:
Albus who is quite the bully;
his friend and my cousin Gellert, who I have no interest in getting to know further;
Abe, my best friend.
And their little sister Ariana, who I saved from a couple of muggle kids. She never became an obscurial and has developed a bit of a crush on me.
Griselda Marchbanks, mum's apprentice.
The head of the Prince family, Lord Octavian Prince, as I seem to be an natural at Occlumency, which is a Prince family trait, he has been teaching me himself.
A few of the Potters, who live near by, and are cousins.
Cousin Ominis, is stopping by, briefly, He's been helping with my parslemagics.
Heir Black, who has been instructing me in my metamorphmagics.
"And of course, you're here bud." My cat friend comes right up to me as if to wish me a happy birthday. And perhaps to remind me of a promise I made at 8. He then mews at me with such an intent. "I'd love to have a familiar bond with you, let's make it a surprise for mum and dad then."
The cat mewed at me again and rested it's head on my lap as I pulled the book out wandlessly and summoned it to me to look for the ritual. It's simple enough, I know mum and dad wanted to be here, but I have a really good feeling about this.
"I Benevolence Valor Prince, do hereby offer a bond of equals, a familiar contract, to you, by my magic and blood." As to why I did it with parslemagics, It's because it felt right, and I knew it would reinforce the bond.
"mew, mew, mew, meow, mew, mew, meow" Was the cat's reply. Which was, quite weird, but I suppose it's part of the magic of it all?
We completed the bond, and suddenly I could feel more. I felt my bond with him and his emotions. I could see more. I had to blink a few times as the light was strong but I could see really well, and I could hear quite a distance too. And I could smell something approaching?
Dad was rushing up the road with mum. "Benny! Lad, are you okay? Just remain calm, son."
"Huh?" I was pulled out of my enhanced senses with a startle. Mum had her wand pointed at me, no at the cat. "What's going on, don't hurt him, Jeff is peaceful, He wanted a bond, but I told him to wait for my 11th birthday when I was 8, and he has. He's quite smart. Perhaps he's part kneazle." Then I turned my attention back tot he cat, "Sorry, I hope Jeff is an okay name, It's the name of the book, and I'm terrible at names."
The cat mewed in content in response and I sensed something more he wanted to talk to me but didn't, yet.
Finally I looked back at my parents and added weakly "He's my familiar, surprise?"
"Benny," came dad again. "That, I don't." Sigh. "We told you to be more careful, that impulsiveness is too Gryffindor of you.
"We performed an Equals Contract, Jeff as my familiar. I'm sorry I couldn't wait."
Mum chimed in herself, "It's alright dear. We were just surprised by the new magical signature." She began to put her wand away but stopped and re-pointed it at Jeff almost instantly.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to alarm you. But I smelt 'altered fate' on this one, and I wanted him as mine." Said Jeff.
We all did a double take.
"WHAT!? You can talk!?" I near shouted.
"Only because of the bond." Came dad.
"Huh?" I was confused how he knew.
Mum put down here wand and sighed. "You gave parseltongue to a cat. I'm going inside to prepare, you'll have guests soon." As she hobbled away I could barely hear her grumble 'another ruddy snake speaker' with my enhanced hearing.
I chuckled a bit before I turned to Jeff. "So, mister. You could smell 'altered fate' on me?"
Jeff gave out a small purr and then said, "Yes, from the moment you arrived everything changed. It was set one way, and then it wasn't. All things were as they should be, a set course, a path, a story already told countless times. Suddenly, I knew I had to be here. I was always elsewhere, doing the same thing every day, and I knew I would do the same thing the next day. Until that one day, when I knew I would not being doing it again. I was the closest, so I came. And lo and behold, You. You reeked of a change in time and space and yes, 'altered fate', and I knew I had to claim you. So I did." He curled up in my arms and then said, "I must rest, the bond took a lot out of me as does this new language. We can talk more later."
Dad just looked at the two of us with shock. And he wasn't alone. For it seemed our first guest arrived. Although, our guest simply looked in our direction with a dumbfounded shock.
"Cousin Ominis, how nice of you to drop by. I finally have a familiar! His name is Jeff!" I stated enthusiastically.
"You gave parseltongue to a cat." Was all he said before he began walking into the house. "Aunt Betty, your son gave parseltongue to a cat! What the—-!" The door closed before we could hear that last word, but we could guess what it was.