It wasn't long before Hermione got her very own wand—a fourteen-inch vinewood beauty with a dragon heartstring core. The moment it was in her hands, the little girl was all smiles, happily twirling and swishing it around with uncontainable glee.
"Mr. Ollivander said my wand has a dragon heartstring core too, just like yours!"
Hermione beamed at Marius, eyes sparkling with excitement.
Marius smiled back but said nothing. He didn't have the heart to explain that her dragon was not his dragon—not even close.
"Where are we heading next?"
Mr. and Mrs. Granger turned to Marius for guidance.
"Let's go to Eeylops Owl Emporium first," Marius replied after a brief moment of thought.
"Owl Emporium?"
"Yes. I assume when you received Hermione's Hogwarts letter, you noticed the owl that delivered it," Marius explained. "Owls are the standard means of communication among wizards."
"Oh, I see..."
Mrs. Granger nodded thoughtfully, but when she glanced down at Hermione, she realized her daughter's attention was clearly elsewhere.
Following her gaze, Marius spotted the sign Hermione was staring at—Magical Menagerie.
"Want to check it out?" he asked.
Hermione hesitated a bit but eventually nodded honestly.
"Then let's go," Marius said with a gentle smile. "I already have a family owl, so it's not a problem."
They stepped into the Magical Menagerie, and immediately, the warm, musty scent of a pet shop enveloped them. But that didn't dampen Hermione's enthusiasm in the slightest.
She wandered from cage to cage, peering at all the strange and magical creatures on display. There were all sorts of bizarre animals, many that Marius could tell were magical hybrids or rarities. Eventually, Hermione's eyes settled on one specific corner of the shop—on a large cat in a wire cage.
It was a big cat with a thick, vibrant coat of fur. Yet despite its lush appearance, it was clear the cat wasn't a favorite of the store owner. Marius took a closer look and realized why: its squashed face looked like it had run headfirst into a wall, and its bushy tail flared out like a toilet brush.
Its odd appearance had likely turned away potential buyers time and again. Unsellable and unappealing, it had become the pet equivalent of a clearance item—and thus, equally unloved by its shopkeeper.
The owner—a middle-aged woman wearing oversized black-rimmed glasses—noticed them looking. Adjusting her spectacles, she squinted for a better look, then her eyes widened in recognition. She rushed over, beaming with excitement.
"Why, if it isn't the young master of the Cloud family—Mr. Marius Cloud! What an absolute honor to have you visit my humble shop!"
"Good day," Marius replied politely, though he had no idea who she was. With his family's status, it was impossible to remember every wizard or witch who recognized him.
Sensing his confusion, the woman offered an explanation.
"I've never had the pleasure of meeting you in person, but I read today's Daily Prophet—I must say, your patience over these past eleven years is truly admirable."
So that's what this is about, Marius thought. He made a mental note to find out what nonsense the Prophet had published about him this time. Whatever it was, it had clearly painted him in a saintly light.
When she noticed how close Hermione and Marius seemed, the shopkeeper guessed that the girl must be someone very important to him. Seeing Hermione's attention fixed on the large cat, she hesitated, then made a cautious recommendation.
"Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but I really wouldn't suggest that young lady buy that particular cat. It's never been popular due to its... peculiar looks. It's been here for quite a while. I do have much cuter pets available if she'd like to look around."
Truth be told, the shopkeeper was thrilled that someone might actually want the unsellable feline. Normally she wouldn't care if a buyer regretted their choice later—no returns, after all—but offending a future powerhouse from an elite pure-blood family for a quick sale? Not worth the risk.
"What's its name?" Hermione asked, unwilling to give up.
The shopkeeper paused, then said, "Crookshanks."
"Oh, poor Crookshanks… No one's ever wanted you..."
The sympathy in Hermione's eyes flared to life. Her gentle, kind heart simply wouldn't let this go. With a firm voice, she said, "I'll take Crookshanks."
"Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?" the woman tried one last time.
"Yes," Hermione replied without hesitation.
The shopkeeper glanced at Marius again, gauging his reaction. Seeing no objection from him, she finally sighed. "Very well. The customer's will is always our top priority."
Hermione happily followed her to the counter to complete the purchase. Meanwhile, Marius took a stroll around the shop himself. Although he had access to the Cloud family's owl, he'd always liked the idea of having a magical creature of his own.
He casually glanced around—until his eyes locked onto a large iron cage tucked toward the back of the store. Inside, lying listlessly, was... a Shiba Inu?
"Shopkeeper," Marius called out, "What's the story with this dog?"
What caught Marius's attention wasn't just how ordinary the dog looked—it was ordinary. Just a plain Shiba Inu, not the sort of magical creature you'd expect in a store like this.
Crookshanks, at least, had part Kneazle ancestry. Kneazles were intelligent, fiercely loyal magical creatures with a sharp sense for shady characters. Once bonded with a wizard, they made extraordinary companions. That was the kind of creature a Magical Menagerie should be selling.
But this? This was just a Shiba.
"You mean that odd-faced dog?" the shopkeeper replied as she stood on tiptoe to peer over. "It's been here forever too."
She muttered under her breath, astonished at how Marius—just like his friend—seemed to have a thing for misfit pets.
"Oh, and by the way," she added, "It can talk."
--------------
T/N:
Access Advance Chapters on my
P@treon: p@treon.com/PokePals