The Day Vulpix Grew Up
It started as a very ordinary question.
At the Hufflepuff table during breakfast, Susan tilted her head and asked casually,
"Keith… where's Vulpix? I haven't seen her since term started."
Helena blinked.
"Now that you mention it, she's usually stealing biscuits by now."
Katie leaned over from the Gryffindor side.
"Yeah, the fluffy menace is missing."
Daphne frowned slightly, refined and concerned.
"Did something happen to her?"
Keith, calmly buttering his toast, paused.
"Oh," he said. "That."
Everyone looked at him.
Keith swallowed his bite, wiped his hands neatly, and snapped his fingers.
❄️FWOOOSH❄️
The temperature in the Great Hall dropped—just a little.
Not cold.
Crisp. Clean. Snow-kissed.
Light-blue frost spiraled gently in the air, forming elegant patterns.
Then—
A figure appeared beside Keith.
Nine long, flowing tails unfurled like living moonlight.
Snow-white fur with pale sapphire highlights.
Calm, intelligent eyes like frozen stars.
A regal posture that made her look less like a pet and more like a myth.
Alolan Ninetales.
The Great Hall went silent.
Forks froze mid-air.
Someone dropped a goblet.
Ginny's jaw actually fell open.
"…She," Susan whispered, "got… bigger."
Helena stared.
"That's not 'bigger.' That's legendary."
Keith gently rested a hand on Ninetales' head.
"She grew up," he said simply.
"Adult form."
Ninetales lowered her head politely, tails swaying with quiet grace.
The Shock Phase
Daphne stood first, eyes wide but sparkling.
"So elegant…"
She hesitated, then offered a small enchanted sugar cube.
Ninetales sniffed.
Accepted.
Astoria rushed forward next, practically vibrating.
"She's so pretty!! Can I hug her?!"
Ninetales considered this.
Then gently nudged Astoria with her nose, knocking her back onto a bench.
Astoria giggled uncontrollably.
Cassandra observed carefully, then offered dried berries.
Susan approached next, holding out a biscuit with both hands like an offering.
Ninetales took it delicately.
Susan nearly fainted.
"She likes me."
Rias smiled knowingly.
"She has good taste."
Professors Fall Instantly
Professor Sprout was the first to recover.
"Oh my—look at her coat! That fur structure! Do you know how well she'd thrive in alpine biomes?!"
Ninetales bowed politely.
Sprout melted.
Professor Flitwick floated closer, eyes shining.
"Magnificent! Such refined elemental balance—oh! She's smiling at me!"
McGonagall approached with measured dignity.
She looked.
Paused.
Then quietly said,
"…May I?"
Keith nodded.
McGonagall patted Ninetales once.
Just once.
Her lips twitched upward before she turned sharply and walked away.
Snape arrived last.
He stared.
Long.
Silent.
Ninetales met his gaze calmly.
"…Hmph," Snape said.
"At least this one looks disciplined."
Ninetales flicked one tail.
Snape's cloak iced over slightly.
Flitwick laughed so hard he had to sit down.
The Treat Incident
By lunch, Ninetales had:
Honey biscuits from Hufflepuff Roast meat from Gryffindor Enchanted sugar cubes from Slytherin Carefully measured herbal snacks from Ravenclaw
She accepted them all with noble restraint.
Keith watched, amused.
"Don't spoil her too much."
Ninetales glanced at him.
Then deliberately accepted another treat.
Traitor.
Rumors by Evening
By nightfall, Hogwarts buzzed:
"Runcandel's fox evolved.""It bowed to McGonagall.""Sprout tried to adopt it.""Snape approved of it." (this one was considered impossible)
Keith lay back in the Hufflepuff common room later, Ninetales resting beside him, tails curled protectively.
Rias leaned against his shoulder.
"You realize," she said softly,
"you've just raised your intimidation factor."
Keith smiled.
"I just wanted her to stretch."
Ninetales flicked her tails, snow-light dancing lazily.
The castle had gained a new favorite.