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𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐘 𝐂𝐀𝐔𝐋𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐍, and the Granger girls accompanied the Weasley family, who had just returned from Egypt, to pick him up at the pub before departing from King's Cross. Ella had hoped for a calm and rejoiceful welcome, but that dream was quickly thrown out the window when Ron's pet rat jumped out of his hands and Hermione's cat sprinted after it.
"Scabbers, come back here!"
"Crookshanks, no! Leave that pungent rodent alone! You're classier than this!" Ella was trying to calm the two arguing friends down as the two pets ran around the pub. She would have run after them, but she didn't want to mess up her straightened hair or her pretty yellow dress. Though it hit just above her knee, she didn't want to chance Crookshanks accidently tearing it with his claws.
Now, Ella was all for animal rights and believed that even the smallest of creatures had the right of life, but she couldn't lie that a small part of her hoped Crookshanks was successful. Scabbers was a most disgusting rat.
"And... gotcha!" As Crookshanks ran across their path, Ella quickly leaned down and scooped the feline into her arms as Scabbers ran for the safety of his owner, who quickly picked him up and clutched him tightly to his chest. "Bad kitty," she tsked playfully at Crookshanks, booping his wet nose, before handing him to Hermione. Only cats, toads, and owls, and for some reason Scabbers, were allowed as pets at Hogwarts.
When she glanced back at Ron, she was met with a withering glare. "Keep that bloody beast of yours away from Scabbers or I'll turn it into a tea cozy!" Ron threatened angrily at the sisters. They knew it was harmless, Ron not the most talented at spell casting. Hermione would have laughed as if it were a joke if she were not so furious.
"It's a cat, Ronald. What do you expect? It's in his nature," Hermione defended Crookshanks protectively.
"Is that what they've told you?" Ron took a few steps back while looking fearfully at the cat, making him clutch Scabbers in fear for his life. "It looks more like a pig with hair, if you ask me."
"That's rich coming from the owner of that smelly old shoe brush!" Hermione spat.
"All right, you two," Ella cut in, ever the pacifist, "let's not resort to childish taunts. Crookshanks is a beautiful cat, Mione. And Scabbers is a... unique rat, Ron."
"Unique? Try grotesque," Hermione quipped.
"Yeah? Well, I'm suddenly craving some bacon. Luckily, we don't need a pig. We have your cat right here!" The Granger sisters both gasped in horror.
"Ronald Weasley!" Ron quickly shut his mouth and hung his head, regretting his retorts as they made Ella upset. "You apologize right this instant!"
From the pub's bar, his older brothers Fred and George were watching with amusement, wearing matching grins as they sipped tea. Watching Ron get scolded by Ella was just as entertaining as watching it done by their mother.
