Percy Jackson and the Hound of Hogwarts [Book 3]

7) Magical Menagerie

"We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron, too!" Ron exclaimed suddenly after Harry told him what we've been doing, grinning. "So you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"

Hermione nodded, smiling, "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."

"Excellent!" Harry beamed. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"

"Look at this," Ron pulled a long, thin box out of a bag and opened it. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. And we've got all our books. What about those Monster Books, eh? Assistant was struggling to speak to it in Greek, actually."

"What's all that, Hermione?" I asked, pointing at the three bags beneath her chair.

"Well, I'm taking more new subjects that you, aren't I?" Hermione said. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of a Magical Creatures, Divination, Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies—"

"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" Ron rolled his eyes. "You're Muggle-born! Your Mum and Dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"

"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the Wizarding point of view," Hermione said honestly.

"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" Harry asked and Ron snickered. I frowned at the pile of books.

It was a lot of books.

"I've still got ten galleons," Hermione said, ignoring the boys. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."

"How about a nice book?" Ron asked.

"No, I don't think so," Hermione said smoothly, "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig and you've got Errol—"

"I haven't," Ron corrected. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers." He pulled the rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over. I don't think Egypt agreed with him."

Scabbers did look thinner, and his whiskers were definitely drooping more than usual.

"There's a magical creature shop just over there," Harry said helpfully. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."

We then went to Magical Menagerie.

It was very crowded. The walls were hidden by cages. It smelled terrible, and there were plenty of weird noises. Someone was already behind the counter, so we examined the area.

There were plenty of amazing animals. I found myself wandering from my friends, grinning at the creatures.

I turned to find my friends, and heard a loud, "OUCH!" from Ron.

Something large and orange was flying towards Scabbers.

"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" The witch behind the counter shouted, and Scabbers shot from her hands, running for the door.

"Scabbers!" Ron yelled, and ran out after his rat. Harry and I followed, though I was laughing a lot harder than my friend.

Ten minutes later, we found the rat hiding behind a trash can. Ron stuffed the shaking rat in his pocket, then massaged his head.

"What was that?"

"It was either a very big cat or quite a small tiger," Harry said.

"I think it was a ginger hellhound," I said. "Just a miniature Ron, then."

Ron glared at me. Then he tackled me.

After a few minutes of rolling around on the ground and receiving dirty looks, Ron asked, "Where's Hermione?"

"Probably getting her owl," Harry said, and we walked back to Magical Menagerie. I think I nearly died of laughter when we saw Hermione coming out of the store with, not an owl, but the miniature ginger hellhound himself.

"You bought that monster?" Ron said, catching me before my legs gave out while I shook with laughter.

"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" Hermione beamed.

The cat was gorgeous in the same way a train wreck is gorgeous. Chaotic. Its fur was very thick, its legs looked funny, and its face looked like had been sat on by Smelly Gabe. By that, I mean very, very squashed. Still, it was purring happily in Hermione's arms.

"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" Ron said, dropping me. He was clearly annoyed.

"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" Hermione cooed. I laughed harder, and Harry pulled me off of the ground.

"And what about Scabbers?" Ron pointed around the lump in his pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"

"That reminds me, you forgot your rat tonic," Hermione handed Ron the small bottle. "And stop worrying, Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours, what's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him."

"I wonder why," Ron said, and we went back to the Leaky Cauldron, though I was still breathing heavy from laughter.

Harry was talking to Mr. Weasley, and I was having a discreet war with Ron. Our goal was to see who could flip off each-other with the least obvious way.

I looked up when Mrs. Weasley entered the bar. Fred and George came in behind her, along with Head Boy Perry, and Ginny, the only girl.

Ginny blushed at Harry, but grinned at me with friendliness. She had been at camp during my quest. She'd been one of the few to treat me like a normal person after I was claimed.

She walked over to me and I ignored Perry, who was shaking hands with Harry.

"The boys have been begging me to tell them about your quest, but I think you should be the one to tell it," she said, grinning.

I fake pouted, "You telling them would have made my job so much easier."

Ginny grinned. I grinned back.

"It is very nice to see you again, Gwendolyn Whistlebrooke!" I exclaimed, sticking my hand out for her to shake.

"Yes, it is! It's been so long since we've last talked, Peter Johnson! Perhaps we could catch up over a game of pinochle?" Ginny shook my hand feverishly, and we both struggled to hold in laughs.

"You want to set a better example for your sister!" Mrs. Weasley snapped suddenly, and we turned, confused.

"Ginny's got other brothers to set her example, Mother," Perry said pompously. "I'm going up to change for dinner..."

George sighed as his brother disappeared up the stairs, "We tried to shut him in a pyramid, but Mum spotted us."

So we were looking at a house, you know, to buy it, and then my best friend and his family rolls up, and it was very, very weird. Like my best friend just walks in, we stare at each other, and yeah. It was wild. And awkward. But now we're both maybe hoping to get the same house, and I'm not sure what to say about it. But whatever. We also went school shopping, on a less awkward note.

I hope you guys all have a super Sunday, and that you never have an encounter as awkward as that one, and I will see you on Tuesday.