After Ron rushed out, Harry hurried after him and out of the shop as well.
Since Neville had been standing at the very back, closest to the door, he inevitably became the first wizard Ron shoved outside.
The three of them quickly disappeared into the Diagon Alley crowd.
"I'm so sorry…"
The witch in the thick black glasses bowed hurriedly, scooping up the ginger cat at the same time.
"But this is very strange. No one's ever adopted him, and he's been here for ages… but he's never done anything that extreme before."
The witch muttered to herself.
She looked toward the three boys disappearing into Diagon Alley, seemed to think of something, and murmured a few more words under her breath.
Sean and the others could vaguely catch the words "rat" and "lived too long."
"What's this cat's name?" Hermione asked suddenly.
"Oh, dear, he doesn't have one. Names are for owners to give, and he's never had one."
the witch replied.
"Can I buy him?" Hermione asked, delighted.
"That would be wonderful, dear!"
The witch's face lit up at once.
"A cat's a good choice."
Justin said with a smile, sneaking a glance at Sean.
"Of course cats are wonderful."
Hermione paid quickly.
By the time Harry and Ron came back, they found Hermione clutching the large ginger cat tightly in her arms.
"You bought that monster?"
Ron asked, his mouth hanging open.
"Isn't he gorgeous?"
Hermione said.
Harry thought that really was a matter of opinion.
The cat's ginger fur was thick and soft, but his front legs were clearly slightly bowed inward, and he wore a gloomy expression, with a squashed, odd-looking face, as though he had once run headfirst into a brick wall.
Now that Scabbers was out of sight, the cat purred contentedly in Hermione's arms.
"Hermione, that thing nearly took my scalp off!"
Ron protested.
"He didn't mean it, did you, Crookshanks?"
Hermione said.
"You named him already? Merlin, that fast?
But… what about Scabbers?"
Ron pointed to the bulge in his front pocket.
"He needs peace and quiet. He needs to relax! How's he supposed to relax with that around?"
"That reminds me—you forgot your rat tonic."
Hermione said, stuffing the little red bottle into Ron's hand.
"Don't worry. Crookshanks will sleep in my dormitory, and Scabbers will sleep in yours. What's the problem?
Poor Crookshanks. That witch said he'd been there for ages and nobody wanted him."
"That's no surprise."
Ron muttered sarcastically to Harry.
Once Hermione had bought her pet, the group headed for the Leaky Cauldron.
It was nearly noon by then, and they decided to get lunch first before going on to buy their new books and school things.
Harry, Ron, and Neville walked ahead chatting, while Sean, Hermione, and Justin lagged behind.
"Ron said that rat used to belong to his brother?"
Justin asked casually.
"Yeah."
Hermione answered.
"That's a bit odd. I heard Ron say Percy had that rat since he was very young…"
Justin said, puzzled.
"Sean, do you know how long an ordinary garden rat can live?"
Sean's steps slowed. He glanced quietly at Hermione and Justin.
Before he could say anything, Hermione answered first:
"Didn't the shop witch say so? A garden rat lives three years at most."
She tilted her head back, holding Crookshanks's paws. At that moment, Crookshanks had spotted Sean and was practically trying to climb all over him.
"Maybe he isn't an ordinary garden rat. Just like Crookshanks—he's got Kneazle blood, so he can tell whether a wizard is good or bad."
After saying that, Hermione still failed to hold Crookshanks back. The ginger cat jumped onto Sean's shoulder and draped himself there, like a thick scarf.
"You're right."
Justin said in agreement. But when he silently looked at Sean again, his expression shifted in a subtle way.
At that moment, Crookshanks's raised tail was blocking part of Sean's view, and Sean found himself thinking that Hermione and Justin had come very close to uncovering Peter's secret.
Come to think of it, the Weasleys had shared a bed with Peter for twelve years and still never realized Scabbers was unusual?
Twelve years together, and they never knew Scabbers was Peter…
The Leaky Cauldron.
The first thing Sean noticed was Mr. Weasley sitting at the bar reading the Daily Prophet.
"Mr. Green."
He looked up and smiled.
"How are you? And you too, Harry? And of course the rest of you as well?"
"Very well, Mr. Weasley."
Sean said.
After the greetings, the group sat down beside Mr. Weasley with all the things they had bought.
Mr. Weasley put down the paper, and Sean could see Sirius Black's photograph glaring up from the page.
"They still haven't caught him?"
Harry asked nervously.
"No."
Mr. Weasley looked extremely grim.
"The Ministry's pulled all of us off our normal duties to focus on catching him, but so far they've made no progress."
"Do we get a reward if we catch him?"
Ron asked.
"It'd be nice to have a bit more money…"
"Don't talk nonsense, Ron."
Mr. Weasley said. Up close, he looked very tense.
"There's no way a thirteen-year-old wizard is going to catch Black.
Take my word for it—the ones who'll bring him back in the end are those Azkaban guards."
Just then Mrs. Weasley came into the pub, carrying armfuls of shopping.
Behind her were the twins Fred and George—about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts—along with Percy, newly made Head Boy, and the youngest Weasley child, and their only daughter, Ginny.
Percy, in particular, solemnly held out his hand to everyone as though they had never met before.
"Harry, delighted to see you.
And delighted to see you too, Mr. Finley, Miss Granger…
I trust you're all well?"
Percy shook hands with everyone in turn, putting on such an official air that it felt as though they were being introduced to the mayor.
"Oh! Mr. Green—"
When he got to Sean, Percy's manner changed noticeably.
After all, he did know a few inside details… and they weren't hard to work out…
"How have you been recently?"
"Very well, Mr. Weasley."
Sean replied.
"That's good…"
Percy seemed to want to say more, but then he was elbowed aside.
"The great Green!"
Fred cried, driving Percy out of the way with one hard jab of his elbow and bowing deeply.
"What an absolute pleasure it is to see you—"
"Utterly magnificent,"
George added, shoving Fred aside and hurriedly taking Sean's hand in his own.
"Completely and utterly magnificent."
~~~
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