The Magical Menagerie

The Magical Menagerie is a magical creature shop that, besides selling magical creatures, also offers advice on animal care and health. The shop is very cramped, noisy and smelly, due to every inch being covered with cages. Among the creatures in the Magical Menagerie are enormous purple toads, a firecrab, poisonous orange snails, a fat white rabbit that can turn into a silk top hat and back, cats of every colour, ravens, Puffskeins, and a cage of sleek black rats that play skipping games with their tails.

Gilgamesh walks into the shop with his father and sister -- who starts playing with a tiny grey owl.

Gilgamesh wanders over to the toads.

<Gilgamesh> Dad, can I have one of these?

<Mr. Crandall> Well, I was hoping to get you an owl to make correspondences easier.

<Gilgamesh> Oh, please Dad! I really want one!

Mr. Crandall chuckles.

<Mr. Crandall> Ok, sure . . . pick one out.

<Gilgamesh> Awesome!! I'll take this one!

Gilgamesh grabs a dark green toad who is napping lazily in the corner.

Mr. Crandall hands some sickled tto Gilgamesh to pay for his toad and walks over to Phaedra who is looking longingly at the small, grey owl in her hand.

<Mr. Crandall> Owls are amazing creatures aren't they.

Phaedra looks sadly at the owl now. Mr. Crandall knows that all of this new information is a lot for a child to take in knowing that she will never be able to get to know all of the wonders of this new world while her twin brother gets to enjoy it all. He constantly stresses individuality and uniqueness to his children, but there is nothing that he can do to stave off the natural human emotions that burn inside of his children. He will do anything to make his children smile, so he can't resist the chance to wipe the look of melancholy off of Phaedra's face.

<Phaedra> They are. Do you supposed that I could get a new pet when we get home?

<Mr. Crandall> You know that pets are a lot of responsibility, Gwendolyn. They require much attention on a dily basis. They have to be fed, cleaned after, allowed some exercise, and a lot of love.

Phaedra looks at her brother, and her face gives way to an emotion that seemed to cross it often these days . . . jealousy. Mr. Crandall knows that the girl can't help feeling, but the idea of anything causing a rift in the relationship between his children causes him immense amounts of pain. Phaedra has done a great job of controlling the emotions that must be raging stronger than ever inside of herself, but Mr. Crandall wonders if Phaedra's need to make her brother happy will last after they've been apart for awhile. Phaedra's face changes to shame so quickly that Mr. Crandall wonders if he imagined the jealosy that flashed across it a second ago. In another instant, Phaedra's features turned back to sadness as she set the small grey owl in her hand back into the large cage carrying the smaller types of owls.

<Phaedra> I know.

<Mr. Crandall> Well, as long as you know that, that's all that matters. What are you going to name him?

Mr. Crandall gestures toward the owl that Phaedra had just been holding. He watches with a smile in his eyes, but an otherwise straight face as first confusion, then understanding, and finally unadulterated joy cross his daughter's face. These are the moments that he lives for. He can't imagine what living would be worth without seeing the joy in his children's twinkling eyes and blinding smiles, and nothing can trump the feeling that he has knowing that he put that joy there.

<Phaedra> Do you mean it? I can have him?

<Mr. Crandall> Well, it seems that your brother had his heart set on a toad for school, and we're going to have to get out letters to him by some means. Of course, you're going to have to keep him a secret from your friends. Muggles don't take very kindly to owls to the strange habits of my kind.

Phaedra squeals and jumps into her father's arms just as Gilgamesh walks up petting his new toad.

<Phaedra> Gilgamesh, guess what! Dad is letting me gat an owl! Isn't he arodable! He's so tiny, though, I wonder if he'll be able to make the trip all of the way to Hogwarts carrying our letters and paskages.

The owls feathers puff up at Phaedra's words as if he is trying to look larger. Phaedra giggles and runs to the line to purchase her new pet. As she walks out of the shop with her father and brother, she decides to name him Adnan.

Emily and Annie skidded to a halt in front of the Menangerie. Both girls walked into the dark room and giggled at the sight of the rats skipping with their tails.

<Annie Cudgeon> 'What animal are you getting? Owls are damn useful but both my sisters had them and Dad has one at home, so I really don't need one. In fact, I think I'd like a cat.'

Just as she finished her little speech, a great black creature came hurtling from the top of one of the many cages. It fell onto the counter in a clumsy manner and began to yowl. Annie picked it up and looked into its eyes. They were a startling green. The shop owner rushed to their assistance thinking that the cat had hurt one of the girls.

<Shop Owner> 'I am so sorry. Ramses has been here for ages. Nobody seems to want him. Unfortunately the fact that he gets terribly overexcited when anybody comes into the shop doesn't help his image.'

<Annie Cudgeon> 'So he isn't taken? Good, because I want to take him. I think it would be funny to have a black cat as a witch because of the silly Muggle superstition about black cats belonging to witches. Don't you?'

<Emily Black> 'That's quite a good one. What did you say his name was again?'

<Shop Owner> 'Ramses. He is one of Arabella Figg's half-cat, half-Kneazle breeds. They are dead useful creatures. Can lead you home when you are lost and also detects suspicious characters. He is going cheap. Only five Galleons.'

<Annie Cudgeon> 'I would love him! Can I also get a brush, a bed and a few chew toys?'

<Shop Owner> 'Absolutely. Nine Galleons please.'

Annie paid the money and both girls walked out of the shop, the cat in a carry cage that had been included in his price.