Together (A Harry Potter love story) 3

2

MILLIES POV

There wasn't much room inside the Pet shop. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. It stunk and was very noisy because of the occupants of these cages, who were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering or hissing. Some of the animals looked perfectly friendly, while others would growl and hiss if you got too close. I didn't find it funny at all when Harry snuck up behind me and grabbed my shoulders whilst I was watching a cage of noisy ravens.

"Harry, you fucking idiot-"

"Oooo, using big words now, are we?" Harry teased, leaning his head back and laughing. I completely ignored him, pushing past the annoying boy and joining Ron at the counter.

"...it's my rat," he was telling the witch. "He's been a bit off-colour ever since I brought him back from Egypt."

"Bang him on the counter," said the witch, pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket.

As Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket, Harry appeared behind me and whispered, "I'm sorry, Mills."

I snorted, turning around. He had a fake pout plastered onto his face.

"You seemed to have forgotten that I'm the Queen of puppy-dog eyes, not you."

His expression returned to normal. "Your right, I can't resist you when you do that."

My stomach flipped at his words, so I quickly smiled awkwardly, before turning back to the counter.

The witch was holding Scabbers, examining him closely. "...how old is this rat?"

"Dunno," said Ron. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother."

"What powers does he have?" she asked.

"Er-" Ron stuttered. The truth was that Scabbers had never shown the faintest trace of interesting powers.

The witch's eyes moved from Scabber's tattered left ear to his front paw, which had a toe missing, and tutted loudly. "He's been through the mill, this one," she said.

"He was like that when Percy gave him to me," Ron said defensively.

"An ordinary, common garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," said the witch. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these..."

She indicated to some black, glossy rats sitting in a cage. I sniggered when Ron muttered, "Show-offs."

"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this Rat Tonic," the witch told him, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle.

"Okay," said Ron, nodding. "How much - OUCH!"

I stumbled backwards as something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage, landed on Ron's head and then propelled itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers.

"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" cried the witch, but Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor and then scarpered for the door.

"Scabbers!" Ron shouted, haring out of the shop after him, Harry and I following him quickly.

I sprinted through the busy street, accidentally losing sight of Harry and Ron but keeping sight of the rat. I followed Scabbers all the way to the outside of Quality Quidditch Supplies, crouched down on my hands and knees, reached under a waste paper bin, and grabbed the trembling rat, stuffing it into my pocket.

"Need a hand?"

I looked up to see a curly-headed, brown-eyed boy - named Elwood Mac.

"El!"