Twisted (Charlie Weasley)

Chapter Sixteen

There were things I loved about my job and other things I hated. One of the things I hated most about my job, or at least Charlie's job, was he was in many ways the sanctuary's puppy. They told him to stay, he stayed, they told him to sit, he sat, and if they told him to travel all the way back to Hogwarts right after I returned home, he went.

So instead of taking my vacation two weeks later, and spending the time with family, I spent it alone, and while I had lived alone before, I had never done it in a house to large... and as the days went by I grew more and more lonely...

So lonely that on the sixth day of Charlie being gone, that I apparated to Diagon Alley and made my way into the pet shop... one that I had longed to venture into many years ago... but as my rules that I had to follow when I was younger were extremely strict...

I opened up the door this time though and made my way to the back of the shop where the kittens were all sprawled out and playing with each other, or hunting each other, or sleeping... all expect one. One single kitten sat in the corner, and in ways glared at all the other kittens. A kitten that was out to eat my own heart.

Seeing this cat made me think back to one thing my aunt told me long ago when I had first moved into her house. 'Doing what you like is freedom, liking what you do is happiness.'

I walked over to the kitten and reached out my hand for it to sniff, but a voice caused me to jump back. "I wouldn't get your hopes up miss... there is something off about that one."

I turned to see a man, he appeared to be in his late sixties and may have even worked here when I first passed the building many years ago. "Well, there is something off about me... so maybe it will be the perfect fit."

I reached out my hand and put it near the kitten, and it proceeded to bat it gently with its paw and begin to purr. I smiled and gently picked it up, "How much?" I asked him, "I don't think I have much of a choice but bring this little one home with me... it seems to have chosen me..."

The man walked away muttering something about wands but still proceeded to ring me through and allowed me to leave the shop with the kitten. Together we made our way back to the sanctuary... where we would wait together, slightly more patient, for charlie to arrive home.

I sat on the living room's couch, watching as my new kitten adjusted to its new home. I laughed as it took a few steps and then tumbled down onto the soft carpet. It seemed I had bought Tonks in cat form.

I let out a sigh, "What should I call you?" I said in a puzzling manner, "I mean... you have to have a name, I mean... I would be such an awful parent..." I hummed for a moment, "What about Tuna? That would be a... stupid name."

Collapsing back into the couch I groaned very loudly, "What should I call you!"

The night was filled with many horrible name ideas and some ideas that couldn't even be classified as names. Including Tuna. I was near giving up and about to give her some stupid name like Fluffy or snowball when a light ball went off.

"Noni..." I whispered, her ears twitched in response, "You like that don't you?"

The kitten, in a moment I thought would jump up and do something exciting... but instead she rolled over... or fell over. I laughed happily at her, "I guess your name is Noni... wait until Charlie sees you, he is so going to mock me for this."

But in that moment I didn't care, I now had a little kitten... a little sassy, clumsy, picky kitten, who seemed to be just the kitten for me. That evening I spoiled her rotten, which may or may not have made me more of a crazy cat lady... and despite the fact that it would likely annoy Charlie beyond anything else, I had already began to love Noni, who would come to recognize the work no possibly better then her own name.

One week later

"I missed you!" I said to Charlie as he pulled me into a hug, from the corner a loud irritated meow sounded.

"What's that?"

I laughed, "By the way.... I got us a cat. Her name is Noni and she is very extremely sassy."

"Meow!"