| Details for Pets and Possibilities |
| Summary: | Maddie sells a pet. |
| Date: | March 30, 1940 |
| Location: | The Magical Menagerie |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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Every break, Madeline shops at the Menagerie, and this is clearly no exception. Though she'd already sent her bird away, she's come looking for treats. That was her initial goal, at least, but she seems to have been distracted by a kitten. "Awww - aren't you the cutest thing?" she coos to the little Siamese. "Look at those paws! I bet you'll use them to rend, maim and destroy when you grow up! Yes you will! Hunting aaaaall the rats and mice. Who's a sweet little kitten?"
Stumbling in through the crowded door is Jolie, she is not as jolly as usually today. Her cheeks are swollen and her eyes are red and puffy. She has cried recently and hard. She is carrying the same basket as she had the day before but has collected a mere trio of colorful books, bound up in a wide pink ribbon. She's wearing somber blue: skirt, long skirt, and patent leather shoes. Even her knee socks are blue but appear to have been glitter bombed. She comes to a stop when she sees Madeline, her grin friendly despite the little signs of distress. "Oh. Hello! I was hopping to see you." The cheer in her voice is only a little strained.
"Oh, hi! I was just admiring this little killer - isn't he a darling?" Madeline asks, still stroking the kitten without looking up at Jolie. When she does, though, she lets out a quiet 'oh' while she studies the other girl. "Are, ummm… Are you okay?" she asks in concern.
"She is rather darling. Is she a she?" Jolie says thoughtfully. She pauses to look from Madeline to the kitten letting a little pause come up as she plans out her words. "It is very kind of you to ask, thank you." She grins. "My mother says I have to retire Rhetoric. She's been my cat since I can remember having a cat." She smiles wider speaking with affection, "There may have been a number of little transfiguration accidents over the past three years, but nothing -significant-. Mom says she's getting old and deserves to curl up in front of a fire."
"Say, I have some books for you, Evans." She pulls out the pink ribbon wrapped parcel. The books are all written by Fifi LaFolle: "The Muggle's Wife", "Wild Lace" and "The Black Kiss". "Mother signed them but said you might want to save them until you are ready to embrace your romantic soul." She rolls her eyes toward the ceiling. "I have only read the first one myself. I hoped it would give me some insight into my parents relationship."
"I think it's a boy," Madeline answers. As Jolie explains the problem, she lets out a sound of understanding. "Oh. That is hard. I have a dog named Sally, now, but before I had a dog named Solstice, and she died a few years ago. It was really sad. But you can still see Rhetoric on holidays and such, right? I bet she'll live to be a right old biddy!" she says encouragingly. She sets the Siamese kitten back in his pen before reaching out to accept the books. "Umm… Thanks. Might be a while before, umm, I decide to read romance books, you know. I mean, I'm sure they're really good romance books and everything. It's just… I really like science fiction."
When given a choice between giggles or tears, Jolie bursts into the giggles and the less serious topic. "I think you will find the Muggle's wife fantasy. She -may- have.." her lips twitch with mirth that threatens to burst loose. "-embellished- a little here and there. It is well written fiction and completely disturbing actually to think of one's parents all…" the giggles burst into full out laughter.
Control does take awhile but her mood seems to be shifting from feeling bad about her cat to optimism. "It's a fictional account," she waves her hands. "And, thank you. You're entirely right. I have shed a few tears, but it will be a good experience in trying out a new pet." She casts her glance around the shop before looking back at the little kitten. "I might try an owl or a new kitten." Another fit of giggles. "No toad. I don't like to get my hands dirty."
"I think ravens are great," Madeline responds. "But I guess they're not for everyone. Some of my housemates think Mischief is a real bother. She can be - but at least she doesn't steal wands anymore." She makes a face. "The fuss that they made outta that…"
Jolie laughs, "Do you think?" She grins. "It sounds like Mischief is the perfect pet for you." She grins not meaning it as an insult. "A raven can really deliver the posts? Owls have not established a monopoly on it? Jolly good!" She giggles again as if she notices that might not be completely appropriate. "I am not sure that I could care for a more exotic pet or train it."
"They can - but she cost more than an owl. My parents wanted to get her for me, though, because it makes more sense for a raven to hang about the farm than an owl. We can say she was hurt and I looked after her, if anyone wonders, and they'll believe it," Madeline explains. "And she's a loooooot of fun!"
"That does show a great deal of planning and consideration in the investment. Your parents sound very reasonable." Jolie agrees with a nod. "My mom and I visited a farm once. A place where they were the pretended not to use magic, but it was a show." She moves into the room looking at the various pets in cages. "It was. Not what I wanted at all and I can safely say that I gained no useful farm experience from it." She pauses then asks in an excited tone. "Do you think I might be able to visit your farm for a bit over the summer?"
"I can't imagine why not," Madeline agrees. "Adam and Angus have been already. But you gotta be careful what you say in front of Asher, Saul, and Miriam. They don't know about magic," she explains. "You can even go game shooting with us, if you want! That's why Adam and Angus visited. We had a lot of fun."
Laughing, Jolie confesses, "I doubt that I would be a very good shot, but I should certainly like to see that. It could prove useful practice for me. Not talking about magic." She explains. She pauses studying one of the cages. A pure exotic type, her brows go up in puzzlement as if she is debating what it might be. "It must be very nice to have siblings?"
"It is!" Madeline agrees eagerly. "But I didn't have any before last Christmas. They're Jewish, you see. From Germany. Errm - or maybe you don't see," she corrects herself. "They fled the war. But their parents couldn't come, so they're staying with us. It's fun!"
"They give these Jewish children away?" Jolie is puzzled but seems to be planning something. She doesn't keep it to herself for long. "Do you think that I might get some siblings that way?" Oh she is the cheery optimist, like you can go from the pet store to the new Muggle sibling store and then for tea.
"Umm, well, not give them away, exactly. It's just - they're being treated very poorly in Germany, and people are worried they might be in danger. I mean - you remember how we Muggleborns were treated at the beginning of the school year, of course? It's kind of like that. So their parents sent them here to be safe, but the parents weren't allowed to come, too. But after the war they'll go back home to their families. But you could still be penpals, I'm sure. They'll probably learn English before the war is over. Asher and Saul and Miriam are already getting very good at English. But really isn't it up to your mum?" Madeline points out pragmatically.
Deflated Jolie nods her head. "That is a practical point. Unlike some -people-," she grins not really worried about them though she might have been thinking about the beginning of the school year for a bit, that was a bad time. "I am not spoiled. Of course, my mother and I love and adore each other but we are both passionate individuals with our own desires." She tries to use her best rational adult voice for the delivery of her information but her lips twitch with the suppression of her laughter. "I might try arguing the merits of taking a Jewish child or two from the bad situation in Germany and she might find the plot for a new book out of it."
"True, she might!" Madeline agrees. "And as long as the kids find a safe, comfortable home to live in until the end of the war - the motivations don't much matter, do they? Plus, if we all got together I'm sure my siblings would love to play with yours! I know they feel lonely sometimes."
"That is an excellent point, Evans." Jolly laughs and stops by an owl cage. It is the cute little killer kitten though that might have won her heart. "I should think they would have a language in common, at least? I don't speak German. Maybe a new sibling would help with that. Have you learned to speak German? That would be an excellent selling point."
"I've learned a little. I've been working on it, and Elspeth's been helping," Madeline responds brightly. "I'm not as good at it as I'd like. It makes them happy when I speak German, though, or understand their German." She smiles as she explains. "You can call me Maddie, you know."
"I should?" Jolly grins widely. "I'm Jolly." That she is. She laughs a little and nods. "I think I would learn German from it. I would like to learn more languages. And, I still haven't decided on a pet. I am less organized than usual today. My mother said my heart would decide, but-" she glances toward the little kitten again. "It is warring with being pragmatic. An owl would be useful."
"My parents got me Mischief because they wanted me to be able to send a message for help if something went wrong when I was helping Rena spy on the Magijugend," Madeline explains brightly. "Being able to send messages is very useful. But when they're not super secret spy messages, you can just use a school owl!"
"That is true!" Jolie grins. "Maddie, I appreciate the way you think. It was certainly brave of you to seek out information and spy on the Magijugend. In one of my stories I had my heroine seek out a friend to fight the villains. If it is a super secret spy message, one just needs to find the right conspirator." She looks back to the little kitten. "I think I will take him. He's got..what do they call it?" She crinkles her brow striving for the right word. "Moxy."
"Oh, I have plenty of conspirators!" Madeline agrees. "AND, Rena and I had a secret code! So I'd write her a message about … I dunno, art club or something, but there was a secret message inside. Can't tell it, though, 'cuz I still use it sometimes if there's a problem but I haven't used it in months, thank goodness." She moves back towards the kitten to smile at him. "He is pretty cute. He's gonna be a real killer, though, I know it!"
Jolly laughs, "I'm not sure that is going to be a good thing. A secret code. I should someday like to be a codebreaker." She slides closer to he kitten's cage. "A killer? Really? I am not sure if that is a good thing. If he is too ambitious, it might cause us to lose House Points. Maybe I should wait for him to find the right owner. A bold adventurer." Still, she is beaming at the little cat.
Madeline giggles. "You think he's destined to be a Gryffindor?" Madeline asks. "But I already have a pet! I'm sure you'll make do. You can teach him out to behave - I know it!" She grins as she adds, "I can even give you some pointers. I've learned loads about teaching animals - from working with Mischief, you see."
"He would become my responsibility." Jolie smiles and turns to motion to the cashier. "I'll take this one." The cashier comes over to bundle up the package and she turns her attention back to Maddie. "Do you think it would be offensive if I named him Agrippa? After the author? I know that it is said that the Muggles locked him him because they found his work evil, but I think it was brave of him to write with conviction even knowing that he would be censored and punished for it."
"I, umm… don't know who that is," Madeline admits, looking a little embarrassed. "What did he write? When did he write it? This wasn't recent, was it? Or at least not here in Britain. I mean, what a strange name. Agrippa…"
Jolie is silent for a time watching the kitten be transported away from them. She blinks and grins at Maddie and there is a moment that might make it clear she was digging deep into her wizarding lore to try to remember dates and facts. She sounds a little relieved when the detail comes out, "Cornelius Agrippa, author, born sometime in 1486 and died in 1535…he wrote books of magic but I have only seen him referenced because they were written in.." a little smile grows into a wide one as she shouts with excitement. "German!"
Madeline giggles at the shout. "Well, no wonder I didn't know then! Gee. My German is still not very good! I can only say little things like 'I like chocolate,' and 'give me the book, please.' Mostly stuff like that."
Jolie quiets down but is still grinning. "Excuse me, I.." she hides her face briefly lowering it into curls. She recovers quickly, "Ce est le destin," she murmurs in French. "Or, as they might say in the tea shop, it is fate. He's very adorable for a little Killer. I will need help to train him, if he's not to just be fat and lazy in front of the fire. Can a cat deliver a secret message?" She ponders the thought. "I believe he could with proper training and assistance."
"I'm not sure," Madeline answers in a thoughtful tone. "I've never trained a cat to do anything except stay off the kitchen counter." As she's talking a man who looks to be in his early 30s or late 20s enters, a package wrapped in brown paper held in one hand.
"Are you done with your shopping, Mads?" he asks, his gaze shifting towards Jolie. "Found one of your friends, did you?"
"Uh-huh!" Maddie answers cheerfully.
Jolie smiles and waves at the man. "Hello!" She grins at Madeline then. "If you need to go, we can discuss this mad idea later. I believe that if it is to work the training would have to be initiated early." She pauses then whispers in her stage voice, "A secret conspiracy. I am starting to worry that I should have signed up for Care and Training of Magical Creatures. One cannot master everything, but I so want to try. Thank you for helping me decide!"
"I'm taking Care of Magical Creatures next year," Madeline answers eagerly. "I can't wait! It can't come soon enough!" Gesturing to the man she adds, "This is my uncle." She leans in to whisper loudly, "And don't worry. He's good at keeping secrets."
"I promised to have you home before dinner, don't forget," Perry adds a bit sternly.
"I know, I know!" the girl agrees.
Jolie laughingly waves the pair off to their destination, "Yes. Go. It would be terribly rude of me to keep you here." She winks at Madeline. "Don't forget to put your books somewhere..umm…safe." She gestures reminding Maddie of the trio of romances. "They probably aren't approved for…" for second year students? For Madeline's new 'siblings'. She arches her brow trying to puzzle that wording out then, shrugs, grins, waves.
"Have a most pleasant night, and I do hope we get to see the "Wizard"." She adds extra significance to the last word. Nudge. Nudge. Wink. Wink.
"Ooo! The movie! We will!" Madeline agrees cheerfully. "Com'on, Uncle Perry! We're off to see the wizard!"
"The wonderful Wizard of Oz?" The man responds, nodding to Jolie. Madeline picks up her own package, and off the pair goes. "Now, was she giving you books from the Restricted section of the library? Aren't you a bit young for that still?" he asks teasingly.
"Hey! I'm a Junior Auror, aren't I?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah…"