The Cat

The cat came around Privet Drive quite often.

Nobody ordered her to be there, but she was there all the same, eyes fixed on the kitchen window of Number Four, as if she was waiting for something to happen.

(Nothing did, of course. Nothing ever really happened on Privet Drive.)

But day after day the cat marched down that street and inspected that house, and when people walked past her she didn't skirt away like most cats, she just stared at them calmly until they moved on.

It went on that way for years, with the cat turning up every few days. Petunia Dursley saw her once when she was doing the breakfast dishes, and she turned white and ran to the door, because she'd seen that cat before, she knew it was more than just an animal, she knew it was one of them.

She opened the door a crack. "Shoo," she hissed, but the cat didn't move. She was perched up on a fence, glossy eyes staring into the kitchen, picking up every move of the two four-year-old boys playing together on the floor.

One had a scar on his forehead, and the sight of it made the cat's nose twitch.

Petunia looked over her shoulder and took a step toward the cat. "What do you want with us? Did he send you? We haven't done anything wrong, I'm as good as a mother to him."

The cat slowly turned her head to face her.

"You want to see him?" Petunia asked sharply. "You want to inspect him? Go ahead."

The cat let her eyelids drop in a slow blink.

Petunia looked like she couldn't decide whether to run inside and lock the door or grab the cat and strangle her. In the end she turned smartly on her heel and retreated into the house. "Dudley," she called, moving back into the kitchen, and the cat heard it all through the open window. "Dudley, go upstairs. Now."

Dudley heaved himself to his feet and waddled toward the staircase. The other boy jumped up and made to follow him, but Petunia grabbed his arm and tugged him toward the door. "Come with me for a moment, Harry," she said, and the boy followed her back to the front door and out onto the steps. "There," Petunia said, presenting him to the cat. "There, he's fine."

The cat leaped down from her perch and approached the boy slowly. Her eyes never left his scar.

"You want him?" Petunia gave Harry a little shove toward the cat. "You want to take him away? That's fine with me. We never asked for this!"

"Aunt Petunia?" Harry's eyes were wide behind his round glasses. "Are you talking to the cat?"

Petunia was trembling all over. "Don't hurt my family," she said. "Do you understand me? Don't come near us anymore. Tell your headmaster the boy is fine."

The cat blinked and slowly cocked her head to one side. In the next house over, Mrs. Figg was peeping out from behind her curtains, eyebrows raised.

"Aunt Petunia," Harry said gently, "I don't think the cat can understand you."

Petunia was bone-white. "I'll keep him if I have to, like I promised I would," she said. "But I won't tolerate spies."

The curtain twitched, and Mrs. Figg disappeared.

"I think it's just a cat," Harry said. "Aunt Petunia, it's hot out here, can I go back in with - ?"

"Yes, yes, go, fine," Petunia snapped, and Harry, looking confused, opened the door and went back into the house.

"Petunia!" It was Mrs. Figg, toddling down her walkway and waving an empty measuring cup in the air. "Petunia, darling, I'm so glad I caught you. I was baking a cake, and clumsy me, I ran out of sugar! Do you think I could borrow a cup?"

Petunia gave the cat one last glare. "Yes, Arabella, of course. Do come in." She went inside, leaving the door open behind her for her neighbor.

Mrs. Figg knelt down in front of the cat. "Couldn't stay away, eh?" she muttered, scratching her behind the ears. "I know the feeling." She straightened up. "Don't worry, I'm watching the house. I check in with Dumbledore once a month. They're strict on him, but he's not being abused." She moved inside the house. "You can go back to the castle. I have everything under control."

The cat dropped one eyelid in a slow wink, and Mrs. Figg shut the door.

[Character Collection Competition: Minerva McGonagall (Marauder's Era)]

[Monthly Drabble-A-Thon: Minerva McGonagall]

[30 Harry Potter Prompts: Professor McGonagall]

[Forbidden Words Challenge: "McGonagall"]