A/N: I do not own Harry Potter. Noor is my own creation though.
"Noor, come away from the window," Mother's voice called. Noor moved a few centimeters away. "Noor, do I have to tell you again?"
"I did move," Noor stated giving her a sideways look. "I don't want to miss it!"
"And you won't. Breakfast is nearly finished." Noor sighed glancing out the window one last time before making her way to the dining room table. A large platter of sweet rolls sat in the middle of the table.
"Did you remember the cheese?" she asked looking around the platter.
"How could I forget?" Mother laughed hovering a bowl of cream cheese drizzle over to the table. She glazed each roll slowly, spinning them in the air.
"Just think, soon I'll be able to do that. If the owl ever gets here!" Mother just shook her head. They'd been having this same conversation in various ways since Noor was ten and a half. This morning was her eleventh birthday. She hated waiting.
"It'll be here when it gets here. We both know you have magic, Noor. What you did to that poor spider yesterday morning certainly helped prove that."
Noor smiled to herself. The spider in question had dared appear in her shower and had nearly touched her skin. She hated spiders, but not quite as much as their next door neighbor had suddenly had a giant one appear in her house.
"It served her right for gossiping about us," Noor stated. "You and I both know she was spying on us last week."
"If you would be more careful she wouldn't have anything to spy on, you know that. Once you start school, all of this nonsense will have to stop. We could both get in serious trouble."
"Yes, Mother," Noor promised as something hit the window with a soft 'thud'. Noor jumped from her seat running to the window. She nearly tripped over a throw rug.
"Is it your owl?" her mother asked.
"Yes!" Noor screamed opening the window and allowing the owl inside the small kitchen. She carefully took her letter and offered the owl a bite of her breakfast. The owl hooted softly rejecting the food.
"You should send it with your response," her mother told her. Noor scribbled a quick 'yes' and sent the owl on its way.
"Can I get one of those?" she asked as the owl flew out of sight.
"We will see," her mother answered picking Noor's letter from the floor where the overeager girl had dropped it.
"That always means 'no'."
"It means, we will see if we have enough left after we buy all your books, robes, wand, and other items you actually need for school."
"It's not fair. Everyone else will have a pet!"
"Not everyone starts Hogwarts with a pet. I didn't."
"Only because your family was too poor. I don't want to be like you," Noor stated.
"They're your family too, Noor." Noor snorted and rolled her eyes, but let the discussion end there.
The sounds and sights of Diagon Alley buzzed around Noor. Her and her mother had come this afternoon to buy her school supplies.
"Where should we start first, Noor?" her mother asked pulling the supply list from her cloak. Even in the warm August weather, Noor's mother wore a cloak over her robes. Noor had questioned this behavior once, but had never gotten a real answer.
"What's the most expensive? We should get it first so we'll know if I can get an owl!"
"Your potions supplies then. This way, Noor." Noor followed her mother. She'd been in Diagon Alley before, but this was the first time she'd come during school supply time. She had never seen so many young witches and wizards.
"Will they all be going to school with me?" she asked her mother in a whisper. Her mother looked around before nodding slightly.
"Yes, all the ones of school age will. I see some families with younger children." There was a note of sadness in her voice. Noor had heard it before. She knew her mother had wanted a larger family, but the war had killed her father. Her mother had never remarried.
"Can I get this cauldron?"
"Is it pewter, that's what your list says."
"Yes, and it's on sale!" Noor smiled as her mother picked up the cauldron and studied it a little.
"Yes, this one will work nicely." The pair also encountered several other sales as they shopped. Their last stop was Ollivander's. Noor had seen her mother's wandwork and could barely contain her excitement as she was finally going to get one of her own.
"Ahh, Ms. Prewitt, this must be little Noor."
"Not so little anymore. She's eleven now. Can you believe it?" Mr. Ollivander.
"Time does seem to move faster than any of us realize. Let's see..." Mr. Ollivander studied Noor, took a few measurements and nodded.
"Let's see, maybe, no, this one won't work," he mumbled before finally pulling a few boxes from the back. He handed the first one to Noor. "Elm and dragon heartstring."
She carefully opened it and pulled out the wand. It felt like cold hard wood in her hand. Mr. Ollivander shook his hand and grabbed it back.
"Here, try this one." This one was made of a thicker wood. The minute it touched Noor's finger tips the whole shop filled with light.
"Elm with a core of unicorn hair," Mr. Ollivander commented. Noor wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing. She asked her mother once they were outside the shop.
"No, it's not bad. It's just want favors you. The wand does choose the witch or wizard," she stated. She crossed 'wand' off the list and looked Noor over quickly as if trying to decide something important.
"What?"
"I'm trying to decide if I think you'll be able to care for a pet."
"An owl?" Noor held her breath.
"No, the school has owls you can use, but maybe a cat? They are fairly independent." Noor nodded watching her mother think. They'd bought all her robes and most of her books second hand just so Noor could afford a pet.
"This way, Noor," her mother stated leading her to the Magical Menagerie. Noor followed quickly hoping her mother wouldn't change her mind. Once inside she stared wide eyed at the animals. She had never seen so many furry creatures in one place. A large cage on one side of the counter contained several rats. While rows of windows showed nearly a dozen cats.
"Can I help you?" the wizard at the counter asked.
"Yes, this is my daughter's first year at Hogwarts and she would like a pet. Can you recommend anything?" Noor had started looking closer at the cats. There were a few ginger colored ones that reminded her kneazles. She had tuned out her mother and the wizard studying the cats. One walked up to the glass separating her from it and watched her closely.
"You are not getting one of those kind," her mother's voice stated pulling her out of her thoughts.
"Why not?"
"They're part kneazle. I don't trust those creatures, too smart for their own good. You may get a normal cat." Noor frowned taking one last look at the ginger cat who had been watching her. She moved down to where a variety of regular cats sat, each a different color.
"See one you like?" the shop wizard asked. "I can bring one out if you want to meet it." Noor shook her head. All the regular cats were a bit boring. None of them seemed to follow her around, or even seemed remotely interested in her.
"What about that black one in the corner?" her mother asked. "I've always been fond of black cats." Noor rolled her eyes. Witches were supposed to have black cats, at least they were centuries ago before the fad died out. She looked up at the black cat anyway mainly to humor her mother. The cat jumped down from the box it had been sitting on, walked to the glass and glared at Noor with huge orange eyes.
"Hi, kitty," Noor said softly. The cat tilted its head, as if it could hear and understand her. "I'd like to see the black one please," she told the shop wizard. He lifted the flap of glass and handed the cat down to Noor.
"She's been here about a month. They found her starving on the street, so she might not be very friendly," the shop wizard warned. Noor nodded taking the cat gently in her arms.
"Hi there, kitty." The cat climbed onto Noor's shoulder and started purring.
"Can I have this one?" she asked her mother who was now scratching the cat's ears.
"Yes, this one is fine," her mother answered as she paid the shop wizard for the cat, some food, treats, and a wicker carrier.
"Do I have to put her in the carrier?" Noor asked. The cat had laid down across her narrow shoulders.
"I'm sorry, but yes. She's calm now, but all the noise outside might disturb her." Noor couldn't argue with this logic and she carefully tucked her new cat into the carrier.
"What are you going to name her? Midnight sounds like a good name, or maybe Onyx?" Noor shook her head. It was bad enough her own name meant 'light'. She had light blond hair and a pale complexion. She wanted to name her new pet something to do with her personality, not just the color of her fur.
Noor peered at the cat in the carrier. Her eyes were half closed as if about to fall asleep. Noor smiled. At least her new friend felt safe. They arrived home and her mother put all the school supplies away in the closet.
"I'll let you read the books if you want, but I do not want you playing with things you don't understand yet."
"I'll just play with my new pet," Noor stated taking the cat carrier to her room. She opened it and allowed the cat to wander out of her carrier. "I need to name you, have any suggestions?" she asked the cat. The cat looked up at her with her huge orange eyes and meowed. Noor laughed.
"Meow is not a very good name," she stated. The cat swished her tail and sniffed Noor's bed before jumping up and laying down on her pillow.
"Going to take a nap, kitty?" The cat yawned showing her fangs. Noor shook her head and started setting up the cat's litter box, her food and water bowls, and unpacking her toys. When she looked back the cat was sound asleep.
A/NII: I am looking for suggestions for Noor's cat's name.