Chapter 4: Rats!

Ron Weasley and Hermione (his wife) were preparing for the dinner they were going to have with the Potters. "Children hurry up! It's almost time to go!" Hermione called. Rose Weasley ,their daughter, as always was ready first. She came running down the stairs and asked "Mum can I please bring Otter over so I can show her to Albus? Please mum? Pretty pretty pleeaaase?" Hermione smiled and said " If you promise to take good care of her then yes but you have to ask Hugo as well. You know it is also his cat. And also tell him to hurry up because were leaving in 2 minutes." Rose rushed back upstairs to tell Hugo what Hermione had said. "Okay but you have to let me show Otter to Lily too. Not just Albus." Hugo said when Rose asked if they could bring the cat over to the Potters. The Weasley-Granger family finally managed to drive to the Potter's home.

"Good evening Uncle Harry and Auntie Ginny" saluted Rose when they arrived.

"Hi Uncle Harry. Hi Auntie Ginny" greeted Hugo.

"Hello Rose, Hugo. The children are in the living room" Ginny said. Rose and Hugo rushed inside and went to say hi to James, Albus, and Lily.

"Look Albus. Lily. We got a new pet. She is our new cat. Dad named her Otter." Rose told them as she handed over Otter so they could pet her.

"Otter?" asked Lily. "Why Otter?"

" I don't know. Dad said something about naming it after mum's patrenus or something like that" responded Hugo.

"Patronus." Harry and Ron corrected as they walked passed them to join the other adults in the kitchen.

"It doesn't matter what her name is" Lily said." Otter is still a very pretty cat."

"Yeah she's right" Albus said.

"Ooohhhh. Wait I'll be back." Lily said very excited.

"Where is she going?" questioned Hugo. Albus shrugged as Lily came in running with something cupped in her hands. She smiled widely and said "I have a pet too. It's a rat but I don't know what to name him. Maybe Uncle Ron can help me since he named Otter. I'll be back." and she went running to the kitchen. She hid the rat inside her dress pocket and then said," Uncle Ron can you pleeaasee help me name my pet?"

"Sure. What type of pet do you have?"

"A rat. Look. Isn't adorable?" Lily asked. She noticed how Ron's faced changed to uncomfortableness. "Uncle Ron? Are you okay?"

"That's Your pet?" Lily nodded and then Ron said "Are you sure it's your pet. Does it have all its toes. It's not missing one or acts funny?"

"Er.. hold him. You can pet him. He's really nice. It just sleeps and eats. Sometimes it plays." she said as she held out the rat for her uncle to take.

Ron gives a dramatic gasp and begins asking Lily questions about the rat again.

"Never mind Uncle Ron. I'll just...uh...um go and play with Hugo." Lily said and then went running back to the living room.

"Er... Ron what the bloody hell was that about?" questioned Ginny. Ron did not answer still looking shocked. "You know what? Never mind let's eat I'm hungry". Hermione,Ginny,Ron, and Harry headed for the kitchen and as they passed the living room they heard Lily talking to Hugo.

"Hugo are you sure because Uncle Ron acted weird when I showed him my pet rat."

"Yes Lily. I am sure. Dad is just afraid of spiders. He thinks they will kill him or something." responded Hugo with a sigh.

"Hmmm. I wonder why he hates my rat then"

Hugo shrugged just as Ron yelled across from the kitchen and said "Check its toes"

Lily and Hugo exchanged glances and sighed not knowing what to do with Loony Uncle Ron.