A/N: Thanks for all your reviews. Here's the final chapter!
He wasn't there! The Not-A-Dog growled at me. I searched, but the rat wasn't there!
I know, I responded, casually cleaning myself. He is gone.
Explain, he said, growling fiercely.
I quickly related all that had occurred, how the Not-A-Rat had faked his death and left blood on the sheets.
My pet was very upset, I said, eyeing him suspiciously. Why did you try to kill the Ginger-Kitten?
I didn't, he replied. He just thought I was trying to hurt him. I was only after the rat.
He slumped down, and rested his head between his paws, whining softly. How am I ever going to find him now?
Unbidden, I felt a stirring of sympathy, which far outweighed all the anger I felt at him frightening my pet by threatening her old friend with a knife.
He is a coward, I replied. He won't run far. We'll find him, and then we'll make him suffer.
A fervent light came back into his eyes, and a low growl sounded in the back of his throat.
Yes, we shall.
Things passed more or less uneventfully the next few months, with nothing new to report about the whereabouts of the Not-A-Rat. The Ginger-Kitten still hated me, and threw stones at me, shouted at me, and did anything he could to annoy me. And I did the same for him. Every time he made my pet cry, every time he shouted at her, I hissed at him, spat at him, determined to protect her.
Things changed after a while though, and for some reason, my pet and the other two kittens seemed to make up and spent great deals of time together in the library looking at old books and talking about 'hippogriffs', whatever they were. The Ginger-Kitten was so obsessed with this, he even forgot to be nasty to me. But I wasn't about to forgive him that easily.
Having made up with the other two kittens, my pet seemed somewhat happier, and no longer cried herself to sleep the way she used to, but still, she was very stressed. She spent hours and hours poring over books, falling asleep at desks, and looking very frazzled in general. I tried to distract her from whatever sadness those books were giving her, but she was determined, and didn't even smile when I chased the mouse she had given me. She worked all day and all night, and I grew very concerned.
So I decided to continue my hunt for the Not-A-Rat. I could smell him still, he was in the grounds somewhere, but where I could not make out. I felt an itch beneath my claws, an itch not easily satisfied.
You really don't have any idea where he is? The Not-A-Dog asked me, as we walked side-by-side early one morning. Can't you track him?
I thought dogs were supposed to be the expert trackers? I asked, annoyed. Why don't you do something instead of leaving me to do all the work? You've done nothing.
That's not true.
Oh yes, I forgot. You twice broke into the castle and twice almost got caught, and didn't even come close to catching the imposter. Well done.
No need to be like that. Can you help me?
I've been helping you for months. It's time for you to come up with some ideas. Why don't you try and track him?
I can't today, it's the Quidditch final!
I don't know or care what that is. Just get some work done!
I sprang away from him then, not satisfied with the progress we were making. How could one rat be so hard to find?
The kittens increased their workload more than ever, and now even my pet had little time for me, so obsessed was she with her books, so I just spent my time stalking the grounds, searching for the Not-A-Rat and getting annoyed with the Not-A-Dog and his failures. He really was as stupid as the animal he pretended to be.
But, it seemed I had written him off too quickly.
One evening, just after sundown, I was lying on the front lawn, sniffing the air, when I heard the Not-A-Dog bounding up towards me, ears flapping ludicrously, eyes blazing.
I've found him!
Where? I demanded, leaping to my feet.
He's been hiding in Hagrid's hut, that's why we could still smell him but couldn't track him. Harry and the others just went down to see him, and they left, and they've got Peter with them. They're coming this way right now!
Immediately, my heart leapt, and I began shaking in anticipation. Finally.
I'm going to get him, growled the Not-a-Dog. I'll drag him off.
But the Ginger-Kitten will have him.
Then I'll take him too.
You cannot hurt him, my pet would never forgive me.
I won't, he promised, though he seemed unconcerned, so obsessed was he with the then sighed and seemed to think better of it. You, try and get Peter away from the boy, chase him towards the Whomping Willow. I'll grab him and take him into the Shrieking Shack. Harry and your pet will want to go after him. Bring them too; I want them to know the truth before I kill the rat. There's a secret passageway underneath the roots of the tree, press the knot at the base of the trunk with your paws and it'll freeze the branches. Follow the passageway until you get to the Shack, I'll be waiting upstairs.
And with that, he ran off, lying in wait. And it wasn't long before I heard the terrified squeaks of the Not-A-Rat approaching. I felt a thrill of pleasure. No escape this time.
The three kittens were nowhere to be seen, probably hidden by some sort of spell, but that didn't matter, I could easily hear him, and the Ginger-Kitten's desperate attempts to get him to stay quiet. But that was less than useless, he could smell me, and the Not-A-Dog as well. He knew his time was running out.
I slunk towards the sound of the squeaks, my eyes peeled for any sight of him. Then-
"Crookshanks! No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"
"Scabbers- NO!"
Their voices betrayed their presence, and a split second later, the rat himself was visible, streaking off into the darkness. I was after him like a shot, barely even registering the kittens that were following me. I chased the rat faster than I had ever run before, cutting off his escape into the forest, chasing him ever more towards the Moving-Tree-
"Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat-"
Angry as I was at being called stinking, I was more concerned with the fact that the stupid kitten had landed on top of me, almost squashing me flat, grabbing the Not-A-Rat by the tail. I yowled, signaling to the Not-A-Dog. He'd have to take the kitten too, the imposter was already back in the kitten's pocket, and I was seeing stars after being so rudely landed on.
He was there a moment later, pouncing on the Four-Eyed-Kitten and seizing the Ginger-Kitten by the arm and dragging him off. I hissed in annoyance, he had promised not to hurt him.
My pet and the remaining kitten tried to go after him, but were thrown back by the branches that hit at them so fiercely. They cried their friend's name desperately. I decided action was needed.
I darted underneath the branches as nimble as a, well, a cat, slithering between the branches and placing my front paws on a knot on the trunk as the Not-A-Dog had told me. Immediately, the tree froze.
I spied the gap in the roots and slid in with a flick of my tail, pausing only long enough to make sure my pet was following, feeling very pleased with myself. I made my way down the passageway as quickly as I could, following the combined stench of the Not-A-Dog and the Not-a-Rat, my excitement growing.
We emerged into a rather shabby looking house, and I wasted no time, but darted straight up the stairs to where I knew the two Two-Legs were. They were inside a dusty old bedroom; the Not-A-Dog had transformed back into his equally as ugly Two-Legs form. He nodded to me as I entered, and I sprang up onto the creaky bed, and lay there, purring loudly. The Ginger-Kitten was lying on the floor, his leg sticking out at a strange angle. He was hurt, but alive at least. My pet would be pleased at that, and I was pleased he was finally getting payback for all the pain he had caused my pet.
The other two kittens weren't long in coming, and then the confrontation began. To be honest, I wasn't much concerned with what was being said; the concerns of Two-legs bore me more often than not. But when I saw the Four-Eyed-Kitten attack the Not-A-Dog, I knew I had to intervene.
I leapt from my comfy spot on the bed and joined the fray, sinking my claws deep into the arm of the Four-Eyed-Kitten when he reached for his magic stick. He threw me off, and I dove for the stick myself, but then he aimed a kick at me, which I only just avoided, hissing wildly.
The kitten overpowered the Not-A-Dog, and pointed the stick at him, looking as if he was about to finish him off ...
Like hell you will! I've worked too hard to let this filth get away once again!
I streaked past the Four-Eyed-Kitten and leapt on to the Not-A-Dog's chest, settling myself right above his heart, staring defiantly back at the Four-Eyed-Kitten. The Not-A-Dog tried to shake me off, but I dug my claws in deeply. My pet gave a dry sob, and I was almost moved, but stood my ground. I had to make her understand the truth, make her understand that I'd been trying to protect her all along.
The seconds lengthened as the Four-Eyed-Kitten seemed uncertain and did not strike the final blow. I didn't think he cared that much about me, he must be genuinely unwilling to kill the Not-A-Dog. Typical cowardly Two-legs.
Just in time, another Two-legs entered the fight, disarming the kitten. It was the Wolf-Man, the one who was friends with the Not-A-Dog, and soon they were embracing, dropping me to the floor without a second thought. How's that for gratitude?
Then there was a great deal of talking, shouting, accusations, and things I wasn't remotely interested in. All that concerned me was the still lingering stench of the Not-A-Rat. The Not-A-Dog crossed to the bed and sat down, and I leapt into his lap, purring, letting the kittens know that he could be trusted, but I don't think they understood. They were only kittens, after all.
The Not-A-Dog and the Wolf-Man seemed to be trying to convince the kittens of the truth about the Not-A-Rat, but they weren't buying it, fools that they were. Finally they managed to convince the Ginger-Kitten to draw the Not-A-Rat out by his tail. I hissed immediately I saw him. Now the moment was almost here.
I was then rudely interrupted as the Not-A-Dog threw me to the ground as he lunged at the Not-A-Rat, only to be stopped by the Wolf-Man who kept going on about giving explanations. I barely curbed my impatience. Just kill the rat now! I'd waited long enough!
But that wasn't the plan, and there was a long discussion about werewolves, and Two-Legs turning into animals and all sorts of boring other things. There was a little bit of excitement when another Two-Legs with greasy fur entered the room, but the kittens soon dealt with him.
I had lost interest in the thread of the conversation, and lay purring on the bed, when I heard the Ginger-Kitten call me a 'mad cat'.
"This cat isn't mad," said the Not-A-Dog, resting a hand on my head. "He's the most intelligent of his kind that I've ever met."
This unexpected praise immediately raised the Not-A-Dog in my estimations. I might even forgive him now for impersonating an animal.
He told me pet and the other kittens about how I'd helped him, and my eyes were fixed on my pet the entire time, thrilled at finally having her know the truth, having her know I'd been trying to protect her. The amazed look on her face said it all. My purring grew louder.
Then, the moment finally came. The Ginger-Kitten finally held out the Not-A-Rat and a few flashes of light and noises later, and a man stood where the rat had been a second earlier. I spat and snarled at the man when I saw him; he looked almost rat-like himself, a true coward.
He sniveled, and he whimpered, and I gloried n the terrified look in his furtive little eyes. Finally retribution.
Eventually it was decided the Not-A-Rat be taken back to the castle, and I led the procession from the house, my tail held proudly behind me, thrilled at the successful capture of this vermin. I sauntered out into the grounds, the others following behind me, and began to make my way back to the castle.
Of course, this was when it all went wrong.
The stupid Wolf-Man had forgotten tonight was the full moon, and when the moon emerged from behind the clouds, he began to tremble and shake, hair sprouting from his face and hands, his head and body lengthening. My fur went on end, and I backed away slowly. This would not end well.
The Not-A-Dog transformed and charged the werewolf, but in the commotion, the Not-A-Rat had dived for the magic stick. A burst of light, and the Ginger-Kitten was motionless. I sprang towards the Not-A-Rat, determined not to let him escape, but there was another burst of light, and I knew no more.
It was hours before I came around, finding myself lying on the ground completely alone. I barely had time to be annoyed at the fact that someone had rescued the kittens and left me lying, before I was flying back up to the castle. I needed to know what had happened.
My pet wasn't in her bed, and worried, I stalked the castle, tracking down her scent until I found it inside the Hospital Wing. There were adult Two-Legs talking inside, and though I did not understand much of what was said, I heard enough to gather that the Not-A-Rat had gotten away.
This was a blow to say the least, all my hard work, wasted! Stupid Wolf-Man, it was all his fault …
I waited until the adult Two-Legs had left, and all had gone quiet inside the room before sneaking in. The three kittens were lying on beds in the dark. I found my pet easily, and leapt up beside her on the bed, nuzzling her softly, checking her for juries.
She sensed my presence, and opened her eyes and smiled, reaching out to pull me closer. I purred loudly.
"You clever boy, Crookshanks," she murmured. "You did all of that on your own. You were just trying to help us, weren't you? I'm sorry I shouted at you for chasing Scabbers. Turns out you were right. He got away, but so did Sirius. We'll get him one day. I'm just glad you're alright."
And she closed her eyes again, her hand gently entwined in my fur. I settled myself in for the night, still purring as I pondered her words.
She was right. The Not-A-Rat got away, but at least he was no longer endangering the kittens, at least they were no longer blind to his true identity, at least my pet had escaped unharmed.
That was all that really mattered.
In no time all it seemed, I was once again being crammed into that infernal cage, and loaded onto the great scarlet thing that had brought me to the castle that had become my home. But I was not long confined to these cramped living conditions, and I was soon let out, this time, not even the Ginger-Kitten offering an objection.
The journey passed with the kittens talking amongst themselves and laughing, and I was pleased to see my pet looking happier than I'd seen her all year. Maybe the Ginger-Kitten wasn't so bad after all.
Late into the afternoon however, we were rudely interrupted by an owl that was flying alongside us, and was soon let in to deposit a letter, before it started fluttering excitedly around the compartment. I watched it warily, standing up in my seat, unhappy with the undignified way it was behaving, wondering vaguely whether I would be allowed to chase it.
The Four-Eyed-Kitten read the letter, and seemed happy, as did the Ginger-Kitten when he was told the owl could now belong to him. He looked uncertainly at the owl for a moment or two, before to my great surprise (as well as everyone else's) he held it out for me to sniff.
"What d'you reckon? Definitely an owl?"
So he had learned his lesson? Good for him.
I purred loudly.
"That's good enough for me. He's mine."
I was pleased for him, though still a little wary of the owl. It seemed a little too excited. Delivering a letter? Try sniffing out murderous rats for a living!
Before long, I had once again been loaded into my cage, and my pet was carrying me away, and through what looked like a solid wall. She ran excitedly up to two Two-legs who smelled vaguely like her.
"Mum! Dad! Look, my new cat. Isn't he gorgeous? He's the most intelligent cat in the world!"
I purred loudly, despite still being inside my cage.
Yes, I had definitely chosen myself the right pet.
A/N: Thanks for sticking with this story. It was only a bit of fun, but I hoped you enjoyed it anyway.
For those who asked, yes, I am working on the Ancient Relics sequel, and I've started writing the first chapter, though it's coming on slowly. I should begin to start posting it within the coming weeks :)