Hello. I hope you're ready for The Prisoner of Azkaban! I know I am! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC.

Autumn's P.O.V

"Hello, sir. Is Harry Potter here?" I asked. Ron, Hermione, and I wanted to see Harry today before tomorrow. We were at the Leaky Cauldron.

"No. He went out to Diagon Alley" Tom answered. I know his name because Hagrid took me to Diagon Alley my first time, and Hagrid usually gets his drinks here.

"Thank you" I said. I went back to Ron and Hermione.

"He's back in Diagon Alley. Come on" I urged them. We walked into the back and up to the brick wall. I took out my wand and tapped the third brick from the left above the trash can. We all watched as the brick wall moved to reveal the alley.

"Let's check the shops first" Hermione suggested. Ron and I nodded in agreement.

After going to every shop that people who go to Hogwarts go and getting our own things, we decided to go to the ice cream parler to sit, eat ice cream, and talk, while also looking for Harry.

"You've been very quiet this summer. What's wrong?" Ron asked as I took a bite of my chocolate ice cream.

"Nothing. Why would you assume that something's wrong?" I asked.

"Because you're never this quiet unless something's on your mind. So, what's up?" he asked. Screw him and the whole family for knowing me so well.

I turned my head to see anything that I could change the subject with. Thank god I saw a messy head of black hair.

"Hey, look. There's Harry!" I called to Ron and Hermione. My change in subject worked.

"Harry! HARRY!" Hermione yelled.

Harry turned toward us and smiled. Ron and Hermione were waving frantically at him. I just sat and ate my ice cream, smiling.

"Finally!" Ron grinned as Harry sat down next to him, which was next to me too. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and -"

"Ron, breathe" I teased. Ron glared at me, and I rolled my eyes at him.

"I got all my school stuff last week" Harry explained. "And how did you know that I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron?" he asked.

"Dad" I answered before Ron could.

"Did you really blow up your aunt, Harry?" Hermione asked in a very serious voice.

"If you did, I bet she deserved it" I added. Harry nodded. I'm not sure if it was to agree with me, or to answer Hermione's question, or both.

"I didn't mean to" Harry said, while Ron roared with laughter. "I just - lost control"

"Lost control of what exactly? Was it in anger? Or was some other extreme emotion?" I asked. I then turned to Ron.

"Ron! Stop it! It's not funny!" I reprimended him. "What if that was you who did it?"

Now, that shut him up for the moment.

"I'm amazed that you weren't expelled" Hermione said.

"Honestly, so am I" Harry admitted. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested" he looked to Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"

"Probably because you're the famous Boy-Who-Lived" I shrugged.

"Famous Harry Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up my aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! So, you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermiome's there as well!" Ron added.

"Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things" Hermione nodded, beaming.

"Excellent!" Harry exclaimed happily. "So, have you all got all your new books and stuff?"

"Look at this!" Ron grinned, pulling his wand box out of a bag and opened it. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail hair. And we've got all our books-" he pointed to a large bag under his chair, and I had three under mine. "What about those Monster books, eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted three"

"What's all that, Hermione? Elsa?" Harry asked, pointing at the three bulging bags in the extra chair on the other side of Hermione.

"Well, Elsa and I are taking more new subjects than you, aren't we?" Hermione replied. I nodded.

"Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies-" she listed.

"What are you taking Muggle Studies for?" Ron asked. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"

"But it's interesting to learn from a new perspective. Plus, she can help me if I'm ever stuck in that class" I said, defending Hermione. I purposely haven't told anyone how many classes that I took this year.

"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, guys?" Harry asked, while Ron sniggered. We ignored them.

"I've still got ten Galleons. It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present" Hermione said, ckecking her purse. Yes! That's perfect! I got her something from Egypt, and wanted to surprise her. Her birthday's a perfect time. Why haven't she told me when her birthday was sooner? I could've gotten her a present last year.

"How about a nice book?" Ron asked innocently.

"No, I don't think so" Hermione said composedly. "I really want an owl. Harry's got Hedwig, Elsa's got Midnight, and you've got Errol -"

"I haven't. Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers" Ron corrected, pulling Scabbers out of his pocket. "And I want to get him ckecked over" he added, placing Scabbers on the table. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him"

Scabbers was looking thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers. I tried to help him, but no, Ron wouldn't listen to me.

"There's a magical creature shop just over there" Harry said. Wow. He must've been in here a lot to automatically know where it is. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl"

We paid for our ice cream, which I took with me, and crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie.

There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. I mentally scowled. That's no way to treat animals. Animals deserve to live free. Not in cages. I don't put Midnight in a cage unless I have to transport him without him being seen, or some other extreme circumstance. It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants of the cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing to get out. They all wanted out of their cages so much. I can tell by listening to them, and how they looked. I walked to a cage with a completely gray cat with deep blue eyes in it.

"I really wish I could help you" I whispered to her sadly.

"Me too"

My eyes widened and I backed up a step.

"Did...Did I just hear you talk?" I asked.

"Yes, you did, though I'm surprised myself that you did" the cat nodded.

"You don't deserve being in this cage" I said.

"Why can't you do what the other creatures on two legs do and pay for us to free us?" she asked. I chuckled quietly.

"You mean wizards?"

"Yeah, sure. Whatever"

"Well, the reason I can't is because I can't buy all of you in here, I have an owl who might think of some of you as snacks, and I go to a school. If I bought you, then I would want to keep you happy and protect you" I explained.

"What if it was just me?" she asked. I thought about that.

"I would have to ask Hermione. She's more knowledgable in the school rules than I am" I thought. I turned to Hermione, who was a few feet on my right.

"Hey, Hermione. Can we have two pets at Hogwarts? Like a cat and a owl?" I asked.

"I don't exactly know, but I don't think so. I suggest asking Professor McGonagall" she responded. I turned back to the cat I was speaking to. Huh. That sounds weird.

"All right. I'll get you, and I'll ask my Head of House. If she says no, then I'll just shrink you so nobody will know that I have you with me" I whispered. The cat nodded.

"...OUCH!" Ron yelled. I looked towards him and saw him being trampled over a ginger cat, and then the cat propelled itself at Scabbers.

"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" the witch behind the counter cried. Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor, and then scampered for the door.

"Scabbers!" Ron shouted, racing out of the shop after him. Harry followed.

"Excuse me, can I buy Crookshanks?" Hermione asked.

"You'd really do that? He's been in here for ages" the witch said in surprise.

"You mean that no one wanted him?" I asked. The witch nodded, then took notice of the cage that I had in my hands.

"Buying him?" she asked.

"I'm buying her, yes. Oh, and Ron's rat tonic" I nodded. I brought the cage to the counter and paid five Galleons for her, and two Galleons for the tonic.

"So, how much for Crookshanks?" Hermione asked, Crookshanks purring contently in her arms.

"Ten Galleons, dear" she said. Hermione smiled and took out the Galleons from her purse before giving them to the witch.

"Thank you, dears. Have a nice day" the witch said. We walked out to find Harry and Ron coming back. I wonder where Scabbers is. Maybe Ron put him away from Crookshanks sight.

"You bought that monster?" Ron asked, his mouth hanging open.

"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" Hermione asked, glowing.

Crookshanks fur was thick and fluffy, but it was definitely a bit bowlegged and his face looked grumpy and oddly squashed, but I still love this cat. I love all animals.

"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" Ron yelled.

"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" she asked him.

"No. I was trying to get at that sneaky, untrustworthy human" Crookshanks purred. I raised my eyebrow in confusion. I have to have a talk with him about that later.

"And what about Scabbers?" Ron asked, pointing to the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"

"By the way, you forgot your rat tonic" I said, putting the small red bottle in Ron's hand. "And stop worrying. Crookshanks will be sleeping in our dormitory, and Scabbers in yours. So, what's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages. No one wanted him"

"I wonder why" Ron said sarcastically as we headed toward the Leaky Cauldron.

"Only you would say that. By the way, don't you already have an owl? Why have a cat too?" Harry asked, noticing my new cat.

"The cat spoke to me" I shrugged. I mentally chuckled. She spoke to me metaphorically and literally. My new cat also chuckled at my wording, though they all though that she was caugging up a hairball.

"They all speak to you" Harry replied with a roll of his eyes. I mentally laughed at how he worded that, and my cat laughed even harder.

"Well, yeah, but she was the first one that did. I couldn't leave them all there, but I knew that I couldn't buy them all, so I just went with my first choice. Are you okay?" I explained, then asked, looking at the cage.

"Yes, but can you free me please?" she asked. I just shook my head. I don't want the others to think I'm crazy for thinking that I can talk to animals, so I couldn't answer her in public. I'll explain it to her when we have time to talk.

First chapter's done. New pet! I actually forgot that she had Midnight since only mentioning him once or twice in the first book. I swear, this one will have more Midnight. Can I have help on naming her new cat? Please? Bye my little wizard turtles. Review?