Cat Got Your Tongue?

(One-Shot)

Disclaimers: I don't own anything apart from some DVD's/books for this series.

AN: This is a short drabble prompt for 'The Houses Competition" based on the first two movies/script books of Fantastic Beasts (the third one along with any subsequent ones will not be included for one obvious reason: TeamDepp!)

House: Gryffindor

Class: Herbology

Category: Drabble

Prompt(s): (Action) Screaming in shock/surprise/fear / (Creature) Five-headed cat / (Dialogue, Multiline) "I need to tell you something"/ "Where did you come from?"

Word count: 597 according to AO3 (2 pages)

Summary: Jacob had a helping 'paw' in the kitchen.

Jacob wanted to give Queenie her favorite food for her birthday: shrimp meat pie. He had used his mother's recipe to make the scrumptious dish along with a salad. Next, he pulled out a bottle of red wine to place in the center of the table. All that was needed now was to get some candles while the meat pie cooled on the counter.

As he set about looking for some new candles, he heard a thudding in the kitchen. Jacob laid the long red tapers aside as he cocked his head a little to listen better. Sure enough, more thudding came from the kitchen. Thinking it was Queenie, he hurried over to stop her from seeing the surprise, thinking up something to say to her to get rid of her for just a few more minutes.

"I need to tell you something," Jacob said as he stepped into the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks, staring ahead. "Where did you come from?"

The thing he was talking to looked up at him with five sets of eyes. Yes, five sets, a pair for each head! It had dark gray, fluffy fur. It swished its tail before meowing at him. Loudly! All five mouths opened wide in a chorus of meows.

"No, no, no!" Jacob waved his hands. He was used to strange critters by now, so the five-headed cat didn't scare him.

... Much ...

"Mmmrow?"

"Shoo, SHOO!" Jacob advanced on the cat. His eyes landed on the pie, or more precisely, what was left of it. "Ohh no!"

The stupid cat had all but destroyed it.

But there was no time to do anything, for a soft bang coming from the living room told him that Queenie had returned. He went out to meet her, wondering how to fix the ruined birthday dinner she didn't even know she was supposed to have yet.

"Oh Jacob, honey!" Queenie smiled, dropping a quick kiss on either one of his cheeks before brushing past to enter the kitchen.

"Um, wait!" Jacob began but it was too late.

Queenie's shocked scream of surprise told him everything. She had met the cat. "What the heck is THIS?!"

"Uh, well, that's our new, um ..." Jacob thought of what was left of the shrimp meat pie. "Shrimp tester."

"Shrimp tester?" Queenie was still horrified at the sight of all its heads.

"Uh, well, yes I suppose so." Jacob sighed before explaining the whole birthday dinner he had planned that the cat had now ruined.

In the meantime, that cat had started brushing up against Queenie's legs, purring contentedly. Queenie's eyes moved downward. The cat looked up into her face with all its yellow eyes, pupils dilating as if in anticipation of receiving food. A bell dangled from its collar next to the tag.

Queenie moved away to give Jacob some room to get a better look at the tag.

"I think this is her name," Jacob said as he stood up. "Abby! Short for Abigail, it seems."

"That thing has a name?" Queenie gasped as she dropped into the nearest chair.

"Come here, Abby," Jacob put a hand out towards the cat.

With a pleasant multi-meow, Abby trotted over to be petted, arching her back as he rubbed her spine.

"Well, I guess we need to let Newt know about her," Queenie said. "Maybe he can find her owner."

"Sounds good," Jacob said. "But now, we need to go out. It's someone's birthday, today!"

"Yes, let's," Queenie said, glancing at Abby who was now curled up on top of the couch.

the end