House: Slytherin

Class: Astronomy

Type: Drabble

Prompt: Five-headed cat

Word Count: 743

Rating: K

Professor McGonagall woke to a very strange sound. It simultaneously sounded like a swarm of angry bees and the hum of a very loud muggle automobile. Cautiously, she opened her eyes and surveyed her dark room. The curtains were drawn, and the early glow of morning was just creeping in, casting the room full of shadows.

At first glance, she saw nothing. Sitting up, she suddenly saw something slinking from the foot of her bed towards the door. Grabbing her wand, she muttered a spell and the creature froze in its tracks. Minerva shook her head as she wrapped herself in a dressing gown. It was far too early to be woken up by unknown creatures.

After pulling open the curtains and lighting a candle, she approached the petrified creature. She crouched down and let out a little gasp as not one, but five cat heads stared back at her. The one in the center was black with beautiful green eyes and the two on either side were speckled with black and white. They were all joined to one body that had two tails protruding from its backside.

Curious, McGonagall unfroze the cat-creature and stepped back. To her surprise, the heads let out a chorus of meows as it rubbed against her legs. Despite it being strange and a little bit suspicious to wake up with this creature in her room, she felt her heart warm just from looking at it. She had a soft spot for cats.

Absent-mindedly, she petted the cat's soft body while she contemplated how it got into her room. A breeze blew in from her open window and she could hear some students laughing in the schoolyard below.

'It is far too early for most students to be awake,' the professor thought as she went to investigate.

From her window, she could see three young boys wearing Hufflepuff robes. One was swinging his wand around like a fool and before she could advise him to stop, a blinding flash of light accompanied by a defining bang erupted from the wand.

Behind her, the cat creature lept several feet in the air and climbed her bedpost with ease. Looking from the cat to the trees by her window she figured it must have climbed up into her room. Now all she had to do was figure out who it belonged to.

"Is anybody hurt?" She shouted to the stunned trio.

They all shook their heads in unison and then ran off.

Closing the window, McGonagall turned to the cat, who was now curled up on top of her bed canopy. It blinked at her slowly with five pairs of green eyes.

Smiling to herself, she got dressed and pinned her hair up for breakfast.

"You stay here, now," she said to the cat before she left her room. "I'll be back with food and hopefully some answers."

Down in the Great Hall, there were a few teachers and some early-rising students munching on toast and pieces of ripe fruit. McGonagall took her seat at the Head Table and sipped on a cup of tea, wondering about her next move. She didn't have to wait long before answers started to come her way.

Shortly after she had started on a piece of buttered toast, Hagrid came stomping into the hall, tears in his eyes. The professor shook her head. She should have known.

McGonagall jumped up and approached the large, worried man,

"A word please," she said gently, leading him back into the hallway.

"I awoke to a creature in my bedroom this morning," she began, not unkindly.

"I'm so sorry, Professor, those little buggers can climb better than anything. Jump too!"

"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" McGonagall asked him.

"Found 'em, wandering an alley in Hogsmeade. It was mewling and covered in filth. I couldn't leave 'em there."

McGonagall nodded, a small grin forming on her lips.

"Why did the poor creature run away from you?"

"It's Fang!" Hagrid exclaimed, looking pained. "All he does is growl and bark at that poor thing. I don't think I can keep both."

The half-giant looked crestfallen that he was unable to care for such a unique creature.

"I think I have a solution," McGonagall told him.

Back in her bed-chamber, McGonagall stroked the back of the five-headed creature. It purred loudly next to her.

"I think I'll call you Sylvie," she told the cat, looking into all ten green eyes.