Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the rights to everything. I do not own any of the characters. I don't even own a cat. On the other hand, is it possible to own a cat? - HiBob
A Purrfect Life
I have lived for a long time. Now I approach the end of my days, not very quickly however, I see the pattern of my lives.
I was born the first time, in the days after the Romans had left the Isles. I was small, barely able to open my eyes, when a man picked me out of the litter. He was a wizard, and a very powerful one. He taught me the art of magic, although I have a feeling that it was only as a whim. I learned, of course. I have always been a smart cat.
Merlin taught me how to 'nudge' a spell. I cannot cast any major spell, but I can add power, and take power away, from a spell cast by someone familiar to me. To get about, I found I could nudge the shadows, and would walk around walls and doors as a result. I found I could also nudge people, make them think of things, such as "What a nice cat." It is a very useful talent, and I became rather fat because of it.
In time, Merlin retired, and I grew old. I died in my sleep, as a proper cat should.
Life number two was boring. The most exciting thing was that I could remember my first life. That tells you how boring this life was. I was a mouser in a castle. A MOUSER! The first thing I did was to cast a rodent repellant spell. After that, I slept all day. I don't even remember the name of my master, but he died shortly after I picked him. An accident with an axe and a chopping block. Very quick and very clean.
My third life was short. At six weeks, I was picked up by a wizard, who tried a death spell on me. He picked the wrong cat. I nudged his spell so that it was much stronger than it should have been. He died from the backlash of the spell.
Life number four was a good one. A lively young witch picked me up as a kitten. I liked her look and gave her a wink. I was the one who taught her the basics of magic. She learned to pay attention to my nudges, and she became a powerful witch. Helga ended up starting a school, as I found out later. I went there with a student in life number seven. The humor is that when I came back to the school in this life, Albus was still here. He has a phoenix, now, and the two of us are friends, despite being a cat and a bird.
My fifth life was a change of pace. I was a stray cat, abandoned at birth by a sick mother. I had my skills and I survived, but it was a close thing. I found life dangerous, and exciting. I had no master and was free to roam the world. In the last years of my life, I ruled a vast area of the city, with cats jumping at my beck and call. I was hit by a cart, one day, and all my glory passed away.
It was in Paris that I was born into the world, again. I was given as a pet to a young prince, who doted on me as his only friend. I tried nudging him, but he had no talent for magic. We did become close in spite of that. We were both loners, who did not want to be alone. His name was Louis, and he was doomed. The Bastille fell, and revolution took hold of the country. The King and Queen were arrested, and they came for my Prince.
I called Louis to the shadows. That is right, I called him, and he understood. I was in my wrath and felt my power. We walked into the shadow in his darkened bedroom, and out of the shadow of the palace walls.
I led him to the care of modest merchants, and he became a business man in time, but I had passed away long before then.
This was the life that made me aware of history. A young Albus Dumbledore was given a kitten, yours truly, to take with him to his new school. He was an excellent student, thanks to some help from his companion and familiar. In time he even recognized me for what I was. He was a delightful student, and we had fun together.
In my later days, he became an animagus. That he turned into a cat was no surprise to me, and we were able to talk, as only cats can properly do. He developed a cat heart, and learned to see into people as a result. I was glad that he lived such a long life, since he had only one.
My eighth life was the only one that I anticipated. Albus had learned much more magic than I could teach him, and he used it to help me. When I first opened my eyes, he was there. He was older but not by much, and he had done a search for me. I was bought from whoever owned my mother, and brought back to Hogwarts.
He had me on his desk, that first day of class, and he let me look over all of the students. I don't think he intended it to happen but I walked to the edge and looked at one girl sitting in the back. I kept staring until it became obvious to her, and several other students. At the end of class, she came up to Albus to ask about me, and I crawled into her arms. Minerva formed a friendship with Albus that still survives.
And now I jump to life number nine, the final act, the big finale, the last dance. I was born in a pet store. Albus came to buy me, but I shook him off. I had only one life left, and I wanted to live an easy life. In no time, I had the run of the place, and lived my life in warmth and with plenty of food.
Then the brown haired girl came in with her friend. I saw the fake rat, and decided to get a closer look. So, I nudged the girl, and she looked in my eyes and said, "What a nice cat." She bought me. It took me only two minutes. It was all sorted out in the end.
I have a few years left but I've already decided what to do. The witch has talent enough. I only need to give her a nudge every now and then. That is fine with me. It gives me time to do what I need.
There is a boy in Ravenclaw, and a girl in Hufflepuff. Both brought kittens with them, that are in their first lives. I teach them. The tabby has the nudging spells down fairly well, and shows promise. The tom is a different story. He's too much like me. He learns his spells well enough but he never applies himself. I like him though. He always calls me Professor Crookshanks.