Squib Apprentice
(a flashback story about Filch's early years at Hogwarts)
by Ozma
Chapter Seven: The Squib and The Cat
Everything in this story belongs to J.K. Rowling
Except for Madam Valerian,
who has Alchemine's permission to come over and play
Apollyon Pringle had taken me to the Forest's edge during my first
week at the Castle.
"Filch," the old caretaker had told me gruffly, "The Forest is no
place for a Squib. Even the most powerful wizards need to keep their
wits about 'em in there. If you're stupid enough to go in and lucky
enough to come out again in one piece, the first thing I'll do is thank
Merlin. And the second thing I'll do is give you the beating of your
life. Have I made my meaning plain, boy?"
"Yes, Mr. Pringle," I'd said. "I won't go into the Forest. I
promise."
********
Breaking my word to Mr. Pringle wasn't something I did lightly. I
knew he'd be furious. And I knew that he was dead serious about the
beating, too. I'd never wanted to break my promise. The Forest
frightened me. It was the last place at Hogwarts that I wanted to go.
But this was a matter of life and death.
Cradling Miss Gerrity's limp, battered body in my arms, I hurried
through the trees. It was early spring and the new leaves overhead
weren't enough to keep the damp rain from falling on us.
Miss Gerrity's small heart was still beating, however feebly. I
had wrapped my coat around her in an attempt to keep her warm and dry.
Then I hurried as carefully as I could over tree roots and uneven places
hidden beneath last year's dead leaves.
It was afternoon but the Forest was gloomy on such a miserable
day. Maybe the moon-pale glow of the unicorn I'd just glimpsed would
show up brightly against this murk? I hoped so.
"Please stay with me," I begged the cat in my arms. "Don't die..."
********
For months I had thought of her as 'that stray.' A lean, foul-
tempered veteran of many fights, lacking an eye and most of a tail. An
surly feline slinking around the Castle's grounds, hissing at anyone who
came too close. Including me.
Many of the young witches and wizards in the Castle had cats.
There were cats everywhere, inside the Castle and prowling the grounds.
Sleek cats, well-fed, well-groomed and obviously well-loved.
The stray wasn't one of those. It was an outsider who belonged to
no-one. The creature avoided staff and students alike, dodging the
brats' occasional kicks and the stones that were sometimes thrown in its
direction.
The winter just past had been a hard one, especially cold and
snowy. Sometimes during the winter, while working or walking outside, I
had caught glimpses of the stray. I had seen that the cat's lean body
was becoming increasingly skeletal.
"Mark my words, Filch. One day soon, Mr. Ogg will find that beast
stretched out dead in the snow," Mr. Pringle had said gruffly, following
my gaze.
I had thought of old Gerrity then, the Squib my parents had known.
A vagabond, an outcast, a homeless tramp. He'd died of exposure years
before I was born, killed while sleeping out of doors by an unexpected
snowstorm.
From that moment on, the stray became 'Gerrity' to me. And I
wanted Gerrity to live.
Determined, I had filled my pockets with choice morsels of meat
from the Castle's kitchens. And fillets of broiled fish, soft, moist and
tender. Or fried fish, crisp and golden-brown. Always taken from my own
plate so that no-one could accuse me of stealing. Wrapped carefully in
napkins, carried outside as I kept my eyes always peeled for a glimpse
of Gerrity.
Though the creature was starving, it had taken time before it
would accept the food I offered. I had learned to approach very slowly,
to leave the food on the ground and then back away. Far away at first.
After I'd been feeding Gerrity for a week or so, I had finally
been allowed close enough to note that 'Miss' Gerrity was the proper
form of address.
********
So Miss Gerrity had survived the winter and I had been glad. But
there were dangers beyond winter storms and slow starvation. Miss
Gerrity was fierce enough to hold her own against kicking, stone-
throwing brats. But against Hexes and Curses, she was as defenseless as
I was.
********
When I'd found her this afternoon, I'd been sure she was dead.
She'd been lying nearly hidden in the grass by the rubbish heap on the
hillside behind the Castle.
I had come outside with a wheelbarrow full of broken old chairs.
Mr. Pringle wanted them burned when the rain stopped. It was the stench
of Dark magic that had caught my attention.
At first I didn't recognize her. Then, to my horror, I did. Her
single golden eye was wide and staring, her back looked like it might be
broken, her legs were twisted at impossible angles. Most of her patchy
grey fur had been Cursed off.
Too shocked for tears, I thought of the Dark wizard who'd killed a
witch, two wizards and Hagrid's dog, Belle only a month earlier. Was
this more of his handiwork?
Maybe, but probably not. I had felt the edges of the Curse that
had killed poor Belle. Her death had been swift; her life taken by a
single powerful Curse. This Dark magic was a combination of Curses and
Hexes. A cruel experiment, perhaps. Or maybe just target practice? The
echo of the Dark magic around poor Miss Gerrity made me feel sick.
Broken-hearted, I sat on the damp ground beside her body, my head
in my hands.
*******
I knew that soon Mr. Pringle would come to see what was keeping
me. Rainy days like this one always made him especially bad-tempered.
Damp weather really made his bones ache. What would he say to me,
neglecting my work to sit here, grieving, next to a dead cat?
How I'd hoped to truly earn Miss Gerrity's trust someday. How I'd
hoped she'd let me pet her. My hand trembled as I rested it on her
relatively undamaged belly. Evidence that she'd been on her feet,
fighting for her life for as long as she could. Poor brave cat.
I thought she'd be stiff. She wasn't. She wasn't cold either.
Was that a heartbeat?
********
I thought of taking Miss Gerrity into the Castle to Madam
Valerian, the school Nurse. But Mr. Ogg's cottage was closer and he was
the one who tended the outside animals. He could call Madam Valerian
through his fireplace.
Poor Miss Gerrity was so hurt so badly. I doubted that Ogg and
Madam Valerian would be able to save her. But even a slim chance was
better than nothing.
Taking off my coat, I wrapped it around her as carefully as I
could. Tenderly I carried her towards Ogg's little house. The swiftest
way was to follow along the edge of the Forest.
When I saw the pale shape of the Unicorn through the trees, my
breath caught in my throat. The Unicorn was the loveliest creature I had
ever seen. For an instant, even my sorrow ceased to matter.
And then I remembered the healing magic in the touch of a
Unicorn's horn. Perhaps, I thought, Miss Gerrity's chances weren't so
slim after all?
********
Chasing after a Unicorn is no easy thing, even under the best of
circumstances. Certainly not while cradling a dying cat in one's arms.
But as long as the Unicorn's milky gleam was within my sight I felt
confident and unafraid.
Of course the Unicorn was much too swift for me. Once I could see
it no longer and I came back to my senses, I realized that Mr. Pringle
had been right about the Forest. It was a dreadful place.
Old, Wild magic clung to my hair, my skin, my clothes. It made me
itchier than the vines and creepers I'd been unable to avoid. The Magic
buzzed in my ears like a horde of persistent insects. It tickled the
inside of my nose like a sneeze that wouldn't come.
Eventually I realized that I had managed to lose both the Unicorn
and my way back to the Castle. The gloom beneath the trees was beginning
to darken into twilight and I hadn't even brought a lantern. Exhausted,
bruised and scratched, I realized that I was very hungry because I
hadn't eaten since breakfast.
I had done one incredibly stupid thing after another. Mr. Pringle
was surely going to kill me. Assuming that I lived long enough for
anyone to find me.
Worst of all, this journey had probably done poor hurt Miss
Gerrity more harm than good!
Cradling her in one arm, I stroked her belly gently. To my relief,
she was still warm and alive. To my astonishment, she answered me with a
deep purr!
********
A short while later I was lucky enough to find us shelter inside a
hollow tree. There was just enough space for me to sit, holding her on
my knees. It was damp and chilly, but at least the rain wasn't hitting
us.
I rested my hand on her belly again. She was still breathing,
thank Merlin.
Her endurance and tenacity humbled me. I would rest for a bit, and
then I'd continue to hunt the Unicorn for her. I would try very hard not
to be afraid.
And then something large moved in the gloom nearby! My heart
slammed against my ribs as I curled protectively over Miss Gerrity.
"Little man! Are you the one called `Filch?'" It was a deep voice,
one I'd never heard before.
I could tell that the speaker was cross and impatient but I
couldn't tell if he was human. His words were perfectly understandable,
but they were underscored by a faint clicking sound.
"I have helped to search for you, for Hagrid's sake," the voice
said. "He is my good friend, though I have no great concern for
*you,*... the wretch who frightened my dear wife with a torch!"
"P-Please, sir," I faltered, hoping my guess about his identity
was wrong. "There must be some mistake! I don't go about attacking
ladies..."
"Her name is Mosag." The voice managed an impressive growl.
Oh, Merlin. I wasn't wrong. Among Hagrid's monstrous friends were
a pair of giant spiders. I'd already had a brush with the female, Mosag,
and this was the male! Whimpering, I held Miss Gerrity close against me.
Then I heard the cat hiss. In the gloom I saw that her head was
turned in the direction of the deep voice. What remained of her fur was
bristling. If she had the courage to fight, could I do any less?
"You'd better not try to eat her!" I told the spider. "I won't let
you!" My voice only quavered a little bit. I was proud of that.
"I prefer my meat untainted by Curses, thank you very much," the
spider retorted testily. "And I promised Hagrid that I would not eat
you. Now, be quiet and come along. I will bring you to him."
There was a rustling noise. I didn't see the long, hairy leg
reaching towards me until I felt its touch.
I screamed. Trembling all over, I pressed back against the inside
of the tree. "NO! Don't touch us!! We're not going anywhere with you!"
Shielding Miss Gerrity as best as I could, I reached out of the
hollow space, frantically feeling about for anything that could serve as
a weapon. Discovering a fallen tree-branch within my reach, I slammed it
down on the long, hairy leg.
The spider yelled in pain.
"Ungoliant take you, ungrateful wretch!" the spider snapped,
withdrawing its leg. "Wait here then! I will tell Hagrid where to find
you. And you had better hope that nothing comes along and eats you
before he arrives!"
********
Should I have trusted the spider? Maybe it had told the truth
about fetching Hagrid, but maybe it had really gone to fetch its mate so
they could share a cozy dinner for two! I couldn't decide whether to
take Miss Gerrity and run, or stay where we were.
I was still undecided when Hagrid arrived a short while later.
When the huge boy knelt down to peer inside the hollow tree, I nearly
brained him with the tree-branch.
"Git!" Hagrid snapped, though he sounded relieved to find me still
in one piece. "Why'd yeh have ter be so rude ter poor Aragog? He was
jus' trying ter help."
"You sent a M-MONSTER after me!" I choked.
"Nobody knows the Forest like Aragog," Hagrid said, sounding as
exasperated as his spider-friend. "Well, 'cept fer me an' Ogg, a'course.
We needed all the help we could get. Even with Ogg, Pringle, some of the
professors an' me all searchin', it was still Aragog who found yeh
firs'."
What terrible trouble I'd caused! Mr. Ogg and Mr. Pringle out
searching for me, and even some of the Professors too. I felt wretched.
"Is Mr. Pringle very angry?" I asked miserably.
"What d'yeh think? He's beside himsel'," Hagrid said, regarding me
with sympathy. "Wouldn' want ter be in yer shoes when he gets his hands
on yeh."
I gulped.
"Well, c'mon, Filch. Yeh might as well get it over with. Up yeh
get."
"No. Not yet. Miss Gerrity needs a Unicorn."
"Who?"
"Miss Gerrity." I tugged back the corner of my coat to show him
the battered cat in my lap.
Hagrid had brought a small lantern. He lifted it to study her.
Then he sighed. "I recognize that one. Foul-tempered stray. Jus' as soon
scratch yeh as look at yeh. Didn' know yeh'd named her."
"I've been feeding her too. I don't care if she's foul-tempered. I
like her that way!" Furious, I tried to ignore the stinging tears in my
eyes.
"Summat's bin after the strays this year, on an' off. The ones
nobody'll miss. Ogg an' me, we've found a few dead ones. Don' know
what's bin killin' 'em. Terrible business." Hagrid sounded sad, no doubt
thinking of poor Belle.
I shuddered, afraid for Miss Gerrity. "Well, someone would miss
her if she died, even if that someone's only me!" I snapped.
"Yeh never do things by half, do yeh?" Hagrid said, wryly. "Firs'
time in the Forest and most a' the staff's out looking fer yeh already,
an' now yeh want ter stop and hunt unicorns?"
"It's not like there aren't any about!" I told him. "There was one
right on the edge of the Forest this afternoon. I chased it until I got
lost."
Hagrid's voice managed to be both gruff and gentle. "It's no easy
thing ter catch a Unicorn. Takes time an' skill, not ter mention luck.
An' Pringle's gettin' more worried an' furious by the minute."
"I know. I'm sorry. He can punish me later. This is too
important."
The pity in Hagrid's face made me so angry that I wanted to punch
him. My fists clenched, but I didn't want to let go of Miss Gerrity.
I opened my mouth to say something rude, but Hagrid interrupted.
"At least yeh don' want ter actually catch the beast, yeh jus' want ter
ask a favor. Makes things simpler.
"It'll be quicker if I help yeh."
Suddenly, punching the boy was the furthest thought from my mind.
********
Hagrid was very young, but I soon realized that he'd probably
forgotten more about unicorn-hunting than most people ever knew.
I don't know how long I spent following him through the trees with
Miss Gerrity tenderly cradled in my arms. Sometimes Hagrid would motion
for me to wait for him while he scouted ahead. I checked on Miss Gerrity
while I waited. She still lived. When I stroked her belly, she even
purred at me. It was the most wonderful sound in the world.
********
Hagrid motioned for me to stop in a place where the trees were
huge and very old. Even the Wild Magic was still and respectful here.
"I don' know if she's the same one that yeh saw, but there's a
Unicorn who loves these trees, an she's jus' ahead. I'll go left an' yeh
can circle around from the right. She'll try ter avoid us but there's a
ravine blockin' her way. We should be able ter make her stay still long
enough fer yeh ter show her yer cat and ask fer her help. But yeh'd best
be polite about it, Filch. They're sharp, Unicorn horns."
*******
With a ravine at her back and Hagrid and me closing in on her
front, the Unicorn was cornered. Tossing her horned head gracefully, she
snorted and pawed at the leaves with one delicate cloven hoof. Hagrid
was right about the horn. It looked dreadfully sharp.
"H-Hagrid?" I asked, feeling very nervous. "What should I do?"
He sighed. "Talk to her, nice an' gentle."
"I don't know what to say!"
"Well, yeh'd better think o'summat quick before she charges at
yeh."
"That's not much help!"
"Yer welcome. Next time, Filch, yeh can find yer own bloody
Unicorn."
I would have glared at him, but I was afraid to take my eyes off
that horn.
Carefully I knelt and placed Miss Gerrity gently on the ground.
She was too weak now to purr when I stroked her.
My gift for fine words is about the same as my gift for magic. I
hoped that plain words would be enough. I wished that Miss Gerrity had a
friend more eloquent than I to speak for her, but I would have to do.
"Look at her," I said to the Unicorn. "She doesn't deserve to die
like this."
"Filch," Hagrid scolded, reminding me of my manners.
He was right. The Unicorn appeared unimpressed.
I tried for a slightly softer tone as I studied the Unicorn.
"Madam... I've been taught that I should try to fix whatever my hands
have the skill to mend. I wish I could mend her, but my skills are very
small next to a power like yours."
Well, honest flattery seemed to be effective. The Unicorn was
looking a bit less fierce now.
"You're the only hope she has," I continued even more softly, my
voice cracking, my heart aching. "You're very beautiful and you look so
kind. I can't imagine that you would really leave this poor cat broken
and dying when you have the power to mend her. If you could bear to turn
your back on her when she's suffering, ...well, you wouldn't be much of
a unicorn, that's all I can say."
"Filch!" I heard Hagrid groan. "What a way ter talk ...can't take
yeh anywhere."
"I don't want anything else from you," I told the Unicorn. "If you
heal her, I promise I'll go away and not trouble you again."
Unable to think of anything else to say, I stood slowly and backed
away. Hagrid put his hand on my shoulder, catching me before I could
trip over my own feet. Poor Miss Gerrity rested on the ground before the
Unicorn, like an offering.
The Unicorn stood still for a moment, regarding Hagrid and me.
Then she looked down at Miss Gerrity. Gracefully, she came forward,
lowering her head until the horn rested gently on Miss Gerrity's still
body. I felt a surge of Old Magic.
********
Purring, Miss Gerrity rubbed her head against my face. The
Unicorn's touch had not been able to restore either her missing eye or
the lost part of her tail. But her legs and her back were straight and
whole, and patchy grey fur covered her thin body once more.
"Who's my brave one? Who's my sweet?" I crooned. "Look at her,
Hagrid. Isn't she the sweetest cat you've ever seen?"
"Yeh don't want an' honest answer ter that, do yeh?" Hagrid asked
me wryly. The boy was studying Miss Gerrity with interest. Especially
her large, sensitive ears and what there was of her tail.
"Filch, I don' think she's a cat. I mean, not exactly. She's a
Kneazle."
He punctuated this pronouncement with a loud sneeze. Miss Gerrity
hissed at him, looking affronted.
"Are you sure?" I bit my lip, anxiously.
The boy gave me an exasperated look. Of course he was sure. Hagrid
knew his magical creatures.
"I'll need to have a license for her then! But Mr. Pringle is the
one who gets them for the students if they need one... the application
forms are in his office. What if he says I can't keep her? What if he
won't get me a license?
"Someone tried to kill her. They might do it again. Miss Gerrity
can't be a stray any more. She has to be mine, for real." My voice
shook.
Miss Gerrity rubbed her small head against my chin and purred.
"She's not a stray any more, Filch," Hagrid said, gruffly. "She
already belongs ter yeh fer real, license or no license. Don' worry so."
********
The first person that we encountered was Professor Hellebore, the
Herbology teacher. She used her wand to send a jet of bright red light
skyward, to let the other searchers know that I'd been found.
Cuddling Miss Gerrity, I followed Hagrid and Professor Hellebore
out of the Forest. We emerged near Mr. Ogg's hut.
I had put Miss Gerrity down to follow at my heels. Mr. Pringle was
among the group of people who stood waiting for us.
The caretaker's face was ashen. True to his word, the moment he
set eyes on me he gasped, "Filch! Thank Merlin!"
Then he gave me a clout on the head that made my ears ring. "You
ungrateful brat!! Do you have any idea what you've put me through
tonight?"
Actually, I could guess. The caretaker's magic was never very
powerful at the best of times. Nevertheless, the strength of his
distress was making it flare and surge.
"Do you know what one of my worst nightmares is, boy? That someday
I'll have the sorry task of writing to your mum and dad, trying to
explain how I let their boy get himself killed!" He shook me, hard. "All
the time I've been searching, I've been thinking about that letter!"
He gave me another clout. "You could have been eaten up by
werewolves or goblins! Ripped to pieces by harpies! Carried off by
trolls! What were you thinking?"
"I-I'm sorry, sir," I gasped when he stopped to breathe and I
could finally get a word in edgewise.
I didn't regret saving Miss Gerrity, of course. But I did feel
truly dreadful about how much I'd frightened him.
"Well, you're not as sorry as you're going to be!" Pringle
snarled. "Not by half!"
He grabbed my arm. "Come along, boy!"
Looking back over my shoulder as I was dragged towards the Castle
I saw Hagrid looking after me sympathetically, and Miss Gerrity trotting
along behind the caretaker and me.
********
After I'd been beaten, the caretaker sent me to bed without
dinner.
Miss Gerrity had not left my side. When I lay down on my stomach
in bed, she curled up next to me.
I'd been afraid that she might attack Mr. Pringle while he was
punishing me, ending any remaining chance that I'd be allowed to keep
her. But, though she had fixed the old caretaker with a most evil and
unfriendly glower, she'd made no move against him. I was relieved that
she was wise enough to see how things were.
"He can have me dismissed if I make him angry enough," I
explained, just to be sure she understood. "I hope I haven't already
made him so angry that he won't let you stay here with me... don't want
to lose you again. Maybe tomorrow is too early to ask about a Kneazle
license, but I can't put it off for too long. It's the law, you see."
I shut my eyes and tried to rest, but I was worried and my back
ached.
A short while later Madam Valerian knocked gently on my door, then
came in to check on me. While she soothed my back with Cooling Charms,
she agreed that Miss Gerrity might not be beautiful, but she was a fine
Kneazle nonetheless.
My sweet one regarded the medi-witch with something approaching
approval and the nurse gave me a potion to help me sleep.
"You're safe now, Filch. What's troubling you?" she asked.
"Miss Gerrity needs a..." I murmured.
"Is that all? Don't worry, dear. It's taken care of," Madam
Valerian comforted me.
Drowsily, I struggled to keep my eyes open. What? Did she have a
spare Kneazle license application form lying about?
I heard the whip-crack sound that announced the arrival of a
house-elf. Blinking sleepily, I saw Browly setting a medium sized pan of
earth down in one corner. I felt the strong Deodorizing Charm that
someone had put on it.
Oh! Of course, Miss Gerrity needed *that* too. I felt grateful to
Madam Valerian for thinking of such things.
A second house-elf, Nonny, arrived with a bowl of cream and a
plate piled high with table scraps. She set them down in a different
corner.
"Apollyon Pringle is saying 'Argus Filch is in Disgrace... we is
not to make a fuss over bad boy' but Apollyon Pringle is never saying
that we is not to make fuss over boy's Kneazle," the house-elf pointed
out, triumphantly.
********
I was allowed to sleep until lunchtime the next day but there were
still jobs for me to do when I got up. Stiff and sore, I had to move
slowly as I dusted the cases in the trophy room and polished the
trophies.
Miss Gerrity was curled in a shaft of sunlight nearby. No one
would ever call her beautiful (well, no one except me) but life in the
Castle seemed to agree with her thus far.
The house-elves had given her a large breakfast which she had
attacked with gusto. It had pleased me to see her eating well. While I
worked, I considered what I would say when I asked Mr. Pringle about her
license.
"Mr. Filch? Might I have a word?"
Turning too swiftly for comfort, I winced at the pain in my back.
It was Professor Dumbledore. Deep in thought, I had not heard him
enter. How long had he been standing there?
"Good afternoon, Professor," I murmured.
I looked at him for a moment then I stared down at the floor.
The usual twinkle in his eyes was absent as he studied me. With a
rush of shame, I realized that the Transfiguration Professor had very
likely been out in the rain for hours, searching the Forest for me last
night. No wonder he was angry at me. He was the only person at Hogwarts
who treated me like an adult. Disappointing him was something I hated to
do.
"I'm very sorry, sir. About what happened. I know what I did was
very wrong. I won't go into the Forest again, ever."
"Last night is over and done with, Mr. Filch. There is no need for
you to be troubled. And, according to Hagrid, you and he had a most
interesting time."
I didn't know how to respond to that. Hopefully, Hagrid had had
enough sense not to mention the fact that he still fraternized with
giant spiders. I didn't want the oaf to get himself in trouble on my
account.
"Hagrid mentioned that you are quite concerned about getting a
Kneazle license for your Miss Gerrity. Last night I spoke to Mr. Pringle
on your behalf. Your application was owled this morning."
I looked up swiftly. He was smiling at me.
"Oh! Professor Dumbledore, thank you, sir! I-I don't know what to
say!"
A bit more softly I asked, "Did Mr. Pringle offer any objections?"
"Not a one. He could tell that Miss Gerrity had already chosen to
keep YOU, and he quite approved. Kneazles are loyal and intelligent. He
thinks that she will be a most excellent companion for you."
('The brat could do with a full-time keeper' was probably closer
to what the caretaker had said, but it didn't matter.)
Miss Gerrity had come over to rub against my ankles. Somewhat
gingerly, I leaned down so I could pick her up and give her a cuddle.
"Mr. Filch," Professor Dumbledore said quietly. He sounded grave
again. "Your actions last night were not as bad as you seem to think.
"Yes, the rules must be respected and one's superiors must be
obeyed," he agreed, anticipating my protest. "But it would have been a
greater wrong to allow a fellow creature to die. You did what you
thought was best, and you accepted the consequences bravely."
Blushing, I rubbed under Miss Gerrity's chin.
"Mr. Ogg has kept the Headmaster informed of the deaths among the
Castle's strays. We hope to find the person or people responsible, but
thus far we have not been successful. Last night your actions
demonstrated that an assault on any creature, even a little animal who
seems completely unwanted and vulnerable, can cause quite an uproar.
"Mr. Filch, I do not consider that a bad thing. Not at all."
********
When my Kneazle License arrived in the post, Mr. Pringle presented
me with a frame to put it in.
Thanking the caretaker, I promptly framed the document, then
studied the results.
"Mr. Pringle...?" I asked timidly. "When you filled out my
application, did you intend to write 'Mrs.' Gerrity, instead of 'Miss?'"
"Yes, boy. It's an old rule. Lady-cats are always 'Mrs.'"
"Why?" I asked.
"Is Mrs. Gerrity your first cat, Filch?"
I nodded.
He grinned. "Well, it's spring. Don't worry. You'll understand
soon enough."
The End
(a flashback story about Filch's early years at Hogwarts)
by Ozma
Chapter Seven: The Squib and The Cat
Everything in this story belongs to J.K. Rowling
Except for Madam Valerian,
who has Alchemine's permission to come over and play
Apollyon Pringle had taken me to the Forest's edge during my first
week at the Castle.
"Filch," the old caretaker had told me gruffly, "The Forest is no
place for a Squib. Even the most powerful wizards need to keep their
wits about 'em in there. If you're stupid enough to go in and lucky
enough to come out again in one piece, the first thing I'll do is thank
Merlin. And the second thing I'll do is give you the beating of your
life. Have I made my meaning plain, boy?"
"Yes, Mr. Pringle," I'd said. "I won't go into the Forest. I
promise."
********
Breaking my word to Mr. Pringle wasn't something I did lightly. I
knew he'd be furious. And I knew that he was dead serious about the
beating, too. I'd never wanted to break my promise. The Forest
frightened me. It was the last place at Hogwarts that I wanted to go.
But this was a matter of life and death.
Cradling Miss Gerrity's limp, battered body in my arms, I hurried
through the trees. It was early spring and the new leaves overhead
weren't enough to keep the damp rain from falling on us.
Miss Gerrity's small heart was still beating, however feebly. I
had wrapped my coat around her in an attempt to keep her warm and dry.
Then I hurried as carefully as I could over tree roots and uneven places
hidden beneath last year's dead leaves.
It was afternoon but the Forest was gloomy on such a miserable
day. Maybe the moon-pale glow of the unicorn I'd just glimpsed would
show up brightly against this murk? I hoped so.
"Please stay with me," I begged the cat in my arms. "Don't die..."
********
For months I had thought of her as 'that stray.' A lean, foul-
tempered veteran of many fights, lacking an eye and most of a tail. An
surly feline slinking around the Castle's grounds, hissing at anyone who
came too close. Including me.
Many of the young witches and wizards in the Castle had cats.
There were cats everywhere, inside the Castle and prowling the grounds.
Sleek cats, well-fed, well-groomed and obviously well-loved.
The stray wasn't one of those. It was an outsider who belonged to
no-one. The creature avoided staff and students alike, dodging the
brats' occasional kicks and the stones that were sometimes thrown in its
direction.
The winter just past had been a hard one, especially cold and
snowy. Sometimes during the winter, while working or walking outside, I
had caught glimpses of the stray. I had seen that the cat's lean body
was becoming increasingly skeletal.
"Mark my words, Filch. One day soon, Mr. Ogg will find that beast
stretched out dead in the snow," Mr. Pringle had said gruffly, following
my gaze.
I had thought of old Gerrity then, the Squib my parents had known.
A vagabond, an outcast, a homeless tramp. He'd died of exposure years
before I was born, killed while sleeping out of doors by an unexpected
snowstorm.
From that moment on, the stray became 'Gerrity' to me. And I
wanted Gerrity to live.
Determined, I had filled my pockets with choice morsels of meat
from the Castle's kitchens. And fillets of broiled fish, soft, moist and
tender. Or fried fish, crisp and golden-brown. Always taken from my own
plate so that no-one could accuse me of stealing. Wrapped carefully in
napkins, carried outside as I kept my eyes always peeled for a glimpse
of Gerrity.
Though the creature was starving, it had taken time before it
would accept the food I offered. I had learned to approach very slowly,
to leave the food on the ground and then back away. Far away at first.
After I'd been feeding Gerrity for a week or so, I had finally
been allowed close enough to note that 'Miss' Gerrity was the proper
form of address.
********
So Miss Gerrity had survived the winter and I had been glad. But
there were dangers beyond winter storms and slow starvation. Miss
Gerrity was fierce enough to hold her own against kicking, stone-
throwing brats. But against Hexes and Curses, she was as defenseless as
I was.
********
When I'd found her this afternoon, I'd been sure she was dead.
She'd been lying nearly hidden in the grass by the rubbish heap on the
hillside behind the Castle.
I had come outside with a wheelbarrow full of broken old chairs.
Mr. Pringle wanted them burned when the rain stopped. It was the stench
of Dark magic that had caught my attention.
At first I didn't recognize her. Then, to my horror, I did. Her
single golden eye was wide and staring, her back looked like it might be
broken, her legs were twisted at impossible angles. Most of her patchy
grey fur had been Cursed off.
Too shocked for tears, I thought of the Dark wizard who'd killed a
witch, two wizards and Hagrid's dog, Belle only a month earlier. Was
this more of his handiwork?
Maybe, but probably not. I had felt the edges of the Curse that
had killed poor Belle. Her death had been swift; her life taken by a
single powerful Curse. This Dark magic was a combination of Curses and
Hexes. A cruel experiment, perhaps. Or maybe just target practice? The
echo of the Dark magic around poor Miss Gerrity made me feel sick.
Broken-hearted, I sat on the damp ground beside her body, my head
in my hands.
*******
I knew that soon Mr. Pringle would come to see what was keeping
me. Rainy days like this one always made him especially bad-tempered.
Damp weather really made his bones ache. What would he say to me,
neglecting my work to sit here, grieving, next to a dead cat?
How I'd hoped to truly earn Miss Gerrity's trust someday. How I'd
hoped she'd let me pet her. My hand trembled as I rested it on her
relatively undamaged belly. Evidence that she'd been on her feet,
fighting for her life for as long as she could. Poor brave cat.
I thought she'd be stiff. She wasn't. She wasn't cold either.
Was that a heartbeat?
********
I thought of taking Miss Gerrity into the Castle to Madam
Valerian, the school Nurse. But Mr. Ogg's cottage was closer and he was
the one who tended the outside animals. He could call Madam Valerian
through his fireplace.
Poor Miss Gerrity was so hurt so badly. I doubted that Ogg and
Madam Valerian would be able to save her. But even a slim chance was
better than nothing.
Taking off my coat, I wrapped it around her as carefully as I
could. Tenderly I carried her towards Ogg's little house. The swiftest
way was to follow along the edge of the Forest.
When I saw the pale shape of the Unicorn through the trees, my
breath caught in my throat. The Unicorn was the loveliest creature I had
ever seen. For an instant, even my sorrow ceased to matter.
And then I remembered the healing magic in the touch of a
Unicorn's horn. Perhaps, I thought, Miss Gerrity's chances weren't so
slim after all?
********
Chasing after a Unicorn is no easy thing, even under the best of
circumstances. Certainly not while cradling a dying cat in one's arms.
But as long as the Unicorn's milky gleam was within my sight I felt
confident and unafraid.
Of course the Unicorn was much too swift for me. Once I could see
it no longer and I came back to my senses, I realized that Mr. Pringle
had been right about the Forest. It was a dreadful place.
Old, Wild magic clung to my hair, my skin, my clothes. It made me
itchier than the vines and creepers I'd been unable to avoid. The Magic
buzzed in my ears like a horde of persistent insects. It tickled the
inside of my nose like a sneeze that wouldn't come.
Eventually I realized that I had managed to lose both the Unicorn
and my way back to the Castle. The gloom beneath the trees was beginning
to darken into twilight and I hadn't even brought a lantern. Exhausted,
bruised and scratched, I realized that I was very hungry because I
hadn't eaten since breakfast.
I had done one incredibly stupid thing after another. Mr. Pringle
was surely going to kill me. Assuming that I lived long enough for
anyone to find me.
Worst of all, this journey had probably done poor hurt Miss
Gerrity more harm than good!
Cradling her in one arm, I stroked her belly gently. To my relief,
she was still warm and alive. To my astonishment, she answered me with a
deep purr!
********
A short while later I was lucky enough to find us shelter inside a
hollow tree. There was just enough space for me to sit, holding her on
my knees. It was damp and chilly, but at least the rain wasn't hitting
us.
I rested my hand on her belly again. She was still breathing,
thank Merlin.
Her endurance and tenacity humbled me. I would rest for a bit, and
then I'd continue to hunt the Unicorn for her. I would try very hard not
to be afraid.
And then something large moved in the gloom nearby! My heart
slammed against my ribs as I curled protectively over Miss Gerrity.
"Little man! Are you the one called `Filch?'" It was a deep voice,
one I'd never heard before.
I could tell that the speaker was cross and impatient but I
couldn't tell if he was human. His words were perfectly understandable,
but they were underscored by a faint clicking sound.
"I have helped to search for you, for Hagrid's sake," the voice
said. "He is my good friend, though I have no great concern for
*you,*... the wretch who frightened my dear wife with a torch!"
"P-Please, sir," I faltered, hoping my guess about his identity
was wrong. "There must be some mistake! I don't go about attacking
ladies..."
"Her name is Mosag." The voice managed an impressive growl.
Oh, Merlin. I wasn't wrong. Among Hagrid's monstrous friends were
a pair of giant spiders. I'd already had a brush with the female, Mosag,
and this was the male! Whimpering, I held Miss Gerrity close against me.
Then I heard the cat hiss. In the gloom I saw that her head was
turned in the direction of the deep voice. What remained of her fur was
bristling. If she had the courage to fight, could I do any less?
"You'd better not try to eat her!" I told the spider. "I won't let
you!" My voice only quavered a little bit. I was proud of that.
"I prefer my meat untainted by Curses, thank you very much," the
spider retorted testily. "And I promised Hagrid that I would not eat
you. Now, be quiet and come along. I will bring you to him."
There was a rustling noise. I didn't see the long, hairy leg
reaching towards me until I felt its touch.
I screamed. Trembling all over, I pressed back against the inside
of the tree. "NO! Don't touch us!! We're not going anywhere with you!"
Shielding Miss Gerrity as best as I could, I reached out of the
hollow space, frantically feeling about for anything that could serve as
a weapon. Discovering a fallen tree-branch within my reach, I slammed it
down on the long, hairy leg.
The spider yelled in pain.
"Ungoliant take you, ungrateful wretch!" the spider snapped,
withdrawing its leg. "Wait here then! I will tell Hagrid where to find
you. And you had better hope that nothing comes along and eats you
before he arrives!"
********
Should I have trusted the spider? Maybe it had told the truth
about fetching Hagrid, but maybe it had really gone to fetch its mate so
they could share a cozy dinner for two! I couldn't decide whether to
take Miss Gerrity and run, or stay where we were.
I was still undecided when Hagrid arrived a short while later.
When the huge boy knelt down to peer inside the hollow tree, I nearly
brained him with the tree-branch.
"Git!" Hagrid snapped, though he sounded relieved to find me still
in one piece. "Why'd yeh have ter be so rude ter poor Aragog? He was
jus' trying ter help."
"You sent a M-MONSTER after me!" I choked.
"Nobody knows the Forest like Aragog," Hagrid said, sounding as
exasperated as his spider-friend. "Well, 'cept fer me an' Ogg, a'course.
We needed all the help we could get. Even with Ogg, Pringle, some of the
professors an' me all searchin', it was still Aragog who found yeh
firs'."
What terrible trouble I'd caused! Mr. Ogg and Mr. Pringle out
searching for me, and even some of the Professors too. I felt wretched.
"Is Mr. Pringle very angry?" I asked miserably.
"What d'yeh think? He's beside himsel'," Hagrid said, regarding me
with sympathy. "Wouldn' want ter be in yer shoes when he gets his hands
on yeh."
I gulped.
"Well, c'mon, Filch. Yeh might as well get it over with. Up yeh
get."
"No. Not yet. Miss Gerrity needs a Unicorn."
"Who?"
"Miss Gerrity." I tugged back the corner of my coat to show him
the battered cat in my lap.
Hagrid had brought a small lantern. He lifted it to study her.
Then he sighed. "I recognize that one. Foul-tempered stray. Jus' as soon
scratch yeh as look at yeh. Didn' know yeh'd named her."
"I've been feeding her too. I don't care if she's foul-tempered. I
like her that way!" Furious, I tried to ignore the stinging tears in my
eyes.
"Summat's bin after the strays this year, on an' off. The ones
nobody'll miss. Ogg an' me, we've found a few dead ones. Don' know
what's bin killin' 'em. Terrible business." Hagrid sounded sad, no doubt
thinking of poor Belle.
I shuddered, afraid for Miss Gerrity. "Well, someone would miss
her if she died, even if that someone's only me!" I snapped.
"Yeh never do things by half, do yeh?" Hagrid said, wryly. "Firs'
time in the Forest and most a' the staff's out looking fer yeh already,
an' now yeh want ter stop and hunt unicorns?"
"It's not like there aren't any about!" I told him. "There was one
right on the edge of the Forest this afternoon. I chased it until I got
lost."
Hagrid's voice managed to be both gruff and gentle. "It's no easy
thing ter catch a Unicorn. Takes time an' skill, not ter mention luck.
An' Pringle's gettin' more worried an' furious by the minute."
"I know. I'm sorry. He can punish me later. This is too
important."
The pity in Hagrid's face made me so angry that I wanted to punch
him. My fists clenched, but I didn't want to let go of Miss Gerrity.
I opened my mouth to say something rude, but Hagrid interrupted.
"At least yeh don' want ter actually catch the beast, yeh jus' want ter
ask a favor. Makes things simpler.
"It'll be quicker if I help yeh."
Suddenly, punching the boy was the furthest thought from my mind.
********
Hagrid was very young, but I soon realized that he'd probably
forgotten more about unicorn-hunting than most people ever knew.
I don't know how long I spent following him through the trees with
Miss Gerrity tenderly cradled in my arms. Sometimes Hagrid would motion
for me to wait for him while he scouted ahead. I checked on Miss Gerrity
while I waited. She still lived. When I stroked her belly, she even
purred at me. It was the most wonderful sound in the world.
********
Hagrid motioned for me to stop in a place where the trees were
huge and very old. Even the Wild Magic was still and respectful here.
"I don' know if she's the same one that yeh saw, but there's a
Unicorn who loves these trees, an she's jus' ahead. I'll go left an' yeh
can circle around from the right. She'll try ter avoid us but there's a
ravine blockin' her way. We should be able ter make her stay still long
enough fer yeh ter show her yer cat and ask fer her help. But yeh'd best
be polite about it, Filch. They're sharp, Unicorn horns."
*******
With a ravine at her back and Hagrid and me closing in on her
front, the Unicorn was cornered. Tossing her horned head gracefully, she
snorted and pawed at the leaves with one delicate cloven hoof. Hagrid
was right about the horn. It looked dreadfully sharp.
"H-Hagrid?" I asked, feeling very nervous. "What should I do?"
He sighed. "Talk to her, nice an' gentle."
"I don't know what to say!"
"Well, yeh'd better think o'summat quick before she charges at
yeh."
"That's not much help!"
"Yer welcome. Next time, Filch, yeh can find yer own bloody
Unicorn."
I would have glared at him, but I was afraid to take my eyes off
that horn.
Carefully I knelt and placed Miss Gerrity gently on the ground.
She was too weak now to purr when I stroked her.
My gift for fine words is about the same as my gift for magic. I
hoped that plain words would be enough. I wished that Miss Gerrity had a
friend more eloquent than I to speak for her, but I would have to do.
"Look at her," I said to the Unicorn. "She doesn't deserve to die
like this."
"Filch," Hagrid scolded, reminding me of my manners.
He was right. The Unicorn appeared unimpressed.
I tried for a slightly softer tone as I studied the Unicorn.
"Madam... I've been taught that I should try to fix whatever my hands
have the skill to mend. I wish I could mend her, but my skills are very
small next to a power like yours."
Well, honest flattery seemed to be effective. The Unicorn was
looking a bit less fierce now.
"You're the only hope she has," I continued even more softly, my
voice cracking, my heart aching. "You're very beautiful and you look so
kind. I can't imagine that you would really leave this poor cat broken
and dying when you have the power to mend her. If you could bear to turn
your back on her when she's suffering, ...well, you wouldn't be much of
a unicorn, that's all I can say."
"Filch!" I heard Hagrid groan. "What a way ter talk ...can't take
yeh anywhere."
"I don't want anything else from you," I told the Unicorn. "If you
heal her, I promise I'll go away and not trouble you again."
Unable to think of anything else to say, I stood slowly and backed
away. Hagrid put his hand on my shoulder, catching me before I could
trip over my own feet. Poor Miss Gerrity rested on the ground before the
Unicorn, like an offering.
The Unicorn stood still for a moment, regarding Hagrid and me.
Then she looked down at Miss Gerrity. Gracefully, she came forward,
lowering her head until the horn rested gently on Miss Gerrity's still
body. I felt a surge of Old Magic.
********
Purring, Miss Gerrity rubbed her head against my face. The
Unicorn's touch had not been able to restore either her missing eye or
the lost part of her tail. But her legs and her back were straight and
whole, and patchy grey fur covered her thin body once more.
"Who's my brave one? Who's my sweet?" I crooned. "Look at her,
Hagrid. Isn't she the sweetest cat you've ever seen?"
"Yeh don't want an' honest answer ter that, do yeh?" Hagrid asked
me wryly. The boy was studying Miss Gerrity with interest. Especially
her large, sensitive ears and what there was of her tail.
"Filch, I don' think she's a cat. I mean, not exactly. She's a
Kneazle."
He punctuated this pronouncement with a loud sneeze. Miss Gerrity
hissed at him, looking affronted.
"Are you sure?" I bit my lip, anxiously.
The boy gave me an exasperated look. Of course he was sure. Hagrid
knew his magical creatures.
"I'll need to have a license for her then! But Mr. Pringle is the
one who gets them for the students if they need one... the application
forms are in his office. What if he says I can't keep her? What if he
won't get me a license?
"Someone tried to kill her. They might do it again. Miss Gerrity
can't be a stray any more. She has to be mine, for real." My voice
shook.
Miss Gerrity rubbed her small head against my chin and purred.
"She's not a stray any more, Filch," Hagrid said, gruffly. "She
already belongs ter yeh fer real, license or no license. Don' worry so."
********
The first person that we encountered was Professor Hellebore, the
Herbology teacher. She used her wand to send a jet of bright red light
skyward, to let the other searchers know that I'd been found.
Cuddling Miss Gerrity, I followed Hagrid and Professor Hellebore
out of the Forest. We emerged near Mr. Ogg's hut.
I had put Miss Gerrity down to follow at my heels. Mr. Pringle was
among the group of people who stood waiting for us.
The caretaker's face was ashen. True to his word, the moment he
set eyes on me he gasped, "Filch! Thank Merlin!"
Then he gave me a clout on the head that made my ears ring. "You
ungrateful brat!! Do you have any idea what you've put me through
tonight?"
Actually, I could guess. The caretaker's magic was never very
powerful at the best of times. Nevertheless, the strength of his
distress was making it flare and surge.
"Do you know what one of my worst nightmares is, boy? That someday
I'll have the sorry task of writing to your mum and dad, trying to
explain how I let their boy get himself killed!" He shook me, hard. "All
the time I've been searching, I've been thinking about that letter!"
He gave me another clout. "You could have been eaten up by
werewolves or goblins! Ripped to pieces by harpies! Carried off by
trolls! What were you thinking?"
"I-I'm sorry, sir," I gasped when he stopped to breathe and I
could finally get a word in edgewise.
I didn't regret saving Miss Gerrity, of course. But I did feel
truly dreadful about how much I'd frightened him.
"Well, you're not as sorry as you're going to be!" Pringle
snarled. "Not by half!"
He grabbed my arm. "Come along, boy!"
Looking back over my shoulder as I was dragged towards the Castle
I saw Hagrid looking after me sympathetically, and Miss Gerrity trotting
along behind the caretaker and me.
********
After I'd been beaten, the caretaker sent me to bed without
dinner.
Miss Gerrity had not left my side. When I lay down on my stomach
in bed, she curled up next to me.
I'd been afraid that she might attack Mr. Pringle while he was
punishing me, ending any remaining chance that I'd be allowed to keep
her. But, though she had fixed the old caretaker with a most evil and
unfriendly glower, she'd made no move against him. I was relieved that
she was wise enough to see how things were.
"He can have me dismissed if I make him angry enough," I
explained, just to be sure she understood. "I hope I haven't already
made him so angry that he won't let you stay here with me... don't want
to lose you again. Maybe tomorrow is too early to ask about a Kneazle
license, but I can't put it off for too long. It's the law, you see."
I shut my eyes and tried to rest, but I was worried and my back
ached.
A short while later Madam Valerian knocked gently on my door, then
came in to check on me. While she soothed my back with Cooling Charms,
she agreed that Miss Gerrity might not be beautiful, but she was a fine
Kneazle nonetheless.
My sweet one regarded the medi-witch with something approaching
approval and the nurse gave me a potion to help me sleep.
"You're safe now, Filch. What's troubling you?" she asked.
"Miss Gerrity needs a..." I murmured.
"Is that all? Don't worry, dear. It's taken care of," Madam
Valerian comforted me.
Drowsily, I struggled to keep my eyes open. What? Did she have a
spare Kneazle license application form lying about?
I heard the whip-crack sound that announced the arrival of a
house-elf. Blinking sleepily, I saw Browly setting a medium sized pan of
earth down in one corner. I felt the strong Deodorizing Charm that
someone had put on it.
Oh! Of course, Miss Gerrity needed *that* too. I felt grateful to
Madam Valerian for thinking of such things.
A second house-elf, Nonny, arrived with a bowl of cream and a
plate piled high with table scraps. She set them down in a different
corner.
"Apollyon Pringle is saying 'Argus Filch is in Disgrace... we is
not to make a fuss over bad boy' but Apollyon Pringle is never saying
that we is not to make fuss over boy's Kneazle," the house-elf pointed
out, triumphantly.
********
I was allowed to sleep until lunchtime the next day but there were
still jobs for me to do when I got up. Stiff and sore, I had to move
slowly as I dusted the cases in the trophy room and polished the
trophies.
Miss Gerrity was curled in a shaft of sunlight nearby. No one
would ever call her beautiful (well, no one except me) but life in the
Castle seemed to agree with her thus far.
The house-elves had given her a large breakfast which she had
attacked with gusto. It had pleased me to see her eating well. While I
worked, I considered what I would say when I asked Mr. Pringle about her
license.
"Mr. Filch? Might I have a word?"
Turning too swiftly for comfort, I winced at the pain in my back.
It was Professor Dumbledore. Deep in thought, I had not heard him
enter. How long had he been standing there?
"Good afternoon, Professor," I murmured.
I looked at him for a moment then I stared down at the floor.
The usual twinkle in his eyes was absent as he studied me. With a
rush of shame, I realized that the Transfiguration Professor had very
likely been out in the rain for hours, searching the Forest for me last
night. No wonder he was angry at me. He was the only person at Hogwarts
who treated me like an adult. Disappointing him was something I hated to
do.
"I'm very sorry, sir. About what happened. I know what I did was
very wrong. I won't go into the Forest again, ever."
"Last night is over and done with, Mr. Filch. There is no need for
you to be troubled. And, according to Hagrid, you and he had a most
interesting time."
I didn't know how to respond to that. Hopefully, Hagrid had had
enough sense not to mention the fact that he still fraternized with
giant spiders. I didn't want the oaf to get himself in trouble on my
account.
"Hagrid mentioned that you are quite concerned about getting a
Kneazle license for your Miss Gerrity. Last night I spoke to Mr. Pringle
on your behalf. Your application was owled this morning."
I looked up swiftly. He was smiling at me.
"Oh! Professor Dumbledore, thank you, sir! I-I don't know what to
say!"
A bit more softly I asked, "Did Mr. Pringle offer any objections?"
"Not a one. He could tell that Miss Gerrity had already chosen to
keep YOU, and he quite approved. Kneazles are loyal and intelligent. He
thinks that she will be a most excellent companion for you."
('The brat could do with a full-time keeper' was probably closer
to what the caretaker had said, but it didn't matter.)
Miss Gerrity had come over to rub against my ankles. Somewhat
gingerly, I leaned down so I could pick her up and give her a cuddle.
"Mr. Filch," Professor Dumbledore said quietly. He sounded grave
again. "Your actions last night were not as bad as you seem to think.
"Yes, the rules must be respected and one's superiors must be
obeyed," he agreed, anticipating my protest. "But it would have been a
greater wrong to allow a fellow creature to die. You did what you
thought was best, and you accepted the consequences bravely."
Blushing, I rubbed under Miss Gerrity's chin.
"Mr. Ogg has kept the Headmaster informed of the deaths among the
Castle's strays. We hope to find the person or people responsible, but
thus far we have not been successful. Last night your actions
demonstrated that an assault on any creature, even a little animal who
seems completely unwanted and vulnerable, can cause quite an uproar.
"Mr. Filch, I do not consider that a bad thing. Not at all."
********
When my Kneazle License arrived in the post, Mr. Pringle presented
me with a frame to put it in.
Thanking the caretaker, I promptly framed the document, then
studied the results.
"Mr. Pringle...?" I asked timidly. "When you filled out my
application, did you intend to write 'Mrs.' Gerrity, instead of 'Miss?'"
"Yes, boy. It's an old rule. Lady-cats are always 'Mrs.'"
"Why?" I asked.
"Is Mrs. Gerrity your first cat, Filch?"
I nodded.
He grinned. "Well, it's spring. Don't worry. You'll understand
soon enough."
The End