Chapter 5: The Magical Menagerie and Mealtime Munchies

Moody appeared at Harry's side upon exiting the shop, just as suddenly as he had disappeared. "Where to next, boys?" he asked gruffly.

"I think I'm all set, Har," said Ron. "Did you need anything before we head to refill potion supplies?"

"Yup." Harry answered. "I need to head over to the Magical Menagerie. I want to get Gin's Prefect present."

Ron's mouth dropped, "Harry- I don't have to get her something now, too, do I? I mean- I know Prefect is a big thing and all, but she's just my sister and I-"

Harry laughed, "No, of course not. I just want to get her something, and I know she won't accept it unless I have a darn good reason for giving it to her. So I'm going to tell her it's a gift for making Prefect."

Ron shook his head. "You know, Harry. Sometimes you and how quick you come up with this stuff makes me a little worried."

Harry chuckled, "Nah. No worries mate. It will just help you when I can think fast enough to get us out of trouble this year. Now which way's quickest to the pet store, Professor Moody?"

Moody guided them to the right, and they made their way to get Ginny's Prefect gift. Harry couldn't help but smile to himself at the perfect idea he had formulating in his mind. As they entered the Magical Menagerie, Kingsley took a shift to wait outside under the invisibility cloak.

"So," inquired Ron, "what did you have in mind for my sister? You seemed to know exactly where you wanted to go. Couldn't you have just gotten it at Amanda's? Even Kingsley said that if you couldn't find something there for a girl, then there had to be something wrong with her."

Harry smiled in recognition. "That's true, Ron. You can find almost everything at Amanda's Antiques and Amour, but I know that there's for sure at least one thing that doesn't fall under her category."

"Oh?" asked Ron, raising his eyebrows. "And what's that, exactly?"

"That, my dear Ron, would be a cat."

Ron's jaw dropped, but upon closing it, he began to grin. "Harry, that's pretty smart. Ginny's always loved cats, and has begged mom to get one ever since she could talk. But there's no way you could know that!"

Harry laughed, once again at how much Ron failed to notice about his little sister. "Quite the contrary, actually, Ron."

As Harry turned away to browse through the kittens, Ron pondered how Harry could have possibly known that Ginny had cared for cats so much. He couldn't even recall his sister being that over the top about Crookshanks, Hermione's pet fur ball (Ron could not bring himself to call something that manky a cat), that would enable Harry to notice her fondness for the feline animals. Finally, he gave up, and just decided to ask Harry how he had come by this information.

He strode purposefully over to his best friend, who was presently cuddling a white kitten with bright green eyes, tan and gray ears and a tan and gray tiger striped tail.

"All right, Potter. Fess up."

"Fess what up?" Harry inquired, as he brought his newly selected kitten to the till.

"About the- oh you KNOW what about. About how you knew Ginny was such a cat lover!"

"Oh that?" Harry asked, feigning ignorance.

Ron was fuming, and although Harry couldn't help but enjoy himself, he knew when it was time to end his game.

"Percy told us second year, remember?"

"PERCY? Don't talk to me about that git. How would he know ANYTHING about our family anyway? He was always absorbed in books! More than 'Mione, even!"

"Well, remember when Mrs. Norris got Petrified, and Gin was all upset about it?"

Ron reflected for a moment, and then, "Yeah… I guess so."

As Harry sorted through his moneybag to pay for the kitten, he continued to explain to his best friend.

"Well, Percy told Fred and George to lay off on taking the mickey out of her, because 'Ginny was a great cat lover', and according to him, was really upset about Mrs. Norris. I mean, he was wrong about what EXACTLY she had been upset about, but he was right on her being a cat lover."

Ron let out a low whistle. "Damn, Harry. How do you remember all that stuff?"

"Well, Ron, what was the first thing Hermione said to you?"

"You mean directly to me, and no one else?"

He shrugged. "Sure. Directly."

"She told me I had dirt on my nose our first ride on the Hogwarts Express, why? What does that have to do with you knowing Ginny was-"

"You see?" interrupted Harry, poking Ron in the forehead. "If you care about someone that much- you tend to remember everything about them, no matter how insignificant it seems at the time. Just like how you remembered 'Mione's first statement to you- about the dirt on your nose."

For the second time, Ron's jaw dropped, but this time Harry closed it for him with two fingers. Turning to the witch behind the register, he asked her how much for the kitten and all the other items (carrying basket, food for the remainder of the summer, litter etc.) that Ginny would need to care for it. Harry had paid for the kitten, all of its supplies and walked out of the store before Ron had managed to speak once more.

"Harry?" he asked, more timidly than usual.

"Yeah, mate?"

"Can you teach me to do that?"

"Do what, Ron, buy a kitten?"

"Do… well, remember stuff, and think quick and buy good presents and stuff?"

Harry smiled, "Well, Ron, I'm not sure it's really something you can teach, per se, but if I notice anything about 'Mione, I'll be sure to tell you. Fair?"

Ron grinned, "Thanks, mate. I still can't believe you, though."

"Believe me what?"

"How you got so smart all of a sudden. I never knew you were that… well, observant, I guess."

Harry laughed. "Well, honestly, it's easy to miss when we hang around with Hermione so much. She never misses anything, so stuff that we notice just seems… well, trivial next to her."

"Hmm. I suppose you're right. Hey Professor Lupin?" Ron called, "Are we going to meet the girls for lunch now? I'm-"

"Starving!" Remus, Kingsley, Moody and Harry all supplied, in unison with a chuckle.

Ron blushed. "What? Am I really that predictable?"

Moody opened his gash of a mouth to reply, but Ron cut him off.

"Never mind. Don't answer that. Forget I asked."

The group walked on towards Florian Fortesque's for lunch, and Harry began giving Ron some pointers about how he could get Hermione's attention (not that he needed any more notice from her) and how to give compliments in that 'subtle' fashion that makes all girls swoon. Once the arrived at the restaurant/ice cream parlor they found the girls had already arrived and reserved a table.

"How was shopping, dears?" asked Mrs. Weasley, rising to give them each a hug. "Oh, and don't worry about refilling your potion supply kits. Hermione told me what you all needed refills on, so we took care of it."

"Great mum!" said Ron, and then with a devilish grin, added, "Wait 'til you see what I got 'Mione for her birthday!"

The brunette's jaw dropped in disbelief. "You got me a birthday present? ALREADY? You didn't have to do that! Oh, let me see, Ron!"

"No can do, Little Lady. You'll just have to wait 'til September."

Hermione pouted. "Aw, come on, Ron! Just a LITTLE hint?"

"Cut out while you're ahead, Ron," advised Harry, in hushed tones.

Ron smiled, and shook his head. "Now, now, 'Mione. If you're going to be greedy, I can always take it back."

Hermione's jaw quickly snapped shut as she plopped down and spoke no more about her birthday present. The adults dined at one table together, leaving the students at another to talk amongst themselves. While the group enjoyed their lunch, they chatted merrily about many different topics: who would replace Fudge as next Minister of Magic, Quidditch, and possible ways to hex Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle on the train among other things.

After filling their stomachs with all the tasty assorted dishes Florian had to offer, Harry excused himself to use the toilette. Leaving his friends at the table, he journeyed not to the men's toilettes, but instead to Florian at the till.

"Excuse me, Mr. Fortesque?" he asked.

"Ah! Mr. Potter! Enjoy your meal? I was wondering when I'd see you back. You did well on your medieval witch hunting essay, I presume?"

He smiled, "Sure did, Mr. Fortesque. But actually, I was wondering if I could pay for our bill, while they're all occupied? The Weasley's have always been so nice to me, and I want to pay them back in any way I can, but I know they'd never accept it if they knew it was me."

The parlor owner smiled down upon one of his favorite customers. "Of course, Harry. They'll have no idea. Truly noble, aren't you? And here I thought that you were just nice to me for helping you with those essays so long ago."

Harry chuckled. "Nope. I'm nice to people who are nice to me, and don't treat me any differently than they would any other customer. Here are the Galleons for the bill, Mr. Fortesque. Thanks for lunch, and the essays!"

Harry left the cash register with a wave from Mr. Fortesque and headed back out to the veranda to join the group. Sitting down, he noticed that their puddings had arrived. While he enjoyed his strawberry milkshake, the kitten jumped out of her basket and into his lap.

"Ooh! Harry," cooed Ginny, at the sight of the handsome white kitten, "where did you get her?"

Harry smiled, and began to stroke the kitten's back as it pawed at his shirt buttons.

"The Magical Menagerie, of course."

Hermione glanced over the tabletop, breaking her conversation with Ron, to see what Ginny had been awing at.

"Wow, Harry! She's gorgeous! What's her name?"

"Tonic," he replied, coolly.

"Tonic?" asked Ginny, scratching behind Tonic's tiger striped ears, and the kitten purred warmly at her touch. "That's cute! Did you come up with that, or was she named at the shop?"

"No, Gin, I named her. It fits perfectly with her owner, though, so that's how she got the name 'Tonic'."

Ginny paused with her scratching to give Harry a perplexed look, and her elder brother did the same.

"Tonic?" inquired Ron. "But how does Tonic go with-"

A warning glance from Harry cut him off, before he could spoil the surprise. He soon realized though, that he was not the only one to attempt blocking Ron's spoiler- Hermione had given him a very sharp elbow in the ribs to keep him quiet. As Ron nursed his ribcage, Harry picked up Tonic and placed her in Ginny's lap. While Ginny cuddled and stroked the purring kitten, Harry noticed that Mrs. Weasley was arguing with the waitress- apparently not understanding how their bill could have already been paid for.

"Didn't you see the notice inside, mum?" called Harry. "They have a monthly free lunch giveaway. I guess we won!"

With a pointed wink at Ellen, their waitress, Harry resumed his attention to his own table. Ellen caught on and began to make up the spectacular (although very fake) details of their monthly lunch giveaway. He glanced at Ginny, and noticed that she was frowning.

"Here, Harry," she said, sadly. "Take Miss Tonic back, before I get too attached. I'm sure her owner wouldn't be too happy if she didn't get her cat."

Biting her lip, Ginny braved her next statement, fearing the worst: that Harry was buying a gift for another girl.

"Who is she for, anyway, Harry?"

"Well, Gin," he grinned, not noticing the hurt behind his girlfriend's gaze, "with a name like 'Tonic', I can only think of one person that she could be destined for."

He thought that with the emphasis on his pet name for her- "Gin", that Ginny would be able to figure it out with no problem. He watched as her face scrunched up- Ginny's classic thinking pose. He loved the way the corner of her mouth twitched up; wrinkling her nose and making her right eye go squinty.

"No clue," she sighed.

"Who is she Harry?" she asked, more bluntly this time, eyes flashing. Harry wasn't dense, and he could tell that even Ron was picking up on the way his younger sister's temper was flaring.

"You know, Mr. Potter," she began, voice cracking with hurt at each word, "I thought that after last night and everything you said to me you wouldn't go off buying presents for other girls."

Shocked, Harry dropped his milkshake spoon. It clattered onto the glass tabletop, and Tonic pounced up and began licking at the strawberry ice cream treat. He didn't understand why Ginny didn't realize that he had obviously bought Tonic for her, and no one else. For once, he didn't know how to dig himself out of the unforeseen hole he had burrowed into. Luckily, Hermione jumped in and, with her Muggle upbringing, knew exactly what play on words Harry had used when naming the kitten for his girlfriend.

"Ginny," giggled Hermione, "Tonic is a type of Muggle drink- a kind of seltzer-ey water, and you mix it with GIN. You know, the alcohol? It's called a Gin Tonic, and you get it at Muggle pubs."

Ginny's head jerked up, and Harry gave Hermione a grateful smile, as he attempted to wrestle the ice cream soaked spoon away from the kitten.

"Oh, Harry!" Ginny squealed, carefully picking up Tonic off the table and cradling her in her arms. The cat seemed to like Ginny even better than the strawberry ice cream, Harry noticed.

"Really? You got me a kitten? Oh Har, I've always wanted one, but how could you know- oh never mind! I LOVE her! She's PERFECT!"

Ginny leaned over, and kissed Harry, surprisingly on the lips, and then returned to admiring her new pet.

"Oh, Harry! You didn't have to get me a present!" she continued to gush. "Why DID you get me one, anyway? It's not MY birthday. My birthday's not till next May."

"You made Prefect, Gin. I figured that you would get a new Broom for Quidditch from your parents, and so I decided to get you a pet. She'll be quite useful, I imagine. Here- you can put on her collar, now that you know her name and that she's yours."

Ginny's eyes sparkled with tears, as she took the minute green cat collar from Harry's hand and fastened it around Tonic's small neck. The tiny kitten pawed at it and shook her head, making the bell tinkle merrily. She finished adjusting to the new collar, and then settled down in Ginny's lap to purr her approval.

"She has eyes just like yours, Harry," Ginny commented. "Is that why you picked her?"

"Hmm… well, that, and other things, too. But we can talk about those later."

"Awww- come on, Har!" pleaded Hermione, "What was one of them? I know Crookshanks is part Kneazel, is Tonic a mix, too?"

"HA!" cried Ron, pointing an accusatory finger at his girlfriend. "I KNEW that thing wasn't a normal cat! That explains why he acted so WEIRD all the time!"

Hermione gave Ron an evil glare, and Harry smirked, "Later. But I will tell you one thing. The witch in the Menagerie told me that Tonic was the runt of her litter- so she's petite, just like you, Gin."

He reached over and rumpled her hair affectionately. Ginny blushed, but listened as Harry continued.

"And, not only was she the runt- but she was the last born- the baby-" he added, sneakily, "of 7. Anyone care to wager how many older brothers she had?"

The three other members of the party laughed heartily, and chorused:

"Six!"