Eeylops Owl Emporium.
"Welcome to the Owl Shop, how can I... oh! Professor McGonagall, long time no see, it's such a pleasure to see you!"
Angeloi Andrina stepped out of the shop. He was about to start promoting owls to Cro and Hermione when he noticed Professor McGonagall standing nearby. He greeted her warmly.
"Long time no see, Mr. Angeloi," Professor McGonagall replied with a smile and a nod.
"These two little ones are new students, aren't they? Would you like to come in and take a look? Owls are great companions for wizards."
Angeloi smiled brightly.
"Can we? We don't have any Galleons yet, so I'm afraid we can't buy anything," Hermione asked shyly.
"That's fine! You're welcome to come and look around," he reassured them.
Hearing his response, Hermione looked to her parents for confirmation. Once they nodded, she excitedly grabbed Cro's hand and dashed into the store.
"Thank you, Mr. Angeloi!!" they both called out before entering.
"Aren't they just adorable? Please, all of you, come in!" Angeloi gestured invitingly.
"Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Angeloi," Professor McGonagall said with a smile.
"Thank you, sir," the Grangers echoed quickly.
"You're very welcome!" Angeloi responded with a nod and a grin.
Inside the Owl Shop.
"Wow! Cro, look! I recognize that one—it's an eagle owl. And that's a snowy owl! I saw them in an animal encyclopedia. Oh, their feathers are so beautiful!" Hermione excitedly tugged at Cro's arm, pointing at the sleepy owls one by one.
Owls, being nocturnal creatures, were sluggish during the day, lazily glaring at the two excited children with half-lidded eyes.
Two more humans... could these kids stop disturbing our sleep already?
...
Cro curiously observed the owls. This was only his second time interacting with them—the first being the two that had left them parting gifts that morning.
"Not only can owls deliver letters and transport items, but they're also very loyal companions! When a wizard is in danger, they'll defend them fearlessly," Angeloi explained with a smile, even though he knew they didn't have any Galleons yet. It didn't hurt to give them an introduction—after all, they had come with Professor McGonagall. Just because they didn't have money now didn't mean they wouldn't have any later, right?
At a nearby table, the Grangers and Professor McGonagall chuckled as they watched the two children.
"Would you like some tea? Black tea or pumpkin juice?" Angeloi offered.
"Hm? Just black tea, thank you."
With a light tap of her wand, Professor McGonagall conjured several elegant cups and a steaming teapot out of thin air. The teapot tilted, filling each cup with tea before the teacups floated down gently onto the table in front of the Grangers, much to their astonishment.
The three adults sipped their tea quietly, watching as Cro and Hermione excitedly explored the shop.
Cro's attention was drawn to a much larger owl in the distance. This particular eagle owl, with its white and gray feathers, was over 80 centimeters tall, significantly larger than the other 60-70 centimeter owls around it.
The owl noticed Cro's gaze and opened its eyes, locking eyes with him. Its yellow, round pupils exuded a cold indifference, entirely different from the docile and sleepy demeanor of the other owls. This one had a wild, untamed air.
Angeloi noticed Cro's interest and saw that he was about to approach the large owl. He hurried over to stop him.
"That eagle owl isn't a friendly one. It's been in our shop for three months, and we still haven't managed to tame her. Don't get too close, or she might attack you."
"That's why I've kept her in an iron cage—I'm worried she might hurt someone," Angeloi said with a helpless expression as he looked at the large owl.
"This one eats a lot, and she often attacks me. I'm at my wit's end trying to figure out what to do with her. If we can't tame her soon, we'll have to release her back into the wild."
"You know I can't sell untamed owls to students—it would be far too dangerous," Angeloi explained, drawing the attention of everyone in the shop, including Hermione, Professor McGonagall, and another elegantly dressed boy and girl by the cat enclosure.
"If she's not tamed, how dare you display her? What if she harms someone as important as a Malfoy or... Can your little shop bear the consequences?" Draco Malfoy haughtily rebuked, sneaking glances at the girl in the green dress beside him. He noticed the anger in her emerald-like eyes and felt a surge of joy.
"If we get hurt, I'll make sure you won't be able to continue operating in Diagon Alley!" Draco's voice grew louder as his confidence swelled.
"I'm terribly sorry, Young Master Malfoy, I didn't mean for..." Angeloi rushed over, his face filled with bitterness, as he apologized to Draco. After all, this was the young master of the Malfoy family, one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight pure-blood families. If he offended Draco, his little shop might really be doomed.
"That owl is locked in a cage, so what right does he have to say such things? Is there no justice in the wizarding world? This is outrageous!" Hermione fumed, hands on her hips, glaring at Malfoy. She couldn't stand people who abused their status to bully others.
"Where did this Muggle come from? Do you think you can interrupt when I'm talking to Angeloi?" Malfoy sneered, casting a disdainful glance at Hermione.
---------------------
T/N:
For advanced 30 chapters and exclusive content, visit my Patreon: p@treon.com/WizFic.