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Chapter 313 — The Fate of Crookshanks
Blake gave a wry smile.
Yes… that kid definitely wouldn't miss a chance to get close to a pretty woman. After all, he even helped her pay off an IOU of 200,000 Galleons.
He was just a dog.
An ominous dog.
Even if he changed back into a human, he would still be a murderer.
A traitor who had betrayed Harry's parents and him.
Blake calmed down completely.
His eyes looked lifeless.
Darren almost laughed.
He had said it intentionally—otherwise how would he show off his saintly persona?
After admiring Blake's pained expression long enough, he pretended to hesitate and whispered:
"You look really sad. You're just a dog… do you even know what this chain is used for?
I thought dogs didn't care about their appearance."
Blake sighed.
A dog might not care about its image—
but a human certainly did.
Everyone else had decent Animagus forms.
He had turned into a black dog that symbolized misfortune.
To be honest, he used to be quite proud of the look.
Now it only brought trouble.
"That…"
Darren sighed softly, sounding helpless and reluctant.
"Fine. You can borrow the necklace for now."
Although I know that if I give it to you, you'll run around like a stray and lose it immediately.
I know I'll never get it back.
But at least if I say I lent it to you, I'm not as soft-hearted or naive as they say.
[Ding, Fatherly Value +100]
Darren smiled self-deprecatingly.
Then he nudged Blake aside and stepped out of the cake shop.
Blake stared blankly at his back.
He even heard the young woman from earlier call out.
"Where's the black dog?"
She sounded concerned.
Darren replied gently, "I sent him away. He's doing quite well now."
The woman pursed her lips, clearly wanting to say that the vicious dog had nothing to do with her.
Blake snorted.
A puff of air shot out of his nose.
Then Darren turned the corner and disappeared.
Blake quickly stood up and trotted after the woman.
As she was about to leave Diagon Alley, he bumped into her leg.
The witch fell hard.
She stood up angrily and began to scold him.
Blake flicked his tail with disdain and ran away.
He wasn't a vicious dog!
Darren, meanwhile, arrived at the pet shop carrying his books.
Just as he reached the door, a large ginger cat leapt past him.
Ron's voice followed:
"Banban! My poor Banban!"
Oh.
Darren sighed sympathetically.
Hopefully Ron will still call it that at the end of the term…
Considering a grown man has been sleeping in his dorm room disguised as a rat.
But as a proper little saint, he couldn't just stand there.
He chased after the ginger cat and helped Ron catch Scabbers.
Ron grabbed the filthy rat and kissed its head several times.
"Darren, thank you! If Banban had run away I would've been devastated!"
"It's alright. I just didn't want you to be sad."
[Ding, Fatherly Value +100]
[Ding, Fatherly Value +100]
[Ding, Fatherly Value +100]
Darren accepted the "saintly father" points cheerfully.
"Oh, right—there was a ginger cat earlier too. I caught it as well. Hermione said she wants it."
Ron nodded lazily.
Sure, it had scared Scabbers.
But it was a cat.
And Scabbers was safe now.
He probably wouldn't ever see that cat again anyway.
Or so he thought.
Because the next second—
Hermione walked out of the pet store carrying the giant ginger cat.
Ron froze.
Hermione beamed.
"I bought him. His name is Crookshanks. He's been here for ages but nobody wanted him until I found him."
She held Crookshanks up proudly.
"Darren, look—he's kind of ugly, but in a cute way."
And he's fierce too, like a silly lion.
I remembered Lertz really needs a cat companion, so we decided on Crookshanks.
She gestured for Darren to show Lertz.
Darren pulled out his lifelike cat from his robes.
Ever since Lady Rosier had mocked it, the cat had refused to leave his pocket.
Because the cat it was imitating behaved the same way.
"Lertz is very well-behaved. I hope it gets along with Crookshanks," Darren said gently.
[Ding, Fatherly Value +100]
[Ding, Fatherly Value +100]
[Ding, Fatherly Value +100]
Hermione was delighted.
She turned to Ron with disdain.
"See? This is how you treat animals properly. The way you act like they're piles of dung is just rude."
Ron stared at her, speechless.
Finally he muttered:
"It almost ate Scabbers. How could you buy it?"
"Crookshanks is a cat. Cats chase mice!" Hermione rolled her eyes.
Why doesn't Lertz chase mice, then?
Ron jabbed a finger at Darren's cat and nearly shouted:
"If your cat acted like Lertz, I wouldn't mind it either!"
"That's impossible. You don't like Lertz at all. You've never fed it once."
Hermione said this calmly.
Ron nearly choked.
He opened his mouth but no words came out.
Hermione dismissed him.
"Don't worry. I'll keep Crookshanks in my dorm. They won't meet.
Honestly, try using your brain for once. Darren would understand immediately."
Ron trembled with fury.
Then he told Darren:
"She's going through menopause! She's unreasonable!
…Okay, I know you don't agree, but I had to say it!"
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