All My Secrets

"Mustela Furo!"

Draco heard her yell, saw the flash of silver light, but was powerless to stop it. For the second time in his life, he felt an odd prickling sensation over his skin, felt his muscles contract, along with the rest of his body. He opened his mouth to yell, and it emerged as a squeak. Flailing wildly, he fell to the flagstones. As a ferret. Again. Giving himself a neck-strain in the process, he raised his head to look at Granger, beady eyes narrowed. Angrily, he spat out the most vicious insults he could muster - but all that came out was the same frantic squeaking. The Mudblood, he noted sourly, was fighting off a smirk. Ignoring his glare of loathing, she strode over, then plucked him off the ground. Acting on the philosophy that actions spoke louder that words, Draco promptly attempted to bite her. And was just as promptly wrapped in a scarf. A GRYFFINDOR scarf, to add to the indignity. Once he was immobilized, she addressed him sharply.

"All right, you. Listen up. That spell was slightly..." she paused a moment. "Er. ..stronger than the one Professor Moody used. The effects won't fade for roughly-" she wadded the scarf more tightly. "A year." Draco's thrashing renewed at that. A YEAR?!? Stuck in this accursed form and held prisoner by a Mudblood for a YEAR?

"Oh, pipe down," the Mudblood in question snapped. "I certainly have no intention of keeping you, if that's what you're thinking." She smiled slowly. "I think I know a certain Magical Creatures shop that might take you in. .."

A faint musty odor entered Ginny's nose as she stepped into the dark shop, but the charms undoubtedly in place kept the smell from being truly unpleasant. She still wasn't certain exactly what kind of pet she wanted, but she figured she'd know when she found it. She looked over the owls, but they all seemed so. ..aloof, somehow. Pigwidgeon, she knew from Ron, spent most of his time in the Owlery, popping in only when there was a letter to be delivered. That wasn't what she wanted. And she couldn't really picture sharing her secrets with a toad. She had begun to wander over to the cat section, when a flurry of black fur drew her attention to the counter. The movement came from a large cage full of rats. They were rather cute, she mused as one poked his nose through the bars at her. Maybe. ..slowly, Ginny became aware of a low hissing noise. She forced back a shudder - she didn't think she could handle a snake right about now. But that wasn't what was causing the noise.

In another, smaller cage next to the rats, a silver-white ferret was watching her. Contrary to them, however, the little creature made no attempt at friendliness - rather, he continued to stare at her. His eyes, she noted, were not red like most white rodents', but instead, an icy blue. It was odd, Ginny thought. She should have been put off by it, but she found she rather liked the ferret's defiant air. She cast another glance at the cats, but she really wanted the little guy. Firmly, she grasped the handle of the cage, motioning to the witch behind the counter.

"I'll take him, please," she said, fishing the Galleons out of her pocket. "How much?"

"Twenty sickles - a bargain for such an intelligent animal", replied the shopkeeper eagerly. After a moment's pause, she added, "I'll give you the cage for another three. I don't often carry ferrets."

Ginny nodded, handing over her coins and accepting eleven sickles change. Looking at the silver rounds, she turned back to the witch. "Should I buy his food here?" she asked.

"Actually, I'm not sure," the witch said with a frown. "Normally, I'd give you some Ferret Chow, but this one seems to have a distaste for it. I usually give him a bit of whatever I'm eating for lunch."

She nodded again, doubtfully. "All right. Thank you again"

The witch smiled, and Ginny turned to emerge back into Diagon Alley. Glancing about for a moment, she made her way to a bench, setting the ferret beside her, eyeing him thoughtfully. "I'll call you Quicksilver, I think. Just Silver for short." She looked at the cage to check her new pet's reaction. ..then had to firmly remind herself that ferrets could NOT roll their eyes.