Starry skies and Gardenias

Chapter 99

On the fourth day of Isabella's punishment of having Black tag along with her, Slughorn seemed to be very happy during Potions. 

So they hung back to ask him, Isabella, Black and Warrington.

"Professor, how are you, sir?" Black said, putting his head out of Isabella's bag.

Slughorn looked at him for a bit, then sighed.

"Perfect, m'boy, perfect," Slughorn said. "Hold on for today. I think I've almost got it,"

Isabella's mood immediately soared to the sky.

"You can start going to classes again, and for Quidditch practice," Slughorn said. 

"And walk on two legs," Black added. "And wear robes again,"

"Use the toilet properly," Warrington said. "And have nice showers, instead of screaming and almost scratching my leg off,"

"Bet you enjoyed being a cat," Warrington said. 

Black glared at him. "I am a dog person,"

"Certainly," Isabella said with a knowing smirk.

"Jefferson, shut up," Black snapped. Isabella only shrugged. 

Rather pleased, they exited the classroom, only to meet Elena Miller who stood in front of them with her hands crossed across her chest.

"Where is he?" she demanded.

"Who?" Warrington said.

"Regulus," Miller said. "You've been hiding something. I know it. And you always go of running and try to spend time with Jefferson, which no one in their right minds would do,"

"It's the cat," Warrington explained. "I mean, look at him! Isn't he adorable,"

He pointed at the cat that had his head out of Isabella's bag. He reached out and lifted the cat out of the bag and held him up for Miller.

"What's its name then?" she demanded, staring at the cat.

"Ebony," Isabella and Warrington said in unison. 

Miller narrowed her eyes suspiciously. 

"Yet, its sweater says 'R'," she said accusingly.

"That is because it is my other cat's," Isabella said, as she took the cat Warrington handed her. "He doesn't wear it. And Ebony was cold,"

"Why don't you just make a new one for it then?" Miller demanded.

"Because Ebony will be leaving in a few days," Isabella said. "We just took him in for few days.  He was injured and needed tending to. Now that he is fine, we will let him go,"

"I am not a fool to make a whole new cat sweater for a cat that isn't going to stay with me," she said resolutely. 

"It takes a lot of effort and time,"

Regulus almost scoffed. 

Even if he had actually been a cat, who was to stay with her for a single day, Jefferson would have still cared for him and pampered him like her own pet. She likes animals over humans. 

And time and effort? Bullshit. She took five minutes to come up with this thing he was wearing. 

"What's wrong?" Miller asked when Isabella froze, her eyes wide. 

Isabella was used to holding Snow Wiffle, and it was a habit to scratch his head. She had done it by accident. It was out of habit.