A ginger cat sprang from the top of the highest cage and pounced at Harley's head.
But Harley nimbly twisted aside. The cat missed her and slammed straight into Sirius, who was standing behind her.
"Argh!" Sirius let out a piercing yelp and flung the cat off his head.
The cat landed on its feet and hissed at Sirius, its fur bristling as it struck an intimidating pose.
"Crookshanks, no! Don't do that!" the Witch shouted, but Crookshanks ignored her.
Sirius had already been comforted by Harley. Now he obediently hid behind her robes, poking out only his dog's head.
"What an interesting cat," Harley said, admiring the big cat's soft, fluffy fur.
For anyone who cared about looks, the cat's feet turned inward a little, and its gloomy expression gave it a strange, persimmon-shaped face.
All in all, anyone who cared about looks would never like this cat.
But Harley thought it was fascinating.
"Hmm, a faint trace of magic. Does it have Fantastic Beasts ancestry? A Kneazle?"
Harley remembered that Kneazles could sense danger and identify people of poor character.
The big cat, Crookshanks, who had Kneazle blood, had stopped hissing and was now mysteriously getting along with Black, who stood behind her.
That only strengthened Harley's belief that the Scottish Deerhound behind her had Fantastic Beasts ancestry. He sensed danger, but wasn't a bad person.
Crookshanks's earlier reaction had just been instinctive in the face of danger. Before long, he and Black had become friends.
Once the cat and dog had settled down, Harley and the Witch began discussing an examination for the dog.
After a brief bout of haggling, Harley booked Sirius in for a full three-day examination, including checks for illnesses and the stability of his bloodline.
After paying, she left Sirius there and walked