In the Wizarding World, rats were the cheapest of Hogwarts' designated pets, so they naturally had a wide appeal. Plenty of young witches chose them, too.
Most of them, however, preferred hamsters that cost the same but had prettier coats, sweeter dispositions, and cuter looks. Others went for black rats, which lived longer, or little white mice, which looked cleaner.
This was the first time Kyle had seen a young witch who liked ordinary field mice. And judging by her clothes, she didn't look like a wizard short on money.
After eleven years in the Wizarding World, Kyle had picked up a thing or two.
The girl's clothes weren't particularly flashy, but the fabric was exquisite and the workmanship fine. And with that distinctive pattern on the cuffs, they had to be from Transcendence Wizarding Wear.
That place was much more expensive than Madam Malkin's. Prices started at twenty Galleons.
Anyone who could shop there couldn't possibly be unable to afford a better pet.
That meant she really did like this rat.
No wonder she had come to him.
Rat tonic from Diagon Alley? Put simply, it was sugar water, more or less like an energy drink. It might perk you up, but don't expect it to do much else.
Though the girl's taste was certainly unusual, Kyle didn't make a fuss. His expression didn't change in the slightest.
Let's not forget that the Wizarding World even had people crazy enough to like Acromantulas.
He'd seen one in Newt's case once. How to put it? Its appearance challenged everything a normal person believed about beauty. One look was enough to make it the stuff of childhood nightmares.
At any rate, it had grossed Kyle out so badly that he hadn't gone into Newt's case for a whole year afterward.
By comparison, a young witch liking field mice was perfectly normal.
Soon, Kyle took a thumb-sized bottle from his suitcase and handed it over. "This one's on the house. If it seems to work, come back for more. I'll have to charge you next time, though. It might be a little expensive—one Sickle—but it'll definitely be worth it."
"Th-thank you."
The little girl, Kanna, hurriedly took the bottle, but she didn't leave. Instead, she stood there, looking from the bottle in her hand to Kyle, her little face full of indecision.
"What is it? Do you think that's not enough?"
Kyle thought she was unhappy with the amount and explained, "It's not that I'm stingy. I just want you to try it first. Besides, you don't need much rat tonic. Two or three drops at a time is enough. There isn't much in this bottle, but it should last you a month."
"No, that's not it. I didn't mean that."
At Kyle's words, Kanna shook her head repeatedly. Under Kyle and Cedric's watchful gazes, she murmured, "I'm not saying it's too little. I wanted the red kind."
The red kind?
Only then did Cedric notice that the rat tonic in Kanna's hand was a rather cloudy orange-yellow, a bit like mashed orange pudding.
The one Kyle had given Percy earlier, on the other hand, had been a clear, flawless red.
They were clearly the same thing, yet they looked so different. Anyone could see that the clear red one was far better than this cloudy orange-yellow stuff.
Even if it was free, he shouldn't be fobbing her off like that.
Cedric's opinion of Kyle changed on the spot.
As expected, a swindler like Kyle was bound to end up in Azkaban.
Just then, Kanna seemed to remember something and fumbled for a delicate little purse.
"Um... I can buy it."
Kanna gave the purse a gentle shake, and a pile of Galleons clinked onto the table.
There were thirty-three Galleons, along with a few Sickles.
Cedric's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
He only got ten Galleons a term. Even after you took away the odd coins, thirty-three Galleons was still more than three times that.
Was he jealous? Definitely. But Cedric could handle it. He wasn't the sort to care much about how many Galleons he had, as long as he had enough.
But Kanna's next move broke him completely.
"Is this all that's left?" Kanna looked a little disappointed. Biting her lip, she said softly, "It's all right. If it's not enough, I can get more from Gringotts. I don't care how many Galleons it takes, as long as Pochi can live a little longer."
Th-there was more?
Cedric's mouth twitched twice. Those words had truly stunned him with their sheer, inhuman wealth.
Listen to that: she didn't care how many Galleons it took...
That would be one thing if she were an adult wizard. But for a first-year who hadn't even started school yet to say that—it was a bit much.
Or was this just everyday life for Slytherins?
He'd learned something new.
Meanwhile, Kyle had no time to worry about what Cedric thought. He looked at Kanna, wanting to say something but unable to, and felt a headache coming on.
He knew his own business. Rat tonic was supposed to be orange-yellow.
As for the bottle he'd given Percy, that one had been enhanced. An ordinary rat would probably drop dead on the spot after drinking it.
The problem was, he couldn't say that. And judging by Kanna's expression, she seemed convinced he had a tonic that could extend a rat's life. She must have listened to every word Percy said.
Unless he told her the truth, there was no way Kyle could explain the situation.
"Um... Kanna, here's the thing."
Kyle thought for a moment, then said, "That special rat tonic is too potent to drink straight. Before you can give it to your rat, you have to use ordinary tonic to strengthen its constitution."
Buy time. Just keep buying time.
It was the only solution Kyle could think of.
If he said he didn't have any, or couldn't brew it himself, what if she turned around and went to Newt? That could turn into a real mess.
Newt was hard to find, but Dumbledore was right there at Hogwarts. Even a three-year-old in the Wizarding World knew how close the two of them were.
Since Kanna was wearing clothes from Transcendence, she obviously wasn't Muggle-born. If she went to Dumbledore, she might really get to see Newt.
"I should've closed the door when Percy came in," Kyle thought with a rueful smile, rubbing his forehead.
Fortunately, it wouldn't be hard to solve this. He just had to make a trip to Dorset during the Hogwarts holidays.
He remembered Newt had once brewed a tonic for Murtlap. These Fantastic Beasts had very similar body structures to field mice, and most of the rats in pet shops had at least a little Murtlap blood in them.
Just like cats and Kneazles.
So, with a little dilution, it could be used as is. It should certainly be enough to help an ordinary rat live another three to five years.
"I'll make sure to give Pochi the tonic regularly."
Kanna didn't doubt him at all. She nodded very seriously.
"Don't worry. It'll be fine." Kyle smiled and casually handed her a Chocolate Frog. "Have some chocolate. It'll help you relax."
"N-no, you don't have to. I can buy one myself."
Kanna glanced at the Chocolate Frog, then quickly looked away, her hands clutching the hem of her robe. She looked just like a child receiving a red envelope over the New Year: she wanted it, but was too embarrassed to accept.
"It's all right, take it," Kyle said with a smile. "Think of it as a welcome gift. I hope we'll be classmates."
"...Thank you."
Only after Kyle said that did Kanna accept the Chocolate Frog, her face turning red. She didn't eat it, though. Instead, she carefully put it away.
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