Chapter 311: Dumbledore and Birthday Gifts (Edited)

After everyone had had enough to eat and drink, the opening dinner was finally over.

Professor McGonagall patted Fish on the head and said, "You will return to your Common Room with everyone else and come back to see me later. Also, Uroboros is in Albus' office, you can take him for a walk outside in the evening, but he must be returned to Albus or the Chamber of Secrets during the day."

"Understood nya!"

?(●ΦωΦ●)?

Fish gave Professor McGonagall another hug before rushing off to join the rest of the Gryffindors, led by Percy, they all returned to the Common Room, said goodnight and then went to bed....

The young wizards who had faced the Dementors today really needed a good night's sleep to refresh themselves.

Of course, this did not include a certain energetic kitten who returned to the dormitory, turned into a cat, rolled around on his bed, rubbed himself against the curtain poles, re-marked his scent, and then stormed out of the dormitory.

Harry and the others were used to it by now, and after changing out of their pajamas got under their respective blankets, and within a few moments of resting their heads on the pillows, they were all asleep.

Fish, who rushed out of the dormitory, went to the Headmaster's office as his first stop, besides looking for Uroboros, he mainly planned to ask Dumbledore when Professor McGonagall's birthday was.

"Albus, you're here!"

?(●≧?≦●)?

The kitten pushed open the oak door of the headmaster's office and strode in arrogantly.

"It's Fish," Dumbledore said, lifting his glasses up on the bridge of his nose and pointing one hand to the side, "Uroboros is in there, with Fawkes."

Fish turned his head and there it was, the little snake hanging from the golden perch where Fawkes used to be, with its small but hideous head slightly raised, spitting its tongue at him.

"Good evening Fawkes, waiting to go out with Fish?"

Reaching out to pull Uroboros off the perch, Fish casually slung it around his neck and then waved Fawkes aside.

"Caw~"

Fawkes shook his head, his body had grown to adult size and was about the size of a swan, and was no longer suitable to stand on Fish's shoulders.

"It's okay, Fish has it covered nya!"

?(●ΦωΦ●)?

With that, the kitten reached out and unleashed the same [Animal Shrinking] Charm as the basilisk on Fawkes, warning, "Fawkes, don't resist nya."

Fawkes then shrank to palm size under a dim white light.

Just as he had done when Fawkes first reached nirvana, Fish placed the shrunken phoenix on his own head.

Dumbledore, who had already seen Fish's trick, had no problem with Fish taking Fawkes, since he had an extra safeguard....

What if the basilisk suddenly lost control or something?

After all, with Voldemort coming two years in a row and the escape of Sirius Black, a veteran Death Eater, from prison this year, there was no telling what else could happen.

The portraits of the Headmasters on the wall let out a soft gasp, although they had seen the shrunken basilisk, but this was the first time they had seen Fish use the spell in person....

Whether it was a basilisk or a phoenix, it wasn't something a normal shrinking or transfiguration spell could handle.

"Fish, would you like a Cockroach Cuckoo?"

Ignoring the astonishment of the portraits, Dumbledore pulled some live cockroach candy from a nearby drawer and waved it at the kitten.

"Fish wants some nya!"

?(●ΦωΦ●)?

If there's something delicious, Fish naturally won't pass it up. With a phoenix dangling from his head and a basilisk, he ran to Dumbledore's desk in two steps, grabbed the pile of cockroaches he handed him and popped it into his mouth, chewing it with gusto.

"Take the basilisk out, but don't let it go back to its original size."

Dumbledore, also chewing on the pile of cockroaches, warned again, "And don't go where the Dementors are stationed, you can beat them, but dealing with them is not a pleasant experience, is it?"

"You and Minerva have already said that several times nya!" the kitten waved his hand impatiently, then changed the subject, "Albus, there's something else Fish wants to ask you nya!"

(●Φ~Φ●)

Fish said in a slightly slurred voice as he chewed his candy.

"Oh?"

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.

"Do you know when Minerva's birthday is?"

"Minerva's birthday? October 4th..." Dumbledore was slightly taken aback, although he had already guessed why, he couldn't help but ask, "Why do you ask?"

"October 4th..." Fish frowned and held up his fingers to calculate, "Only a month away, seems like it's too late nya.... "

?ω?

The little cat was depressed for a while, then raised his head to answer Dumbledore's question a moment ago, "I want to give a birthday present to Minerva nya."

"Is that so? Fish is a good boy...," Dumbledore complimented before asking, "And have you thought of a present?"

"Hermione and Harry helped pick this out when we were in Diagon Alley," Fish pulled a Golden Snitch shaped like a cat's head out of his pocket and showed it to Dumbledore, "Remember to keep Fish's secret, Fish still wants to surprise Minerva nya." "

"Of course it's no problem. Minerva will be very happy when the time comes. This gift is also very well chosen."

Dumbledore looked enviously at the cat-headed Golden Snitch in Fish's hand, then asked curiously, "And what was that about it being too late?"

"Fish was trying to save up to buy a Firebolt for Minerva nya..."

As soon as the little cat opened his mouth, Dumbledore was surprised, even if he wanted to buy a Firebolt, he would have to hesitate for a while, but Fish had the courage to say that.

"Do you know how much a Firebolt costs?" said Dumbledore, dumbfounded.

"Of course I know nya, it's because I can't afford the Firebolt that Fish bought this Golden Snitch nya... A broken broom sells for such an expensive price, what a speculator nya!"

(〃｀3′〃)

Fish grumbled at the flying broom seller, then twitched his ears and added, "Besides, Fish is planning to give birthday presents to Hermione and Severus, so he has to save more money nya."

The smile on Dumbledore's face froze slightly, then he asked in a guiding tone, "Besides them, are you planning on giving birthday presents to anyone else?"

"Nya?"

?ω?

The kitten cocked his head to one side for a moment, shook his head, and said, "Fish doesn't have anyone else he wants to give nya to... and Fish doesn't have that much money to buy birthday presents for."

"Ahem, birthday presents are about intention, not value, but really, it's a very good idea to make your own."

Dumbledore didn't hesitate to tell Fish another way to make gifts, so he could have a birthday present himself.

"A handmade gift? A greeting card with Fish's paw print on it?"

?(●ΦωΦ●)?

Fish waved his palm.

"Well... it's too simple, it has to be a gift made from the heart, it doesn't matter if it's of good quality, it's all about making people feel that you're serious about the gift."

"Sounds like a lot of work.... It's easier to help George and Fred sell their stuff nya."

(?ω?)

The kitten, who had little patience for most things, gave in to this approach without hesitation.

"Thank you, Albus, I'll go find Minerva to hear the story, nya."

After asking all the questions that needed to be asked, Fish saluted Dumbledore and exited the headmaster's office with Fawkes and Uroboros in tow.

Dumbledore held out his hand to stop them, but the kitten ran so fast that he disappeared out the door in the blink of an eye.

"Well... Fish must have kept it from me on purpose, to surprise me? Yes! That's it! That's it!"

That was all the director could do to console himself.

Phineas chuckled from the wall, "The question is if anyone at school knows when your birthday is. You're a Slytherin in Gryffindor's skin."

The "most unpopular headmaster in the history of the school" had become even more annoying after learning that the only Black bloodline had escaped from Azkaban and was now being pursued by the Ministry of Magic, arguing with the other portraits on an almost daily basis.

Dumbledore didn't want to argue with the portrait of a dead man, so he quietly walked over to the wall and turned Phineas' portrait around.