"Meow!"
Slowly sitting up from Harry's bed, the little black cat lazily stretched, consciousness returning bit by bit.
It had only woken up from its fainting spell last night, yet even now that sharp howl seemed to echo in its mind, leaving a lingering headache.
No more reckless experiments, meow! The magical world is far too dangerous, meow!
Rubbing its head, the little black cat hopped off the bed, intending to go for a walk and relieve the pain.
Though it had only been at the school a few days, as a clever Cait Sith, it had already memorised most of the school's hallways and all the professors' names and subjects.
It even analysed the preferences of professors Harry mentioned frequently!
That was what made it proud: true Cait Sith wisdom!
It's so clever, meow! Chest out, meow!
Feeling a little smug, the little black cat strode through Hogwarts' corridors, fearlessly invisible to all.
Not that it would be afraid even if seen: after all, the school's most formidable cat, Mrs. Norris, had already become a dignified member of its Cat Kingdom!
Just last night, Mrs. Norris had even brought it a small dried fish as tribute, meow!
Following the remembered path to the first floor, out the castle doors onto the lawn, the little black cat enjoyed the fresh air, finding the echoes of the howl and its headache eased, at least a little.
Feeling better, it wandered across the grass, watching young wizards practise Quidditch nearby and gazing curiously at the faraway Black Lake.
Everything about this castle was new and fascinating. Back in that deathly forest where it had opened its eyes, it barely saw anything magical other than the occasional wandering ghost.
Only a few friendly magical creatures passing through that forest would teach it bits about the magical world, but even their knowledge was limited and sounded more like stories.
Nothing was as vivid as experiencing the magical world firsthand!
As it looked away from the distant lake and swept its gaze around, the little black cat's eyes lit up. A beautiful tabby cat on the grass!
Cats wandering Hogwarts were rarely ordinary; perhaps this one belonged to a professor!
It had to find a way to make it a citizen of the Cat Kingdom, meow!
Calmly walking, the tabby cat enjoyed the afternoon sun on Hogwarts' grass.
Whenever she had free time, which was rare since becoming Deputy Headmistress, she used these moments to relax. But with the school year just started and most work finished beforehand, she had a bit of precious leisure.
Warm sunlight washed away her work fatigue as she squinted, searching for a sunny spot for a nap.
Just then, a figure not much bigger than she appeared before her. A standing cat?
Narrowing her eyes, the tabby carefully examined the suddenly appearing little black cat.
A small patch of white fur on its chest, the rest pitch black, standing with bright green eyes full of excitement.
Without much thought, Professor McGonagall recalled the file Dumbledore had given her a few days before.
So this was the Cait Sith Evans brought back from the France-German border?
As the tabby cat mused, a little girl's voice came from the little black cat:
"Hello, meow! If I could borrow a bit of your time, I'd like to introduce you to our Cat Kingdom, meow!"
A Cat Kingdom?
The tabby's eyes glittered with interest. She didn't reveal her identity but tucked her paws underneath her, waiting like an ordinary cat for the little black cat to explain this so-called Cat Kingdom.
Seeing the tabby so focused, the little black cat got more excited, cleared its throat in imitation of the way Professor Lockhart had at the opening feast, and launched into a grand speech about its dream to create a just, equal, and safe cat empire after learning magic. A kingdom free from oppression and danger.
Time passed, and the little black cat grew ever more animated, entirely missing the faint, amused glint in the tabby's eyes.
After about half an hour, it finally finished the tale, voicing its ultimate goal:
"I'd like to invite you to become a member of my kingdom, meow!"
It extended a paw, a confident smile on its face.
The little black cat was sure no cat could resist its speech. After all, it was a king among cats, and its dream was bound to move any cat's heart.
It was the most extraordinary meow in the world!
Just as it was lost in these thoughts, the tabby cat lounging on the grass opened her mouth and spoke:
"I think that's a wonderful idea."
Meow?
The little black cat froze in place, staring incredulously and instinctively taking two steps back. It talked! How could it talk, meow?
Among magical creatures that looked like cats, only Cait Sith were supposed to speak human language, meow!
While it was still shocked, the tabby's body twisted, rapidly transforming into a middle-aged woman with a pointed hat, square glasses, dark hair in a high bun, deep green robes, and a teasing smile.
Looking at the woman before her, the little black cat was utterly dumbfounded.
"Pr-Professor McGonagall, meow!"
Having taken Transfiguration with Harry as her first class, the little black cat had a deep impression of this slightly stern professor.
She'd just... invited a professor to join the Cat Kingdom, meow?
Wait, why could Professor McGonagall turn into a cat?
Stiff and awkward, the little black cat's clever brain was running at full speed, but this time, it failed her.
Seeing the little cat so flustered, Professor McGonagall laughed softly, reaching out to take the paw still stuck out in surprise.
"No need to be nervous."
She gently shook the paw, her smile growing warmer.
"That Cat Kingdom, can you take me to see it?"