The Big Dipper

Kittens & Questions

"Delilah has been acting weird for two weeks now," said Vanessa at the beginning of March. "And I think she's put on weight."

"I suppose you could take her to Professor Kettleburn," suggested Ursula. "Or Madam Pomfrey or even Hagrid."

"Fine," said Vanessa, sighing unhappily. "Will you come with me? Professor Kettleburn is kind of a weirdo."

"Sure," said Ursula. "How about we go see him tonight? Care of Magical Creatures is my last class, and since you have a free period you could bring Delilah down at the end."

"Alright, I will," Vanessa replied. "I just hope there's nothing wrong."

~~~

"Kittens?" said Vanessa in disbelief.

"Yes, ma'am," said Professor Kettleburn, gently prodding Delilah's belly. She hissed at him. "I'd say two or three, maybe four. Any idea who the father is?"

"No!" said Vanessa, sounding slightly distraught.

"I do," said Ursula suddenly. "I bet it's Betelgeuse, my kneazle."

"Ah, a kneazle!" said Professor Kettleburn excitedly. "Kneazles crossbreed very well with regular cats, you know. I'd say the kittens'll be here in about a month. I'm happy to help care for them, if you wouldn't mind 'em being shown off to a class or two."

"Alright," said Vanessa, still a little shocked.

"Thanks, Professor Kettleburn," said Ursula, leading her friend from his office.

"My pleasure, Ms. Black."

They walked back to Vanessa's dorm, where she set Delilah on her bed. As soon as she did, Betelgeuse came trotting through the open door, bushy tail held high; he jumped up on the bed beside Delilah and started purring.

"Beej, you're a very naughty boy," reprimanded Ursula sternly. Betelgeuse couldn't have looked less guilty. Ursula clapped her friend on the shoulder. "It could be worse. Have you seen the Cornish Rex down the hall?"

Vanessa wrinkled her nose.

"That ugly thing owned by the second year? Thank goodness it's not him."

When the kittens arrived in the first week of April just as Professor Kettleburn predicted, they knew for sure Betelgeuse was the father. Delilah delivered four tiny kittens, two of them white, one of them reddish brown, and one of them black.

"Betelguese's mother is that color," said Ursula, softly stroking the red one's head.

"Three girls and a boy!" declared Professor Kettleburn. "This little runt —" he pointed to the smaller of the white kittens "— is the boy."

The kittens tucked close to their mother, eyes and ears closed and mewling loudly. Betelgeuse lay on their other side, and started licking the one nearest him. Ursula scratched his head and he purred in satisfaction.

"They'll be safe here with you for the first few weeks, right?" said Vanessa anxiously. In the last month, she had been less than keen on the idea of kittens, but now that they were here she worried about them.

"Yes, Ms. Shafiq, they'll be fine," promised Professor Kettleburn. He was in a good mood not just because of the birth of the kittens but also because his probation had ended. "You can visit them every day, and once they're about three weeks old you can move them to your dorm."

Professor Kettleburn wasn't the only one in high spirits. There hadn't been an attack since before Christmas, and the students finally felt safe again. Slytherin had defeated Ravenclaw, and if they beat Hufflepuff by enough points in May they would win the Quidditch Cup. Currently, it was the Easter holidays, which gave the students plenty of time to catch up on their homework.