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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jan 6, 2009 21:14:10 GMT -5
Michael glanced back at Dare as they took the door leading to the shop instead of directly to the street. In the front of the shop were two large windows in which sat glass cases of crups and kneazles open for those on the street to see. The windows were charmed to not let the sunlight make the animals too hot. Back from the windows were other things, lizards that turned invisible and frogs that secreted something like ink instead of poison.
There were singing fish and and bilingual birds that would help correct their owner when writing letters. There were also nonmagical animals, though the section wasn't nearly as large, puppies and kittens across from silent birds, fish, and turtles. In a small display in the middle were things such as pygmy puffs that didn't take much in the way of care.
Closer to the register and extending back into a small hallway at the outside wall were the necessities needed for the various animals, food in the hall and toys in the open divided up by animal. Michael waved his wand to turn on the lights and was greeted by a ruckus of noise as sunlight flooded in from the undimmed windows and woke up the things that hadn't been awake before.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jan 6, 2009 21:23:53 GMT -5
Dare's eyes widened as he stepped off the last stair into the noisy and surprisingly full shop. "I thought you were still getting stuff," he said, hopefully loud enough for Michael to hear him. He couldn't see where there would be room for anymore. Especially considering the things in that hallway. Dare closed that last bit of space between himself and Michael and slid one hand casually against Michael's waist and down into his back pocket as he scanned the room, trying to decide what to look at first.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jan 6, 2009 21:35:20 GMT -5
"I am," Michael said, looking back at Dare and smiling. "All I have in the supply room is enough food to keep these guys fed for a week, it's completely empty other than that." He couldn't keep the place running if he didn't have extra stock in the back when it came to food and accessories for the animals he sold. The noise was dying down, the excitement of the appearance of light and the person that brought food leaving as the animals started greeting each other.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jan 7, 2009 11:36:15 GMT -5
"Wow. You know, if you ever want help down here just let me know," Dare said, still looking around. His hand firmed a bit in Michael's pocket, then slid out as he moved toward one of the many diversions in the store, the row of animals in front of the windows. It was amazing thinking that Michael had been doing all this while he'd been in the DJ booth in Hogsmeade.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jan 7, 2009 11:45:20 GMT -5
Michael smiled and went to the back supply room, coming out with his arms full of small bags that he started around the store with. "It's not bad," he said, sending the bags back with his wand as he finished with them. "And you're always working when I am." He looked over at Dare, pausing for a few moments, all that the animals in the next cage would allow before they started begging. "Careful around that white and red crup," he warned, "He has a horrible temper."
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jan 7, 2009 12:16:10 GMT -5
Dare learned the truth of those words before he'd even gotten close enough to pick it up. The animal glared at him, tails stiff as it showed him its teeth. Dare looked sternly back at it a moment as he passed from the magical canine toward the nonmagical ones.
A black pup with gray eyes bounded in its small case, and as Dare approached, stood on its back legs, large forepaws pressed to the glass. It gave a sharp bark and wagged its tail excitedly, and Dare stopped, reaching in to ruffle its ears as he checked its breed. "I didn't know German Shepherds came in black," he mused, shaking his head lightly at the way that sounded coming out. The pup attacked his hand with friendly kisses and he turned back to it, grinning and batting playfully at it over the glass.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jan 7, 2009 14:20:53 GMT -5
Michael shook his head, "Neither did I, I just checked off what I wanted on the list and they gave me her." He came up beside Dare and watched, postponing feeding as he knew that that the puppy would go straight to the bowl. "I think she likes you," he said. He grinned and sat the small sack that held the nonmagical puppy food on the floor so he could continue on. The puppy didn't seem to notice that she had been bypassed.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jan 7, 2009 14:44:15 GMT -5
"I think she does," Dare agreed. He gently pushed her over, then laughed when she attacked his hand again, standing to bound away and then back. He knew he should probably walk away, but the animals needed played with, right? He played with the black pup for a while before his mind worked its way back around to the shop. Michael had said a couple people came in just during the hours while Dare was at work. There were tons of animals in the shop, but what were the chances this one would last the weekend? "Do the nonmagical animals go fast?" he asked.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jan 7, 2009 14:48:09 GMT -5
"They all go about the same," Michael said, finishing up and coming back to Dare. "The kids tend to come after the nonmagical ones and the parents stay in the front." The parents were hoping for something that could be a good pet and have some kind of practical use. "Can I borrow her long enough to let her eat?" he asked. He could understand Dare wanting to play with her, but it didn't take long for her to eat.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jan 7, 2009 15:03:40 GMT -5
Dare glanced aside at Michael, then gave the puppy one last tumble before drawing back his hand. She ran to catch him, paws against the glass again before she heard the food bowl fill. Then she ran to bury her muzzle, eagerly attacking her breakfast. "I like her," Dare said, the words completely unnecessary. She was friendly, energetic, and persistently determined. She'd been sure she'd defeat Dare's hand if she just tried again. He found himself beginning to argue the chances that they'd find such a dog again.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jan 7, 2009 15:20:22 GMT -5
Michael nodded and sent the rest of the food to the back where it belonged. "She's a hit," he said, "Nearly everyone comes by to pet her." It would be a sad day when someone was finally able or allowed to buy her. He looked over at Dare. Maybe...but no, hadn't they already decided that they would wait to get a dog? Besides, it wasn't like they couldn't come down and be around all of the animals in the shop whenever they wanted to.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jan 7, 2009 15:32:26 GMT -5
She's a hit... nearly everyone. Dammit, Dare thought. He glanced aside at Michael, but missed that curious look by seconds and turned his gaze back to the puppy. His mind was quickly burying all the reasons they shouldn't with justification. When the puppy had finished eating and was licking her bowl into a corner, Dare looked at Michael again. Then on impulse he reached in and picked up the squirming puppy. He drew her up against his chest, where she began licking a wet spot over one side of his jaw. Dare grinned hopefully at Michael, mossy eyes peeking brightly from behind his fringe. Please?
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jan 7, 2009 15:43:51 GMT -5
Michael tried, then failed, to keep the grin from his lips. "I thought you wanted to wait until June," he pointed out, though he reached out to scratch at the puppy's ears. It would have been a lie to say he wouldn't love to have her, but there was so much work to be done, could they handle it? He moved closer to Dare, his hand still on her head.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jan 7, 2009 15:54:52 GMT -5
Dare's grin widened a moment as he shook his head. "I didn't want to wait, I just thought we should." He'd decided for the moment that that was a defeatist attitude and he wanted nothing to do with it. "We can do it, Michael. We're not going to find another one like her." Dare tempered his grin into a teasing smile as he held her close, lifting his chin a bit as her kisses grew more persistent. "Come on, MIchael, let me have your baby," he said with a chuckle.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jan 7, 2009 16:01:57 GMT -5
Michael laughed and shook his head as well. "Fine, you have to think up a name, though, and you can house-train her." He shook his head again and moved closer. "Think you can do it? It's a lot of responsibility," he teased, repeating the words that he heard every time a kid decided he or she wanted a pet and the parent wasn't completely sure of it.
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