Harry sat by the Gryffindor common room fireplace, absentmindedly flipping through his Potions textbook. The warm glow of the flames cast flickering shadows, making the room feel cozier than usual. He barely noticed the cat that slinked onto the armrest of his chair, its eyes eerily familiar.

With a soft mrrow, you as a cat, pawed at his sleeve. Harry glanced down, startled, before realizing exactly who it was. He smirked. "Really? You could just talk to me like a normal person, you know."

The cat simply purred in response, curling up comfortably. Harry sighed, shaking his head. "Fine. Stay as long as you want." He ran a hand absentmindedly through its fur, and though it would never admit it, the cat leaned just slightly into his touch.