Just Keep Smiling!

[kaddy]

Danielle Pewter always smiled. She smiled when it rained, when it snowed, heck, she even smiled when she broke her leg! Today was different though, Danielle wasn't smiling. There were two things that had led to this. First off, her cat was dead, the result of a BB gun accident. And second she was stuck with her parents who wouldn't let her get any ice cream.

"Mommy can I please get some ice cream?" She asked for the fifth time. "Danielle Pewter, if I have to tell you no one more time..." Danielle narrowed her eyes then moved away from her mom over to her father,, who was on his cell. "Dad, can I go get some ice cream?" "One second." Her father said to the person on the phone. "What did you say Danny?" He asked, using her nickname. "I was wondering if I could go get some ice cream, I have the money." She said the last part quickly. "Alright, just be carefull, we'll meet you at that one place-" "The Leaky Cauldren?" Danielle said helpfully. "Yeah, that place at one okay?" Her dad said, not waiting for her answer he returned to his conversation.

Danielle grinned and skipped off toward the Ice Cream shop. She ordered Peanut Butter flavored ice cream and sat down at an empty table, wondering if any friends would be here.

((Sorry for the wait, I had to start over like five times. ))

[Esmeralda Mendez]

Ezzie woke up early Sunday morning. She knew she had to go to Diagon Alley that day, and she wanted to get a head start. Ezzie went to Diagon Alley often, even though she rarely ever bought anything. She normally went to spend time with her cat Nena's deaf kitten, whom she couldn't afford to keep. Ezzie couldn't afford to keep any of the nine kittens her cat gave birth to, but all the rest have been gone for weeks. Ezzie washed up, dressed herself in her favorite t-shirt and shorts, picked up Nena from her bed and set off to Diagon Alley. It was about ten minutes until she arrived at the Leaky Cauldron with her cat still in hand. Ezzie waved to Tom, who knew Ezzie well and continued on into Diagon Alley. Nena was used to the archway that opened up into Diagon Alley, but Ezzie distinctly remembered the first time Ezzie had taken her cat into the wizarding world. Ezzie still had the scratches on her arm as a memory of the event.

She walked into the pet shop (which was very conveniently placed on the opposite side of Diagon Alley) and spent about three hours playing with the kitten. When it was time to go home to visit Ethan, (her muggle friend whom she visited every Sunday) Ezzie picked up her cat and walked off. She remembered the long walk it took to get back. Ezzie's ankles were killing her, so she decided she'd take a rest at the ice cream shop next door.

"It wouldn't hurt to take a break, right Nena?" Her cat purred to show she was tired of being held and wanted a change of scenery.

They walked into the ice cream shop to find it packed with people. Ezzie wasn't surprised, after all, it was a very hot day. Ezzie searched around for an empty chair and noticed only one, right across from a girl Ezzie knew to be a second year Gryffindor from school. They had had pleasant conversations before, as they were both Gryffindors. Ezzie decided she'd have a seat with her.

"Hey, Danielle!" Ezzie said brightly. "Is this seat taken?"

[kaddy]

"Lollipop, lollipop, oooo lolly, lolly, lolly, lollipop!" Danielle sung to herself, spinning around on her swirly chair. Taking another lick of her ice cream Danielle looked outside, boy was it hot out. People rushed down the street, wiping beads of sweat off of their brows and ducking into the cool shelter of stores that lined the street. She finally took the time to look at her surroundings and saw that the place was packed. "Most of them aren't even eating any ice cream." She said in amazement. "But how could they come in here and not eat any? What a bunch of weirdies." Her voice trailed off and she went back to staring out the window.

"Hmm," Danielle said thoughtfully, looking toward the dark alley that was diagonal from where she sat. "Wonder what's actually in Knockturn Alley..." With a little shake of the head she turned her attention back to her ice cream which was beginning to melt. "Oh crap, that isn't good!" She exclaimed, hurrying to fix the damage. As she did this a person approached her table. "Hey Danielle!" They said brightly. "Is this seat taken?" Danielle looked up, there stood Esmeralda Mendez, otherwise known as Ezzie.

Danielle sighed dramatically, "Well I suppose you could..." She said in a snobbish voice before grinning at her friend happily. "Of course it's not taken!"

[Esmeralda Mendez]

Danielle sighed dramatically, "Well I suppose you could..." She said in a snobbish voice before grinning at her friend happily. "Of course it's not taken!" Ezzie took her seat across from Danielle and began to jabber off.

"So how's your summer been? Mine's been a little bit of bad and good I suppose." Ezzie held up her cat. "Nena had kittens! ..Of course, I couldn't afford.." Ezzie blushed as she stopped herself. "We couldn't keep all those little kitties in the house." Ezzie smiled and continued with her talk. "I met someone the other day, a muggle of course, I don't come across many witches and wizards outside of Diagon Alley." Ezzie sighed, thinking of Ethan. "His name is Ethan. You should see him, Danielle! He's wonderful!" Ezzie continued with her report on her summer break and silently noticed with envy the delicious ice cream cone Danielle was holding. Ezzie sometimes wished she had enough money to spend on things like ice cream. She wiped a bead of sweat from her face. Even with the necklace that strange old man had given her, she still didn't have any money to splurge. They all went into the various bills she had to pay.

Ezzie couldn't believe herself. Fourteen years old, and already paying bills. Hogwarts tuition, her school supply fund, her apartment fund, Nena's food and vet bills, and even her hotel uniform debt. (Ezzie couldn't believe the hotel she worked for asked her to pay for her own uniform, she still had to pay her manager back for paying the bill for her.)

[kaddy]

"Kittens!?" Danielle exclaimed excitedly. "I love kittens there so cuddly and cute and stuff. I don't think I've told you about Kitty have I?" She asked then said without waiting for a reply continued. "Well my dumb brother was playing around and accidentally y shot her, poor thing. I miss her so much, but mom and dad got me another one not that he can ever take Kitty's place or anything but he's adorable. I named him Blues 'cause when I got him he was crying. Do your kittens ever cry?" Danielle paused to let Ezzie talk.
"I met someone the other day, a muggle of course, I don't come across many witches and wizards outside of Diagon Alley." Ezzie said. "His name is Ethan. You should see him, Danielle! He's wonderful!" Danielle smiled at her friend then began to sing, "Ezzie and Ethan sittin' in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" She laughed a bit then noticed Ezzie looking at her ice cream cone. "Oh crap, I've been sorta rude haven't I? Eating this while your just sitting there. Do you want some? We could go and get a sample of everything before we decide. Just like at normal ice cream shops." Danielle rambled, all the while smiling like an idiot.

[Esmeralda Mendez]

"Kittens!?" Danielle exclaimed excitedly. "I love kittens there so cuddly and cute and stuff. I don't think I've told you about Kitty have I?" She asked then said without waiting for a reply continued. "Well my dumb brother was playing around and accidentally shot her, poor thing. I miss her so much, but mom and dad got me another one not that he can ever take Kitty's place or anything but he's adorable. I named him Blues 'cause when I got him he was crying. Do your kittens ever cry?"

"KITTY DIED??" Ezzie felt a pang of sadness for Danielle's old cat. She used to talk about her all the time. "Well, I'm really sorry about Kitty but I'm so glad you've got yourself a new one. I'm afraid I'll never know if my kittens cry, I had to sell them all to the pet shop next door to here." Ezzie sighed as she thought of the little deaf kitten she couldn't afford to keep. "There's only one left, you know. Poor little guy. Nobody wants him, with him being deaf and all. I can tell he's lonely. I've never seen him cry, but he whines a lot without his brothers and sisters."

Danielle smiled at her friend then began to sing, "Ezzie and Ethan sittin' in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" She laughed a bit then noticed Ezzie looking at her ice cream cone. "Oh crap, I've been sorta rude haven't I? Eating this while your just sitting there. Do you want some? We could go and get a sample of everything before we decide. Just like at normal ice cream shops."

"I wish!" Ezzie said. "I left all my money at home, plus I'm on a diet." Ezzie lied. She didn't want Danielle to go feeling sorry for her just because of her present lack of money.

And parents. Ezzie thought to herself. Ezzie knew perfectly well that Danielle had wonderful loving parents who would never even think of laying a finger on her, let alone trying to drown her. Then an idea struck her back into reality.

"Hey Danielle, how about we go to that pet shop so I can show you Nena's last kitten?"

[kaddy]

"Kitty Died??" Ezzie yelled loudly. Danielle nodded, "Two weeks ago to be exact. But it's all in the past ya know? 'Better to have loved and lost than to never loved at all.' Right?" She asked quoting a line that she had read somewhere. "Well, I'm really sorry about Kitty but I'm so glad you've got yourself a new one. I'm afraid I'll never know if my kittens cry, I had to sell them all to the pet shop next door to here." Ezzie sighed and Danielle wondered what was the matter with her. "There's only one left, you know. Poor little guy. Nobody wants him, with him being deaf and all. I can tell he's lonely. I've never seen him cry, but he whines a lot without his brothers and sisters."

"A deaf cat? I didn't even know that was possible..." Danielle said quietly to herself. "Plus I'm on a diet." She heard Ezzie say. Looking at her friend Danny shook her head. "A diet? Yeah right, you don't need a diet. Your going to eat ice cream if I have to hold you down and force feed it to you, we don't want you going all model on us now do we?" Danielle hopped down from her seat and pointed a finger at Ezzie. "Stay here until I get back OK?" With that she was gone, weaving her way through people and up to the counter. "You again?" The man said with a smile. "You bet! I need one double scoop of chocolate ice cream." Danielle said, holding out the money. "Here you go, have a nice day!" The man said. "You too." She called, making her way back to her friend.

"Now, you eat this while we go check out that kitty. And don't you dare refuse it or I will become offended and make a huge scene." Danny said thrusting the cone into Ezzie's hand.

[Esmeralda Mendez]

"A diet? Yeah right, you don't need a diet. Your going to eat ice cream if I have to hold you down and force feed it to you, we don't want you going all model on us now do we?" Danielle hopped down from her seat and pointed a finger at Ezzie. "Stay here until I get back OK?" With that she was gone, weaving her way through people and up to the counter. Ezzie didn't know what to say. Obviously, she knew she did not need a diet, Ezzie was too skinny as it was. She really didn't want her friend to know of her money troubles though. With this thought Danielle returned to the table with a large cone of chocolate ice cream. Ezzie couldn't help but notice that chocolate was her favorite flavor.

"Now, you eat this while we go check out that kitty. And don't you dare refuse it or I will become offended and make a huge scene." Danny said thrusting the cone into Ezzie's hand.

"I'll eat it, but you can bet your cat I'm paying you back!" Ezzie didn't know how exactly she would be able to pay her friend back, but she had to find a way. She just couldn't let her friend pay for Ezzie's food.

"Now, you eat this while we go check out that kitty. And don't you dare refuse it or I will become offended and make a huge scene." Danny said thrusting the cone into Ezzie's hand.

When they arrived at the pet shop Ezzie pointed to a corner where the kittens were held. They came in various colors and sizes, and were held in cages at about two or three to a cage. Except for Nena's kitten. He was placed in a cage all by himself with a sign in front of him that read: "Be aware that this kitten is deaf, and therefore, extra precautions must be taken to ensure the safety and happiness of this kitten." Ezzie thought they might as well have said "Deaf Cat! Not for Sale!" Ezzie removed the kitten from its cage, and led it into the play area with Danielle. It was so happy to see them, Ezzie could tell.

[kaddy]

Danielle grinned triumphantly when Ezzie took the cone. "I'll eat it, but you can bet your cat I'm paying you back!" Ezzie said. Danny rolled her eyes, "That's what you think." She said under her breath. Humming happily with her happy mood back in place Danny followed Ezzie to the Pet Shop. Glancing in through the window Oddly enough, Danielle had never been there before, seeing as Kitty and Blues had been bought at a Muggle pet shop. The only difference Danielle could see was that here they sold dancing rats, and some really colorfull furballs called Puffeskins(or something along those lines).

When they arrived at the pet shop Ezzie pointed to a corner where the kittens were held. They came in various colors and sizes, and were held in cages at about two or three to a cage. Except for Nena's kitten. He was placed in a cage all by himself with a sign in front of him that read: "Be aware that this kitten is deaf, and therefore, extra precautions must be taken to ensure the safety and happiness of this kitten." Ezzie removed the kitten from its cage, and led it into the play area with Danielle. "Oh my gosh!" Danielle squeled, picking up the kitten. "He is soo cute! Did you name him yet?"

[Esmeralda Mendez]

Ezzie removed the kitten from its cage, and led it into the play area with Danielle. "Oh my gosh!" Danielle squealed, picking up the kitten. "He is soo cute! Did you name him yet?" Ezzie's smile faded. She knew this moment would come. The moment where Ezzie regretted ever selling her kittens, even though she knew they were better off in the pet shop where they had toys, people other than Ezzie to admire them, (save for the deaf cat, who was rarely ever glanced at) and obviously fresh water and a plateful of food everyday. Ezzie convinced herself that the baby kitten was better off here, it definitely didn't want to grow up in a homeless shelter when it could be growing up in the arms of a wealthy child. Remembering that her friend Danny was waiting for a reply, she said,

"Well he's not really mine to name, is he? If I named him now, that would mean getting too attached to him." Ezzie paused to pet the little kitten. "If I name him and he's gone tomorrow, i don't know what I'll do." Ezzie removed a little rubber mouse from the box of cat toys. The second it was let out of the box, it began to run around the playpen, with the kitten following close by.

"But seeing him here at the shop makes me think he's better off here. He may not like the shop too much, but once he gets a loving home, I know he'll be happy." Ezzie could feel tears coming in from the side of her eyes, but she fought them back. She took crying as a sign of weakness, and Esmeralda Mendez was not weak.

[kaddy]

"Well he's not really mine to name, is he? If I named him now, that would mean getting too attached to him." Ezzie paused to pet the little kitten. "If I name him and he's gone tomorrow, I don't know what I'll do." Danielle nodded slightly, waiting to see if Ezzie would continue. "But seeing him here at the shop makes me think he's better off here. He may not like the shop to much, but once he gets a loving home, I know he'll be happy." "Well, your a better person than I am. I get so attached to my pets, even though I know they'll leave before me. Even if I had one for a day I'd still get too attached." She stopped to watch the kitten chase the mouse fr a moment then continued, still watching it.

"Back in Ohio, before we moved I had a dog named Surge. He was really gentle to everyone he knew but if you didn't know him he'd try to bite you. One day my brother had some friends over and they were wrestling. One of Jame's friends got a little wild and James fell. Surge went crazy, he bit the kid. Took off a finger." Danny chuckled a bit. "Luckily he didn't use his left hand and his parents decieded not to sue but...the police said that once a dog tastes blood it's crazy so they came to shoot him. What they didn't know was that we took Surge to our friends' house that lived out in the country. When they asked where he was we just said that he ran off. We moved a little while after that." Danny said with a smile. "He's really old now, we don't expect him to be around much longer. That's why we're gonna visit him on Christmass Break."

"Anyway back to the now. How much do you think they want for him?" She asked, pointing at the kitten.

[Esmeralda Mendez]

"Well, your a better person than I am. I get so attached to my pets, even though I know they'll leave before me. Even if I had one for a day I'd still get too attached." She stopped to watch the kitten chase the mouse for a moment then continued, still watching it.

"Back in Ohio, before we moved I had a dog named Surge. He was really gentle to everyone he knew but if you didn't know him he'd try to bite you. One day my brother had some friends over and they were wrestling. One of Jame's friends got a little wild and James fell. Surge went crazy, he bit the kid. Took off a finger." Danny chuckled a bit. Ezzie didn't think this was very funny, but let Danny go on.

"The police said that once a dog tastes blood it's crazy so they came to shoot him. What they didn't know was that we took Surge to our friends' house that lived out in the country. When they asked where he was we just said that he ran off. We moved a little while after that." Danny said with a smile. "He's really old now, we don't expect him to be around much longer. That's why we're gonna visit him on Christmas Break." Ezzie smiled as she pictured in her mind's eye Danny and her family reunited with her long lost pal from Ohio.

"Anyway back to the now. How much do you think they want for him?" She asked, pointing at the kitten. Ezzie laughed.

"I've already sold him. I got a couple of galleons for the litter. I still wish there could have been some way I could keep them. But it wouldn't be fair to them, I guess." Ezzie smiled as she picked up the little kitten and placed him back in his cage.

"I really should be going. I told Ethan I'd come and meet him today. You can come if you want, but we'd have to go now." Ezzie glanced at the clock on the wall. "I'm already late."

((If Danny does decide to come with Ezzie, you think we might want to move this to the Outside Hogwarts board?))

[kaddy]

Ezzie laughed when Danielle asked how much they wanted for the kitten. "I've already sold him." She said. "I got a couple of galleons for the litter. I still wish there could have been some way I could keep them. But it wouldn't be fair to them, I guess." Ezzie smiled as she picked up the little kitten and placed him back in his cage.

"I really should be going. I told Ethan I'd come and meet him today. You can come if you want, but we'd have to go now." Ezzie glanced at the clock on the wall. "I'm already late." Danielle's eyes grew wide. "I can?" She asked excitedly. It wasn't ever day she saw a friends from school and was invited to go somewhere with them. "Well can we have to go through the Leaky Cauldren to get out don't we? 'Cause I'll have to let my mom and dad know where I'm going. Otherwise they'll freak out and ground me. Dad might whup me too, nah, I'm joking with you. He hasn't spanked me since I was two when I hit that girl who stole my Teddy...Anyway I'd love to come! Let's get going. Bye Mr. Fuzz, hope you get a nice home!" She called out to the kitten (even though he couldn't hear her) as they left.

[Esmeralda Mendez]

I'm going to finnish this post in the outside Hogwarts board, seeing as Ethan's house is not in Diagon Alley..look for "Just Keep Smiling Cont. ((Danny))"