The menagerie
Sometimes Quin suspects her home of being a fledgling zoo.

She has Mythica, a 7-year-old female seal point Siamese cat who was a belated wedding gift from her brother, Quincy.

She also has Fantastica, a 4-year-old Oriental shorthair who was a gift from her late husband, Ambrose, around the time he was diagnosed.

Both the cats aren't terribly cat-like, she's told. They're both very bonded to her, but Septimus also taught them to be dogs when they were quite small. They both at times bark like dogs.

There's also sometimes a runt albino tiny dragon named Lumina running around the house along with the cats and the children. She belongs to Septimus, and while she does sort of listen to Quin, Quin has no illusions about this. So long as she doesn't eat or maim the children or the cats or set the house on fire.

There's also a short-earred owl named Giuseppe.

And, of course, there's almost five-year-old Aurelia and her little brother, Felix.