Hester pushed open the door to the apothacary. She had decided to go here first because it had been the shop that had smelled the funniest, and she was curious.
She gazed around her in awe. Everywhere, filling every shelf, there was magical equipment and ingredients.
She caught her breath in wonder.
"Come on, Hester," said her mum. "Hurry up, we've got loads of other places to go."
Despite her tone of voice, Hester could tell that her mother was in just as much awe as she was.
She glanced down at her scrap of paper clenched tightly in her hand.
"Can I please have a Standard Cauldron (Size 2, Pewter)?" she asked. "Oh, and a first year's potions kit?"
The shopkeeper handed over the items and she gave him her money. Her very strange, magical money. Not like the coins she'd used before.
"Thank you," she said with a smile, and left the shop with her mother.
