Shopping for supplies

Lavender led Elena out into the streets of Diagon Alley and Centenary Park. They had to get everything Elena needed, where should they go first? Lavender would need to know what lessons the blonde wanted to take, but that could wait for now.

"Right, Madam Malkin's should be a good place to start, it's just up here," She pointed down the street and ushered Elena forward. So they began to walk. They were quiet for a while, taking in their surroundings. Until Lavender felt it was the right time to talk. "So, do you think you'll like it at Hogwarts?"

Elena followed Lavender through the streets past at least a thousand people. They were walking to fast past them for Elena to notice anyone's face. But, she would more than likely meet up with them sooner or later whilst at Hogwarts.

Lavender's question was one Elena had never been asked. She rooted in the abscess of her mind to find a suitable answer, and only found one. "Yes."

She had already got the idea of a large castle, but only from the outside, with the inside a strange array of corridors and classrooms. But most of all, Elena felt she would belong there. She secretly wanted to find out more about her family by digging around whilst there. Like why her mother left her at a young age.

She suddenly began to feel rather rude by not asking Lavender a question in return. "Will you?"

Cogs were evidently turning in Elena's mind as they walked. She seemed like a bright girl, with a lot of skill and talent, something people would pride her on at Hogwarts. Well, the right people were pride her, others wouldn't. Lavender was captured from her thoughts when Elena spoke.

"I think so," She nodded with a small smile. "Though, what with our surname, I'm sure some people won't be too happy to see us," Lavender thought about this for a second before shrugging. "Let them. Who cares what they think anyway?" She was about to say something else when the shop they were looking for came into view. "There it is," Lavender pointed to the sign that said 'Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions'. "In there. Just pop in and get what you need. I'll wait right here," She lightly pushed Elena in the right direction.

Elena returned from her entry into Madam Malkin's carrying her bundle of items. She walked over to Lavender making sure not to trip and spoil her new attire. It was all exciting this new experience.

Elena looked at her letter she retrieved from her bag. "Where to next?" she asked.

Lavender smiled when Elena reappeared with one bag more than she'd had before.

"It went okay?" She thought for a second about where to go now. "Hmm, where to? Flourish & Blotts I think. The letter should say what you need. It should be up here a bit," Lavender started them off walking again. "Hogwarts should be a breeze really, which house do you want to get into?"

While walking, Elena didn't know what to think. She had only heard all the houses and their founders from just wandering around Diagon. Elena had the courage and loyalty to be Gryffindor, the hard worker to be Hufflepuff, the creativity for Ravenclaw, but Elena wanted to join her mother's previous life, and thus preferred "Slytherin" she stated out loud.

She looked back to Lavender, "What about you?"

They continually walked to Flourish and Blotts... Elena had never heard of this shop before and wandered what it sold.

Lavender let her eyes roam the crowd as they walked, wondering if she'd see anyone she recognized. When Elena spoke it caused her to grin with pride.

"Slytherin," She nodded. It was their families house after all, though she wouldn't exactly complain if she was put somewhere else. As long as it wasn't Hufflepuff. "Ah, here we are," Lavender stopped outside the shop, their destination. "See you in a minute then," She smiled reassuringly.

Standing outside the shop, Elena could see multiple piles of books and parchment and large bundles of feather quills. Elena was about to walk in, when she noticed the sections of which the piles of book were in. Ancient Runes, Defence Against The Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures and many other titles.

"Which do i chose? Are they the lessons are Hogwarts? Which ones do i have?" Elena quizzed Lavender.

Lavender watched the blonde ready herself to enter the shop, until she stopped and reeled off some questions instead.

"They're lessons. You can just order a set of beginners books. You can pick which ones you take, whichever take your fancy really," She shrugged. "They all do what it says on the tin really," This was the best way she felt to describe the lessons to someone completely new to their world.

Stumbling out of the shop with arms weighed down with the large pile of books and extras, Elena nearly tripped on nothing but air. She could just see Lavender's head over the books, but it was becoming very hard to hold her most recent purchase, but she continued to reach her cousin never-the-less.

"Lavender?" Elena called out, hoping to catch her attention. "Where to next then?"

Lavender grinned as Elena reappeared with bags all down her arms.

"Here, let me help you," She took a few bags off one of the blonde's arms and added them to her own. She didn't have as many bags because she'd been to Diagon once already. "Next? I think the Apothecary," Lavender nodded down the street and they continued to walk in that direction. She didn't say anything this time. hoping Elena would instead.

With great help, Elena had given Lavender some of her bags and it felt a lot lighter. "Thanks" Elena smiled.

The Apothecary sounded like somewhere of potions and creations never believed to exist - like this other half to Elena's life. Elena could sense that Lavender wanted her to talk this time, and Elena had a buzzing question. "Did you know my mother?"

Lavender glanced up at the sky, clouds were appearing, grey clouds. She looked back down again when Elena spoke. A question Lavender wasn't sure she liked.

"Slightly, I suppose. I've met her a few times," She paused for thought. "You look just like her," whether this was a good thing to say Lavender didn't know. But she hadn't thought before she spoke before now, so she wasn't about to start.

Watching Lavender turn to the sky made Elena realise that she might not like this answer. She only wanted to know. It was something that Lavender had said earlier that kept playing in her head. 'people wont be happy to see us' what on earth had that meant. Now, after the previous question that gained an answer she knew was coming. Elena had known her mother wasn't very attached to her family, but had no idea why.

Elena plucked up the courage to ask: "I don't understand something you said earlier. People wont be happy to see us? Why? What had happened? No-one's ever told me or evaded the question." Elena looked down to prevent the tiny tear beginning to emerge from the corner of her eye, it failed. The salty tear tumbled to the ground, scarcely missing her shoe. She waited for the answer.

Lavender sighed, casting a side glance at her cousin. This wasn't going to be easy to explain.

"Let's just say, our mothers created quite a stir when they were at Hogwarts, and after. They made enemies, Elena. Those enemies children will be at Hogwarts. That's all I was saying," She tried to smile but failed when she noted the blonde looking very sad. "It's okay. Don't be upset, it's not your fault. I'm sure when we get their people will get to know us and we'll be fine,"

I had always known my mother was trouble thought Elena. Elena looked up at Lavender. "I hope so. I just hope here i'll fit in. I've not been able to, i always seem different to everyone else."

Elena didn't really know what else to say, so she looked forward across the paths of people in front of them. Wipeing away the tear. "so, where's this Apothecary?"