In the Window

[Oswald Brigham]

Oswald wasn't sure what his father was doing in the back of the shop, and he wasn't inclined to ask. The last time he'd pressed him on the matter, he'd received a short, curt reply advising him to mind his own business, lest his curiosity lead him to trouble. "But this is a curiosity shop," Oswald had protested, and then he'd been made to stand out on the street and yell advertisements to attract customers. Not only had it been extremely cold that day, but all his yelling had served to do was scare everybody within a thirty-foot radius away and give him a sore throat. That was the last time he'd ever asked his father what he was doing, and everybody seemed to be better off for it.

But today Oswald was tempted to raise the question again, if only to be punished with something interesting to do. He'd been sitting amongst the window display for the better part of three hours, now, watching witches and wizards pass by without so much as glancing inward. It was probably for the best: they might have been quite startled to see an eleven year old sitting behind the glass. Oswald sighed, rearranging a few of the display items that lay strewn around him. Maybe, if it looked just right, someone's eye might be drawn to the shop and come inside.

 

[Christopher Elms]

Armed with little more than a pocket full of knuts he had saved from his allowance over the passing weeks, Christopher set off down the cobbled street for something to buy, something of a special treat for himself. He wanted a broomstick but upon discovering that he wouldn't be able to buy so much as a twig with a handful of knuts, he continued on feeling a little disheartened. He stopped off at a sweet shop to purchase a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans which left him with... (he purched briefly on a bench to recount) eleven knuts. He stuffed the coins back into his pocket and continued on down the street.

He popped the first yellow bean in his mouth and enjoyed a cherry flavour. He had another, blue this time, and was delighted to taste chocolate, another hokey pokey. Three delicious Bertie Botts Beans in a row greatly lifted the boys spirits after the broomstick disappointment and set him back on course for looking for something to spend his money on. He stopped in front of a shop with an assortment of different objects which caught his attention, he glanced up at the sign which read 'Vetrov and Brigham's Antiques and Curiosities.' Anything with curiosities in the title must be worth a browse he decided. The eleven year old wasn't so inspired by the word antiques though truth be told.

He stood in front of the shop window and examined each piece whilst daring another bean. This time Christopher's taste buds were immediately assaulted with the most repulsive of flavours, it couldn't be, but it seemed so much like manure! Chris had never tasted manure before but he would have guessed it tasted exactly like this bean. His expression changed to one of utter repulsion as his eyes darted between the objects in the window. He looked up to notice then, a boy about his age tasked with the responsibility of arranging the display, the one Chris had just eyed with utter repulsion.

Feeling horrified, Chris ran into the shop and approached the boy. "No, sorry that wasn't a look at your display." He told him, wanting to explain himself "I ate a bean." He stopped talking, feeling suddenly ridiculous running into the shop like that.