Shopping with a Friend

[Minerva Khulik]

Minerva had been waiting for this weekend for a while now, ever since herself and Elly had discussed the possibility of it. She had written home to see if she could get some pocket money to spend and after telling her parents why she needed it, had been rather taken aback when they had sent on a bit more than she had expected. Clearly her parents were thrilled that she was making friends and was encouraging her excursion into Brightstone regardless that it would take her away from her studies.

Dressed in her usual strange assortment of clothing, Minerva turned to smile at Elly as they made their way from the school grounds to the small wizarding village that a lot of other students were descending upon.

"So first stop the joke shop, next stop the sweet shop, then the book shop!" she listed them off, "you know normally I would do the book shop first.." she chuckled lightly then, "actually let's face it, that's the only shop I would have done. You've changed me into a sweet toothed prankster."

It was of course said affectionately, Elly wasn't at all responsible for the Hufflepuff's sweet tooth but she was definitely responsible for Minerva's new love of muggle chocolate bars and the joke shop was so that she could find if there was anything herself and Norton could use to trick the two older boys who had pranked them with the cockroache cupcakes.

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

The first thing Elly had done when she knew she was going to Brightstone with Minerva is use the family owl to send a letter to her mom. If she wanted to have a fun weekend she needed some magical money. Her dad had a large supply of muggle money, but that was utterly useless when shopping at Brightstone. Her mom had replied and a small baggy of money was attached to the letter. Elly was ready to do some shopping with Minerva. Elly was dressed in her usual attire a nice pair of jeans a top and some sneakers. Elly walked up the school grounds were she and Minerva were supposed to meet each other. Minerva was easily spotted she looked ridiculously cute in that outfit. ''Hello Minerva'' Elly said excitingly, she was happy she had made a new friend in her first year. Elly waved and walked up to her friend.

Minerva was actually excited to go with her too and that made Elly happy as well. ''Yeah, I actually want to go to the bookshop later on too'' Elly really wanted to buy another book on transfiguration. She was such a nerd in that subject. ''Don't blame me candy is so good'' Elly poked her tongue out and giggled. She wasn't sure if the brightstone shops could get hold of muggle candy. Her way of importing it in the castle via owl by dad was her way to go at the moment. She already had a stash of the most delicious sorts of candies in her trunk.''I don't know if they sell any muggle candy in the candy shop'' Elly looked up to the sky and enjoyed the weather. They were going to the joke shop too, she had never been to a joke shop really. She visited one with her mother in diagon alley, but that seemed like a long time ago.

''Have you been to a joke shop before?'' Elly blushed slightly, this would be the first time going to one without her mother.

 

[Minerva Khulik]

Minerva chuckled with Elly, delighted that she too had the same tastes in stores and favoured the book store over others. Stuffing her hands into her jacket pockets she walked alongside of her friend along the pathway that would lead them to the wizarding village. She knew she had been there before but it seemed more of a blur now.

"No ... muggle candy is so good" Minerva smiled kicking up a stone with the toe of her shoe and glancing upwards momentarily as a few older students passed them on their way to Brightstone, "we definitely are allowed to go to Brightstone ... aren't we?" she couldn't help but ask it as it was only older students she was seeing for now about them but perhaps their classmates were already huddled into stores trying to buy up just about anything and everything before the older students arrived.

"I usually take myself off to the bookstore, my brother's almost live in the joke store though. They love it" she shook her head recalling last year when they had gone to visit an old school friend of her mother's in England. The boys had gone nuts when they had discovered the huge joke store there in Daigon Alley. Minerva had gone to the bookstore and fallen in love with the vastness of it all.

"I think maybe someday I will open a wizarding library in New Zealand" she said aloud suddenly, "I know Hogwarts has one but that isn't open to the general wizarding public and I think there should be one ... for everyone. What do you think?"

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

Minerva was someone Elly could befriend easily. Elizabeth loved how Minerva and she had the same interests and wanted to see the same shops. Brightstone village was something new for Elly, she had never been there before. ''Oh, Muggle candy is the best'' Elly said excitingly. When Minerva said she wasn't sure if they were allowed to go Elly got somewhat nervous. She hated breaking the rules, well she liked to know before she did such thing. ''I don't know, we are going now anyway'' Elly shrugged the nerves off and walked to the village.

"I prefer the book store over the joke store any day as well'' Elly liked pulling jokes, but not to harm others. The joke shop sold some stuff Elly didn't agree with. Elly was mostly found in the candy and ice cream stalls. Food was Elly her first love and nothing was going to top food. When Minerva told her that she wanted to open a magical library she got excited. ''I think that is awesome and lovely.'' Elly paused ''People that don't have the money to buy books can borrow them, I think that is great.'' Elly was already happy for Minerva and her future plans. It made Elly think about what she wanted.''I might want to become an Auror'' Elly muttered scaredly, it was hard to become one.

 

[Minerva Khulik]

Minerva felt in that moment that if her friend was willing to brave the dangers of going to Brightstone without knowing whether or not they were allowed to go, then she couldn't very well let her go on her own! Minerva attempted to shake her own nerves off but there was always that little niggle of trepidation in her stomach that seemed to tut-tut at her every few yards they walked.

The knots of apprehension dwindled most when Elly agreed with liking book stores as much as Minerva did, what people saw in places like joke shops was simply beyond her but they obviously had their uses. The path from the school to Brightstone wasn't as bad as she had thought it would be and it was a pleasant enough day, she even found herself beginning to smile a little at other students that passed, hoping as always that her smile didn't look like some maniac slit across her face.

"It's just an idea but it would be wonderful wouldn't it?" she had visions in her head of how the library would look, rooms that were as high as the tallest trees with books shelved from floor to ceiling. Special reading nooks spread throughout that were tailored to the preferences of the reader, a quiet homey space with a large chair, a hammock attached to a real tree ... she could let her imagination run wild entirely. Elly was enthusiastic about her idea and Minerva smiled brightly at her, feeling far less anxious now until the young Ravenclaw told her what it was that she wanted to be.

Minerva hoped her mouth hadn't dropped open too wide but she felt it necessary to clamp it closed before she swallowed a fly or some other bug.

"Isn't that ... dangerous?" she cast a sidelong look at Elly, her friend had the intelligence to be anything she wanted to be and if being an Auror was what she wanted, then Minerva didn't doubt for a second that she would achieve that aim ... it was just that ...well, it was so dangerous! She was suddenly fearful and anxious for her friend though Elly becoming an Auror could not happen for quite a few years yet.

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

The idea of making a library for magical folk was amazing. She knew not everyone had the money to buy schoolbooks and if there could be a system that you could borrow them for sometime would be amazing. Elly loved being with Minerva,
she was a bit awkward, but that was what Elly liked about her. She didn't like the popular and dramatic kids, they were too much to handle.

They walked past some shops and Elly looked at every front. She had never been here and it was amazing. The magical world of shops was just incredible, everywhere you looked you saw something new. Especially the brighter lit shops with candy and jokes in the front. Elly smiled and looked at Minerva. "Being magical has its perks'' Elly squealed out of excitement.

''I love the idea Minerva'' Elly paused and looked at her ''I would love to help you make it happen'' Some jobs could be done part time and she would love to be a volunteer in a library. She already worked in a shop, so she knew what work was at least. The library idea was still an idea currently and it wouldn't be a thing before they both graduated. ''And of course it is dangerous, but I want to be useful for the world.'' Elly didn't really know what she wanted to be. A healer would be awesome too or a magical researcher. ''I secretly don't know yet, I love a lot.'' Elly giggled and hoped that Min would stay with her for all of her seven years. Even with her odd behaviour sometimes, she finally found some friends.