Some freedom atlast

[Elle Silvertongue]

Elle had been told by Miss Weiss that she had to do some shopping for clothes since she hardly had two pairs.Elle was very excited about the prospect of new clothes.For the last three years she had owned only two pairs of clothes and these were extremely dirty,torn and holey.New clothes were something that she had always wished for.And now she was going to get some.

Ever since she moved in with Miss Weiss three weeks ago,Elle hadn't had a single frown on her face.She had had the best time in her life and Elle knew that this was just the beginning.She looked forward to going to school and meeting new people but she also dreaded it.She knew that she had always been to shy to be social and she hoped that the children in her new school would not mind her shyness.

She walked on the main street of the Obsidian harbour,window shopping and smiling at everyone who looked her way.She was feeling elated and she wished Miss Weiss could be with her to share her happiness.But she knew that now Miss Weiss was a Healer and she had a lot of work at the Hospital.So Elle would have to find someone for company on her own.

 

[Linda Moore]

Linda was in a strangely good mood, for once she was walking through the town area with a smile on her face looking for someone to enjoy the day with, rather than to wallow in misery. The cause for her good mood she would never actually admit but for once her family had been nice to her, not that it mattered of course she was still firmly set in the opinion that she does not need nor want them around, and as soon as she is able to start school she can ignore their existence completely.


She noticed a younger girl walking along, she seemed pretty happy. Linda decided that she would be the victim of her happiness today, she smiled and walked over to her with an unusual spring in her step, she caught sight of her reflection in a window her hair tied back out of her face with a minimal amount of make up around her eyes she looked almost a stranger to herself.

Linda was soon near enough the girl to start a conversation "Hey, need someone to shop with?" she asked with a smile hoping that the girl wouldn't mind.

 

[Elle Silvertongue]

Elle returned the girl's smile timidly as she saw her walking across the road towards her.She looked a few years older than Elle and didn't seem like she wanted to be mean to Elle.But Elle was shy and she wasn't sure what she would say if the girl wanted to give her company.Come on Elle you have been waiting for a chance to make a friend!Dont shy away she wont bite! said a small but strong voice inside her head.

Elle thought about how she couldn't spend the whole day on her own.She had to get over her timidness so she looked up at the girl and said,"A girl can't go shopping on her own,can she?" But Elle had no idea if girls went shopping in groups because she had never done any real shopping and had never had any girl friends.Even if Elle would have been a normal teenager she would have needed a lot of advice on what to buy.And since she was not,she had no idea what normal young girls wore."But I will need a lot of advice."she warned the girl.

 

[Linda Moore]

Linda sighed a little silently, thankful that she hadn't scared the girl, although she did sense that she was a little shy so made a mental note that she should be careful as to not scare her away, as sad as it is this girl could be her first actual friend in the area.

"That's exactly what I was thinking, don't worry about needing help. I'm not usually the girly type but I'm sure we can work things out together" she smiled at the girl and started to walk along beside her "I'm Linda by the way"

 

[Elle Silvertongue]

"Thanks." Elle said smiling,truly glad that she had found someone who wold be willing to help her.Elle hoped that it would be easy to get along with normal teenagers but she knew that at Hogwarts there would be many who would not be very friendly but Elle had enough sense to stay away from them because she didn't wan't to be making enemies even before she started making friends.

"Nice to meet you Linda,I'm Elle."she told Linda as she looked around for a boutique."I am new in this area,I am going to transfer to Hogwarts."she told Linda hoping she knew something about the school.Miss Weiss had told her a lot but Hogwarts New Zealand today was definitely different from Hogwarts Scotland thirteen years ago.

 

[Linda Moore]

Linda walked along beside Elle listening to what she said carefully, she has a habit of not really listening mainly because it's usually better in her house, that way she didn't hear the abuse being hurled at her, she cleared her throat forcing the nasty thoughts away once more, she nodded in return to the girls introduction "nice to meet you too"

Linda smiled, glad that she wont be the only new one around and that she will at least know one friendly face when she gets to Hogwarts, "I'm afraid that makes two of us" she paused for a moment, "although I do know the area, I grew up here but have been living in England for the past few years". She wasn't too keen on England but it was better than being stuck with her parents, but her 'little trip' had cost her a few years in Hogwarts so it will be a game of catch up once the new year started.

"So what's first on the shopping list?" she asked hoping to be able to direct them to the best shop.

 

[Elle Silvertongue]

When Linda said that she too was going to join Hogwarts,Elle smiled to herself and said "Oh,that's a good coincidence." But after the words had tumbled out of her mouth she realized that they didn't sound that good,spoken out loud.But she dismissed the thought not wanting to be self-conscious all the time.

"I also grew up in New Zealand but my...."she hesitated a bit not knowing what she should tell the girl.Miss Weiss insisted on being called Lavender by Elle felt that she had to call her with more respect so she chose Aunt Lavender instead."My Aunt and I just shifted to this area because I am about to go to Hogwarts and she doesn't want to be far if I need anything."

Elle realized just after saying it,that she was making herself sound like a baby who couldn't stay without her mommy for long.Elle Silvertongue!Stop fussing over your choice of words!She won't even take that meaning of what you said!Stop being so cautious!Elle breathed in deeply and tried to calm her mind.She was definitely getting self-conscious for no reason.

"I definitely need a lot of clothes.You see my old clothes were not worth much so I left them at my old house."Elle told Linda.That wasn't a lie she consoled herself.It was true that the rags she had been wearing for the past years had been worth nothing.Elle never wanted to imagine herself again in those clothes.

 

[Linda Moore]

"yeah, it is a good coincidence, it's going to be reassuring to know at least one friendly face amongst all the new stuff" she smiled hoping that the longer they spent together the more Elle would start to relax.

Linda picked up on the slight hesitation in her explanation, much like she often hesitated when trying to find the right words to explain her reasons for moving to England, she decided not to call her on it thinking that if she wants to let her know more than she would in her own time, "No, that's good, that was the one problem with me being in England" she smiled, remembering that actually being in different time zones made life a lot easier for her but when she actually wanted something it was hell, "whenever I needed something from my parents it was always so tricky to get it sorted being so far away"

"well there's a pretty good clothes store up this way, if memory serves" she lifted her arm to point in the vague direction of the store, "my clothes usually get worn 'till there falling to bits, I like them better that way" she laughed a little, her mother had often called her a 'high class tramp' of course that was on a good day when they actually got along, unfortunately those days were becoming less frequent.

"So are we looking for girly stuff, or something more like I'm wearing today?" she asked only to try and judge which store to start in, she looked down at her rather scruffy old black skinny jeans and her ex-boyfriends band hoodie that he never quite got back, way to make a first impression she thought to herself suddenly kicking herself for not taking hardly any time getting ready this morning.

 

[Elle Silvertongue]

Elle started following Linda in the direction she had pointed.She had only been to a real clothes store once,three weeks ago when she had moved in with Miss.Weiss.They had been in a hurry on that day and Miss Weiss had picked up the first good clothes she had spotted but Elle had to say that they looked good on her.But she didn't know wether her clothes were like a normal teen ager or not.But since Linda had not eyed her with a look that said 'What-is-she-wearing?' Elle had assumed that the clothes were normal.

She wrapped her dark-blue cloak tightly around her and said,"I think first,I will need somethings for the rest of the winter." She shivered slightly since her t-shirt and jeans were normal ones and her cloak was made of cotton and would be more suitable on a spring day."And then some other clothes but not very girly,like jeans and tees and also some pairs of shoes."she told Linda.Elle knew she would need shoes but she didn't really feel comfortable wearing shoes of any kind.She had always stayed bare footed and her legs felt cramped when she wore shoes.

 

[Linda Moore]

Linda led the way quietly for a little bit being careful to take notice of the things that Elle said, "right, winter clothes it is" she smiled and remembered one of the very few times she had gone shopping with some of the girls in England, they had spent hours in one store trying on all the clothes in as many hideous combinations they could manage, each time they would take a picture most of which were completely blurred beyond recognition due to the uncontrollable fits of laughter they were all in, she hoped that she would be able to have a laugh today with Elle, but something told her that things like that might have to wait for another shopping trip.

"sounds like a plan to me" she thought about her next question for a while as she didn't want to delve into anything too personal just yet, "so you said your not from round here, where were you from to start with?" they weren't far from the shop, she directed them round the bend and she could see the large shiny fronted store not too far ahead.

 

[Elle Silvertongue]

Elle thought of what she could talk about as they walked towards the shop.Making small talk would need a lot more for her case.But Elle didn't have to think of something because Linda did.Elle thought of how much she could tell Linda but then realized that there was no point of hiding anything about herself.

"I am from a small village called Te Kowhai in the Waikato region,I was born over there.I lived in an orphan age until I got adopted and shifted to Reefton in the West Coast region.But recently my guardian died and my teacher and friend,Miss Weiss took my responsibility and we shifted to this area." Elle held back the details of her guardian and how she treated her because she didn't want to make the atmosphere tense.She wanted to forget all about her past life and start a new one.