School Prep [OPEN]

[Alyson Bludwyne]

It turned out that being 17 years too late for your seventh year meant you had to go and buy all your supplies again, which is why Alyson found herself walking the busy street of Diagon Alley, her arms already clasping bags of supplies. She still had to go buy her books, but they could be so heavy that she’d decided to wait to get those last of all.

Next on the list was Potions ingredients. Little Shadow flitted happily around her head constantly updating her on the goings on around her, guiding her and she slowly moved along the edges of the busy street. Sometimes she cursed that she’d been given such a chirpy constant companion that was so opposed to her actual personality but, though she would never admit it to anyone, she did occasionally enjoy the object’s antics.

After the Apothecary though she definitely needed some lunch. Well actually she could do with some actual Energy; she’d been busy setting up events for the next few weeks during the past month and it had been exhausting for her already frail body. She debated heading down to Knockturn and trying to find some old hag no one would miss but now was the time to keep her head down. Soon she wouldn’t have to worry about lacking energy. It was just a waiting game now.

She pushed into the darkened shop and took a second to savour the smells of a Potions shop. Though most would not call most of the smells pleasant, she’d always enjoyed Potions, especially as it was one of the few subjects she could actually do and so the odd scents, the dark and musty smell felt comforting. She was so absorbed that she didn’t notice the person trying to get through the door she was currently blocking.

[James Malcom MacDougal]

Potions! Jamie actually quite detested potions. It was cool how you could brew up a potion for just about anything, but it was just so messy. Even being careful one would end up with beetle juice or squashed snail all over theirself. Jamie hated getting dirty. He didn't like the feel of beetle eyes rolling between his fingers, or slicing open a rat spleen. He was meticulous and often ended the class still brewing whatever potion was required, always much slower than his classmates.

So he walked with his head down reading the school list as he approached the shop. It was then that he collided with another frail body. His arms went out automatically to steady the other person, eyes flashing up. "Aly!" he exclaimed, "I'm so sorry! Are you ok?"

[Alyson Bludwyne]

The force of the collision almost sent her flying into the shelves by the entrance, only her attacker's quick reflexes saving her from such an accident. Her dark eyes flashed towards the familiar aura even as Little Shadow described him. It had been six weeks or so since he'd 'saved' her from the Scottish moors and their awful cold rains but she'd been completely helpless then, without her usual companion and at a complete loss after having traveled 17 years into the future. 

Now, she glanced in his direction with a smirk, especially as Little Shadow described his enchanting green eyes and fascinating auburn hair, things she had not be able to discern in their last meeting. Alyson rolled her eyes at the machine's personality, so opposite to her own.

"Jamie," she replied, straightening up to her full height. Her body may be pathetic, but her height was not and she enjoyed making a show of it. "I'm fine," she continued waving away his concern. She wasn't pathetic now. In fact she'd been extraordinarily busy ensuring that she wouldn't be ever again. But for now it seemed, it was time to play the innocent student once more. She'd have to get used to it again, her plans may be advancing but they were nowhere near where she had been before the Flux. She was going to have to be a student for a little longer. 

"Getting your school supplies?" she asked.

[James Malcom MacDougal]

"Jamie," she replied, straightening up to her full height. Her body may be pathetic, but her height was not and she enjoyed making a show of it. "I'm fine,"

"I'm glad!" Jamie smiled, hitching the bag over his shoulder into a more comfortable position. Why did 4th year need so many books?? "You're looking much better! How's your father?" He moved farther into the shop, trying to avoid the same situation as Aly had found herself in. A couple of younger students came in, followed closely by their exasperated looking parent.

"Getting your school supplies?" she asked.

"Almost done! Just need to get potions supplies and I'm done!" And he'd be glad to be done with it. He looked around with distaste. What would a quidditch star need potions for anyway? Damien the Sting didn't need to brew his own potions. He probably had his own potions master. Or the Kelpies did, anyway.

[Alyson Bludwyne]

 "You're looking much better! How's your father?" 

She shrugged non-committedly. Her father had been more of an obstacle than anything else since her Return. He hadn't taken it very well really, though that might have had something to do with the 'demonstration' she'd had with him. After all, he had tried to lock her away. He couldn't very well expect to have gotten away with that nonsense. But he'd been quick to loosen his tongue and fall back into line after that and slowly her plans were coming together once more. Of course, now she was having to take a break from plans to be a typical student again, but she trusted that her father and his friends were doing their job correctly. 

"Getting your school supplies?" she asked.

"Almost done! Just need to get potions supplies and I'm done!" 

"Lucky," she said, "I still have books to get. Didn't fancy lugging them around all day," she gestured pointedly at his own heavy bag and smirked. "Also, oddly enough, turns out being 17 years too late to Seventh Year means I have to get a lot of stuff. But this is my favourite stop. Nothing better than Potions." 

She moved forward slowly, hand out to keep her from banging into shelves as Little Shadow was distracted flitting around Jamie's head examining him from all angles. Alyson had to give it to the Magical Object, she was thorough... which was great when Alyson needed to know what precise colour her potions were turning, but not so great when she was being informed about some almost stranger's butt. 

She paused in front of the Dried Skrewts and grabbed some before turning back to Jamie. "What year are you in again?"

[James Malcom MacDougal]

"Lucky," she said, "I still have books to get. Didn't fancy lugging them around all day," she gestured pointedly at his own heavy bag and smirked. "Also, oddly enough, turns out being 17 years too late to Seventh Year means I have to get a lot of stuff. But this is my favourite stop. Nothing better than Potions."

Jamie disagreed but kept silent on the matter, instead starting to fill a basket with needed ingredients. He turned furiously red as the little bird left Aly's side and started describing his backside in very thorough detail. It then began to chronicle his reactions. Great. Splendid. 

She paused in front of the Dried Skrewts and grabbed some before turning back to Jamie. "What year are you in again?"

Dried skrewts. He much preferred them dried. "I was born in September so I'm in 4th year, even though I'm fifteen. Almost." he admitted, giving the little bird the side eye. Did it always make this thorough of observations?

[Alyson Bludwyne]

 "I was born in September so I'm in 4th year, even though I'm fifteen. Almost." 

Oh he was such a baby. No wonder he'd known nothing about the War. "Oh. You're so young," she said before having heard quite enough about his physical description. She gave a short sharp whistle and Little Shadow whizzed back to her usual perch on Alyson's shoulder. "Where's the Ground Blubberwort?" she asked the bird, following its instructions to the correct shelf. 

"Sorry about Shadow," she said, supposing it was the correct thing to do after one's Magical Object described your butt in public to an almost stranger, "She gets a bit distracted by new things. Just a tad inconvenient at times," she said with a wry grin. 

[James Malcom MacDougal]

"Oh. You're so young,"

Jamie frowned. He was tired of being told that. And she was only two years older, if that! It was like being stuck shorter than everyone else, though they were younger. Not fair. The little bird finally left off describing his nether regions when recalled, flying over and instead directing Aly to the ground blubberwort.

"Sorry about Shadow," she said, supposing it was the correct thing to do after one's Magical Object described your butt in public to an almost stranger, "She gets a bit distracted by new things. Just a tad inconvenient at times," she said with a wry grin.

Jamie blinked at the little mechanical bird. In truth it was quite fascinating-- when it wasn't describing his ass. In detail. To a cute older girl. He mumbled an acceptance of her apology, ears reddening. He turned away, grabbing a packet of bat wings and scooping beetle eyes into a little glass jar. "How does it work?" He said, giving the little nuisance a side-eyed look. 

[Alyson Bludwyne]

"How does it work?"

Aly shrugged, scooping some dried Fire Ants into a jar. "No idea. Hogwarts provided it after I went blind. To ease their guilt I think. She's pretty useful though." There was a sharp whistle and Little Shadow flew to Aly's shoulder, perching by her ear and whispering to her. The Slytherin snorted in amusement, glancing in Jamie's direction. "She wants to know how you can turn such a bright shade of red. Were you blushing?!"

She grabbed a vial of Liquefied Flubberworm and started to make her way to the cashier. "That's me all done here," she noted. Food, then books and finally home. Where she'd have to deal with her father's imbecilic muttering. Hogwarts had it's own drawbacks but she couldn't wait to leave her family home and her father's blubbering behind.  

[James Malcom MacDougal]

Aly shrugged, scooping some dried Fire Ants into a jar. "No idea. Hogwarts provided it after I went blind. To ease their guilt I think. She's pretty useful though." There was a sharp whistle and Little Shadow flew to Aly's shoulder, perching by her ear and whispering to her. The Slytherin snorted in amusement, glancing in Jamie's direction. "She wants to know how you can turn such a bright shade of red. Were you blushing?!"

Jamie almost choked as he was collecting dried slugs, using his wand to direct them into a jar before screwing the lid on tight. "It--it was describing me arse!!" He sputtered, reverting to his Scottish brogue in his surprise. He'd thought he'd been spared complete embarrassment, but no! He felt like sinking through the floor. Surely a detailed description of his are had been enough? Had the accursed thing really need to through his blushes in for good measure?

"That's me all done here,"

Jamie looked at his list with a mixture of dismay and relief--dismayed there was more on it, relieved he had an excuse to escape Aly and her too knowing bird. "Oh, I've still got a lot..." He smiled, " see you around, yeah?"