The elderly, pudgy shopkeeper finished up another transaction-- 2 pounds of treacle fudge-- and bid her customer adieu. It had been an unusually busy day in Honeyduke's shop... Apparently all of Hogsmeade craves a sweetie today, the shopkeeper with the unfortunate name of Taffy thought with a smile. Taffy Duke had been running the shop for many a year, taking over for her beloved great aunt Stephanie 'Honey' Duke when she retired. Now near the age of retirement herself, the plump, sweet woman found herself truly weary at the end of the average day of custom in the shop... And even worse off after a hectic day like this had been. Thank goodness it was nearly over.

She began to count her cash drawer, preparing to close up the shop. Only two more customers left, and the day would be complete. She drew her wand out and charmed the sign in the window to read "Closed" so no more would enter the shop. She then returned to her accounting, carefully counting up galleons, sickles and knuts... Despite her sweet disposition, Taffy Duke was a shrewd businesswoman and her books were never out of balance.

Nicoli managed to sneak inside the shop while the shopkeeper was busy with her money counting. Now he just had to wait for the others. The information he'd gathered was very interesting. This thief seemed to be a right professional. They'd be lucky to find even one time when the criminal would slip up. In the mean time, he'd have to look natural. With that thought in mind, Nicoli browsed the shelves lined with sweets. Even he had to admit, they looked good.

Under the cover of a Disillusionment Charm Aaron entered Honeydukes, the smell of delicious sweets hit him straight away, he found Nicoli browsing the shelves, he removed the charm and went up to Nicoli to tell him what he had found out.

Nicoli turned as he felt a presence near him, "Good man," he said smiling at Aaron whole heartedly. "Did you have a good time?" he asked pointedly turning back to the shelfs and idly picking up a Cockroach Cluster off it. "I heard he likes to make withdrawals around now." He dropped the candy back onto it's pile and looked up at the Sugar Quills higher up on the shelves. At least they didn't have insects in them.

Aaron's stomach made a noise, he hadn't realized how hungry he was until now, maybe taking them pills without eating was bad idea. "I was told the same thing, he hit at closing time and the theft wasn't noticed until it was too late and it looks like he just grabbed what ever gold was available, it doesn't seem like he had a special amount in mind" Aaron tuned to the chocolate frogs, he had once collected them.

Nicoli turned and walked to the Chocolate Frogs, standing next to Aaron. He obviously wasn't getting at the fact that he was talking in code. Anyone could listen in and know exactly what they were talking about. Even the thief, or someone who knew him. "Yes, it does seem he didn't have much in mind," he picked up one of the frogs, trying to not imagine it being alive and real. "But he's extremely good at what he does," he said slowly, "and he's not exactly open about it."

Taffy Duke continued her accounting, neatly stacking the galleons on the shop's counter as she counted them again. Her ostrich quill moved quickly against the parchment of her ledger as she balanced her books and made notes on the inventory.

She glanced up and noticed not one customer, but... three? She was surprised-- she hadn't noticed them before. Perhaps they had been back in the tall aisles near the back; that part of the shop was hard to see from the counter. Three more sales instead of one, then, and then I'm upstairs to rest me tired feet. she thought with a shrug.

"'ello, gentlemen; 'Tis close to closin' up time, it is. Can I 'elp ye find anythin'?" she said, addressing all three men at once as she paused her accounting to check her stock of peppermint humbugs; they had been a popular item today. Sure enough, they were sold out. She made a mental note to restock them before opening in the morning - she was too tired to venture into the basement tonight.

Aaron looked around the shop, the tired shopkeeper was still doing her books, Aaron wonder if it was a good idea to be doing that with custmors still in the shop, Aaron then turned to Nicoli "it is a very secretive business."

Aaron looked up when the shopkeeper yelled out, he felt sorry for her, running this shop couldn't be easy, He remembers when he was at Hogwarts the hell the kids including himself had put the shopkeepers through, He grabbed 3 chocolate frogs and a sugar quill, then pulled out his wallet from inside of his robes, "I've found what i was looking for thanks" Aaron then tunred back to Nicoli, worried the others hadn't turned up yet.

Chris looked through the shop window looking for any sign of the other members. When he spotted Nicoli he quietly walked through the door noticing the two men were getting warned about closing time. He didn'tknow what he would say when he was to be warned but he would think of something. He walked over to Nicoli without a word and stood next to him as if he was suppose to be there.

Taffy smiled at the customer. "Ah, ye've got good taste-- those quills are one of me personal favourites, they are. That'll be 18 sickles, dearie." Her stack of Galleons, sickles and knuts remained on the counter, beside her ledger and out of reach of this customer-- not that she was paying much attention to the money at the moment. She would resume counting once the sale was made. She made a mental note to add the sale to her ledger and reflect the change in inventory.

With a warm smile, she wrapped up the confections and placed them in a small, striped Honeydukes bag, awaiting payment.

Nicoli nodded. It was indeed a very, very secretive business. His head snapped up when he heard the shopkeeper's voice cut through the air. Great, now they were being thrown out. Thankfully, Aaron knew what to do. Now where were the others? He'd have thought Siobhan would have been in her before him, but no. Nicoli smiled as Chris slipped into the shop. Thank goodness. Just, her. Odd.

"I was looking for something a little different, actually," Nicoli said to the shop keeper. "For a friend of mine, he tends to have a bit of an odd liking of jelly and cabbage..." he smiled. That would keep her thinking for a bit. Jelly and Cabbage. Right.

Aaron only had gallons in his wallet, he took one out and handed to the shopkeeper and waited for his change, he noticed Chris out of the corner of his eye and felt some relief, at least nothing bad had happened too him, While waiting for his change Aaron silently hoped the shopkeeper would put her earnings way, The way they were just out there, they were begging to be stolen.

Taffy's attention was diverted by the sale she was packaging and she didn't notice another customer enter. She glanced up and noticed yet another person in the store-- surely he hadn't been there a moment ago? Oh, well, no matter-- one last extra sale couldn't hurt; the extra money would come in handy as her granddaughter's birthday was just weeks away.

She looked at him, surprised. The special requests always come in near the end of day; Merlin love 'em, but they do try an old lady's patience... she thought with a sigh. "Jelly an' cabbage, you don't say? Merlin's beard... we 'aven't sold jellied cabbage rolls in years." She paused, thinking. "Per'aps your friend would fancy gillyweed eclairs? I do believe we 'ave a few of those left.... " she gestured to the pastry case. "The filling 'as the same general taste as the jellied cabbage did, but inside a pastry. Less mess, and it keeps fresh longer, luv. Shall I wrap a couple for yer friend?"

While she was speaking to Nicoli, she quickly made change for her other customer. " 'ere you go, dearie... " she said, handing back a snall collection of sickles and knuts in change. She added the galleon to a small stack of them on the counter and added a mark in her ledger. " Thank ye for comin' and visit again soon, won't ye?" She gave him a warm smile.



Gonoph Corsair slipped into queue behind the gentleman who was purchasing candy. In his left hand the gaunt, elderly man held a chocolate frog, waiting to purchase it. He stood silent, observing the people in the shop surreptiously. His right hand never left the pocket of his fastidious robes.

Though his eyes seemed to go everywhere but to the counter where Taffy worked, his mind was singularly focused on the galleons on her counter. That's more than I've managed in the past three jobs! And it's just sitting there! he thought, keeping his face impassive so as not to give away his excitement.

Nicoli gave the old woman a kind smile. "I think he'd like that, thank you," he said, feeling the presence of someone close to him. Then a old man walked straight past him to the counter. Nicoli kept his face straight, though it was a struggle. He had a strange feeling about this man. He couldn't simply have been here all this time to buy the one chocolate frog. Neither could have Aaron for that matter.

It pained him to have to do this to the old woman, but he'd have to force an opportunity for the old man to make his move. If he did not, then he wouldn't be the criminal. If he did, the answer would be obvious.

"Better make that three pastries, he'll be sure to like them." Nicoli hoped the woman would turn her back allowing the man to or not to make his move. He decided to take his place in line behind the old man and he whistled a little tune, taking in the scent of a person who didn't exactly live the high life. Or rather, the regular life.

Nicoli grinned at Aaron, "That's Chris right there," he said in a cheerful voice, "and Chris, this is Aaron. You too should talk, I think you'll have a lot of things in common!" Hopefully that didn't look to fake. Nicoli patted Aaron on the back, and moved him in the general direction of the door. There was something in his eyes that said he had a plan. Nicoli then proceeded to turn around and glance at the two of them every so often. That, should be an honest chance for him to do something.

Aaron took his change and put it in his robes, He wasn't sure how he was going to sneak these sweets to his father, his mother could see like a hawk. Aaron walked towards the door to wait for Nicoli, his right hand clutched tightly around his wand, he extend his left hand to Chris "it's nice too meet you, How long have you known Nicoli for?' Aaron kept his voice low and clam and never took his eyes off of the counter that money just left up there was making him really uncofterable.

Chris watched quietly as he noticed that Nicoli took a keen interest to the old man in the store. He caught the message in his eye and nodded softly before turning to Aaron and returning the hand shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you also. I really haven't known Nicoli That long. I meet him umm... at the job." He added as not to give away there job descriptions. He said all of this loud enough so that the stranger would think that the pair wasn't paying any attention but low enough so that he could hear everything. He also kept his eye on the man's hand that never slipped out of his pocket. That seemed to suspicious.

"Three, ye say?" She nodded, going to the glass-enclosed pastry counter. She bent down and put the pastries in a small, candy-striped box and returned quickly to the counter. "That's six sickles, if ye please, dearie." She said, handing him the box and awaiting payment. Two sales down, two to go, and I can go upstairs and put me feet up. And that one's just one choco-frog-- 'ardly a sale at all. she thought.




Gonoph Corsair stood quietly, still holding his chocolate frog while waiting for the man in front of him to complete his transaction. He was nothing if not a polite and patient gentleman. He glanced over at the door then eyed the stacks of Galleons. Foolish old woman, leaving her money on the counter! She was practically asking to be robbed! He thought, gripping the Galleon in his own pocket tightly as he waited. He was beginning to feel a bit nervous with the other three men in the store, and he smiled a pleasant, if a little strained, smile at the man who had spoken. "Co-workers, ehh? All hit with a sweet tooth at once tonight?" He said politely with a crooked grin.

Siobhan walked leisurely into the shop and browsed around. She had noticed Nicoli and co, but didn't want to arouse suspicion by walking straight over to them. After a few minutes though, she glanced around as if looking for something specific, plastered a large friendly smile onto her face, and walked casually over to them. "Hey", she said amicably, hoping no one dropped dead of shock. She could be friendly when required. She had undergone extra training for it as it didn't come easily, but she learned well enough to be able to fake it.

Another customer? she thought, sighing wearily. Didn't people read her sign? "I'm so sorry, dearie, but we're closin' up for the night... " Taffy said with a tired smile. "We'll be open bright an' early tomorrow, though, with fresh sweets for ye." She noticed that the woman appeared to be friends with the men; maybe she wasn't here to shop, after all.



Gonoph Corsair was starting to get a little bit anxious. So many people in the shop all of a sudden! He stood in his place in queue, the only hint of his nervousness the fact that he clenched his chocolate frog a little tighter in his left hand.

Chris watched as Siobhan walked into the Store and he to started to get nervous.There were quite a few of them waiting on one person in the store.
When she walked over to them very much unlike herself his eyebrow raised but his espression never changed. "Hello Dear how are you?"Chris said with a smile that he too had to put on. "I've been meaning to stop by and have a chat with you. Let's talk outside." He said with a sly smile hoping she would follow. He wanted to put some of the pressure off if this really was the thef.

Quote:

Originally Posted by XanaSnape

Another customer? she thought, sighing wearily. Didn't people read her sign? "I'm so sorry, dearie, but we're closin' up for the night... " Taffy said with a tired smile. "We'll be open bright an' early tomorrow, though, with fresh sweets for ye." She noticed that the woman appeared to be friends with the men; maybe she wasn't here to shop, after all.



Gonoph Corsair was starting to get a little bit anxious. So many people in the shop all of a sudden! He stood in his place in queue, the only hint of his nervousness the fact that he clenched his chocolate frog a little tighter in his left hand.

Siobhan was a bit surprised when someone came up and spoke to her. She quickly realized, however, that it was the shopkeeper. She smiled politely at the woman. "Don't worry. I'm just looking. I'm really here to see if I can manage to drag my friends", she gave a gesture to the guys, "out of here and out for some drinks."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quiditch Master

Chris watched as Siobhan walked into the Store and he to started to get nervous.There were quite a few of them waiting on one person in the store.
When she walked over to them very much unlike herself his eyebrow raised but his espression never changed. "Hello Dear how are you?"Chris said with a smile that he too had to put on. "I've been meaning to stop by and have a chat with you. Let's talk outside." He said with a sly smile hoping she would follow. He wanted to put some of the pressure off if this really was the thef.

She was quite confused about why he wanted to go outside, but she decided she would follow him nonetheless. Maybe then she could find out what was going on. She'd just gotten there but she could definitely feel some kind of tension. It was they way things usually felt right before all hell broke loose. "Of course. Maybe you can catch me up on the latest gossip", she said lightly as she started walking towards the exit. She knew it was direct enough for Chris to catch and at the same time she was enough of a girl to where no one would suspect that she meant anything else.

Chris gave a slight chuckle at her cover up about the Gossip. "Sure I can." He said walking outside the door but standing in front of the store window so that he could see everything."First of let me say... Where have you been?" He asked puzzled. "You know what never mind." He added. This was no time to get in a arguing session. "Now look." He said trying his best to keep thenice soft look on his face. He didn't want to give away that they were talking about anything serious. "I brought you out here because I think Nicoli feels that this guy might be the theif. He seemed to be getting a little nervous with somany people in there. So this way if something does happen we can catch him from out side." He replied. Hoping this would work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by XanaSnape

"Three, ye say?" She nodded, going to the glass-enclosed pastry counter. She bent down and put the pastries in a small, candy-striped box and returned quickly to the counter. "That's six sickles, if ye please, dearie." She said, handing him the box and awaiting payment. Two sales down, two to go, and I can go upstairs and put me feet up. And that one's just one choco-frog-- 'ardly a sale at all. she thought.



Gonoph Corsair stood quietly, still holding his chocolate frog while waiting for the man in front of him to complete his transaction. He was nothing if not a polite and patient gentleman. He glanced over at the door then eyed the stacks of Galleons. Foolish old woman, leaving her money on the counter! She was practically asking to be robbed! He thought, gripping the Galleon in his own pocket tightly as he waited. He was beginning to feel a bit nervous with the other three men in the store, and he smiled a pleasant, if a little strained, smile at the man who had spoken. "Co-workers, ehh? All hit with a sweet tooth at once tonight?" He said politely with a crooked grin.

"Ah, yes!" he said beginning to feel something of a sweat from the old man. Nicoli politely stepped out from behind him and moved up to the counter, bringing out a shinny gold Galleon on to the counter. "I'm sorry, I've got no change at the moment," he said hoping the galleon when added to the already large pile would raise the old man's heart rate a little.

Nicoli chuckled at the old man, "Oh no, I just happened to drag them out here for a little time off. Couldn't help but do a few errands..." Hopefully he didn't sound completely lame. Ah well. It was the best way he could phrase it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by camirayaxley

Siobhan walked leisurely into the shop and browsed around. She had noticed Nicoli and co, but didn't want to arouse suspicion by walking straight over to them. After a few minutes though, she glanced around as if looking for something specific, plastered a large friendly smile onto her face, and walked casually over to them. "Hey", she said amicably, hoping no one dropped dead of shock. She could be friendly when required. She had undergone extra training for it as it didn't come easily, but she learned well enough to be able to fake it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by camirayaxley

Siobhan was a bit surprised when someone came up and spoke to her. She quickly realized, however, that it was the shopkeeper. She smiled politely at the woman. "Don't worry. I'm just looking. I'm really here to see if I can manage to drag my friends", she gave a gesture to the guys, "out of here and out for some drinks."



She was quite confused about why he wanted to go outside, but she decided she would follow him nonetheless. Maybe then she could find out what was going on. She'd just gotten there but she could definitely feel some kind of tension. It was they way things usually felt right before all hell broke loose. "Of course. Maybe you can catch me up on the latest gossip", she said lightly as she started walking towards the exit. She knew it was direct enough for Chris to catch and at the same time she was enough of a girl to where no one would suspect that she meant anything else.

Nicoli allowed himself a knowing smirk at the two of their backs as they left. They were very good at the role playing. Even Siobhan gave it a very convincing twist. Not to mention, if the old man bolts...they could corner him. "Love birds," he mumbled as he waited for his change. Now he just needed to give the old man a chance before he left the shop...which may mean breaking something. And getting the others almost out to the door. Though now it was just Aaron and himself. Hard job.

Aaron watched as Chris and Siobhan left the shop and wondered if he should go out as well, he had to admit that Siobhan was a great actor, if he was just passing by he would of believed her to be a very pleasant women. Aron thought it might look weird if he left the shop now after so much time had gone by walked over the a near by shelf to browse but on his way over he tripped on a basket that was on the floor and he manged to knock half the shelf down, Frizzing Whizbees, Pepper Imps and Fudge Flies were going everywhere, Aaron manged red faced to untangle himself from the mess and apologized to the poor tied shopkeeper