This was nice. No stress, just relaxing.

It should be vacation forever in his eyes. But he also knew he needed the money if he wanted to buy that little flat in london. The twenty four year old had been looking at it for the past few months and he was saving his money for the big day. Getting the appartment of course...heh.

He leaned forward to look his his shopping bags, pushed some items out of the way before he found the bag of chocolate frogs. Opening one with a small smile on his face, he grabbed hold of the frog so that it couldn't escape and checked his card. Merlin...again.... he stuffed the card in the bag before he ate the chocolate. He'd forever love chocolate~

Wanting another one, Daichi grabbed a second and after checking the card (Hermione Weasley) , he bit in this chocolate frog as well. He was chewing on the goodness when he heard a voice say his name. It had been in a whisper but since there weren't many people around, he heard it clearly.

Chocolate still in his mouth, he turned his head and his eyes looked surprised when he saw "Kuru---" his eyes started to water suddenly and he was pointing at his throat in panic. He hadn't chewed properly....

Kurumi's violet eyes widened considerably. Had it been THAT long that their happened meeting was enough to elicit tears and SHE was usually the emotional one in these situations. It took another moment or two to figure out what it was that Daichi was actually indicating and, well, she had a lot of practice with this sort of thing these days. James seemed reluctant to grow out of the 'testing everything in his mouth' phase.

Not to mention everything that the hatchlings got themselves into at the reserve.

Swiftly removing her wand from its holster - always conveniently attached to her hip now - Kurumi effortlessly cast a silent Anapneo. "Better?" she asked with a nervous, but light, giggle.

This was it! His cause of death would be death by chocolate. His life flashed before his eyes and...ok it didn't, what did flash before his eyes was the shape of a wand and before he knew it he was breathing again. He coughed a couple of times before he wiped the tears stuck in his eyes with the back of his sleeve. They weren't really tears as in that he had been crying but because he had been shocked.

"Yes..." Daichi finally answered and took another deep sweet breath. "That was scary!" he laughed that high pitched laugh of his. "Thanks, i totally forgot about using magic" that told something about him didn't it? He turned towards his bag and sure enough, a second later he had pulled out another chocolate frog. Two this time actually. "Sit. Eat" were the two things he said before moving a bit to give her some room to sit and held the chocolate frog up for her to take. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in...." he had totally forgotten where she worked...."....that dragon" uh, what? "i mean! you were taking care of some dragons in some kind of forest right?" yeah that sounded much better.

Smiling, Kurumi confidently returned her wand to its holster. "You worked in muggle retail too long, Daichi. Although you would have had to have performed that non-verbally on yourself under pressure," she teased as she took up his invitation to sit down but noticeably wrinkled her nose at the presence of a chocolate frog. It had been HOW many years now and still she couldn't look the things in the eye. "No thanks, you can have both of them. I've got some onigiri made by James." Which she was fishing out of her bag to show now. It was obvious which had been made by onii-chan and which were handcrafted by her son.

"Oh I still work there," she nodded, pulling out an lopsided and lumpy onigiri and gingerly unwrapping it. "Today is my day off and I had some business to take care of here in the Alley." She paused to inspect her onigiri for a moment, primarily what was IN the ball of rice. It looked legitimate and she just had to trust that onii-chan had kept an eye on James while they had made them. Cautiously, she took a bite and her teeth his something hard. "Not again," she signed, small smile playing at the corner of her lips, as she pulled out koi shaped magnet.

“I have haven’t i?” The twenty four year old let out a loud sigh and looked up at the clouded sky as he did so. “I never really got the hang out of magic though” he said, looking back down and looked at his old friend and classmate. “Which is funny considering my wand is a phoenix which supposedly is the most powerful of them all” he rolled his eyes, finding it pretty funny that a lame dude as himself had gotten a wand like that.

Looking down at his chocolate frogs that Kurumi had refused, the ex-Slytherin then laughed again. “Right! I had forgotten your dislike for these” why though he had never asked “Is it because it resembles a frog?” As she pulled out an onigiri, Daichi looked curiously. He had heard about it of course but never tried it. His attention was turned to Kurumi’s work again and he nodded. “Just today? I have a week off work” he grinned. “Kind of boring though, I’m glad I ran in to you..well not literally ran but…you get it..” he was good when talking to the media but outside of work he was …wow.

He looked at her again, but this time with a different expression. Like he wanted to ask something but wasn’t sure if he could or not. Eventually, his curiosity won over. “….Did you ever get…burned…while working?” he asked almost inaudible but still loud enough to be heard. The idea frightened him yet he still wanted to know. But then Kurumi seemed to have stopped eating and he raised his eyebrow as she pulled out a piece of koi fish which looked like one of those little magnets he had seen in stores, out of her mouth. Eyes widened , Daichi pointed at the thing. “Tell James you’re making your own onigiri’s from now on” uhuh.

Laughing, Kurumi relaxed a little more into her seat and shrugged her shoulders lightly. "Just because it's in your blood, or wand core, doesn't mean that was what you were meant to do," she smiled. She could speak from experience there with the family's kendo dojo. She had always thought that, during her first years at Hogwarts, she would take it over when she graduated. Merlin how times had changed now. Onii-chan had taken it over for a time, but now it was mostly out of the family's hands. Despite still being located at the family home were father lived. "As long as you're happy doing what you do."

Resisting the urge to scoot a little further away from Daichi on the bench, she shook her head rapidly back and forth at his question. "I'm perfectly fine with frogs," she winced. Were you at Hogwarts with Professor Descoteaux? He had an activity where he released a horde of chocolate frogs we had to banish. I think I was...a third year then...." She couldn't recall precisely at the moment. It had been so long ago! "Selina and I swore off chocolate frogs after that."

She shook her head. "Officially the reserve is closed right now, but I go in to check in on the eggs and hatchlings. They don't take vacation days," she winked. And as someone in line for the Head Dragon Fertility Specialist she needed to keep on top of things and show the extra effort. Upon setting her onigiri down, Kurumi showed Daichi her left hand. The markings were vague now and hardly noticeable if you were not looking for it, but traces of bite marks and scorch ones as well. "You still..." she asked softly, not finishing her sentence but allowing her violet eyes to say the rest. ...afraid of fire?

Wiping off the magnet, Kurumi smiled and placed it in her pocket. "He tries. Just wants to help...so it's hard to scold him for that. We'll just need to have a bit of a chat on what things people can and cannot eat. He probably got confused with the idea of fish."

What Kurumi said made him think. He had never thought about it like that before. He looked in front of him but saw her shrugging his shoulder from the corner of his eyes. And then what she said next made him feel…. He couldn’t explain it. “That’s just it. I don’t think I’m happy doing what I do” he frowned as he heard his own words. He had been feeling a bit under the weather lately but he had never figured out why. “The only reason I took the job at the Ministry was because I needed the money, I have my eyes on an apartment in London you see” he smiled. “And since I couldn’t find anything else…” he never knew what he wanted to be. Well his childhood dream had been to become a stuffed animal store owner…

Professor Descoteaux “Yeah I knew him” Daichi answered darkly. “I called him duck killer though” ……even to his face, only Merlin knows how he had gotten that Prefect badge later in his life. He thought for a moment and came to the conclusion that he couldn’t remember that lesson. “Either I was still too young to go to Hogwarts or I was sick that day” he said. “So you don’t eat them anymore?” he asked, a grin playing on his face as he held the chocolate frog in front of her face. Hehe.

Ah of course she needed to look after the dragons even when the reserve is closed. He should have figured that out by himself. His cheeks flushed a little in embarrassment but the colour quickly drained when she showed him her hand. You still… Kurumi didn’t need to finish that question because he knew what she wanted to ask. And Daichi nodded his head. “It’s …not as bad now though” he answered “My father send me to therapy for it, I can deal with it but…I’m still uncomfortable around it” he rubbed his arm where his own burn mark was. “But I knew what to expect from those sessions thanks to you and Professor Flamsteed” he smiled.

Daichi nodded as he looked at the magnet before it was put away in her pocket. “How old is James now?” he asked. “And…Rebecca…?” there had been a slight hesitation there because he wasn’t sure if he got the name right. Merlin’s Beard he hoped so. Mad moms were scary…

Kurumi frowned a little and did not try at all to hide the fact that his words were a little upsetting. Not doing something you were passionate about was a concept that could not translate in her head. Nor could doing a job just for the money, which was why she was so grateful to Lewis for being okay with her being a working mother. It was something they were both comfortable with and he could focus on his alchemy from home this way. "I'm...really sorry to hear that, Daichi," she said after a few moments. "You know I just want you to be happy." And she would have ruffled his hair a little had her hands not been preoccupied by her rice ball. "I'm sure you'll find work that you can be truly passionate about." She paused for a moment, looking at the koi magnets she had removed from her rice ball. "Or maybe you should consider just starting your own business? I am sure working in the Ministry will give you the administrative background to help with that."

Audibly gasping, Kurumi gawked at her friend for a moment in sheer disbelieve. Well, not entire disbelief as she could actually imagine Daichi saying such a thing. It DID have to do with ducks and he was quite dramatic about them. But still... "You did not?!" she laughed, hitting his arm gently with the palm of her hand. "Why?" He couldn't just dangle that carrot in front of her face and NOT go into more detail. She eyed the chocolate frog he was trying to torment her with with the same sort of expression one of the maturing dragons at he sanctuary may wear when offered tofu rather than raw meat. "No."

Smiling gently, Kurumi reached out and took one of Daichi's hands in her own. Merlin it really did seem like forever ago they had worked on his fear of fire together, lighting single candles and just looking into the flame... "I'm really glad to hear that," she said softly, giving his hand a small squeeze. "You've come a long way, Daichi. I hope you see that and are proud of yourself." In more than just the fire aspect, of course.

"He'll be 5 this August," she blushed, tucking some of her silky raven hair behind her ear. If one were to look closely enough it would have given off an almost pink sheen in the light. "And Rebecca just turned 2." She paused for a moment, the color rising in her cheeks thinking about how quickly time was passing and how soon it would be that James would be off to Hogwarts with Rebecca nipping at his heels soon after.

Eating the pieces of chocolate frogs without choking this time, Daichi listened to what his big sister had to say. It was true, he wasn’t happy working where he worked now. Not that he didn’t like the people but just the job wasn’t cut out for him. He did manage a soft laugh, which was high pitched even though he tried to keep it low, when she said that he should consider starting his own business. “You know, I’ve always wanted to start my own business” he said, his eyes seeming to twinkle as he thought about it. “It would be a shop filled with duck products!” he grinned that boyish grin that would never change no matter how old he got. “Can you see it?” he said and moved his hand as if to show it to her right in front of her. “Because I can” Don’t shatter his dream please.

“Also” he bit his lower lip for a second , unsure if he should mention this or not. She couldn’t force him out of it, he was an responsible adult. “I’m thinking about getting a tattoo” there was half excitement and half fear in his eyes as he said that. “What do you think?”

This time Daichi didn’t try to hold back, he laughed out loud as Kurumi gasped. Probably the thought of doing ANYTHING bad at Professors was a big no no for her. “I did” he felt proud again, like the time he had punched the Care of Magical Creatures professor. And he still wondered how he had gotten that Prefect badge … “It was in my first year, we were supposed to practise the diffindo charm and the Professor used a rubber duck to practise….” He spaced out for a second, poor ducky. “I called him that in front of the whole class, I thought I’d get detention and lose points but instead he just laughed, repaired it and gave the duck to me” after he begged for it but she didn't need to know that ahem It was just one time that he had called him duck killer but that was what he remembered of Professor Desc-something.

He blushed suddenly as Kurumi reached out to take one of his hands. It had been a very long time since they hang out together and he liked it. As friends sort of way, he knew she was married now! “Thanks” he answered genuinely , he didn’t know what to say more.

5 and 2. Soon they’ll start to annoy the parents if they didn’t do that already hehe. “ah~ I want kids as well” he sighed. “Maybe I’ll adopt someone one day” if he chose a man as his partner in life. If he meets a woman for life he would have a child with her of course. No matter what, he wants a child and the thought was weird to him. “Are you going to send them to Hogwarts when the time comes?” he asked as he turned to look at Kurumi. “Or are you sending them to a safer school” he grinned .

Of course. She would honestly have been surprised if he had suggested anything else. "I am sure you could initially pander to the muggle enthuased wizard with rubber ducks," she laughed, considering options for a moment before speaking again. Kurumi was always one to encourage big dreams, but she was also a terrible realist. "It would take some careful research...but you have some experience working in retail that will help. Also quite personable so that is always a plus in working sales. I think if you are serious enough and willing to take a few risks and devote lots of time and energy you could do it. We just started a small jewelry operation at the reserve. Things made with dragon fire and alloys, so I know a little about starting a business if you ever hit a hurtle you need help with." Big sister feelings never ever die, you know?

Oh Merlin. How could she have forgotten that incident. Then again, so much had happened over the years at Hogwarts the one did need to be reminded of some things. Most of her memories of Daichi from her school days were far more personal and intimate than him puffing out his cheeks and calling a professor a murder over a rubber duck. But she was a bit too taken aback by his comment about getting a tattoo to comment on his duck story for now. "Of what? And where?" Although that was perhaps a rhetorical question given their current conversation...but he could always surprise her. "I am personally not one for tattoos on myself, but I have nothing against others having them. If you want one you should get one. I just hope it has meaning and not just something to be done willy nilly because you fancy yourself an adult."

He had always been the sort to try and prove himself mature, so if this was one of those instances she would politely inform him otherwise.

"So...does that mean there is still no special someone in your life?" she asked playfully while giving him a bit of a nudge with her elbow while licking the rice off her fingers. "I don't think Lewis and I have even considered other options....it would mean we would have to move out of the country and we are quite content... Of course, my brother works at Himitsumahou in Japan...and father works at the Ministry so James would have family close by..."

All things she had not seriously considered before. Just felt natural that their children follow in their footsteps. Even if the school had been receiving poor press recently.

Casper Greenwood was glad to get away for a few hours. His home was a madhouse during the Summer with everyone around getting under each other's feet. And the noise! MERLIN. Casper had taken to barricading himself in his bedroom - his window open to let fresh air into his room, and his nose buried deep in a good book. Believe it or not, Edinburgh could get hot. Clammy, sticky, humid, hot because of heavy Scottish rainfall.

Diagon Alley came as a refreshing change. He missed his friends--Ben and Dora especially--and today he was meeting the latter of the pair. His dad had given him money to buy them both an ice-cream each as well as some for a few school supplies for next term. He didn't need much, but new robes were a must. He was getting taller by the week.

There had been no specific arrangement for meeting (it was easy to spot people around Diagon), so the Ravenclaw sat on a bench and waited for his friend while lazily watching the world go by.

Bali had been magical and the fact that Casper had been with her meant it was one hundred and fifty million times better than it would have been!! Casper was her BEST FRIEND of life. Best. Friend. So it was a HAPPY day that she got dropped off at the Leaky and sent out on her own to find her person. HER PERSON!

As she passed through the alley she spotted her lanky life mate and grinned. OF COURSE she was coming up behind him.. so he didn't SEE HER. HEHEHEHEHE When she got close enough she shouted AND attacked! "CASPER GREENWOOD I LOVE YOU!!!! " And immediately fell into a fit of giggles, rolling on the ground!

Casper had no idea she was there. In fact, he was starting to wonder whether she was going to show at all. He looked at his watch and the peered down the cobbled street in both directions. *sigh* No sign.

But no sooner than the thought crossed his mind, something happened which caused his heart to JOLT! He jumped visibly, eyes wide as he whirled around half expecting to see Saffron Stemp standing there; cheeks pink both because people were looking, and because of this raucous declaration of LOVE.

He cracked a smile as soon as he realised it was Dora though.. then caught a bout of her infectious giggles and he started to chuckle along. “DORA! You almost gave me a flaming heart attack!” He reached out to help her up. “You're a mad woman!” He added, shaking his head but still grinning. His panicked little heart began to calm a little, cheeks regaining their usual pallor.

Dora was far to busy rolling on the ground to notice the blush or any other type of discomfort Casp may have felt... Giving loud snorts and wiping her face with one hand she took his offered hand with the other. Pulling herself up she took a few moments to catch her breath.

"Madness is relative or some such, Casp." He was a Ravenclaw, he should have known that!! "But, for the record, I would have been terribly sad AND in a HEAP of trouble had you had a coronary attack, Casp. YOu have to get your life together." AND SHE MEANT IT IN THE SWEETEST WAY OF LIFE!! Plopping onto the bench she looked her friend over once and smiled. "Has the rest of your holiday been dreadful?"

Ben always said that the Ravenclaws were craaaazy, but Casper was convinced that the trait should really be linked to the Lions. His mother, nicknamed at school, 'Crazy Cammy', had been one after all. The laughter from the boy had died down by the time he helped Dora to her feet. This one was the maddest he knew—in the nicest possible way, of course.

“But on a scale of zero to Wade Wilson, you're up there.” He grinned at her next statement. “My mum would hunt you down. She's rather fond of me, you know?” Get his life together?? What was that supposed to mean? He sat beside the Lion on the bench and looked back at her, mirroring her smile. “No. Not at all. I went to Quidditch camp—which was bloody brilliant. --Once my dad left me there. You know what he's like.” He smiled a fond smile. And there had been Comic Con.. and the Greenwood kids getting to choose a pet each at the Menagerie—Casper had chosen a tarantula, which now went by the Spider-man inspired name 'Venom'. She would be a new and interesting addition to the Ravenclaw boys dorms this coming term.

“How's yours been? Better than before Bali, I hope?” His gaze was serious as it fell on her once again.

"Wade Wilson? DEADPOOL? That's awesome! I'll take that comparison. But like... couldn't you have picked a lady villain superhero person? Like maybe Harley Quinn? She's AWESOME!" YES! Harley Quinn was her chick! She was crazy as a loon and she had that bat thing she used to smash people.

Oh wait... he was talking again! PAY ATTENTION, DORA!!

"You were supposed to say Yes. That was the correct answer, Casper. Your holiday has been a drag since you haven't been with me. And you know I think quidditch is stupid." At that, Dora crossed her arms and put a sulk on.

But it passed quickly. "I have just been hanging out with some friends. None as cool as you, but you know. I saw Noelle, Rula, Sam, and some others." She didn't quite mention Corbin Stemp to her guy bestie. Heh. She liked to keep some things to herself. "And it's been fine, Casper. You don't have to worry about me. I'm alright." And she was... mostly. But she didn't want to dwell on that. "What else have you done? I want to know everything." And she did. Pulling her feet up on the bench she hugged her legs and waited for storytime!!

Vivian enjoyed her first year of wizarding education, she did. However, sometimes it got a little bit tiring and draining to keep dragging herself up all those flights of stairs... and to think her common room was below the Great Lake, too. But she did have some help and motivation to look forward to the summer, and the day had come.

The eleven-going-twelve year old made it a point to look her best today - a SKIRT, so very feminine - for apparently nothing much. She was really just going to see her 100% language friend, Andrei, today. They'd been communicating via letters throughout the school year, gotten to know each other better and as well as the languages they wanted to improve on. (Vivian could speak Romanian greetings now!) However, nothing could compare to seeing a familiar face after a long time. Truly, it made her a quite nervous to the tummy. What if she stepped on his foot again?

Normally, Vivian would have been rather late. What with her catching up on her missed hours of sleep, she never thought she'd actually wake up earlier than expected today for the meeting. Now, she was rather too early and found herself sitting on the park bench at the sound end of Diagon Alley, swaying her feet forward and back.

Was she supposed to feel this anxious in meeting a friend? Vivian nommed on a marshmallow as she waited. It would relieve this "feeling", whatever it was.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kimothy

Vivian enjoyed her first year of wizarding education, she did. However, sometimes it got a little bit tiring and draining to keep dragging herself up all those flights of stairs... and to think her common room was below the Great Lake, too. But she did have some help and motivation to look forward to the summer, and the day had come.

The eleven-going-twelve year old made it a point to look her best today - a SKIRT, so very feminine - for apparently nothing much. She was really just going to see her 100% language friend, Andrei, today. They'd been communicating via letters throughout the school year, gotten to know each other better and as well as the languages they wanted to improve on. (Vivian could speak Romanian greetings now!) However, nothing could compare to seeing a familiar face after a long time. Truly, it made her a quite nervous to the tummy. What if she stepped on his foot again?

Normally, Vivian would have been rather late. What with her catching up on her missed hours of sleep, she never thought she'd actually wake up earlier than expected today for the meeting. Now, she was rather too early and found herself sitting on the park bench at the sound end of Diagon Alley, swaying her feet forward and back.

Was she supposed to feel this anxious in meeting a friend? Vivian nommed on a marshmallow as she waited. It would relieve this "feeling", whatever it was.

If she did, in fact, step on his foot again he would honestly thinking nothing of it. Simply chuckle if off and tuck it away as another one of those quirks that made Vivian...well...Vivian.

With a picture book tucked under his arm and flute, as always, kept in his bag, Andrei quickly made his way through the busy streets of Diagon Alley in search of a particular blonde. What he was most looking forward to was that effervescent smile of hers. Along with hearing how the Romanian accent had taken to her tongue since they had last spoken.

She was nearly impossible to miss given that he was spotting a familiar face in a sea of unfamiliar ones, and he waved his free hand at her from a distance. "Vivian!" he grinned, making his way over to...uh...hug? He wasn't so sure that looming over her and wrapping his arms around her like that was such a good idea...so...he reached out a hand and gently tugged to encourage her to her feet so he could actually give her a proper hug.

Vivian looked at her feet again and, for a moment, felt a moment of self-consciousness. Did she look okay? Was she going to flunk it out again just like the last time? It was good that Andrei wasn't the grumpy type, thank Merlin! Then, she smoothed her skirt and exhaled. It was unlike her to be so nervous for something. When was she ever nervous, anyway?

Looking to the left and then to right, she noticed someone approaching her from a distance. However, she didn't really need to know WHO exactly, as the beam on her face widened when the physical features on the boy's face began to define. The blonde immediately hopped onto her two feet and bounced a little. She hadn't seen such a friendly face in a very very very long time, and that wasn't an exaggeration at all!

But before she took his hand for a hand shake, the girl bowed. "Bună dimineaţa," Vivian said, and then straightened up, her grin still plastered on her face. "How did that sound? Better, hopefully?" She winked at him. She'd been practicing, did he know? Oh, and forget the handshake. Vivian went over for one biiiiig hug and squeezed him lightly.

"Also, I missed you. It's good to see you again." A warm smile grew on her lips.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kimothy

Vivian looked at her feet again and, for a moment, felt a moment of self-consciousness. Did she look okay? Was she going to flunk it out again just like the last time? It was good that Andrei wasn't the grumpy type, thank Merlin! Then, she smoothed her skirt and exhaled. It was unlike her to be so nervous for something. When was she ever nervous, anyway?

Looking to the left and then to right, she noticed someone approaching her from a distance. However, she didn't really need to know WHO exactly, as the beam on her face widened when the physical features on the boy's face began to define. The blonde immediately hopped onto her two feet and bounced a little. She hadn't seen such a friendly face in a very very very long time, and that wasn't an exaggeration at all!

But before she took his hand for a hand shake, the girl bowed. "Bună dimineaţa," Vivian said, and then straightened up, her grin still plastered on her face. "How did that sound? Better, hopefully?" She winked at him. She'd been practicing, did he know? Oh, and forget the handshake. Vivian went over for one biiiiig hug and squeezed him lightly.

"Also, I missed you. It's good to see you again." A warm smile grew on her lips.

Hand...shake?

Andrei was suddenly feeling a bit sheepish and disappointed that that seemed to be where their greeting would end. He was trying his best not to show it, of course, wishing nothing more than to have their reunion be as full of sunshine as her smile. Which was why he then settled for kissing the back of her hand as he had always done.

"Accent haf improved," he praised with a grin. A grin that only grew wider as she initiated the hug he thought they would perform from the start. Naturally, he hugged her back and lightly stroked her hair. Movements that all caused him to drop the picture book he had had tucked under his arm to the cobbled street. "I miss you too." His hazel eyes noticed the book and felt a small herd of butterflies beating against the walls of his stomach. "Zat for you," he explained with a nod. "Portocale Pentru Fiecare. Romanian children's book. Remind me of you."

Ariadne had been pacing Diagon Alley for hours now and a break was DEFINITELY in order. She scouted out a park bench and sat down on it. Not the nasty ones by Sugarplum's or Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. She had no idea why, but those two benches always had the worst stink to them. Gross. She found a nice, decent one that didn't seem to have any major problems and just sat and enjoyed the scenery for a little bit. Coming to Diagon Alley for social reasons alone was fun, but it was also tiring.

This was all part of Ariadne's plan to meet WAY more people and be WAY more outgoing this school year. Maybe if she got to know them NOW, she'd already have more friends by the time the school year started. So in other words, if they could all just do her a favor and walk right on up right about now, that'd be awesome. In the meantime, she looked down the road, trying to see if her mom or older sister was around. Neither were, and one or the other was her way home, so she got herself comfortable and prepared to stick around for a while.

Vivian could read past Andrei's expression, despite his effort to conceal it, that her not acknowledging the hand shake didn't exactly come out as planned. But well, perhaps the hug made up for the tint of disappointment on his face. After all, that was what she was actually aiming for.

Always the tone of surprise? Definitely a Vivian Fairfield thing, no doubt.

The blonde smiled even more when he said that her accent improved. Not bad, eh? "I've been practicing. The book you sent was very helpful. Thank you," Vivian said. But she had to put another thing out. Andrei deserved some praise too. "Your English is getting better too. Great job." The boy received two thumbs up from her.

She didn't mind him stroking her hair. She actually liked it. Who didn't like having their hair played with? Vivian didn't want to let go, if only she were allowed not to leave. But she slowly released from the hug. She was sure there'd be more soon, before they separated ways. Again. Vivian noticed the book that fell and picked it up, dusting off the dirt. She blinked at the title. Romanian, obviously. Though she didn't quite understand any of the words except for 'everyone', she managed to smile. "Thank you. What's it about?" she asked and then went back to sit, and gestured for him to join her. They had a loooot of things to talk about and catch up!

Newly purchased vinyl under one arm, other reached up in an attempt to somewhat tame his hair, Corbin sauntered up the alley, the money his parents had given him for potions ingredients gone, spent on a new item that was currently lodged behind his ear. Not that his parents would find out: he'd keep it hidden, and sneak Ringo's ingredients out of his trunk once they got home.

Knowing his brother, he'd have bought extra anyway, so it wasn't a huge deal.

"Ariadne," Corbin grinned as he spotted her, before dislodging the music device and slipping it into his pocket. He hurried over and took a seat next to her.

It didn't take long for Ariadne to hear her name. Looking up, she saw a boy she'd come to know pretty well over the last two years. "Hey, Corbin!" she greeted, patting the seat beside her. "What's up?" She took one glance at him and figured he, too, was here in the alley for shopping that had nothing to do with school whatsoever. "New purchases?" In other words, she was inquiring about his life outside Hogwarts, something she really hadn't picked up on at all since they'd been in school together. This was part of the reason she wanted to get out more this next school year. She had acquaintances, but no solid group of friends. Not to mention that everyone around her seemed to have a boyfriend or girlfriend, and she was probably waaaaay behind on that kind of thing.

"I'm just hanging out today," she said, gesturing toward her empty hands. "No school shopping for me. It's waaaay too early for that." She laughed a little but also glanced down the alley. She would have to start on that kind of thing soon. "Any plans this summer?" she asked. Exciting plans, she meant. Probably everybody their age just planned on staying as far away from school as possible and sleeping in as late as they can. "We're going to spend some time in France." Apparently, there was some amazing, must-visit apothecary her mother had been talking about going to for ages.

After meeting one of the many future Hogwarts students, Cornelius continued to enjoy his restricted freedom. It sucked so much to think that after Peyton came and got him, he'd be grounded for DAYS. His dad was going to make sure to make him do chores he hated.

SIGH.

Breaking the rules wasn't all that fun. But would he learn? Probably. Would he get better at breaking rules? Hell yeah.

Looking for a place to rest, his green eyes spotted a bench--a nice bench--and he was en route when someone stole it. He grumbled. Oh, but there was Corbin. Hehe. He and Corbin had some fun last term, accidentally dropping water balloons from the ceiling and some unfortunate girls in white blouses getting soaked by them. TOTAL accident.

Cornelius casually strolled towards what was his targeted bench and sat on the other side of the girl with Corbin, sandwiching her, but not squishing her.

"'Sup?"