Manon was done buying some of the paraphernalias she would need for her third year at Hogwarts...or at least a second-hand version of them. The sisters at the orphanage gave her some galleons for her trip to Diagon Alley early that summer. Fortunately, she hasn't come across any familiar face from the school yet. Good thing I always buy my things earlier than everyone else. It was no news that she was an orphan that leaped between the Stemp House and St. Benedict's Home for Children, but she still didn't want anyone from the school to catch her in the act of purchasing hand-me-downs. It had to be mortifying.

And if luck was truly with her that day, she might as well check the rubbish bin. It was basically a treasure chest, if you ignore the smell. Last summer she plucked out a voodoo doll named James from there that was as good as new.

Who knew what she would be able to find today?

Setting her things carefully on the bench next to her, the she-snake tried not to make a face as she neared the rubbish bin but ended up scrunching her nose. Well, the smell was much better than last summer's.

Cautiously, she began to rummage through its contents.

SUMMER! GLORIOUS SUMMER!!


Chloe was so happy that is was summer and she was even more happy that her mother had to come to London and she got to tag along. Honesty she wasn't even sure why her parents had to stay in Germany, why couldn't they just move to London so she could be closer to all her friends? Though if she left Germany she'd be further from her grandparents and she did like being there too.

Once in the Alley she looked around and said goodbye to her mother. She couldn't believe she was letting her go free this year. As she walked around looking for some friends or something to do she couldn't help but notice someone in the bin.

Stopping dead in her tracks she scrunched her nose, why was she in the trash? "E.. Excuse me? Did you loose something?" It just had to be the reason she was in there.

It was dangerous work, rummaging through a rubbish bin. But something shiny glinted farther down - it looked promising, at least to Manon - so she shifted her upper body and leaned closer, the smell momentarily forgotten.

It was then that a voice came up from behind her, making her green irises grow bigger. Merlin's smelly socks! It took a bit of internal debate if she was going to stay in that position or straighten up to face her treasure-hunting intruder and in end, she chose the former if only because the smell was now hitting her senses at full blast.

"I, er..."she started, righting herself...only to be faced with someone who looked familiar, someone from Hogwarts no doubt. And she caught her in the trash quite literally. How embarrassing. The very thing she was avoiding was happening and Manon, even though she often did not talk, said the only thing she felt appropriate at the moment. "It's none of your business."

This was interesting even if it was kind of gross. What if the girl was finding lost treasure, what if it was necklaces, but what if it was just trash and smelled bad. With her nose crinkling at the thought Chloe waited for the girl to explain, but to her shock, an explanation or an invitation to join in the lost treasure wasn't happening.

No, it wasn't any of her business, but she didn't quite like being told that, "It is my business if you don't want your picture on the front page of the prophet as the rubbish bin snoop." Crossing her arms she tried to be as serious as possible. She could try to get Uncle Jorge to put in in the paper, though she figured it wouldn't be front page news.

Glancing at the rubbish bin again she walked closer, "Do you have a pirate map or something?"

Rubbish bin snoop?

Manon made a face. That title was utterly humiliating and dear Grindelwald, no, she didn't want to picture out herself branded as that in front of the Daily Prophet. FINE. This girl - wait, did she somehow, by the stroke of pure luck, not recognize her? Were they even possibly on the same year?

Well, she tried really hard not to exist at the school, or anywhere else for that matter, so this was good. Her shabby clothes probably made her look like a beggar too. Good, good. She could just pretend that she was a beggar and then hightail out of there as quickly as she can.

Alas, the girl (Chloe, yes, she remembered the other girl's name now), instead of keeping away, moved closer to her. The she-snake moved sideways, hiding her face from the curtain of her dark hair. "Pirate map? Why would I have a pirate map?

As Mary walked down the street, she noticed an interesting scene going on near the trash can. At a distance, she observed. It appeared the girl digging in the trash was a beggar and the one bullying her was probably thought so as well, but she knew better. Based on the items beside her, this was a hogwarts student. She kinda felt bad, to be honest. She had heard her siblings telling her about 2nd and even 3rd hand items when they were hogwarts students. She would be doing the same if it wasn't for her sisters recent Quidditch successes.

She watched the girl closely, she knew she had to have had a class or something with her, but she couldn't put a name to her. Then she said something that made Chloe jump dramatically. "Why not? That would be so cool! If you had one we could search for the treasure together, what if there is a treasure in there and you just haven't come across it." She did have a huge imagination and honestly, the 13-year-old still enjoyed that sort of fun. "Though I guess Pirates are more muggle then magical, I bet there were a few magical ones and wouldn't that be the best place to hide treasure from your muggle pirate enemies, but in a magical alley that no muggle would ever go?"


She was rambling now, but the excitement of the thoughts, not really the actual dig because she knew there really wasn't one, but the thought of if there were and the thought of how it would have come to be there in Diagon Alley made her excited. "So what are you really doing in there?" She really didn't care if she was just looking, but Chloe now was to invested in finding out to just walk away.

Noticing movement she turned and saw another girl standing watching them. "Are you coming to find hidden things too?" It was becoming a rubbish party now wasn't it?

This was definitely that Chloe girl, alright. The talking too much was sort of the giveaway. Inwardly sighing, Manon nodded at the other girl's lengthy speech about pirates and maps and how they should find the hidden treasure. Honestly, Manon tuned her out after three words. Why would pirates even think of hiding their treasure in a rubbish bin when the ocean is Merlin knows how many hectares of unexplored waters. "Uh, no...I don't think so. Pirates aren't that dumb."

She also didn't think Chloe would push more questions but here she was making another face at So what are you really doing in there? Manon thought what her choices could be; she could keep on pretending that she was a beggar and just tell her that she was just looking for something to eat for lunch, or introduce herself as a classmate and say she dropped something on the bin?

The latter could work.

And Manon was just about to have that scenario play out when the blonde started calling out to yet another girl. DEAR GRINDELWALD. She didn't need any more witnesses! "Chloe, I don't think she--"

O___o

Oh no. She didn't call her by her name, did she?

Clamping her mouth shut, Manon just hoped the other girl didn't notice.

Crap. Mary got herself into a social situation. A very awkward one. She wanted to defend the girl, but didn't know what to say. She was just a tiny, akward firat year. She did the most logical thing her mind could come up with, stayed silent, but moved closer. What a stupid idea.

She gave the girl a look when she said about pirates not being that dumb, ] "How would that be dumb, really? Who would think to look in an old Wizarding Alley? I bet there are barely any magical pirates so they'd have no clue it was around." She had read books about real life pirates and thought it would be cool if there were magical ones, though would using their magic as pirates make them be criminals in the eyes of the ministry? Her mind started thinking about Pirates and the possibilities of how they could commit crimes in the eyes of the ministry.

That was until she was watching the younger girl and the first girl called her by name, "I thought you were from Hogwarts!" She had no clue what her name was though, but she thought she had seen her. "So what are you looking for, there are three of us now, we could help you and it could go faster for you. Then maybe we could all go get ice cream. My mom gave me some money."

Looking at the younger girl she waited to see if you would speak, but when she didn't Chloe just smiled, "What is your name? Mine is Chloe and this is...." What was her name?

Mary didn't know what to do. She had accidentally pulled herself into a social situation. She wanted to defend the trash can girl, but was wordless. She sighed and stuttered out, "M..M..Mary."

Then with sudden courage, she said, "You're obviously making her uncomfortable. If you haven't noticed she is embarrassed!" It was unlike her, but she figured that if she was going to be ok at Hogwarts she was going to have to get used to being social.

First of all, Manon didn't understand why this Chloe girl sounded so invested in pirates. Did she want to be one of them, wear an eye patch and let a parrot perch on her shoulder? Was that where her interests lie? Second of all, Manon didn't have a sign on her that said she still wanted to keep talking about pirates, did she? Because she did not, and it was evident by the way she forced a small smile on her face that just ended up looking more like a grimace.

And yes, yes. She was from Hogwarts. They were classmates and it served her a sense of satisfaction that Chloe couldn't recall her name, just the way she wanted it, but it was fleeting because now Chloe was suggesting that she and the other girl (Mary, was it?) she had dragged into this was going to help Manon find whatever it was she had to find in the rubbish bin.

Um. "It's okay, I can—" The incoming third year Slytherin was just about to tell the both of them that she didn't need any help when Mary...said that. Not even letting her finish her sentence, not even letting her say her name.

Oh. Wow.

Did she look THAT pathetic?

Manon, in the moment, could only blink.

Mary suddenly felt like a failure. Why would she attempt to defend someone? She was too awkward for that. This is why she was a Hufflepuff not a Gryffindor!! She was a shy, tiny first year.

"Sorry,"she stammered. "I'm too awkward, I'll just go." She started to walk away.

Chloe looked at them both for a moment, taken back by the younger girl. Two things went through her mind at that moment, 1 why was the girl her age acting so odd and 2 why on earth did the younger girl think she was embarrassed? She didn't look at all put out by any of it. Just not wanting to answer any questions.

"Well Mary, I'm glad you came over, it is good to meet new people." She smiled brightly at the younger girl and then turned to... to... "OH YES I REMEMBER! You are Manon! This is Manon, she is at Hogwarts with me, though she is in my brother's house." Gunnar would have known her name so much easier.

"I don't think she is embarrassed, she is just looking for something and I want to help. Two heads are better than one and it looked like an adventure that could be fun! I just got finished reading a book about pirates and was talking to her about it." It was a great book, maybe they could borrow it sometime.

Mary was scared. She new she had caused trouble, embarrassed herself, and got into a terribly awkward social situation. The anxiety was mounting on her. She began to back away, shaking.

At that moment, she knew nothing better than to run. She bolted down the street at top speed, hardened by years of Muggle soccer.

Igor was just making his way out of the Wizards Wheezes overwhelmed with ideas and such. Not that he bought anything. The now fourth stopped by the rubbish bin and was just fascinated by all the junk people throw out. Some of the items looked like they still worked properly.

Guess they didnt want them or Mama bought the wrong thing.

Its possible...tho he needed to decided where he was going to next before heading back to his family.

Her parents had, as usual, taken her other siblings to shops they wanted to go, so young and bitter Catherine had her school supplies list and was walking on her own around Diagon Alley for a change.

Her thoughts were that if she was going to a boarding school and would be away from her family - minus her twin brother, but what could she do of course she was secretly relieved he'd be there, but don't ever tell him that - for a whole year, she might as well start trying to get used to the idea of being away from them.

It was awful.

She was having a bit of trouble focusing on what she was reading because all she could think about was how she actually wanted to be with her parents and, admittedly, her siblings. Catherine was still trying, though, one should give her that. Her face now so close to the list as if she needed glasses, she momentarily couldn't see where she was going and bumped into somebody.

She felt her face turn red as she debated whether to lower the list and see who it was. The likelihood of her knowing the person was very slim, so she did consider walking off, but that would be rude, she knew it.

One Igor Vitamin was zoning out thinking he saw Spencer harassing some girl up ahead and was ready to dissolve the situation. But maybe he had some good luck and Igor had no idea who the dude was which was a relief. Or maybe he had some bad luck because someone just bumped into him. Thank Merlin, she was shorter than him.

"Oh sorry, i should have moved.....Catherine???"

Had to be polite. It had been ages since Igor had even thought of her or seen her. What was she doing here or wait was she of age now to go to school

Weird

So her worst nightmare was happening. The person whom she bumped into knew her and was calling her by her name. Although maybe that wasn't her worst nightmare. Perhaps not knowing the person would've been worse, especially if they then decided to start talking to her after she bumped into them.

If this guy knew her name, it meant she knew him too. So at least she wouldn't be talking to a stranger... Ugh, the thought alone sent shivers down her spine.

Finally lowering the list from in front of her face, she looked up and saw the Vitamin... boy who was now not a young boy anymore, but a... guy. His facial features were still the same, pretty much except for his nose that was much bigger, did he know?, so it wasn't difficult to recognise him. But even his voice had changed form the last time she had seen him. What did they call that again? The transfiguration from kid to adult. Teenagehood? Puberty. That was it. He was definitely going through that.

Yuck.

Vitamin guy was apologising although it had been her who had bumped into him. Catherine blinked and thought she was the one who should apologise, but nothing came out of her mouth. Especially because she had now realised he had called her by her name and all she could remember was that he was the 'Vitamin boy now guy'. What in the world was his first name again?? She couldn't, for the life of her, remember. She tried not to show it in her expression, but it probably translated as a blank, relatively serious stare.

She couldn't help but feel even more awkward now, but she hadn't been raised to simply walk away from a conversation even though she hadn't replied to his single sentence yet. Was that even considered a conversation?.

Maybe he should have moved. If he had, they wouldn't be in this situation, for Merlin's sake. "I'm... sorry." Catherine finally replied, drifting her gaze away from him - because awkward - and towards the... ew, was that a bin?

She sent him a very judgemental, grossed out look for standing there on his own next to a bin. She side-eyed the bin again before looking back at him. Maybe he had thrown something in there... but then why would he still be there? What a gross place to b- Igor!!! That was this guy's name. She knew it, phew. Relief suddenly washed her face, lasting only a fraction of second, however, as she pulled a disgusted face again. "This smells." She added, stepping away from the bin and sending him yet another judgemental look as if asking why the heck he was just standing there.

Boys were so weird.

Was she ok, Igor was giving her a visibly confused face as she just stood there blinking like she was a crashed computer from 2020. He only asked a simple question and he knew she could talk. This was getting more awkward by the second.

Not like it was his fault he wasn't even in the middle of the street. He was by this rubbish bin for merlin sake.

Ah there she spoke and ok now it was very very much less awkward well until you could see the looks she was giving. Was she Captain Obvious or something??? Yeah he was just going to ignore that. Like he was about to walk away before she bumped into him.

"How are you?"

Munching his way through his sandwich, which he held in one hand, and counting his spare change with the other, David passed by a rubbish bin which had a nearly pristine copy of the Daily Prophet just resting on its rim. Hmm.

He shoved the coins into his pocket and took a step back toward the bin, pausing to read the headlines while he finished his sandwich. Couldn't he just... take this? To read? Why not, when he was killing time as it was.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BanaBatGirl

Munching his way through his sandwich, which he held in one hand, and counting his spare change with the other, David passed by a rubbish bin which had a nearly pristine copy of the Daily Prophet just resting on its rim. Hmm.

He shoved the coins into his pocket and took a step back toward the bin, pausing to read the headlines while he finished his sandwich. Couldn't he just... take this? To read? Why not, when he was killing time as it was.

Valerie Gray, in general, loathed being where people were and Jerry's attempts to socialize her by squandering her (with very little effort required on his part) into attending his film functions only made the deep frown that all too often graced her porcelain features all the more defined. Today was another one of those days.

Fired from yet another waitress job for her lack of etiquette (it was hardly her fault that the patron in question had ordered a cheeseburger with no cheese, which was irritating enough, and then found his ice team poured on his head when he suggested she stick her finger in it to turn it into a sweet tea), Valerie was hardly counting her blessings as she stormed her way over towards the trash can and tore off the apron to the the diner. With a growl that would make even rabid dogs cower, she threw the worthless fabric in and hardly paid its current occupant any mind.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

Valerie Gray, in general, loathed being where people were and Jerry's attempts to socialize her by squandering her (with very little effort required on his part) into attending his film functions only made the deep frown that all too often graced her porcelain features all the more defined. Today was another one of those days.

Fired from yet another waitress job for her lack of etiquette (it was hardly her fault that the patron in question had ordered a cheeseburger with no cheese, which was irritating enough, and then found his ice team poured on his head when he suggested she stick her finger in it to turn it into a sweet tea), Valerie was hardly counting her blessings as she stormed her way over towards the trash can and tore off the apron to the the diner. With a growl that would make even rabid dogs cower, she threw the worthless fabric in and hardly paid its current occupant any mind.

David had been about to pick up the pristine newspaper, but not yet, because he hadn't quite finished his sandwich and was fussy about handling dirty objects whilst eating. He was fully intending to sit and read it when all of a sudden, a jumble of fabric hit the paper and submerged it fully into the can, both objects tumbling to the bottom of the rubbish bin with a resounding clang and an even louder growl.

Well. There went his reading.

Turning instead to the source of the thrown-away fabric (and possibly the source of the growling), David was startled, blinking suddenly and leaving his mouth open slightly where he had been about to take another bite of sandwich. What a strange creature. So pale. So... angery looking. Why were its eyes red? Had it she been crying, or were they always pigmented this way? And why was he getting a strange sense of deja vu from looking at her? He was instantly fascinated and obviously staring at her.

David closed his mouth and swallowed the lump of air in his throat, his sandwich momentarily forgotten. "Alright there?" he inquired politely, wondering what in the world was going on, and how this...this...woman had made such an animalistic sound. He was impressed by it, admittedly.

Would it be too much were she to set the contents of the trash can ablaze? What about if she Bombarda'd it into oblivion? She could think of a handful of people who would insist that she was, which only fueled her resentment further. Cool grey eyes hyper focused on the apron that was now stained with remnants of some sauce from a half eaten corn dog and the melted remains of some green colored ice cream cone from Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour, her fingers did twitch towards her holder for the unyielding cherry wood when a presence interrupted her thoughts.

No, not his voice. His eyes...and she lacked the patience to entertain such blatant staring. Not that she typical bore the patience for it to begin with, but today Valerie was likely to transfigure any unfiltered gazes into dung beetles.

Her eyes narrowed and her thoughts were almost begging him to slip up so she could snap. As if she was a Veela. Go ahead, try her.

"...do I give off the appearance of being alright?" she sneered rhetorically. What an obviously stupid inquiry. "It would do your eyes good if you blinked."