Rose noticed Maggie's cautious inspection of the cauldrons and Veda's hesitant smile. She appreciated their openness despite the newness of their surroundings. Rose felt a bond forming as they shared their mutual uncertainties about the cauldrons.

Maggie introduced Veda, her voice echoing amusingly from inside a cauldron. Rose couldn't help but giggle, feeling the tension ease away. She was glad to see Maggie and Veda joining in the search for their school supplies.

When Veda asked about the standard tin model, size two cauldron, Rose checked her list to confirm. Then Guila pointed out a cauldron a few shelves down, which we all looked closely at. She had been correct and so Rose took a few down, passing them around as Guila asked a question.

Guila's question about their blood status caught Rose off guard. She never really liked this question because her family was a bit confusing for some.

"My birth mother and father were muggles but I was raised by two Half-blood parents."

Maggie accepted the cauldron from Rose and placed her bag inside it. Her ears twitched at Guila's question. She hugged her cauldron a little tighter. It had caught her off-guard. She wasn't sure why it mattered, but if it didn't why ask?

"I'm muggleborn," she answered after a moment. Her gaze then turned downward, studying the contents of her cauldron. Anything but looking at the other girl. She reached into her bag inside the cauldron pulled out the strange currency. She counted out the price of the cauldron in coins and placed them on the counter for the shopkeep to collect.

Just as she thought the situation couldn't have gotten more awkward, the bell above the door rang signaling a new arrival. It was followed quickly by a snappy, irritated, and exasperated voice.

"Margaret!" Her father yelled. Maggie froze. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. It felt like her blood had become ice. She trembled. She tried to turn around, but her feet wouldn't listen. The man stomped across the store and stood in front of her.

"You can't just go running off like that! I was worried sick! You could've gotten lost or kidnapped or-or-or-" Her father ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath.

"Sorry, Daddy," Maggie said, starring at her feet poking out below the cauldron she was carrying. He snatched it from her hand and held it under his arm.

"You will be when your mother hears about this," he chastised. Somehow that made everything worse. Her stomach twisted. What did she think was going to happen? She knew this would happen eventually. She just wished it hadn't been so quick.

"Honestly, this is so unlike you. What's gotten into you?" Her father asked. His eyes then fell to the other three girls. "Oh." He said sternly. His jaw tightened. He was looking at the girls as if he was only now noticing them. "I see."

"No," Maggie said picking up on what he meant. "It's not their fault-"

"We'll talk about this later," he said firmly as he grabbed her by the hand began pulling her towards the door. Maggie dragged her feet with what little defiance she had left in her even now.

"I went off befo-" Maggie began, but was quickly cut-off.

"I said we'll talk about it later. With your mother," her father said, sounding more irritated. Maggie gulped. "Right now we have to finish your school shopping."

As her father dragged her out the door she looked back over her shoulder. She said sorry, but it was drowned out by the sound of the bell ringing and the door slamming shut.

@Veda Lunar @Rose Wemberly @Giulia Nisi