Elisabeth poked her head through the door of Madam Malkin's shop. Well, somehow she managed to get here. Her ayi (auntie) was no Hogwarts graduate and actually had only moved to the United Kingdom like six or seven years ago, but thankfully she was also a witch and so she knew about Diagon Alley and how to get there.

Diagon Alley... this was where Elisabeth would go get her Hogwarts "starting kits" - her school supplies. In fact, they said that this was the only place to shop for those kits.

Ayi Anna was getting Elisabeth's cauldron and several more heavier things required in the wizarding school's acceptance letter, and the girl was very thankful for that, because that meant Elisabeth would not have to take all the troubles carrying those heave stuff all around. Pity her parents could not come today, but they had promised they would for her first day to the magic school.

Elisabeth saw that inside the shop, a boy of her age was being measured. Was this how things supposed to work? So they did not just grab the Hogwarts robes from racks and pay?

The girl decided to ask the lady who was measuring the boy. Maybe she would not be too happy to be disturbed, but at least she tried, right? "Perdone?" she asked - not clear whether the question was directed to the lady or the boy - "May I know how to get Hogwarts robes, please?"

"Oh!" said Elisabeth, now knowing how to get her school robes. The girl was not very sure about which size she ought to get, since she kept on switching between S and M in her Muggle attires, so she decided to ask the lady to measure her. "I... think I'd need your help for deciding which size I should get, please," she asked the shop owner.

As the girl was being measured, the blue-eyed boy asked whether she, like himself, would start studying in Hogwarts this upcoming September. "I'm quite excited," he added as he finally decided to have size S.

Elisabeth gave him her friendly smile. "Yes. I am. And am excited too," she replied as her classmate-to-be paid his purchases. Yeah, she wondered, how will it be at Hogwarts? Is it somewhat similar to Muggle schools, save for the lessons? Do they have extracurricular clubs?

The red-haired boy's voice stopped her thoughts from reeling too far from the present. "Sorry, I didn't introduce myself just yet. I'm Rohan."

She shrugged just a little bit, and smiled again. "Doesn't matter, I didn't introduce myself earlier, either. It's nice meeting you, Rohan - I've never known any other Rohans by the way. I'm Elisabeth." After pausing for a moment, the Hispanic-Asian girl decided to expand their conversation, at least for a little while. "Are you coming to Diagon Alley with your parents?"

The girl gave him a slight polite nod, just like how some Asians liked to do when expressing thank-you. "Thank you," she said, to make it even clearer. "May I know if your aunt's name spelled with a Z or an S? Mine's with an S."

The friendly shop owner finally finished measuring Elisabeth's size, so she got her three sets of the school robes while still conversing with Rohan. "... I suppose he got distracted by a book about curses or something..." he said as she grabbed for a pair of protective gloves.

"Well, that's interesting," Elisabeth replied, before realising that it might not be the most appropriate reaction. She was just trying to be polite by saying "interesting", but of course, it could be interpreted in many ways. So she tried to change to a still-related topic. "Is your papá an Auror then?"

Elisabeth got everything she needed from Madam Malkin's, and so the girl paid for them. Just then, the fellow first-year asked her, "Do you already have someone to sit with on the train? I'm a tat scared to sit alone the whole journey. And I ehm.. think you're really nice.."

Elisabeth blushed. Being the shy person she is, never in her life had she ever received a compliment that did not make her cheeks flush.

"No, I don't know any other Hogwarts student at this point," she told him. "Well, except you, of course. So no, I have no plan or promise to sit with anyone on the train yet. Sure we can share compartment on our way to school if you'd like that."

Elisabeth watched as the blonde boy went out of Madam Malkin's store. Rohan seemed to be in a hurry. It was his daddy, he had said, because the man wasn't "as smart as" one would think at "first sight". He was not an Auror either, the son had told her.

Interesting, Elisabeth muttered inside her head. Sí, his papá sounds like an interesting man. The girl wondered what kind of man he was. Kind of clumsy perhaps, maybe even slightly silly, but always with the best intention for his family. And perhaps he was the type of person who got lost easily, just like, well, her own papá! Elisabeth did not mean to judge, but still, she could not help but wonder.

Of course she would very much like to meet him, so she was a bit disappointed that Rohan just dashed out of the store without asking her to come along. But to be fair, it was his personal business and decision. Moreover, if she had been in his position, chances are she would have done the same thing. She could not imagine introducing a new acquaintance to her parents, for her that would be a little too personal. So at the end, she just brushed everything off. She would meet the son again anyway, at the train to school, maybe they would be real friends someday.

"Anything I can help you with, dear?" The store keeper's voice interrupted Elisabeth's thoughts, and that was when she realised she was still in the friendly lady's shop even though she had finished her shopping there.

"Oh, I'm good for now, Ma'am. Thank you," replied the girl politely, and then she turned to walk out the store. She had to find her ayi too, anyway, and perhaps she had kept her waiting!