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Ramzy had been to Diagon Alley only a few times in her life, actually, she was able to count the time on just both of her hands. It was kind of absurd if you asked her. She ought to be brought out into the public more... her fathers or more like father always disagreed.

It's much too dangerous for our precious girl to be traveling through the streets of the Alley, what if someone says something mean? Or what if you get hurt?' Ramzy thought of the words from her father Alan who was the main culprit of her missing out on the world. However, today wasn't the day to complain. She was finally here again and she always wanted to make the best of it. Her fingers clutched onto the sides of her flowing dress as she skipped alongside her parents to head into the well-known bookstore Flourish and Blotts.

As she pushed the door open from the bustling stone brick pathways to the almost musty and ancient-smelling enclosure her eyes followed everything wildly. As books soar through the air, papers flipped on their own accord as wizards and witches alike looked through them. Her fathers patted her on her shoulder and told her to stay put as they went to talk to the store owner about getting the supplies and books they needed for their occupations and for Ramzy to attend Hogwarts this upcoming semester. It was no surprise that the second her fathers' attention was off of Ramzy, her little feet led her off into a world of curiosity.

Ramzy walked in a daze, managing to bypass a few seas of bodies that stood in her way as she got her way closer to the back of the store where a reading group seem to be taking place. She lingered for a bit as the witch standing in the middle of young children waved her wand so elegantly to depict the words of the story that were spilling from her lips. A burst of colour shot through the air as Ramzy jumped a bit in her spot before a small smile formed as the colour slowly faded into extinction. As Ramzy started to take a step back she felt her foot catch onto a pile of books... ' Wha? How did these get here?' was the only thought that flew through her brain as she felt gravity do its job and deliver her harshly down onto her back. Laughter and gasps filled the area in which she now laid in as she felt her face burn a hot red. 'Papa? ... oh how embarrassing...', she looked down in shame as the humiliation continued.

WC: 446

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"You really needn't have come with me, you know.." The notion trailed off with the down-turning of a pair of lips, storm-ridden grey eyes fixed downwards to a piece of parchment held gingerly between delicate fingers.

"And miss out on some daughter time?" Came the chipper response of a tall woman, brunette tresses pulled back into a chic ponytail.

The response was met with a moment of silence, although eyes had lifted briefly from the list they were perusing to glance up towards the woman. It wasn't that Evelynn didn't want her there. Quite the opposite, really. In many ways, it was refreshing that time spent with her mother no longer felt burdensome. Not that it had been her mother's fault. As much as the young witch had blamed her, when emotion had been filtered away and the situation laid bare for what it was, Evelynn couldn't fault her for the decision that had been made. Not really. She had been angry and upset and betrayed for a long while, going so far as to refuse to return home during the spring holidays and to limit correspondence for a time; but it hadn't been long into the summer before she realized her error and over-reaction. Unfortunately, it had been a good while before pride had allowed her to admit her fault and offer apology.

Still, while forgiveness had been unreservedly administered, and distance in the process of repair, Evelynn couldn't shake the unease she felt whenever her mother was present. In many ways, it left the Gryffindor vulnerable, offering a window into her private life that she much preferred to keep curtained. It could also be embarrassing at times. Today, not so much, at least. Which was something for which she was grateful. This time, the woman had opted for a dusted pale blue wrap dress with pockets and a collar that cut straight across the clavicles. The cut of the cloth was such that it could have passed for a robe without too much convincing so she didn't stand out.

That said, even a passing glance would be enough to see wondrous wandering of her eyes, their hazel hues bright with awe and fascination as they drank in anything and everything Diagon Alley had to offer. Three years into her Hogwarts career, Evelynn had finally grown rather accustomed to the every day presence of mundane magic, no longer surprised at every turn to see its various forms and uses on display. Her mother, however... not so much.

"Mother.." The fact that Evelynn hadn't even responded yet hadn't even been registered. Her mother's attention had been caught by something, her back stooped as she bent to prod at something in a barrel as they passed. "Mother..." The hiss took on an insisting tone as Evelynn set her jaw and gritted her teeth, biting back the urge to complain of embarrassment. That didn't stop her trailing eyes from glimpsing about them for anyone that might have taken an interest in the woman's overt curiosity for what Evelynn quickly realized was nothing more than a display of writhing marine worms.

"Aren't they rather fascinating..." Hands stilled above the surface of the barrel's water as though poised to descend. On the second call to her title, however, she had paused, attention turning back to meet Evelynn.

"Please..."

A pause, then a sigh as she straightened with but a single tap of the pad of a finger to the water. Just enough to set ripples into motion and the worms to squirming anew. "You're quite the killjoy, you know.." Came the terse reply, lips pursing.

Evelynn mirrored the expression, her own countenance growing increasingly unamused by the second. The ding of a bell was all the response she would give her mother, hand motioning her inside. "Will you please at least be discreet..."

Another pause, then a roll of the eyes, but her mother slipped her hands into her pockets and stepped off from the barrel and through the open doorway without another word of protest except to whisper, no promises, out the side of her mouth in passing. Evelynn exhaled a begrudging chuckle in spite of herself, head shaking. She couldn't blame her mother entirely. It wasn't as though she'd had the same sort of exposure to become desensitized; and more often than not, she had left Evelynn to her own devices to conduct her own shopping. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that this had been insisted by the young witch so as not to draw attention.

Inside, Evelynn let the door swing closed behind them and fished out a neatly folded piece of parchment from a pocket of the leather back slung over her shoulder. Only a second passed before it was engulfed in shadow, the looming face of her mother hovering over her shoulder. "And how much lighter will my pockets be this time?" she wondered. But while there lacked any humour in her voice, the smirk betrayed the intended levity.

"Not a great deal, in fact..." For once in her Hogwarts career, Evelynn did not have a mountain of book purchases to make. In fact, while the list was quite populated with over a dozen books required, only three of them were new. The rest had already made themselves quite comfortable among her growing library of magical academia, their places on the shelves necessitated by the year that had just concluded.

"No?" Scepticism dripped heavily from the single syllable. "It certainly seems like quite the list..."

Evelynn clicked her tongue against the back of her teeth and shot her mother a look. "I am already in possession of most of these," she corrected, waving away her mother's concern as though clearing cobwebs from the air between them. Then, sliding a finger along a short path, "I need only these three."

"Well..." Already Evelynn's mother had straightened again, looming well above Evelynn with the added height of her heels, head swivelling around to take stock of the store's interior. "Why don't you leave finding those to me, and you find yourself something for your own enjoyment."

"..Really?"

"...Yes, really," came her mother's chuckled response.

A second later, Evelynn felt the weight of a hand around her back to squeeze her shoulder and the press of a kiss against her temple, then the tug of paper from her fingers. And then just as swiftly, before Evelynn could begin to make a fuss, the embrace was released, her mother already winding away from her. She could only watch on and smile vaguely to herself, excitement bubbling. There was nothing quite like new reading material. The smell of parchment and ink, of treated leather. It was intoxicating, and she was more than happy to disappear amidst the stacks to hunt for whatever tome called to her, soliciting her attention to serve as her distraction for the summer camp.

The question would be what exactly... But already she had an idea in mind. There had been something in particular that had been raised to her attention. There had been a bear. At the Samhain festival. Initially, Evelynn had thought perhaps it might have been some sort of creature enslaved and fighting on behalf of the hags, much like the spiders and the dolls. A familiar of sorts that had ventured forth from the forest into which Evelynn and the others had shortly thereafter disappeared. But it wasn't. It had fought on the side of the students instead. And it wasn't until afterwards that she had realized what it was.

And then she'd got to thinking...The winter holidays had afforded the opportunity to learn more about the subject. The history and lore and culture surrounding the decision to pursue the change. By spring, she had decided to learn more, questions arising on exactly how to pursue that process. By term end, she had heard about the club, but was still teetering with indecision. And now... with an entire catalogue of books from which to choose, it was to the topic of that research, yet again, that she wandered. Her mother had vanished into the Charms section of the store, but it was towards Transfiguration that Evelynn would go, fingertips trailing along the spines and covers as though attempting to absorb the knowledge of their contents in passing.

Every now and then, she would pull a book from the shelves that caught her interest, adding it to a growing pile of potential purchases that she carried with her. Her mother hadn't exactly specified any limitations on the quantity of her enjoyment, and given that this would be the last opportunity to make any purchases before returning to school, she didn't want to miss out on anything that might prove important. A large book caught her eye, prompting her to lower her pile to the floor to pull it free. The cover seemed plain, but the name carried a weight to it as though she had heard it spoken before. Flipping it open, she quickly fell invested into its pages, fascination drawing her down a rabbit hole of curiosity. It was exactly what she was looking for.

• • •

How long she had been flipping through its pages, she wasn't certain. Nor was she quite aware of the pending trouble. People had been coming and going all around her regularly, invested in their own shopping and errands. All of a sudden, however, commotion erupted when her pile of books went sprawling, covers opening, pages creasing, spines at risk of damage. Gut instinct had her lunge to protect the books and recover them from the path of walking feet before they could be too damaged. The realization that someone lay sprawled on the ground came secondary.

"Are you... are you quite alright?" Evelynn asked, the speed of saving books slowed by her distraction with the supine girl. The large tome was lowered to the top of the restacked pile, the lot of it pushed closer against the shelves before rising to her feet. She paid the laughter no mind. "You have not injured yourself have you?"

No initial move was made to help the girl up. Growing up, it was usually encouraged for the fallen to try to stand on their own first before any intervention was provided. A glance was cast up and down the length of the aisle in case there were parents or others already flocking in to help her. She had seemed rather young, after all. Too young, perhaps to be here alone. When none immediately presented themselves, the prefect pulled her attention back to the girl, noting her lifting her head from the ground to look down at herself.

"You did not hit your head, did you?" Evelynn asked again, still standing idly nearby at the ready. "Can you stand?"

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Ramzy was not making a good first impression of herself to anyone she might have seen here just to see again at Hogwarts, she prayed they wouldn't remember her face from this incident. She continued to lay on the ground, trying to collect all her bearing as she listened as the laughter continued before a set of words seem to be the only thing that broke it.

"Are you... are you quite alright? You have not injured yourself have you?" The voice spoke in a clear but concerned tone. ' What?! No! I'm not alright, I'm on the ground and a complete laughing stock of the shop. My father and papa are nowhere to be found and my elbows are bleeding, what type of a dumb question was that!?' Ramzy thought herself, but she knew she couldn't voice that opinion... ' Be kind...' Her papa always used to say, the voice continued to pester her with questions, "You did not hit your head, did you? Can you stand?" Ramzy sighed to herself as she lifted her head a bit to allow her gaze to meet with the tall girl who was practically towering over her.

"Uh... yes I just uh I just tripped, I should be alright." Ramzy shakily pushed herself up to her feet as she inspected her wounds. 'Where was papa... he'd know what to do...' Ramzy's eyes looked away from the girl and to the crowd that seem to have gotten their fill of laughs from Ramzy's mishap and carried on with their day. However, there was no sighting of the loving eyes of the man she called papa. 'Where have they gone off too, surely they didn't leave her. No... her father would never let that happen. She should have brought Carrie with her... how could she have been so stupid. I should have never moved from that spot. This is what I get.' Ramzy continued to beat herself up in her head as she completely forgot she was still standing in the presence of another witch for a second.

As Ramzy looked back forward, she jumped a bit in her spot when she took notice of the girl again. Do you happen to have a handkerchief? I uh I guess I split my elbows on the wood... my papa is a healer but I can't find him, but if you don't that's okay." Ramzy wasn't sure why she was really telling her business to this girl she didn't even know, her fathers always did tell her not to talk to strangers... but if she didn't talk to strangers, how was she supposed to make friends? Oh... how rude of me, my name is Ramzy... Ramzy Rossi, but just call me Ramzy please, and you are?" Ramzy reached her hand forward to offer a handshake as she stared expectantly at her.

WC: 475

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As Ramzy noticed the witch take a step towards her, she could hear her mind telling her to back away from the stranger as she wasn't really supposed to be talking to strangers anyways, however, her feet remained rooted to their spot. The sight of a wand being drawn made Ramzy even more nervous as her eyes flickered to it mindlessly. 'Blast me! She was going to hex me! What did I do?! Maybe I bump into her on my way down, oh dear... I'm going to be a laughing stock aga-' Her rambling thoughts were put to a hard halt as she felt cold but slender fingers wrap around the small wrist of her outstretched arm that was waiting for that handshake. She stared in bewilderment as the witch didn't perform a hex. No... in just an instance Ramzy's wounds were healing just the way they would when papa would help her. Wrappings were the next thing to spew from the end of the wand as they made themselves at home on the elbows of Ramzy.

'A healer? She looks nothing like a healer though... in fact, she only looks just a bit older than me...' Ramzy studied her arms before she looked at the witch who started to introduce herself as Decipio, 'What a funny first name, Decipio... maybe it's short for something.' Again the cool slender hand came to take Ramzy's and give her that handshake she was looking for earlier. The witch seem very kind, and Ramzy was grateful someone was willing to help her in her time of need.

Ramzy was about to give off a small smile before what sounded like an interrogation of questions shot from Decipio's lips. ' What... why did she want to know all this stuff? She didn't know me, what if she's trying to tell on me! No... no Ramzy don't be stupid. She just helped you, the least you can do is to be kind. Always be kind...' "Yes, I'm here with my father and my papa, Ramzy never thought of anything when introducing or speaking about her two fathers as it was a completely normal thing for her, however, her parents would always fear in the eyes of the world they would view Ramzy as a mistake. They always did their best to make sure she never saw that, "We were just doing some shopping for my school books and necessities for my new adventure at Hogwarts. I'm going to be a first-year! Ramzy burst out excitedly drawing the attention of bypassing shoppers. Her cheeks flushed pink as she let out a nervous laugh.

Oh yes! The summer camp, I will be there, I heard it was supposed to be one of the times of my life. I surely hope so... only two more days before I head off. It'll be my first time away from my father and papa, I'm a tad bit nervous, but they told me I have to be strong or they were just going to keep me home. How am I supposed to make friends if I stay at home?! Ramzy continued to blabber off, not noticing whenever she was talking too loud for the comfort of other people, but she seem to be stuck in her mindless world of trying to get all her thoughts emptied from her overloading brain.

"What about you!? Do you have any kids that are attending Hogwarts or the summer camp this year? I would love to make some friends before I get there, that way my parents have less to worry about and I won't be so lonely." Ramzy questioned Decipio still assuming the tall witch was an adult compared to the younger version of herself.

WC:621

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Upon finding out that Decipio was not an adult, Ramzy felt incredibly dumb. ' Really Ram? Why would you think she was an adult, I mean it's clear if you really looked she wasn't that ol- Her thoughts were cut off by the loose filter she called her mouth "Oh... well you look old, like really really old. Maybe it's the height? My papa says you shouldn't call others names, would calling these underclassmen, immature be considered name-calling? I don't want to get in trouble... what is an underclassman? Are you an underclassman? A fourth year, woah, you must know a lot, can we be friends? My papa and father said it is important I make friends as soon as I'm able. I'd love to make them proud you know." Again Ramzy couldn't help but ramble, one of her many flaws of not knowing when exactly to shut up.

Ramzy's eyes seem to scan her surroundings again, always watching for whatever hidden reason that floated through her head. 'Where is papa... I made a friend, well at least that's what I'm going to call her. He'd be so proud of me.' Ramzy seem to grow more and more uneasy being alone without her parents. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Decipio start to move again, ' No! Don't leave...' Ramzy's attention was back on her to watch as she picked up a stack of books, feeling a need for guidance and the aura that came from Decipio allowed Ramzy's feet to drift closer to stand next to her. "You say a lot of big words... what is serendi-"Ramzy mumbled the word out as best she could before she gave up on it and let the question die out. "Are there going to be dragons at the camp? I heard a group of boys talking about it on my way here with my parents and they claimed that every night before we go to bed we would have to sacrifice one of our socks to the sock monster. What's a sock monster? Why do I have to give him my socks? Are you going to give him your socks?

Ramzy was about to ask another question before her train-wreck of a mind got back on track to the question Decipio had asked. 'Oh... my books... right! My papa and father went to get my books!' "YES! Well, I mean no... well... yes? I came here with my parents and they went to go retrieve my books for me, they told me to stay by the door that way they could find me after they collected the things they needed." Ramzy looked at her feet sheepishly, I may or may not have wandered off, and now I can't find my way back to the entrance, and I don't know where my papa and father could possibly be at in this huge place. I... I miss them. Have you seen them?

WC:491

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Ramzy stared at the older girl as she could feel her starting to get annoyed. If it was one thing Ramzy was learning to get good at it was the ability to read off other people's body language and facial expressions. She learned it from her papa who was very keen on trying to keep Ramzy adventurous with her experience in meeting people but safe in a way of training Ramzy to know when and where to speak... of course this was still a slight struggling matter for her Ramzy listened to Decipio take her small breaths before she alleviated Ramzy's concerns about dragons and monsters that were said to be lurking the camps. ' Proving once again to be a silly-head Ram, way to go.' As Decipio claimed she hadn't seen Ramzy's parents, Ramzy could feel herself almost deflate in hopelessness until the taller girl offered to at least help navigate Ramzy to the front of the store. 'Good... maybe my papa and father will be there, that way I can be safe again and not make a fool of myself... **I wonder if Decipio thinks I'm annoying, I hope not, maybe at the end of this she could potentially help me in school, I mean she looks smart so surely she is smart. I hope.'** Ramzy spoke to herself in her head, something she tended to do often without even meaning to most of the time.

Ramzy started following behind Decipio as she made sure to stick close in order not to get lost in the sea of bodies that surrounded the two of them. She felt the need to talk, however, she held it in, in fear that her helper would choose to yell or abandon her next. Books, shelves, and papers circled them as Ramzy kept her focus solely on the back of Decipio's figure, occasionally she would reach out to grab onto the sleeve of Decipio's dress whenever she turned too quickly or picked up in her stride. ' Hopefully she knows where she's going, surely she wouldn't leave me and herself to get even more lost... that be so silly of her.' Ramzy decided it was too quiet between the two of them as they wandered. 'One question won't hurt...' "So... are you here by yourself? Are any of your friends from school here? Are you excited to be going back to Hogwarts?" Ramzy's lips spewed once again, 'Well... so much for one question Ramzy...' Ramzy sighed softly immediately following the questions as she hung her head down.

WC:424

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