"But can't you just pick them out for me?" the boy asked with something of a distracted tone. The Sorrel family - or at least the four of them who had traveled down to London to mark the occasion - were presently stood at the threshold of Madam Malkin, a busy little shop known for selling fine and fashionable evening gowns as well as all the standard garb a bustling new Wizard could ever need. It was by far the least interesting of the many stores they'd be visiting that day, at least to the eleven year old who was bristling with anticipation for the more fantastical stops.

Florence Sorrel chuckled slightly, and gently redirected her son's gaze from the bustling streets and back toward the door she was urging him through. "You need to be properly fitted" she reminded him, "It isn't really like picking up new clothes in town, Bastian. Besides... The shops aren't going anywhere, sweet pea." The smallest hint of a frown pulled at his lips, but ultimately he sighed reluctantly and crossed the threshold. At least dad and Alina weren't going to come in too, it seemed pretty busy inside and his older sister was particularly cranky today.

The interior - and much of Diagon Alley itself, in fact - reminded him of the quaint architecture of Much Wenlock... Old, lots of wood and stone. A place lost in time. Of course this place just happened to also be filled with bolts of fabric, and racks of robes and dressed. That only made the frown more prominent. "But they do have pre-made robes" he huffed, the words themselves more of a mumble at this point though. They were already inside the shop, the least he could do was make his mum happy by going through the process of getting tailored robes.

While his mum wandered off to speak with the proprietor of the shop, Sebastian began to wander throughout the storefront. He thumbed through the clothes hung on display, though he barely gave them more than a passing glance, and imagined what it would be like when he finally got to visit Ollivanders...

Not long now, he told himself. Then he'd have a wand of his own. But first: clothes.

@Emily Flower

Everything on Sebastian's school list seemed to be the same shade of black. Black robes, black hat, black cloak... While he wasn't opposed to that shade, he was decidedly more comfortable around earthen tones; rusts, browns, greens, ivory... these were what the Sorrel boy was most often found to be wearing.

In fact that very day he had on his favourite 'adventurers shirt', an off white linen shirt buttoned almost up to the top. His trousers were made from a cargo material, sage green. Boots to top it off. He was going for his best 'Indiana Jones meets Jurassic Park' look, and frankly he felt as though he'd managed to adequately pull it off.

Seems he'd have to get used to this new style, at least during school hours. The silver clasps were a nice touch, he had to admit. While he much preferred brass fixings, silver wasn't too bad. Definitely better than gold, he reckoned.

Mum was chattering with the seamstress still. Sebastian staved off a yawn with the back of his hand, and then plucked one of the winter cloaks down from the rack. It was thick and warm to the touch, and reminded him a lot of what they wore in the autumn and winter months on the homestead. Florence liked to knit and crochet them various jumpers, mitts, and hats, all with the wool from their sheep. This was a different kind of luxury though, it was softer... less prickly.

Even so he'd probably take mums jumpers over fancy cloaks any day.

His thoughts were interrupted by the voice of a girl not too far from him. He turned toward her, carefully replacing the cloak to the rack as he did so, and offered her a smile. "Hello!" the boy proclaimed, happy for the distraction. "Uh... I'm with my mum actually," he explained, nodding toward the brunette by the shopkeeper. She wore her age with grace, making no efforts to hide the years she'd lived. Faint lines were set upon her face, but they spoke more of smiles and soft expressions than frowns.

"What about you?" He glanced this way and that, but though there were some other people in here none of them seemed to be with her insofar as he could tell. But then again, what did he know?

@Emily Flower

Though the girl responded, Sebastian himself was immediately distracted from their barely brewing conversation. At the sound of his name being called out by his mother he gave the girl a sheepish smile and a 'what can you do?' shrug before stepping away from all of the pre-made robes and cloaks.

The seamstress was ready for him, it would seem.

"This is my boy, Bastian," his mother was saying as he approached them, "Of course, you might remember him from a few years back. Alina..." A slight pause, no doubt while the seamstress nodded in remembrance - whether it was true or not - before she continued on. "Of course, she's done with school now. She's actually about to start out at the Ministry... Training to become an Obliviator or something like that. Whatever it is, I'm proud."

"Okay mum" Sebastian interjected, before she talked the poor seamstresses ear off any longer, "I'm ready..."

And so the next half an hour was spent being measured for a custom set of robes. The boy himself didn't see the need for it, he was still growing after all, but Beric had about insisted that he go. He would reflect the family going forward, after all, and as much as his father had let go of many of his more pureblood sentiments upon marrying Florence he still couldn't help but want for some propriety in life.

He'd done the same with Alina, too.

So he sucked it up, for his father whom he loved dearly.

Fin