─────
Ivy had wandered into Flourish and Blotts. She was nervous with her aunt and uncle trailing behind, in all reality she had hoped it would be her parents to have taken her shopping... But she hadn't seen them in quite some time. She was missing them.

As they entered the lady at the shop desk smiled, "Oh hello! Welcome in. I'm here if you need help with anything, just give me a holler!"

Ivy's aunt and uncle gave a nod and a smile before turning to Ivy, "We will go pick up your required books, why don't you go find a book or two for simply interest? They might have some herbology books filled with art!"

Ivy nodded timidly and quietly before scurrying off. As she moved through the store, she danced her fingers along the spines of the books on the shelves looking for an art or herbology section. She eventually made it to the back of the store. Ivy had a slight smile on her face this was mostly what she had been looking forward too, the books, the knowledge, the experience. Her hand suddenly stopped on a specific book; one she had been wanting for a while now. Goshawk's Guide to Herbology, she quickly snatched the book up and opened it. As she read, she was mumbling the words inside with her ginger red hair covering her face in an almost horror esque way.

Date August 2023 Time

Colours: #863B14 (spoken) #863B14 (thoughts)

Edward was lost in thought. He still could not believe that he was an older brother now. As he got back home from school over the holidays, he was greeted not only by his parents but a little baby in his mother's arms. He was still feeling a confusing bunch of feelings: anger, that they had not told him a word before; awe because that little thing looked so tiny and yet so cute; fear that he was becoming less important for his parents. But there was also this sense of responsibility that had started to dwell up in his insides. He was an older brother now and so he should take more responsibility, maybe mentoring first years now that he was about to start second year. The event definitely started to change him. He still was rather introverted, even timid at times but he felt a little more secure now. Also the first year at Hogwarts had shown him that there are a bunch of like-minded people who were not bullying him.

Now, back in the diagon alley to do his shopping for second year, Edward strolled through the shelves of one of his favourite shops: Flourish and Blotts. He wasn't looking for something in particular but rather interested in all kinds of magical books. Also he was rather thinking of all the other things. He only stopped in his thinking when a girl stood in front of him. He looked up and looked around to orient himself. He had somehow gotten to the Herbology department of the bookstore. He wasn't particularly fond of herbology. Sure, it was interesting to read about plants but doing the garden work was not his most favoured thing. He watched the girl for a moment, considering whether he should approach her. She seemed younger than him so maybe she was a starting first year student.

He decided to give it a try.
"Uhm, hi. Also shopping for Hogwarts?" he asked the girl smiling.

Wordcount 330

Interacting with @Ivy Logan

─────
Ivy lifted her head fast and looked shocked to Edward. He seemed to look about a year older than Ivy. She flickered her eyes up to Edward and then back to the book. As he spoke to her she squeaked and stuttered back, "ye-yes... I am... Do-do you like pl-plants?" She posed the question.

Ivy flipped to a page in the book she was holding that showed the plant Mimosa pudica, which was infact her favorite. She pointed to the art of the plant. The Mimosa pudica appeared as a pink plant with prickle stems sticking out of the flower.

As she pointed her hand shook, "So... this is a fascinating plant... When something comes close it collapses in on its self... It's sort of like a protection mechanism... I-I like to th-think I am just like this plant... It's always safe... And it's so beautiful too... Though I'm not..."

Ivy was in fact a very beautiful young girl, but it was obvious as she spoke, she thought the opposite.

After she was done speaking she hung her head with again her hair in her face, "s-sorry... Didn' mean to bother you..." She was a very meek and timid girl.

Date August 2023 Time

Colours: #863B14 (spoken) #863B14 (thoughts)

Edward listened with interest what the girl had to say about the Mimosa pudica plant, nodding to signalize that he listened.

"Oh you are not bothering me." he quickly said. "You are right, plants have a fascinating side to them. I've read a lot about different plants but I am not into the practical work of planting and caring for them." He had always found it tedious to pay so much attention to the plants, otherwise they would die. Books were different, they waited for him but they also were not in need of his attention. He somehow thought about his sister again. Isn't a baby much like a plant? To be cared for and everything. He wondered whether he should give plants a try after all, learning about caring and responsibility in that way.

"Have you heard about Gynura aurantiaca? It has leaves that are covered with purple hairs and it looks really magical, although I think it does not have any magical properties." He asked her to keep their conversation going. He really wanted to encourage her to continue and feel less shy. He wasn't sure whether he was good at it but he at least wanted to try. He gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm Edward, by the way." he added.

Wordcount 215

Interacting with @Ivy Logan

─────Ivy smiled slightly at the reassurance; she was not used to having people tell her she was not a bother. She then flittered her eyes up before back to the ground at the mention of reading, "Oh, re-read-reading is qu-quite enjoyable..." She responded with a slight quiver in her voice as she stuttered.

She nodded, "Oh! The Purple Passion Vine in lemans terms. I-I_i'm impressed you know... what it is..." Her voice was quiet almost as if she was a mouse. She decided to turn to the books as she talked taking one down and reading the table of contents noticing it was one, she was not interested in and then moving on.

As she moved through, she opted to answer Edward's question that he posed without directly asking, "Ivy..." She stopped right there. She would not continue the conversation on her own as who would want to talk to her.

As she was looking through the books her face brightened, she had found one that she in fact had been waiting months for. 'Hogwarts Castle: A History of Cultivated Fungus', as she picked up the book, she held it close to her chest excited to read and finally have her hands on the book. She turned to Edward waiting to see if he would continue the conversation or if she would be heading to the front of the store.

Date August 2023 Time

Colours: #863B14 (spoken) #863B14 (thoughts)

He beamed at her when she replied that she also enjoyed reading but he also had to listen very carefully to not miss a word. He was glad that they were in a quiet spot of the shop and he could hear her despite her low voice.

"Nice to meet you, Ivy." he replied to her short introduction. Then he watched her when she found a book that was obviously quite interesting to her. "So, is it your first year at Hogwarts?" he asked her, hoping that he might steer the conversation into a direction where he might be of help. He could share his experience or answer any question she might have. He hoped that she would in fact continue the conversation. She seemed so very shy to Edward that he wasn't too sure she would respond or rather prefer to leave. "I do remember my first year and I was very nervous then. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them." He offered and smiled at the girl.

He then also wondered whether the girl was here all by herself and looked around but didn't make a comment about it. Probably her parents were somewhere in the front, taking care of her school books.

Wordcount 209

Interacting with @Ivy Logan

─────Ivy gave a nod looking down at her book before glancing over to her aunt and Uncle, debating whether to go over to them. She moved her foot towards them as if she were going to head over there before moving to straighten back up hanging her head in shame, "Why... Are you... talking to me?" As she spoke it was obvious in her voice that there wasn't anything wrong with talking to her but something wrong with herself.

As her Ginger hair hung in her face and she glanced up but momentarily to the boy, she blushed slightly only now just realizing it wasn't only just a person talking to her but a Boy... And he was being nice... and seemed interested? This was something that had to be insincere, this boy had to be only talking to her to figure out some dirt on her or make fun of her, or even more plausible it was a dare from his friends. Her eyes started filling with tears... at first it would've been happy but then it quickly turned to embarrassment as she came to the realization.

She quickly turned to face away sniffling, wiping her nose, "I-I-it was a d-dare was it nuh-not?"

There was definitely an opportunity for Ivy to make her first friend in a VERY, VERY long time but she had no idea how to not see others as better than her.

Date August 2023 Time

Colours: #863B14 (spoken) #863B14 (thoughts)

Edward was confused. Why does she think it was a dare? Was it a mistake to just address her? He suddenly felt self-conscious himself and looked to the ground, then noticed that this might seem like it actually was a dare that made him talk to her, so he looked back up to her. He saw the tears in her eyes and felt helpless. That went so awfully wrong. He actually wanted to encourage her, not the opposite.

"A dare? No! I.. I just had the impression that you were rather new here in Diagon alley and I thought you might need some guidance." He looked again to the floor. "I am sorry if I should not have addressed you. I just wanted to help." He then searched his robes for a handkerchief. He found a bag of them and offered one to Ivy. "I am sorry again. I didn't want to upset you. If you'd rather be alone, that's fine. Or maybe your parents are also already waiting." He made a small pause. "But if you have any questions, now or at Hogwarts, you can always ask me."

He tried a smile but it probably looked a bit insecure now. It definitely wasn't that easy to make a conversation start with everyone.

Wordcount 213

Interacting with @Ivy Logan