August 25th 2023


Emiline was running shelf to shelf dragging her sister Skye along with her. I need this book, no sorry this one, back and forth between the shelves. Her sister was here because she was reading out the list that had been sent to her. 'Book of Spells' Skye called out. Emiline looked along the books until she saw the purple spine. "Got it What's next sis?"
This carried on; Skye reading and Emiline running to and fro. Soon they had gathered all of her books. Emiline told her sister to wait outside while she paid.

Emiline then regretted that when she saw that she now had to carry seven books to the till. She bent down and picked up four of the seven heavy books then she just managed to get the other more on the top. Then she slowly waddled towards the place to pay. The owner of the shop was very friendly and Emiline payed the amount and wished them a good rest of the day.

She slowly walked towards the exit, trying to peer over the top of the tall stack of books. But alas the book tower was too tall, so Emiline had to do a weird peer around the edge of the tower. Look to the left of the tower, ok there is a person, look the other side ,all clear. Ok move slightly to the right then Emiline. she thought. Then she felt her heel catch on something, and down she fell. Backwards onto her deriére. The books she was carrying managed to fall all around her and one book even bonked her on her nose. " Ow!" Emiline cried out. She sat up and started muttering to herself, cursing herself for being so clumsy.
She started slowly collecting all of her books again.

305/200

By Fourth Year, all Simon had to do was update a couple of textbooks to their next volume, but other than the two books he was carrying from shelf to shelf, he was ready for the upcoming year. This had been his last stop, too, as all his other school shopping had been completed at the other stores before coming into Flourish and Blotts. His girlfriend, AngelFyre McCubbin, had been with him in those stores but her parents wanted some moments with her before departing back to Scotland to say goodbye to their devoted daughter since they wouldn't see her before she got on the train at Kings Cross. Simon would meet up again with her soon to say his goodbyes to Annene and Iain McCubbin, and to join back with his girl.

He wasn't one to grab his school books and dash out though - as Simon had always enjoyed reading but these weren't just books, they were magical books. There he could find books about magical medicine, about healing plants, about broom racing, about dragons, about vampires (although he was sure he read them all), and beyond! He had even ordered a few books from Flourish and Blotts by mail through the school year.

He decided on Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger and Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland. He'd look for new books about his most sought after topics - medicine and vampires, when he had more time. Flourish and Blotts would send him bi-weekly lists of new publications throughout the school year and that's how he'd make his order. No need to get too in-depth here or he might not leave the store until closing time.

He paid for his purchases, thanked the seller, and was heading to the door when he saw a girl with a stack of books fall, books scattering around her. If he had been a little bit closer, he might have been more help in stopping her fall with his quick reflexes, but at least he could help with her recovery.

"Woah, are you alright?" he asked as he knelt down to her and extended out a hand for her to take so he could help her get back on her feet. He could gather the books for her after but the books could wait - they wouldn't feel any harm from the fall but she could. The right fall (or wrong, if you will) could break bones or cause bruising. Hopefully hers had not.

Emiline started to collect her books but she heard a male voice asking if she was okay. She stopped doing anything and just froze for a moment, then she unfroze and looked up from the floor to his eyes and said "Yeah. I'm okay. I'm super clumsy."She quickly grabbed one of the books, held it tightly and took the boy's hand. "I am Emiline, Emiline Hunter, don't worry, the blasted book only bonked me on the nose, wait a sec ,you're older than me, right?" She asked. "Well anyway thanks for helping me up." There was a beat of silence. While Emiline thought: Shut up Emiline you are talking too much, changing topic too quickly, he won't understand what you are yapping on about. You might even scare away the first wizard you have met. Now be polite and smile. She gave a small smile and she could tell her cheeks were flushed from embarrassment. She looked down at the mess she had made, six books all over the entrance of the book shop. Well done, make a mess of the first thing you do in the wizarding world Emiline, she chided herself. She looked back up at the boy when she realised that there was silence and the boy hadn't spoken yet.

@Simon Kincaid

"It was quite a lot of books you were trying to carry," he admitted, trying to say that anyone would have a similar problem - or at least most. Most students of Hogwarts were not dhampirs with increased strength. He helped her up and then immediately crouched back down to gather up her books for her, only extending out the first two to her and then he stacked the rest on top of the two books he had purchased, silently offering to help her carry them for a little while.

"Pleasure to meet you, Emiline Hunter. I'm Simon Kincaid and yea, I suppose I've probably got some years on you." Her textbooks were first year requirements and besides, he had already realized that he didn't recall seeing her at Hogwarts before. While he might not know the other houses as well as his Hufflepuff, he was still prefect and often at least knew the faces of all his classmates - even if he didn't always have a name to go with it.

"How's your supply shopping going? Still need to hit any of the other stores?" He had some time to kill while he waited for AngelFyre. Perhaps he could help her locate anything she might need or at least offer to help with the books.

Emiline saw the boy crouch down and start to pick up the books, she quickly crouched down and the boy handed her two of her seven books. She noticed that he was carrying the rest. Emiline made a mental note to thank him later.

He introduced himself as Simon Kincaid and he said he was older than her. Emiline felt honoured that an older boy had decided to help her. This was because in her town she'd grown up in, all the older children payed no attention to Emiline. "Thanks for holding my books. I should have known seven were too many" She spoke thankfully.

Simon asked how the shopping was going and if she was going to be shopping more for the other items that she needed. " I never knew I needed so many different books for one school. " Emiline smiled hoping that Simon would get that she was making a joke in her expense. "Yes I still need to get my ..........." she trailed off. "My sister is outside, she has my list of stuff I need" Emiline gestured for Simon to follow her and walked out the door.


But her sister was nowhere to be seen. Where is she. She isn't suppose to wander off she is a muggle! Emiline thought frustratedly. She looked about left and right. Doing the tippy toes dance. Leaning to the right and leaning to the left. Emiline made a small noise to communicate her frustration. She turned round to Simon. "Sorry, but my sister has wondered off. I was hoping to introduce you to her, she's a similar age to you. " she explained. She gave a slight smile but you could see the panic, worry and dread forming in her eyes.

@Simon Kincaid

"Diagon Alley has a lot of distractions," Simon admitted. The wizarding marketplace still amazed him even after several years of shopping there, as did Hogsmeade back near Hogwarts in Scotland. He wondered how many other wizarding communities there were and what they were like - maybe he'd have to make some trips to them upon graduation. The wizarding world still fascinated him every day since he found out about it.

"Well, I'm not meeting up with my party until awhile," Simon said as he titled his wrist to check the watch that rested upon his wrist. It was one of those mechanical watches that you wound up each night and he used it while he was at Hogwarts. "I can help you find her if you'd like and continue to carry these," he lifted the books up a bit further.

"And meanwhile you can tell me all about how you're feeling about starting Hogwarts. Is this all new to you? The magical world and that? I was, well, - not exactly muggleborn - but just as much. My mum had attended Hogwarts. She passed away when I was very young." He remembered he felt a mix of emotions - excitement, apprehension, worry. That was all behind him now though and while he loved his home of London, he loved Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry very much as well.

Simon suggested that he could help Emiline find her sister and help find her sister. Emiline felt hope flare up inside her. He was actually being nice. Wow, Simon is really kind. He is helping me carry my books, he has offered to help find my sister and he is being friendly. She thought. She made eye contact and said "You would still help me. Are you sure it isn't too much of a hassle?" she said. Then, she started walking down the cobbled streets then she quickly turned around and said to Simon, "You'd better give me a couple more of those book Simon, otherwise that really is unfair of me. I don't know why you let yourself carry five books for so long." She said this with a huge, relaxed smile on her face. Emiline looked around at the streets, there were many people bustling about from shop to shop. She was surprised when she saw an apothecary. Isn't that shop like potion stuff she thought. Her hair had come slightly undone and a bit of her hair had fallen in front of her eyes. She quickly blew it out of her face. She made eye contact with Simon and frowned.

"Didn't you say something about Hogwarts?" she said with a confused tone. Then she remembered and her whole face lit up. "Oh yeah, I remember. I am so excited for Hogwarts. My mum is a muggle and my dad is a wizard you see. When my mum found out that she was dating a wizard, she yelled at him saying that he could of tidied the house in one quick spell. And lets just say that my dad had to tidy the house for the rest of the year without magic." There was a moment of pause. She blushed. "Sorry, I've barely let you talk. What's Hogwarts like, Simon? I can't wait to go."She looked at Simon waiting for an answer patiently with a smile on her face.

@Simon Kincaid

They headed out the door and into Diagon Alley, standing outside the storefront of Flourish and Blotts. Simon didn't know what Emiline's sister looked like, but he looked around for someone that might resemble her. Did she go to Hogwarts herself? Maybe Simon even knew her or of her.

"Your father sort of had that coming," he said, agreeing with the mother in the circumstance in which she brought up. It was rather humorous and Simon smiled. The man probably got off easy only having to muggle clean for a year and not a lifetime. Still though, it also brought to life how difficult those mixed marriages must be.

"Did your father go to Hogwarts? Do you happen to know what house he was in? It seems a lot of students get placed into the same house that their parents were in, but certainly not all. My mum was in the house of Gryffindor but I'm a Hufflepuff." He made no mention of his father and there was no need - for several reasons, but the main being that he had not attended Hogwarts.

Not knowing how much she knew about Hogwarts and the houses, but her father and sister might have mentioned how things worked, he added in, "There isn't a wrong house to get sorted into," and he smiled to her encouragingly.

She had offered to take some of his books from him but he was handling them just fine. On the contrary, it was her who couldn't brush aside some of her hair due to the ones she carried and Simon held up the books he had along his arm and then began to take the books she was holding, one by one, stacking them ontop of his, until he now had all the books and she none. "That's better," he smiled wider. "So you want to keep waiting for your sister or head on to do some more shopping? Maybe we'll see her along the way. I could be, Simon Kincaid, your personal assistant."

Simon asked if her father went to hogwarts. Emiline smiled and answered "Yep Hogwarts. He was in slytherin, because he had wayyy too much ambition." Emiline explained. Apparently slytherin and hufflepuff get on well together is that true? She grinned, a frequent expression found on this girl's face. Sometimes, she was accused of not being serious enough in situations and she got into trouble for it. Emiline shivered at the memory.

She was so wrapped up in her memory so didn't realise that Simon had taken all of her books. "What...H...How did you do that?" She asked dumbfounded. She stood mouth open for a beat. Then shook herself out of it.

She listen to Simon talking. "Well I dont know what else go buy without that list but I was hoping to go to the ice cream parlour but my sis wouldn't let me go." She answered. Then her face lit up, "Simon lets go to the Ice Cream Parlour." Emiline babbled excitedly. She giggled when Simon suggested he could be her personal assistant. "Right assistant, the ice cream parlour is our next destination." She said this in a posh accent obviously carrying on Simon's joke. She also jestered elaborately in the direction of the Parlour.

@Simon Kincaid