The new school year was fast approaching, leaving Isabella with no other option than to purchase the items she needed for her second year at Hogwarts before it was too late. She was never one to leave anything till the last minute, and she certainly wasn't about to start now.

Her mother had judged her responsible enough to get her school shopping done herself this year. That and the fact that Ella Hills was meeting an old friend from her days at Hogwarts had seen herself left alone alone at the Leaky Cauldron to make her own way into and around Diagon Alley. With a promise that she would be back to collect her in three hours, her mother had turned on her heel and disappeared into thin air with nothing but a small pop.

Having completed her shopping in just under and hour, Isabella was noe taking the time to simply explore the Wizarding Alley - something she hasn't been able to do last year.

School supplies in her arms, she was just stepping back from a dusty bookshelf that housed a pretty little book with a gold spine about Charms when she felt her shoulder brush against something.

Turning around, she was surprised to see a girl standing there that looked only a little bit younger than herself.

'That's right, Hogwarts is getting a new batch of first years this year." She thought to herself. The recently acquired title of second year was one she still hasn't wrapped her head around, constantly forgetting she was no longer one of the babies of the school and that there would be some newbies doing their first year shopping while she was doing her second year shopping.

Smiling at the girl, she spoke to her in a happy and polite tone of voice. "Hello! I'm Isabella, Isabella Hills. But you can call me Bella for short. Are you a first year at Hogwarts this year?"

"Do you know what books you need? I remember in my first year when I went shopping, I was so lost. If I hadn't had someone to help me I would of gotten all the wrong supplies." It was true. If she hasn't had her aunt to help her she probably would of ended up sitting in a corner crying out of desperation.

"I'm a second year in Slytherin this year. I promise I don't bite, my houses reputation doesn't describe me at all - there's nothing to be scared of. What house do you want to be in?" She'd had younger ones afraid of her in the past upon learning she was a Slytherin. The rumours and stereotyping of and about her houses reputation were not true at all. In fact, some of the nicest people she had meet in her first year were in Slytherin. If they hadn't of been wearing their school robes, she would of thought for sure they were in Hufflepuff.

"Do you have your supplies list? I already got my supplies and have two hours to kill. I'd be happy to help you find everything you need, it would be no trouble at all."

She already knew where to find most of the first year items from her first year shopping last year. The memory of it was still fresh in her mind, and she could remember almost all of the items on the list - give or take a few of the books.

[font=Times New Roman]No, it isn’t. I think that’s an amazing idea actually. There’d be no more stereotyping of all this good and evil stuff. We could throw in some corgis here and there. Or Hogwarts could add a house that people from other houses could go to when they were feeling sick of their house, or didn’t want to be there. I would of loved to have a house like that when I first got sorted. I didn’t want to be in Slytherin. I seriously needed something like that. There’d be other students there to suppor the ones feeling down - and you’d forget all about your house while you’re there. It’d be like one big family. I’m sorry, I’m talking too much aren’t I? The idea had certainly caught her be surprise. A house where you wouldn’t have a house? Who’d ever heard of that. It wouldn’t be a thing in a million years.

It was like someone had flipped a switch in here brain that made words fall out of her mouth at rapid speed. She was never usually this talkative around her friends, and she was definitely not this like around strangers. She had only met Elena a few minutes ago and she was already pouring out all of her thoughts onto the poor girl. It was like she was a different person.

But little did she know, she was a different. Not in physical form - but mentally and spiritually. Her first school year had shaped her the way her childhood never had, and even if she didn’t know it she had grown and changed a lot over the last year.

“I remember most of the stuff on the list. I’ve been using it all year, so it would be bad if I didn’t. Come on, we’ll get your books first.” Walking off down an aisle, she didn’t turn around to see if the younger of the pair was following her. She knew that she probably was, Isabella knew the school list when the newbie didn’t.

“So, Elena, do you know what house you want to be in yet? I wanted to be in Hufflepuff when I first started - but I guess the sorting hat had different plans for me.” She asked about the girl as she roamed along one of the aisles, keeping her eyes locked on the shelves as she did.

Pausing, she pulled a large book off of one of the shelves - squinting at the title of it as she held it in her hand. “Here you go, A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot. You’ll need this one for Professor Cazarezs class.” Tucking the book into the crook of her elbow, she continued along the shelves looking for the soon to be First Years books.[/font]