Date: 4th August

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Location: Madam Malkin

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Interaction with: -

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The bell above the door chimed softly as Seraphina Vale stepped into Madame Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions. The familiar scents of fresh fabric and pressed wool wrapped around her like a warm spell. Her mother, Lysandra, followed close behind, her posture composed and her eyes scanning the shop with the precision of someone accustomed to judging quality at a glance. The afternoon sunlight filtered through the front windows, catching the rows of neatly displayed Hogwarts robes in deep blacks and rich house colors. Bolts of fabric in tidy rainbows lined the walls, from sober greys and forest greens to more daring crimsons and silvers, each whispering of possibilities. “This will be your everyday uniform, Seraphina,” murmured Lysandra, guiding her gently towards a fitting stand near the back. “Practical, well-fitted, and with enough room for you to grow into it.” Her voice carried the faintest hint of nostalgia, though her expression remained serene. Madame Malkin herself bustled over, her measuring tape draped around her neck. With a kind smile, she asked if Seraphina was a first year, already steering her onto the small platform. Then she told her to stand tall and put her arms out. Seraphina obeyed, though her gaze kept drifting across the shop. A witch in emerald robes was examining lace-trimmed dress robes by the window, while two mannequins near the front were modelling Quidditch cloaks in gleaming gold and maroon. The low hum of conversation from another fitting area suggested that the shop was busier than it seemed. As Madame Malkin’s tape measure moved around her shoulders and waist, Seraphina let her thoughts wander. Would she be sorted into her mother’s house, Ravenclaw? Or perhaps her father’s, Slytherin? The uncertainty made her stomach flutter with a mixture of excitement and nerves. Lysandra stepped aside to inspect a display of winter cloaks, her fingers brushing over fine, silver, crescent-moon-shaped clasps. “You'll need one of these for weekends in the colder months,” she said, her tone gentle and instructive, without looking up. Seraphina smiled faintly, then glanced towards the door as it chimed again. A new customer had entered — the kind of moment her brothers would call an opportunity. Perhaps another first-year? A future classmate? The thought made her pulse quicken. Hogwarts suddenly felt closer and more real. She shifted slightly on the platform, her eyes bright with curiosity as she waited to see who might walk over or whether she should be the one to speak first.

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She's got a book for everything.

@Seraphina Vale

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The bell above the door rang as Isabella stepped into Madame Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions, the soft sound echoing in the cozy shop. Right away, she noticed the smell of new fabric and something warm and clean, like fresh laundry. It made her feel calm.

She didn’t come with her parents—they were busy back home—but Isabella didn’t mind. She liked doing things on my own. She stood a little taller and smiled as she walked in, hoping she looked confident, even though she was just as excited and nervous as any other first year.

At the front counter, a friendly witch pointed Isabella toward the fitting area. Isabella thanked her politely and made her way back, careful not to bump into the displays of cloaks and shimmering fabric rolls. The shop was full of soft voices and quiet movement, like a place where magic was sewn into every stitch.

When Isabella got to the fitting platform, she saw another girl already being measured—about her age, maybe a little taller, with blonde hair and thoughtful eyes. She looked curious, like she was taking everything in. She waited patiently nearby. When Madam Malkin turned to get something, I turned to the girl.

“Hi,” Isabella said kindly. “Are you a first year too?”

Isabella hoped she’d answer. Maybe she would be Isabella's first real Hogwarts friend.

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Comfortably settled amongst the other shops was a quaint little boutique displaying robed mannequins moving between vogue poses, it’s front showing “Madam Malkin’s Robes for all Occasions”.

The bell shrilled as Janet walked in, piercing through the faint murmur of the store. The interior, which was far more spacious than the outside implied, boasted racks upon racks of every item of clothing any British larper could ever need, from breeches and waistcoats to petticoats and pretty gowns. Over by a rack of lacy dresses idled a woman in a long velvety emerald cloak.

Behind a rack of tall robes so reflective they functioned as mirrors, a shelf of shiny knick knacks and funky accessories glinted in the warm overhead light.

The fine print under the price label for some fancy little silver combs advertised auto-hairstyling properties. Janet’s looked down to her braid, which was brushing her knees at this point, and grabbed one. She’d been fantasizing about chopping it off recently. The prospect of never having to deal with it again made her dizzy with delight. Magic was truly a blessing.

The bell shrieked, and Janet peeped her head over the racks. A tiny boy with a long red ponytail, Victorian coat tails, and a vacant gaze ambled in. He looked like he could be one of her classmates. She followed him towards a section consisting of racks of mostly plain black cloaks, button down shirts, Hogwarts ties, and hats. Just as she flipped through some grey pullovers and noticed none of them had any sizes on the label, she was interrupted by a plump friendly-faced woman in a frilly witch hat and matronly dress.

“First years ‘ll be fitted over at the platforms dear. Why don’t you head over, and we’ll get you sorted”.

“Thank you”, squeaked Janet.

As she hurried over, she spotted three kids t-posing on a platform, where a tape measure was flying around and taking all their measurements. The boy was introducing himself to two girls, one with long flowy blonde hair and a regal posture, and the other with a long blonde bob and huge owlish hazel eyes.

Janet went and positioned herself next to them, the tape measure doing its thing. At the foot of the platform, a black pointed hat popped into existence on top of three folded black cloaks. As the tape measure flew down to her fingers, a pair of thick gloves floated to the top of pile. This is all terribly efficient, Janet thought to herself.

She looked back to the other three and jumped as she was faced with the intense, sparkling stare of a pair of the greatest googly globes she had ever seen. She felt as if her soul was being turned inside out but shoved down her nerves, offering a shaky smile.

"My, what big eyes you all have. All the better to see with, I bet, haha =)", Janet laughed weakly.

The genteel girl was amused by this, and the Victorian children continued to chat amicably about Hogwarts with an air of polite anticipation fit for an esteemed brood. Janet left the shop with the picture that the student body were all prancy poofs, but then caught herself in the fallacy, and thought that instead maybe this boutique was just hot topic for powdered schmoofs.


Encyclopedia | previous | next | @Seraphina Vale @Isabella Bernard @Lex Alexander

Date: 4th August

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Location: Madam Malkin

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Interaction with: @Isabella Berard@Lex Alexander @Janet Flannel Roll Banana Karen

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The next customer to enter the shop was a girl, alone. She looked about the same age as Seraphina, her confident smile lighting up the quiet bustle of the robe shop. Seraphina straightened slightly on the fitting platform, watching her from the corner of her eye. She hoped that once the measuring tape had finished its endless darting about, she might get a chance to speak with the young witch. She didn’t have to wait long. Shortly afterwards, the blonde girl drifted closer, until she was suddenly standing right beside Seraphina. “Hi! Are you a first year too?” she asked brightly. Seraphina turned to face her, relief and curiosity mingling at once. “Hi! Yes, I’m a first year too,” she said, offering a small, eager smile. “My name is Seraphina. What’s yours?” Before the girl could answer, the bell above the door chimed again. A red-haired boy stepped inside, his gaze flickering across the rows of robes before Madame Malkin ushered him toward the measuring platform beside them. He shifted uncomfortably at first, looking a little shy, a feeling Seraphina could completely understand. After a moment, he asked, “Are you first years too?” Seraphina’s eyes brightened. She shifted her attention from the girl to the boy, pleased at the thought of not being the only nervous one here. “Yes, we are,” she answered warmly. “We’d just been talking about that. I’m Seraphina, nice to meet you!” The measuring tape zipped around her shoulders again, but her attention had already wandered away from the shop fittings and onto her new companions. For the first time, the thought of starting at Hogwarts didn’t feel quite so overwhelming. The bell chimed a third time, and a brown-haired girl entered. She, too, was led to the fitting platform. Unlike the others, she didn’t speak at first, though Seraphina found herself watching her curiously. Perhaps sensing the attention, the girl looked back with a smile. “My, what big eyes you all have! All the better to see with, I bet!” she remarked playfully. Seraphina blinked, caught off guard for a heartbeat, then gave a small laugh. “Well, I suppose that could be useful at Hogwarts,” she replied, her voice gentle but amused. “Especially if the castle is as mysterious as they say.”

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