Shopping came easier this time. She knew where the stores were and how the shelves were laid out. In fact, the list itself was shorter as things like her wand she only needed to purchase once. Still, the Gemmells came out to make sure Maisie had everything she could possibly need and she enjoyed the process. London had its own charm that she was still getting used to.

The most efficient way to go through the list here was to split up, letting her father acquire the heavier items. Maisie was on her way to meet him when some ways down the alley, she spied a young girl about her age with bright hair—almost white—staring at a sign for Knockturn Alley. She recognized the glimmer in the girl's eye—it was the same that Avis had when they were planning adventures. But for all the risks Maisie might take, even she knew that Knockturn Alley was not a place you wanted to go.

Picking up her pace she headed towards the girl, she reached with a wave. "Hey, are you heading down that way?" she said as she pointed towards the alley, "I wouldn't. I heard it's really dodgy with people who steal your stuff and sell dragons to hags. And I'm from Glasgow." She wasn't completely sure about the last part regarding the alley, but there was something about backwater deals and animal exploitation. She had also substituted 'my parents said' for 'I heard,' which she guessed would be more convincing to a stranger. She trusted her parents, of course, somehow it never had the same weight when someone else talked about their parents. Still, the intention was true from an urban native like herself—from a place with a reputation like The Red City at that.

Turning her head, she looked into the darkness of the alley. She could understand the appeal of the unknown, especially in a new place. But she'd seen far too many alleys like this—and even traversed them one too many times—but that's why she knew when to turn around. Hopefully, this girl would know too.

@Esme Hestridge

It was almost—almost—like talking to an adult. The questions just kept coming as this girl seemed to be deeply unbelieving of her warning. Furrowing her brow, Maisie had not expected this. She was just trying to show some kindness.

"Really," she repeated firmly, doubling down in her stance as she dug her heels into the cobblestone below as best she could. "Believe me, I love going to new places in the city, but there are some places you don't go if you don't have to," she explained as images of such alleyways on the Southside flashed in her mind. As confident as she felt like she could get out of a sticky situation on the street, she also knew the best option was not to get there in the first place. (Perhaps this was why Hogwarts had never scared her—it seemed so tame compared to the streets of a place like Glasgow.)

And yet, that somehow didn't seem to satisfy the girl's questions, nearly all of which seemed to culminate in the classic playground dare: prove it. She knew it well, a taunting that existed in muggle schools as well as magical ones.

Her brown eyes looked from the blonde girl to the alley and back again. "Have you really looked?" she said as she walked over to the opening of the alleyway. "Lumos," she cast, holding her wand up taut just at the entrance to shed a faint light into what was already a shadowy space. She'd hold the wand there gently for a few moments in case the girl wanted to crane her neck over get a look of her own. "I don't know where you're from, but where I'm from, that's a mighty dodgy vennel," she said with a cock of her head.

She looked across at the girl, waiting for her to speak. There was an otherworldly quality to her and she seemed quite fancy. Far be it from Maisie to judge what would be appropriate for someone like her. She was just trying to be honest, but to each their own.

@Esme Hestridge

“Perhaps,” she'd said, and Maisie wasn't entirely sure if the girl believed her or not. Still, she'd keep her wand steady to give the girl a good look down the corridor. But what was strange about was how the girl's face seemed to light up not what ever the light illuminated, but at the light itself. Maisie's casting always been somewhat lackluster if we were being generous, but it did the job: what was revealed seemed to turn off the younger girl if the way she scrunched up her nose was anything to go off. Maisie breathed a sigh of relief.

Blinking, she saw the girl was looking at her again behind the light. "Yeah, I am. I'll be going into my second year," she explained with a more uplifting tone. She was genuinely looking forward to being back. Camp had been interesting this summer and she felt good about her entrepreneurial exploits there, but nothing was like Hogwarts. Plus, there were pressing matters to attend to there like Operation Fun.

But while Maisie seemed to relax, the girl seemed to do the opposite: straightening her posture and clearing her throat like a preening peacock. Her language was strangely formal for somewho was presumably only a year younger than her. And worst of all, she apologized for being excited! Maisie's eyebrowed raised, confused. Still, she grabbed her hand in exchange. "I'm Maisie. And you don't have to apologize for being excited, silly! Hogwarts is great. What are you most excited about?" she introduced herself.

As she put out the spell and replaced her wand, she considered what the girl had said about presumably her family shopping trip. "I have to meet my Dad soon, but do you know how to get back to Madam Malkin's?" she asked, assuming that's where she'd be purchasing school robes. She'd be happy to show her the way back or point it out, just to make sure she didn't go down any more dodgy alleys. Mylo, she knew, would be so very proud of her being responsible.

@Esme Hestridge