| Details for Candy Crush of 38 |
| Summary: | It's the last Hogsmeade weekend before the holiday's and Harkiss Candy is packed to the brim with students making last minute purchases and plans! |
| Date: | 1938-12-13 |
| Location: | Harkiss Candy |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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Stepping into the dizzying kaleidoscope of sweets, muggle and magical, is a Hogwarts students dream come true. Harkisss Candy and Malt shop has even been known to turn adults into children again, without the use of magic. Young and old alike wander the forest of stands sprouting lollipops like fantastical rainbow colored leaves. Strange birds strutting a multicolored variety of sugared quills mingle among the forest, preening their feathers for consumption.
Then theres the shelves down the middle of the store. Polished glass jars of pepper imps, licorice wands and exploding bonbons dazzle the eye. Wrapped in shiny foils, fizzing whizbees crowd among the trademark gold hexagonal boxes of chocolate frogs and pots of wriggling jelly slugs. Various muggle treat of peppermint and butterscotch fight for their own right to be sampled and taken home, as well as an impressive variety of homemade fudge.
The main feature of the place, however, is the malt counter. With the wood polished to a high shine, and cushiony bar stools lined up in front, patrons can be seen sampling all manner of drinks that fizz, foam and steam. The best part of the bar it that it never seems to be full. No matter how many students and adults crowd the counter, theres always another stool for the little straggler who wants to join his fellows, or a couple for the sweethearts that wish to share a malt for two.
Esther doesn't normally find herself needing to get candy. But she owes someone a chocolate frog or two, and in the process, she's distracted herself into a Malt. Come mid-afternoon, she's sitting at the bar, four chocolate frogs stacked beside her, a malt that's nearly full sitting infront of her, and a parchment full of realty listings in the area held lightly in one hand. She's reading peacefully amoungst the chaos of the candy bar. A gentle sip at her malt, before she goes back to reading her listings. A pleasant dream.
"So it's settled," Jenny was remarking to Peyton, while she held a rather extensive list in her hand, "Tomorrow morning, we'll go shopping and you'll…help me." Those last words, that 'help me' sounded choked out and a little strangled; while the girl herself smoothed at her slacks and eventually tugged her cuffs straight so that she looked, once again, mostly presentable. Having slept away the bulk of the afternoon she'd bathed, become clean and presentable and even, in consideration for the pretty princess, straightened out her hair.
"… he's, uh. Well, he's a snake, isn't he?" Variel sounds just a touch defensive as he comes in the door with Niles, but certainly fond of whatever he's talking about. "And he lives up to his name, too, mind- wouldn't call a dumb snake Clever!"
"It's settled," Peyton agrees, giving Jenny a perfectly princess-like smile. Beware. "We'll have a lot of fun, I know the perfect place, just leave it all to me." Beware. Before Jenny can protest though, Peyton is on to the next topic, or rather - destination, and the pair has arrived in the candy shop. "You look really pretty by the way, I'm not sure what it is especially, but your hair did look a fright this morning." She doesn't have a list of her own, not of candy items anyway, but her eyes do dart between fizzing, melting, popping sweets with an appraising air. "I love the holidays; such a great excuse to ruin peoples' skin," she says, sounding quite pleased. Her own skin is of course, entirely unblemished. "Who are you shopping for?" she asks her Sixth Year companion.
Esther can never get her hair straightened. Luckily, it's an incredibly elegant mess. She continues to read the local listings with a secret little smile playing at the corner of her mouth. Company doesn't distract her for a little while, until the female voice clicks with a memory. Almost five full seconds after she's finished speaking, Esther's lovely grey eyes blink, and then look up. Genevieve. Simultaneously, she feels at ease and a little more uncomfortable. She reaches for her malt, and has a gentle sip before she greets Peyton and Jenny with her voice. "Hello, you two."
"I wouldn't call a clever snake Dumb either," Niles replies, who ran into Variel outside as the group of second years he's a part of on today's special trip to Hogsmeade was being herded off to the candy shop. He enters the shop just ahead of the teacher who is escorting the young students around. "Actually, I wouldn't call any snake dumb. Why wouldn't I have believed you? The only strange thing is that you're not in Slytherin since you like snakes so much. Why is that?"
"Dunno, honestly. Dad's theory is that I woulda fit just about anywhere, so the hat went with tradition. Alla my uncles were Gryffindor, after all. Been that way for ages, Da says. Thinks I'm too clever for my own good, work way too hard, and he's worried the whole Curse Breaker thing might be over my head. It's not that he thinks I can't do it, mind- I'm pretty sure he's just nervous. Not a safe job, is it?" Variel seems perfectly at ease wandering about with the younger students, a cloth bag with some shimmery gray and viridian fabric- fleece, by the look of it- leaking out the top.
"You're too good to me," Jenny replies, linking arms with Peyton as the pair march onwards, "Though I'd not say pretty. Not terrible, perhaps but that might just be because it was my thigh that was left black from the bludgers, rather than my face." Yet the Slytherin Chaser can't help but grin at the mention. "But thank you." A sincerity that she means, no less! Right up until she huffed about her hair, even as she held the door open. "My hair looked fine." It really hadn't. "Who's skin gets ruined for the holidays?" Say one thing for Jenny, she might take constant beatings at Quidditch and she might eat like a horse while staying decidedly thing but she did not have pimples. "They sell potions for that, anyway." Yet when the question came to shopping? Her smile turned somewhat..shy? "Silas. It's for part of his Christmas present, it's a..well, it's a themed gift, so you can help me. I want to find the most obnoxious holiday candies possible. As many as you can think of!"
Yet Esther's presence, or shall we say hair, caught her eyes and the girl smiled easy, before lifting the none note holding hand to wave at the girl. "Hi there, beautiful. Looks like you got a headstart leaving the castle, hmm? Though I can't say I blame you, I think…" And there came the noise, the professor..the gaggle of students. It was a crush.
It isn't that Peyton doesn't like children; every princess marries prince charming and has lovely little angelic children. But these are not lovely little angels, they are sticky-fingered, raucous little witches & wizards in training. "Oh," she says, going from elated to dismayed in an instant. "Oh!" She steps to the side, barely missing being hit with a peppermint ball that's been tossed through the air, trailing color-changing smoke and making a most impolite flatulence sound as it goes. "One of those," she tells Jenny dryly. "Let's add it to the list, shall we?" She wiggles her fingers in greeting toward Esther. "There's a lolly that says rude things every time you lick it," she recalls. "Someone was messing about with it in History class the other day."
Esther blushes immediately crimson. Beautiful? Nuh-uh. Esther places the parchment down flat on the counter, smiling faintly as she looks at Slytherin's. Sadly Variel is ignored, as she opens her mouth to respond. "Beautiful? I but wish—" Her eyes widen, as the crush occurs rather suddenly, and the shop fills up. She quickly covers the chairs beside her with her hands, and gestures for her Slythersisters to come join her at the Malt Bar. "Cleave to me for safety. I can provide Malts and Chocolate Frogs." She offers. Two of which she legitimately owes the Quidditch player.
Niles spares a brief look for what some of the other kids his age are doing, but doesn't seem all that interested in following them around the shop. He gives an especially disapproving frown at the kid who throws one of the sweets through the air and turns pointedly away from him. "So you're going to become a Curse Breaker when you finish school?" he asks Variel as he peruses a shelf full of round black sweets ("Tastes like real coal!") with distaste. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he notices the group of his older Housemates across the store and adds, "Hey, isn't that who you're doing the project for?"
"Pey," there's a signal of friendship in the use of that shorthand of the girl's name, obvious by the chuckle that came with it and the shake of her head. "I don't want…mature candy. I want, innocent happy safe for childhood Christmas treats. Something like..oh, the holiday themed wizard crackers and little licorice brooms that're bewitched to fly. Or..," and there, behind Esther's blushing cheeks comes an answer, "Chocolate frogs! Yes! Exactly. Ooo and those chocolate oranges, that turn into little boats when you break them apart. Marshmellow snowmen, enchanted to sing. Oh! Do you think they still have those gingerbread trainsets? I could put one of those up under the tree!" The girl babbles on, leading Peyton to the safety of the Malt Bar, because who in their right mind turns down an invitation for free food?
Though she does notice Avery and Weasly, for all that she's easing her arm free of Peyton's so that she can slide onto a stool.
Er. Well, now Variel was wishing he hadn't brought up that particular detail. There's a faint, frustrated grimace, but his response is confident enough. "Either that or I'm going to kick myself for taking so many courses." Varry looks up when Niles points out his housemates, in time to catch Jenny's glance past the roaming, mismatched pair. "I just need to find time to practice a few things." All of them called Charms. "Yeah, it is- let's try to escape the riptide. I mean go say hello." And he starts to lead the way, wading through the ebb and flow of prepubescent magery.
Esther smiles, reaching into her slender pocket and withdrawing coins for two additional malts for her friends, and placing them on the bar. "Someone relieving their innocent days? Also. My debt paid;" Esther takes a chocolate frog in two fingers and slides it across to Jenny. "And interest." Another chocolate frog. "And on a more serious note, thanks to both of you for putting up with me while I've been completely insufferable." A smile, "I've learned my lessons. So, how are we? And what're the plans for the day?" She attempts to discretely fold up her parchment. It doesn't work, but she still folds it up and puts it away.
Lightfooting it over to the malt bar on Genevieve's arm, Peyton claims one of the seats that Esther has so kindly saved for them. "Oh, is that what you meant?" she asks Jenny, glancing over the store. "Well, there's plenty of that, you only need reach out and grab something." Peyton demonstrates, reaching out and plucking a dancing gingerbread reindeer from the overflowing stack of sweets in a passing Hufflepuff student's arms. "See?" She pokes it back into place, all without said student noticing.
When Esther brings up recent emotional turmoils, she pats the other girl's arm reassuringly. "It isn't as if we'd give up on you because you lost your whole, entire mind for a bit." Ouch. "And now you've got it back, and some clarity besides. I chalk it up to the stress of impending holidays."
Niles gives Variel an amused smile, but doesn't comment on his course load. "What?" he says when Variel suggests saying hello. "Oh, all right then." He follows behind the Gryffindor, peering every now and then at some of the more interesting sweets he passes, but never pausing to take a closer look. At one point he's almost run over by one of his larger classmates carrying a handful of chocolate frogs, but he manages to get by unscathed and doesn't bother to stop and help pick up the ones the other kid drops.
"Your debt was already paid," Jenny murmurs sidelong to Esther, with a smile and the kind of look that's meant to brook even less of an argument. "But I am certainly not going to turn down the treat." A wink then, as she opens the packaging and smacks a hand down on top of the front, least it somehow get away. And because there is no humane way to eat a chocolate that immitates an animal, it disappears all in one go. The same go that makes it rather hard to talk for a moment while she crunches her wayt hrough the thing.
But eventually, she manages it. The swallow hurts and the reindeer has her making a mental note to snag one when…several things happen at once. Across the store a startled quill baring peacock is startled enough to cry out, Jenny spots Niles and seems to catch up with Peyton's remark. "Esther's fine," at the moment. "You shouldn't pick on her. She's had a very stressful time. Hey Avery!" The Chaser beckons the second year, "Commer a minute!"
Esther snickers softly, "Yes. My whole mind. Don't worry, I'll lose small pieces of it as we go along, but since when was that anything new? Besides, it's one of my most endearing features." The strange girl smiles, running a hand through her bountiful hair. Despite her 'stressful time' she seems to have emerged in good spirits. "Peyton means nothing offensive by it, I'm sure. I'm a big girl, Jenny…" A snicker, "Alright, I'm short and underweight, but I've got a large enough spirit to endure a bit of teasing." The Hair takes a mouthful of malt, "And good. Otherwise I was going to have to fill your bed with them." Chocolate Frogs, of course.
"Yes, she's a big girl Jenny, she can take a bit of ribbing," Peyton concurs, flashing Esther a smile. "What was that?" she asks, startled when the peacock cries out, and she ducks slightly, reaching up to protect her wavy hair, which while quite long is nowhere near as striking as as Esther's - but would still make a good target for something looking for a place to spill, fizzle, stain, or otherwise land in a ruinous mess.
"I need a drink," she murmurs, but for the moment the malt suffices, and she takes a steadying sip as Jenny calls over more students to the bar. "You know these people?" she asks, her tone just the proper side of polite and curious as the Second Year from their own house, and ostensibly his Gryffindor companion, approach.
"Give us a tick, the tide's goin' out! Or… comin' in… point is-" Variel cries out to engender Jenny's patience, lowering his voice when he and Niles finally get to the malt bar, "-that we almost drowned in candy crossfire. I haven't a clue how Harkiss stays sane when The Hordes Rampant descend upon the shop." He throws a sharp salute to the other sixth years, crisply quipping, "Ma'ams! Glad to see you survived the Great Candying of '38." He drops the salute and starts to rummage in his bag. "Started to worry when I realized they were armed with mints. Should be a law against mint warfare."
Niles looks around when he hears someone call his name and spots one of the older Slytherins calling him over. "I don't know," he tells Variel, pursing his lips. "It's like they've become savages." Sidestepping a group of children arguing loudly about how many pepper imps they can eat at once, he glares at them before making his way over to Genevieve. "Yes?" he asks politely, sparing a quick glance for the other two students with her, but keeping his attention on the one who called him over.
"Speaking of which, Jenny… At some point…" Esther blushes, and looks back at her malt, enjoying a mouthful of that instead, and resorting to one of the many changes of topic that have been offered. "Variel. Hello." Greeting the sixth year by his first name. A pleasure. Back to Peyton. "I can. As long as it remains good natured." She still has a hard time figuring out Peyton. Everyone in her own house makes her feel so conflicted. The second year is just given a nod. Who the hell knows who /he/ is.
"So do I," Jenny agreed to needing a drink, with just the kind of hard edge a budding alocholic can manage, one who has also been without for an entire week and is thus jonesing for a fix. But there is the matter of her pride to contend with. "Speaking of what, Es?" The question was given, before Niles and his ginger company arrive.
"I know some of them, besides you should know Avery, he's in our House." Her tone said /duh/, but then again, Jenny was actually nice to those of young years, else she might not be sitting at the counter with fifth years to begin with but that was neither here nor there. Because she..had a request.
"I was wondering if you'd like to make a little extra shopping money, for Christmas? What do you say? Ten knuts if you'll brave the crowd and get everything on this list for me." Beaming smile!
It kind of puts a damper on the energy of the others when a quieter classmate walks in, buys a box of chocolate frogs and looks around. Oh, hey, there's Esther and Genevieve. The latter especially earns a nod from him — classmates and all. "Solomon, Lowe." The younger member of Slytherin he fails to recognize altogether, but he nods to Niles on his way to the fellow Slytherins' table, nevertheless. The Gryffindor just earns an odd look.
"And a hello to you, too, Esther. I'd do a sweeping bow or sommat, but I'd drown in sticky fingers and jelly slugs." Variel makes a face and pulls his hand from the cloth bag- fabric! Red and orange and lovely in-between shades. "Eh? Ehhh? I'm thinking this'll do nicely- trying to decide if we oughtta do like an ash-gray exterior, so the glimpses of the color is more striking, or set this as the outside and make the inside just something warm." He pauses as he catches Peyton's inquiry about he and Niles as they approach. "Weasley. Variel, if you're wanting specifics, and this is-" He stops as Jenny introduces Niles just fine, then glances at Edgar at the look he gets. "Come now, Carrow," he remarks pleasantly. "I know there's a lot of Stunning Spells thrown around at club, but I didn't see you take one to the head- don't tell me you forgot my name."
Peyton is clearly not as noticeable as her companions, BUT THAT IS OKAY. "I think I shall leave the two of you in each other's protective custody," she tells Jenny and Esther, giving them the apologetic eyes. Well, the apologetic eye - the other eye is busy looking out for impending stickiness. She offers Avery a bright smile, "Right, Avery!" she says once Jenny mentions his name, as if she knows exactly who the Second Year is and is entirely happy to see him. "So good to see you; must dash."
She calls to Jenny, already moving away, "Shopping tomorrow, don't forget!" Passing by Carrow, she gives the Sixth Year a bemused smile. "Carrow. Watch out for the flying mints; see you around." The Gryffindor gets a reserved smile when he makes his introduction. It's a rare non-Slytherin that's met with anything resembling familiarity here, and true to form, Peyton slips past Variel without a word.
Niles doesn't pay any attention to the looks he gets from the older students. He doesn't expect any of them to know him, though he has learned a few of their names over the past year and a half. But he does look over at Peyton and gives her a small smile in return. "Yes, likewise," he says quietly, amused. "Goodbye then." His brow wrinkles as he considers Genevieve's proposition. "For ten knuts?" he says as he peers at the list. "Why don't you keep your money, and you can owe me a favor in the future instead?" he asks with another smile.
"Ohoho!" Variel grins and lightly nudges Niles with his elbow, in the manner that one might congratulate a mate on a good choice. He clearly approves of the trading of favors- heavens knows he's collected more than a few through his needlework.
Esther cracks a smile suddenly, and reaches out to touch the material, feeling over it with a soft shiver. Oh, the plans she has. "It's perfect, Variel. Remember to leave a little room in the bust and the waist… Supposedly I'm filling out." Esther looks a little bit awkward at that. Jen's question is ignored, instead she watches the woman try and bribe her way out of Christmas shopping.
"I do remember your name, Weasley." Edgar replies with a faint smile, "I was debating whether or not to greet someone who tried to explode my left shoe just two weeks ago at the club but I suppose I should let bygones be bygones. I trust things are well," statement rather than inquiry; not that it'd change his approach. He watches the exchange between fellow sixth year and second year Slytherin with some interest. "Goodbye, Crabbe," he nods to Peyton as she departs, watching her for a moment. "We're ambitious, aren't we," this, to Niles.
"Favors instead of coin," Jenny muses, looking thoughtful and staying quiet at the moment over Esther's odd choice of colors. "You are not a Gryffipuff, Lowe," the Slytherin reminds, distracted for a moment from her agreement with Niles. But the list she bares is a considerable one and she could use the prospective of youth in dealing with it.
"Deal." She grants in the end, with a crooked grin. "And my compliments to one so neatly done, young Sir! Though, if you can think of anything that reminds you of fun Christmases at home, provided you had the happy sort rather than the other, feel free to add it?" Invited, as the extra chocolate frog that Esther had given her was offered Avery's way.
A smile too, for Carrow who was invited, as that space that once been Peyton's freed up there at Jenny's side, to "Join us?"
"Knew you'd like it! And easily done, the alterations, but ah…" Variel pauses, slipping more to the side to focus on Esther's requests, and allow the wheeling and dealing to get going in earnest. "A guess is nowhere near as good as measurements. Chest and waist are places you -really- want to have the right tailoring- it can make or break an outfit. I don't mind getting the measures myself, but you might be more comfortable getting one of your housemates who knows their way around a tapemeasure to do it for me."
Variel grinned at Jenny's comment, remarking in Esther's defense, "She's going for something specific- trust me, the finished product won't remind anyone of a badgeaglion."
And Carrow's comment brings a laugh from Variel. "I hope so! If I took umbrage at half the times I got jinxed at Duelling club, I'd be locked away, foaming at the mouth. Though that might just be the result of the jinxes…"
Niles glances sideways at Variel and can't help but grin back at him. "I don't need the money," he tells Edgar with a small shift of his shoulders. "And having an older student owe you can be useful." He smooths his face into a more neutral and serious expression as he turns his attention back to Genevieve, only giving her a pleased and slightly sheepish smile when she compliments him. "Thanks," he says. "I'll see if anything jumps out at me." Taking the list and the chocolate frog, he pockets the latter and sets off to brave the tides of kids crowding the shop.
"It's not house related. And it'll look wonderful once it's been sewn together." Esther smiles. "It reminds me of my quill. New life. All of that." It's apt. Just trust her. A mock-pout. "Don't tell me we're back on last name terms, Solomon? Just one bad choice of colour and I've lost my standing?" Edgar is regarded with a nod, before she drains the rest of her malt. "Use the measurements I gave you. Just allow for an extra bit of stretch, alright?" She blushes at Variel. Of course, no-one would have seen her at the club since late October, around the time the Rooftop rumours surfaced.
"Maybe a really bad Confusion Curse. A really, really bad one." Edgar makes a briefly displased expression at imagining that. "Part of why we study counterspells and disarming first and foremost, anyway. You win the fight if you're armed and your opponent isn't, at any rate." He chuckles and flashes a somewhat shy smile to Genevieve, sitting at the place left vacant by Peyton. "Thank you." Niles' reply earns a respectful nod from him. "That it does. Good thinking."
"I'd be grateful," Jenny replies, flashing a grin at Niles and reaching out to give an affectionate little ruffle of his hair. There's…handmade sewing talk going on around her though and then there's debate about dueling which, Jenny doesn't do. "Eh, you win by breaking your opponents face before he can get to his wand or respectively, his fingers. Or hers, as the case may be. You'd be amazed at how few people expect something of that particular sort. I've forgotten what I was…, Oh right. No, Es, you haven't been downgraded just..cast into question and Weasley, I should leave Lowe's bust alone, if I were you." Ever so casually tossed out there.
'Es' is just close enough to 'Em' to make her feel at peace, so comfortable, and at the same time, make her feel so wary. "My heart aches," Esther plays at being hurt. "Perhaps some time apart will make it grow fonder, Jenny." The final two frogs are slid into her bag. She withdraws her parchment, and smiles at the group. An affectionate pat is reserved for Jenny's hand. "I have to go see a man about something I have in the works. Faretheewell, everybody." Rising, she wades into the crowd of minors. All without even arranging to meet Jenny for a drink later.
"If you were me, Solomon, you'd have no intentions besides making it, and the rest of her, look phenomenal. Ask anyone I've tailored for, I'm not handsy." Variel remarks, undeterred. "I am, in fact, capable of spending time around and near attractive young witches without becoming a lecherous pile of eyes and fingers." A pause. "… though that WOULD be a remarkable party trick, with the right precautions." He tucks away the fabric and lifts a hand to wave. "Take care, Lowe! I'll keep what you said in mind when I get to the real work!"
"Chocolate?" Edgar places his box on the table and pushes it gently towards Genevieve in an offering. "It sounds like a potential prank, though I'm not sure Love Potion effects can stack to more than one person," he remarks to the Weasley. Perhaps unaware he's probably feeding a mean machine of pranks some ideas for posterity. Oh boy.
Niles's face turns a bit red when Genevieve ruffles his hair, and he quickly looks around the shop to check if anyone is laughing at him. Running a hand over his hair to make sure he's still presentable, he gives Edgar a faint smile for the praise and then begins making his way through the shop in search of the items on Genevieve's list. Harkiss's Candy is full of younger students at the moment, a swarm of them having arrived not long ago under the watchful eye of one of the teachers. Several older students, including Genevieve, Variel, and Edgar, are gathered at the malt counter.
"I'll catch up with you in a bit, Es." Jenny promises and twists her hand just enough that the little pat that was offered, became an affectionate squeeze instead before she let go so that the curly haired fifth year could slip away. As for Weasley, Jenny just eyed him speculatively, as if she hadn't quite decided how she felt about someone who made their own clothes. Wasn't that what they had tailor's for? "As you say," she grants him, eventually and settles about on the stool to half face the room; tempted to simply go join Niles in his quest. Jenny actually liked the younger crowd most of the time, probably because she'd been an only child herself and as such, without anyone else to dote on. But there was chocolate and Edgar.. "Are you suggesting there's a love potion in this chocolate, Carrow? Should I be suspicious?"
Madeline had arrived with the other first and second years - and quickly been distracted by the lollipop forest, and the incredible magical birds. She'd spent nearly a full 10 minutes crouched near one, and creeping along with it, looking it in its little beady candy eye. When a feather drops out, it is eagerly snatched up, and twirled between her fingers by its quill. Amazing!
Variel pops himself up onto Esther's vacated stool and swivels to watch the masses. Truth be told, it was a pretty neat sight from some slight remove- even more so when one caught notice of a particularly wondrous first-year, amazed at everything they're seeing. This is what catches Variel's eyes on Madeline for a moment, leaving him grinning wide at the depth of her wonder.
"I just bought them, honest!" Edgar protests vehemently. Then, he offers as a reassuring move, "I'll eat one," and he opens the box before doing so. "See? No need to be suspicious!" That aside, though, Jenny's boyfriend would probably hex him to hell and back. Might not have been a pleasant experience.
Niles soon realizes that finding all of the items on this list is going to take much longer than he'd though. No wonder Genevieve didn't want to do it. After waiting for a small group of students to make their minds up, he eventually gives up and pushes between them to get at a display of singing snowmen sweets. He staggers out of there with his prize a moment later and spots a first year he'd run into just the other day. "What were you doing on the floor?" he asks Madeline, having seen her stalking one of the birds.
"I'm teasing!" Jenny was quick to reassure Carrow, with a smile and a companionable little shoulder-bump that was meant to convey it. "Relax, it's okay, I promise." Because she's certainly not about to turn down free chocolate; though she does crush the frog quick enough between her fingers before biting off it's little head. "And thank you, for sharing." Yet, like Weasley Madeline catches her attention and Jenny pitches her voice to carry over the shop to the little girl's ears…hopefully. "Gidget! Pick out something for your friend while you're here, yes? And we'll add it to his Christmas cards." After all, the chaser had promised.
"Though, perhaps you two would like to get on it as well. There's a first year, who's not able to go home for Christmas this year and Gidget over there is putting together a collection of Christmas cards for him, I offered to buy a few sweets to go with the collection, why don't you contribute a little something," remarked to Weasley and Carrow.
"Can't go home?" Variel looks stricken. "That's horrid. Unless home's horrid, then congrats on his luck! Either way, not gonna be much holiday cheer mostly alone… d'we know what house he's in?" He's already searching through his pockets for his coins.
"Also EVANS!" Her name finally clicked in Variel's head, and he calls over after Genevieve's had her fill of 'Gidget's' attention. He flashes her a grin and two thumbs up, clearly approving of her initiative. "Takes guts for a kid to jump up and spearhead something like that."
Madeline doesn't respond to 'Gidget' at first - but then she hears Jenny talking about cards, and looks up. "Huh? Oh! Great, thanks!" the girl responds eagerly, bouncing to her feet. She glances back at the bird one more time, then runs off to start exploring the wizarding sweets. She wants ONE OF EVERYTHING - she's never seen /anything/ like these before! Who could get the muggle sweets when there's drinks that steam, and fizzing whizbees, and chocolate frogs?!
Then her name is /shouted/, and she turns in surprise on the ball of one foot to stare at Variel with widened eyes - and beams in delight to be struck with an unexpected compliment. "Thanks!" the girl calls back. "It's the least I could do though, right?"
"Nope!" Variel calls back. "Least'd be nothin' at all!"
The door's bell rings as it's opened and closes behind her quickly, shutting away the short cool breeze behind her, thankfully so. The warmth from the store washes over her and Elizabeth pauses for a grateful moment as her gaze looks over the inside of Harkiss' Candy.
Unsurprising, the store is occupied with the students of Hogsmeade. One or two couples scattered at tables, cuddled together and whispering excitedly over malts with two straws instead of one. Elizabeth can only anticipate that an even more inevitable crowd of students from Hogwarts has yet to arrive. Silently, she approaches the bar to order a chocolate malt.
Only after does she choose a small table for herself, lowering herself into it as a hand reaches up to habitually push up her glasses over the rim of her nose, to then also brush back and tuck a bothersome lock of long ebony hair behind an ear. The winter cloak is gently shrugged from her shoulder, revealing the coal black sweater over her torso and the thin silver necklace that decorates her slender neck. As her hand lowers, her fingers smooth out the soft gray pleated skirt just above warm wintertime stockings.
Shoulder-bumping Jenny back, why not, Edgar smiles a little brighter at her, now. "Well good. And you're welcome. Anything you want, just tell me." When she requests they add in funds to whatever Gidget's project is, he contributes with enough; a plethora of coins, anyways. Evans isn't a surname he knows and that makes him apprehensive. Still, the pretty, popular Chaser of his House endorses this, so he will contribute. "Done." He watches Elizabeth come in but he doesn't recognize her. So she earns a nod in greeting. "I should get going soon."
Niles stares as the girl goes bounding off to the older students without answering his question. With a small, bemused shake of his head, he turns his attention back to searching for the items he needs, now being a little more forceful about getting between groups of students to reach what he needs.
Maddie can be in her own little world sometimes - especially when staring at fascinating things, and is only drawn out by keywords, such as mentioning her Christmas card scheme. She still doesn't seem to realize she'd snubbed the poor second year, as she answers Variel brightly. "Guess that's true enough!" she agrees.
Turning back to her shopping, she pulls the money out of her pocket, she eyes the coins dubiously. How many knuts to a sickle again? Or does she have that backwards? And it looks like she has… 4 galleons? How much candy would that buy? And did the bird feather cost anything?
It's Madeline that turns to Niles this time, remarkly curiously, "I've never been in this shop before. Do you know if they /charge/ for the feathers the birds drop?"
Pretty? Popular? It's a good thing Jenny couldn't read minds, else she'd have laughed at Carrow's decided confusion, or hugged his neck for the kindness, one or the other. Either way, she smiles at him. It's a warm expression, one tempered with kindness for his gesture. "Thank you. That was sweet of you. Though, I should probably do the same. And go spare Carrow's poor arms and make sure to get the gingerbread train. Thank you for the chocolate though." The chaser adds, before she slips down from the stool and begins wading out to find Niles in the crowd to relieve him of his burdens.
Variel relaxes back against the counter, watching Jenny wade out into the fray. "This is one interesting evening." He glances over towards Carrow. "Doing well? Got something planned for the holidays? Family time and all that?" He flicks his eyes back out over the sea of younglings, watching Niles and Madeline as they putz about their tasks.
While the others may be preoccupied, Elizabeth's gaze wanders as she waits patiently for her malt, drifting while a stray thought enters her thought that the wait would be swifter if she had a book with her. Oh well. Behind her wire-frames, her pale eyes briefly meets Edgar's eyes. A slender brow quirks at him curious but nevertheless she doesn't hesitate to nod to him in return. Eventually, her chocolate malt is made. Topped with whipped cream, extra melted chocolate, and a cherry on top. And it floats into the air to slide smoothly into place in front of her as it delivers itself in front of the young woman.
As he passes by again, Niles pauses at Madeline's question. "I don't know," he says. "I've never been here before either." He spies Genevieve making her way through the crowd and starts. "Hang on, I have to find a couple more things," he tells Madeline hastily, and he forces his way through a group of first years, stepping on a few toes to reach the shelves. With the shopping list completed, he finds Genevieve and smiles up at her. "I've got everything," he tells her. "And I picked up a few of my favorite things too, but if you don't think they're any good you can put them back. Or I can."
Madeline shoves her money back into her pocket, and wanders through the store again, picking up /one/ of anything that caught her eye. And there were /lots/ of things catching her eye. Most of them were frustratingly unmarked as far as price went - meaning the register would have to ring it all up for h- would they even use a register? Hrm. She spends a moment lost in thought on that subject, then shrugs it off.
Oh well. It probably wouldn't be the first time that a first year's stomach was bigger than their pocket book. If she just had them ring them up one at a time, and /stopped/ when they got to something near the amount she has…
"It's fine, Avery," Jen promises, offering the boy a smile; before she relieves him of his burden. "And thank you, very very much for your assistance. I won't forget I owe ya, promise." A wink to the lad and Jenny straightens, juggling her load before tossing side-long in Madeline's direction, "I'll leave the money at the counter for the donations. Carrow put in some coin too, so you can get him something good!" Thus, does Jenny make her way to the counter at the door, to do precisely that before the girl finally, and with a wave to the lot, departs.