Good to see some readers like the idea of this story. :)

-I-

A young lady with long, flowing midnight blue hair stood in front on her family's fireplace. Next to her, the butler pinched some greyish powder and threw it into the blazing fire, which then turned into flickering flames of green. He stepped back, and bowed respectfully to the beautiful youth. "May you have a fine trip, Ogasawara-sama."

Nodding her head in acknowledgement, Ogasawara Sachiko stepped into the flames and said in a clear, cool voice, "Kogane no Ebisu". Within moments she appeared in a carpeted room, stepping out of the red-brick fireplace with a confident step. She exited the room, and into the street. "I'll just have to get a new set of robes, and then I can get back home." Sachiko reassured herself. Breathing in deeply, Sachiko smoothened non-existent wrinkles in her kimono. She looked the very picture of confidence and poise.

People passing by paused, admiring her beauty in the dark-red kimono, with a repeating pattern of the flower Rosa Chinensis. Sachiko kept her eyes looking forward, making a beeline for the tailor's shop. She hated crowds, but she wanted to come in person to the tailor's. Somehow, when she woke up in the morning, she felt the need to do so. Her mother chalked it up to one of her daughter's little whims and gaily offered to come. Sachiko declined. She needn't draw more attention to herself- and she knew, if her mother came, her father would request bodyguards accompany them. And that just wouldn't do.

-II-

A couple of blocks away from Sachiko's destination, Yumi held her brother's hand as they stepped through the shimmering wall. Right in the middle of Shibuya. The family of four disappeared into the grey concrete, and the passerby did not notice. It was a busy street, however, so they might be forgiven for not seeing such strangeness occurring.

As she stepped into the street through the wall, Yumi gasped. An entire world had been hidden behind a concrete wall? They didn't have such things up in the mountains. Amazing. Grinning, Yumi let go of Yuuki's hand and skipped ahead. Her parents followed behind the two siblings. There was a sense of wonder in her eyes.

"Yumi, Yuuki, we'll have to head to Gringotts Ginko first for some money. "

After walking for some time, pass bustling shops selling items Yumi had only seen in storybooks, they now stood in front of the wizarding bank. It was built in the style of early Meiji architecture, with white bricks and smooth stone. Gringotts Ginko was an imposing and beautiful building, standing out from the other buildings around it. Yumi's parents urged them along. "We've got quite a few stops to make, so come along now." Inside the bank, there were goblins at the counters, working quietly and efficiently. Her father approached a goblin at the nearest counter. He appeared at home in this world. Yumi had never seen her father carry himself in the manner he was. It was like he wasn't one of the mountain folk.

"Vault Nine please." Said her father.

The goblin looked up. "Identification please. Your wand, preferably."

Her father frowned, but made no protest. He stretched out his right hand. "This should suffice."

The goblin peered at the old gold ring on his hand and hurriedly got up. "Right this way, sir."

The rest of the family waited in the bank's lobby. Yuuki looked around the bank. He whispered to his sister. "Remember the tale of the Goblin of Adachigahara?"

"Eeeh? The goblin who ate travellers in the province of Mutsu? You mean…? The goblin ate human flesh and-" Yumi's eyes widened. "Do you think those goblins in the bank-?"

Their mother turned around and shushed them. "Of course not, Yumi. A treaty was signed in 1206 between goblins and humans. They don't do such things nowadays. And if they do, we have the Gokenin who make sure those who break any existing treaties are brought to justice." At Yumi's and Yuuki's blank stares, she added, "They're like the law enforcers of the wizarding world. We don't have any in our village because it's so isolated."

A few more minutes passed and their father appeared. "Well, perhaps we'll get your new wands now, and then your books and uniforms." He looked like he knew the shopping district very well, instead of like a tourist. There were a few families standing around, looking lost. They were spending much time looking at their maps.

Yumi took a better look around. She started noticing how differently they were dressed from the rest of the people. In fact, her family looked like those tourist-looking ones, except for the lack of map-gazing. Up in the mountains, they wore everyday clothing. Simple cotton, and on special occasions (which were few and far in between), silk. Most people in the streets were dressed in expensive kimonos- men, women and children. Yumi frowned. "Will we have to wear the kimono every day?" She wasn't used to wearing them, and wondered if any friends her age really wore such clothing anymore.

"Oh no, only for formal dinners. The everyday uniform of Lillian and Hanandera follows the Western style of dress." Yumi's mother attempted to reassure her daughter.

Yuuki was sharper than his sister when it came to their mother's explanations. He interrupted the conversation. "Please elaborate on this 'Western style of dress', Mother. You know, the Western wizards in storybooks wear robes. Long, flowing material, almost like a dress. Those Western wizards look like bats."

Their mother giggled lightly. "Oh, those are just over-exaggerated pictures! You both will look so cute in robes! Cheer up, everyone will be wearing the same black robes. And I hear the cut of the robes has been updated to the latest fashion in wizarding robes around the world. Hardly bat-like. You'll see."

Yuuki raised his eyebrows. He really looked like their father when he did that. "If you say so, Mother." Yumi twirled a lock of her hair. She left it down today, instead of her usual pigtails. "As long as the robes are comfy, I wouldn't mind."

"That's the spirit!" Their father grinned and placed his arms around both his children. He was their father again, no more the stern man in the bank. Their mother looked fondly on her two children. They were growing up so quickly. Yumi just turned sixteen and now she and Yuuki were off to explore the world of magic. Ah, how time flies. She looked at her watch.

"I will be at the tailor's. The queue might be growing and it'll be best if we make an appointment. Come once you have your new wands, okay?" With a smile, their mother left in the opposite direction. The three of them continued on the path towards a small shop in the corner.

They rang the bell at the wandmaker's shop. A middle-aged man appeared, dressed in the traditional garments of a priest. He looked surprised when he saw the family, and bowed slightly at their father. "Ah! Fukuzawa-sama. I- I am- well, pleasantly surprised! welcome! What brings you here today?"

Their father laughed. "What else, Shimazu-san? Wands for my daughter and son."

The wandmaker looked even more surprised. "Is that so, Fukuzawa-sama? I imagined you would not allow-"

Their father's face grew solemn. "Everyone should be given a choice, Shimazu-san. So now, perhaps you could measure them? Your family's wands are the best, my dear sir." Yumi looked at her father. For someone who claimed to have been up in the mountains all his life, he seemed to be known in the magical world at large. Or at least to Wandmaker Shimazu. And to the Bank.

"The girl first." The wandmaker beckoned. Yumi stepped forward uncertainly. "Stretch out your hand and call out for your wand."

"Eeh?" Yumi squeaked.

The wandmaker sighed. "Just focus and think of a wand. Call it to you."

Yumi closed her eyes tightly and did as he asked. The entire shop suddenly burst into a cacophony of rattling sticks. Then there was silence, and a wand flew into her outstretched hand, hovering near her fingertips. Yumi felt the warmth that the wand exuded. It was a familiar sensation, akin to that in her dreams. Warmth, reassurance- Yumi gently took the wand into her hands, cradling it. She ran her fingers down the light brown wood and felt an answering sensation, as though the wand was responding to her greeting.

The wandmaker seemed pleased as he described it to her. "The core is of unicorn hair- usually producing very consistent magic, although beware of mishandling your wand lest it become melancholic. Cherry tree wood, highly prized by students of Mahoutokoro. This wand and its owner carries a certain… prestige about them. I hope this wand has chosen well.."

Yumi looked up. "Mahoutokoro? Ah, but I am going to Lillian, not Mahoutokoro. I suppose my wand being of cherry tree wood doesn't matter then."

Wandmaker Shimazu giggled and turned to their father. "Fukuzawa-sama, your daughter certainly has a sense of humour." He turned to Yuuki and instructed him to do the same.

Yumi's father scratched the back of his head. He bent down and whispered to his daughter. "Yumi, Mahoutokoro is an old term referring to both Lillian and Hanandera. Unlike other countries who only have one school of magic, ours split into two schools during the Meiji restoration period. The name Mahoutokoro isn't widely used today."

Yumi nodded. She looked around and sat down on a nearby stool. Yuuki still had his hand outstretched, and the wands were making as great a din as before. Five minutes passed, then ten. She was beginning to wonder if Yuuki was going to take all day.

Finally, the wands stopped shaking in their boxes. A black, long wand flew into Yuuki's hands. Wandmaker Shimazu breathed out slowly. "Ebony, with the core of phoenix feather. These wands seek those who dare to be true to themselves, at the expense of being the 'non-conformist'. Perhaps, something like your personality?" Yuuki quirked his lips.

"Perhaps. Thank you, Shimazu-sama." Said Yuuki.

"My pleasure."

Their father thanked the wandmaker and made payment. All in all, they had spent nearly close to an hour in the shop. Their mother would be waiting by now, but thankfully, she was a patient woman. Yuuki tucked his wand into his trouser pocket. Yumi found no pockets in her dress, but didn't mind. She liked the feel of her wand in her hand. It felt so natural.

Their father quickly led them to the tailor's. Their mother was waiting patiently at the shopfront. She waved at them and burst into a satisfied smile. "Just in time! Come on, the tailor's almost done with his current customer. Husband dearest, I saw this lovely looking cauldron in the shop next door- shall we have a look? Yumi, Yuuki, meet us there when you're done, okay?" Yumi giggled. Her mother certainly seemed to have a lot of shops to visit today. Already in her hands was a couple of… Yumi did not know what they were, but probably some trinkets that had caught her mother's eye. Guess she didn't go directly to the tailor's after all.

The tailor's assistant ushered her into another room, away from her brother. The diminutive man grunted, "Wait here awhile, Sabaku-san will be done shortly." Yumi leaned against the wall, looking at Sabaku-san and his current customer. He was waving his wand, and a measuring tape was busy lengthening and shortening around the customer.

Yumi's eyes widened. A familiar feeling rushed through her. Sabaku-san was measuring the arm length of a young lady. She was tall, and her limbs were slender and her skin was fair, and held no blemish. She could be a model, right out of a fashion magazine. The girl was looking at the floor, her long, midnight blue hair brushing across her eyes. Yumi fidgeted. It's ridiculous. I certainly wouldn't know who she is. You know, they say feelings of déjà-vu could be caused by the brain trying to create an imaginary bridge between-

Feeling the gaze of someone in the room, Sachiko looked up. Her eyes caught the gaze of the young, brown-haired girl standing by the door. Sachiko stood up straighter, and tilted her head slightly to the left. Surprise briefly flitted across her face, before her usual mask of cool indifference quickly covered it. Yet her eyes remained on Yumi.

The tailor continued his measurements, busy with his recording of his customer's details.

Yumi stood transfixed by the beautiful, blue eyes gazing at her. She swallowed a gasp and took a step forward. Surely, not the eyes from my dreams? She stopped herself from getting closer, a blush forming on her face due to her embarrassment. Don't be an idiot, Yumi. This is a stranger, and you've obviously never met her before.

The tailor waved his wand, and the measuring tape flew back to his hand. "That'll be all, Ogasawara-sama. We'll send the new robes and uniform to your residence in the city."

The young lady broke her gaze away from Yumi. She nodded to the tailor, and stepped down from the short podium she'd been standing on. "Thank you, Sabaku-san."

Yumi's eyes followed the girl as she walked across the room towards the door next to Yumi. Look away, look away, Yumi! She's going to think you're a crazy person, staring at her like that! With great effort, Yumi tore her eyes away from the graceful figure and pretended to be interested in the wand in her hands instead. She held her breath as the girl walked past her and out the door, only breathing out after she had gone. The faint fragrance of the young lady's scent lingered in the air. She's so beautiful, and her gaze draws me in… I- Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Yumi introduced herself to the tailor, who started taking down her measurements. Her heartbeat resumed its usual rhythm. Ogasawara-sama. That was her name. Yumi swore not to forget.

-III-

Sachiko paused right before she stepped out into the streets again. The brown-haired girl with her large, brown eyes filled her thoughts. What is her name? Who is she? Sachiko frowned and gripped her purse tightly. Sachiko, you need to get out of the house more often. Clearly, you don't know the girl and maybe it's just someone you've met at one of those family days the Ogasawara Group holds. Probably the daughter of some executive. Probably a first year, getting her first set of robes and uniform. Probably… Well, why should you care? … So what if I do? All I want to know is her name. All I have to do is to ask.

Sachiko passed her hand over her brow, and made to turn around, to enter the room again. I could introduce myself to her. Something like, "Good morning, my name is Sachiko. May I know-"

And then she stopped her thoughts from furthering the imaginary conversation. If she was alone, she would be chewing her lower lip. But Ogasawara Sachiko remembered she was out in public, and was careful not to show such behavior. It doesn't matter. If she's a first year, and if fate deems it so, I'll see her again when the school term begins. If I don't, then… I won't know her name. She's just… a brown-haired girl, in a tailor's shop.

Sighing, the young maiden left the shop. School was starting again, and Sachiko looked forward to it more than she had when she first got her letter. Four years of formal magical education. One done, three more to go. Her first year was pretty interesting, as things went, but Sachiko felt like the coming one was going to be different. Better. She felt a smile forming on her face, before schooling her features to neutral once more as she made her way to the fireplace home.

Moments later, Sachiko was back in her home, away from the crowds. Occasionally, her thoughts would return to the girl in the tailor's shop. She fingered the silver rosary that lay between her breasts.I'm being silly. Sachiko sighed and returned to reading her book on sewing. She wanted to learn how to sew, and since her family's servants seemed shocked at her request of being taught how to, she was determined to learn it by herself. I could sew a pattern of something on a handkerchief, and give it to the girl as a present! I'll say, 'Hi, I saw you the other day at the tailor's shop and I-"

Sachiko groaned. Clearly, her mind was addled by the fact that she had to enter the crowded streets of Ebisu today. Getting up quickly, she changed into her nightgown and decided to take an afternoon nap.

When she woke up, she could barely remember the face of the girl she met in the tailor's shop. She remembered those lovely, honest eyes, in the shade of the warmest browns… and try as she might, she couldn't recall the rest of the girl's features.

Authors's note: There we go. What do you think? Leave a review if you'd like to! It's been some time since I wrote in the Marimite fandom- feedback is very welcome.