Chapter 7 Shopping
Taking a glance around, Mara took notice of the street name was and a few of the shops that were around. She began walking down the sidewalks until a store caught her eye. It kinda reminded her of Hot Topic.
She walked in and glanced around. There were clothes hanging on the walls and racks, while others were folded on shelves. Accessories were on the opposite wall, and other nick-nats all over the place.
Mara moved over to the clothes, in desperate need of fitting articles. After all, she did leave her bag of clothes back in that forest in America. She looked at all the shirts with sayings, and would normally just pick up a large and go buy them. But with her new form she really did not know what size she was. She was startled out of her musings by a "hello".
Turning to the young man she gave a greeting in return.
"Is there something I can help you with?"
"Errr.. No I'm okay"
"Are you sure?"
No, I just say the opposite things of what I really mean, Mara thought. "Yes I'm sure"
"Okay, let me know it you need anything"
nodding, Mara turn her attention once again to the shirts. She figured that she may be a small because the large she was wearing at the moment was a tent on her. She went to grab a shirt, only to hesitate. Should she really buy a shirt that had sayings on it? The style didn't seem to fit her anymore. All of her shirts back ho... there were all black with words on them. She thought that it was a bit childish to continue to ware such things.
Turning to another rack, she saw a black tank top with silver butterflies going from the bottom left to the right. Normally she would look at such a shirt and walk away, cause it was girly. But now that she thought about it, it was not too girly and kinda looked cool. She picked out a small and continued to look through the clothes for anything that caught her eye. She staid away form the pants, they just were not her. Although she did pick up a pair of leather in a couple of sizes, just to try it on.
Walking up to the counter, she asked if she could try on the clothes and he took her to the back of the store where the changing room was. Red who had been following Mara around entered in with her into the changing room with her. She began to take her shirt off, when her eyes caught Red's. She never had been shy about changing in front of him before, even now that she knew that he was an intelligent cough being. She thought strange, but shrugged it off to familiarity and the bond.
continuing on, she changed into the shirt that had first caught her eye and the leather pants. Noticing that the pants were too big, she tried on a smaller size. Satisfied that the pants fit, she turned to the mirror to be shocked out of her mind.
Looking back at her was a young women that looked, well, hot.
The leather pants fit her like a second skin, while the shirt accented her flat stomach, her hourglass figure and ah...other assets she had. She turned to look at her butt, hoping it didn't look too big. She returned her gaze to her arms, to see not giggally flab on the underside of them. While continuing with her inspection of her image, she noticed something between her thumb and index finger.
Lifting her hand up to her face she saw a head of an snake with green eyes. Looking down at her wrist she saw what looked like a snake's body wrap around it. Turning her hand over she saw the end off the snake on the inside of her wrist. The Snake was a glossy black with flicks of silver running along it's body. You could see blue in the black of the snakes body.
Panicked, she turned to Red to ask where the tattoo came from, cause she knew that it was not there yesterday. He just said that they would talk about it when they got back to the inn. She nodded her agreement and continued to try on the clothes she had picked out. After about twenty minuets she exited the room with the clothes and walked up to the counter. Laying down her soon to be purchases on the counter she returned the others that did not fit or she didn't like back to the racks. She went to put the leather pants back as well, after all she had only tried them on for size and curiosity sake.
If you want them then get them. You did look good in them after all.
Glancing at Red, she shrugged and returned to the counter with the pants.
Walking over to the assessors, she saw several arm guard looking things. They started several inches below the elbow and continued to cover half of her hand and a hole were her thumb could be fit through. Most had silver buckles and ties on them. She had always wanted some, but had never had the money. So, she tried a couple on and walked up to the counter to pay. Coming out many pounds lighter, money of course, she snuck in a small dead end alley to shrink her purchases, taught to her by Red.
She returned to the sidewalk to find another store where she could find some jeans. Finding one, she entered and moved over to the jeans. Remembering her new size, she found it much easier to find pants than in the past. After all, everyone in the States seemed to be a twelve through fourteen. Grabbing several pair, she went to try them on. A few minutes later she came out and grabbed some more. She then went to find some shirts that were a bit more on the dressy side. Red going unnoticed once again by the workers followed behind her, weaving in and out of the clothe racks.
She found several dress shirts that were not made of polyester and were mostly black. She did however, find several blue, green, white and red shirts as well. She grab a couple dress pants and went to the changing room again. After paying for her new clothes, she went and shrank them and added them to her growing collection.
All she needed now was the undergarments and toiletries. The last two stores did not have items that she would call comfortable. Looking for a lingerie store, she spotted one across the road. She scowled, why couldn't there be a Wal-mart around here. She had enough trouble buying undergarments there much less in a store totally devoted to what was put on under the outer clothes.
Most of the stuff had lace or really ugly, girly designs. Thongs, she only wore when she had dress pants on, so you couldn't see the lines. So, she grab a few basic colors in different sizes and then found some normal bikini under ware. She grabbed a few sizes of different, plain bras and went to try them on. Few minutes later, a correct size was determined, and items paid for.
Next was foot ware. It only took a few minutes to find some sneakers and a pair of boots.
Last but not least, was the toiletries. She found a hair and body store on the corner of a four way intersection.
She walked in and waited her turn to style her new hair. She liked the length of it so did not get too drastic of a change. She did not, however, get her hair colored or highlighted. She liked her black hair with red streaks running through it.
She then bought the essentials and some basic makeup.
Finally she stooped down to pick up Red and began to trek back to the inn.
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
She sat down at one of the tables at the inn and set Red down. She was tired. Who knew that shopping could take so much out of a person?
Tom came over and got their order of soup and a chicken.
Mara sighed, as she leaned back into her chair. This was really the first time she got to sit down without anything to keep her busy. She let her mind wonder over the happenings the last several days had brought. She soon found her mind fixated on her parents. Well, her adopted parents that no longer wanted her. It hurt. She always thought that she had their unconditional love and support, no matter what happened. At least that is what they always told her. But she could no longer think of them as parents. Josh and Samantha Johnson were no longer her parents. She did not know what to think about Tyler. Did he still consider them siblings? Or did he agree with their...his parents? He really didn't say much on the matter. Maybe she would go and visit him in a while. After he had time to think and sort out how he felt.
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she furiously blinked them away. She hadn't cried since she was a child and she had no intention of starting anytime soon. They weren't worth her tears.
Red, who had changed back into the larger version of himself, laid his head on her lap and purred to help comfort her. After a few minutes a returning purr answered him.
Tom came with their food, interrupting them. Mara smiled her thanks and began to eat her food.
Mara was half way done with her food and musing over her new developments, when she herd a loud bang. Looking around for the source, she noticed that no one seemed too concerned with the noise, as if it happened quite often. She found the source of the noise to a young boy about her age.
Maybe a bit younger, with messy hair and large round glasses and clothes that were much too big for him. A trunk was at his feet, turned over on it's side. He was dusting off what looked like ash from his clothes. He struggled to turn his trunk over to the proper position, only to find it too heavy too move. Which made her wonder how he got this far with it. Mara got up and went to the boy's side and helped him turn his trunk to the proper position.
"Are you alright," she asked seeing that his glasses were bent out of wack between the two lenses.
"Y yah, I'm alright"
Mara studied him more now that she was close up. He looked tired and worn. Too skinny for her tastes and with a sheen of sweat covering his face. His large green eyes were shadowed and Mara could not help but be concerned for him. He shakily smiled thanks and moved to grab his trunk.
He looked up when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Come, I could use some intelligent company and you look like you could use some food."
She gently pushed him toward the table she had been at and turned to grab his trunk. Funny how it seemed to weigh nothing to her. The boy reluctantly allowed himself to be seated. He continually kept pushing his bangs down onto his forehead.
Nerves gesture?
She set his trunk beside the chair he was sitting in and returned to her seat. Red decided that it was time to make his presence known.
he went over a sniffed the boy's hands that were in his lap. The boy froze but began to relax once the large cat began to rub against his hand, wanting to be petted.
Mara smiled in amusement at the lazy but lovable cat. He really did seem to help the boy's nervousness, after the first couple of moments.
She waved down one of the workers and had the boy order some food. He had refused several times, but Mara was quite stubborn , insisting that he should have something to eat.
The man left to get his order and Mara turned her attention to the boy.
"You didn't need to buy me the food. I could have gotten it myself."
Mara realized that he did not like handouts and if she was in his shoes, then neither would she. Thinking of a way to make it feel like less of a handout, she gave him a smile.
"How about you stay with me and tomorrow you can show me around Diagon Alley?"
"Your new here?"
"Yup, only found out about the magical world yesterday"
For some reason, this made the boy relax his tense body. He gave her a more open smile.
"Sure, I could do that."
"Thanks, Red here is an okay guide but I really would like someone intelligent to talk to."
Red growled at her from the position that he had taken beside the boy, while the brunet had petted him. Mara smirked at him and he huffed in indignation.
"By the way, my name is Mara and you have already been acquainted with Red."
"Your not from around England are you? Your have a different accent."
"Born and raised in America" A shadow passed over her face only to disappear as quickly as it had come.
The boy saw this but did not comment.
"My name is harry"
"Nice to meet you Harry. And by the sounds of it you are a red coat," jesting with him.
Harry smiled, "and you're a yank"
Grinning back at Harry she sniffed the air and noticed that his food had arrived.
They sat and ate, keeping the conversations light and fun.
"So what type of creature is Red and where did you get that name for him?"
"Red is a Fen tiger and his real name is Waite. I call him Red because when I got him he was a small orange fluff ball, and the name suited him. I only thought he was a normal house cat, cause he never got any bigger than one. And one day (she snapped her fingers) just like that, he was a big black cat. So his name no longer fits unless he is in his smaller form, but I have been calling Red for to long to call him by his name. Besides he told me that he liked it."
"Told you?"
"Yah, Red here can talk through our bond. But he can talk out loud as well."
Mara looked at the time and motioned for Harry and Red to get up.
"Come on. It's pretty late and we should head on up. Don't worry about that harry, I will get it."
"But its really heavy, let me help."
"Don't worry about it, I'll get it. You just head on up, Red will show you."
Warily, Harry followed her instructions and followed Red up to the room. Red led them up the stairs and down the hallway until he found the right door. Mara handed Harry the key and he opened the door. They swiftly moved in and Mara put the trunk by hers at the foot of the bed.
"So Harry, is their anywhere you need or like to go tomorrow?"
"I was going to go to Gringotts and get some money so I could get some new clothes."
"Alright, we'll do that. Are you going to get uh... what was the word, oh yes muggle clothes?"
"Yes and some wizarding ones."
"Okay, how about this, well got to the bank and then get the magical supplies and then I could show you some nice shops to get some clothes. Red and I just got done shopping in muggle London just before you came along. Does that sound like a good plan?
"Sounds good to me"
"Great why don't you get some sleep so we can head out early in the morning"
"Okay, where do you want me to sleep?"
"You can take the bed, Red will take the other half. Be careful he likes to snuggle."
"I can't take the bed, I'll sleep on the floor"
"Non-sense, I'm used to taking the floor when sharing a room with someone. Besides I invited you too stay, so you are my guest. And what kind of host would I be if I allowed you to sleep on the floor. Nope you get the bed with Red. Now the bathroom is over there so you can change or whatever," waving her hand in the general direction.
Harry quickly changed and returned to curl up on the bed. He watched as Red jumped up beside him and laid very close to him, giving him warmth. He turned his head to see Mara unshrinking her bags and putting them in her own trunk. She had already changed into a pair of pajamas that she had bought. She sat in the chair by the window and turned to look at him.
"Good night Harry"
"Goodnight"
He watched her as she turned to look out the window and stared at the moon. He continued to do so until he heeded the call of sleep.
Author's note: Sorry it took me so long to update. I"m either sick, at work, or having problems with the chapter. So, I hope that this longer chapter will help at making you not so annoyed with me. I also hope it is not too detail-ly. But give me a review so I can improve as I go. Thanks
