During the next twenty minutes Tilly showed her how to operate the till and were the most popular items were kept,
"I won't burden you with all of our inventory or you'll never remember where anything is!" Tilly had told her cheerily.
Then she had been dispatched to deal with her first customer, a young girl wanting to find an inexpensive but pretty gift for her mother.
"How about something she can wear, like jewellery?" Tanwen suggested as they paused in front of a shelf full of sparkling gems set in earrings, necklaces, broaches and bracelets.
"Won't that be expensive?" the girl inquired doubtfully, as she eyed the glittering jewels wistfully.
Quickly Tanwen glanced over the price tags appraisingly, "well that depends, how much do you have to spend?"
"Six sickles," she replied, holding open her hand to reveal the coins she'd held tightly to her until now.
Tanwen fought the urge to coo over the little girl and picked out a small broach instead. It wasn't huge, just a nice size with the picture of a brightly coloured bird, a sparkling gem for an eye. "This is only five sickles, special offer," Tanwen informed her as she passed it over carefully.
The little girl nodded enthusiastically, "It's beautiful!" She trotted over to the till to pay, Tanwen on her heels.
As she rang up the sale, the little girl chatted away, happy now she had found her gift, "This is the last present I needed to buy. I only have to get three, just my mum and dad and my brother. He goes to Hogwarts you know, I wish I could go, but it's ages until it's my turn!" She rolled her eyes dramatically, "Blair says that it's brilliant there-"
"Blair Amidza?" Tanwen asked, he was the only guy with that name she knew, he was in the year above, in Slytherin. A decent enough bloke really considering he was in Slytherin.
"Yes," she nodded, "do you know him?"
"A little," Tanwen answered, "that'll be five sickles," she added as the till opened with a ping.
"What's your name? I can say hi to him from you if you like," she offered handing over the money, it was warm from being in her hand for so long.
"Tanwen Gray," she replied, "I don't expect he remembers me." Carefully she packed the broach into a small box and stared to tie a silver ribbon round it.
"Oh he does, I remember him talking about you. He thinks you're an amazing Quidditch player."
Tanwen coloured, she really hadn't been expecting that, "How sweet. Ok well you can tell him I said hi," she handed the little girl her purchase, "Happy Christmas!"
"You too, thank you," she piped in return taking her new buy and skipping out the door into the street. Through the window Tanwen saw a tall man with broad shoulders and a neat beard greet her and place a hand on her shoulder. Probably her father, Tanwen thought as she watched the two of them walk off, the little girl chatting merrily away to him as he listened indulgently.
The next few hours were so busy Tanwen barely had time to think. She spent her time running from customer to customer, conscious that Tilly was doing exactly the same, albeit a lot faster than her. But, all in all Tanwen was enjoying this and hoped that she'd get the job. There was no time for feeling sorry for herself or having an identity crisis while shoppers kept asking her advice on which of the items they had selected did she think would be the most suitable for an aged uncle/ small grandson/girlfriend/ second cousin twice removed.
Before she knew it the small clock chimed five and Tilly turned to beam at her, "Well, that's it for today!" she handed the freckled witch she'd been serving her purchase and followed her to the door taping the 'open until 5pm' sign on her door with her wand to make it say 'closed until 9am tomorrow'
Tanwen sat on the stool by the counter, exhausted.
Tilly came back over and pulled up a chair next to her, "Well what do you think of your experience today? Scared you away?" she grinned.
"Not at all," Tanwen replied, "I really enjoyed it!"
Tilly laughed, "In that case you'll have to come back!"
"Really?" Tanwen's face lit up.
"Yes, you're good with the customers, especially the younger ones. And you didn't break anything," she grinned again, "I'd pay you ten galleons a day, five extra if you work Christmas eve, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day."
Tanwen nodded, she had no idea whether this was good pay or not, but she really didn't care. She wasn't doing it for the money.
"There's only one snag," Tilly added, with a sly grin and a twinkle in her eye, "you see now that there are only five days until Christmas, I wanted to add a more festive theme to my shop." She got up and ducked behind the heavy curtain and pulled something out, keeping it hidden behind her back, "and that means uniform." She held out the item she'd been concealing with a flourish and smiled widely. She was holding up an outfit that was a short red dress, edged in white fluff at the hem, neckline and wrists. Looped round the hanger it was on was a pair of holly green tights.
Tanwen couldn't help it, she burst out laughing. Tilly grinned, "good isn't it?"
"You want me to wear that?" she replied as she stopped laughing, still grinning.
"It could be worse," Tilly replied, "It could have been the walking Christmas tree outfit!" She was looking very pleased with herself, "I'll be wearing one too, a slightly bigger one though as I'm a larger woman." She patted her slightly tubby figure.
"Alright," Tanwen conceded, "I'll wear the dress."
"That's the spirit!" Tilly said approvingly handing the dress over, "Would you like to come for a hot drink with me? It'll just take a moment to lock up."
"Sure," Tanwen replied, thinking eagerly of a steaming cup of hot chocolate.
"Great, there's a smashing place just down the street, Cacao's, they do the best cappuccino from here to Hogsmeade!"
Five minutes later the two of them were making their way down the emptying streets. The costume was in a bag in Tanwen's hand that she swung a little as she walked, thinking happily that there was no way she could have predicted the day could have turned out so well.
They were settled in a cosy booth in the corner of the little café a hot mug warming each of their hands. The warm air was filled with the mouth watering smell of chocolate and coffee beans.
"So, tell me a bit about yourself Miss Gray," Tilly said conversationally, sipping at her drink.
"Well..." Tanwen thought fast, she didn't really want to tell Tilly much, but she had been so nice to her, and besides, it didn't all have to be true did it? "As you can guess I go to Hogwarts, I'm in my fourth year there, a Gryffindor-"
"-I was a Hufflepuff myself," Tilly put in.
"-but before that I used to go to Beauxbatons-"
"-Oh what was that like? I heard it's really hot there?"
"Most of the time," Tanwen agreed, "at least, much warmer than Hogwarts anyway! Not that I mind, sometimes the heat there was unbearable."
"So why did you move anyway?" Tilly asked, curiously.
"My dad got transferred," Tanwen lied.
"What does he do?"
"He works for a Muggle company that makes computers, both my parents are muggles," Tanwen invented.
"That makes what?" Tilly responded, completely unaware of Tanwen's lie.
The next five minuets were spent by Tanwen trying to explain the concept of a computer to Tilly, who obviously had never taken Muggle Studies, which they eventually had to abandon with Tilly little the wiser.
"Any more significant others?" Tilly asked, "pretty girl like you probably has a boyfriend."
Tanwen flinched visibly.
"Sorry, touched a nerve did I?"
"You could say that," Tanwen replied staring into the bottom of her empty cup, "I broke up with my boyfriend yesterday." Had it really been that recently? It seemed so long ago.
"Ahh," Tilly said knowingly, "it's never easy the first few days after that kind of thing, but it doesn't hurt so much after a while. It's probably all for the best."
Tanwen wasn't sure that it was, "we parted on really bad terms," she said remorsefully.
"Turbulent relationship?" Tilly inquired sympathetically.
"That's just it," Tanwen said earnestly looking up, "It wasn't- I mean, we'd never fought before this at all!"
"Not all couples fight," Tilly replied, "my sister was like that with her previous boyfriend. They were both so easy going and hated confrontations so that whenever something about the other person bothered them neither of them would want to mention it. And then of course things just simmered, misunderstandings were never put right and without warning things just kind of exploded in a huge row."
Tanwen nodded in agreement, things had been exactly like that with her and Cedric. It would be just like him to be irritated by something-well usually someone and that someone being Jon, and not say anything. Those two always rubbed each other up the wrong way. Personally she just couldn't understand it. As far as she was concerned she thought that in many ways Jon was like Will and he was Cedric's best friend. The whole thing was weird.
After another drink they both admitted that it was getting late and it was time to head back home.
"My husband'll be wandering what's kept me," Tilly said, glancing at her watch as they headed back towards Diagon Ally. "He works at the Ministry, and always finishes close to seven, no matter how often I tell him that is isn't necessary for him to work such long hours."
"What department does he work for?"
"Department for Reversal of Magical Accidents," Tilly replied. They paused in the street, "If I hurry I should be able to catch him."
"You go on," Tanwen urged, "I'll see you in the morning, what time do you want me to be there?"
"Come at half eight, that'll give me time to show you round the store room," Tilly said, staring to walk away, "I'll see you tomorrow!" She waved and hurried off up the street.
Tanwen turned and headed back to her empty flat. When she got there several letters were sitting next to Loki who was sitting by them looking important. Dumping her cloak over the back of the nearest chair she grabbed the letters off the floor and sank into the sofa, Loki jumping up to sit on her lap as she read.
The letters were from her friends. It seemed word travelled fast and they were all filled with comforting words such as, 'I'm sure you can do better than Diggory' or some such variation or asking what happened. Predictably none of her friends thought that it could possible have been her fault and were filled with indignant remarks about Cedric on her behalf. While she was touched by their loyalty she didn't really agree with the sentiments of their letters. It had been as much her fault as his, she thought ruefully. Her glance fell on the bag containing the costume and imagined what her friends would have to say about that. Not doubt Jon or Dom would-
She paused, she didn't want to think about that. After all hadn't she decided to turn over a new leaf. No more inappropriate flirting. Mind you, she thought, it wasn't as if she even really knew she was doing it most of the time, it was just they way she was- her way of being friendly. Well, she would do her best to mend her ways, even if she wasn't still going out with Cedric and she was angry about some of the things he had said to her, she couldn't help but care what he thought of her. She'd show him just how wrong he had been about Jon, about the way she 'behaved to guys', about everything.
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As soon as she got back home she fed Loki and went to make herself a cup of tea for while she got ready for bed. Typically, she'd run out of milk.
"Fantastic," she said dryly. Sighing, she walked over to the dresser by the door an rummaged in the top draw for her muggle wallet, she kept wizarding and muggle money separate for fear of mixing them up. While wizarding shops might well easily forgive such a mistake she could just imagine the long stream of questions and curious looks that would arise should she try to pay with sickles and galleons at Tescos.
A short taxi ride later she walked in through the entrance to the all-night supermarket to do a bit of food shopping. She picked up some milk and a few other bits and pieces before heading to the checkout. As she passed the pharmacy section she paused a moment before adding a packet of sleeping tablets to her basket, now she had a job she didn't want to lose any sleep over what had happened between her and Cedric. As she packed her stuff into the plastic bags and headed for the exit she checked her watch, it was almost eight o'clock. Deciding that she couldn't be bothered to cook anything when she got back she stopped at the nearest Fish and Chip shop to pick up something to eat.
The smell of frying chips made her mouth water as she pushed open the door. It was roasting inside and she undid the buttons on her coat as she stood in line, her bag of shopping clutched in her left hand. Behind the high counter the workers, hair nets covering their heads and white overcoats to protect their clothes, were busy lifting dripping chips from fryers, hot oil spurting up without warning. In front of her a family were busy trying to decide what to get,
"Should we get the large chips or just a small?"
"Well we had too much last time we got the large. But then Alastair did say he was very hungry so maybe we should just get the large."
Tanwen smiled to herself, it must be nice to have for your biggest worry whether or not you should get the large or small chips for tea. In fact, it would just be nice just to have someone to worry about that for you-
-stop that, she told herself sternly, no feeling sorry for yourself. I thought we'd put that behind us.
-fine, fine, she conceded.
Back at her flat, Tanwen set about scribbling brief replies to her friends. They were pretty much all the same with one or two differences, filled with words or reassurance that yes, she was fine, no, she didn't hate Cedric, yes, it was unexpected but she'd get over it soon. Hoping she'd said enough to placate their interest, she fastened the bundle of letters to Artemis' leg and opened the window to let her out.
"Thanks, I'm sorry there's so many to deliver at once," she told the owl, stroking her head fondly. Artemis hooted in response and nipped her finger gently before spreading her wings and taking off into the night.
Early the next morning Tanwen got ready for her first full day at work. Having eaten and showered, she pulled on the outfit and turned to look at herself in the mirror. She wrinkled her nose in discomfort at what she saw and tugged uselessly at the hem of the dress. The lower half seemed to be a belt masquerading as a 'skirt'.
"Ugh," Tanwen grumbled, "I'm not sure that the walking Christmas tree wouldn't have been a better choice!" She had the vision of herself walking down the road in a rustling green suit covered in tinsel and brightly coloured baubles and grinned. Maybe this was better than that. But only just.
She fingered her wand, longing to make the dress longer. But she couldn't risk being detected by the Department for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry. Anyway, she was sure that once Tilly saw just how short it was she'd be more than happy to oblige. Resigning herself to the costume she brushed her hair into a ponytail and tied it with a bit of tinsel. Grabbing her cloak she wrapped it round her so her 'uniform' was covered she flooed to Diagon Ally and headed to 'Tilly's Trinkets'.
The streets were mostly quiet as none of the shops had opened for business yet. The only people around were those headed to work or paying a visit to Gringotts. The sky was clouded and a cold wind blew through the streets, stirring up her cloak and hair. Behind the shop window she passed the vendors were bustling around preparing to open. Tanwen walked along the street, holding her cloak tightly round her to keep out the cold. She was looking forward to her new job, apart from the tiny 'uniform' of course.
It didn't take her long to make her way to the front of the shop. The sign on the door read closed and she tapped on the window to attract attention to herself. A moment later, Tilly came hurrying out to let her in.
"Good Morning," she said brightly, she too was wearing an outfit similar to Tanwen's but hers reached her knees.
"Morning," Tanwen replied as she followed Tilly into the shop, "erm do you think you could do something about my dress?" she asked hopefully, letting her cloak fall open to reveal the item of clothing in question.
Tilly laughed, "of course!" She pulled out a short, fat wand and tapped the hem of Tanwen's dress. It lengthened by about two centimetres. Tanwen raised her eyebrow. "Oh come on dear, it's not that short." She grinned and Tanwen had the distinct impression that she was enjoying all this.
She shook her head with a good humoured grin, there was no point in making a fuss over the whole thing. It really wasn't that big a deal. Tilly then led her into the storeroom at the back of the shop where she showed Tanwen where things were stored. When they came back into the main shop to open there were already a few people milling around outside.
Tilly smiled, "Let the games begin!"
Tanwen looked at her as if she were mad and laughed, Tilly grinned.
"It gets so hectic in here that I had to think of a new way of thinking about it that wouldn't stress me so much," Tilly explained, "I guess by now you must've guessed I can be pretty eccentric." She grinned again and went to open the door.
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A/N: Cool place to work don't you think? Oh and in case you didn't know Tescos is the name of a supermarket chain in the UK and no I really don't have any idea of the relative amount that Tanwen's being paid so don't grumble about it please! That was a very long chapter, but I just couldn't decide where to break it from the next. I guess you lot won't exactly mind though huh?
Thanks for the reviews!! It's so lovely that more ppl are taking an interest in this fic, because I really did enjoy writing it.
As for questions about Sirius- he is going to be in it I promise! But the story's about Tanwen herself too, so it'll be a while before she meets him. I like to stick as close as possible to cannon, with a small amount of artistic licence of course. And Tanwen's friends aren't really based on anyone I know at all, in fact when I started this Jon and Mark weren't even in it at all! But the more I wrote, the more her friends developed their own personalities and demanded to be written about more. I'm glad you think they're realistic and chuffed that someone else finally appreciates Cedric! He is always so 'nice' in other fics, but when I read HP I thought he could be a really great guy, you know with actual personality ^__^
Anyway, enough rambling. Next chapter: With Friends Like These.