Albert paid quickly, thanking Sarah repeatedly and being careful to make sure Victoria didn't remember he was paying for her, something she absolutely hated. Sarah folded the robes carefully, and put them in seperate bags, one for Victoria and one for Albert. She smiled as the two young people walked out of the store happily. It was always pleasing for her to make someone's day. She shook her head lightly, remembering how fun it was when she had attended Hogwarts. Pulling herself out of her memories quickly, she moved on to another customer who had just entered the store as Victoria and Albert began making their way down the street.
"Where to next?" asked Victoria as she walked down the busy street.
"Well, judging by the sun, it looks to be about time to head to Flourish and Blotts."
"You really did have this all planned out, didn't you?" Victoria laughed. "Well, we're going in the wrong direction for Flourish and Blotts you know." She turned around and pointed ahead. "I believe it's that way."
Albert turned on his heel. "Yes, that's right. My mistake, I suppose. I wasn't thinking."
Victoria, now thinking about books, asked, "What books do we have on our list this year?"
Stopping for a moment, Albert pulled out the Hogwarts supply list. "Let me see here: Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5; Astronomy and Life, Second Edition; Advanced Charms; and Counter-Curses For All Occasions."
Victoria counted on her fingers as Albert listed the books out. "That's four this year." She then pulled out her bag of money, counting it out slowly. "I should have enough, plus some left over if we want something cool to d---" She stopped herself then and shook her head to clear it, looking upset again.
"You were so happy just a moment ago, what's wrong?" Albert knew exactly what was wrong. She had remembered the dress robes. But on the off chance it was something else, he didn't want to push the subject.
Victoria's eyes narrowed. "You know perfectly well what's wrong. How much did those robes cost?"
"I don't remember," Albert lied, shrugging. "Just pay me whatever you've---"
"Don't play that game with me, Albert James Logan," she interrupted, voice sharp. "Tell me how much the robes cost."
"I will not tell you. Consider it a gift, one you more than deserve."
"Fine, if you won't tell me, then I'll just have to return it." She turned and began walking back to Madam Malkin's, but Albert was expecting this, and took two long strides to stand in front of her, placing his hands firmly on her shoulders. He sighed, exasperated.
"All right. If it's that important to you, I'll tell you."
Victoria's voice was firm: "It is."
Albert, releasing her shoulders, gave in. "It was five Galleons." He was lying through his teeth, but as long as Victoria didn't ever find out, things would be fine between them. In reality, the dress had cost just over fifteen Galleons.
"Only five Galleons? I find that awfully hard to believe."
"Well, I asked Sarah if she could make sure not to bring anything too expensive, seeing as you had to pay me back. I would say she did an amazing job of it."
Victoria's eyes narrowed a bit, searching Albert's face for any trace of a lie but finding none. "All right. It might take me a while to pay you back, though."
"That's perfectly all right. No need to rush. Now then," he changed the subject, "we're going to be late meeting Kathrine if we don't move quickly." He began walking before Victoria could protest any further or find some other problem with this whole situation.
The short walk to Flourish and Blotts was in silence, Victoria still wondering whether Albert was lying, and Albert being very silent so as not to say anything that might give him away. Once they met up with Kathrine, he was sure things would die down. Victoria, reunited with her two best friends for the first time all summer, would forget all about the dress robes.
When she entered the store, Victoria's mood improved immediately. Just seeing all the books on the different branches of magic brought a smile to her face. The shelves were many in number, with books stacked two or three deep from the floor almost up to the ceiling. Tearing her eyes away from all the beautifully bound books, Victoria searched the room for her best friend. She looked about for a tall, blonde-haired, green-eyed girl. Not seeing anyone resembling Kathrine, she looked at Albert, who was also casting his eyes about the large shop. "Have you seen her yet?" Victoria questioned, anxious to see her exciting friend after a very long, very boring summer.
"If I had seen her, would I still be standing about looking for her?" Albert was very talented when it came to answering questions with questions, although he did have a point.
"I suppose not," Victoria sighed. "It's a very large store, though, and all we're doing is standing about in the front. If Kathrine was to go anywhere in a bookstore filled with books on spells and potions, where would she go?" The question was almost rhetorical. Kathrine was very unconventional, and very interested in charms of all sorts, especially love spells. She had purchased a book last year called 1001 Love Spells for All Occasions which she frequently looked through, trying a new spell out every week. When she had finally realized they didn't work, she was very disappointed, and wouldn't stop talking about how she needed to find a book with some real love spells in it.
Simultaneously, Victoria and Albert went straight for the charms section in the back of the store. In the far corner, they found Kathrine seated on a stool, her green eyes interested as she flipped through the pages of a rather thick book, bound in deep red leather. "So, what do you two think?" she asked, holding up the book to show them the cover. "Because I'm thinking that maybe these spells will actually work."
Victoria rolled her eyes with a small smile, while Albert said, "Is that all the hello you're going to give us? I've only seen you once all summer, and for five minutes at that, and here you are interested in love spells and potions?"
"Of course," replied Kathrine slowly, grinning wickedly. "I was going to greet you with a love spell, my dear Al, but I couldn't find one I liked." She stuck her tongue out at him in a childish gesture. Albert was about to give a sarcastic response to this statement, but before he knew it Victoria had practically attacked Kathrine, leaping onto her to give her a large, friendly hug. The stool went crashing to the floor, and Kathrine screeched as the girls went flying. Both of them ended up lying on their backs on the ground laughing. Victoria was laughing so hard she couldn't breathe, and at the end of a long fit of giggles, ended up gasping for air before she started up again.
Albert walked to stand about them. "What am I going to do with you girls?" he asked. "I had forgotten how much of a handful you are." He held out a hand to help each of them up. "Literally."
Victoria and Kathrine each took Albert's offered hand. Kathrine caught Victoria's eye for a moment in the process of standing up, and Victoria grinned back at her. The second they were both standing, but still holding onto Albert's hands, the threw all their weight onto him, sending all three toppling over. This time Albert laughed uncontrollably as well. "Thankfully," he said between bursts of laughter, "this is a corner of the store normal people aren't all that interested in, otherwise we'd be sent out of the store." He pushed himself up to a seated position, the girls following suit.
"So," Victoria began, "are you ready to try another book of love spells this year, Kath?"
"Of course," she answered with a nod. "I think Al will be my test victim."
"Victim?" He sounded a bit worried. "I'm not so sure I like that word, Kath."
"Pish posh. You know you'd thoroughly enjoy having me as your love interest."
Albert rolled his eyes. "You've caught me. I can't deny it anymore. I would be thrilled to be in love with you." His voice was thick with sarcasm.
"I say you try one of them out the minute we get on the train," Victoria pitched in. "You should either try on Al, or find some other victim like Roger from Slytherin. If you use it on him, he may never bother us again."
"He'd still bother us, only in a lovesick sort of a way. Which is one hundred times worse than his usual cruel attitude," Albert pointed out.
"Albert, does that mean your volunteering?" Kathrine asked slyly.
"Absolutely not. Just find someone who's not annoying to begin with. And besides, none of these spells worked last year. Why should anything be different this year?" He stood up. "Get the book if you want, Kath. I won't stop you . But if you ever cast one of those flimsly little spells on me I'll get you for it."
"All right. I think I will get it then," she said, standing up herself. "Come on, Victoria, let's go find our school books." Victoria got up, following her friends to the front of the store where all the books on every Hogwarts list were stacked. The books were sorted by year. Each year had one shelf. They searched for the shelf with the big five at the top.