Title: Christmas Surprises
Chapter: Two – The Phoenix
Author: SnakeEyesHannah
Spoilers: OotP
Disclaimer: I do not own anything involving Harry Potter. This does all our favorite author, JK Rowling, bless her soul.
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Harry looked inside the shop. It was rather dark, but the torches lit on the stonewalls cast an almost romantic glow to it. The glass counters shimmered as the lights flickered when he opened the door. The jewelry sparkled. Harry had taken a break from Ron, Hermione and Ginny for about half an hour, telling them it wouldn't be much fun if they knew what they were getting from him. Ginny had offered to help him pick out some stuff for Ron and Hermione, but Harry had declined her help, he couldn't have her tagging along when he was buying her gift. That was the reason Harry would ever set his foot inside this store.
"May I help you?" came a female voice. Harry blinked, he hadn't seen or heard the lady approach. She looked like a model directly from any magazine, her blond hair in a perfect ponytail, her casual jeans, high heels and her Japanese-styled top. Harry looked dumbfounded at her for a moment, unable to speak. She flashed him a beautiful smile, showing off her perfect, white teeth.
"I… I…" Harry stuttered. He shook his head; this wasn't the time to act all silly! He cleared his throat and started over. "I'm looking for a bracelet, possibly a necklace, for a friend", he said. The witch smiled at him again, a sort of knowing sparkle in her blue eyes.
"Ah", she said and took a step to her left so she could look through a counter. She put a manicured finger on the counter, biting her lip. She tapped the glass and motioned for Harry to come and look. He leaned over the counter too, looking at the golden chain the witch pointed to. It was beautiful, very beautiful, with a golden heart surrounded by small diamonds and lovely carvings. Harry frowned.
"Pretty, but not what I'm looking for", he said truthfully. The witch nodded and looked left and right through the counter, in search for something she believed suited Harry, or his 'friend'.
"How does she look like?" she suddenly asked. Harry looked up from the jewelry in surprise.
"Long beautiful red hair, big brown eyes, cute freckles, slightly pale", Harry said without thinking. He had her in his mind; he could have drawn her if he'd been a good drawer. The witch nodded again.
"And she's very alive, laughs a lot, fun to be around?" she guessed, still not looking at Harry. Harry was too shocked to even reply. How could she know? He watched as she took a few steps to her right, then to the counter at the back of the store. She snapped her fingers and a small part of the glass lid of the counter disappeared. Harry's eyes widened.
"Looking for something along the lines of this?" she asked, holding up another golden necklace. Harry couldn't see it clearly and held out his hand for it. She placed it gently in his hand and he brought it closer to a torch. He gasped. The golden phoenix seemed so alive. The carving was extraordinary; you could see every feather, every detail. And the rubies used as eyes were amazing.
"It's perfect", Harry said breathless. He couldn't take his eyes off the bird. It was really special; Ginny would adore it. Then he suddenly became aware of the greatness of it. It had to cost a fortune. "How much for it?" he asked, dreading the answer.
"Fifty galleons", the witch said. Harry was shocked. How could something so fantastic cost so little? And as if the witch had read his mind she laughed. "We don't get too many costumers, but the ones who do come here love these so much we can afford to keep the price low."
Harry nodded, as if he understood, but nothing would penetrate his mind now. Fifty galleons for a necklace that would most likely blow Ginny away. It was perfect. Perfect for what he was thinking of telling her while giving her the gift.
"I'll take it", Harry said firmly. "But I'm going to need a bracelet too", he added. He couldn't give Ginny this in front of the others; he had to have another gift in hand. The witch nodded again, flashing him another perfect smile. She immediately turned and disappeared through a dark red curtain. When she returned she held out a golden bracelet to Harry, little hearts and stars hanging from it. The hearts sparkled from the lights; the stars almost twinkling like real ones. It was the perfect gift to give Ginny with the others around.
"Right. Thank you. I'll take both", Harry said and placed the necklace carefully on the glass counter. The witch snapped her fingers again and two deep red boxes appeared on the counter. She opened them and placed the bracelet and the necklace in each of them. With another snap of her fingers they were lying in a pretty bag and she held it out to Harry who took it.
"That would be 70 galleons then", she said. Harry reached down in his pocket and paid the witch. She gave him yet another smile and a little wave as Harry opened the door again and stepped out in the clear and cold day.
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"Had a successful shopping?" Hermione asked as Harry joined her and Ron at The Three Broomsticks at three o'clock. Harry nodded, having hidden all of the gifts in a big, neutral bag. Ron looked curiously at it.
"All your gifts fit in that?" he asked doubtful. Harry nodded. Ron pointed to the many bags underneath the table he and Hermione had settled at. "That's just mine", he said, rolling his eyes. "We're bloody too many in my family!" he complained. Harry grinned.
"Not my fault that", he said. "Where's Hermione's then?" he asked. If those were only Ron's, he wouldn't want to know how much Hermione had bought since she was a bit of a shop-a-holic once she got going.
"Right here", Hermione said, a hint of proudness in her voice. She pointed to the empty chair on the other side of the table. But the chair wasn't empty. Three bags lay on it, all of them rather small. Harry looked disbelieving at her.
"That's all yours?" he asked and Hermione nodded. "You sure that's all you've bought?" Harry asked. "Not left anything at a store…? Nothing?" Hermione shook her head, a huge smile on her face. It was a secretive smile and Harry understood that it wasn't all that she bought. Most likely she had put a spell on her things to make them all fit in the bags. He rolled his eyes at her and her face fell.
"Nice try, 'Mione", he said, taking the bags off the chair and settling himself in it. "I know you." She sighed and shrugged. Ron looked puzzled, but Harry only shook his head at him. "Don't bother", he told Ron.
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Author's note: I know it was slightly short, I'll try harder on the next one, I promise! Review, please. They make my day! I live for long reviews…