Chapter 13: Indian Summer – Part 2

The Lakshmi Bazaar was like Diagon Alley, except it seemed to be so much more crowded, colourful and full of sights and sounds. Tall, ancient buildings reached up on either side, and their fronts opened up as shops and stalls. The sounds of music, loud conversations and the shouting of vendors washed over Padma. She walked over to Sanjiv, trying to take everything in. The Indian witches and wizards wore bright colours that seemed to shine in the sunlight; many of the witches wore saris and the wizards wore long robes, their hats generally replaced by turbans.

"It's amazing!" Padma said.

Behind her, she heard a gasp that she guessed was Parvati. She turned around and found that Sanjiv and Hina were smiling at each other, clearly amused at their amazement.

"Should we have a look around?" Hina asked.

The four of them walked down the long, winding street on the packed dirt road. They passed by the Delhi branch of Flourish and Blotts, a wide open fronted building that seemed to be a Gringotts bank and numerous local shops selling Indian wares. Parvati pointed out a wizard who was snake charming, and Padma watched as a saleswizard demonstrated a flying carpet to a large crowd of witches and wizards.

Padma ducked as a young wizard accidentally threw a Frisbee that screamed in the direction of her head. She spotted a small shop with a canopy that sold what seemed to be second hand books.

"Can we go and have a look there?"

Sanjiv nodded. Padma hurried over, looking for something that she could buy for Terry or Lisa as a present. She went inside the shop, finding it to be dim and musty, lit by globes of light that floated about the low ceiling. An ancient witch was examining a book that was the thickness of a brick and the owner of the shop, a young, brightly dressed witch, was leaning over the table at the front of the shop attempting to reach a specific tome.

Padma browsed for a while, eventually finding a book about Indian beasts that was written in both Hindi and English. She bought it for Terry and it was wrapped up in brown paper for her. Parvati and her cousins stood outside.

"I've found the best shop ever!" Parvati said excitedly, grabbing Padma's wrist.

She dragged Padma over to a shop around the corner. It had piles of teacups and teapots outside and there were boxes of different herbs and teas on the table at the front. Inside was warm with a sweet smell hanging on the air, and Padma found herself looking around at lunarscopes, scrolls with phases of the moon on them and burners giving off clouds of pungent smoke.

"It has all of the Divination supplies you'd ever want!" Parvati said.

Padma picked up a book that seemed to be telling the reader a thousand ways to interpret the leaves, and she rolled her eyes; this was definitely not her idea of the best shop ever. Parvati picked up a silver teapot that was engraved with writing that moved around the surface.

"Do you think grandmother would like this?"

"Of course she will," Padma said, trying to keep the bitterness from her voice. "Are you going to get Lavender something?"

Parvati nodded and held up the book Padma had been looking at. Padma headed outside. Hina was waving her over to a shop that was selling mountains of sweets. There were mounds of traditional Indian sweets as well as all of the usual wizard's sweets; Liquorice Wands, Chocolate Frogs and Fizzing Whizbees. Padma bought some Chocolate Frogs, which had cards with mainly Indian wizards on them, as well as some Indian sweets, for both Terry and Lisa.

For the rest of the morning they browsed the Lakshmi Bazaar, enjoying the sights, sounds and sun.

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"Do you want to go to the tea shop for lunch?" Sanjiv asked about two hours later.

The three girls nodded. Padma heard her stomach rumble.

"Where is it?" she asked.

He pointed over to a large shop that had a silver teapot sign hanging over the doorway. Inside it was small and cool with round tables to sit at. The lamps on the walls were covered with silk scarves, casting multicoloured light over the room, and there were paintings of famous Indian witches and wizards. Sanjiv came over to their table carrying a plate of food and some tea. As she ate, Padma looked around the room. There were a couple of witches talking and laughing loudly, and a wizard in the corner smoked a pipe that was so long that it rested on the tiled floor.

"Do you want to buy anything else?" Hina asked as she sipped on her tea.

"I just want to get one more thing for my friend," Padma said, "something interesting and unique."

"I know where to go for that," Sanjiv said. "What about you, Parvati?"

"I'd like to buy some jewellery."

"I'll take you," Hina said, standing up. "We'll meet you back at the gateway in half and hour."

They walked out of the shop, leaving some money on the table, and Padma and Sanjiv headed further down the Lakshmi Bazaar. Padma tried not to stare when she saw a wizard climbing up a rope that floated in the air and Sanjiv steered her towards a ramshackle shop.

It was small and cramped, packed full of all sorts of unusual items. There were tarnished lamps, piles of dusty books, paintings, and Padma was sure that she saw a stuffed baby dragon that seemed to watch her as she passed. The wizard who owned the shop stepped forwards, bowing so deeply that his turban wobbled dangerously.

"How can I help you?" he said in English with a thick accent.

"I'm looking for a present for my friend," Padma explained. "Something interesting," she continued, "maybe with a fascinating history."

The wizard disappeared for a moment, returning with an intricate clock. It was clearly ancient, the face decorated with a moving universe, and there was a golden phoenix perched on the top.

"What about this?" the wizard asked. "It was created two hundred years ago by a great Indian watchmaker."

"Maybe not," Padma said, "I'm looking for something smaller, really."

The shop owner nodded and searched around for a moment, pulling out a carved phoenix. It was made of ivory and had small red eyes that seemed to watch Padma intently. She took it and examined it closely.

"It's beautiful," she said softly.

"It used to have certain interesting properties," the wizard explained. "When it was placed in front of a certain item, it would guard it, keeping it out of sight. I do not think it works now."

"It doesn't matter," Padma said, "it's fantastic. How much?"

"Five Galleons."

Padma handed over the money. The wizard put it into a velvet line box and wrapped it in paper, bowing low again as he handed it over to Padma. She and Sanjiv left the shop, heading towards the gateway. Parvati and Hina stood by the wall, carrying several multicoloured bags in their arms.

"We have to go now," Sanjiv said. "After all, you two are leaving at nightfall."

Yet again they had another manic rickshaw ride and they reached the station, Padma feeling rather sick. The train ride was long and hot, but they shared some of the sweets they had bought and compared their purchases.

They stepped out onto the platform two hours later and found the gardener standing with his cart again, smiling toothlessly at them and waving them over. As they travelled back to Chandri House, Padma turned to her sister.

"So what did you get?" she asked.

Parvati pulled a handful of gold bangles out of one of the bags, showing them to Padma, and also had a pair of gold drop earrings on her palm.

"What do you think?"

"They're beautiful," Padma said as they trundled down a narrow street.

"And this is for you," Parvati said with a smile.

She handed her twin sister a silver bangle. Padma smiled warmly, slipping it onto her wrist. She admired it in the sun and hugged Parvati tightly.

"Thank you!"

Eventually they reached Chandri House. In the courtyard, Sanjiv handed Padma a box of Floo powder as the gardener started a fire in the grate. Padma threw the Floo powder into the fire, turning the flames emerald green. She stepped into the fire.

"Phoenix House!"

For the second time in a day she felt as though she was being sucked downwards, spinning madly. Padma stumbled out of the grate at her aunt's house, finding her family gathering about on the floor for the evening meal. Her mother came over and hugged her.

"Did you have a good time?"

Padma nodded and started to describe everything that she saw in as much detail as she could. Soon Parvati, Hina and Sanjiv stepped out of the hearth, joining them for dinner. The whole family was there; Padma's parents, her aunt and uncle, five cousins, her grandmother and her great aunt Sita. Parvati and Padma sat side by side, watching as their aunt and an older cousin brought out mountains of food.

The sound of talking and laughter rose up around the courtyard. Padma's father and her uncle were talking about work, Uncle Pradeep explaining about his position in the Indian Ministry of Magic and international relations. Surya was telling her sister in law about what work she did, while Padma's grandmother talked to her sister, Padma' great aunt Sita, in Hindi.

At the end of the meal, Aunt Nisha brought in a teapot, sending it floating over to each of the family's cups with a wave of her wand. Padma drank slowly, enjoying the atmosphere of the occasion.

"Why don't you read one of your cousins' cups, Parvati," grandmother suggested.

"Yes, grandmother."

Parvati looked very pleased with herself and took Sanjiv's cup from him. Padma watched as her twin turned the cup around in her hands, carefully examining the contents.

"I see great accomplishments and happiness in this cup," she said, "but you also have certain trials to overcome in the next year."

"May I see?" her grandmother asked. She took the cup and examined it closely. "Yes, that seems to be correct," she said with a warm smile.

"Would you read my leaves, Padma?" one of her younger cousins asked.

Padma felt her mouth dry. She glanced quickly at Parvati who bit her lower lip, looking sympathetic.

"I can't read the leaves," she explained quietly. "I don't have the Sight."

"But I thought that all of our family could See."

Padma shook her head and got up from the floor.

"Excuse me, please," she said.

She hurried over to the stairs that led up to the roof that overlooked the mountains in the distance. Padma walked over to the wall and leant up against it, sighing.

Yet again she had been made to feel small and insignificant in front of her family. She knew that her cousin hadn't meant it, but saying that everyone else had Sight made her feel as though she was incomplete or didn't fit in. Padma sniffed back tears and played with the bangle Parvati had given her, spinning it around her wrist.

"Are you all right?"

Hina walked over to Padma, standing next to her. Padma shrugged.

"I don't know," she said. "I thought that everything was going so well with this visit. And then this goes and happens. It always does. And at home, grandmother is always trying to persuade me to be more like Parvati."

"I know the feeling," Hina said with a wry smile. "Great Aunt Sita is the same with me. I never showed any interest in the traditional practices. They're just not accurate enough for me."

"I've got the same opinion," Padma said.

The two girls smiled. Padma felt better and looked out over the countryside, watching as the sun began to sink down behind the trees.

"Don't worry about it," Hina said. "No matter what grandmother or Great Aunt Sita say, not all of us have Sight. And most of the predictions are pretty mundane; nothing earth shattering."

"Thanks Hina," Padma said, hugging her cousin tightly.

"We'd best get downstairs."

Back in the courtyard, everyone was clearing away. Padma's grandmother sat talking to her sister, and Parvati stood up, hurrying over to her twin. Hina smiled and headed off to another part of the house.

"I'm so sorry!" Parvati said, looking apologetic. "I didn't mean to show you up in front of everyone. I only read Sanjiv's leaves because they asked me to. I…"

"It's fine," Padma interrupted. "I know you didn't mean it. These things just happen."

Parvati looked relieved and hugged Padma quickly.

"We're going now!"

Padma's mother stood with their father, their trunks on the floor behind them. The entire family lined up to say goodbye, hugging and kissing them all. At the end of the line, Hina handed Padma and Parvati a photograph each in a simple frame; it showed the entire family standing outside the house, smiling and waving happily.

"Thank you!" Padma said, hugging her cousin again.

"Don't forget to write to us," Parvati told Hina who nodded.

Padma's father put a cracked vase onto the floor.

"I pulled some strings at the Ministry to make a Portkey," he explained with a smile. He pulled out his wand. "Portus!" The vase shuddered momentarily and glowed blue.

Padma touched the rim of the vase. Her father grabbed one of the trunks, her mother another, and they both touched the vase with their free hands. Parvati and her grandmother did the same.

"Goodbye!" Hina shouted.

"Three, two…" Parmesh counted.

Before he could even say 'one', there was a tug behind Padma's navel and she felt as if she was being wrenched forwards. Her family's farewells rang in her head as they flew through nothingness, knocking against one another with their fingers attached to the vase.

Padma stumbled forwards into their living room, steadying her grandmother who was about to plunge forward into the sofa. She smiled gratefully at Padma, heading off into the kitchen and muttering something about the perils of travelling by Portkey under her breath. Padma rolled her eyes. She headed upstairs, following her mother and sister.

In her room, her mother had opened one of the trunks, unpacking with her wand. Padma watched as a pair of her socks flew through the air, folding themselves as they went, and dropped neatly into her drawers. Parvati was lying slumped on her bed.

"Did you enjoy yourselves then?" her mother asked.

"Most of it was great," Padma said, sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"Good," her mother said, smiling warmly. She left the room.

Padma knelt down beside her trunk, retrieving her souvenirs from the bottom. Parvati disappeared downstairs to give her grandmother the silver teapot, leaving Padma alone in the bedroom. Padma got up and put the photograph from Hina on her bedside table, next to the one of her and Terry. She stacked her presents for Terry and Lisa next to them.

She would give them to her best friends when they went back to school on the 1st of September. At the thought of Hogwarts, Padma smiled and lay back on her bed. She'd enjoyed her summer holidays immensely, but she was unable and unwilling to silence the large part of her that couldn't wait to get back to school.