p "Now Isolde, I don't want you to get too excited this year," her Mom said as they walked into Diagon Alley. "Your father and I are low on funds and can't afford to buy you new robes today, so we are going to the used store to buy them." /p
p "Oh," Isolde said, disappointed. "That's ok." She had been looking forward to new robes the entire ride, but this was ok. At least she was getting robes. /p
p Cedric had gone off with his father to purchase school supplies and her mother looked as though she had gotten the short straw. Isolde knew her mother didn't want to be with her, but she just assumed that was the way it was in all families. /p
p As they walked into the store, Isolde smiled. There in front of her was a harassed looking woman trying to get robes adjusted for five unruly redheaded children. Two of the boys who looked exactly alike were hiding behind a rack of shabby looking robes, pointing their wands at a young boy who looked about Issy's age and was having his robes taken in. Every time the witch would put pins into the robes, they would come flying out again. /p
p A fourth boy, who looked to be the oldest, was marching smugly around the store with a gold and maroon badge on his puffed out chest. In his right hand was his wand and his left was a book that Isolde saw to be called 'Great Leaders: A History'. When he spotted the two twin boys, he made a move to grab their wands, but they just flipped him over screaming into the air and charmed his book to repeatedly whack him over the head. /p
p A young girl who looked to be a year or two younger then Isolde was dressing up in the formal robes and admiring herself the mirror. /p
p "Mrs. Weasley," the shop owner said furiously. "I don't know what is going on, but every time I put these pins into Ron's robes, they keep flying out!" /p
p "It's … umph … them, umph …. Mum!" accused the boy in the air, pointing to the twins on the floor beneath him. /p
p "Merlin Percy! How on earth did you get up there?" Mrs. Weasley screamed when she saw the boy. /p
p "Again, Fred and George," Percy said, annoyed. /p
p "BOYS!!" Mrs. Weasley screamed. But she was interrupted by a small 'ahem'. /p
p The shopkeeper turned around. /p
p "I'm sorry miss, but I'm extremely busy at the moment – there you go dear you can hop down now – but if you take a seat I will be with you as soon as I can." /p
p "Well, I have other children, can I just leave her here? She knows what she needs." /p
p The room got quiet and Isolde was blushing furiously. Her mother always did this when it was her turn to accompany Isolde. /p
p "Well, I guess so," the shopkeeper said with a puzzled look on her face. /p
p "Great!" Kathy said. And without looking back, she headed right out of the store. /p
p Isolde was still blushing as she took a seat and glanced nervously around the room. She hated being alone with complete strangers and the tears she was trying to hold back were threatening to fall. /p
p "Hey," said the youngest redheaded boy. "I'm Ron Weasley." /p
p The little girl who had placed the fancy dress robes back on the rack came over to her as well. "I'm Ginny." /p
p "Hi Ron, Ginny," Isolde said shyly, not meeting their gaze. "I'm Isolde Diggory" /p
p "You mean you're Diggory's sister?" the twins asked her, suddenly very interested. /p
p "Yes. Does he go to your school?" Isolde asked, loking up shyly. /p
p "Yeah, we all go to Hogwarts together," one of the twins answered, looking towards Isolde. /p
p "That's cool," said Isolde, smiling at them. "I don't really know any other people besides my brother going there." /p
p "Hey, you can sit with me on the train," Ron said happily. He then leaned towards her and whispered, "If I have to sit with my brother Percy, the one with the book, I think I'll be sick." /p
p Isolde laughed happily. /p
p "Why did your mum leave you like that?" Ginny asked, putting her hand on Isolde's shoulder. /p
p "Oh, she does that a lot. Don't worry she'll be back later. She's probably going to see…" /p
p But Isolde didn't have time to finish her sentence. The shop door flew open and an angry Cedric came into the shop with very expensive Quidditch robes over his shoulder. /p
p "Did mum leave you here by yourself, Isolde?" he asked, coming over to her. She looked up at him, startled. He almost never used her full name. /p
p "Yes, but I'm ok. Hey, I love your robes! Did you save a lot of money to get them?" Isolde said, admiring the yellow and black robes flung over his shoulder. /p
p "No, mum and dad bought them for me, but what are you doing here? This is a used robes store." /p
p Ginny looked down at her skirt and began playing with its tattered edge. Fred and George turned quickly and became interested in a green set of girls' robes. Mrs. Weasley turned back to Ron and began fussing with a spot on his nose. Cedric realized what he had said and turned redder than a quaffle. /p
p "Mum said we couldn't afford new robes, so she brought me here. I met Ron; he's going to Hogwarts this year too!" /p
p Cedric smiled at the innocence of his little sister. /p
p "Ron, huh? Well, nice to meet you. Hey Fred! George! aCome on Issy-Bissy . I'll take you to Madam Malkin's and buy you some robes." /p
p "Oh, really Cedric? But, you've been saving all year for Hogsmeade!" /p
p "It doesn't matter. You're my sister." /p
p Isolde hugged Cedric and, waving to Ron and his smiling family, walked out onto the streets of Diagon Alley to purchase new robes for Hogwarts. /p