Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter. This is written for ONC 2023, prompt eleven, "A new buisness opens in a small town. The townspeople are intrigued by what is being offered by the buisness owners, and soon the town and its people begin to behave in unusual ways. In this story the Russell family are Grangers, to cut down on the number of OCs used.

Black Curiosities
Change Next Door

Change.

Sebastian Cesario Granger never liked change, or at least from his own recollection, he never liked change. Change left an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach, which in the back of his mind, was the reason he didn't handle the shopping trip for his daughter Hermione's school supplies for her second year at Hogwarts well. He'd found himself overwhelmed and needing a good lie down.

Yet, despite his disposition toward change, let alone the negative experience during the shopping trip didn't prevent him from accepting his daughter was a witch, which in turn felt strange given how logically driven he was. Magic was something that, for most people, defied logic. He accepted magic, though, as if it were indeed a part of the world's logic which certainly was a given that his daughter was a witch quite capable of doing magic.

Outside of that strange oddity Sebastian couldn't explain away, life in Middleton was quite normal. Nor were any questions asked when Hermione went away to a special boarding school, as quite a few of the adults expected as much given how bright the girl was. Change rarely came to Middleton, with any that occurred being small and insignificant enough not to worry him, or at least there hadn't been any significant change from Sebastian's own recollections.

Which is why he stood there, gaping at the Bell, Book & Candle sign, the hot fish and chips he'd bought for his lunch as he headed from the dentist's office, where he worked with his wife, to the Granger Books, which was right next door to the new shop opening-up. He'd taken a bite of the crispy fish he loved so much when he saw the local carpenters installing the sign, only lowered it in surprise and stared as he watched them finish, finally swallowing the bite he'd taken.

Taking a deep breath, he hurried past, opening the door to Granger's Bookstore, the bell over the door jangling. "Grand-père!"

"Before you ask, I already know," the older man behind the counter said. Richard Granger didn't look up from his ledger to look at Sebastian. "And it's not actually a bookstore."

"It very clearly says book on the sign," Sebastian protested, hurrying over to the counter, sliding behind to sit on the stool he enjoyed his lunch.

"Does Olivia no longer need you at the dentist's office today, or are you here only on your lunch break."

"We have no afternoon appointments," Sebastian said. "So I'm free to help out here at the store." He bit down on the fish, chewed carefully, and then swallowed. "And I very clearly saw the sign." A jingle was heard as someone else entered Granger Books. "It said books."

"Indeed!" said the person, hurrying over despite her small size and bulk.

Richard senior finally looked up from his ledger, frowning at the woman with her bright floral pinks and purples. "Need something, Mayor Tinsdale?"

"I'd have thought you, of all people, would be more concerned, monsieur Granger," the woman said, lifting her nose in the air as her brown hair framed her round face.

Sebastian snorted into his chips, knowing full well monsieur Granger, despite the Granger family having connections to France to the point of speaking both, did, in fact, not like to be called monsieur Granger, something only Martha Tinsdale, the current mayor of Middleton did. Unless, of course, someone was making a joke at her expense. He swallowed the bite of a chip, wiping his mouth. "She's right, you know."

"I'll have you both know," Richard said, "That the delightful shop owner of that establishment opening up next door has already been to talk to me before she finalized any plans. It isn't a bookstore."

"But the book is in the sign, as your delightful grandson said," Martha said. "Surely that doesn't concern you.

"Not when the focus of her shop will be on bells and candles, so to speak. She won't be carrying many books, but if her customers are looking for something specific, she plans to come to me. Ms. Nightingale has called her shop the Bell, Book, and Candle, not because she will be selling books, but because she purposefully named her place after a 1950s movie from America. And yes, she's American, Ms. Tinsdale. Well, sort of. She's got family connections here, and she is a very polite young lady, so I will not take kindly to you mistreating her."

"Well, I never," Martha said, her mouth pressed together, turning to look at Sebastian. "I was just trying to help, but this is what I get. An accusation that I won't treat her well."

"Well," Sebastian started to say, lowering his fish and chips before looking at Richard.

"What? What is it?"

He turned his head to look at her, frowning. "Do you remember when we first met?"

"That's different!" Martha said. "You and Olivia hadn't yet graduated from secondary when the two of you married, with her graduating that year and you the year after. And between when the two of you graduated, there was already a child. And don't forget the state you were in!"

"That's why they married," Richard said.

"Yes, but," Martha started to say.

"And if they turned out alright after everything that happened, mayor, don't you think you should give Ms. Nightingale a chance? Treat her like the new neighbor she is. I daresay you'll find yourself pleasantly surprised."

"Well," the woman said, then paused. "Fine. I'll go and greet her. All these changes give me sleepless nights, though!"

She turned and left. Richard sighed before tucking his pencil behind his ear next to his salt-and-pepper-colored hair. "Her sleepless nights aren't caused by changes to the town."

"No," Sebastian said. "I don't recollect a change like this happening to Middleton. Not that really means anything, what with the fact I've not always been a resident here."

"And that other issue," his grandfather said.

"Other issue?" Sebastian said, frowning.

"Never you mind, my dear boy," Richard said, his frown turning into a smile. "And while I know you're not fond of change, do give Ms. Nightingale a chance.

"But I've got a not-so-great feeling," Sebastian said. "I don't know how to explain it." He paused. "Is the other issue—were you talking about how I don't remember anything beyond a certain point?"

"How many times have the rest of the Granger family, or I told you not to worry about your past? You are a Granger. Nothing is going to change that. Ever. Eat your lunch. The last thing I need is to hear from my son and daughter-in-law that you're forgetting to eat again."

"Yes. Sorry," Sebastian said, biting into the fish and chips, trying not to overthink his forgotten memories despite the feeling at the back of his head those memories were important to him somehow.