Andrew and Shannon hold one another's hands by habit as they walk through the streets of London, trailing after Eliza and Henry as they approach the Leaky Cauldron. As usual Shannon is thrumming with excitement upon her opportunity to see such iconic locations in the Wizarding World, seeing as her only experience so far had been to the 'muggle' version in Orlando, Florida. Andrew had been quite curious upon learning of such an imitation, peppering her with questions on how they could have recreated magic without magic.
Today's outing is one that the two Logan children had been anticipating since Shannon received her Hogwarts letter at the Burrow. Eliza and Henry seemed to have been eager as well, insisting the group go as a family. To everyone's relief, Granny Logan declined to accompany them, holeing herself up in Agatha's Library and persistently casting mysterious enchantments over the room and the enigmatic compartment behind Helga Hufflepuff's portrait. Both Shannon and Eliza have continued to question the elder about it and its contents, but the woman has remained tightlipped, shooing them from the room whenever they came to bother her. Eventually the woman had shooed them all away, reminding her granddaughter that the new term is barely a week away and that Shannon still needed her supplies and everyday wear.
This led to the small family's outing on this particular Saturday. Initially the Weasley's were to accompany them to gather the few items that they needed to restock for the new academic year, but that plan had quickly fallen through due to the sudden appearance of Aunt Muriel at the Burrow the day before. The rather prideful and rude woman had overtaken the Weasley household with the claim that as they never visited her she had to take it upon herself to maintain a familial relationship, although Ron secretly insisted that it is because she is so unpleasant that no one wanted to be around her so she has to force herself on others.
While a bit put out that the Weasley's are unable to make it, Shannon is still quite pleased as they walk the streets of London, particularly because although her true family had moved to Surrey, she had yet to have the opportunity to truly visit the renown city of London. She had always wanted to visit at least once and had meant to go before starting 6th form, before all this wizarding business, and now she is on her way to visit the renowned Diagon Alley itself to shop for her school supplies (and for a new wardrobe, much to her relief). She is a bit frustrated with herself for lacking the independence to fetch her school supplies on her own, something she had been doing for the last two years, but the fact that she is going to perhaps the most interesting and magical shopping district she's ever dreamed of, that frustration is easily pushed aside. Besides, it's not like she can do it all on her own as an eleven year old.
"Here we are," Eliza states as they approach a rather destitute corner store that appears to have been abandoned, only as Shannon stares at the door she finds her perception changes and she notices a rather homey looking pub illuminated from within with a crown of people drinking and eating by lantern and candle. Above the previously graffitied door is an ancient-looking sign which reads 'The Leaky Cauldron' in large gilded letters.
Shannon isn't given a moment to marvel at the obvious enchantment bestowed upon the exterior before she is urged into the admittedly dingy pub. It is rather full with not a single seat available as people shout and clamor at the counter, calling out for the barkeep, Tom. Shannon marvels at the spectacle as Eliza and Henry usher the children to the back of the pub. Because of her regress in size as well as age, the men and women towering over the eleven year old Shannon are disorienting to the young girl. She finds that with just a bump from someone's waist has the ability to send her flying off her feet if she is not careful.
Not a moment too soon, the two children are ushered into a quiet back alley where the sound of the crowded bar and London streets have faded to a muffled murmur in the distance.
"Right then," Eliza states as she retrieves her wand from her sleeve and approaches the haphazardly built brick wall at the furthest end of the alley, With practiced movements, the woman taps the bricks three times in a certain pattern that Shannon had read about once upon a time. The next thing Shannon knows the wall has begun to open itself, the bricks moving themselves to create a tall arch leading into a bustling street.
Shannon stares in awe at the spectacle before her, her heart racing as Andrew leads her stunned figure into the crowd of witches and wizards meandering into shops along the curving cobblestone street. Every person who passes by is dressed in colored wizard's robes or an odd assortment of haphazardly matched muggle clothes. Shannon is sure that one woman has a live ferret tittering from atop her large witches' cap, its body curled around the base and observing the surroundings calmly. The buildings on each side of the street reach high into the sky, seemingly held up in odd shapes by magic. Old and new signs adorn each storefront and odd bits and bobbles are arranged in the windows and before their open doors. Cauldrons and wares, potion and alchemy apothecaries, magic books and stationary, tailors and seamstresses, owl emporiums and quidditch supplies; the list goes on. It is almost as though all of Shannon's most magical fantasy wares have been laid out before her for the choosing. The sight sends elation rippling through her small frame as she attempts to take in all the sights around her.
"Alright then, shall we get started?" Henry posits as he glances around at the bustling street.
"Do we need to stop at Gringotts?" Shannon asks excitedly, her eyes flitting to the largest marble building at the end of the curving cobblestone street. Even without asking it is almost impossible to mistake the enormous building for anything other than the renown wizarding bank.
"We have our purse here, but if you'd like we can stop by and give you a tour," Eliza informs her with an uncomfortable smile. "Although, if you'd like to go down to the family vault, I ask that you go with your uncle Henry. I'm not fond of the transportation cart."
"We should pick her up some pocket money for school while we are here anyway," Henry reminds his wife with a smile.
"I wanna come too!" Andrew cries, his eyes wide with excitement. "I love riding the cart!"
Shannon beams and nods. "If we can, I really want to see it. Besides, I love rollercoasters."
Eliza turns a little green and shakes her head while Henry and Andrew stare at the young girl in confusion.
"What's a roller coaster?" Andrew asks while Eliza shakes her head in dismay.
"A horrible muggle ride," the woman states emphatically. "It's extremely dangerous and very similar to the transportation cart system."
Shannon laughs lightly as Andrew's interest is peaked at his mother's words while Henry grins in amusement.
"Moving on – Shannon, you have your letter? Where would you like to start?" Eliza adds, smiling down at the young girl who has stars in her eyes despite the obvious diversion.
Not wasting a moment, the young girl retrieves her list of school supplies from her pocket and glances down the long list.
"The first thing on the list are school robes, and then my textbooks, and then equipment. . . Are we going to be able to carry all this? It's a lot of stuff and it's probably going to be heavy and bulky. . ." The girl muses aloud as she takes in the entirety of the list in her hands, a list she has read over so many times the oil from her fingertips have worn the edges where she grips the parchment.
"Of course," Henry assures the girl as he shows her the satchel hanging from his shoulder. "I've placed an undetectable extension charm on the interior so you needn't worry."
Shannon beams excitedly as her eyes are drawn to the bag, remembering that it was that same charm Hermione had used on her purse in the seventh book.
"In that case, I think I should go to Madam Malkin's for robes first," Shannon states decidedly, her words causing the three other Logan's to start in surprise.
Eliza smiles and shakes her head, her expression filled with amazement.
"I should have guessed you'd even know the names of the shops," she states as Andrew beams at the girl and Henry grins in amusement.
"This is seriously wicked," Andrew states as he grips Shannon's hand a bit tighter and steps forward to lead the young girl. "Come on! The stores up ahead."
Smiling lightly, Shannon allows herself to be dragged along by her adopted brother while Eliza and Henry follow behind. Within moments the small group arrives in front of a large clothing shop whose windows are crammed with displays of different sorts of robes ranging from formal dress robes to nightgowns.
As Shannon stares up at the building in wonder, Andrew's attention is diverted to the store front opposite whose display window currently showcases the newest broom on the market: the Nimbus 2000.
"Mum, mum! Can we go to Quality Quidditch Supplies! Please?" Andrew urges, instantly forgetting that they are here for Shannon's school supplies.
Eliza frowns and seems ready to scold the young boy, but Shannon quickly steps in, sensing an opportunity.
"Why don't you two take Andrew there while I get started?" The young girl offers as she smiles up at the woman and her husband. "It'll probably take a long time and I'm sure you'd all be bored waiting for me. Besides, it's not like this is the first time I've picked up school supplies on my own."
Inwardly, Shannon's heart beats in anticipation, hoping beyond hope that her suggestion is heeded. Admittedly, the girl feels that she does not need a chaperone to fetch her school supplies, in fact she would rather explore the shopping district on her own and at her own pace to take the time to take in the mesmerizing sights. She understands that Eliza is worried about her and appreciates her aunt's care, but over the last week and a half Shannon has been treated like a child of eleven years old and is growing tired of it. As a rather independent and introverted former seventeen year old, she is used to having the autonomy to do her own shopping and pursue her own interests on her own. As much as she has been enjoying her time with her new family, she has also been craving her lost independence. Seeing that Andrew has been so easily distracted and doubting that he has the patience to make it through the whole day in search of school supplies – especially clothes shopping – has given her the chance to recover a bit of that autonomy before heading off to Hogwarts, where no one will understand that a young girl of eleven has the mental maturity of a seventeen year old young woman.
"Oh, but Shannon –" Eliza starts, but Henry cuts her off, placing a gentle hand on his wife's shoulder. To Shannon's relief, he seems to have picked up on Shannon's growing frustration and desire for a bit of independence.
"That sounds perfect," he replies a bit forcefully while smiling at his wife meaningfully. "I know how much you ladies like to take your time shopping and I'm sure you'd like some time to yourself, yes?" He adds the last bit pointedly towards his wife.
"Henry, I'm not sure that's the best –" Eliza begins to insist once more, but before she can protest further Andrew takes her hand and begins to drag his mother to Quality Quidditch Supplies, chatting happily as he does.
Once the two have left, Henry turns to Shannon with an apologetic smile,
"I'm sorry about your aunt. She means well, but I know she can be a bit overbearing when concerned," he states as he removes the satchel from his shoulder and places it over Shannon's head. "Now, you take this and the purse and take as much time as you need to sort yourself out. When you're done or need help with anything, head over to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour in the middle of the street there. We'll check in there every so often, although don't be surprised if Eliza tracks you down once or twice. She's a worrier, that one."
Shannon stares up at the attractive French-Arab man and smiles warmly.
"Thank you. I was reluctant to ask for some time to myself now that I'm a child again," she admits, blushing lightly at the admission.
Henry shakes his head and places an encouraging hand on the girl's shoulder.
"It's my pleasure. This is a difficult situation, one that you have adapted to quickly, I have full confidence that you can manage a bit of shopping on your own, although do be careful to keep away from Knockturn Alley. Unsavory sorts tend to congregate there. Now, you do understand the currency, yes?"
Shannon nods, her affection toward her uncle-turned-adoptive-father growing. While she hasn't spent any time alone with the man, she finds that he is quite observant and mellow, similar to her own father.
"Magnifique! Now, don't worry about the cost and get whatever supplies you need; clothes, toiletries, and anything else you desire. We have the funds so do not be reserved and if you need more just come and find us," he states as he removes his hand from the girl's shoulder. "Have fun!"
With those words, Henry turns on his heel and makes his way to Quality Quidditch Supplies.
Now truly alone for the first time since she arrived in this world, Shannon takes a breath and smiles in relief, a wonderfully melancholic emotion pulling at her chest as she turns back to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions with a renewed sense of self. Taking a breath, she adjusts the strap of Henry's enchanted satchel to fit her small frame and enters the magical clothing shop with anticipation.
Inside, the walls are lined with wall-to-wall racks of different styles of readymade and tailor made options. Amongst the robes are casual day wear similar to muggle clothes, although not as trendy or fashion forward as the 90's British muggle style that Shannon had seen on the streets of London. Instead these muggle clothes are what the girl considered to be basics: camisoles, slacks, button downs, skirts, sweaters (or jumpers as Andrew keeps reminding her), shorts, blouses, suits, dresses, etc. Everything is solid fabric with almost no patterns, most likely in an attempt to keep witches and wizards from improvising and creating an affront to the eyes. In contrast, the various robes appear to be available in all sorts of different patterns and fabrics.
Off to one side is another section of what appears to be accessories such as wizard caps, witches hats, and gloves of every shape and size. Ties, robe clasps, and cufflinks appear to be housed on yet another wall along with rows and rows of catalogs of yet more options for custom robes. In the farthest corner of the shop appear to be dressing rooms and in their center, two large footstool-like pedestals surrounded by mirrors.
Shannon instinctually begins to meander through the shop, picking out her casual clothes and everyday wear and necessities – and many sets of thick tights and thermals for the winter season as she does not do well in the cold. With permission from the elderly woman at the counter, she begins a stack of items to be purchased, adding to the steadily growing pile every few minutes. While being prudent with her choices, Shannon does collect a significant amount of clothes, mainly because she is literally creating a wardrobe from scratch – undergarments included. No offense to Granny Logan or her Aunt Eliza, but the clothes she has been making do with are terrible and she'd be happy to burn them when this is all said and done.
After a while, Shannon is content with her choices and is left with the final task of getting fitted for her Hogwarts school robes, which require a personal fitting by Madam Malkin's herself according to the elderly lady at the counter. The older woman seems to have taken a liking to the little independent girl, going so far as allowing her to pick out an outfit to change into after her fitting to leave the store in, for she too believed that the clothes the girl arrived in (a paisley patterned frock with a wool jumper, tights, and small-heeled boots) were horribly outdated and uncomfortable for a young child of eleven. With jubilant thanks, Shannon quickly accepts said offer and sets aside a black turtleneck and plaid skirt, knowing that Granny Logan would throw a conniption if the girl came home in anything other than a skirt or dress.
The previously crowded shop appears to have become less so as Shannon shopped. The once hectic fitting area has calmed, leaving only one of the pedestals occupied by a handsome young teen with dark brown hair and bright gray eyes that appears to have just started his own fitting. A set of black robes are pinned across his body as he stands perfectly still, positively erect as a plump woman in mauve robes attaches pins across the seams. Despite his stiff posture, his expression is relaxed with an amicable (and admittedly charming) smile playing across his somewhat full lips as he waits for the woman to finish her task. Shannon blinks, a bit taken aback by how attractive the young teen is, never having met someone of this age without a single blemish or that horrible teen peach fuzz mustache that many young boys that age are so proud of. This boy is clean shaven and seemingly perfectly groomed from the state of his hair and brows, a fact that adds to his overall handsomeness in her humble opinion.
Shaking her thoughts from her head, Shannon approaches the pedestals with her change of clothes in hand, waiting for the right moment to request a fitting, but before Shannon can make her presence known, the small, plump woman perks up as though sensing a new customer. Giving the girl a once over, the woman attempts a smile.
"Welcome! Hogwarts as well, dearie?" She chimes with a pin in her mouth, her words somewhat muffled as she adds yet another pin to the young teen's robes.
"Yes. . . I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," Shannon replies, glancing up at the handsome boy who is now watching her with a curious gaze.
"No problem, dearie. Why don't you shed your coat and set your stuff down and hop up on the stool there, yes?" Madam Malkin tells the girl as she adds another set of pins to the boy's robes before removing the cloth altogether to reveal a similarly pinned Hogwarts uniform beneath.
Shannon gives Madam Malkin and the boy a small smile and nod of her head before turning around and doing as Madam Malkin had instructed, taking off her coat and satchel and setting them to the side along with her other things. With careful steps, Shannon steps up onto the pedestal beside the boy and stands straight, an excited thrum in her chest and a smile on her face at the prospect of getting fitted for a Hogwarts school uniform and robes. She had once gotten a set at Universal, but that had been generic and many years ago. What she is about to be fitted for is the real deal, which makes this fitting that much more thrilling.
Shannon watches awestruck as the Madam Malkin retrieves her wand from her sleeve and points it at a set of measuring tape by her feet, muttering under her breath as she motions the tape toward the girl. At once, the tape rises into the air and begins to take the girl's measurements, all while Madam Malkin continues to pin the boy's robes.
After a moment, Madam Malkin rises and gives the boy a once over before nodding.
"Right then, you stay here for a moment," she orders the boy before turning to Shannon with a smile and approaching the tape, which is now waiting at the ready with the girl's general measurements. Madam Malkin adjusts the glasses on her nose and peers at the presented numbers. ". . . Yes, that's what I thought. . ." She mutters before turning to Shannon with a smile. "I'll be right back, let me just grab you a set and Wilhelmina will get you started."
With those words, the woman exits the dressing area, leaving Shannon alone with the young teen. As she steps up onto the pedestal, the young teen turns to the girl.
"Hello," he greets with a warm smile, his shoulders relaxed now that he is not being tailored. "First year at Hogwarts?"
Shannon starts in surprise, not having expected the boy to make small talk.
"Oh, hi! Um, yeah. Is it that obvious?" She replies, giving the boy an awkward smile.
It is the boy's turn to be surprised as an astonished grin works its way across his lips.
"Beg your pardon, but are you American?" He asks, smiling at the girl with renewed interest.
"Yeah! I mean – yes, I am," she replies quickly, suddenly hyper aware of her accent. Andrew often teased her about it and the Weasley children had been shocked as well, but she hadn't realized that it is particularly strong.
"Blimey – how novel," the boy states, his gray eyes sparkling. "I assumed all American witches and wizards were trained at Ilvermorny, at least, that's what my dad told me."
Shannon blinks, never having heard of such a place. By the conversational clues, Ilvermorny must be the American Wizarding School, which is astounding to her as the only other wizarding schools she actually knows the names of are Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. She glances off to the side awkwardly before she shifts and nods, attempting to find her words. There seems to be more to this world than she knew, but it isn't all that surprising given she really only knows what J.K. Rowling – or rather, Seer Rowling – wrote in her books.
"I ah, guess most are. . . I just. . . I have some family circumstances. I'm living with my aunt and uncle now and I only got my Hogwarts letter a few days ago. This is actually my first time in London."
The boy's eyes widen as a guilty expression dorns his lips.
"Oh. . . sorry, I shouldn't have assumed – well, I mean, everyone has their own circumstances so it's not a problem that an American is at Hogwarts, it's just unique," the boy quickly apologizes and tries to put me at ease, his words coming out a bit rushed. "I'm sure your aunt and uncle will tell you the same. Are they here with you?"
Shannon shakes her head. "No, I sorta gave them the slip," she laughs, remembering her aunt's reluctance. "My uncle figured I wanted some time to myself, thank goodness. My aunt is a worrier. I think if she had her way I'd stay back a year and go to Hogwarts with my younger cousin. I think I'd go mad if I had to wait a year."
The boy's brows raise in shock, not having suspected such a response from such a small, fragile looking little girl. A smile breaks across his lips as he breathes a laugh, finding the girl a bit more interesting than he had initially expected, especially seeing as he had only greeted her to make polite small talk.
"I'd probably feel the same. Hogwarts really is a great school – the best in the world really, although I may be a bit biased. You said you are a first year, right? Are you excited to be going?" He asks, his curiosity towards the little girl growing.
Shannon smiles up at the boy, finding it nice to talk to a stranger about her feelings.
"Yeah, I am actually. I've actually always wanted to go to Hogwarts, so this is sort of a dream come true for me," she admits, feeling a bit more comfortable.
"Have you really? That's brilliant, then," the boy replies in relief, happy that the girl doesn't seem to be in a poor mood because of his lack of tact. "Do you have a particular house you're hoping to be sorted in?"
Shannon pauses, considering. She apparently has traits of all four houses being a Witch of Founder's Line, so she isn't sure how that would affect her sorting. Back in the Disenchanted, she had always assumed she'd be in Hufflepuff as that is what Pottermore told her, but now that she is here in the real Wizarding World, she is unsure. That had been an online quiz where your preferences guided your result; in other words, there was naturally a bit of human error to be expected. Here, the Sorting Hat pretty much looks deep into your personality, soul, and natural tendencies without bias, meaning there is no such error. This would be a true sorting and look into one's true proclivity.
A surge of anticipation fills Shannon at the prospect of being truly sorted, of finding more about herself. Perhaps this could also help her make sense of her heritage and place in this world.
"I'm not sure actually. My aunt says the people in my family tend to bounce around between houses," she replies before turning to smile up at the boy. "What house are you in?"
The boy beams with pride as he replies, "I'm a fourth year in Hufflepuff. Dad wasn't thrilled when I was sorted there – he was hoping for Ravenclaw, not that I care – but it's the best house in my opinion and I really wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I don't think I've ever met a more friendly lot, although you do get your outliers here and there," he tells me, grinning a bit mischievously. "And the best part is our commons being so close to the kitchens: endless midnight snacks – if you're willing to be a bit adventurous, that is."
Shannon laughs, finding the boy's talkative and playful nature fun.
"That sounds awesome," the girl readily agrees, feeling a bit warm. Before she can say anything else, Madam Malkin returns with a pile of clothes in her arms, closely followed by a significantly taller witch of about nineteen who is holding an additional pile of clothes with a tailor kit under her arm.
With a quick introduction, Wilhelmina, the nineteen year old witch, hands me a set of clothes and ushers me to change. The uniform is a bit large, but not uncomfortably so. The fabric is thicker than Shannon imagined or was used to having gone to private school previously, but considering that London is decidedly colder than her hometown of Ventura, it isn't all too surprising.
Once Shannon is dressed she spares no moment in exiting the dressing room and hopping back up onto the pedestal anxious to see herself in the mirror. As expected, the uniform is large, darfing her a bit so that she looks younger than she is, but she knows that once tailored it will be much more flattering. Even so, she can't help but beam at her reflection in the mirror.
Seeing the girl's eagerness, the boy laughs, his gray eyes sparkling like moonlight. Sensing the boy's amusement, Shannon turns and sticks out her tongue, not wanting to disturb Wilhemina, who has already begun pinning the girl's skirt with practiced hands.
Time passes with light conversation between the two young students as the two seamstresses work, ordering the two around as they pin clothes here and there. To Shannon's enjoyment, the boy appears quite amicable, if not surprisingly teasing and mischievous. She is quickly reminded of the Weasley twins, although this boy seems to hide his impish nature behind his charming and innocent looks and demeanor. It is quickly apparent that the boy finds the girl interesting as well, most likely from her oddly mature and similarly playful personality.
Eventually the boy appears to be done and with a swoop of her wand, Madam Malkin mutters under her breath and fresh seams appear where the pins had once been. Unlike when Eliza had shrunk Shannon's clothes to fit the girl's body when she first arrived in this world, these clothes retain the cloth by sewing it back cleaning, most likely to account for growth and future tailoring.
"Right, what do you think? Pulling anywhere? Uncomfortable?" Madam Malkin asks the boy who is studying his own appearance carefully.
The boy turns a charming smile on the seamstress.
"It's wonderful. You really are the best seamstress in all of London," he flatters, causing the old woman to blush a bit.
"Alright, you charmer. Go ahead and get changed. I'll let your father know you're done, so once you've finished head over to the counter," Madam Malkin chides with a smile as she collects her pins and straightens her robes.
With those words, the boy disappears into one of the dressing rooms. At that moment, Wilhelmina does the same enchantment and Shannon's own uniform and robes are sewn together, now tailored to the young girl's frame.
"How is it, dearie?" Wilhelmina asks with a soft smile, eyeing Shannon's expression carefully.
Shannon stares dazed at her reflection in the mirror, breathless.
Truth be told, she has been avoiding looking at herself in the mirror as much as possible since she arrived in the Enchanted, uncomfortable with being constantly confronted with having regressed in age. However, seeing herself in her Hogwarts uniform and robes for the first time has left her reeling. If anything, she finds herself secretly grateful for this opportunity to live a life she's only dreamed of, and this uniform is just the start.
". . . Wow. . . It's perfect," Shannon eventually breathes, a blush tinting her cheeks as she turns to Wilhemina and beams at the young woman. "This is the greatest outfit I've ever owned!"
Wilhelmina stares at Shannon in shock, stunned by the adorable elation that radiates from such a small person over something as simple as a school uniform.
"Thank you, dearie," the young woman replies as she continues to study the girl, her hands moving of their own accord as she collects her pins. ". . . When you're ready you can change and bring everything to the counter to get sorted."
"I should be thanking you," Shannon replies, still enthusiastic as she runs her hands along the fabric happily.
Wilhemina continues to stare at the young girl, still a bit taken aback. She had considered the young girl cute while she had been working on her clothes, perhaps a bit on the small side but well groomed and pretty all the same, but for whatever reason with this expression, the young girl appears stunning if not breathtakingly adorable – so much so in fact that she has the distinct urge to wrap the young girl in a hug and squeeze her fiercely.
Her sentiments are quickly shared by the appearance of the young boy exiting the dressing room, now dressed in a pair of jeans and a black sweater. Seeing the young girl beaming with unbridled emotion, he pauses, a bit stunned.
Sensing his emergence, Shannon turns her gaze on the boy and smiles happily.
"What do you think? Isn't this amazing?" Shannon asks excitedly, her eyes flickering between her reflection and the boy's expression.
". . . It's like you were born to wear a school uniform," the boy eventually teases the girl, smiling at the happy child who is so elated by something as simple as a school uniform. Once more, he finds that he appears to quite like the cute younger girl, finding her cheerful and innocent nature enjoyable.
Shannon scrunches her nose at the boy's light hearted teasing but her smile does not leave her lips.
"Seeing as this is all I'll be wearing for the next nine months or so, that's probably a good thing," Shannon laughs as she hops down from her own pedestal and collects her new change of clothes.
A few moments later, the young girl emerges from the dressing room in her new turtleneck and skirt, looking and feeling much more comfortable. To Shannon's surprise, the boy is still there, apparently waiting for her.
"Are you done?" The boy asks with a smile, holding Shannon's satchel and coat in his arms expectantly.
Shannon blinks in surprise and smiles, a bit taken aback.
"Just one last thing," she says as she turns back to her reflection in the mirror. With practiced hands, Shannon ties her long curls into a loose braid with a ribbon that Eliza had given her, feeling more like herself than she's felt in a long time.
"Right, I'm ready," she states as she collects her clothes and approaches the young boy for the rest of her things. To Shannon's surprise, the young teen holds them out of her reach and smirks lightly,
"No – I'll carry this. You might topple over if you tried to carry all this and your new clothes."
Shannon blinks in shock before frowning, a red hue to her cheeks.
"Are you implying that I'm small?" She asks, her eyes narrowed as she places her free hand on her hip.
The boy stares at the girl with a pointed smile.
"That is exactly what I'm implying. You might as well be a dormouse."
Shannon's jaw drops at the boy's words, taken aback and a bit miffed at being compared to such a miniature creature, but before she can say anything he places his free hand on the small of Shannon's back and begins to lead her away to the other side of the shop.
"No buts, little mouse," the admittedly tall teen chimes as he guides her along, the absurdity of his actions and words causing laughter to spill from the girl's lips.
"I'm not a mouse," Shannon eventually retorts, admittedly a bit pathetically seeing how she has actually shrunk, not that the boy is aware.
Eventually they approach the counter, where a bespectacled plump man with a beard and ruddy face appears to be comparing two large overcoats most likely meant for the winter months. Beside him are two large shopping bags filled to the brim.
"Dad!" The boy greets the man as they approach.
The man turns at the greeting and beams when he sees his son, pride dripping off of him in waves.
"Cedric, my boy!" The man cries as he urges his son forward, not even noticing that his son had brought Shannon along like a lost child. "Come here, I want you to take a look at these two coats. Now which. . ."
The rest of the conversation is drowned out for Shannon as shock radiates through her. With wide eyes, she turns and stares up at the boy beside her as he talks with his father.
How had she not seen it before? A boy of roughly fourteen, with handsome chiseled features, dark hair, gray eyes, a Hufflepuff, outrageously charming. . . Who else could this be but Cedric Diggory?
"Cedric?" Shannon breathes in awe as she stares up at the young teen, a range of emotions flitting through her. "Your name is Cedric?"
Said teen turns to her at his name, surprise flitting across his expression as his father appears to finally notice the small girl standing beside his son.
"Oh? Now who is this?" The man asks, looking the girl up and down, finding that she is a significantly pretty child who appears (by his own bias) quite taken with his son as she stares up at his boy in surprise.
Cedric shuffles his feet, realizing his mistake.
"That's right – we never introduced ourselves, did we?" The teen relays with a humored smile. "Sorry about that. I'm Cedric Diggory, and this is my dad, Amos."
"Amos Diggory at your service, young lady," the man introduces himself, grinning with amusement as he considers the cute young girl.
Shannon turns to the man, still reeling.
"Oh, um, no, I apologize as well. I should have introduced myself earlier. I'm Shannon – Shannon Logan," she states, an uncomfortable emotion swirling in her chest as her eyes flit to Cedric. "I'm a first year at Hogwarts."
Both Cedric and his father's eyes grow wide.
"Logan?" Amos repeats, studying the girl a bit more carefully – particularly the unique color of her eyes, "You wouldn't happen to be related to Eliza Logan – er, Smith, would you? And her husband, Henry?"
Shannon blinks in surprise, not having expected the man to know her aunt.
"They're my aunt and uncle – and also my adoptive parents as of a few days ago," she relays, finding the situation extremely reeling.
"So when you said you had family circumstances. . ." Cedric confirms, understanding falling over his handsome features.
"Yeah," Shannon replies with a small smile, finding herself studying the older boy carefully now that she knows his identity. "I only arrived here a week and a half ago, so it's been a bit chaotic."
Amos stares down at the girl, his mind racing.
"You – you've been adopted by Eliza and Henry?" He reiterates, his voice filled with the utmost amazement. "And it was approved by the Madam?"
"If you mean Granny Logan, then yes." Shannon blushes and nods, oddly nervous of the man's reaction as she inadvertently steps a bit closer to the older boy beside her.
Cedric sees this and places a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder, for which she is greatly appreciative.
"Dad. . ." the young teen warns, sending his father a wary gaze. While Cedric understands the significance of Shannon's adoption, he also understands that she is also just a girl who has apparently been through a lot and is still adjusting. She doesn't need his father's tactless curiosity scaring her.
Amos turns to his son and frowns before clearing his throat.
"Yes, well then," the man begins anew, shaking his bewilderment from his demeanor as he bows his head and smiles at the girl reverently. "It is lovely to meet such a pretty little lady such as yourself."
Shannon stares at the man, finding him a bit odd in the head. "Thanks. . . It's nice to meet you too."
Cedric sighs, internally wondering why his father is the way he is.
Shannon is saved further reply by the appearance of the elder woman who had helped her earlier.
"Are you ready to finish up dear?" The woman states as she places six large bags of Shannon's earlier shopping beside the counter.
"Yes, I am," Shannon states, retrieving her purse as she does from the satchel around Cedric's shoulder before striding forward toward the counter.
"I have three robes for you here and two spare like you requested. How many sets would you like for your school uniforms?" The woman asks as Shannon hands off the last of her things to the woman, who places them on the counter neatly.
"Pardon me?" The girl replies, a bit confused. Shouldn't the robes and uniforms be part of the same set?
"Your robes are different from your uniform," Cedric explains, approaching the counter and leaning his arm on it. "You need to have a set amount of robes and such as per your Hogwarts letter, but your daily uniform beneath your robes is another thing entirely. Three sets is generally the minimum, like your robes, with seven as the max, although that's considered pretty excessive. I match my uniform set to my robes; It's easier to keep track of that way."
Shannon smiles in appreciation. "Then I'll do five uniform sets, please."
"Then that along with your other purchases comes out to thirty-six galleons, twelve sickles, and nineteen knuts," the woman replies as she begins to duplicate the uniforms on the counter (much to Shannon's thrill) as Shannon pulls out her purse and counts out the appropriate coins.
At this interaction, Amos turns to Shannon in confusion, aware of the fact that her purse indeed has the Logan family crest embroidered in gold and silver across the black fabric.
"Are you shopping alone?" He asks, glancing around. "Where are your aunt and uncle?"
Shannon nods absentmindedly as she counts. "I asked my uncle if I could go alone. I prefer to shop independently. But they're not far; I think they're at Quality Quidditch Supplies with my cousin – er, little brother right now. We're supposed to meet up at the ice cream parlor once I'm done."
"So you really are doing your shopping all on your own?" Cedric asks in surprise, a smile pulling at his lips. "A little mouse like you?"
Shannon glances up at Cedric, amusement, annoyance, and surprise battling within her. She hadn't expected the Cedric Diggery to be such a teasing person behind his honorable character.
"I am hardly a little mouse and I'll have you know I am quite responsible despite my age – or size!" She quickly adds when she sees Cedric's smirk grow.
Amos watches his son and Shannon continue to banter as the girl begins to load the satchel on Cedric's shoulder with the seven bags filled with her shopping, a tad surprised by both the meritorious encounter and the surprising ease with which a girl of eleven manages both herself and the conversation. Shannon seems to be particularly mature for her age and has seemed to have made quick friends with his son, who while normally cordial and kind with children, had never taken to a younger child such as Shannon in such a familiar way, typically preferring to interact with peers his own age.
Although, given who the girl apparently is, Amos isn't completely surprised. It is no secret in the Wizarding community that the Logan girls adopted by the main line are vastly more intelligent and mature than their traditional counterparts, and oftentimes the most beautiful and powerful. They are widely known for making waves within the wizarding community, advancing research or aiding in the implementation of policies while also taking on the role of family head once they are of age.
Eliza herself was one such woman, having been at the top of her class from the moment she stepped foot at Hogwarts and even now she is renowned for her extensive historical knowledge and is relied upon by many in high positions, including on occasion, Dumbledore himself. The only reason she has not taken on the mantle as family head and left it to her grandmother is because of her refusal to keep the Logan name, citing she has no desire to take on the role as heiress in the first place. That is why Shannon's appearance is so significant, as with this, Eliza has officially passed on the title of heiress to the small girl standing beside Cedric. Usually adoptions within the Logan line are spread out, once a century at the most frequent – but twice within three decades? It is an oddity rarely seen in the prestigious household and likely because of Eliza's refusal to become the head, at least from Amos' point of view.
What is especially shocking to Amos is the fact that this is the first time he has heard about the adoption of a Logan heiress. Something this monumental is usually considered a hot topic in the Wizarding community, yet he has not heard even a peep of the matter, yet given what the girl has told them she has only just been adopted, meaning it is quite possible the news has not yet spread. Shannon is also on the older side of the girls typically adopted by the Logan household if what he's heard is true, as girls are usually brought in between the ages of three and seven. Even so, she is rather small for her age, something his normally overly polite son has apparently found amusing.
Amos himself is not particularly close with the Logan family, only meeting in passing at functions, etc., but he does admire them, which is why to him, seeing his son and the young girl banter happily with one another is an appealing development.
"Are you sure you can carry this on your own? It's quite heavy for such a little mouse," Cedric teases with a grin, his eyes alight with amusement as Shannon stares up at him with a raised brow, her expression a bit too mature for her features.
"Are you sure you can carry it on your own?" Shannon quips back sarcastically, her gold-green hazel eyes alight with mischief as she tugs on the leather strap of her bag, her shopping now safely stored within the satchel's confines. "And stop calling me a little mouse! I'm not even that short!"
Cedric shakes his head. "A little mouse is a little mouse. How can I call you any different?" He laughs, smirking down at the girl. "And it's already this heavy – how are you supposed to manage getting all your books and supplies as well?"
"I can manage just fine," Shannon insists, her eyes narrowing suspiciously, sensing an endgame. "And worse come to worse I will ask my uncle to place a feather-light charm on it! If my aunt and uncle can trust me to shop on my own, I think you can."
"Why don't I just come with you?" Cedric offers, his gray eyes bright. "A little mouse like you shouldn't be on her own and I still have some shopping I need to do. We can finish it together."
Shannon's eyes widen in response, taken aback by the offer. She's barely known this boy for an hour and he already is acting as though they've known each other much longer, and he was acting like this before she revealed her last name – something given Amos' reaction tells her is more meaningful than she previously assumed. She finds the fact that he is still treating her exactly the same in spite of that quite comforting.
Normally, if a random boy had offered to accompany her in such a manner, especially as a child, she would have refused out right, but this is Cedric Diggory – supposedly and quite possibly one of the most trustworthy and honorable people in the entire Harry Potter series. As much as she had previously been looking forward to shopping alone, she quickly finds she would regret not spending time with one of her favorite characters when the opportunity presents itself.
Shannon purses her lips and considers Cedric skeptically, holding back a smile.
"You know, my mom always said I shouldn't follow strangers," she chides the boy, her eyes betraying her amusement.
Cedric's smile grows as he holds his hands to his heart, overdramatic as he pretends to be wounded by the girl's words.
"Strangers? After all we've been through in the last hour? I'm hurt," he replies, his mischievous grin betraying his amusement.
Shannon rolls her eyes, but before she can respond, Amos pats his son on the shoulder.
"You know Ced, I have a few errands I need to run. Why don't you take the purse and run along with Miss Shannon?" Amos suggests, placing his own purse in Cedric's hands. "Better the two of you are together so as not to get lost, hm?"
Before the two can respond, Amos begins to back away calling out his goodbyes as he does. "Stay safe! Keep an eye on one another and have fun!" And with those words the door slams shut behind him, leaving the two young students alone at the counter.
Shannon and Cedric stare after Amos, whose figure has quickly disappeared into the crowd beyond the door, before turning to one another with mirrored expressions of shock and amusement.
"Looks like you're stuck with me, little mouse," Cedric declares as he stows his father's purse in his pocket and clutches Shannon's satchel closer to his chest.
A smile pulls at Shannon's lips.
"I suppose I am."