RP: The Spring Collection

[pb_zacharias]

Characters: Zach Smith, open
Location: Twilfits and Tattings
Date: January 21st, 2000.  Late afternoon
Status/Warning: Public
Summary:  The Spring Collection has arrived
Completion: Incomplete

Zach had been a little surprised to get the owl from Mr Twilfit asking him if he could come in on a weekday but since he could always use the money he

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[pb_aurelia]

Work had finished and her lesson had been cancelled. Aurelia could think of nothing better to do than browse through as much of Diagon as possible before everywhere closed for the evening.

Tilting her head around the door, she raised an eyebrow. There was something of a ... rearrangement going on.

"Um, hello? Is this a bad time?" It wasn't as if she didn't work just around the corner. She could come back whenever.

[pb_zacharias]

Hearing a voice Zach's head popped up from the pile on the floor while he looked for the customer. Seeing a young woman he got up off his knees to greet her.

"Hello, sorry for the commotion, the Spring Collection arrived and I'm just trying to get the older things moved to the back to be put on sale. How are you today, can I help you find anything?"

[pb_aurelia]

"Oh, no apology needed," Aurelia shook her head in mild amusement, "And I'm fine, thank you." Her own sense of propriety locked her tongue in awkward silence for a moment before she returned the sentiment automatically: "And yourself?"

"Not really, I'm just-- Does your spring collection feature anything of particular interest?" She couldn't help it. Clothing was another of her obsessions.

[pb_zacharias]

Thankfully she didn't seem put out that the shop was in shambles and he ran his fingers through his hair. "Other than being knee deep in robes, I'm dandy really. Takes my mind off my school work for a bit if I manage."

Ah, the lovely spring collection. "Well, we do have a lovely collection of women's robes in this seasons's colours. I'm actually kind of impressed that they keep making them look new. I mean they're robes."

Zach wasn't exactly a guy who understood fashion but he could pick out the difference between seasons.

[pb_aurelia]

"School work?" The question was out before she could stop it, which was annoying, since she was used to at least trying to fathom people without asking any questions past the pleasantries. But she had asked and Aurelia had to admit it left her rather baffled. School work didn't sound like apprenticeship lessons and he was both too old to be attending Hogwarts and, well, quite late given that the term had already started.

"It's something of an art," she said with a half-smile, "There's no such thing as just a robe, Mister-- Sorry, I didn't catch your name." And he hadn't given it, but she felt stupid just asking.

[pb_zacharias]

Zach nodded, "Yes, I am an apprentice at Hogwarts, I spend a lot of time grading school work." He explained with a smile. Listening he had to assume she knew what she was talking about when it came to fashion.

"It's Smith, Zach Smith. And you are?"

[pb_aurelia]

Mouth forming a silent 'Ohh...' Aurelia tilted her head, idly glancing around at clothes. "Are you going into teaching or specialising in the subject?" Grading homework sounded ridiculously tedious, but then he would probably say the same thing about half of her apprenticeship.

"Aurelia Montgomery," she extended a hand in an effort to kick herself out of her formal little shell. "I was in Ravenclaw once upon a time."

[pb_zacharias]

Zach was a little surprised she would ask about his long term goals or his apprenticeship at all. "A bit of both really. I am the Arithmancy apprentice and am doing personal research along with being taught how to teach others."

Grading homework wasn't his favourite chore but he was learning how frustrating teaching could be.

Aurelia Montgomery, name kind of sounded familiar which just probably meant that she had been at school roughly the same time he had been.

"I was a Hufflepuff, not so long ago I suppose."

[pb_aurelia]

"I would never have the patience to teach others," she admitted, "I barely have the patience to teach myself. Arithmancy was my Achilles' Heel during my NEWTs." Her nose wrinkled, "Are you acquainted with Anthony Goldstein?" Because, obviously, all Arithmancy enthusiasts would know each other. Idiot girl.

"Would you like help, by the way? And, ooh, do you have this in a light blue?" Not that the colour made that much difference, likelihood was that she would end up buying the robes anyway. She could be such a magpie when it came to good clothes.

[pb_zacharias]

"I admit that it is hard work, in the next couple of years I'll start teaching the first years and then the real fun will begin" He told her with a grin. At the mention of Goldstein, Zach nodded. "I do know him, we took NEWT levels together."

The offer of help was unexpected abut Zach shook his head. "No, but thanks for offering." He looked at the robe she was holding and tried to remember.

"Yes, I think so, try the box there on the counter."

[pb_aurelia]

Aurelia gave him a rueful smile, "First years will be the death of me, I swear. I work at Ollivanders -- once you've seen one 'First Wand' catastrophe you've really seen them all. I prefer to observe from under the counter or from the depths of the back room. But then, of course, we pass the darlings onto you." With a half-shrug, she smiled properly, "But if you enjoy their company, I wish you the best of luck."

"Then you were doing your OWLs when did my NEWTs. He tutored me through Arithmancy. A fifth year tutoring a seventh year." By rights she should have been embarrassed, but it was funny more than anything else. "Still only scraped an Acceptable. I don't do numbers unless I'm forced into Gringotts." Which she avoided like the plague because she hated the goblins. "Sorry, I'm rambling."

"Ooh," she made straight for the box, finding the desired robes in record time.

[pb_zacharias]

Zach gave her a sympathetic smile as he remembered his own first wand experience. "That's probably wise, I think I singed off Mr. Ollivander's eyebrows when it was my turn. What kind of work do you do there?"

So far he hadn't had much contact so far witht he student other than their homework. "Anthony is good people so you coudln't have done much better when it came to getting a tutor. I admit that it's not for every one."

Aurelia seemed pleased with robes she found while he hung up similar ones in green.

"So, do you see a set you think should be in the window?"

[pb_aurelia]

"Mostly sorting out the wands in the back and getting cranky," she admitted with a shrug, "Though I do a little wand maintenance and know the accessories inventory like the back of my hand. Which is handy is Mr Ollivander isn't available. I'm really not a people person when forced into it... I have an apprenticeship in Wandlore and, truth be told, I would rather spend my time with the wands than the customers."

Aurelia tried not to laugh. "No, he was an excellent tutor, but I hated Arithmancy. It was the subject my mother insisted I take up. I just... didn't pay attention."

At that question, she spent a moment flitting around the shop and then turned to the box she had already delved into, returning with six different robes. Two different shades of pink, two blue, one green and one purple. "Some of your best items in some of your best shades," she chimed.

[pb_zacharias]

Zach had never really thought about all the work that went into making wands but he was glad someone was still pursuing the art. "That is good, you are his apprentice then?"

He didn't understand why someone's mother would make them take a class they didn't enjoy but if his parents had taught him nothing else it was that they rarely gave long term thought about things. "Does she approve of you working with Ollivander?"

With amusement Zach watched Aurelia flit around the shop until she found what she was looking for. It was a lot.

"Well, I only have two windows so we can only put up four sets. So let's cute a blue and a pink?"

[pb_aurelia]

"Mr Ollivander's? Oh, no," Aurelia shook her head, "As far as I know he isn't taking apprentices. I take my lessons with Master Mylor Sylvanus. He's currently got me running round, learning Gaelic. But working at Ollivanders' has been good experience so far."

Glancing up with rather more guarded eyes, she smiled faintly. "No. No, she doesn't. She thought my apprenticeship was just a phase. Two years later and she's still waiting for me to see the light and marry." The complications were not necessary details.

"Alright, but you could fit more sets in there if you tried," she handed the robes over with a slight pout, putting the rejected sets to one side. "What is an Arithmancy apprentice doing working in a fashion boutique? It's more than a little far from Hogwarts."

[pb_zacharias]

"Well a bit of practical experience along with book work is always a good thing. At least you'll know you been fully trained."

Parents, Zach was getting used to not being part of his family and his mum still sent the clandestine owls now and then.

"Well young enough that marriage shouldn't have to be a priority." He looked at the windows and shook his head. "No, if it looks crowded it won't look enticing. As much as it pains me to admit I've gotten rather good about it. A window has to grab people. I work here because it pays as and Twilfit has been kind to me a surrogate grandfather."