Starry skies and Gardenias

Chapter 48

Halfway into October came their first Hogsmeade weekend. Isabella was looking forward to that day. She would finally get a break from classes and visit a new place, maybe get her mind off Riddle and Sirius for once and just have fun. 

On the morning of Saturday, Filch was standing at the Entrance Hall, checking every third year's permission slip signed by their guardian and only then let them out to the carriages. 

Hogsmeade was a funny little village, and Isabella was thoroughly enjoying her time. . .expcet that she had to stay in the crowded places. 

Although she had to weave in and out of the crowds to get to where she wanted, she decided it was worth it.

There was Madam Puddifoots, a tea shop, which looked like a popular date-spot. So she avoided that completely. 

Then there was the Hogsmeade postal service. Hundreds of owls, sat in perches and they had a colour coded system for how fast the letter was to be delivered.

There was Zonko's joke shop, and Isabella had seen James and Sirius at the store, buying items which wouldn't make Filch happy in the least. There was nothing she wanted to buy from there.

There was a herbology store, Dervish and Bangs a place that repaired and sold magical instruments. There was a store for cauldrons, a local branch of Ollivanders', which was closed that day. There was also a greengrocer. 

There was a bookstore, Tomes and Scrolls. Isabella spent quite the time there. There weren't many people in that store, they were more interested in the other shops.

There was Gladrags,  clothing store. Isabella didn't have anything to buy from there, so she went past to the quill store where she simply browsed around, before heading to Honeydukes.

This was a name she had heard being mentioned countless times in her dormitory and the common room. 

The moment she pushed the door to the shop open, a warm sweet smell enveloped her. Isabella walked in to the store, amazed by the numerous shelves and racks of different sweets. 

This was where she came to the conclusion that she should start earning money. She didn't want to keep depending on her father, and she wanted to buy a lot of sweets.

Ice mice, which make your teeth chatter. . .Pepper imps that make you blow steam. . .the classic Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans. . .Cockroach clusters? . . .Chocolate Cauldron Cakes. . .Sugar quills, that one sounded wonderful. . .Licourice wands. . .Acid pops that literally burn holes into your tongue? Oh, dear. . .Blood lollies, she supposed the vampires would like it . . .Drooble's Best Blowing gum, she had never tried blowing a gum before, should she give it a go?. . .

Isabella stayed there for fifteen more minutes, then told herself that it would be better if she left now, or else she might end up spending all her money at Honeydukes itself.

She had a few more stops before she retired for the day and went back to the castle. 

Three Broomsticks was extremely crowded, and Hog's Head was almost as good as empty. Isabella was conflicted. Three Broomsticks was crowded because it was the popular spot and people actually like it. And if a place had to be in a condition like that of Hog's Head, then it might not be of satisfactory quality.
But at the same time, Isabella wanted to stay away from the crowd, and Hog's Head looked like the best option.

. . .If she had to choice between momentary discomfort and food poisoning, she would take the first one. 

Maybe she'd try Hog's Head some other time.