Vulpes in Arce

Year I - Diagon Alley

31st of July 1991

''Come on! I'm gonna leave if you don't come now, Emily,'' Hayden shouted from downstairs.

''Just a minute!'' Emily quickly threw on a thin jumper and stared at herself in the mirror, quickly running her hands through her long dark hair.

Emily was particularly excited this Wednesday because on this day she and her sister were going shopping for her Hogwarts equipment. The beginning of her school year was swiftly approaching, something she'd been looking forward to the day they'd settled into their small flat in London.

Although she had always enjoyed their trips to Diagon Alley to help her sister at work, she would much rather spend her time visiting the shops and walking along the small alleyways of the street.

Once in a while, when accompanying her sister home from work, they'd pass by the Broomstix shop and she'd lose herself staring at the various kinds of brooms, wondering if her sister would ever let her purchase her own. Hayden herself was a Keeper for her House back at her old school and took Emily flying when she had time away from work. Hayden has always had a busy schedule.

When Emily finally found her way down the stairs, her sister already stood in the doorway. She was tying the laces of her new Chuck Taylor shoes and looking obviously proud of them. When she noticed Emily, she stood up and leaned her hands on her hips, turning her head to look at her.

Emily frowned. She found her sister's fascination with Muggle fashion a bit curious. She knew that whenever her grandmother, Astra Black, came to visit, her sister's shoes would be hidden in the deepest corner of her closet. And although Astra was kinder and maybe a bit more open-minded than most Pureblood witches, she wouldn't approve of her granddaughter's choice of trainers.

"Well, what are you standing there for? Have you got everything?" Hayden asked, tilting her head with a smile.

"Oh, just a second!" Emily tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear and grabbed her rucksack from the hanger. She walked back to the corridor, greeted by Hayden, whose lips were curved up higher than before.

"What?" Emily asked, adjusting the bag draping off of her shoulder.

Before she could say anything else, Hayden bent down and placed her arms around her. Emily shuffled around a bit before wrapping her own arms around Hayden. She felt as if Hayden was trying to squeeze the air out of her lungs but in a good way.

"It's nothing, sorry if I'm too touchy-feely, Em," she said as she let go of Emily. Even though she wouldn't admit it, Emily enjoyed the gesture as much as her sister did. On rare occasions would Emily find herself wrapped in Hayden's arms - perhaps when one of the creatures in the Menagerie or the Owlery got adopted or when a sting of melancholy and nostalgia rushed over them. The past was a sensitive subject for the sisters, a scabbing wound that still threatened to peel open any second.

Emily smoothed out her skirt before hooking hands with her big sister. "C' mon, let's get going."

The pair took their usual route to Diagon Alley. The bustling street seemed to be fuller than normal - all kinds of students and shopkeepers and witches and wizards were minding their own business. It was a sight to look at, and Emily enjoyed every bit of it.

They passed by many familiar faces, greeting the girls with a smile or a nod as they strode through the alley. Emily was almost used to her family's popularity in the wizarding world. Almost. Too many people that she didn't know seemed to know her (or at least her last name) and the feeling in her stomach left her feeling guilty she didn't know anything about them. But you can't know everyone, can you?