Epeolatry - ✔️

Four

"She reads books as one would breathe air, to fill up and live."
- Annie Dillard

The sky was pitch black when Athene awoke the next morning, and she cursed her body for waking her so early. She made quick work of getting dressed and brushing her teeth, and by the time she had stumbled down the stairs and into her shop, there was a line of customers standing outside her door.

"Good morning," Margarete smiled as Athene opened the door, "I missed you yesterday." It was no surprise that Margarete was the first customer in line. She was typically her first customer.

"Sorry, Margarete," Athene followed the older woman towards the back of the store, "My aunt needed a personal favor, and I had to close the store for the day."

"That aunt of yours," Margarete skimmed the books along one of the shorter shelves, "She's got an interesting thing about her."

"Indeed," Athene fell into the chair closest to Margarete, "She came in here all excited and demanded that I come along with her on her new assignment."

"And what was this assignment?"

"She had to interview the champions for the Tri-Wizard Tournament," Margarete instantly perked up, "But she really didn't need me anyway. I just sat there and watched."

"So, you met Harry Potter?" Athene's mind drifted to the young boy. His interview had been like most of the ones she had seen in the past, though he was distinctly different in the fact that he was much more mature for his age. The boy did his best to answer the questions that Rita asked and corrected her when she got something wrong, not that it would do a lick of good.

"He was a quiet thing," Margarete had stopped looking at books and was focused on the words falling from Athene's lips, "But he answered all of her questions, and you know how her interviews go."

"Was he as handsome as they all say?"

"He's 14-years-old," Athene deadpanned, "Much too young for both of us."

Margarete laughed, and her cheeks were tinged red, "Well, then, I didn't say anything of that nature."

"Yes, yes," Athene playfully swatted Margarete's shoulder, "Whatever you say."

The book shop was relatively empty for the remainder of the day, which Athene was thankful for. Fewer patrons meant more time to work on shelving new books and weeding out her inventory. As per Bathsheba's last request, Athene had ordered several books about dragons, and she now had to go through and price them.

It was tedious work, though not very hard, and was exceptionally time-consuming. So, when Margarete left the shop, Athene set to work. Each book needed to scanned and magically entered into her systems before they could be placed on the shelf. It was Athene's least favorite thing to do because she was often interrupted by her beloved patrons and had to start from the beginning again. But it seemed that luck was on her side today as her shop remained empty, and she was able to price all of the 13 books that she had purchased.

The sun was sinking into the horizon, and Athene was happily munching on Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans when the little bell at the front tinkled. It was getting late, and most of the people that had flooded Diagon Alley had dissipated.

The patron shuffled through the bookshelves in a manner that made it impossible to tell who it was. For a brief second, Athene reached for her wand in preparation for a fight, and she wondered if You-know-who had finally decided to finish the job he had started years ago.

"Athene, darling," the girl in question let out a sigh of relief as her aunt waltzed up to the counter, "You look as though you've seen a ghost."

Athene mustered a nasty glare at the woman before popping a pink colored bean into her mouth. She couldn't believe that she had thought her aunt of all people had been a Death Eater. "What do you want, Rita?"

"Oh, dear, you sound so exasperated," Rita fixed the collar of her bright blue dress coat, "Why don't you calm down, and then we'll talk."

"I'm perfectly calm," Athene offered one of the multicolored beans to Rita, though she declined, "You just scared me, is all."

"Good," Rita sat herself down in Athene's chair behind the counter, "I wanted to enlist your help again."

"I can't."

"Now, just hear me out," the journalist recomposed herself after Athene's quick rejection, "I want you to go back to Hogwarts with me for the first task."

"Why would you possibly need me?" Athene grumbled as she spits out a rather nasty flavored bean, "Last time I just sat around and watched you work. It was rather boring."

"Oh, Darling," Rita always had this look when she was up to no good, and this look was currently creeping onto her face, "You've missed the point. You're their friend and you've got their trust."

"No," Athene tossed the empty carton of beans into the trash bin, "I'm not participating in one of your schemes. I will not do it." The brunette stood from her seated position and locked the solid oak door before flicking her 'Now Open' sign to 'Sorry We're Closed.'

"Is that any way to treat the woman who raised you?" Rita batted her eyelashes and did her best to impersonate a puppy dog, but she looked more like a puking owl, "Help me out this one time, and I won't bother you again."

"Fine," Athene reached her hand out to make the deal, "but only if you swear that you will be truthful with the information that you get out of this."

"Deal."

Author's Note:
Rita will definitely be bothering Athene again.

Question of the Chapter
Would you play quidditch if you had the chance?

Me? Nope. I'd love to watch it, though.