❝𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐈 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐄❞
aspen andrews was a worrier, an affectionate older sister, a hard-worker and the proudest hufflepuff you'd ever meet. but up until nine...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY WE'RE GOING TO GET ALL THIS. DIAGON ALLEY J.K. ROWLING, HARRY POTTER & THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE
"WHY DO I need all this stuff anyway?" Alessia groaned as they traipsed around the cobblestoned streets of Diagon Alley.
It wasn't quite the same as last year. The pair of sisters noticed the miserable atmosphere, far different to the usual bustling streets filled with excited students and shopkeepers. Instead, Ministry posters had been pasted haphazardly across shop windows, hiding the bright advertisements and books that were oftentimes on display. Wizards and witches alike were generally avoiding Diagon Alley, but those that were brave enough to venture out kept their heads down and carried out their business at a rapid pace.
Of course, Aspen was used to it by now. Given her workplace standing tall and proud at the top of the street, she was well accustomed to the shift in the previously bubbly atmosphere. Alessia, however, had been saddened to see the change, and instead of her flaunting her usual shopaholic tendencies, was desperate to get her shopping over and done with.
"Because it's on your list, Al. It's not my fault you're a weirdo taking Ancient Runes. Trust me, you're costing me a fortune," Aspen huffed, hoping it didn't come across too harshly to her sister.
"Sorry," she replied meekly, obviously feeling bad about her sister spending even more money on her.
Aspen wrapped an arm around her shoulders, giving her a little squeeze to assure her she wasn't actually mad. Alessia's lips tugged up into her usual carefree smile, and satisfied that she hadn't offended her sister, Aspen ushered her hastily through the doorway of Flourish and Blotts.
Inside, the air was different, like most of the surviving shops in the street. Whilst normally it was packed during this time of year, the store was almost empty. Instead, it seemed most pupils were forking out the extra galleon or so to utilise the owl delivery service the shop was offering. Feeling the uncomfortably tense aura around the shop, the sisters hurried inside to grab the books on their list, hoping to get in and out as soon as possible.
As soon as they'd paid, they exited again, disliking the bizarre silence that surrounded them at every corner. It was becoming increasingly eery to see the street's usual personality suppressed, and although Aspen often came through Diagon Alley, she spent the majority of her time bustling about the joke shop, so her interpretation of the street was admittedly a little skewed.
"Is that everything?" Aspen asked, looking down at her sister hopefully as she held up the parchment list to tick off the books.
"Think so," Alessia said, scanning through the list of ticked off items before chancing a hopeful glance upwards. "Although you did promise me we could have a look at the Pygmy Puffs. There's a rumour Ron Weasley has a tattoo of one somewhere, y'know."
