Suddenly, It's Magic

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Dawn approached as the bright sunlight gleamed through the curtains that danced in the wind. Ariella found herself pressed against the wall, readjusting to her surroundings and processing what the day had in store for her. Yesterday's events were now nothing more than a memory; today she could focus on what lied in front of her - a family outing to Diagon Alley. At first, Ariella assumed that it would just be another day, but there was something in the air that told her otherwise. The minute they stepped out of the house, grey skies sulked around them, monochromatic waves of emotions floated by every person they passed, but her parents were the opposite.

"Ariella, come on. Don't space out now." Robert called out as they hustled through the bustling streets of London.

Growing up in a small village outside of London, she never dealt with this sort of issue. However, it wasn't unfamiliar to her, it reminded her of the past years at Hogwarts - the only worries anyone had to deal with was getting to class on time and passing. Now, death was in the air; a threat against wizards, witches and all muggle-borns. Back then, all she wanted was to see where her new friendships, budding romance will take her. Now, she wished she held onto those days just a bit longer. Past familiar streets and winding roads, it wasn't long before the family arrived at the Leaky Cauldron where just beyond a door lied Diagon Alley -a sight every witch and wizard marvels at, but times have changed.

What was once abundant and lively was now grim and mundane, if it wasn't for the Weasley Joke Shop that was bustling with customers in and out, Diagon Alley could have been mistaken for a satellite location for Azkaban. Ariella and Ambrosia's eye shifted from one end of the corner to the next, low huffs from Robert escaped his lips as he trailed behind as Jean wrapped her arm tightly around his.

"Alright girls, we'll just grab what you need and leave. There is no need to wander about." Robert sighed as he eyed the chard window of Ollivander's where glass shards lied along the cobblestone walkway.

As Ariella listened to what her father had to say, her attention was grabbed by the joke shop. In her gut, there was a strong chance that her friends would be at the grand opening, considering Ron was the brother of the owner's. "Dad, you don't mind if I?" Her voice trailed as he pointed into the direction of the shop. Her father was about to protest until Jean's reassuring gesture convinced him otherwise.

"Alright, but take Ambrosia with you. We'll come pick you up when we're done, but I expect the both of you be here when we get back."

Glancing back at her step-sister, she knew the sight of the two of them together would cause a slight concern, specifically coming from Ron alone but nonetheless, although the two had a troubled past, they decided to let bygones be bygones considering they were living under the same roof. Ambrosia knew by the glance in Ariella's eyes that the thought she had in mind was mutual.

"Oh, come off. It's not like I don't have genuine friends of my own." She smirked before she spun on her heel as she kissed her mother's soft cheek. "See you later, Mum. Don't worry. I'll make sure Ariella doesn't get into any trouble."

Ariella scoffed. If anyone was preventing any trouble from occurring it would be her, keeping Ambrosia's pride in front of her friends to a minimum. As the protective concerned parents watched as their daughters wandered into the seemingly rare sight of joy and laughter, there was a sense of worry mixed with a wave of relief. Despite there were no apparent signs of danger surrounding the shop made it all the more dangerous - the bare exposure of happiness, the extreme vulnerability that consumed a person once they stepped into the shop. A bit of laughter may be what everyone needed but it cannot replace the reality that had already taken place.

Inside the shop, the girls separated from one another; Ambrosia immediately catching a glimpse of her friends, leaving Ariella in the herd of every young witch and wizard. Ariella didn't mind, it was a nice change to be surrounded by familiar strangers and distant acquaintances then the same three faces she spent the summer looking at - her father, step-mother and beloved step-sister. As Ariella began to wander around the shop, there were many trinkets that caught her eyes; from homemade Weasley Products, to fireworks and specific items created for wizards and witches. The fluorescent pink display was hard to ignore amongst the giggling fits that melodically danced out of adolescent mouths.