𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐏A𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄, jp

𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

As Isabella stepped through the magical entrance of the Leaky Cauldron into Diagon Alley, she found herself immersed in the beauty of the place. The cobbled street stretched far before her, lined with a diverse array of wizarding shops, each boasting its own distinct charm.

She walked with her father, Remus and Hope a little behind to keep distance between the twins incase of any arguments.

The air was filled with the scent of spell-infused concoctions and the lively chatter of witches and wizards as they shopped, many of them were students and their families, ready to buy their necessities for Hogwarts. The storefronts were adorned with whimsical signs, many of them animated, displaying the specialties of each establishment, Isabella thought it was beautiful; she had never been here before.

To her left, the vibrant colors of Flourish and Blotts beckoned, its windows filled with stacks of magical books, quills, and parchment. A display featuring the latest editions of spellbooks caught Isabella's eye, their covers shimmering with enchantments. On the right, the magical emporium of Ollivanders displayed wands of various shapes and sizes in its elegant windows. The soft glow emanating from the shop hinted at the magical energies contained within.

"We need to go to Flourish and Blotts," Lyall directed the family into the shop, waving his wand as they walked in, bringing the books off of the shelves from the fifth year section that related to his kids subjects. "These are the right ones, aren't they Remus?"

"Yeah, all of those," Remus said bluntly. He was in a bad mood, these trips were typically the only day of the year that he had for just him and his parents, and Isabella's presence was starting unnerve him.

"Lyall! Hope!" A voice called out, and the family all turned around, a man and a woman waving the couple over. As Izzy looked closer, she noticed James was with them, and they were clearly his parents.

"Monty! Mia!" Lyall beamed as he exchanged a handshake with 'Monty.'

"How are you both?" The adults were suddenly in an in depth conversation about their lives, and the children stood awkwardly to the side.

"You guys okay?" James asked the siblings, who refused to look in one another's direction.

"Yeah, how's your summer been?" Remus asked, it's been about four weeks since the marauders two week stay, and the summer was coming to an end with just two days left until they were headed off to Hogwarts.

"It's been good, just been spending time with the family. How's yours been?"

"Yeah, alright," Remus shrugged, looking from James to Isabella, and then pulling a face at James, who bit his lip.

"What about yours, Bells?" He asked.

"Bells?" Remus repeated, a shocked and disgusted expression on his face.

"Oh hello! You must be Isabella!" The lady, 'Mia' turned to Izzy with a huge smile. "I'm Euphemia Potter, but you can call me Mia, it's a pleasure to finally meet you!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you too!" Izzy smiled back, she could instantly tell where James got his whole personality from, the woman seemed so kind and loving, the exact same vibe James gave off.

"You must all come over for dinner one day! Perhaps over the Christmas holidays?"

"That would be lovely, Mia," Hope grinned.

"We better be off, but we'll see you soon! Lovely to see you all!"

The Lupins watched as they left, and they quickly turned back to their shopping, Hope and Lyall discussing how sweet the couple were.

When they had finished paying, Isabella continued her stroll through Diagon Alley, the enchanting melodies from Eeylops Owl Emporium reached her ears. Owls of different sizes and colors hooted from their perches, their eyes sparkling with intelligence. The windows showcased a variety of owl cages and magical treats for the feathered companions.

The aromas from Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor wafted through the air, enticing Isabella with the promise of magical ice cream flavors. The parlor's windows revealed towering cones topped with sparkling scoops that seemed to change colors.

Isabella smiled brightly at the wonders of the wizarding world, with buildings leaning in as if conspiring to keep their magical secrets hidden from the Muggle world. The quirky charm of Diagon Alley filled her with happiness, from the animated suits of armor guarding the entrance to the jumble of shoppers laden with magical parcels. Magic was one of her favourite hidden secrets of the world; everything about it made her giddy, and walking through Diagon Alley made her ever so slightly excited for Hogwarts. Everybody seemed so happy to be there, so ready to go back to school and learn.

"Here we are, Madame Malkins!" The bell above the door tinkled as they stepped into the cozy, cluttered shop filled with robes of every style and color imaginable.

Madame Malkin, a stout witch with measuring tape draped around her neck, bustled over to greet them.

"Ah, the Lupins! Here for Hogwarts robes, I presume? Ah! You have another daughter! Hello! Let's get started, shall we? What year of Hogwarts are you in?"

"Fifth, but it's my first year there," Isabella said softly, though her stomach began to churn at how real her transfer was starting to feel.

Isabella exchanged a disapproving glance with Remus as he rolled his eyes, but Hope glared at them both as a sign to not start.

"Why so? Come," Madame Malkin said, tapping the stool. Isabella obliged, stepping onto the stool as Madame Malkin began measuring her for the robes. Meanwhile, Remus seized the opportunity to explore the shop, avoiding his twin with everything he could.

"I wasn't a fan of Beauxbatons," Isabella lied.

"Understandable, I've had a few kids who've felt the same over the years. You'll love Hogwarts, it's a beautiful place! Lovely people there too. Does Minerva still work there, Remus?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "she's my head of house."

"Oh I do love her!"

Madame Malkin continued her work, adjusting Isabella's robes with skillful hands, her measuring tape wrapping round her body at all different angles. "There we go! Perfect fit. Now, let's move on to young Remus, you can go and have a look at shirts, skirts and tights in your size whilst you wait. These are your exact sizes."

Isabella stepped down from the stool, casting one more annoyed glance at Remus, who was now waiting to take his turn.

As Madame Malkin measured him, Isabella couldn't help but groan, making her way over to the shirts rack.

"How many should we get you? This'll be enough, they'll be washed regularly anyway," Hope was more or less saying to herself, grabbing a handful. "Ooh, I'll get you a couple of jumpers too. Three? That'll do you nicely for the year. Here, take these."

Isabella took a handful of clothes from her mother, who picked up a tie and a couple of pairs of tights, and then a few skirts.

When Malkin was finished with Remus, Hope grabbed the last few things she needed for Remus, and then took everything to the till, paying Malkin what seemed to be a lot of money.

"Thank you!" The family exclaimed, leaving the shop with multiple bags.

"What's next then?"

The trip was soon enough over and done with, and the family were quick to make it home. The tension between the twins was slowly rising, and getting home was going to be a quick and easy way out of any arguments for everyone.

A/N

I did one exhausting shift at work and now my motivation has failed me?? It's clear to see what the problem with my updating is lmao

It's been a whole day and my muscles still ache, I need to sleep (I have to be at work again in 9 hours)

Qotd: what's your Hogwarts house?

Word count: 1309