Golden Girl: The Missing Piece (2)

4- Haggling for a Decent Price on Cleaning Supplies

"But has any wizard ever owned two wands?"

"If one gets broken, yes."

"No, not two in succession, like two at the same time!"

"Not that I know of."

"Really?! No one in history?"

"I said not that I know of, there could be an instance that I don't know of."

"You're saying that, as far as you know, no witch or wizard has owned two fully working wands at the same moment in time."

"Yes, Ember, now walk away from the wand shop. You won't be the first."

Ember let Trenchroot push her away from Quintana's Wandmaking shop, guiding her further down the side of the square. She only glanced back long enough to see Reginald, the current owner of Quintana's wink at her through the window. She grinned back before turning around to follow her Professor.

"I made a stop at your bank vault in England for you," Trenchroot announced as he handed Ember a canvas sack with the top tied tight, "next year I'll take you with me so you can do it yourself from then on but, I didn't want you traveling overseas alone yet."

Ember shot a mischievous smile up at the man and tugged on his robe sleeve, "Aw, Trenchroot, you do care about me!"

He dislodged her hand before lifting his chin, "I absolutely do not, whatever gives you that impression?"

She just rolled her eyes and followed him into the book shop a few doors down from Quintana's. Glasses perched on her nose, Ember pulled out her school supply list and headed towards the textbook section of the store. These glasses had been a lifesaver. They translated everything in the written word into Ancient Greek so that she could read it without getting a headache to last the ages. It was a common issue among demigods, so when Ember's eyes landed on the English language, her brain shorted out and scrambled the words up like a puzzle for her to decipher. And she could decipher it, if she took enough time, but she'd rather wear these handy glasses and not get slowed down by her freakish genetics.

The bookshop owner must have received the lists for Ilvermorny this year, because books were organized by year, and Ember was able to find every book she needed right on the same two shelves. A couple galleons later and she was on her way.

Most of her shopping went fairly quickly, as she had far less to buy than last year's shopping list had required. Eventually, near the end of their loop around Steward Square, Ember and Trenchroot got to the shop that Ember had most been looking forward to visiting. All last year, she'd borrowed a Cleansweep Six from Ilvermorny for Quidditch events. She hadn't complained. The broomstick had done what she needed it to do, but it was never hers. But Quality Quidditch Supplies had dozens of brooms in their window front display, all shining and new and begging to be ridden high into the sky.

Now, Ember hadn't ever seen her bank vault, so she had no idea how much money was truly at her disposal, but she knew how much was left in the bag that Trenchroot had provided for her. Before going to her vault, her Professor had guessed that she would be buying a broomstick today. If she wanted to leave herself a good amount of money for the school year ahead, Ember figured she could spend no more than 120 Galleons on a broomstick.

Ember walked into Quality Quidditch Supplies and picked up some broom polish and a maintenance kit before she even turned to the broomsticks themselves. She spotted a Cleansweep six on the far left wall, a couple earlier models nearby. A tag that hung off of the binding on the Cleansweep six said 'fifty galleons.'

Ember moved down the line. There was a Nimbus 800, sleek and definitely prettier than the Cleansweep, but known to be temperamental. Her fingers brushed along polished wood and metal bindings as she moved. She passed a red-hued Comet 360, worth 90 Galleons. But if she was going to be here, she was going to get the best she could afford.