Newt Scamander Preferences

When Jacob Purchases Funeral Flowers

"...So I just need something that's suitable to be placed on a grave really." he finished talking, his blue eyes staring at the florist, waiting for her response.

In the words of Ed Sheeran, she "switched on (her) professional features" and began considering all of the flower types appropraite for funerals and graves. "Well," she spoke softly. "lilies are the most commonly used flower for funerals and graves, since they represent purity and majesty. I personally find them to be a bit generic. Some customers prefer the deceased favourite flower or something more personal." she paused for a moment. "Did...sorry, I hope you don't mind me asking, who are you buying the flowers for?"

"They're on behalf of a friend. Things are too chaotic for him to, uh, come and buy flowers himself at the moment. So, here I am." he mustered a meek smile.

"That's unfortunate for him." you sympathised with him. "Okay, if I were you, I'd steer clear of the lilies. I personally think that life should be celebrated through flowers, not be tainted by death. Did your friend's..."

"Ma."

The lady softly smiled. "His Mother have any particular favourites?"

He looked rather sheepishly at the kind female. It was just as she had suspected, he probably hadn't dared to ask his friend, in fear of upsetting him.

"To be honest with you, M'am, he's just gotten engaged. He's real happy and after the year he's had, he deserves to not be sad. I'm not sure he's remembered what day it is. He ain't exactly close to his Pa and brother. So they sure ain't going to remind him. Thought instead I'd buy him something for his Ma. That way, if he remembers and, you know, feels bad, then he won't have to 'cause it's been taken care of. He'll have flowers to give her."

"How about I pick some out for you and you pick the ones you think are most suitable?" she offered, having to suppress a Cheshire Cat smile when the short but friendly male looked at her with absolute relief.

"That'd be brilliant." he sighed.

Walking towards the back wall of the store, the lady motioned to the vast array of plants, all separated by their stainless steel buckets of water. "This is our main selection. Are there any particular colours you think would be nice?"

His ice blue eyes scanned each row, mentally listing each flower or colour he liked. "My friend likes blue."

Reaching up, to the top shelf of Blue Delphiniums, she plucked out six and proceeded to lay them out carefully upon the counter. "For peace and serenity." she murmured. "May I suggest the Statice in purple? They represent rememberance, which seems quite fitting."

He nodded, agreeing with her choice. They were added to the pile. "I hope I'm right but...I think his Ma liked lavander purple."

She quickly glanced over the buckets. "Well, we haven't got lavender itself in stock. A man brought all of our supply for an outdoor wedding about five days ago but we do have lavendar roses." she plucked a singular rose from it's bouquet to show the gentleman. "This are one of my favourites."

In that moment, he genuinely smiled. There was no meekness behind the gesture. "I think they would be perfect."

Lavender roses it was.

"Is there anything else you'd like me to add?"

"Can flowers be related to months?"

She nodded. "And particular birthstones regarding the months and flowers. Was there something you had in mind?"

"My friend's Ma had a yellow topaz as her engagement stone."

"November and chrysanthemums."

He grimaced. "I think once he mentioned that she was allergic. His Pa once brought a bunch home for her, wasn't pretty." Jacob chuckled.

She wrinkled you nose at the recollection. "Yes, I don't like them very much either. What month did she and your friend's Father marry?"

"April."

"Diamonds and daisies. Daisies sound nice."

"Yeah, they would be perfect."

As she retrieved the next chosen flower, she heard the male behind her chuckled once again. "I just remembered that once...once my sweethearr found a ton of daisies on the lawn and spent, I don't know, a good two hours trying to make the perfect daisy chain. You could hear her yells of frustration everytime the chain broke from the kitchen."

The florist could not help but chuckle too. "Did she succeed in the end?"

The pleasant male shook his head, a smile still playing on his lips. "In the end, my friend had to put her out of her misery and sit and make her one. Oh man, you should have seen the look on her face when he gave her that chain. She was so, so happy."

"She sounds quite the darling, you sweetheart." she giggled. "Okay, where were we? Right! Daisies. Have you considered Baby's breath as a final touch? I always find it just finished off a bouquet." she paused. "I think that should be enough for the bouquet. Would you like to write out a card at all to accompany the flowers?"

"Um...I've never really written a card for a grave before. I don't, I don't really know what to write."

He truly was clueless at this type of thing, the poor man. This was obviously a very difficult task for him to complete. Everything had to be near perfect. "Would you like me to write one out?"

He nodded.

Picking a small card with a picture of a cross and dove on the front, she wrote:

Let us not forget those we have lost but remember the love they gave us and memories we created together.

Slipping the tiny card into it's envelope, she quickly and efficiently made the bouquet, pleased that it looked extremely beautiful, but saddened that they were being purchased under such sad circumstances. "There, all done." she announced as she finished tying the ribbon.

"How much do I owe you?" Jacob asked as he dug around his jacket pockets for his wallet.

In that moment, the elderly florist decided to make a decision that may anger her superiors but she didn't care. "Nothing, they're on me."

The look on his face was priceless, she couldn't help but giggle. "I can't let you do that, you'll get in trouble."

"Not if I pay for the bouquet myself. The owner doesn't mind who pays as long as the bill gets paid." that wasn't entirely true, the owner preferred that customers paid for their own goods, not the staff.

"Are you definitely sure? Honestly, I have not problem-"

She held up her right hand, signalling for him to stop talking. "I'm sure. Besides, you let me show off my flower knowledge, most people just come in for a dozen red roses or a bouquet of lilies, you actually did me a favour today."

With a warm, grateful smile, the male picked up the bouquet of flowers, said thank you and exited the shop saying that he would recommend the store to his friend for his upcoming wedding.

Little did Jacob know that it had been Newt to purchase the lavendar five days prior.