[Open]Preparing for a new year..

[Penny Matthews]

Penelope Matthews was strolling alone, through Diagon Ally, gazing at all of the different shops on eitherside.. Even though she was excited by the prospect of getting new books for her studies this year, she was conscious of the fact that when she glanced in through the book store's window, every single person she could see, she recognised as a Ravenclaw. Way to go to get labelled.. she thought with a roll of her dark eyes, deciding instead, to keep on walking, eventually ending up outside Weasleys Wizarding Weazes..

Gazing up at the eccentric exterior, Penny found herself not being able to resist smiling. Whether that was due to the general atmosphere oozing from the place, or an enchantment cast upon its grounds, she wasnt sure. Either way, Penny stepped inside with a smile..

Walking slowly around the place, the atmosphere was electric, filled with children and adults alike, all enthralled by something that caught their eyes. Penny made her way over to the Pygmy Puff pen and grinned slightly, reaching out and tickling one, "Aww your so cute!" she whispered to herself, not thinking that anyone was listening..

[James Potter]

It was so busy in his uncle's joke shop that day, that he thought the place might burst at the seams. James strolled around gazing at all of the products which he knew so well. He considered buying some Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder to aid in his exploring in the castle. He decided against it, figuring the Marauder's Map would be enough for him not to get caught out of bed past curfew.

He made his way to the crazily pink portion of the store to see what kind of nonsense was for sale: love potions and the like. Sure they were powerful, but he had no interest in them. He was more interested in the Pygmy Puffs... he wanted to get one for his cat to play with.

James stopped short when he saw Penny Matthews observing the cage of the furry creatures. "Aww your'e so cute!" she said. He gulped. Should I talk to her? Or should I just leave. But we are kind of friends... I think.

"They are quite entertaining," he said as he walked up beside her. "I might get one for my cat. But he'd probably just eat it instead of play with it..." His shoulders were slumped and he had his hands in his pockets. James shrugged sheepishly as he looked at her.

[Penny Matthews]

"They are quite entertaining,"

Penny was startled slightly by the sudden presence, quickly recoiling her hand and looking at whom it was that spoke up, "Oh! Hi James!" she laughed alittle at her own jumpyness as she realised who it actually was. Penny considered James somewhat a friend, they had exchanged pleasentries often, though she couldn't say they had really divulged much into each other's idiosyncrasies, something she thought to herself, she might like to change, as he continued,

"I might get one for my cat. But he'd probably just eat it instead of play with it..."

Penny laughed some, "Yeah, I wouldn't leave one unarmed around my puppy.." She subconsciously mirror'd his movements, pushing her hands into her pockets as she smiled at James, "Soo.." she grinned some, "Did you enjoy the summer?" she asked, thinking that it might possibly be somewhat a feeble attempt at starting conversation, so she quickly added, "Are you doing anything cool before the start of term? yaknow, last days of freedom and all that?" she smiled some more, removing one hand from her pocket to brush a few rebelious strands of hair from her face.

[James Potter]

James chuckled at her remark about her dog. Personally, he was more of a cat person, but the image in his head was still amusing.

"Did you enjoy the summer? Are you doing anything cool before the start of term? Yaknow, last days of freedom and all that?" she asked him.

Shrugging, he started fiddling with one of the Pygmy Puffs in the cage. He thought about his summer, and it seemed extremely boring."There really hasn't been anything exciting happening with me. Honestly, I'm a pretty boring bloke," he said shrugging again. "All I do is read and stuff, studying for the next school year. Well actually I did put a rubber snake in Lily's bed one night. She wasn't too happy about that... but it was hilarious. How about yourself?"

OOC: Sorry its a little short. I'm on my way to work >.<

[Penny Matthews]

"There really hasn't been anything exciting happening with me. Honestly, I'm a pretty boring bloke"

Penny laughed alittle, "Well, I don't believe that." she shook her head smiling as he continued, "All I do is read and stuff, studying for the next school year. Well actually I did put a rubber snake in Lily's bed one night. She wasn't too happy about that... but it was hilarious. How about yourself?" Penny laughed again, the image of Lily Potter discovering a snake in her bed for some reason highly amused her, and it took her afew moments to compose herself to answer James' question.

"Well, I went to see my Grandparents, but that was.. well it was pretty horrible actually." she shrugged some, not relishing the memory of spending time with her pureblood elitist grandparents.. "And errm, we went to Egypt for a week, which was fun.." she added, forcibly stopping herself from launching into a massive speech about how interesting the old magic that was used to create the pyramids and other ancient architecture was.

Quickly gazing around the shop once more, Penny smirked, "So, this is your Uncles shop right? I bet you know where all the best stuff is.." Everyone thought there was a secret room somewhere inside where all the most spectacular items and items still in development were kept, though it could have just been a rumor Penny supposed..

[James Potter]

"Well, I went to see my Grandparents, but that was.. well it was pretty horrible actually."

James frowned apologetically. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"And errm, we went to Egypt for a week, which was fun..."

"Well, thats a bit better. Wow, Egypt would be amazing to travel to..." James said, thinking to himself. Egypt was something that always fascinated him and he always wished he could go for a visit. Someday... he hoped.

"So, this is your Uncles shop right? I bet you know where all the best stuff is..."

"The good stuff?" he said with a mischivous grin. "I might know of a few things..." James chuckled and hopped down a few steps to a lower level. He looked back up at her, beckoning for her to follow. "C'mon."

He led her through the busy store and throngs of teenagers towards the back of the shop. They reached a doorway where a long velvet red curtain hang. He pushed it a aside slightly and slid in, waiting for Penny to follow into the dark room.

[Penny Matthews]

She smiled as James made a sympathetic comment regarding her visit to see her grandparents. She knew they were just old and set in their ways, but it still got her down sometimes, especially when other people had such loving and generous grandparents, like James. Mr and Mrs. Weasley were known for their immense kindness, and Penny somewhat suspected that they almost made up for the fact that James' only had one set.

"Well, thats a bit better. Wow, Egypt would be amazing to travel to..."

"Yeah, It was pretty amazing.." she nodded, remembering.. "Would have been nice to have had a friend with me though.." her eyes moved back to his as she spoke, though a small smirk spread across her face and she didnt dwell on the comment as she then asked about where the best stuff was in the shop..

"I might know of a few things... C'mon."

Penny grinned as James motioned for her to follow him, which she obidiently did, following him through the crowded floors before quickly slipping behind a velvet red curtain..

Once inside, Penny was slightly surprised that it was so dark in there, it took afew moments before her eyes started to become accustomed to the low light. "Spooky.."she said mockingly before giggling at herself as she took a step further inside. "Lets see some demo's then!" she grinned taking James' hand and pulling him further into the room excitedly.

[James Potter]

James chuckled at Penny's remark then flicked his wand towards the couple sconces hanging on the walls. The candles' wicks lit up in flames to illuminate the place. It showed a cramped room with shelves and shelves full of dusty things that looked severely out of place. There were decks of cards and tons of top hats and many more oddities. James looked down trying to hide his slightly red cheeks, but the candle light actually accentuated it.

"Lets see some demo's then!" Penny exclaimed.

"Er... the demos aren't very exciting," he said with a shrug. "These are all muggle magic tricks. I mean... I think they're great, but uh..." James struggled a smile then gave up on trying to explain himself. He felt bashful for bringing her to see such lame novelties. They weren't lame to him of course. He just hoped he didn't make himself look stupid.

"The top hats are pretty cool though..." James said trying to make conversation. He picked a dusty one off the shelf and put it on his head a bit crooked. "Muggles, they uh... pull rabits out of them. But really they are hidden in the top part of the hat. Funny really..."

[Penny Matthews]

Penny grinned as all the candles around the room flickered to life, lighting up all the shelves crammed with hundreds of different items..

"These are all muggle magic tricks. I mean... I think they're great, but uh..."

Penny raised her eyes at James looking slightly amazing, "Muggles have magic tricks??!" she gasped, clearly fascinated by the concept of non-magical folks imitating wizards..

She grinned some as she moved past James and started working her way along the first self, eyeing up all of the various muggle items, none of which she had any clue what they were, or more imprtantly, what they did..

Penny turned to face James as he spoke up, "The top hats are pretty cool though..." She watched as he pulled out an old top hat and placed it jauntily on his head. Penny bit her lip some whilst grinning still, "Muggles, they uh... pull rabits out of them. But really they are hidden in the top part of the hat. Funny really..." Penny raised her eyebrows, "No way.." she laughed alittle, stepping forward and reching up to James, taking his top hat from his head and examining it herself..

"So, let me get this straight.." she said with a curious frown as she popped the hat on her own head with a giggle, "Muggles, pretend to be wizards and pretend to do magic? Why would they? I thought they didnt even know about us.." she said confusedly, though it must have been hard for James to take her seriously with the top hat slipping slowly down over her head, almost concealing her eyes..

[James Potter]

James folded his arms over his chest and had a broad smile across his face. He watched Penny examine the hat and put it on her own head. She did look rather adorable with the hat slipping slightly down her forehead.

"So, let me get this straight... Muggles, pretend to be wizards and pretend to do magic? Why would they? I thought they didnt even know about us."

"Well," he said as he took a black and white 'magic wand' off of the shelf and twirled it around. Oddly enough, a few sparks came out of the tip of the wand. James remembered his father telling him that it wasn't the wand where a wizard's magic came from, but from inside the wizards themselves. So it made sense for some of James' magic to come out of the fake plastic wand. "They don't know about us, you know, from Disillusionment charms and Muggle-Repelling charms. And if they did see something their memories would have been altered. But I've read that perhaps some muggles' memories may not have been adjusted before they went out and told other muggles." James paused and stopped fiddling with the fake prop. "Its all fairy tales and folklore to them. These things," he said as he gestured about the small room, "Are used in different types of... performances. Little slights of hand make it seem like magic, but really its an illusion. Muggles find it entertaining. Honestly, I think the whole idea is enertaining."

He put down the prop back where he got it from then slid his hands into his pockets. "I dunno. I just think its interesting. Muggles are so different. Everything they do is different. And sometimes its interesting to read about them and stuff..." He shuffled his feet. "Yeah..."

[Penny Matthews]

Penny gazed up at James from under the rim of the top hat as he explained to her the reasoning behind Muggles and they affinity for creating the illusion of magic. Muggles are funny folk.. she mused.

"I dunno. I just think its interesting. Muggles are so different. Everything they do is different. And sometimes its interesting to read about them and stuff... Yeah..."

Penny smiled as she removed the dusty old hat from her head and carefully placed it back on the shelf. "They are certainly different.." she said thoughtfully, as she smoothed down her hair alittle. Eyeing the plastic wand James was holding, Penny laughed alittle and gestured towards it, "I duno, I think having a wand like that would be pretty funky.." she grinned some..

After a few minutes of examining various different Muggle artifacts, Penny had eventually had her fill of the muggle world for the day and she turned back to face James as she spoke, "Thankyou for showing me this stuff James.." she said with a smile, "Your right, it really is fascinating!" she grinned excitedly once more.

Then she realised that there wasnt much else to say about the muggle magic room. She swayed on the spot alittle, "Sooo.." she giggled.

[James Potter]

"Thankyou for showing me this stuff James..."

"No problem, Pen," he said feeling slightly bashful for using a nickname for her.

"You're right, it really is fascinating!"

"It is, yeah." James glanced around the room looking for something to talk about, and began feeling awkward when nothing came to mind. He kept a goofy smile on his face and pulled at the fuzz in his pockets.

"Sooo..." she giggled.

What do I say? What do I say? What do I say? What do I say? What do I say? he thought nervously. "Um... did you get all of your things for school yet?" It was a lame topic to talk about, bu school was always in the forefront of his mind anyway. James to went lean back on a barrel of stuffed rabbits... the kind the magicians pulled out of hats. He tripped a bit on his shoe laces and ended up knocking over about ten decks of muggle playing cards. "Bloody... OOF!" He said as it rained cards all over him. His face turned a bright crimson and his glasses were laying somewhere on the floor.

[Penny Matthews]

"Um... did you get all of your things for school yet?"

Penny laughed, "Actually no i was just on my wa-" but she couldnt finish her sentence because James had somehow managed to nock a bunch of card in the air and then end up on the floor with the cards raining down over him.. It was a pretty spectacular sight and Penny wondered how he had actually managed to do it, before realising that his glasses had spun off along the floor and she pounced over to them. Grabbing them from the floor and helpfully returning them to their very red faced owner.."Here you go.."she giggled as she placed the glasses back on his face.

"Yaknow, you can really see your eyes without your specs.." she said thoughtfully, sitting down next to the messy heap at was James beside her. "..You have nice eyes.." she said with a smile..

[James Potter]

"Here you go..." Penny said as she put his glasses back on for him.

"Thanks," he said stupidly as he adjusted them on his face. He sat defeated on the floor and tried to avoid making eye contact. It wasn't working very well.

"Yaknow, you can really see your eyes without your specs.." she added.

"Oh, well I dunno, I-" James started, running a hand through his hair.

"..You have nice eyes.."

"I... What? I do?" James was taken aback. He didn't know what she meant by that. Sure it was a compliment, but James never got compliments. Girls just never talked to him. And if they did they just wanted an autograph from his dad. And this was Penny who said it to him. The girl he has a very small MASSIVE crush on. "Um, Thank you. So do you. I mean, they're um, really... nice. To, you know, look at."

[Penny Matthews]

"I... What? I do?"

Penny grinned alittle, "Sure you do," she said sweetly before James continued.

"Um, Thank you. So do you. I mean, they're um, really... nice. To, you know, look at."

Penny giggled at his awkwardness, he was ever so cute when he panicked slightly. They were sitting next to each other, but there was still a fair gap between them.. She contemplated shuffling along abit, getting closer to him. But then thought better of it and simply replied, "Thanks.."

Penny just gazed at James, for just a moment. He was her friend for sure.. But did she 'like' like him?? Realising that she was staring, Penny shook her self out of it, finding her smile once more before speaking up, "So as I was saying before you rudely fell on the floor.." she teased with a grin, "I need to get buy some more books before I leave.. and Frank needs a walk so.." she giggled some, "I mean, you could come.. I duno.. are you working?? Um.." she rambled before laughing at herself and stuffing her hands into her pockets.