walk into any room just like you own the place [freya]

“Really big,” Freya lied smoothly. “I don’t remember what breeds, sorry Shleb,” she said, using an old nickname she’d used when Shelby was much younger. “I saw some baby ones too,” she added, this part actually true. Lying was okay for cool points with a younger relative, wasn’t it?? She felt a bit bad, and made sure to plead with Erika to take her to see some bigger dragons at some point in the near future, so that the lie didn’t have to be a lie.

“Save your money,” She told Shelby, smiling to herself. Six galleons? Freya wished she’d had that much cash for shopping trips when she was twelve. That was one benefit of having only one sibling, she thought.

“So this weekend, the one just passed I mean, some stuff happened uh…” She trailed off, not really having a clear idea about what was and wasn’t appropriate to tell her baby cousin. She played with her hair absentmindedly. “A boy kissed me,” she summarised. Not a lie, she thought, chewing the inside of her cheek. “So I guess I’m just wondering if there’s any advice out there in the cosmos.”

Ari had had some good advice, but she wasn’t the stars, was she? Freya smiled to herself. She wasn’t sure how much she believed with all the star chart stuff, but Shelby was very convincing and she’d once given her some good advice about going to a party that had ended up being really great, so. Besides, Freya needed all the help that she could get. The past couple of years showed that. “Hmmmm,” Freya started thoughtfully, “I don’t think they go so well together, but I do really love that skirt on you,” she said.

"Baby dragons!" Shelby gasped. "Are they still there? Can you ask if I can come meet them? It's okay if you can't," she added quickly - she didn't want to impose on her cousin's work, but she did really want to see a baby dragon. Maybe they would have some at camp, but she wasn't too hopeful. Still, the idea of a baby dragon, just spitting embers, was so cute and intriguing.

Shelby fake pouted, but she snuck a look at the price tag and was grateful for Freya's financial support in this instance. Six Galleons was a lot, after all, and she didn't want to blow it all at once.

A boy!! Kissed!! Freya!! Behind the curtain, Shelby dug into her purse and quickly glanced over Freya's chart again. "Do you, you know, like like him?" She asked through the curtain. Hm, Venus in Pisces and the Twelfth House, Saturn in Scorpio... Freya frowned as she traced the aspects with her finger. "I might need, um, a more specific question. Or maybe his birthday." She had her little notebook in her, she could probably do a rudimentary chart of the major stuff from memory.

"I like the skirt, too," Shelby agreed, swishing the garment back and forth. "Would the top go with trousers, do you think?" She was in love with both pieces, but if Freya thought it didn't look good, Shelby would be content to leave it behind.

"I'll talk to Erika!" Freya answered brightly. "I'm sure we can work something out." Okay, so maybe she wasn't sure. But she'd said it now, so she'd commit to moving mountains to make it happen.

Freya heard the sudden rustling of paper and she wondered what was going on back there. She cringed a little at Shelby’s question, glad that her younger cousin couldn’t see her face. She had to smile a bit too, though, because the question was sweet. “Unsure,” she replied simply. The blonde tried for a moment to think of a more specific question. Have I ruined our friendship? came to mind, as did exactly how much of an idiot am I?, but that didn’t feel super appropriate.

“December,” She answered, relieved that there was another option. Then after a beat, “uh, seventh. Or seventeeth?” Freya tapped her chin with an index finger. She knew it was in December - Danny was two months older than she was. “I suppose there’s a difference?” She asked, sounding hopeful of the opposite.

“Do you have any trousers in there?” Freya asked, getting to her feet again. “I’ll grab some!” The blonde gave her cousin a once-over and then set off into the shop to find something to go with them. A pair of trousers that didn’t clash so much. Something on the simpler side, perhaps. She returned in no time, new piece of clothing in hand. “Pop these on,” she instructed with a smile.

Shelby beamed. "Thank you!" Imagine, going back to school and getting to tell everyone she saw a real baby dragon over the summer! Her friends would be so impressed. Or, if not them, then Hagrid would be.

Unsure, came Freya's reply. Hm. That was intriguing. Shelby wondered why romance seemed so complicated for older people. It seemed simple enough. Find someone you really like, step one. B, make sure you're compatible. Part three, get married and live happily ever after.

Okay, so maybe she didn't know anything about romance. But the stars sure did!

"December seventh or seventeenth," she repeated. "I mean, it would make a difference for like, a full alalyis- allnalysi- analysis," Shelby said, struggling with the word analysis for far longer than was cute. "But that's the same sun sign, Sagitarrius, either way." Shelby scrunched up her face, trying to recall the relevant page from her book from memory. "Aquarius and Sagitarrius are not like, the best pairing? But it's not bad!" She added quickly. "It's pretty good, actually. Fire and Air signs can be really good together." She frowned. "I'd really need to know his whole birthday to be more accurate, though." Should she try to explain aspects and transits to Freya? It seemed like too much at once.

She tried anyway, while Freya was off fetching her trousers, to chart this mystery guy out based on Freya's stars. Oh, a square with her Venus and his sun sign... That did not bode well. When Freya returned, Shelby said a quick thanks before changing and modelling for her again. Maybe she was wrong, right? Maybe Freya's Mystery Guy was born on the 17th.

Not the best, Shelby said. “Oh,” Freya answered. But it’s not bad!. “Oh!” she answered again. She wasn’t sure why she was asking these things, honestly. It was cute that Shelby knew so much about all of this stuff, and Freya had always been a little superstitious. She went between totally believing in it, and not believing in it like, officially, but still wanting to know. Because… reasons.

Not the best but pretty good? Freya frowned, but only while Shelby was behind the curtain. Danny Willbond - sun sign: Saggitarius. She filed this important information away. Freya was confused for a second when her cousin mentioned his whole birthday, but then she remembered the time that Shelby had owled her mother to ask her for Freya’s birth time and things started making sense.

“Is this a good time for me, like… romantically?” she asked, one last attempt to get an answer. Not that she was planning on popping by Woodberry Down anytime soon. Freya had thought about maybe writing Danny to see if he wanted to meet up, but she’d only gone home from his house on Saturday, and it was only Monday now… so she figured she had another day or so before she needed to do that. It just had to be by Friday, she thought.

When Shelby exited the change room in the trousers she’d brought, Freya mentally patted herself on the back for guessing the size right; Shelby looked very cool. “This is definitely more of a spring or autumn outfit than a winter one, but you look really cool,” she said, clapping her hands together once for emphasis. She bit her lip for a moment, doing some mental math. “Lets get them all,” she said conspiratorially.

One of the reasons Freya was her favourite cousin (well, one of - at least first string) was how she had always seemed to believe in the astrology Shelby was obsessed with. Sure, Jari was up there for introducing it to her in the first place, but Freya was a cousin without a pre-existing interest that took her seriously instead of just indulging her. Shelby could tell when people didn't care, or at least she thought she could tell.

"Like this month? This week? This year?" Shelby didn't wait for an answer - it had been a stalling question, obviously, Freya meant more immediately that this year. "I wouldn't do anything right now now. You've got," she glanced down, checking her notes. "You've got Saturn and Jupiter in the seventh house, right? And where Saturn is right now," Shelby made a face, "it's no good for starting something new, I think." Shelby zipped up the trousers, stomping around in the dressing room for a second to give Freya a minute to process. She really hoped she hadn't upset Freya, but the stars told what you needed to hear, not what you wanted to hear. Or something.

The outfit felt and looked awesome. Shelby posed a couple of times in the mirror, grinning at Freya. "These are wicked," she said, agreeing. More of an autumn outfit - that was fine, it would be so cool to debut it during first Hogsmede weekend in the fall. "All of them? Are you sure?" Shelby couldn't believe it. "Thank you thank you thankyou!" The thanks came out faster and more rushed. "Best shopping trip ever!"

“Good to know!” Freya called cheerily through the curtain. Saturn? Jupiter? Freya nodded like she knew what Shleb was saying, even though the young Ravenclaw couldn’t even see her right now. Well, she’d told Ari that she didn’t have any “real” feelings for Danny - which was a bit confusing to think about considering she obviously loved him as a friend, what was more “real” than that?? - and the stars clearly didn’t want her to start anything. So she supposed that that was that. Easy. Simple. Done and dusted.

She perked up when Shelby exited the change room.

Freya was an empathetic person, and easily excited. Shelby’s enthusiasm had her giddy. This was why buying stuff for her cousins was so fun, she thought. “It all looks so good,” she said excitedly. Freya wrapped her up in a quick, very squeezy hug before releasing her. “Go get dressed and bring it all up,” she said, grinning.

The blonde left her cousin at the change room and made her way to the counter, pulling her wallet out and getting ready to pay. When Shelby joined her, she pointed at a stand beside the counter, filled with every kind of accessory, from sunglasses to elaborate hair clips. “Any of those your style?” she asked suggestively, eyebrows raised. Freya picked up a beret and put it on, looking at herself in the mirror.

“We’ve talked about my love life a lot, but what about yoouuu?” she asked, tease in her tone. “No lovers, but any crushes this year?” Freya tried to remember the names of boys she'd mentioned. "JR? Benny? Tommy?"

Well, Freya sounded cheery as ever at that news. That was good! No reason to be anxious about being the bearer of bad news. Plus it was easily forgotten in the excitement of buying all of it. She didn't need to be told twice to bring everything out. Despite wanting to rip the clothes off to get to the buying part of the day faster, Shelby forced herself to slow down - what if she ripped it all? Then it would be ruined AND Freya would still have to pay for it, probably.

Gathering all of the garments in her arms, Shelby sped over to the counter to meet her cousin. "That hat looks really cool on you," Shelby said, before looking at the accessories stand herself. Hair clips weren't really her thing, but there was a glint of silver that caught her eye- a set of starry, sparkly earrings, shimmering slightly pink in the window light. "Maybe these?" She suggested, pointing at them. "But I don't need them - maybe new sunglasses, for camp?" Freya was already indulging her a lot with the outfits, if she was going to ask for anything else Shelby thought it should be more practical.

"Tomie's a girl," Shelby corrected, side-stepping the question as she watched the cashier fold and bag the purchase. She frowned, thinking about the boys in her year. "I don't know if I like like anyone yet," she said slowly. "I've read about it but I don't really know what it feels like, I think? And books make it seem like you know if you like a boy." If pressed, she'd probably have to say JR or Simon, but she didn't really want to say.

“Thanks!” she said brightly, but Freya didn’t really wear hats so there was no justifying it. Freya waved a hand, still too shopping-high to be thinking sensibly about money. “Shelby,” she said emphatically, “those are so. cool.” Before her baby cousin could protest, Freya plucked them from the accessories wall and added them to the pile they’d made on the counter.

“Oh, is she?” Freya asked absentmindedly, holding up a golden sun hair clip to her own hair and looking at it in the mirror. “Cool name.” She straightened up, adding the clip to the little pile too. Freya liked pretty things, even if they only ever seemed to get used in the hour-long parade of outfits she tried on before going to an event… before inevitably ending up on the most boring, accessory-less outfit of the lot. “I think you usually do know,” She replied, immediately thinking about Danny and then feeling like maybe her advice wasn’t quite right. “But I don’t think I had a proper crush until like, third-year or something? Everyone’s different.”

She slid some coins over the counter and got her change back, dropping the coins into her purse absentmindedly. The clothes were packed into some high-quality paper shopping bags with a vintage floral print on them, matching the aesthetic of the store. She took the heavier two but gave the lighter one to Shelby; they were the kind of bags one flounced around with in Diagon Alley, not the kind to be packed away.

“Have you eaten yet?” she asked, feeling rather glamorous leaving the store with shopping bags in each hand. “Tenbury tea rooms?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows at her cousin.

"Hey!" The earrings went from display to the pile so fast Shelby nearly missed it plopping onto the pile alongside a golden sun clip. The blonde hair and cheery complexions of the rest of the Tricketts made them all shine so brightly. Shelby felt like a pale reflection of them, sometimes, looking at her own dark hair and, not darker, but different skin colour in the mirror. Like the moon to Freya's sun, or something. The moon still ruled, though, the moon was still good. Shelby liked the moon.

"Oh, really? Third year?" Shelby felt a sense of relief. So she wasn't that behind the curve. It didn't seem like anyone else in her year liked anybody yet, but maybe she just hadn't noticed. "I guess I haven't had one, yet, but that's okay. I made charts for everyone, so I can just," she pursed her lips, "I dunno, pick the best boy to like or something." That's how she wanted it to work, anyway. She took the bag, swinging it all the way up and down like a pendulum.

"Not yet, but I'm okay!" Shelby said, only to be immediately betrayed by the rumblings of her own stomach. Okay, so maybe she had only had a banana for breakfast. She hadn't been hungry until now! At the mention of the tea rooms, her face lit up. "I've not been yet!" She was supposed to go with Mum over Easter hols, but there had been a family thing instead. "Can we really?"

Third year ish, Freya thought distantly. She’d sort of had a crush on Finn way back in second year, but it wasn’t really a proper crush. Then she’d just sort of crushed on all of her friends, and any upperclassmen boys who looked her way. It wasn’t much different nowadays; she was always in and out of love with a mystery barista or bartender. Vaguely, she wondered what Hot Duncan’s birthday was.

“Where were you when I was in school,” she replied with a light laugh. Freya really could have used a friend with that kind of knowledge when she was a silly teenager – much sillier than Shelby, from the sounds of things. From memory, she’d been much more annoying at twelve, and by fourteen she was sort of boy-crazy. Not that she’d been able to do much about that that year. “I need someone to matchmake for me,” she joked. Well, half-joked.

“Yes, lets do it!” Freya said, her expression brightening as Shelby’s did. The pair stepped back out into the busy throng of shoppers and tourists. Freya smiled as the sun touched her face. “It’s so cool,” she said, “they have, like, flowers everywhere? It’s like a magical garden, sorta? And the scones are to die for.” The blonde had a little bounce in her step as she walked.

She accidentally met the eyes of someone she knew as they passed each other and she waved a quick hello. “Just down here,” she told Shelby, leading her baby cousin down another side-street to an old, tall brick building. She skipped lithely up the steps, and then gave a sunny smile to the man who was holding the door open for them.

Her smile didn’t fade as she stepped inside; today there were cherry blossoms by the front door, and pretty petals were falling slowly to the ground, where they promptly disappeared. “Hi,” she said to the person who would seat them. “Just a table for two?” The blonde was told there would be a ten minute wait, so she thanked them and went to sit on a low wooden bench, patting the seat beside her for Shelby to sit on while they waited.

Shelby pursed her lips at Freya's off-hand comment about matchmaking. "I mean, you can always owl me the birthday of boys you like," she settled on saying, looking at her bag instead of her cousin in case Freya ended up laughing at her or something. "If you wanna." It seemed doubtful that Freya would, anyway, but Shelby was twelve and did not have a lot else to offer in ways of romantic help.

Her shoes hit the cobblestones of Diagon Alley with a new, shopping induced spring in her step. Freya led the way through the twisting paths of the shopping district. Shelby was shocked by how easy it was to keep up with Freya, now that they were nearly the same height. A few times she passed Freya by mistake and had to turn to find her again. If she lost Freya, she lost the magic scone garden tea place. Soon enough, they made it to the shop. Shelby gasped as a cherry petal fell on her cheek - when she went to peel it off, it was gone. "Woah."

There was a little bit of a wait, so Shelby plopped herself down next to Freya on the bench. She wanted to swing her legs, but the bench was a little low and her legs a little long for that. Shelby tucked her feet under the bench, hugging the bag of goodies close to her chest. Which was more uncomfortable than she remembered it being. "Uh, Freya," she started to ask, "could we maybe go to a -" she dropped her voice, "lady's wear shop, after tea? Or do you think you'll need to go home?" If so, she could always ask Mum to take her, but Freya seemed like she would know better what Shelby would need, since she was closer to her age.

“Maybe I will,” Freya said, unabashed. She’d been wanting a boyfriend for about forty years now (okay, maybe more like one and a bit, whatever), what harm could getting her twelve-year-old cousin’s dating advice do? She played with a loose curl absentmindedly.

“Ladies’ wear?” Freya asked dumbly, her brain immediately flashing images of racy lingerie and lace and – “Oh yeah, of course! No I don’t need to go home after this, I have the whole day off to hang out if you’d like to, I’m good,” she insisted, rambling a bit in case she’d made Shelby self conscious with her misunderstanding. “There we are,” Freya said, bouncing to her feet as they were beckoned.

The pair were seated in a corner seat, with windows on two sides. The seats were plush little armchairs and the table was circular. They were handed menus and Freya immediately started combing hers, her eyes trailing down the long list of teas – some with magical effects – before she glanced up at Shelby. “Anything catch your interest?” she asked with a smile.

“Ladies’ wear?” Shelby grimaced as Freya took a second to figure out what she meant. Well, she wasn't just going to come out and say help, I need a bra and I'm scared of the mean ladies at the shop Mum goes to in the middle of the tea shop waiting area, was she? That would be weird! There were boys, well, men, well, certainly there were male human people around, and they couldn't hear about bras! Shelby would rather die.

Thankfully, Freya caught on and was free for the whole day! "Oh, really?" Shelby beamed. Mum hadn't said to be home by a certain time, but she had said she was making a big supper with a raised eyebrow. Seemed like she could engineer Freya coming for dinner or at least getting some to take home quite easily if she was free all day.

Shelby looked around with wide eyes as they were lead to their little corner table. The table - small, round, posh tablecloth - and chairs - plush, velvety, comfy - were so cute! She had to take a minute to just look around at the flowers hanging from the ceiling before turning her attention to the menu. "Um," she said, looking at everything. "Oh, the peppermint black looks good?" Something caught her eye, and she pointed. "What about this one?" Rooibos rouge, a vanilla flavoured tea that turned your hair red for half an hour. There were a pair of witches nearby who's hair had just started to change, and Shelby tilted her head towards them with a conspiratorial grin. "That looks fun."

“Ugh, I want to try everything,” Freya complained under her breath, looking back from the newly-redheaded witches to Shelby. “Scones, definitely,” she started, “Aaandd…” she trailed off, her light brown eyes flicking back down to the menu. There were too many options! “This rose one tastes like a turkish delight,” Freya informed her cousin, her finger stopping next to Rosy cheeks on the menu.

Steep like a baby was a lavender tea, and Don’t chai this at home! was a dark chocolate chilli chai. Freya wanted to try one of the magical effects ones, but not any of the ones that lasted for longer than they’d be here. “I think I’m going to get the Starry night,” she said after a too-long moment spent being indecisive. “It makes you glittery? Or something?” It didn’t have an ingredients list, but she was always open to trying new things.

When the waiter came, Freya took the lead, ordering her scones and the tea she’d mentioned. “No pumpkin in that one, is there?” Freya asked with a bright smile. The waiter shook his head. “Excellent, she said, glancing at Shelby, encouraging her with her eyes.