Who: Ariana and Ethan Where:Quinque alley When: Friday, July 31 afternoon What:Meeting and some ice cream Rating: G Status: complete
The summer had been nice so far. Between time with her mother and brothers, things were rather nice and calm. Her seizures had even seemed to go down, only really affecting her on miserably hot days most often. Right now, the weather was cool enough and the sun not too terrible to warrant an outing to Quinque Alley.
So donning her favorite light blue dress and a rather large sunhat, she flooed there with her elder brother before they split off to do what they wanted. She fully intended to stop first at Flourish and Blotts before heading towards the ice cream parlor for treat and then finishing out at the apothecary so she could get a few items so her mother could help brew some of her healing potions. Of course, all of those tasks were long forgotten when she caught sight of someone very familiar and froze.
Ethan was just finishing up his lunch and getting ready to head back to the wand shop when he decided to take a detour to grab some ice cream for himself and his uncle. Nothing wrong with having a little snack, he thought. Lost in pondering what sort he should get, he hardly noticed the girl that froze when she saw him. Well, not until he walked right into her anyway.
"I'm sorry!" He still had a bit of an accent from his many years in England, which softened his tone slightly. He ran one hand through his hair and looked at her. "Ariana, right? Didn't mean to walk into you like that. Are you okay?"
Ari should’ve moved. She knew that he was coming closer, but she just couldn’t. After all, he would notice her right? Stop before he bumped into her.Except he didn't and she sort of stumbled back.
She was still blushing as he spoke, even saying he name. He actually knew her name! Swallowing, she nodded and offered him a small, half smile. “Yeah, it’s Ariana, but you can call me Ari if you’d like.” She said shyly as she pushed her hair behind her ear. “And it’s alright. I fine. I wasn't looking where I was going either.” That was a lie, but she silently hoped he didn't notice. “Are you alright?”
Ethan nodded. "I'm fine. I know I need to pay better attention. My uncle is always telling me that." It was true. He tended to lose track of what he was doing and who was around him. "It's good to see you Ari. How is your summer going?" Because politeness - he knew he should ask.
He looked around for a moment and smiled. "I was just going to grab some ice cream. You want to tag along?"
Ethan was actually talking to her. Ari could hardly believe her luck. Taking a slow breath to keep herself calm, she gave a small shrug. “It’s really fine. It’s kind of nice to bump into someone from school, even if it’s literally. “ She joked lightly, hoping that it would keep him from feeling bad about bumping into him. “It’s going alright, I’ve been spending most of it within the library though, what about you?”
The offer for ice cream with him earned a surprised but eager nod as she moved to step beside him. “Sure. It’s not as if I have anywhere to be at the moment. I was actually thinking of heading over there anyways.”
"It is nice. I've been seeing the kids that will attend school, but not too many classmates." It came with the territory of making wands. Most students got them before they started school and so he didn't see too many older kids. Just parents and younger ones. "I've been working most of the summer. Uncle has me doing things at his shop for the most part."
"Excellent. We can have some ice cream before I go back to the store." Because that would be what he would be doing for the rest of the evening. His free time was not plentiful honestly.
“New students? Oh! Because of your family’s wand shop.” She quickly closed her mouth, a little worried that it would seem weird how easily she knew that information. It wasn't as if it were hidden though, so hopefully it didn't make her seem too odd. “Oh yeah? Are you just dusting and stuff, or has he got you actually starting on wandmaking?”
Ari smiled and nodded. “I’d like that. I’ve been craving a bit of the apple crumb ice cream for days honestly. I just haven't had much time to come and get some.” Between studies, and her medical check ups during the summer, it had been hard to just do what she wanted to.
"Yes, I'm going to be the heir to that work, so I've been there all summer helping out." A smile curved his lips. It was clearly work he enjoyed and he was grateful for it. He loved what he did and what he would be doing in his future. "I've made a few wands. One was a success according to my uncle, so I am getting better."
Ethan smiled as well. "My tastes in ice cream are much more mundane. Just chocolate." It was what he enjoyed most, always had been, and while he didn't think about it much, he knew that a lot of his tastes were rather plain.
“Yeah? You sound like you enjoy it as well.” She knew he did. Watching him over the years meant knowing what he was reading sometimes. “Plus it’s such a fantastic thing. Think of all the witches and wizards who would one day wield the wands you make, most of them picking the perfect one before they went to school.” That was something that Ari had missed out on, only getting her brother’s second hand wand. It was fickle, but she did her best with it. “You’ll have to show me the success someday.”
“Chocolate is always good. I just like the taste of fruit though, and I’m mildly allergic to strawberries. So that leaves their apple crumble. You’re welcome to try a bite if you’re interested?”
Ethan nodded. "One day everyone will have one of my wands when they go off to school." A tiny quirk of his lips and he offered his arm for her to take, starting toward the ice cream shop. It was a good day for it, warm but not so hot that he couldn't go out in it. Being from England he was used to slightly damper and cooler weather much of the time.
"That would be nice. You can have some of mine as well." Because that way they each could sample two different flavours today and sharing was a good thing to do, in his mind.
Blushing and smiling, Ari slid her arm around his, feeling almost like a young lady from all those fairytales with the gentlemanly prince escorting her. “Maybe I’ll even manage to find my hands on an Ethan Olivander wand.” She offered playfully. “Though that is exciting to think of people using your hard work.
Walking into the shop, it was a little busy, but nothing too terrible. There already a few tables open that they could sit at with their frozen treats once they got them. Reluctantly, Ari let go of his arm for a moment in order to search through her purse for her pouch of money so she’d be ready when they reached the front of the line. “So have you been doing anything else fun during the summer? Or are you just waiting for school to start?
His eyes moved to her and he frowned. "You don't have one of your own?" Because it seemed wrong to him somehow. He had sorted through all of the wands in the shop and the one he selected, or that had selected him, he had felt the difference from all of the others in the shop.
"I've been working. Setting aside money for next year, I might get a flat after I graduate." Because while he had two years technically, it would be nice to live off on his own for some time.
“Well... not technically. I never went to get my own wand. I got my brother’s old wand.” Money was often tight in their family due to all the medication she needed. It’d gotten a little easier since her brother had moved on his own, but it was still a bit difficult. “It’s fine though. Once I finish school and find a job while I train to be a healer, I’ll have enough to buy my own.’
“Your own flat? That would be amazing. It sounds like you already have your life planned out.” The idea of having her own home was both amazing and terrifying. Maybe she would convince one of her friends that living together was a good idea once they graduate.
Ethan made a face and shook his head. "Come to the shop after you do your shopping. I'll talk to uncle about getting you the proper wand." He ran a hand through his hair as they got to the front of the line. He placed his order and then motioned to her to do the same, pulling out his galleons to pay.
"It will. I love my mum but being on my own will be good for a while." He didn't think he'd move far away, it was just something that would make life easier if he could get to her quickly for meals and just to visit.
“Ethan, it’s fine. I don't have the money right now for a wand, and my brother’s is quite alright for now.” She tried to wave it off, even if the idea of having her own wand finally was thrilling. She did place her order and reached into her pouch to pull out the money for her own treat.
“That does sound nice. Staying close is good, but the freedom would be welcome. I haven't really thought about moving yet, but we do have a couple of years. Right now everything’s about school and grades. Did you get your owl results?”
"Did I say anything about money?" Hogwarts had set up a fund for lower income families and he knew that he had some extra that he could cover it with if his uncle refused to use that for the girl. He waved his hand at her money and shook his head. "I've got it."
He nodded at both comments and smiled. "OWLs went well for me. Passed what I needed." More than passed but he wasn't really one to brag. He was a Ravenclaw for a reason though, most certainly.
She should say no. Her parents were very strong minded when it came to charity. They hated to take it even when they needed the help, and Ari had been raised to feel the same. But the temptation of a new wand was just too wonderful. “I... I’ll come by, but only to look for now.” She said, trying not to seem so overly eager, or quick accepting. “Thank you though for the ice cream.” She placed the money back in her pouch and smiled. When he paid, she could pretend it was almost date like.
“That’s wonderful. I was a bit behind on my potions, but I’m hoping I’ll do better when Newts come. I’ll need it for the future, but I always seem to manage to mess something up in the brewing the first few times I make a potion.”
Ethan nodded slightly. "Good. I look forward to seeing you there." He picked up the two ice creams and led her to a table to sit so they could eat. A corner by the window, the same seat he always chose when he was there.
He nodded. He wasn't hugely helpful in potions, it wasn't really where his talents lay. "Hopefully you can pick up on it some. I'm lucky because there really isn't anything stopping me from what I am going to do."
Slipping into the seat, Ariana smiled a little wider. How many times had she daydreamed about a moment like this with her crush? Thanking him once more, she took her ice cream and took a bite of it. “I’m hoping. I was thinking of asking for some help when school started again. But i’m not going to let it or anything else stop me from my dreams.” She already had to compromise on some of the things she wanted to do, like quidditch. She wasn't going to give up on being a healer.
“So tell me a bit about the wand you made. What does it look like? Do you carve them yourself as well or does someone else do that?” She had never really put much thought into how they were made before after all.
Ethan nodded. It was logical to ask for help if you had trouble with something and with the TAs in the school there was a lot of help out there. He took a bite of his food and tucked one strand of hair behind his ear. "Trying your best helps a lot. Teachers and the examiners look at that too I think."
"I'll show you after you test a few at the shop. I carved it and all. Some wand shops don't have hands on work, but uncle says it's best to work the whole wand, start to finish." And he followed what the older man taught him diligently.
“I hope so. But potions is my only real weak point, but it’s one of those subjects that’s absolutely required for the field I want to go into. Otherwise I probably would’ve dropped it this year.” She was stuck with it and determined to do well.
“Yeah? I’m sure it’s lovely then if it’s by your hands. Whoever is lucky enough to get your first wand really will be a special person indeed. You sound quite close to your uncle. He’s the one who’s taught you everything? I bet he must be quite proud of you.”
"That's good at least. Means you will have less to worry about later with struggling." Ethan smiled brightly and took another bite of his food, savouring it. He was again glad that there wasn't much to prevent him from what he planned. The classes he took helped with what he intended but he hardly needed to worry - he was trained as an apprentice already and his job was set in stone.
"He thinks I should daydream less." He laughed and shrugged a bit. He did space out sometimes and he knew it, but when he was working he had stopped doing so so often. He loved his work.
“That is very true. Better to make things easier now.” She smiled and took a bite before sliding her bowl towards him a little. “Try some. It’s mostly just apples, cinnamon and vanilla ice cream. But it’s quite good.”
Ari shook her head at the comment. “I think daydreaming is good sometimes. There’s a lot in the world that comes from imagination and dreaming. But I can also see how he wouldn't want you to do it while working.”
Ethan smiled slightly. "Always better to take paths you know you can manage. Taking on too much only leads to heartache." He took a small spoonful of her ice cream before offering her some of his.
"I've gotten better." He shrugged one shoulder and smiled. He liked having his daydreams but he knew he could not work while doing that.
Taking a bite of his ice cream, she thought about his words. “True, but you also need to try to push yourself at least a little. Otherwise you won’t know just what you’re capable of.” It was always Ari’s mentality, which might have been why she’d ended up in trouble more than once due to her medical issues.
“Yeah? I’m sure some of the teachers might be happy about that.” She teased warmly. “Though it’s really hard not to daydream during history. “ It was well known that the teacher tended to drone on and on sometimes. More students nodded off during that class than any other, including her.
"True. It's something that needs to be balanced though." Because not everyone was the same and so standardising things made some less likely to achieve. He did his best and went with that, since he knew he would succeed in his future and didn't worry about the things he knew he could not manage.
"Hopefully. Who knows though?" Because some teachers got annoyed more easily than others. "We will see when we go back I suppose."
“That’s also true. Finding that balance is always the hard part.” At least for Ari it was. She got easily frustrated by her own limits and tried to push harder sometimes because of it. But when it comes to others beyond herself, she always thought group expectations were silly, no one would ever be able to perform the same as someone else.
Ari nodded after a moment, eating some more of her ice cream. She was almost disappointed when the bowl was empty. She enjoyed this time with Ethan and didn't want it to end. “ Maybe I could go with you to the wand shop first. You can show me your wand and I can look around a bit as well.”
Ethan nodded. He pushed his limits sometimes but he was more focused on what he enjoyed than anything else. He liked books and he liked wands. Other things were sort of secondary.
"That sounds good." He smiled as he rose to his feet, picking up their empty bowls to discard. It was good, having a treat like this, and he had enjoyed sharing it with her.