Chaz Whittemore {the good, the bad, and the dirty} (velvetlips) wrote in resurge,
Most people hated crowds. The bustling activity of Diagon Alley right before Hogwarts students returned to school was often a bit too much for the regular shopper. Chaz, however, reveled in crowds. He enjoyed the hustle and bustle of people running into each other, just narrowly missing knocking each other's purchases to the ground. It was fun, in an odd way. He'd always enjoyed being around people, because it gave him something to focus on. If he could fixate, he didn't have to think about much else. That was why he'd chosen to go to Diagon Alley this particular day.
The streets were full of young people and their families, staring down at their lists, trying to strategize the best route for maximum efficiency. Chaz, on the other hand, was simply wandering, enjoying the sights and the sounds of the busy street. He'd popped into Flourish and Blotts for a minute, but it was packed to the gills, so he'd slipped back out. Luckily, he hadn't been recognized. Not that he would've minded if he had, but that kind of thing would make the action focused on him instead of shopping.
No, Chaz was in camouflage for the day. Wearing dark glasses, jeans, and a simple t-shirt made him blend in, forcing attention away from him. That was possibly why the girl didn't notice him. Or perhaps it was all of the packages in one arm and the frozen yogurt in the other. Regardless, the packages came his way, but he wasn't fast enough to avoid them. He ducked out of the way, but as soon as they began to fall, he reached out and caught them, working to steady her before any disaster occurred. At least one of them was sharp.
"Careful, sweetheart," he told her. "You can really hurt someone with all those quills you're carrying."