Whenever Tess felt anxious, the best place for her to find some peace and quiet, was at Flourish and Blotts. Ever since she was in Hogwarts herself, she should to cherish the time where she could be a bookworm and curl up in the old chairs and read. It soothed her nerves and gave her time to just think. She gently ran her fingers across the spines, wondering what book would be added to her collection.

Everything was changing in her life, but the constant was a need to escape, a need for normalcy. Her eyes lead her back to the book of potions. She almost wished she'd decided to major in the classes, yet she refused to follow her brother's footsteps. She instead chose a healing book, hoping to get ahead in her studies. Not paying attention she turned sharply into the next aisle, too engrossed in the oldness of the book to bump into someone.

"Pardon me" she said embarrassed at her clumsiness.

"Oh, you're fine," Blair said with a slight chuckle. "I do that all the time. It's the books, they just suck your brain right in." She grabbed a copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, glad she had come in today. Some of the books she had lost in the move were not only here, but discounted. Today must have been her lucky day, and she wasn't upset in the least at being bumped into.

Tess nodded softly, bending down to pick up the book she'd dropped in surprise. 'So much for being graceful' she thought to herself annoyed. People were always a hard spot for her to really understand; they were all so different yet the same. Polite one second then rude another, claim to know everything then disappoint you. At the end they always disappointed you. Shaking her head of the old mantra she used to be told by her father she took in the young woman she'd bumped into. She hugged the book closer and was grateful that she was friendly despite it being Tess' fault.

"Still, my apologies, I'm usually not this clumsy" she said softly.

"I do that all the time. It's the books, they just suck your brain right in."

Tess smiled softly and nodded not quiet sure how to go about this if she was quite honest. She woman seemed polite enough and through social cues, Tess was expected to do the same. Reminding herself of this as she decided small talk might be in her favor.

"Yes, sometimes I forget that I'm not the only one here" she murmured. "I see you're getting a variety of books, fond of charms?"

Blair smiled and remembered the books in her arms. "Yes, it was my favourite when I was in school. I'm just trying to build myself a library, I guess." She chuckled and thought of the tiny flat she was in. The store was doing fairly well, but she was planning on getting herself a house so she could fill it with books eventually. She wasn't horribly worried about finding a person to share the space with so much as knowledge, and she had always felt closer to books than to people. "What brings you in today?" Blair brought herself back to the present with a question she didn't even know she was asking. She didn't want to be too nosy, but she did enjoy other peoples' company when they liked literature as much as she did.

Peering lightly at the two books more carefully she noticed the copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and she smiled softly thinking about her own childhood. She remembered her maids reading them to her and she was always fond of meeting the dragons, something she never got the chance to do, but always hoped.

"Yes, it was my favourite when I was in school. I'm just trying to build myself a library, I guess."

At the mention of a library, her ears perked up and her shoulders sagged a bit. She knew a bookworm when she saw it; they were rare but usually calmer than most people here complaining about what book was asked of them to buy. But she too held a library of her own, half of her wall in the sitting room was books she'd collected over the years.

"What brings you in today?"

"Oh, well...I" she stopped talking for a second and looked down at her book wondering exactly what could she say that was partially true, "bookstores tend to calm my nerves down...and I love buying books of any kind really. It's comfort"

"That makes perfect sense," Blair said quietly, nodding slightly. There was a certain energy that was in places that held books that just wasn't anywhere else. It was part of what made her want a library of her own. "There's a certain magic that bookplaces hold that not many can appreciate." When she had been younger, Blair had even thought of becoming an author herself, trying to articulate how she viewed the world and all the magic in it. But time had not given itself to her generously enough to do so... so she just owned a bookshop.

Tess nodded softly, surprised she wasn't seen as too odd for appreciating the comfort of books. She had once called books her only friends. They were always there to take care of her when she needed comforting. One fairytale took her to a world where she could avoid anything that was happening to her and that she called a blessing. Now it was just the one thing that helped her just find the comfort that sometimes she admitted she wanted especially that she was truly living alone for the first time. So much for her loving the independence.

"Oh yes, over the years, it's nice to look back and see what you've collected. I know that sometimes, the rattiest books brings the most enjoyment than glossy new ones" she said smiling, "Pardon my rudeness, I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Tess"

Blair smiled at the girl - Tess - and shifted the books in her arms to her hip to make it slightly more comfortable. "It's lovely to meet you, Tess," she said, and she meant it. It was so nice to meet someone who understood books like she did, and Blair could safely assume that Tess treated books with the same respect that she did. "I have a small bookshop in Hogsmeade; Riker's, it's called... you should come stop by sometime and take a look. It's nothing like this place, I'm not even sure if I want to sell or be a library, but it's my home." Blair laughed a little and turned slightly red. She had been building up her library, but lost most of her books in the move from Ireland to England and back and forth all these years to visit family and whatnot. "I'm looking to start building my collection back up, though, and I'm sure you have plenty of suggestions." Another title behind Tess caught Blair's eye and she grabbed it and added it to her growing pile as she spoke. Yes, today had been proving to be a good day, indeed.

Tess tilted her head curiously at the girl before her explaining about her own bookstore. That seemed nice didn't it? To have a whole area filled with books lining all the walls. Her lips twitched at the thought and she nodded. She wondered why the girl was blushing, but it was not a social cue she was too good with, so she ignored it, figuring it was probably because talking about her store.

"I wouldn't mind visiting it, I'm always in search of new stores, and Hogsmeade is a bit closer than the route I take towards here" she said.

Moving a strand of hair from her she smiled.

"I'm sorry and your name is?" she asked curiously. "I can always help you with books, I personally enjoy stories of Merlin and heroism, to that and healing potions."

Blair laughed. "Now I feel silly, I didn't even tell you my name. I'm Blair. Blair Castellano." Blair nodded at Tess's suggestions in books, finding that she was already thinking about the Potions section that she had needed for months now. "Some of my favourite books to collect are old school ones. I had Moste Potente Potions all throughout my sixth and seventh year, just for some extra reading." Blair shook her head slightly at the memory, hardly able to believe that was just a few years ago - such a short and yet long time. Maybe she could find a copy of that Potion book here, though, she thought. There was no harm in looking; Blair made a mental note to look for it before she left.

Tess smiled softly as Blair introduced herself, she seemed nice enough, friendly but not overbearingly so. The fact that Blair was open to her opinions was enough for her to know it was a safe place. She seemed nice enough, nothing for her to be taken aback by and safe. Safe was nice. At the mention of potions she used to do, she nodded, finding herself taking into great consideration those books.

"I used to love potions class, always trying to get complicated ones. I think that's why I almost got into potioneering but decided for healing instead. But definitely enjoyable."

Smiling slightly Tess figured that she'd been holding Blair for a long time and bit her lip.

"I should go now, my roommate will kill me if I'm late for lunch. But, I'll make sure to visit your shop, books are good no matter where you go"

"Have a good lunch; I look forward to seeing you at the store sometime. Enjoy your books!" Blair smiled at Tess and bade her good-bye before turning back to the books. This time, she headed towards the house magic, picking up a couple of books on standard charms and spells for daily life. Although she didn't have a husband or kids, Blair wanted to learn how to do the housewifey things and be able to take care of not only herself, but her living space, and hopefully, eventually, others. Her pile of books was growing exponentially, and she ended up asking one of the help witches for a bag to keep them in while she shopped.