It was rather strange to be visiting Diagon Alley during the summer time, when it wasn't crowded with anxious school kids, packs of parents, and all sorts of notable wixen. Parker smiled to himself, able to walk down the mostly cleared streets at a comfortable pace without being shoved around or feeling like he could be crushed to death at any moment. He already had most everything that he needed in preparation for the upcoming school year, but new robes he'd put off getting for quite some time now.

Having forced himself to deal with too-small school robes his last few years at Hogwarts, Parker figured a new school year at a prestigious academy called for a nice new set of robes that he could feel good in. After all, he would have plenty of first impressions to make and he didn't want to screw it up this time around. Just the prospect of having a fresh start lifted so much weight off his shoulders, and for the first time in years Parker felt genuinely excited to start school again.

A content smile still playing on his lips, Parker slowed to a stop as he reached the front window of the robe shop. It showed off various sizes of Hogwarts house robes and caps along with several styles of business robes - just a small fraction of what the store actually held. (He still found it amazing how shops that looked so small on the outside could be so enormous inside.) Having never bought anything besides school robes before, and not exactly a huge fan of wearing them in the first place, he really didn't know what he was looking for or what would look decent on him. He sighed softly to himself, his smile dropping to an expression lost in thought as he stared through the window.

It had been one look through her things that Tess decided that she needed to go shopping. Her old robes from Hogwarts just seemed out of style compared to the level of professionalism that she would need for the academy. She wanted the typical coat needed for hospital use, and the proper attires for potions class. She already had an idea of what she needed, and the Hogwarts one would not suffice. She had gone to different stores, all of them not really what she needed. Now there she was, back to the first robe shop that she'd avoided.

Going to the professional section of robes, she began to search around. She knew she only needed one robe, but she found herself starting off in the Dragon Training uniform. Finding the proper gloves, she threw them in the basket; moving through the things, she picked up a spare robe, she didn't bother to look at the price, instead knowing that it would be the 'one she bought accidentally because she didn't pay attention.' Smirking to herself, she threw them in the basket and walked towards the Healer section. Her eyes traveled through the different options, she slid her fingers through the different fabrics and frowned not liking the quality.

Humming softly to herself, she looked to her left and was surprised to find someone staring into the store; her eyes made contact with his gaze and realized that he was definitely oblivious to what he was doing. She almost considered snapping her fingers to catch his attention. Instead she raised her brow amused, he almost looked familiar. But then again people came and went.

Parker became increasingly unsure that one set of generic robes would work. Surely everyone else would have those really nice special potions robes that he would see the richer kids wear at Hogwarts. Would he need healing robes already? Or other equipment for his classes that he was expected to know to have?

He was hit with the realization that he really had no idea what he was going into. Muggle universities were supposed to be way different from their high schools (at least from what he gathered from television and movies he'd seen as well as a few conversations he'd overheard) - but he was at a complete loss for what to expect from a wizarding academy.

Parker pulled himself out of his thoughts, not realizing at first that he'd made awkward eye contact with a woman inside the store. He blinked and seemed to become embarrassed when he noticed, ducking his head down as he turned to enter the store. Hopefully she was on her way out so he wouldn't bump into her or anything. Making eye contact with random people in public was awkward enough as it was, but he had the feeling he recognized her from school - and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

People were weird; that was as much as she got from the fact that the man realized that it had occurred. Looking away, she simply concentrated on the clothing and wondered which one would work best. Price was never the issue, more so the comfort, and immaturely enough, how grown up she would feel in the robes. She picked one up and smiled seeing the dark teal lines that signified her status of healing. It popped nicely compared to the white color that the coat needed to be.

Still, something told her that she had definitely seen that person before. It plagued her now, and that was a bag sign. When something bothered her it meant that she was curious, and if she was curious, it meant she needed to get it solved. Her brown eyes lifted from the rack and scoped around for him. As sly as she could, she found him; he wasn't hard to find considering he was so tall and looked so out of place. He looked unsure, that much was clear, his posture told her enough. Still, she tilted her head and studied him more, just where had she seen him.

'Hogwarts, obviously' her mind immediately jumped to.

But if she had, how come she could not remember him? She never really noticed men before, at least no one other than Dominic, but he'd been in her line of sight before. He didn't seem like the Slytherin type either way. Biting her lip, she wondered if he was younger than her, that could be a possibility, considering they looked all taller and older sometimes.

Walking in amongst all the different assortments of robes made him feel a little bit overwhelmed. He didn't exactly enjoy shopping for things to begin with and needing to select for price very carefully meant this would take a lot longer than he would like it to. Brushing his hands over the fabric of some of the more generic robes, he wondered if he should just ask the owner for some help. He was hesitant since she always seemed rather high-strung around the start of the school year, but maybe that was just because she was so busy...

Debating what he should do, he mindlessly looked through and pulled out a few different kinds of robes so that he wasn't just standing there thinking. Feeling a pair of eyes on him, he decided to make his way over to another area of the shop where he caught sight of all the healer robes. He was surprised by how many different kinds there were as opposed to the generic muggle doctor coats he expected.

"Ugh, this is so much more difficult than picking out house robes..." he sighed softly to himself as he rubbed the back of his neck. He wished he'd invited along at least one of his friends for help, but they had all seemed really busy the last time he'd talked with any of them.

Accepting the fact that he'd be there all day without some kind of assistance, Parker abruptly turned around to walk over to the main counter where he knew the shop owner was. In doing so, he almost walked right into the woman he'd accidentally stared at through the window.

"Oh, uh, sorry, didn't see you there--" he said sounding slightly startled, though that was mostly due to the fact that he definitely recognized her from Slytherin house.

'Definitely confused' her mind immediately supplied as he walked through all of the racks and categories slowly, trying to take everything all at once, his eyes lingering only for a bit. Shaking her head she forced herself to look at her own business. She tended to be so nosy sometimes. Instead she forced herself to look at the items that were offered, from the dark teal robes with the white emblem, to the black with the highlights of their school color. All were interesting to buy, but she knew that if she wanted to be less dependent on using her father's money, she could be smart about her spending. Rhian had forced a budget on her; her parents would never do that, but if Tess wasn't going to work, she would at least try to be smarter about her money.

Forcing herself to drop the black cloak, she managed to lift her head up before she was bombarded by the man who'd she'd been studying. She pressed herself against the rack, gripping the robe tightly in her hands surprised at the sudden lack of personal space.

"Oh, uh, sorry, didn't see you there--"

Her eyes immediately went to his face as she recognized the voice. What was his name? She'd defintiely seen him before, her graduating class too. Tilting her head, she noticed his own surprise and she forced herself to compose herself. Emery, that was his last name right? That's as much as she figured she could remember. Smart, quiet, and not at all in her social circle.

"I could tell from the stumbling"she blurted out before even thinking it.

She felt her cheeks flush at her rudeness and cleared her throat.

"You look overwhelmed..lost...are you?" she asked.

Parker took a couple of steps back, feeling bad for causing her to nearly fall back into the rack behind her. Swallowing hard, he noticed the look of recognition on her face once he spoke. He didn't exactly have the best reputation among some circles of Slytherins around his age, so he was often wary whenever he came across them.

He looked away from her, biting the inside of his cheek at the initially rude tone of her voice. He jumped to the conclusion that she must have been from one of the groups that disliked him, and was just about to apologize again and quickly walk off when she spoke again.

"You look overwhelmed...lost...are you?"

He looked back to her, obviously embarrassed. "Er, I just... really suck at shopping I guess. Don't really know what I'm getting. I was just about to go ask the owner for some help, actually..."

Noticing the healer's robes she was holding, he motioned towards them with a brightened expression. "You in training to be a healer?"

Tess could tell she didn't do the most polite thing in her comment. But then again what was new; she wasn't comfortable around people if it meant actually filtering herself. That was a reservation she had about the field she had chosen. Her people skills always lacked, and Rhian didn't help by letting her continue to do it. Still, as at his reaction she couldn't help but want to apologize, something that was rare for her, but she figured, Emery had a harder time than she did she suppose. He was a muggleborn, and that was hard enough in the school, let alone the rumors spread around about him. Even Dominic had spread rumors about him, and she remembered how it had annoyed her. She might not have been the friendliest person, but loyalty to her house surpassed any personal sentiments she might have had. After all, she wasn't the most popular student during her house, because she was quiet, but she held power in her name and she had been Head Girl.

"I-I'm sorry Emery" she managed to pull his surname clearly. "I didn't mean to say that"

"Er, I just... really suck at shopping I guess. Don't really know what I'm getting. I was just about to go ask the owner for some help, actually..."

She bit back a smirk at the way he spoke. Men were usually bad at shopping anyways and it seemed he was no different. But before she could ask what he was looking for, he signaled her items and she smiled softly.

"You in training to be a healer?"

"I am" she said in a lighter tone, "I haven't actually met anyone in the same field. I suppose I can help you out if you...if you wouldn't mind"

"It's fine... don't worry about it. I need to get better about watching where I'm going," he responded, half-surprised that she knew his name until he suddenly remembered she had been head girl their last year. Her name was right on the tip of his tongue, but he was drawing a total blank. He was never any good at remembering names. He knew that they had shared a few classes together, and probably talked a few times when he'd gotten into trouble with others from their house. Damn, what was her name though...

Despite not remembering her name, knowing who she was and seeing her body language relax caused Parker to drop his guard considerably. He smiled back at her when she said she was training to be a healer. A lot of the people he knew wanted to go into auror training, and so he never really had anyone to talk to about healing-related interests.

"Funny enough - same here. Most that I know are going into pretty much everything besides healing."

"I suppose I can help you out if you...if you wouldn't mind"

At her offer, he hesitated slightly, not wanting to trouble her or waste her time. "Really? I'd really appreciate that actually... I have no idea what I should be looking for in all honesty." He lowered his eyes and chuckled softly, "last time I even bought school robes was probably two years ago, in fact."

Tess took a step back when he smiled at her; never in the years that she noticed his existence had he even showed anything that was remotely pleased with things. She briefly remembered him moving around with people, never too popular, but not exactly invisible within their graduating class. She only had talked to him once, once when he'd been caught in other common rooms without permissions of prefects. She tended to be lenient on her house, not wanting for them to lose the house cup. Funny enough, in her eyes he looked significantly smaller than he did now.

"Funny enough - same here. Most that I know are going into pretty much everything besides healing."


Her decision to get into healing was a surprise for her too; potions had been her first choice, she was gifted in the field, but then again everyone in her family was gifted. Her brothers had followed the footsteps of many generations before, but Mycroft had gone and pushed for potions as a business. She never wanted to be more aggressive like Sherringford had been, (may he rest in peace) nor a curmudgeon like Mycroft. She wanted to pave her own way, and she'd gone with healing on a whim really considering it's usefulness. Now it had become something she had stuck with, despite the fact people told her that her skills socially would not aid her cause.  Rhian did dragon training, and that was farther from her sphere of interest than anything. So she figured she was on her own here with healing, a struggle, but a challenge.

She hadn't known where her offer had come from; it could have been from the fact that he looked a bit pathetic, like a child overwhelmed by everything around him. Or maybe, she'd grown a heart and did it out of that goodness. But as he spoke of his unsureness and indecisiveness she figured that it would be the good deed for the day.

"Really? I'd really appreciate that actually... I have no idea what I should be looking for in all honesty." He lowered his eyes and chuckled softly, "last time I even bought school robes was probably two years ago, in fact."

"Well then, you definitely need help" she said amused, "first of all this is the women's robes, you can tell from the cuts. You want to look for your robes in this area" she said walking towards the opposing rack and moving towards the darker washes. "The colors for our school lie in teals, aquas, blacks and whites. You can choose which you want, but I suggest something classic" she said lifting the black robe, with the dark teal accents.

Parker had never appeared to be a particularly cheerful person throughout the school years. Even around his close friends he eventually found it hard to feel much more than exhaustion and discomfort. Waking up each morning meant looking forward to going sleep that night. Each day spent studying was just another day closer to being able to prove himself, graduate with high scores, and move on.

And... almost without realizing it, once that moment in his life had come and passed, a tremendous weight had lifted off his shoulders. In the past few summer months, air felt easier to breath, ground felt easier to walk on, existing didn't feel quite so heavy. He hadn't put a lot of conscious thought into it, but the prospect of a fresh start was, in a lot of ways, freeing. As was the fact that he would be able to put so much more of his time over the next few years into subjects he cared so about. He had never admitted it to anyone, but one of the things Parker desired more than anything else was to one day be recognized in the textbooks. He wanted to do something important. Something that would make an impact. And having heard of so many muggle students that made important advancements or discoveries during their time in university, Parker wanted to work towards that himself.

Perhaps it was too unrealistic, but it was all that kept him going some days.

He looked slightly embarrassed when she informed him he'd been looking through the women’s robes. “Oh? Well… I guess that would make sense.” He nodded as he followed her over to the opposite set of racks. They honestly looked the exact same to Parker, but who was he to really judge?

“You can choose what you want, but I suggest something classic.”

He glanced over the other nearby robes, running his fingers along them as she spoke, and eventually settling his eyes on the one she ended up holding. “You can never go wrong with classic I suppose. I really do like that one you’ve got-” he motioned, but then suddenly interrupted himself, “- or, actually, how much does it cost? I’m…kind of on a budget.” He continued on smoothly, trying not to make it seem like a big deal.

Tess held the robe up curious about how he would react to it. She'd picked something that went with him, being tall and not as pale as her, she figured he'd look distinguished and not so lanky. Her lip twitched as he went through the racks. These were all similar in accounts of cuts, but the colors and fabrics made all the difference in her opinion. A Holmes never wore anything that wasn't of top quality; it was ingrained in her that if she was going to buy off rack (which her mother would whine about) it had to be brand. She'd been denied getting a custom made one; her father was still sore she went to the university. Her mother never attended, having married young and denied the acceptance. Her father was still sore about the subject of her allowing herself to become a spinster at almost eighteen.

“You can never go wrong with classic I suppose. I really do like that one you’ve got-”

As he began to lock eyes with the one she held, she smiled realizing she made a good choice. Dominic used to enjoy her choices, even with some light teasing at her caring too much of appearance. But slowly it seemed that he was taking it back.

"- or, actually, how much does it cost? I’m…kind of on a budget.”

Tess forced herself not to pout once he started saying that terrible "b" word. She was learning how to follow it herself, but the way he said it reminded her too eerily of Rhian. Rhian was never well off, she worked hard to earn everything and no matter how many times Tess threw gifts her way,it seemed she was always too proud to take it. Sliding her hands down she pulled the tag to see the price. 30 galleons She knew that if Emery was actually Rhian, she would put it back. But it was such good quality, and it would last a while. She had an idea, but first she needed to know.

"What's your budget?" she asked curiously.

Parker had never really been good with clothes. Besides keeping him covered and warm, they weren't something he put all that much concern into. His financial situation growing up never allowed him to invest in clothing as a luxury or mode of expression for himself. His wardrobe was mostly oversized, worn thrift - though over the past two years of living with his grandmother she had circulated in some nicer bargain-store items. Before going out, Parker almost always made sure to make himself look as put together as he could manage to, mostly for the sake of how he could be perceived by others.

He noticed Tess deflate ever so slightly when he expressed his concern for the price. Hit with a wave of self-consciousness, he ran his fingers through the the hair at the nape of his neck as he watched her check the price.

He felt himself get even more uneasy when she looked back up at him and directly asked what his budget was, hesitating too long of a moment before responding. "Uh, well... how much are those?" He avoided briefly before continuing on with a small sigh. "I mean, I guess something around 10 galleons?" That was still pushing it in all honestly, but considering the prices he'd already seen, Parker wasn't sure if he'd even be able to get what he wanted for that much. He also had a feeling that he definitely wasn't able to afford what she held in her hands.

"Uh, well... how much are those?" He avoided briefly before continuing on with a small sigh. "I mean, I guess something around 10 galleons?"

Tess blinked a few times once she took in the amount that he was willing to spend. One third of the price is what he expected the robe to be? This was not going to do, not at all. It seemed immature of her, but she wanted him to get it because it was nice looking. It was very materialistic of her, but at the same time, she felt bad for him. She'd been given lectures (long boring sometimes she dozed off) lectures about the importance of money on "normal" people. Whatever that meant; she didn't need Rhian to start using quotes on her while she lectured on and on about it not being proper for her to give her free things. Also she was told it could be a bad thing to do to friends, putting them in a tight spot.

But Emery wasn't her friend, he was someone she sort of knew? Thus, she could technically help out without giving it to him absolutely free. Feeling satisfied with her twisted version of logic she figured she could pull this off. Laughing softly she tugged at the tag.

"It's actually fifteen, but you're in luck, I get a special discount at this place, so just ask for the proper size at the front and they'll give you the discount. Simple as that, you just say my surname."

She smiled as sincerely as she could without seemingly overdoing it. Patting her own things down she strapped them to her hip and sighed.

"But I should go pay for these, I have to meet my family before the move. You need anymore help?"

He noticed her brief pause after he said how much he had for his budget. Yeah, he knew it, there’s was no way in hell that the robes were even close to that amount given their quality. He deflated slightly, disappointed and knowing it would be some time coming until he could afford things that he actually liked. It was usually why he tried not to put much thought into clothes and other such things.

When Tess laughed, however, Parker felt surprising relief. He definitely was not expecting the price to be so close or for her to extend a discount to him. “Oh wow, are you sure? I - that’s really kind of you - thanks so much.”

He returned a grateful smile, taking one of the robes in his arms to bring up to the front when he was ready. Trusting Tess, he wouldn't even bother checking the tag for himself. “I think I got it from here, thank you again.” He said, adding before she went to make her purchase, “Good luck with your move, by the way. See you at the academy, I guess?”

He bought it, that was a definitely miracle. She was a horrible liar, or at least Rhian told her that. Maybe it was her problem making eye contact, but it didn't matter. He bought the lie and that was enough to settle her guilt for knowing the experience he had to go through during their time in school. Many people were horrible in their house, and she figured it would squash the idea that she was amongst those people. She was unfazed by her surroundings if it didn't benefit her, but she figured she was trying to turn the page.

“Good luck with your move, by the way. See you at the academy, I guess?”

"Of course, nice seeing you Parker" she said smiling softly.

Walking towards the counter she placed everything she wanted and took out her wallet. The robes were a bit pricey she supposed, and as the woman began to fold it and put it in decorative boxes, she knew that the woman had seen her identification. A Holmes always got special treatment, and she smirked at the thought. Taking out her card, she slid it towards the woman. Casually looking back she noticed Parker not even bothering to pay attention.

"Do you see the man over there?" she said signaling Parker, "Make sure that he pays only ten galleons for any of the robes that he asks for. The rest put it on my account."

The woman seemed to try and ask if she was sure, but based on the look on Tess' face she knew it was better if she didn't. Nodding she immediately was put on credit and she sighed. Rhian would be so proud of her good deed. Taking the boxes she walked out of the robes store, ready for class to just start.

Parker was a lot more gullible than he would ever like to admit. He was never that good at picking up when others might be lying, especially if he didn’t think ill of them. And anyways, if he remembered correctly, Tess’s family was fairly affluent so it made sense to him that she’d have some sort of discount at most places. Those that were wealthy and/or famous always seemed to, at least.

As Tess made her way to pay for her robes, Parker took his time to wander around a bit more, deciding to pick out a cheap pair of potioneering gloves. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to have them since he was planning on taking more potions classes, and wanted to work more on them in his free time as well.

He gave a small wave goodbye to Tess when she left, and then made his way over to check out. Feeling pleased with how things had gone and with Tess’ generosity, he didn’t even notice not getting a receipt for his purchase. He wished the owner of the store a good day and left so he could finish up some last minute packing for the move to the dorms.