Books and Paris - awesome mixture! ((Anyone))

[dana]

Dana scanned the tall shelves of the book-store. She wanted something light for reading. Light, but interesting and preferably something she hadn’t read before as she was going to keep the book. Finally noticing a book that might do Dana picked it up and moved to the fire-place where two big armchairs were positioned. It was a decoration, as usual visitors of the book-store weren’t allowed here, but Dana was special in this store. Her grand-parents were the owners after all.
Curling up in the armchair Dana switched the buzzing of people in store off – even though it was good to hear the ever-melodical and rapid French again - and lost herself into her book.

It was about an hour and half later when a loud crash made Dana jump slightly. Looking around the high back of her armchair Dana grimaced seeing that someone had pulled down a glass bowl filled with colourful small glass-stones. Dana glanced at Marie but the store was rather busy right now, so Dana stood up. Calling over to Marie for her to stay with the costumers. Besides kneeling and picking up the stones would be harder for her, as she was already 7 months pregnant.
Leaving her book on the armchair Dana stood and moved over.
“No point in pulling out your wand – it won’t work here,” Dana said without looking up as she kneeled and started to gather the pieces of the bowl together. Looking up Dana tilted her head. She knew this person went to Hogwarts, so sighing Dana slipped over to English: “Magic won’t work here. Security reasons – prevents people from stealing. Were you looking for something special and did you find it or should I direct you to somewhere? You didn’t cut yourself, did you?”

Dana placed the pieces of the bowl on a nearby table next to a flower-pot and started picking up the glass-stones. It wouldn’t do any good if someone slipped on them, fell and broke something. Bad for business.

[candygirl]

Terra watched as her mom turned the van onto a road that would go into Paris. Terra had been in Paris a few times before; she always found it interesting except for the fact everyone spoke a different language. Moving into a more comfortable position, Terra leaned back and waited for the van to stop. After a few minutes of waiting, the van shuddered slightly and then halted. Terra glanced out the window and saw the usual surroundings that she had been to before. Her mom always brought her to the same place in Paris. Terra had always found most of the shops boring, but her favorite place to go was the bookshop. Jennifer had to go talk to some business owner, so Terra had freedom for a short while to go where she wanted. Deciding to go to the bookshop, Terra hastened over there, trying to ignore the heat.

The bookshop was cool and refreshing as Terra stepped inside. Next to the outdoors it felt like November. Smiling slightly, Terra walked around the shelves looking at a few books in turn. Nothing seemed to fit her mood today, so she moved to a different part of the library and started searching there. Pulling out a book on the French language, Terra moved away while looking at the book. She was absentmindedly fingering through the pages when she ran into something very solid. Terra gasped and dropped her book as the thing she had ran into, a bowl with colorful stones, fell to the floor with a sickening crash. Terra, slightly alarmed that she had broken something, pulled out her wand before thinking about the situation. A girl older than her came over and started gathering the pieces together, speaking in French. Terra's eyes widened slightly as her face burned. She didn't know an inkling of French; how was she supposed to tell this people that she was sorry? To her relief, however, the girl started speaking in English.

"Oh, um...all right." Terra said as she stowed her wand back in her pocket. "I'm so sorry, really. I'm dead clumsy. Yes, I found what I was looking for." Terra bent down hastily and picked up the book that she had dropped. "No, I didn't cut myself, luckily. I'm really so sorry. I'll pay for the damage if you want." Terra swallowed slightly, thinking about what the cost might be. No matter; she would pay for what she had broken. She looked at the girl curiously and noticed that she looked familiar. Terra knew that she was from Hogwarts. Her English accent was quite good.

"You're from Hogwarts, right? Ravenclaw?" Terra glanced around, hoping that no muggles had heard. She wasn't even sure if muggles went to this store, but even if some had overheard her, they wouldn't understand. She saw no one nearby so she continued on.
"I'm from Ravenclaw. Third year. My name's Terra Carlson, what's your's?" Terra managed to put a friendly smile on her lips although her face was still slightly pink from her clumsiness.

[dana]

"You're from Hogwarts, right? Ravenclaw?" Terra glanced around, hoping that no muggles had heard. She wasn't even sure if muggles went to this store, but even if some had overheard her, they wouldn't understand. She saw no one nearby so she continued on.
"I'm from Ravenclaw. Third year. My name's Terra Carlson, what's your's?" Terra managed to put a friendly smile on her lips although her face was still slightly pink from her clumsiness.

“There’s no need. If Meredith or Julien come by, then it takes a flick of their wands to repair it,” Dana answered with a careless shrug, “They’re the owners here, so they can use magic.” Dropping part of the glass-stones in he pockets Dana still had her hands full of them, so she sighed and looked at the girl: “Mind helping me with some? I’ll just take them to the office so they wouldn’t get in someone’s way.” Picking up the broken pieces of the glass bowl Dana led the way through the book-shelves to the door to the back-office. It was guarded with magic as well ass muggle devices that had been modified to work here. Dana lifted the small finger of her left hand and pressed it to give her finger-print. Maybe her grand-mother had read one book too many – or watched too many movies. But she ha d decided it would hurt less and look classier later, if someone cut of their little finger if wanting to get into that room. Dana didn’t really understand the logic, but she hadn’t bothered to argue either.

Typing the correct code the door opened quietly and Dana stepped in, dropping the pieces on the huge writing table in the room. Smiling at a picture of herself between her grand-parents Dana leaned on the table. Julien and Meredith were both busy with the work in Ministry – the ministry here wasn’t as screwed up as in England in Dana’s opinion, but the Ministry to who Julien had been elected too about a month and half ago still had a lot of work to do.
“Thanks, the stores busy today and I didn’t want to bother Marie,” Dana answered with a smile and reached out her hand, “Yes, I’m in Ravenclaw. Fifth year. Dana Coran. Want a cup of coffee while you’re already here? Take yourself, if you want.” Dana poured herself a cup and then led Terra out of the back room again as they walked slowly towards the armchairs.
“Costumers aren’t allowed, oh, sorry, didn’t see you there, Dana,” Marie shouted from the registers check, while Dana waved calmly back, showing it was no problem, before turning to Terra, “You’re shopping far form home. I mean most people who go to Hogwarts live in England. My grand-parents bought a big apartment so I could get accepted there.”

[candygirl]

Terra smiled in relief that she didn't have to pay for whatever it was that she had broken. She bent down and helped her retrieve the broken pieces. "Of course I'll help. After all, it is my fault." she smiled at her before standing back up, the broken pieces jingling in her pockets. She imagined someone stumbling over glass pieces and falling on them-ouch. She could almost see herself doing that; in fact, she was surprised that she hadn't fallen onto it after she had broken it. Glancing around Terra followed the girl into the room. It was big with a huge writing table. Terra followed the girl's example and dumped the pieces onto the desk. Terra looked around briefly to see the pictures on the wall before turning back to the girl who introduced herself as Dana Coran, a Ravenclaw fifth year.

"Sure, I'll have some coffee," Terra said cheerfully as she poured herself one. Terra walked slowly back to the armchairs, praying that the coffee wouldn't spill on the carpet. To her great relief, none ventured out of the cup. Dana struck up a conversation that Terra was interested in.
"Yes, well my mom was looking for a job here. She loves Paris; it's her favorite place to go. She was from here, actually. I think she wants to come back here because it reminds her of her childhood." Terra grinned as she slipped into an armchair, taking a drink from the coffee cup. It was hot and slightly burnt her tongue; Terra decided to wait a few more moments before attempting to drink again.

"I live in Ireland, really. It's a bit far from England, which is a tad troubling, but otherwise it's very nice there. I wouldn't move away." she paused, thinking about what Dana had said about getting a big apartment so she could get accepted at Hogwarts. "So-er-if you hadn't moved to England you would go to.... Beauxbatons?" Terra guessed. She wasn't exactly sure what school the French go to. "Do you like France better, or do you prefer England?" Terra asked Dana. She would prefer France but she didn't live here, so she wasn't sure what it was like. Dana would know. Terra just wanted to see what she thought about England over France. Terra liked Ireland better than either, but Dana didn't live in Ireland, so she couldn't be included in that subject. Smiling, Terra tested the coffee again and found it to be warm enough to drink. Taking a sip, Terra waited for Dana's replies.