A new day in Diagon Alley ((Pyro Blackfire))

[bekka]

Claira looked about the shops that bordered the street of Diagon Alley. The street itself was cluttered with people. Witches and wizards and their parents walked around Claira. Some stood in groups and laughed with their school buddies. Claira had been in Diagon Alley for only a few moments. She had talked with a few first years while eating an ice cream cone at the Ice Cream Parlor. Her parents just parted with her, Samantha Stone walking off to get Claira's books and her father, Mathew Stone, went to get her cauldron and look at the brooms. Claira was told to go and get her wand. So she wandered about, looking for a wand shop.

She looked up to see golden letters spelling 'Olivander's wand shop...' excitement took over her small body. Wand shop... she tried not to squeal with joy and ran to the door, her pockets jingling with wizard money. She opened the door and immediately fell quiet. The dusty wand shop was so quiet and seemed so... old... that she had to remain quiet as she walked up to the counter and peered behind. Shelves, high enough to reach the ceiling, was shoves full of long, thing boxes. Claira assumed wands sat inside those small boxes. Before she even asked for assistance a man came out from behind a shelf, startling her. She jumped and then giggled when the man smiled.

"Hello," the man said in a strange yet friendly voice, "I am Mr. Olivivander-" Claira's excitement overrode her senses again and she interrupted him.

"My name's Claira! Claira Stone!" she said, her voice high pitched and her smile wide. He smiled down at her and nodded.

"Hello there Claira," He then pulled out a few boxes and before Claira knew it she was waving a long reddish brown wand and sparks were flying out the ends. She looked up into his face and smiled, laughing. She paid for the wand and wandered back outside, putting the wand in her pocket and wondering where her parents were.

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

"What do you mean you don't have Phoenix food!" Yelled Pyro. Bringing a few stares over to the counter. Pyro leaned over the counter and towered over the little man on the other side. This was a bit of stretch since Pyro was usually shorter than most people, but this time he found a victim he could tower over. "W..Well...You see sir....Phoenix's are...are very rare...There...there aren't many people out there who own one, so we don't the food in stock..." Said the man in a quiet voice.

"Don't keep it in stock!" yelled Pyro, slamming his arms on the counter. "Than how on earth do you expect to serve your customers who do have Phoenixes?" Pyro's eyes narrowed as he glared down at the man. The man's hand shot under the counter and fumbled around a bit and soon produced a form. "The...the best thing we can do is order it for you.....sir." Pyro tapped his finger on the counter. "Fine." He said after a moments pause and dropped a bag of gold onto the counter. "I want as much as that can buy." He said motioning to the bag. He quickly filled out the form and than turned and walked out of the shop.

As he left his red overcoat flapped behind him and Miaka had to reposition herself upon his shoulder so not to fall. Once outside in the soft breeze and bustle of Diagon Alley Pyro paused and lifted his face up to the sky. He sighed and felt his body grow calmer. He looked at Miaka. "Your turning out to be a real pain you know that?" He said. Miaka playfully bit his nose. Pyro made his way down the street. Now that he was able to access the Blackfire vault again it had been no problem getting enough money for his supplies. He had already bought his books. There was just a few minor things left to pick up.

Pyro was just passing by Olivanders Wand Shop when suddenly a girl stepped in front of him. "Gah!" The girl was busy putting her wand in her pocket and didn't notice him coming. Pyro managed to sidestep by her. He glared down at her. "Hey! Watch it. Your gonna kill somebody." Looking at her he had to guess that she was going to be a incoming first year. Freshmeat, Pyro grinned as the word flashed across his mind.

[bekka]

Claira gasped as suddenly someone almost ran into her, but missed her at the last minute. She looked up, her eyes wide and fearful. When it turned out to be a boy, she relaxed. He seemed angry at first, but then calmed also. His smile was difficult for Claira to understand. Was he excited or being smug? She sighed and smiled her largest most friendliest smile. She wanted to be friendly to every witch and wizard, because she knew they were going through the same thing she was... well at least she hoped so.

"Hello! I'm sorry for almost hitting you, but I was so excited to get my wand!" she took out the wand and showed it off, "It was 12 whole galleons!" she was so excited she couldn't barely keep herself from smiling. She held out her hand, "My name's Claira, Claira Stone. Who are you? What's your name? That's a pretty bird. What is it? Does it have a name? Is it a girl?" she couldn't stop the questions from tumbling from her mouth. One after another, no breath in between. Once she stopped herself from talking further she worried how much this boy was going to hate her now. He seemed to be much older than her, not too much though. Maybe two or three years. She bit her lip and shoved the wand back into her pocket.

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

Pyro's eyebrow arched as the girl went into a rant. With this much excitement over the price of wand, she was probably a muggle born, or at least a half-breed raised in the muggle world. Pyro made a point to take a step back, which didn't seem to help as the girl noticed more and more and asked more and more questions. Pyro glanced down at the offered hand but did not shake it.

He looked over her hand and at her face. "My name is Pyro Blackfire. 4th year at Hogwarts." He glanced at Miaka who had perched, knowing someone was talking about her. "She's a Phoenix, her name is Miaka, and if you haven't guessed by now, she is a girl." Pyro glanced down at the pocket where the girl had put her newly bought wand. "Judging by the fact that you just now bought your wand your probably a first year going to Hogwarts. So tell me, what are you? Muggle born or Pureblood?"

[bekka]

Claira noticed the boy acted a little 'stand-offish' and decided to be nice and calm. She took a deep breath, trying to ease the excitement. He answered each of her questions, not shaking her hand. She felt a bit offended at that, but smiled and let her hand drop to her side.

"Pyro, eh?" she almost said That's a funny name... but was more polite and kept it to herself. She looked at the beautiful bird and smiled. Miaka was a pretty name and she told Pyro so.

"She is pretty, isn't she," she wanted to pet the bird, but thought she probably shouldn't. She looked back at Pyro and felt confused by his question.

"Yes... I am a first year, just starting at Hogwarts..." she paused, trying to remember from the letter the Dumbledore man sent her mother. He had said something about Muggleborns... but what was it? She remembered and felt a smile come her confused face.

"Oh yes, I remember now. I am a Half Blood? Yeah, but I was raised a Muggle Born, because my real daddy was a wizard," she smiled, feeling that wasn't too personal to tell a complete stranger.

"How old are you anyway, Pyro?" she asked, "I'm 10, going to be 11 in August. It's going to be so fun!" she smiled again as she thought about her up coming party. She then looked up at Pyro and let the smile fall from her face, awaiting his reply.

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

"Yes, Pyro. Do you have a problem with the name?" He asked, knowing full well she probably thought it was a weird name. Miaka was enjoying the attention though. She perched up and ruffled her feathers. Bother the heck out of Pyro's ears.

So Pyro had guessed correctly. She was a half blood, raised by muggles. "Well, if your dad was a wizard why didn't he raise you in a more wizard fashion?" He asked. Not that he cared to much for the girl's history, but he was merely curious and this was entertaining him.

like I care about your age... He thought to himself. "14, going to be 15 in January." He said in almost a bored tone in answer to her question.

[bekka]

Claira felt startled and shook her head real fast, her beaning almost falling off. He seemed a bit angry at her comment of his name. She bit her lip and wanted to say sorry but would probably annoy him more. When he asked about her wizard father Claira felt a pang of annoyance herself. She just told him, didn't she? She sighed, all traces of her freight gone.

"I told you. My real daddy didn't raise me. Why do you think I used the word real daddy? Wouldn't that mean that I don't live with him? Actually I never even met him. My momma said he didn't want to help take care of me. But she's happy now with my daddy. I guess he's my step dad... but it doesn't feel that way..." she paused for a moment and then continued realizing the answer to her own question, "Oh... that's because he raised me. So he feels like my real daddy." she smiled and then felt it fall. He wasn't too friendly, this Pyro boy. Once he finally answered her question about how old he was she nodded. So he was three years older, just as she suspected.

"Claira! Claira! Oh there you are!" Samantha Stone's voice rang out from the crowd. Claira looked behind Pyro and saw her mother rushing up to meet her, a pile of books in hand.

"Here, baby, take your books and put them in your bag," she helped Claira stuff the books into her bag and turned to Pyro again.

"This is my momma," she said and then turned to her mother, "And momma.. this is Pyro. He's 14! And he goes to Hogwarts too!" Samantha nodded, a smile on her face. She turned to Pyro and smiled at him, not really interested but humoring her young daughter.

"hello there, Pyro," she said in a normal, yet dignified voice, "How is your school shopping going?"

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

Pyro's eyes became real narrow as the young girl began to get smart with him. "No, you just told me your real father was a wizard. That does not necessarily imply that he has no involvement in your life. I can't simply assume that hes no longer around just by you calling him your 'real father'." There was no way that he was going to take any attitude from a first year, and a half blood at that!

Before anything else progressed Pyro heard someone yelling the girl's name from behind him. Pyro noticed Claira look past him. Judging from the female voice it was probably her mother. Sure enough a moment later a grown woman ran past him and began to stuff books into the little girl's bag. Pyro turned to walk away but than he heard something dreadful. Claira introduced him.Oh great. Getting introduced to muggles as if they are important. Pyro turned and faced the lady.

"It's going fine." He answered her question. He motioned to the books. "I'm surprised that a muggle like you can find her way around Diagon Alley so easily. You are the muggle are you not? Claira here tells me her dad was the wizard."

[bekka]

Claira gasped at Pyro's rudeness toward her mother. Samantha's eyes narrowed. Claira suddenly didn't like Pyro any longer and just wanted to leave.

"Well, well, well. You think you can talk to a grown woman that way? Yes I'm not a witch, but I am still older than you by many, many years. Just because I am not magical doesn't mean that you are superior than me." Samantha finished her mini-lectured and grabbed Claira's hand to leave. Claira smiled and looked at Pyro as if saying, take that, you!. Before Pyro could say anything at all Mathew showed up with a caulron and Samantha motioned to leave.

Mathew raised an eyebrow at his wife and turned to Pyro. His eyes seemed surprised at the wonderful bird sitting on his shoulder.

"Wow that is a beautiful bird, isn't that, Sam?" he asked his wife, sensing the tension and trying to be friendly.

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

Pyro couldn't help but smile in pleasure at sound of Claira gasping and at the look that came over the lady's face. Pyro turned his attention to the woman as she began to give him a talking to. His smile never faltered and his eyes simply looked through her. He unconsciously added a and many many many many years.

The woman went on and finally she said something that made his eyes narrow dangerously. I don't care how old you are, I'll always be superior to you muggles thought Pyro, his hand gripping his wand tightly in his pocket. The only thing that kept him from pulling it out and testing out one of his new spells on these fools was that this was a busy street.

They turned to leave but than someone else made an appearance. A man that Pyro guessed was Claira's stepfather. Pyro turned to the man. "Ah, you must be Claira's stepfather. I've heard a little about you." Pyro looked at Miaka. "And this bird is a Phoenix, and she doesn't like to be called a common bird."

[bekka]

Claira glared at Pyro the whole time he spoke. She wasn't happy with him anymore. When her father came over and addressed Miaka, Pyro mentioned that he was her step father. Claira's eyes widened and her mouth dropped. How could he say that!? She wasn't sopposed to tell anyone. Now her mother was going to be angry with her. Samantha's gaze dropped down to Claira, an angry look on her face. Claira looked down, ashamed. Mathew felt uncomfortable and gulped.

"Uh... well..." he laughed uncomfortably and cleared his throat, "Uh... lets go now..." He turned and led his wife and girl away, but Claira wanted to talk with Pyro.

"Uh.. daddy I forgot something... i'll catch up," she turned to Pyro and glared, putting both hands on her hips.

"Why did you do that? Why are you being so mean?" she wanted to cry.

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

Pyro could barely contain chuckle as the man immediately became nervous. Pyro also noticed Claira's mother look down at her daughter and Claira looked a bit shocked. Apparently he had said something he wasn't suppose to and it got Claira in trouble. How fun.

They group soon moved away and Pyro was about to walk off patting himself on the back when Claira came back. He arched an eyebrow questionably. "Being mean? Last I recall I simply made a statement that I was surprised your mother could navigate through Diagon Alley. It is a incredible feat for a muggle on their first time. I was paying my compliments. She took it as rudeness." He grinned. "And how was I suppose to know that mentioning your step father was not allowed?"

[bekka]

Claira glared at him, though she knew it wouldn't make the slightest bit of difference. He was enjoying this, that much was certain. Why, though? Why would someone pick on a 10 year old and her family? She wanted to turn and leave, but his smug attitude and disdain for those different than him made Claira more angry toward him and pity him a bit too.

"You know very well that it was meant as an insult," Claira said to his comment about complimenting her mother, "You said it as if it were amazing someone who weren't magical to find their way through this place," She felt her face scrunch up slightly at his last comment.

"Well maybe it was rude to say something like that!?" Claira spit out at him. She didn't even notice that it sounded so childish. Instead of defending herself she was being a little girl throwing a tantrum, though Pyro was fueling this for his enjoyment. She felt her chin quiver and her eyes tear up and before he could speak she ran off to find her parents again.