The Cobblestone Path ((Raven))

[Ayumi]

It was a bright summers afternoon, Ayumi sat in the Leakyu Cauldorn, finishing off her lunch. She wasn't an early bird, more of a late worm. For this morning she had awoken up at 11:00 in her musty Leaky Cauldron room. She had already finished her salad and was now stepping out of her seat and brushing her clothes so that it would be perfectly straight.

Her attire today was a Gray robe and a pair of black jeans. She wore her usual Platform boots, that made her tower a bit, and a black spagetthi strap tank top, that had a another tanktop on top of it, which was gray and was zipped up. She walked out of the Leaky cauldron and into the bright sun. Sheilding her eyes a bit, she walked towards the brick wall and did the usual tapping of the bricks and watching the wall move aside.

She stepped into the street of Diagon Alley, her boots making a slight tap on each cobblestoned path. Today was like any other day, she would walk around, shop a bit and maybe meet someone also heading to hogwarts.

She stretched her arms out and yawned. Nothing seemed different to her, so she walked down the all too familiar path, anticipating what would come forth.

[raven]

Early this morning Raven awoke to the warm sunshine on her face. It was a glorious morning. It was warm and the birds were singing. She quickly covered her face with her pillow and tried to go back to sleep.

"Too early," she moaned to her uncle when he told her to get up and dressed. 'I won't have any lazy bedheads in my home,' he had told her. After a few more tries, he gave up and left for work. Raven tossed and turned and was soon in a ball on her bed. She slept a few more hours and, feeling a little more refreshed, got up and dressed. She put on her old pair of faded jeans. There a hole in the right knee, but they were comfortable. Well, I can't stay here all day, she thought. She walked out into the blazing heat after a quick breakfast. Outside the brick wall of Diagon Alley she tapped her wand on the three stones as instructed.

She walked through the street, made a quick stop for a butterbeer-which she had grown to love- and continued on the path. She had stopped outside Olivanders Wands and sat on the bench for a short rest. Across the street she saw Ayumi. Do I dare speak to her, she considered. She felt brave today and walked over to say hello.

"Um, hi, Ayumi," she offered quietly.

((is this the right length?))

[Ayumi]

Ayumi had her hands behind her head as she walked through the streets. Her bellybutton tanktop had exposed her stomach which was as pale as her face. The gray colors were faded in the sunlight, and looked a little like white. Different for Ayumi, nonetheless, she looked her best all the time. Ayumi smiled to herself, today was a good day, she guess that, and she made her way, debating wether or not of she should get Raven some snacks.

Ayumi was walking along, still debating whether or not if she should get those snacks, after a few minutes she heard a voice echo through her hand. Stopping, she turned around and saw that Raven was sitting on a bench, looking quite determined, Ayumi wondered why.

"Hello Raven, she you're here today too, how are you." She said rather pleasantly. Placing her hands on her bare hips and staring at Raven, her dark red lips pursed and her crimson eyes gleaming.

[raven]

Raven was surprised, pleasantly, she had to say, that Ayumi spoke to her. She really hadn't expected it. Perhaps she was in a better mood today. Or maybe she decided to be a bit nicer to Raven. Either way, she didn't want to ruin this new found kindness. Or was she jumping to conclusions? Saying a few words to someone was hardly reason to call some kind. Especially after you had abandoned them. It was really a little more than polite.

"I'm fine, Ayumi, and yourself?" Raven asked. She decided not to bring up yesterday's events. She thought it best to put that behind them. Afterall, people can change and there was no need to dredge up the past. Ayumi looked normal. Her usual black and gray. Does this girl ever wear colors, she wondered. Maybe she's making a statement, Raven thought. Who knows what Ayumi thinks?

[Ayumi]

((Stop prying into her mind!! ahh LoL just kidding))

Ayumi looked around, silence hung around Raven and her, she hadn't really become aquainted with the girl, nor did she ever consider to, but she thought, it would be a considerable thing to do.

She looked as a small boy with dark black hair and blue eyes leave ollivanders with a very stern woman. To her, he looked like a pureblood. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she returned to Raven and saw that she was less tense. Ayumi shrugged to herself, and shook her left foot. The bottom platforn of her boot shaking through the air.

She placed her hands in the back of her jeans pocket and stared at Raven. "Look we're not gonna sit here all day, now are we?" She said in an impatient voice.

[raven]

Still the same old impatient Ayumi (that's not prying,it's a simple observation ;D , besides Raven is a Scorpio) , Raven thought to herself, but kept her smile. Fine she could be impatient too. She looked around for some place they could go. Uncle Frank could certainly put Ayumi in her place, but Raven washed this consideration away. No, that wouldn't do.

It appeared that Ayumi was looking over Raven's shoulder. She turned around to see what Ayumi was looking at. There was a boy walking out of Olivanders. Ah, Raven thought, he looks like a lottle lost muggle. She had an idea of how he felt.

Raven looked at Ayumi in the eye. She could be just as impatient. "Well, let's get moving then. You may have all the time in the world, but I have better things to do with my time than stand around."

[Ayumi]

Ayumi glared at Raven as she got up, removing her hands from her pockets she looked back at the boy, noting that she would engage conversation with him. Ayumi walked alongsides Raven, not speaking, for she felt that there was nothing she wanted to say.

A few minutes later she began to speak, "Ugh, I'm so bored, I have beed staying at the darn leaky cauldron, and this is what I always have to wake up to." She said in an emotionless voice. "Look raven what do you want to do, i'm sick of choosing, I've been doing that for the past few days." She finished. Crossing her arms and walking alongside Raven waiting for her reply

[raven]

Raven looked at Ayumi. Who did she think she was? Fine, that's fine. She wanted Raven to decide. Raven would oblige her. Then Raven thought. But what did she want to do? There really wasn't anything she hadn't seen yet. Wait there was.

"Do you really want me to tell you where I want to go. I mean, you might be too scared," Raven teased.

[Ayumi]

Ayumi was getting sick of Raven's antics, but she was trying her best to be nice, if Raven didn't like it, then screw her. Ayumi laughed to herself as she thought that. She looked at Raven and saw that she had a grin on her face.

Thinking for a moment, she began to play her hands in motion with her words, "Oh let me guess somewhere like Knockturn Alley, or hey maybe the Shrieking Shack, or maybe somewhere more frightening, not that I would care." She said in a cool voice, after all, she was being the best she could to be nice.

She didn't understand, she had many friends, and all of them she got along with fine, well maybe Raven was that little stone in the road that she had to challenge, and Ayumi, was ready for it, maybe.

[raven]

Raven saw the look of over-confidence in Ayumi's eyes and her dry,almost hateful smile. Oh, Raven thought, maybe Ayumi is as tough as she seems. Raven had thought it was just an act. She just pretended not to care so she wouldn't get hurt.(another observation )Had she already been to Knockturn Alley? Raven had been told no one was to go there.

"Yeah, okay, maybe I did want to go to Knockturn Alley.So, what? A lot of people are scared to go there. But I bet you've never been there," Raven said with confidence, "or have you?" No, Raven thought, of coarse not. Only evil wizards go there. Was Ayumi evil? Sure, she was a bit rude and maybe mean at times, but she wasn't evil.

"I thought,a HALF-BLOOD like yourself would be too scared," Raven added.

[Ayumi]

Ayumi keeped her cool with Raven, kindess was the only thing that was supposed to be flowing through her viens. Breathing in deeply, she looked startled at Raven's question, had she been to knockturn alley, why, that was confidential, but maybe Raven wouldn't go there.

"Course I've been to Knocturn Alley, nothing scary about it, went when I was 8, my... my mom brought me there. She had some business to attend to. Anyway, so are we going or not?" she said, walking towards Knockturn Alley, "Oh and Raven, I come from a long line of Purebloods, I would have been too, if my mother hadn't married a damn muggle." She said this time her voice was calm and truthful.

Both of them walked towards Knockturn alley, what they would meet, Is what Raven did not know. But osmething Ayumi did, and soon, she changed her harsh attitude and softened it, if that thing was still lurking in the alleys, then they were both in grave danger, especially Raven, because of her blood. Ayumi gritted her teeth and checked her robe for her wand and then her right thigh for her hunters dagger, which were both in place.

[raven]

((sorry, my computer froze ))

Something was wrong. Raven could sense it. Ayumi looked nervous and nervous was something Ayumi never was. She was always the picture of coolness. Was there something in the Alley, that she was afraid of?

Raven saw Ayumi check her wand. Yes, she had it. Would she need it? Raven hoped not. And she noticed Ayumi check something else. What was in her pocket. But if Ayumi wasn't worries, then she wouldn't be either.

"So, there's nothing to be afraid of?"

[Ayumi]

Ayumi tapped her hunters knife again, knowing that is was there made her feel a bit safe, after all, her wand was useless because she was already warned for using it once, but her hunters knife was all they had. Something that had been passed down to the hunters in the Kimoto generation. A silver dagger that only a true Kimoto could hold, it's power could kill any wych-kin, determining on the spot it hit.

Ayumi looked at Raven, who seemed unaware, when they entered Knockturn alley, she froze, trying to sense if any danger was around. Nothing came to her, and she turned to Raven. "No-no nothin to be afraid." She said, as she kept her hand near her thigh, ready for action.

"So Raven shall we get ourselves lost or walk in this straight line?" She said with an unconvincing smile.

[raven]

Raven wasn't quite sure which they should do. She had never been here and knew nothing of the dangers-or perhaps delights- that the Alley held. But even if we do get lost, Ayumi would now what to do. She's been here before. Raven was auddenly glad to have Ayumi as her companion for the trip. It made her feel safe. Even if Ayumi was mean, or didn't like her, at least she knew where she was going.

Raven looked around at all the sights. There were so many things she had never seen before. In cluding on her trips to Hogsmeads. But the witches here didn't look as kind as they had in Hogmeade or Diagon Alley. They looked ruthless and sneaky. She jjumped back, was that a troll? Certainly not. Trolls weren't free to just walk around wherever they please. Had she made the wrong decision on their choice of places?

"Well, I don't know, Ayumi. I've never been here before and you seem to know where you're going. Let's just follow the road and see where it takes us," Raven answered. She trusted Ayumi's sense of direction.

[Ayumi]

Ayumi looked around, knockturn alley was full of it's usual scabby witches, and wizards. She smiled to herself as she spotted a troll hidden under a cloak, a very poor disguise.

Ayumi took a look at the shops, most of which had foggy windows, and shattered glass doors. An the same feeling of unwanting lingered through the air. Ayumi remembered that feeling when she was young, how she lost herself from her mother's sight, and how she had come face to face with some strange creature that looked like a cross between a goblin and a dragon. She shivered at the thought.

Bringing back her senses back to the spot that her and Raven stood, she shook her head and lowered her inner tension, there was nothing to be worried about. Her and Raven were just going to search around and have fun. She thought a second about Raven's question and said, "Let's just go whereever our feet takes us." She said walking towards a spiraling alley, her boots clunking in the stone floor, grasping the attention of a group of witches who were standing in a corner.

Ayumi brushed her bang behind her right ear and stood back up to her usual confident posture. If one of them was going to lead this adventure, it might as well be her.

[raven]

Raven wished Ayumi would have worn different shoes. The hard clanking of her tall,black boots was getting the attention of some of some very uncrupulous characters. Raven turned to see the goblin/troll watching them as they passed. He smiled a ruthless grin. His teeth were pointed and a tainted yellow shade. Looking at the other witches and wizards make her skin crawl and she became paranoid. She constantly looked over her shoulder as they continued. Raven began to wonder where Ayumi was taking her.

"Where, exactly, are we going, Ayumi," she said in a child-like voice. She suddenly felt the urge to grab Ayumi's hand like a child. "Ayumi, I'm scared," Raven hated to admited it, but it just came out.

[Ayumi]

Ayumi's heart was pumping at a normal rate, it always did no matter what situation, however, her eyes were darting around widely, and her hands made sudden movents to her knife each time they passed a dark alley. Whenever a witch or wizard looked their way, she glared at them with her crimson eyes, warding them off somehow.

She looked over her shoulder to see if Raven was right behind her. She was relieved to see that no one was stalking them or making any suspicous movements. And that Raven was right behind her. Ayumi grinned when Raven asked her where they were going, she keep her head forward and said, "Raven, we're going to find the heart of Knockturn Alley." She said, in a 'where-else-do-you-want-to-go' tone. She stopped grinning, but continued walking when she heard Raven admit that she was scared. She turned around and grasped Raven's hand, with her usual right hand which had her usual black leather glove on it. "Don't worry 'bout it." She said with a slight smile, trying to cheer Raven up, "Afterall, you're with me, you're in no real danger." She said, though thinking in her head, "But can I protect myself?"

[raven]

Raven felt the warmth of Ayumi's hand as well as her words. She somehow felt calmer knowing that Ayumi wasn't scared. What was she thinking. Nothing would happen to them. Ayumi had been here when she was only eight. It did frighten her though when a witch or wizard would look at them strangly or glare. Or worse grin. But for some reason they seemed to back off whenever Ayumi looked at them. After a few minutes she was proud to be with Ayumi. Obviously if they were scared of a first year then she had to be very powerful. Raven began to wonder what the core of Knockturn Alley held. If they weren't at the heart yet then she could only imagine what it must be like. No, actually she couldn't imagine. She had no idea, quite honestly. And she wasn't in any sort of hurry to find out, either. She had been curious, yes, but not to the point of danger. And though she was sure Ayumi would know what to do if there were any trouble, how could she help Raven while she was busy protecting herself?

"Um, Ayumi, I have an idea. Maybe we could go into a store. Just to look," Raven suggested. Anything would be better than wandering these strange streets and having strangers stare as you walk by.

[Ayumi]

Ayumi continued to hold Raven's hand, as awkward as it felt to her, she held it tighly reluctantly. She wasn't used to these kind of actions, nor to this type of bodyguard work, but as she always said, "You do what you got to do when time stands right in front on you." Yes, another impatient expression. The heart of Knockturn Alley was coming close now, now, as Ayumi knew, the core was not a pretty place, not pretty indeed. But nevertheless, she continued to lead Raven there, afterall this was the adventure she wanted.

Ayumi brushed back bang again, she continuously did this when she was nervous, scared, or in an awkward situtaion, naturally, it was nervous and awkward. The scrawny figures that stood on the side began to become less visible. For the shadows began to creep up on Knockturn Alley, engufling it it darkness. Taking a look at her watch, Ayumi saw that it was already 6:15pm. She had realized that it had been so late. She turned to Raven, who seemed to become more relax now, and heard her comment.

Ayumi thought for a moment. What shop should they go to, but then again, did it matter? Darkness would fall on them soon, it was chasing after them, nibbling at their heels. Ayumi looked in front of them, and saw that a shop with a clean window and open door. Light flooding out of it. Ayumi thought it was good to stop here, she looked back at Raven and said, "Here's good." She said letting go of er hand and letting her walk in. Taking a final glance at the Alley, she checked to see if the Lamps were flickering on. One by one they did, slowly taking thier time. Ayumi sighed and walked in, not noticing the sign or the figures in the window. As she walked in, a small eyeball stared at her from a pickle jar.

[Daniell]

1st yr. Daniell looked down the foggy cobblestone path. This was the first time she had ever set foot here. Her aunt had brought her to Leaky cauldron to live out the rest of her summer. She looked around for a friendly face to help direct her onher path.