Fandom The Gathering of Death Eater Children

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"I'm not really good at explaining things...But I'll try...Come up here with me." Crystal said, stepping onto the left side of the game. "You go on the left, and don't step on any buttons yet. " she warned before Aislynn accidentally stepped on one.

Once they were both on, Crystal began her explanation. "You see those buttons on the floor of this game?" she pointed to the center panel, and the upper left and right, and the lower left and right panels where they were supposed to step. "You're supposed to step on them in the order that the game tells you to. At the same time, music will be playing, so it will look like you're dancing; not a very formal dance, but really fun. " She assured her. "I'll start the game-" she put her foot forward and pressed the center panel, and the game began. "-and I'll pick a really slow song so that you can start with something easy as you get to know the game. There are different difficulty levels-" she said as she chose between Easy, Intermediate and Difficult, choosing the easy one. "-and different grades of difficulty on each song. The stars at the bottom of each song cover indicate how difficult the song's steps are."

One song had three stars, and so did the next. The third had two, and a few had only one star. She picked a smooth sounding Japanese song which had one star, and stepped on the center panel to begin the level. "Most of the songs..." Crystal said as she screen was black; the song was preparing to start "...are in a different language...The good songs, at least. The English ones sound bad...Too much rap or pop. Bleh." she wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Here we go. When the step indicated reaches the top of the screen, " She indicated the first step, which was a blue arrow pointed left "you step on the panel with the same sign. That is a blue left arrow, which means a lower left panel." she pointed.

When the sigh reached the top of the screen, Crystal stepped on her lower-left panel, and she got one point added to her side of the screen. "Did you get yours?" she asked Aislynn, as the next sign was making its way to the top of the screen; an upper-right arrow.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"...oh...alright..." Aislinn nearly tripped on her own feet as she stopped abruptly before stepping on the game platform. She went on the left side as Crystal instructed her and avoided to step on any button.

"You see those buttons on the floor of this game?" Crystal pointed to the center panel, and the upper left and right, and the lower left and right panels where they were supposed to step. "You're supposed to step on them in the order that the game tells you to. At the same time, music will be playing, so it will look like you're dancing; not a very formal dance, but really fun. "

"Ahh...."

"I'll start the game-" Crystal put her foot forward and pressed the center panel, and the game began. "-and I'll pick a really slow song so that you can start with something easy as you get to know the game. There are different difficulty levels-" she said as she chose between Easy, Intermediate and Difficult, choosing the easy one. "-and different grades of difficulty on each song. The stars at the bottom of each song cover indicate how difficult the song's steps are."

"I see…" Aislinn nodded as she watched when Crystal chose the easiest level and song.

"Most of the songs are in a different language...The good songs, at least. The English ones sound bad...Too much rap or pop. Bleh." Crystal wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"I can relate to that..." Aislinn agreed wrinkling both her nose and forehead at the same time.

"Here we go. When the step indicated reaches the top of the screen," Crystal indicated the first step, which was a blue arrow pointed left "you step on the panel with the same sign. That is a blue left arrow, which means a lower left panel." she pointed.

"Alright..." Aislinn replied, her eyes glued on the screen to follow the arrows of the game.

Since it was very slow it was not difficult for Aislinn to follow the signs. It was on the contrary an easy game to play. She managed to step on every right arrow getting points added to her side of the screen.

"Did you get yours?" Crystal asked Aislynn, as the next sign was making its way to the top of the screen; an upper-right arrow.

"Yeah," Aislinn nodded exited, her eyes on the screen as she followed the music. "I think this level and song are very easy. You can pick a two stars song after this one," She laughed.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"That's good." Crystal said, her eyes also not leaving the screen. "I wanted to make sure that the first time you played wasn't a complete disaster. My first time...Some idiot had abandoned his game just before I came, and it was still going. So, I got on, thinking 'Cool; free game!', right? But I didn't know how to use the game, since the instructions are only available on the game when it first starts up. So I ended up picking a really nice sounding song that went too fast for my first time, and I was discouraged from trying to master this game for a long time after that. "

The song ended with two steps at once; the middle panel, and the upper right panel.

"So, two stars, huh?" she asked as their points were added up on screen.

They both had gotten A+'s; the game graded by Muggle letter grades.

"Alright; why don't you pick the song, now that you know how many stars you want?" Crystal smiled. "You get three songs per game, but that's only if you don't fail the first or second song. If you miss too many steps in a row on a song, you lose the round, and the rest of the game." she explained. "And-" she pointed to a timer at the very top of the screen where you were supposed to pick the songs. It was counting down from 150 seconds, "-the game chooses the song for you at random if you don't pick one yourself within the allotted time. "

Every time a song was about to be picked, a small sample of it was played for the user to hear. "Some songs sound good in the sample, but actually they are awful. If you're not sure, ask me. This is a standard machine, which means I know all of these songs." she said, as if she was bragging but also joking. This is so cool! I never thought I'd have a bestie to play this game with me. Maybe she will be able to go super fast like I do! Crystal thought with an excited smile.

As Aislynn chose the song, Crystal ate a gummy rainbow belt and another strawberry and cream, and adjusted her top hat. I wonder if she thinks I'm weird for dressing this way...Hmm; well, it's not my fault. I didn't expect to go to an arcade or a nightclub, but I also don't care what a bunch of strangers think about my outfit choices. It's the people I know that matter; not all of you stupid Muggles. She thought as she looked at a life-size Pac Man game console, where a man in his mid-twenties slammed his fist against the console in agony over loosing "ANOTHER GAME!" he exclaimed, rather loud.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"Aww....hehehe..." Aislinn could not help but laugh at Crystal's first experience with the game. She found it both amusing and annoying at the same time that a person would leave the game open for a newbie. Crystal did not deserve it, but it would be fun to prank the muggles with the games hehehe...

"So, two stars, huh?" Crystal asked as their points were added up on screen after the game had ended. They both had gotten A+'s; the game graded by Muggle letter grades.

"Yeah...I think I am able to do two stars," Aislinn replied excited.

"Alright; why don't you pick the song, now that you know how many stars you want?" Crystal smiled. "You get three songs per game, but that's only if you don't fail the first or second song. If you miss too many steps in a row on a song, you lose the round, and the rest of the game." she explained. "And-" she pointed to a timer at the very top of the screen where Aislinn were supposed to pick the songs. It was counting down from 150 seconds, "-the game chooses the song for you at random if you don't pick one yourself within the allotted time. Some songs sound good in the sample, but actually they are awful. If you're not sure, ask me. This is a standard machine, which means I know all of these songs." she said, as if she was bragging but also joking.

"Uhm...eh..." Aislinn browsed through the list of songs, not sure what to pick, and picked a two-star song that she thought to be a Chinese song because it was named Mao Mao Mao. She found the name very familiar and tried to recall of where she had heard of it. She also wondered why she thought it was Chinese. She did not realize it after she had chosen it and then it was too late to change it. …Mao Li.... She went pale but shook it off. ...He is dead anyway... She thought as she carelessly popped sweet liquorice candy in her mouth.

"Alright...here we go..." She said when the game just started.

The song was a little faster though it had an average pace for Aislinn. The song was not the best one, but it was alright, and it was in a language which she assumed to be Chinese because it sounded so foreign.

...left and right.... upper arrow.... upper left.... upper right...down and up...left and right....

"Pheww..." Aislinn breathed when the song was over, and she had collected full points for this time as well. "Alright...I must confess that this was actually easy," She laughed. "Let's go for three stars songs on a hard level hahahaha!" A crazy choice because she had no idea what a three stars song on a hard level was like, but she wanted to give it a go.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

Crystal laughed, amused. "You're joking, right?" It looks like she is getting too confident. I can't let her get discouraged with a song of that difficulty. "I'm afraid that you'll get discouraged. " Crystal said honestly, her facial expression saying that she didn't like the idea.

"Well, perhaps we can do one star on the intermediate level? If you can beat that with a B or higher, then you can try something harder.... alright?" she asked, uncertain if her suggestion was going to be accepted. I don't want her to think I'm treating her like a child; but...anything to avoid what happened to me. I can't stand by and let something similar happen to her while she has this confidence now. . .

When Aislynn agreed, Crystal switched the difficulty to intermediate, then put on a two star song. "This song is really good for the steps. The actual song is okay." Crystal explained before they began. "And, please, just remember that if you fail this one we can always go back to something easier and work our way up. " she tried to assure Aislynn.

And then she selected the song.



"How was that for you?" she asked once they had finished. Their points were being added up, but their grades hadn't shown just yet. "Do you think you did alright?"

Crystal got an A+ again, and hadn't even broken a sweat, or gotten hot at all.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"No, I am not. I am being serious," Aislinn laughed.

"I'm afraid that you'll get discouraged. " Crystal said honestly, her facial expression saying that she didn't like the idea.

"Oh come on..."

"Well, perhaps we can do one star on the intermediate level? If you can beat that with a B or higher, then you can try something harder.... alright?"

"Well...eh alright..." Aislinn shrugged and popped an orange sour hard candy in her mouth.

Crystal switched the difficulty to intermediate, then put on a two star song.

"This song is really good for the steps. The actual song is okay." She explained before they began. "And, please, just remember that if you fail this one, we can always go back to something easier and work our way up." she tried to assure Aislinn.

"Don't worry about me," Aislinn laughed when Crystal selected the song.

The song was much faster than Aislinn had expected it. She tried her best to follow the song but of course she was feeling very stressed. The song stressed her out that she had no idea if she was stepping right or wrong. Sweat broke out on her forehead as she hurriedly stamped around on the platform, trying to hurry through the steps. She missed several steps and tried not to swear aloud and instead hoped that she got the other steps right.

"How was that for you?" Crystal asked once they had finished. Their points were being added up, but their grades hadn't shown just yet. "Do you think you did alright?"

"Yeah..." Aislinn laughed. "This is was really good..." She had high exceptions on getting a B+ but when the result appeared on the screen, she was both surprised and disappointed.

Crystal got an A+ again, and hadn't even broken a sweat, or gotten hot at all. Aislinn was feeling hot and sweating and she had only got a D+ for her effort.

"Ehehe...well it is much fun when it is faster..." She laughed.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

Crystal was shocked to see Aislynn's grade, but relaxed when she saw that Aislynn was speaking truthfully in her reply.

"Well, that was one game. And it looks like you need water, and a short break?" she offered kindly.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"When you mention it, I am actually very thirsty, especially after eating so much sweets," Aislinn smiled. "We can buy some drinks here..." She gestured towards an automate machine where muggles inserted coins to buy drinks and tiny snacks.

"Would you like to drink anything?" Aislinn asked Crystal before walking over to the automate machine. She inserted some muggle money coins and out popped two kind of drinks: one bottled mineral water for herself and another drink for Crystal.

"Do you want to play the dancing game all night?" Aislinn laughed as she handed over the drink to Crystal. "I am fine with any game or if you want to go the nightclub later. The arcade is open around the clock and the nightclubs open around eleven o'clock tonight...but I can only remain here a couple of hours after midnight because I need to return the bike which I can only do before the sunrise..." Aislinn opened her bottle and drank half of the water all at once.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"We can buy some drinks here..." She gestured towards an automate machine where Muggles inserted coins to buy drinks and tiny snacks.

"Oh...a vending machine...I didn't notice it earlier." Crystal said, surprised to see it there.

"Would you like to drink anything?" Aislynn asked.

"I'd like some water too, if you have enough coins. " Crystal nodded.

"Do you want to play the dancing game all night?" Aislynn laughed as she handed over the drink to Crystal.

"Thanks." she took her water and put it down; she wasn't thirsty, but she knew she would be eventually.

"I am fine with any game or if you want to go the nightclub later. The arcade is open around the clock and the nightclubs open around eleven o'clock tonight....but I can only remain here a couple of hours after midnight because I need to return the bike which I can only do before the sunrise..."

"Hmm...One minute, please." Crystal held up her finger and closed her eyes, thinking. She stayed frozen for a full ten seconds before opening her eyes and lowering her hand, nodding her head once firmly as if she had made a decision. "I want to play two more games of this dancing game on my own, if that's alright. " she began explaining in a triumphant tone; like a war lord who had was explaining his strategic battle plans that were certain to end in victory. "And then I think we should head off to the nightclub and have some fun there until we reach about eleven thirty. Then, I think we should get back home. At least, that's what I would like to happen. Do you have any changes to that plan?" she asked politely, back to her normal voice.

"Great, thanks!" she said, turning away from Aislynn to begin another dancing game.

She selected the Difficult level, and put on a three star song. She took a deep breath while the screen was dark, and when it lit up she kept her eyes glued to the screen.



For the first twenty-five seconds there was only music, and then the steps began. There was one step for every syllable that the girl sang, and a combination of two steps at the end of every line she sang. Crystal kept up, her feet moving so fast, pressing the panels at the correct times, each time. Fifty-one seconds in, there were a bunch of steps that went slowly, giving Crystal a break; they were the kind of steps that needed to be held for a few seconds each. Then, at one-minute and three seconds, the steps sped up again. Then, the girl stopped singing for a few seconds, and there were no steps. Then, a barrage of steps so fast it was difficult for anyone watching to even see them all. To finish, there were ten combinations in a row, and then the screen went dark.

Crystal's body temperature had risen now, but she hadn't sweat. She took a small sip of water as the points were added up; in the end, she had missed only four steps, and she got an A+. She looked over at Aislynn to see her facial expression, wondering what she was thinking.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"Sounds good, I have no objection at all," Aislinn smiled.

"Great, thanks!" Crystal said, turning away from Aislinn to begin another dancing game.

Aislinn stood diagonally behind her so she could both watch her dance and the screen of the game.

She nearly dropped her jaw when she saw that Crystal picked a three-star song on a difficult level.

I wonder how fast that will be....is she able to keep it up with so high level...

Aislinn tried to follow both Crystal's step and the game on the screen with her eyes, but everything was going too fast for her mind to register everything at once that she nearly felt dizziness that she looked away for a second, shaking her head to clear her mind before watching again.

She applauded when Crystal had finished her game, looking at her with big round eyes and a surprised expression when she saw that Crystal got an A+.

...Merlin's beard...did she not miss any step at all…?

"Wow," She praised Crystal. "I am going to play one game over her while you play your second round on the dancing game..." She said as she walked over to a game station where she could play Tetris, another favorite game of hers.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Thank you." Crystal smiled in return, and she turned around to play another level of equal difficulty just as Aislynn was walking away. By the time she finished her games, there was a small crowd around the game; everyone had an interested, impressed look on their faces as they stared. She didn't look at any of them; she saw them in the reflection of the temporarily darkened screen of the game like a mirror.

"Hey; you were pretty great!" a boy said, trying to sound genuine.

Crystal picked up her water, drank, and then began to walk away without making any eye contact, as if she hadn't heard him.

The young boy, about eighteen years of age, pursued her, his cheerful mask faltering. "I haven't seen anyone that amazing at this game in-"

"How old are you?" Crystal asked, stopping and turning toward him, a bored expression on her face as she chewed a gummy.

"I'm almost nineteen," he stated proudly "...Miss...?" he added, attempting to smoothly ask her name...attempting...

"Nineteen?" she said, in a 'so not impressed' voice, putting her hand into her candy cone. The boy was about to speak again when Crystal went on. "Hmm...Would you be the good friend of that other young man over there?" she asked, using a gummy banana to point to another young man who was watching, but pretending not to be, by the racing games. "Hmm..." she said again, smiling slyly as she saw that both boys had become nervous. "A bet to see if you could..." she left the sentence open for him to complete it, her hands open as if she expected an answer; the gummy banana held in between her index and middle finger.

The boy didn't answer, but only put his hand to his face nervously.

"Exactly. Bye bye, monkey." she rolled her eyes, turning around and walking away coldly. "Have a banana." she said in a mocking voice like she was speaking to a child. She threw the gummy banana over her shoulder, and it landed on the floor in front of him, further embarrassing him.

Two girls nearby, who had taken a break from their game of G.h.o.s.t., had been watching, and were laughing now.

Crystal walked away without another word, coming up right next to Aislynn.

 

[Hikari Chan]

Aislinn just finished her tenth Tetris game, reaching level eight as usual, when Crystal approached her. She had been too engulfed by her game that she had not seen what Crystal had encountered.
Aislinn reached for her bottle and drank the rest of her water.

"Did you have lots of fun?" She asked Crystal, turning to face her friend. "I only managed to get to level eight in this game..." She guested towards the Tetris game she had been playing before popping a hard, red sour candy in her mouth.

"Do you want to give it a try and see if you can beat my level?" She laughed jokingly. "It is so addictive; you will get stuck hehe..."

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

Crystal shook her head. "The highest level I had ever been able to reach is four, so congratulations." she finished, genuinely congratulating Aislynn.

"So, do you want to play a few more games, or head off to the nightclub now?" she asked a minute later.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"Really?" Aislinn was surprised. "…Well…eight is nothing…" She laughed. "....in comparison with that..." She added in a quieter tone at the same time as she discreetly gestured towards a muggle girl who was standing two game stations away, playing Tetris at level twelve.

"So, do you want to play a few more games, or head off to the nightclub now?"

"Let's head off to the club..."

Walking out in the dark night with the lamp streets casting lights everywhere, was not different from being inside the arcade. The only difference was that there were only white lights outdoors instead for colorful lights like inside the arcade.

The streets were lively, people were making their ways to have suppers at the restaurants and pubs, to the arcade from where Aislinn and Crystal just had walked out, or to theaters or nightclubs.

Aislinn led the way, walking several yards down the street, passing a couple of shops, restaurants and other nightclubs before reaching the one which seemed to be suitable for her and Crystal. She stopped some feet away from it, reached her hand into a small pocket in her back bag which she had bought earlier during the afternoon and picked out two oblong thin plastic cards.

"You will need this when you enter the club…" Aislinn chuckled as she gave one card to Crystal. The card was shiny due to being entirely covered plastic, white and blank. There was nothing on it, but as soon as a wizard or a witch put his or her hand on it, the card would display a picture of and identity information about him or her. "Just show this to the guard.... he won't notice it is an enchanted item or that your card is a duplicated version of mine…unless if he happens to be a wizard, a very rare occasion in a muggle habituated area..." She burst out in laughter and then calmed down before continuing towards the club.

Aislinn payed for both her and Crystal so they could enter and showed her own enchanted identity card to the guard. Being a stupid muggle, he just nodded his head towards her and allowing her to enter. She grinned towards Crystal as soon as she had entered as well.

They had entered a small hallway with side way doors to the restrooms. Walking further inside the hallway, it took them inside the main room which was grand enough to host hundred people. It was dusky with dim lights in the ceiling. A grand bar which sold various of drinks and snacks was located to the right side of the room, while comfortable chairs surrounding round and low tables occupied the left side. A muggle hard rock band was already playing at the stage which was located in the far end of the room. The members, seemingly all of them being males, of the band had long hairs and were wearing pure black and torn clothes. It was crowded, especially in the middle of the room where most people, facing the stage, where dancing to the music, which was a mixture of electronic guitars, keyboard and drums. Grey smoke emerged from the floor of the stage and floated down to the dance floor. It was not magic; it was just typically harmless muggle items that poured out smoke to give some special effect to the dance floor.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Let's head of to the club..."

"Sure."

I wonder if she'll say anything about my attire. Well, it's not like I'm going to change it anytime soon. I didn't know what I was going to be doing today...I just thought it was going to be another day at the shop. She thought as they walked.

"...Just show this to the guard....he won't notice it is an enchanted item or that your card is a duplicated version of mine...unless if he happens to be a wizard, a very rare occasion in a Muggle habituated area..." She burst out in laughter and then calmed down before continuing towards the club.

"Thanks." Crystal said after she stopped laughing. "Oohh...cool." she said, seeing her name and picture show up on the card. "It looks really professional; like it's legit." she laughed again, "You have very good taste in...Muggle-fooling objects?" she asked, wishing to compliment her but wasn't sure what to say.

Crystal watched Aislynn enter with her card, and smiled in a 'watch this' way when Aislynn grinned at her. She pinned her card to her shirt, and flashed it at the guard coolly, not even making eye contact as she smoothly walked past him. Stupid muggles...I don't think that winning will ever get boring if it's against these idiotic...Oh, cool! She thought once they entered the main room.

She recognized the Muggle special effects, and briefly wondered if she should have a drink. You know what? I think I should stay sober. I want to drink, but the thought of that headache and lethargy tomorrow morning? Ugh; I'll just...abstain from those...Maybe I'll have a bunch of non-alcoholic mixed drinks? Yeah, that sounds good. Hmm...This band's not bad for a Muggle band. They're ok. She went and sat down at the bar, and asked the bar tender for a Pina Colada without any rum.

 

[Hikari Chan]

Aislinn followed Crystal to the bar and ordered a Cherry Coketail, while Crystal ordered a Pina Colada without any rum. Cherry Coketail was a nonalcoholic cocktail, which muggles called for mocktail. Aislinn found it amusing that they called it for a mocktail as if they were mocking the drink for not containing any liquor.

I would rather have a cocktail than a mocktail, but since I will be driving back to Diagon Alley, I need to remain sober... She thought as she paid for the both drinks.

"Let's toast!" Aislinn laughed happily as she raised her glass.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Yes! To being best friends!" Crystal raised her glass in return, laughing happily. It would be really funny if we acted drunk. She thought as she took a sip. Then we would surely attract the attention of some opportunist perverts, and we could lead them outside the nightclub and play a funny prank on them to teach them a lesson. "BAM! We're sober, and you're in trouble!" But that wouldn't really happen. Anyway, it's good to have a friend who remembers that she is the one driving us back home. That idiot back at Hogwarts...I can't even remember his name now. He's the one no one likes; he's so annoying. Anyway, he'd be the type to get drunk and then insist that it was someone else's fault and then 'forget' to take the motorcycle back to the shop, probably choosing to just take a taxi back. Idiot. She thought with a giggle, taking another sip of her drink. "Hey; do you have any plans tomorrow?" Crystal asked a minute later with a curious 'Maybe we can hang out tomorrow?' look.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"...well…eh kind of..." Aislinn replied as she sipped her drink, tasting the sweetness of cherry. It was such a delicious drink. Ice cold and sweet at the same time. And on top of that it was free from liquor. ...delicious indeed... "I work during the weekdays..."

..I hope Monday to Thursday are enough for completing missions with Alastair...it would be about sixteen missions per month...I forget how many missions we need to complete for the Agency...hmmm....well, I will just ask him as soon as I see him tomorrow morning,.....and then we could relax together on Friday... She blushed dreamily when she thought about Alastair and took another sip of her ice-cold drink to clear her mind. .... anyway, does not Crystal have a job as well, she is professor in History of Magic at Hogwarts after all...Merlin's beard, I wonder how she is coping with seeing Avery and Macnair...those morons...are they even able to teach students…? ...Aislinn stifled a laugh ...anyway, I guess she might be busy during the weekdays as well...so, I think…

"...what do you say about the coming Saturday or Sunday?" Aislinn suggested smilingly.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"I work during the weekdays..."

"Oh. Sorry; I'm so silly! I forgot that tomorrow is Monday. My least favorite day of the week because that's when the weekend ends and you have to get back to work. " She sighed.

"....what do you say about the coming Saturday or Sunday?"

"If you don't make any plans during this week for this weekend, sure." Crystal smiled in return, telling her that their plans for the upcoming weekend weren't set in stone; just an idea if Aislynn turned out to be free by that time. "Hey, I have a question for you." she said a few seconds later.

"If you could have been born with a different colour hair, what would it be? And it doesn't have to be normal like blonde, red, brown and black...It could be white or blue or whatever." she laughed excitedly. Rosaleya reads a lot of Shoujo manga. She also watches a lot of Anime, which she, in turn, shares with me if she loves them. In those shows, it's like the characters just normally have candy-coloured hair....Like, no one asks "Hey, where did you get your hair dyed?" or "Oh, how often do you touch-up your roots?" It's just normal. So, Rosaleya asked me this question, and I answered; "Red, like fire, with orange highlights and brown lowlights." I wonder what Aislynn's going to answer.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"Yes?" Aislinn looked curiously at Crystal, wondering what she wanted to ask her all of sudden.

"If you could have been born with a different hair color, what would it be? And it doesn't have to be normal like blonde, red, brown and black...It could be white or blue or whatever." Crystal laughed excitedly.

"Whaaaat?" Aislinn burst out surprised about the question and then laughed for a good while. She had not been expecting that kind of question because she had never thought about to have a different hair color, whether it was normal hair color or an extraordinary hair color.

"...Merlin's beard..." She brushed away some tears of joy after she had calmed down from laughing. "...well...I think it would be cool to have dark blue-green hair...I might need to try out several colored wigs to see what suits me the best hehe...what about you?"

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

Crystal laughed hard as well, at Aislynn's reaction. I guess she's never watched that stuff before...If she had, I think she would have had an answer ready for this question. But her reaction is just so funny!

"....dark blue green hair...I might need to try out several coloured wigs to see what suits me best. What about you?"

"Uhm...I actually wanted to go for something really...well...Like raging fire. A burnt red with brown lowlights and subtle, thin streaks of orange...That soft orange like part of a sunset. " She explained. "And maybe really dark brown at the tips. I know it sounds ridiculous, right?" she said with a half-smile. Actually, I think it would be really cool...I just CAN'T stand wearing a wig. Maybe...one day...I'll actually dye my hair that colour...Or rather; those colours.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"...Hmmm..." Aislinn tried to visualize the colors Crystal described. Aislinn was imagining how it would look like and was for a minute confused as she was trying to visualize the soft color of a sunset, the color of a raging fire and the color of strawberry blonde and ginger along with brown.

"I think it will look very cool..." She said thoughtfully. "...You know what?" She grinned widely, suddenly getting an amazing idea. "Let's dye our hairs," She laughed but she was rather being serious than joking. "When you feel ready about it, I will also dye mine in extraordinary colors. There is a hair parlor in Diagon Alley, I don't know if you ever have been there, but I always go there whenever I need to get a decent haircut. You should see the witch who always cuts my hair, she has light blue hair," She laughed as she recalled the last time, she had a haircut. "...I have often seen her in blue hair, but it has never crossed my mind that I could actually dye my hair in any color...I just..." She paused for a minute, remembering the first time she had cut off her hair short like a boy before she started her fourth year at Hogwarts. If I had the courage to cut off all my hair...then why did I not...? "I guess I have never imagined having different hair color since I mostly see people with normal hair colors...." Aislinn spoke more to herself as she looked down in her drink which she was holding in her hand but then she looked up, meeting Crystal's eyes and spoke eagerly and excitingly: "So what do you think about dying our hairs?"

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Let's dye our hairs," She laughed.

Crystal laughed as well, although she half-believed and half-guessed that Aislynn wasn't joking.

Her suspicions were confirmed when Aislynn went on. "When you feel ready about it, I will also dye mine in extraordinary colours. There is a hair parlor in Diagon Alley, I don't know if you ever have been there, but I always go there whenever I need to get a decent haircut. You should see the witch who always cuts my hair, she has light blue hair," She laughed. "..I have often seen her in blue hair but it has never crossed my mind that I could actually dye my hair in any colour..."

"Really?" Crystal asked, surprised. I always admired her bravery at Hogwarts...She cut her hair short, wore pants...A bunch of other things, but I will never forget those tall boots at the ball that year...If I wasn't always so scared to draw attention to myself, I would have been her friend a long time ago...But my logic was that if I had become her friend, I would get noticed. A rebel always gets odd stares for...unique...thinking. Stupid decisions...It doesn't matter now; we're friends now. Crystal smiled, taking a deep breath.

I just..." Aislynn paused for a minute, "I guess I have never imagined having different hair colour since I mostly see people with normal hair colours...." Aislynn spoke more to herself as she looked down in her drink which she was holding in her hand but then she looked up, meeting Crystal's eyes and spoke eagerly and excitingly: "So what do you think about dying our hairs?"

"Uhm...Maybe...Well...the thing is I...One moment, please." Crystal said, nearly stuttering each word. She put her hand on her forehead in thought, her eyes closed and her elbow resting on the bar. It's just that I can't dye my hair because Rosaleya's father wouldn't approve. He knows that Rosaleya and I hang out a lot together, and that was a very large factor in my final decision to always wear a coat. If he finds out that I like these things; dying my hair and dressing oddly, which he has forbidden Rosaleya to do except for on Halloween, he will find stupid little ways to have us avoid spending time with each other. And now, even if I wear a coat, if my hair is dyed, Rosaleya will remember her feud with her father about dying her own hair. How can I explain all of this to Aislynn without telling her that I work at that shop?! Okay; here I go. No details. "I have to maintain a very professional appearance for my job. Or else, no one will take me seriously if I go around with red and brown and...well, you get the idea, right?" Besides my little job at Hogwarts, I work at the shop. So, it would make sense to her that the children won't take me seriously with that hair, right? "But I would support you if you still wanted to dye yours. Or do you have the same 'job' issue?" she asked, rolling her eyes at the word 'job' in a 'the superiors never let you have fun?' kind of a way.

 

[Hikari Chan]

Aislinn was surprised to hear Crystal stuttering all of sudden. She had thought that Crystal had been eager about having a different hair color. ...Perhaps she is only joking about having different hair color and would never change her hair color but keep it as it is...

"I have to maintain a very professional appearance for my job. Or else, no one will take me seriously if I go around with red and brown and…well, you get the idea, right?"

"Oh...I understand..." Aislinn nodded seriously. ...of course, she is professor in History of Magic, perhaps there are certain rules of how to appear and behave as a professor at Hogwarts...

"But I would support you if you still wanted to dye yours. Or do you have the same 'job' issue?" Crystal asked, rolling her eyes at the word 'job' in a 'the superiors never let you have fun?' kind of a way.

"Well...eh..." Aislinn recalled the first time she had visited the Shiki agency with Alastair. She had to wear special formal clothes for the interview. "…I think I need to ask my boss first before I do anything out of ordinary with my appearance…" She laughed. "By the way, do you know what time it is?" She had by now finished her drink, but she was not wearing any watch to keep track on time and there was no clock anywhere in the nightclub. The last time she had checked the time was in the arcade where a large neon colorful animated digital clock was attached at the wall above the main doors, both outside and inside the arcade.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"...I think I need to ask my boss first before I do anything out of ordinary with my appearance..."

"Well, you'll update me on his reply?" Crystal smiled, not really asking but rather stating the fact.

"By the way, do you know what time it is?"

"Uhm...Let me check." she answered, pulling her pocket watch out of her pocket. "It's ten o' one. I'm fine with leaving, since I really don't see the need for another drink; I'm satisfied with just the one. What about you?" she asked as she stuffed the phone back into her pocket. This pocket watch makes me feel really cool when I use it. It's really pretty and functional, and it looks like a vintage one from the Victorian Era; my favorite. Especially for the fashion and the...well, I could make a really, really long list of things.

When Aislynn said that they should leave, Crystal added. "Sure. But, I have one more question before we go. " She put her finger up in the air as if to say 'just one'. "If you could have a really pretty purse, what style would it be? I hate clutches, because I don't want to have to hold something the entire day. I prefer a cross-body style. "