Emmalee pulled her hair back off her shoulders and tied it back into a quick ponytail. Another day done at the office and she was looking forward to spending some time on the alley before heading back to her aunt's.

Only a few more weeks and maybe, just maybe, Emmalee would be able to get her own place. But for now, she was content to stroll down Diagon before heading back.

Blinking in the sunlight as he stepped out of the shadow of Gringott's, Raiden took a moment to glance around before heading on his way down the street. Hands in his pockets, eyes focused on the street some five to six feet in front of him, he wandered. Busy thinking.

So busy thinking that he didn't notice at first when he walked right past the familiar person. He wouldn't have stopped - would have kept right on walking, in fact - had something in the back of his mind not immediately rioted and broken his attention on his thoughts of school supplies.

Blink. Blink. With a slight frown, he looked over his shoulder.

Emmalee had stopped in front of a store and turned to look in the window as the familiar silhouette passed her by. If she hadn't caught his reflection in the glass, she would have never known to turn.

A hopeful smile crossing her lips, she turned to face the direction he had gone, happy to find him stopped and turning back.

"Raiden?"

Lips twitching into a smile, Raiden immediately turned on the spot. There was no mistaking her for someone else.

"Em..." he murmured, taking a few steps closer to her. "What are you doing here?"

Was she out of work already? She had been heading away from the Ministry... glancing around, his smile burst into a grin. This day was obviously going to go well. It couldn't not, now.

Unless she was busy or something. Who knew.

Smile breaking into a grin, Emmalee had taken a few steps and thrown her arms around his shoulders without thinking about it. Eyes closed, she gave him a little squeeze, before letting go and stepping back just the teeniest bit.

"I walk the alley some, most days. Before I head back to Maribeth's." She shrugged. She never bought anything, and she hadn't managed to set up a Gringotts account. Or get a wand that wasn't a hand-me-down. Or really, do anything now that she had income and was almost, almost on her own.

But now? There was going to be a reason to hang out on Diagon. At least until September.

"Missed you," she whispered.

Ahhhhh, Emmalee hugs. Raiden loved Emmalee hugs. Squeezing her back, he kept his arms wrapped around her for just a moment longer after she loosened her grip.

"I'm glad I came down this way then," he said, rather brightly. "I was going to go straight up to Flourish and Blotts, but I figured I'd come down this way first and get some money. Good decision, huh."

If she was just wandering, then that meant that she could wander around with him, right? Wandering with someone was much better than wandering alone, after all. Tilting his head slightly, he observed her for a moment, as if doing so would help him figure out if she had a reason to be walking around, other than just boredom after work.

"You too," he replied, voice almost as quiet as hers. "You're not busy now, then?"

"Me too," she said, answering his lingering arms with a quick, soft kiss. "I think you made a very good decision." This was nice. No deadline, no aunt, just time.

"I'm not busy at all," she said with a smile, taking his hand and lacing her fingers through his. "Do you want to run your errands?"

Or they could... go do something else? Together?

Mmmm. Tightening his fingers around hers, pressing their palms together as he gave her hand a squeeze, Raiden glanced down the street toward where he'd been going. He had told himself he'd try to get his books at the very least today; if he got all his school shopping out of the way, then he could spend the rest of his time wandering around and having fun, enjoying the last summer before his adult status really kicked in.

But the seventeen year old suddenly didn't feel like getting his books today. Besides, it wasn't like they wouldn't be there tomorrow. Or the day after. Or whenever.

"I think errands can wait," he said with a grin. "There's plenty of time before I go back to Hogwarts. And it's not like the shops are just going to wander off before I get what I need."

Forget shopping for school. Today was her day.

"Maybe... we could go to the Leaky or something? What do you want to do?"

Emmalee followed his gaze down the street. At some point, she was going to need to do all sorts of her own errands, but not yet. But at the moment, those didn't really matter - and it wasn't like she could really do them, anyway. Not for another paycheck or two.

With a glance down at their hands, Emmalee looked back up and smiled. Out and about. With people! "Not enough time," she said, teasingly. At some point, he'd go back to school and there'd be no more Diagon walks.

"Ice cream?" He'd told her about Florean's the first time they'd met. And she still hadn't gone.

Well she was right. There really wasn't enough time before he had to go back to Hogwarts. At least, there wasn't enough time for what he wanted to do. Eventually he'd have to be responsible and get his stuff all together. Sigh.

"Enough time for today," he said playfully. That would have to be good enough for now. "The rest will work itself out later."

Hopefully. It had to, right?

"Ice cream sounds like a great idea. Have you been yet?" Turning on the spot, gently pulling her around with him, he pointed toward the ice cream shop. "It's up that way..."

Tug tug tug.

Emmalee nodded sedately. Yes, enough time for today and as far as others? "I walk every day. You can almost always find me here after work." And if it hadn't been true before, it would be now. Emmalee could sit on a bench and people watch for hours.

Especially if it meant a chance at bumping into each other unplanned.

Her eyes sparkled as she smiled and shook her head. A tiny part of her had been saving the ice cream parlor for just such an occasion. "Ice cream by yourself isn't much fun," she added, as he tugged on her arm.

A little hop-skip to catch up - not that he'd gotten all that far - and Emmalee was back beside him, strolling down the Alley in the direction of tasty, frozen goodness.

"I still can't believe I'm working in London," she said, casually, as she gave his hand another squeeze. "I didn't think I'd ever get out of Hogsmeade."

"Well I'll be looking for you then." Raiden nodded, making sure to keep his pace matched to what he thought was okay for her. Didn't want to make her hurry along or anything like that. "I've been... not in London for a while. Otherwise I would have been around here before today."

He... yeah. Didn't feel like explaining his summer. Not just yet. Not out in Diagon Alley where everyone could hear. Maybe later.

"Well... it's not as fun but it's still tastes just as good." His arm bumped against hers as he walked, and he corrected his swaying so that it happened again. Hehe. "How do you like your job? It's not boring is it? What exactly did you end up getting into?"

He really didn't know all that much about the Ministry. Hmm.

"You'll have to tell me about it. Your not being in London, that is." Because she knew when school had gotten out. And if he hadn't been around, that meant he'd been somewhere else. Which meant there was a story.

And Emmalee really liked Raiden's stories.

As he bumped into her, her smile grew wider and she nudged him back, leaning into him so that her arm linked around his as they continued to hold hands. The closeness just felt good.

"It's alright," she answered, looking around the street. "I'm in Magical Education, which was a little weird at first since, you know, I didn't go to school. But it's working out."

She paused a beat, remembering the awkward in her Head's office.

"I hope."

Ahhhh. Tell her about it? That sounded like so much awkward times, and suddenly he really wasn't sure if he wanted to at all. He could always make up a story or something. That would... probably be easier for everyone.

He'd have to think of one.

"Later, maybe," he said finally, with a slight smile. "Maybe I'll tell you about it later."

As he listened to the small bit she told him about her work, he wondered idly if she was actually any worse off than people who had actually gone to Hogwarts. Surely it wasn't that much different... sure there were education policies for the schools but her aunt had had to follow certain things too, hadn't she?

"You hope? It's not bad, is it? I mean your boss isn't mean or anything?" He fought back a frown. "Everything's okay, right?"

OH, Emmalee recognized that maybe. That was a 'ehhhh, maaaaybe' maybe. She nudged him playfully, all the same. "Ok. Later. Maybe."

She stopped, though, when he wanted to make sure everything was alright at work. Or, at least, she stopped for a brief moment, before realizing that she was still holding on, and then she kept moving again.

"Oh! No no, it's fine. Everyone is really nice." She waved idly with her free hand and shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know. I mean... I guess that big problem is that I don't know enough about how Hogwarts works, so I'm playing catch-up." She paused, frowning a bit.

"And I don't know that I'm smart enough to work there..."

But no one had said that to her. She'd gotten to that all on her own.

Well, maybe with some help from Maribeth.

Oh oh oh. Raiden's frown softened slightly into a look of worry. She didn't think she was smart enough? Really? He'd barely noticed that she'd paused, which had slightly thrown him off as he'd not stopped walking. Correcting his steps automatically, he nudged her arm with his.

"You're smart, Emmalee," he said flatly. "You're not stupid for not knowing all the workings of Hogwarts. I've been there for six terms and I doubt I'd know anything useful when it comes to working for Magical Education."

Had someone told her she was stupid? Because that was just unforgivable.

"You'll see. When you learn all the stuff about Hogwarts, you'll see. You're smart and you're probably really good at your job."

He gave a small tug, fingers squeezing hers again.

"Let's just go get ice cream, okay?"

She looked like she could use it.

She wanted to believe him. She really, really did. But the more she read, the more she realized she was so woefully behind on everything. Astronomically. Catastrophically. Maribeth's schooling methods had not been up to par.

But Emmalee faked it pretty well.

"Thanks, Raiden," she said softly, leaning her head on his shoulder as they continued to walk. "I don't know that I told you this... but I don't think I would have even applied for the job if it weren't for you."

She sighed, not wanting to talk much more about work. Squeezing his hand back, she smiled, head still on his shoulder.

"Yes, ice cream. Let's go."

And with that, she followed him down the street, and off for a snack.

Cam just needed to get her school books and her shopping would be done. She was tired, hungry, disheartened and wishing it wasn't so hot. Bleh. She was all sticky and ew. She pouted and picked up her school purchases. She probably shouldn't have gotten her potions ingredients first because they were starting to smell a little off..

This. Was. Not. Happening.

It couldn't be; Adam was not ready to be leaving Hogwarts. And he would be, very soon if the speed of this year was anything to compare with the others. If he'd still been in Durmstrang he would have graduated already and probably been pleased to go. Now... Hogwarts was amazing, that he couldn't deny. And he didn't want to leave, didn't want to have to go out and work, and leave the school forever.

He paused in the middle of the street to tie his laces, still in disbelief. This wasn't happening.

Erg. Lorelai was so not ready to just be running errands once more. After dropping her little brother off home, for about the sixtieth time that summer, she had stopped off in Diagon Alley. Just because she KNEW her boyfriend would be here, and she wanted to go home and just watch a film, something he never reeeeally knew she wanted to do.

Nor did she really wanna do much except shop.

So, fully armed with her prada bag, and eating some chocolate buttons, Lori headed down the street, heels clicking as she did so, her eyes wide looking for Adam.

"Um.. 'Scuse me, it's so not safe to st-- Adam?" She had KNOWN that hair, so she ruffled it. Heh

Twisting his laces together, Adam tucked them down the side of his shoes and then proceeded to do the other one. He was gonna make this year amazing, he thought to himself. He wasn't going to sit and mope all year about how rubbish it was to be leaving; he was going to enjoy it, and save the moping for the very last day.

About to stand up, Adam hear a voice behind him that he knew could only be his girlfriends and grinned to himself. A moment later she had saif his name and ruffled his hair, and he stood up and ruffled it a bit more. "Lorelai," he grinned turning around to face her. "I was doing my laces up," he said in explanation as to him sitting on the ground. Because she was right; it wasn't safe.

"Ooooh chocolate buttons," his grin broadened as he leant forward and pinched one from Lori's hand. Hehe.

Chuckling softly as her hand weaved out of his hair, and she straightened up herself, Lori watched her boyfriend get up, and smiled at him before planting a kiss on his cheek. "Don said he'll see you this weekend, and you owe him ice cream." Or it could have been chocolate, Lori never knew with Donovan and Adam, anymore.

Laces? Merlin. "Tie them up properly then, in KNOTS. Or wear shoes without laces, muuuuch simpler. I can get you some tomorrow if you'd want?" If her allowance was paid into her muggle bank account. Alicia and Jake were kinda being mean about it all, so she had no idea when it was coming. But they had to keep paying till she was twenty-one. It was in their contract they had signed. Mwaha.

What. A. Loser! Smacking at his chest lightly, Lori finished off the buttons in her hand and shook her head. "That was my dinner, stupid. Because i'm not having a takeaway tonight. And I want to watch a film, and pig out on ice cream." Because she said so.

Adam grinned down at Lori as she kissed his cheek, and then pulled her into a hug. Leaving his arm around her shoulders when the embrace was over, he thought about Donnie. Ice cream? "Oh no, it's gummy bears," he laughed, remembering the weekend previously, where he'd eaten Donnie's sweets and promised him more. Oh, how he loved Lorelai's brother.

"I can't, because they're not meant to be tied," Adam said. Okay, so they probably were, that would be why they had laces. But he just didn't tie them, they looked weird when he did. Shoes without laces? Well, he was planning on buyin- Lorelai buy them? "I can't let you buy me some. Besides, I almost have enough money for some DC's, so I'll get them or a pair of Vans soon." He nodded a bit. Nope, Lori was not buying him stuff. Not after the car. "Are Jake and Alicia still giving you Muggle money? What is it called, pennies?" Because last time he'd heard, Lori hadn't really been on good terms with them.

Dinner? "You can't just eat that for dinner. We'll get something on the way home if you want. From Sainsco's or whatever it is, Tesc-bury's." he nodded as though this was the best plan anyone could ever have. "But ice cream and a film sound good. You got anything in mind?" As long as it wasn't a soppy chick-flic, Adam was good.

Oh, how she did enjoy hugs from her boyfriend. Smiling to herself as he hugged her, Lori nuzzled her head into him before pulling away and laughing lightly. Swinging one of his arms off her shoulder, and taking his hand in hers she smiled again and nodded. "Gummy bears.... riiiiiiight. Don't get owing him a lot, though. He'll get fat." Even though he played a lot of quidditch and football.

Weren't meant to be tied? Lori nodded at this fact, and rolled her eyes. He wasn't going to wi-- Again, not going to win at this either. "Seventh year present, besides... I love you, so I can." And she was going to, whether he liked them or not. Oh. Alicia and Jake. "Mmm.. They have to. Till i'm twenty-one. They just don't pay when they're meant to. They were meant to have yesterday. But they haven't. And that sucks, 'cos we need to pay the rent next week." Merlin, rent. Atleast she was saving up, they could move out into a proper house after graduation. Not their pokey little apartment.

"But I'm fine with just the.... And it's Sainsbury's and Tesco's, Merlin Adam... you so need to learn. I mean you walked into Morrison's last week and asked for chocolate frogs!" And that was embarassing, aswell as stupid. But she was up for a Tesco's dinner now. "Can we get the ready meal's please? I wan't a chicken tikka dish." Yuuuummmmm.


"Er... You pick, i'll probably end up falling to sleep anyways..."