Henry turned his eyes momentarily away from the gumball machine to Noelle as she spoke. Oh, well, he was kind of planning to do that anyway if he had gotten blueberry and not just because he didn't think he'd like that flavor too much. It seemed to be her number one favorite and he wouldn't just keep it knowing that. "Yeah, of course you can!" he grinned at her before turning back to the machine. "And you don't have to give me any knuts, it's okay."

He watched as it rolled and rolled through the maze until it got to the bottom. Well, it was blue, but he couldn't say for sure if it was blueberry. That was the probable assumption, but one could never know for sure until they tasted it. He pulled it out from behind the little door and held it out for her. "Here, you wanna try it and see if it's blueberry? It's blue.. so probably." Meanwhile, he stuck his other hand in his pocket to see if he had a few more coins.

HE WAS GOING TO GIVE HER THE GUMBALL IF IT WAS BLUE!
Noelle beamed at him. "Henry has anyone told you how awesome you are??" Because clearly he was amazing for giving her his blue gumball. If this gumball was blueberry. Which Noelle couldn't think of another fruit or candy flavor that was blue to be anything other than blueberry.

And the ball was blue!!

Noelle grinned and wiggled excitedly as Henry told her she could have it. She took it from the machine and bit into it as Henry out his hand into his pocket for more coins. Oh no. She was paying for his next one.

"Mph! Ju dumph pay dis time." Her words were muffled because a mouthful of gum. Noelle stuck her hand into her pouch and got him two coins. She held them out for Henry.

Rachel did not go crazy over sweets though she did like them. She had just finished browsing around the shop and had came across the gumball machines so she stood them trying to figure out which gum she wanted. She saw there were pink coloured ones and she wanted one of those. The trouble was, suppose that it took a long time to get to a pink one?

"It's not my fault I'm obsessed with all things pink,'' the eleven year old mumbled to herself. She began rummaging through her bag for some coins. She was sure she had a few of them in that little pocket in the corner.

Huh? Henry looked up from digging the coins out of his pocket to look at Noelle as she expressed her gratitude. "Um.. no? But it's really no big deal," he added with a grin. "It's your favorite, so I'd want you to have it." It wouldn't be right to keep it, especially when he didn't like that flavor all that much anyway.

He had just found two knuts when she took the gumball and he looked up as she said something very muffled that he couldn't quite understand. He squinted a bit, looking at her curiously, his eyes soon falling on the coins in her hand. Oh! He understood what she meant.

"Are you sure? I don't mind paying.." It was just two knuts, hardly anything. But he figured she was trying to be fair and he took the money from her hand anyway. "So, is it blueberry?" he asked as he plunked the coins into the slot, turning to watch yet another gumball go through the maze. He figured it probably was though he guessed it could be blue raspberry as well.

Kirk was pretty happy, but a little sad. Only a little bit at the same time. It was summer, which meant a lot of play time but school was approaching even closer along with his eleventh birthday. Unfortunately that would be after school began so seeing some kids near his age go into the wand shop wasn't making him feel any cooler. So he decided to go into the nearest shop that he wouldn't have to wait another year to buy something from... the sweet shop!

Once inside, Kirk fumbled through his pockets. It was then that Kirk realised he didn't ask for a whole lot of money from his parents. Tsk. Big mistake, since it meant he had to be frugal now. So he went to the gumball machines to get a few for now.

Lex balanced his schoolbag slightly precariously on his shoulder, still unsure of the magically-reinforced strap - unsure of any of this magical stuff, really, but it's not like he was taking it on faith at this point.
He looked around the busy street, trying to scope out a place to rest before going to buy his inevitably heavy books. Thankfully, his grandparents had overbudgeted on supplies, so even with the weird exchange rate for wizard money he was fine for supplies. He spied the Sugarplums sign and made a decision to check it out - he could pick up some Smarties or something else chocolate for a treat, and then take a break. The sweets shop would be straightforward, right?
Nope. Everything in the shop was just as chaotic as outside, between the hordes of parents and children, likely fellow students, and yet more unfamiliar sights and sounds. Lex took three steps in and resolved to leave, but as he turned around he was ushered to the side by a frantic shopkeeper. Watching her scamper off distracted him so he nearly missed the huge jar of lollies flying through the air. He ducked out of the way, narrowly avoiding a boy near his own age and half-colliding with a gumball machine.
"Sorry about that," he said, but blinked in disbelief at the sight of a familiar face. "Kirk?"

All those delicious sweets. Some floating and some not so much. Well, maybe Kirk could splurge a little. After all, he could get other stuff another time. Who said he needed to plan it out right away. Getting a handful of gumballs he then turned to pocket some before heading to the counter when-

"Whoa!" Nearly got a lollipop AND some other guy colliding into him. Phew! "Watch where-" Kirk? "Lex?" What was he doing here? HOW did he get over here? Maybe it was just a huge wrong turn he did or followed some wrong person to get into Diagon Alley. Lex was non magic after all and didn't go to his school despite being neighbors. So that ruled one possibility out. But why would he have gone into a pub to make it in? This was confusing. Kirk had questions for him, but how to ask without giving things away. "What's in the bag?" Well, that was one other thing he was dying to know.

Ahh, the gumball machine. Teddy's favourite lolly giving toy. He walked up to one, but there was a girl there. So he waited, trying to be patient. But... she was standing there for what seemed like a long time without doing anything. It appeared she was looking for something, and Teddy just wanted to watch the gum go through the little tricks and mazes. His coins were all ready. But he wasn't a rude boy, so he stood there waiting.

"Umm..." he said, quietly, then cleared his throat. "Umm... do... do you need to borrow some money?" he asked. Teddy didn't even love the gum that came down. He mostly just liked to watch the gum go through the machine, so really, it wasn't like he was paying for her to enjoy some gum. He was paying for HIMSELF to watch the gum drop. He just... didn't feel like eating the gum. And offering it to someone else was far better than throwing it away.

Henry was just too sweet. Giving her his gumball. Noelle smiled at him, the blue dye from his gumball showing on her teeth. "Thank you anyways. And yes! It's blue berry." They had been right about that. She was glad he accepted the knuts and didn't argue with her about them. She would have said no.

Her attention turned to the gumball machine as Henry out the money it and cranked it. She watched as the gumball started down the trail. She didn't know why gumball machines were so fascinating.

"Theres this gumball machine in the muggle town by where I live, and it in, there's a little game you can play to get your gumball. It's fun. You hit the gumball into the little circle." Noelle told Henry as his gumball came down.

She wondered which flavor he had gotten this time.

Oh, well that was good. Henry was glad to know that Noelle had gotten blueberry, though he would have let her have it either way. "You're welcome," he smiled, then chuckled a little bit seeing that her teeth were blue. He wondered if his own gumball had changed the color of any part of his mouth.

Butt for now he turned his attention back to the newest gumball coming out of the machine. He wasn't sure he would ever get tired of watching it go through the cool little maze, though maybe he really should save his money for other kinds of candies in this store. He listened to Noelle speak, though he kept his eyes on the gumball tumbling through the maze. "Really? That sounds really cool.. I like games. Is it like pinball?" That's what it sounded like to him at least. He wished he could go see it sometime, maybe. Or if there was another one like that at a place by him.

Once his gumball had gotten to the little door, he pulled it out and held it up. Red. "What kind do you think it is?" Red could mean a lot of things - cherry, strawberry, raspberry.. end there were probably other surprises too. Only one way to find out and he popped it into his mouth, not minding if it mixed with his tropical punch one. It was starting to loose its flavor anyway. Definitely cherry and it mixed well with the pineapple-y flavor pretty well.

SPOILER!!: TEDDY <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jessiqua

Ahh, the gumball machine. Teddy's favourite lolly giving toy. He walked up to one, but there was a girl there. So he waited, trying to be patient. But... she was standing there for what seemed like a long time without doing anything. It appeared she was looking for something, and Teddy just wanted to watch the gum go through the little tricks and mazes. His coins were all ready. But he wasn't a rude boy, so he stood there waiting.

"Umm..." he said, quietly, then cleared his throat. "Umm... do... do you need to borrow some money?" he asked. Teddy didn't even love the gum that came down. He mostly just liked to watch the gum go through the machine, so really, it wasn't like he was paying for her to enjoy some gum. He was paying for HIMSELF to watch the gum drop. He just... didn't feel like eating the gum. And offering it to someone else was far better than throwing it away.

Rachel had no inkling that there was someone behind her all this while. She had found the cluster of coins just as the voice came floating to her ears. She turned gracefully, her ponytails swinging when she did.

"I don't need any actually. Thank you, however.'' It was then she realised that she had been standing before the machine for a while. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to stall the line.'' Luckily there weren't that many persons milling around the gumball area. "Have you got any idea how I can get a pink gumball without having to try many times?'' Rachel was going to take all the help she could get.

Whoa, that girl's hair whipped around like a whipper snipper. "No, that's okay," he said quickly, not wanting her to think that he was being impatient. Teddy listened to her questions and then stepped forward to have a look at the reservoir of gumballs. There were a few pink ones there, near the bottom. "Well... no. But I have some coins on me. I just like watching the gumballs go through the maze. If I get a pink one, you can have it." Surely there was a spell or something. Not that he would be able to perform it, of course, but perhaps an adult would be able to.

SPOILER!!: Teddy Bear! <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jessiqua

Whoa, that girl's hair whipped around like a whipper snipper. "No, that's okay," he said quickly, not wanting her to think that he was being impatient. Teddy listened to her questions and then stepped forward to have a look at the reservoir of gumballs. There were a few pink ones there, near the bottom. "Well... no. But I have some coins on me. I just like watching the gumballs go through the maze. If I get a pink one, you can have it." Surely there was a spell or something. Not that he would be able to perform it, of course, but perhaps an adult would be able to.

It was a tad disappointing that the boy had no idea of how to get pink gumballs but it was possible that the machine had been enchanted to prevent something just like this from happening. Rachel was touched that the boy was willing to spend his coins for a pink one even though it was for his own entertainment.

"Alright but I insist we use my coins first.'' She felt it was a fair idea givent hat she felt bad for holding him up in the short queue. "Would you like to try first?'' She held out her coins. "I'm Rachel Watson, by the way. Do you like sweets a great deal?''

Lex opened his bag, showing Kirk the inside, where a variety of supplies, including his small cauldron, were arranged.
"Kirk, I had no idea you were a... a wizard." He looked around the shop, taking it in before focusing back on Kirk, a look of realization in his face. "Wait, so did you get a letter too? Is that how you found out about this place?" He smiled brightly. "Are you going to the wizard school, too?"

"Hmm... well... we can use some of yours and then some of mine." Teddy wasn't going to use all of her money, that would be extortion. Sort of. But she was offering one of her coins first, and he also didn't want to offend her by refusing. SO he took the coin and plonked it into the gumball machine, twisting the knob. He almost pressed his nose against the glass to watch the ball, but alas, it was blue. He fished it out of the slot and said "Er... do you want a blue one?"

"Watson? WOW!" Teddy's face lit up! "My favourite fictional character, well.. one of them.. is John Watson. That's very cool." Yes, he was super impressed. "I'm Teddy. Teddy Burton," he said with a smile, to Rachel Watson. He wondered if she would mind him calling her Watson. He'd have to ask her if that was okay a bit later. "I love chocolate frogs the most. And I collect the cards. I don't really like the bubblegum flavour though. What about you?"

So when Lex opened the bag, Kirk saw everything that was there. Cauldron, books, quills, so much non-muggle things. His jaw dropped open and the words that he spoke. He couldn't help the feelings of being impressed, angry and most of all.. feeling kinda small.

"..No. I.." Well, he wasn't a muggle that was for sure. He had those magic instances happen off and on since he was younger. "I'm just here while my dad's shopping with mum. We always visit here in the summer." That explained why he was here. As for the letter, "Next year I get mine. My birthday's passed the deadline." Which was soooo not cool since he was almost 11. Even worse that one of his friends would be going off without him first. "So.. Hogwarts right?" Did he know anything of the school or perhaps not?

SPOILER!!: Teddy <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jessiqua

"Hmm... well... we can use some of yours and then some of mine." Teddy wasn't going to use all of her money, that would be extortion. Sort of. But she was offering one of her coins first, and he also didn't want to offend her by refusing. SO he took the coin and plonked it into the gumball machine, twisting the knob. He almost pressed his nose against the glass to watch the ball, but alas, it was blue. He fished it out of the slot and said "Er... do you want a blue one?"

"Watson? WOW!" Teddy's face lit up! "My favourite fictional character, well.. one of them.. is John Watson. That's very cool." Yes, he was super impressed. "I'm Teddy. Teddy Burton," he said with a smile, to Rachel Watson. He wondered if she would mind him calling her Watson. He'd have to ask her if that was okay a bit later. "I love chocolate frogs the most. And I collect the cards. I don't really like the bubblegum flavour though. What about you?"

"This sounds like a very good plan,'' Rachel agreed and was extremely happy when the boy took a coin. She shifted so that he could also get a good view of the gumball machine. They would watch the gums make their descent together. She noted that the boy pressed his nose against the machine and smiled to herself. He really liked watching them going through the maze. It seemed their first gum was a blue one. "If you don't want it, then sure. I can take it to share with my friends.''

The girl giggled at his reaction to his name. "Yes, it is. That name is familiar. Isn't he a character in the Sherlock Holmes books? I've read a few of those.'' She paused, tugging on the end of one of her plaits. "Burton? Are you Ava Burton's brother?'' She had met the prankster girl in this very shop last year. "It's lovely to meet you, Teddy. Yes, I like sweets but I try not to consume lots of them because they can be bad for you. But I do love sugar quills.'' Rachel had recently taken a liking for them, actually. "You do? I have some cards. I could give them to you if you'd accept them.''

Teddy nodded, "I'm more into chocolate, so you can have it." If only they were chocolate balls too. He would probably spend most of his money on them though. No, best it was a gumball machine rather than chocolate.

"YES! He's a doctor. He's Sherlock's best friend. Well... Sherlock is John's. Well.. I mean they seem to be best friends." But Sherlock was such an odd character, who would know? "The stories are told from his perspective." They were superb. He could only imagine what they would be like being narrated by Sherlock! Merlin...

"Yes, I am. You've met Ava? She's my twin sister. We're both second years. It's nice to meet you too." She seemed very nice. "I know they can... I usually eat at least one chocolate a day, but sometimes more. I eat all of my vegetables though, so my mum says it's okay for me to eat my chocolate. Sugar quills are good, too. I like them." He nodded again. His face lit up. "Really? I... well, only if you don't want them." He didn't want to force them from her.

There were so many things in this shop. It was another one that his parents had cautioned him about spending too much time in - as a 12 year old boy, he was extremely inclined toward spending all of his money on candy, and they knew it. However, he was also very inclined toward spending it on magical stuff, because who didn't want tons and tons of magical stuff?! So he was pretty sure it would be safe to go in.

He'd made an immediate beeline toward the gum machines. It wasn't like he had any sort of need or attachment to gum... he just thought that mechanical stuff like this was cool. Plus, they were in a magical candy shop. What if the machines did something cool? What if the gum did something cool? He needed to know. So, digging in his pocket, he produced a few coins and searched through them for two knuts for the machine furthest from the doorway.

Oliver loved candy. Naturally Sugarplums was one of his favorite stores in Diagon Alley. He could not rank it as a definitive favorite because he needed to keep his options open because there might be something he liked better. He liked a lot of stores so he couldn't say which one he liked best. Plus it was too much of a commitment. His interests could change.

But candy would never change. Olly had slipped away from his dads so he could browse at his leisure. He was sure that they would find him eventually (it wouldn't be hard to figure out where he'd went) and then they could pay for his candy. Until them he had time to make a good selection. Olly had just entered the store when he was promptly distracted by a familiar face.

"Hi Jay!" He hurried toward the boy, and his gumball machine. That looked cool too, and delicious. Olly was pretty sure he had a few coins in his pocket. He reached in to check. "Have you gotten one yet?

With the call of his name he looked up, and a grin split his face. He was getting to see so many people he knew in Diagon Alley! It was really nice. He hadn't really expected it, even though... he probably should have, considering. Everyone had to buy things, after all.

"Hi Olly!" he held his hand up a bit, showing the other boy the coins. "Not yet. I had to find another knut..."

It had taken him a minute. Another thing Jaemin was more at home with was Muggle money, because... well, while he had used Wizard money quite a lot, he used Muggle money more. He was half Muggle, after all. Still, he shoved the not-knuts into his pocket again and kept his two spare knuts clutched in his other hand.

"Do you s'pose they do neat things? Or will they just be like... regular gumball machines...?" He stepped closer to the one he'd picked out already and carefully placed the two knuts in, back to back, before looking at Olly. "Or the gum does anything?"

He hoped.

Oh, so both boys were at the same point in the process of getting a gumball. Jaemin must not have been there for very long either. Olly finally succeeded in fishing the coins out of his pocket. He had five knuts and a sickle. That was enough for two gumballs if he wanted.

Neat things? "I don't know." Now that he thought about it, he had never used this gumball machine even though he'd been to Sugarplum's plenty of times. He preferred to spend his money on other kinds of candy, like chocolate. "Maybe. Like if you get a blueberry flavored one you might turn into a giant blueberry." He'd seen it happen on a movie once.

Jaemin very slowly turned the small mechanism that would make the machine swallow the knuts and release a gumball. It wasn't anything special, he decided a moment later, when a gumball merely dropped into a swirling track and slowly rode it toward the bottom. Nothing overly interesting. No transfigurations, no jumping about.

"They work the same as regular Muggle ones," he murmured, looking away from the gumball as it descended and at Olly instead. "I was kinda expecting something else."

Oh well. Worser things could happen, and now he'd gotten a gumball. He squatted down to open the little door thingy and carefully took it out; it was a white one, speckled with pink. Hopefully it would be t-

Ohhhhhhh dear. Jaemin looked at Olly in alarm. "I don't think I want to turn into a blueberry. What if someone tries to eat me...?"

He did not want to be eaten. Not today. Not on his first outing alone in Diagon Alley.

Olly, too, was a little disappointed that these gumball machines did not have a little more flair to them. They were supposed to be magical. Magical things were usually cooler than muggle ones, but this one was just as boring as all regular ones. Disappointing.

But hey, gumballs were fun either way. Now that Jaemin was done, Olly put his two knuts into the gumball machine and watched as his gumball traveled down in a very regular and boring fashion. But at the end there was a bright pink gumball behind the little door.

"You won't turn into a blueberry," he said confidently. "That one's obviously not blueberry flavored." What flavor was it? And what flavor was his? Olly shrugged and popped it in his mouth to find out.

The nice thing about Olly being here, on top of the fact it was just nice that he was here, was that he could test the gumballs before Jaemin did. That way, if they were to do anything weird... well, he'd be forewarned. Not that Jaemin didn't revel in weird, because Merlin knew he enjoyed experimenting, but... well, he liked to know it was coming.

He watched Olly for a good long minute before he finally put his own gumball in his mouth. Nothing had happened yet... so clearly nothing was going to happen. Right? Right. He chewed it up, cracking the thin candy shell on the outside easily.

"...it tastes like pineapple and strawberries," he mumbled after a minute, tilting his head. "But not like... fake stuff. It tastes like proper fruit."

Maybe THIS was why they were in a magic shop? Because he'd never had fruity gum before that had actually tasted decent. Or maybe he'd just been having all the wrong gum during his lifetime. Who knew?

"What's yours?" It looked like Olly had gotten a bubblegum flavoured bubblegum, but... Jaemin had had his experiences with wizard candy, and he knew that sometimes the flavour didn't quite match the exterior. Looking at you, jellybeans.