Parker entered the shop with very wide eyes clutching the hand of his younger sister. He couldn't look like a baby clinging to his mother's hand. Holding onto Lettie's hand was him making sure she wouldn't go off and touch something that would turn her into a toad. He wasn't sure but he didn't think that anyone would take her to the palace and ask if their royal highnesses would want to give her a kiss. The little girl's hand was sweaty and sticky but Parker could ignore that. His own hands were sweaty and dirty so a bit of stickyness wouldn't harm him.

"Wooooaaahhhh," was the first thought that came to mind and so Parker said it. This place was like no other! And it was exactly like how he pictured a wizard or witch shop to be. The pub had been fun halfly because of the disapproving looks his mom had thrown about. She liked clean and orderly and took it in stride when her children mucked things up. It was entireley different when grown ups who should know better went and didn't bother.

And when they'd entered the alley! Of course his mother insisted they stay close to her. His father and brother would have been there as well except Robbie had to go to the dentist. Mom told him that it could be the end of the world and he would still have to go. Lettie and Parker had found that really funny.

"I think I'll wait outside with Lettie," his mother said as she eyed a floating organ thing in a jar with revulsion. Silencing any protests with a look, his mother took Lettie's hand. Parker swallowed and watched as his mother left the shop. Stomach doing flip flops, he loomed back towards the counter. "Hello?"

Armadillo bile. Fluxweed. Bicorn. She mentally ticked off ingredients in her blonde head looking through the ingredients in the shop to make sure she had picked up everything she needed to restock in her potions kit. It needed to be replenished before the start of this term. Holly had no idea just how she had managed to scrape by an O in her O.W.Ls in that class. Potions was probably her worst subject at school. Perhaps professor Snape had made a mistake. If it was one she wouldn't mention it. She needed potions for her future.

Her arms were laden down with packs and vials of various ingredients now that she had picked through the entire shop. She didn't want another problem likes at hear when she had forgotten to purchase an ingredient and had spent a week scrubbing cauldrons because she had tried to improvise. Professor Snape didn't approve of improvisation in his classroom. Holly could understand why because the healing potion she had been trying to create came out dangerous fail which had burned through her cauldron and the desk and onto to the stone floor. She definitely didn't want a repeat of that and the following week of detention. Especially not now with her prefect badge.

Walking up to the front of the shop she noticed a young boy waiting at the counter. He looked kind of scared. Holly fumbled with the things in her arms but was able to keep everything from spilling to the ground, a fact she was quite proud of. "First year?" She guessed to the little boy coming up behind him to wait her turn at the counter. Which didn't have anyone working behind it.

Not expecting the voice to come from behind him, the boy startled. Spinning so fast he nearly tripped over his own feet, Parker looked up or tried to over the girl's full arms, to her face. Nodding his shaggy blond head, Parker gazed at the items with wide eyes. He wanted to ask what they were but didn't think she would find it funny if everything fell. And she could be holding powder that turned him into a mouse! He didn't want that. So he asked, "How do you manage without being an octopus?"

His mom was like that too! She told him it was a magic mom thing. But the lady here wasn't a mom was she? With wide eyes he blurted out, "My mom says its a magic thing but she doesn't have magic. Not really. Unless you count it magic that mom knows exactly when we've still got muddy shoes on."

Blinking innocently up at the lady he wondered if the guy or lady at the counter was on a bathroom break. They had to have those too right? Oh! If they could make it so you didn't have to go, that would be neat! For more then one reason Parker would love to know that one!

The little boy spun so fast she nearly dropped everything in her arms she was so startled. Luckily with a little dip to the left and a little jig to the right and she was able to keep everything in her arms. It was only then that Holly's friendly smile reappeared, aimed at the boy. A tinkling laugh filled the air at his comment. "Kind of have to don't I?" She replied in kind.

It was quite obvious she would've thought. She was a human and didn't have another option but to manage it all. "But very carefully. And with balance it's a cinch." Her light tinkling laugh sounded again as he rambled about his mom having magic but not really having magic. So he must be a muggleborn. Holly thought it might be fun to humor the young boy since the counter was still empty. "Or like when they hear you mutter something from three rooms away?"

"Exactly!" Parker exclaimed happy the girl knew what he meant. Mom's were just weird when you could talk in a whisper and they could hear you like a dog or something. Other times when he wanted to talk to her she'd be as deaf as Great Uncle Thomas.

"I don't have balance," he replied a bit sadly. "I can't do a cartwheel or stand on my head to save my life. Lettie and Robbie can." His tone said how much he found that unfair.

Shifting from foot to foot becoming aware that he might be holding the girl up even if the counterman was taking the longest ever bathroom break. Looking around, the boy found the whole thing fascinating as well as intimidating at the same time. It was creepy and brilliant, and he had no idea what some of the things on his list were. "I can help hold some of that if you want?"