lilyelioraâ:
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Lily saw all sorts of people at the apothecary. Sometimes she saw rich, haughty people who only saw her as a means to an end. She saw frustrated people who used her as an outlet for their bad day. She saw harried people who didnât seem to have the time to be polite or friendly. It could be demoralizing, even to someone as positive as Lily, to have to deal with unpleasant customers, so whenever she saw a friendly face it was always a bright spot in her day. It was an even brighter spot when it was a familiar friendly face.
Lily was quick to count people as friends, but Ava Avery had, in Lily opinion, well and truly earned the title. Theyâd bonded while at Hogwarts by virtue both of being Gryffindors and being quidditch fanatics. Ava was the person she sat with at games and talked to about plays and scores and rankings. They hadnât been the closest of girls, there were still plenty of things that they didnât share, like their family backgrounds for one, but Lily was happy to see Ava nonetheless.
âAva! I donât think Iâve seen you since you graduated, how have you been?â Lily gave the older girl a one armed hug, the more professional version of her usual greeting, then remembered that Ava had asked after her. âIâm good. Still getting used to being graduated, definitely donât feel like an adult yet.â As she spoke, Lily ushered Ava toward the front of the shop. Lily had convinced Morwenna to move some of the most popular items, including hangover cures, to near the door so people who knew what they were looking for could zip in and zip out.Â
âWeâve got our ready made hangover cures right here, but if you want something stronger, I can get it made for you by the end of business tomorrow. We also do delivery for custom orders.â
Ava smiled, leaning into the hug. She had always considered herself a person who came alive near other people, always preferring company to solitude. The past few months had changed her slightly in that regard âleaving her some days wanting to just be alone- but at large, her energy still came from others. Walking into a store for a supply and ending up chatting with a friend instead was the best surprise there was. Yes, she decided, she had most definitely chosen the correct errand today.
âIâve been great!â she said, which was pushing it a little. Well, a lot. But Ava was not about to break down about inner turmoil in a pharmacy, in front of a friend she hadnât seen for ages. So instead she grinned. âGot my own flat, worked for the Ministry a bit. All that.â
She nodded as she listened. It had been a year now, but Ava could understand the sentiment. Sometimes it felt like she was still getting used to being a graduated adult, instead feeling like she was simply drifting â waiting for school to start back up again. Sometimes she still found it odd that it never would for her. âI can recognise that! Itâs still a bit strange sometimes, like Iâm play-pretending adult. But it got more real for me once fall came, reckon itâll be the same for this years graduates too. Have you gotten a place yet? That usually helps too.â
Ava followed her, eyes scanning the store as they walked. This was another part of adulthood: going to physically buy what potions you needed, rather than bribing the classmates that excelled in the subject. âI think I can make do with the regular cures on a normal basis, but Iâd be interested in storing up some of the stronger stuff. Merlin knows Iâll need it at the end of the season. Can it be stored for longer periods, or do I have to send desperate owls when the day comes?â




















