Sam hesitated only briefly before accepting the proffered gloves with a heartfelt "Thanks!" House colors be damned, her hands were cold. "Definitely gonna hafta get me some of these in green while we're here. They're really nice!." She sighed dramatically "Why couldn't ol' Slytherin have liked purple instead?

Paddy was so used to being with other Gryffindors, she didn't even think to check Sam's house before making those gloves. "I can't do the colour changing charms yet," she admitted, "but maybe Magnus knows how to get those stripes to change colour?"

( )

"Not to worry" Sam smiled at Paddys concern. "If any of my house mates have a problem with what color of gloves I choose to wear, I've got the broad side of a beater's bat to correct their attitude. Seriously, I can understand rivalrys between different schools, but I have to admit, I don't really get this house thing."

"Potions is one o' me best subjects, so I could 'elp ya if you want?" Paddy handed him a pair of gloves. "Thanks, but I got a pair," he said, showing her his gloves. True they didn't have a heat charm but he was still fairly warm. He slid his wand from his pocket and pointed it to Sam's new gloves, "I do. Colovaria," he said waving his wand in a smooth left arc. They changed in a flash and were suddenly green and silver with a slight hint of rosemary scent. "I learnt the colour changing charm to change me Quidditch robes to red. The rosemary scent I discovered the other day and added that cos, um I could." He laughed and blushed. Charms was another of his best subjects. Astronomy was not.

"I was wary of being sorted, in case I ended up in Slytherin," Paddy admitted, "I'd heard some horror stories about some of the past students from that house, but so far every Slytherin I've met has been really nice. Maybe those stories were just old-wives' tales after all."

She watched as Magnus changed the colour of the gloves, trying to memorise the wand movement. "Could you teach me that charm some day," she asked, "I'd love to be able to change the colour of my Uncle's things for a joke." "You're welcome to these gloves as spares," she added, "I knitted some extras last night."

( )

Rox waited until it was her turn to give her permission slip to Miss Kain. She was happy to be able to go to Hogsmeade as she really wanted to visit Honeydukes and Tomes and Scrolls.

She knew her friend MG () wouldn't be too far behind her. She was curious to find out where MG would like to go

"Ta," he said taking the gloves, "they are rather nice lookin'. You knitted them yourself? They look store bought." There was awe in his voice. Then Paddy said she wanted to learn the charm and he smiled mischievously, "'O course, I'd be 'appy to 'elp with your noble goal 'o messing with your Uncle."

Paddy blushed - she wasn't much good at receiving compliments. "I wasn't allowed to help with Uncle's potions, so my Mum taught me how to knit, to keep me out of trouble when I stayed at his house for the summer. It didn't keep me out of trouble, but I can knit some really nice gloves."

( ) [img align=left]http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac299/blissfuldaisies/Random/Hog_zpsirgm5ewn.png[/img]Gaia watched the interaction happen and had to laugh. She wanted to be part of the action so she looped her arm around Beth's arm. "We can't be the only ones on our own, can we?" Gaia gave her best cheeky grin and waved at Sam and Magnus leaving already.

Gaia turned to Emmy "Don't feel bad Magnus is adjusting and he can be a little" shifting her eyes from side to side added "difficult!" she giggled. "We are all meeting for butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks when we are done shopping. As far as a pet shop the alley ways in the main village have shop branches from Diagon Alley so the Emporium most likely will be open. It is a smaller shop, so if you have a big order I suggest sending an owl to the main shop!" Then turned to Aderyn and Beth "We should go. Aderyn are you coming with us to Honeydukes?"

[img align=left]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uye1LcX3z1g/VjgxJmo4ZRI/AAAAAAAAADw/cMEvRED_5jc/s250-Ic42/Roman%252520ii.png[/img] Roman was shocked that Professor Kain allowed him to travel to Hogsmeade without a signed permission slip. But he understood that she didn't have much a choice. Being that he was a ghost, he could travel to Hogwarts whenever he pleased.

He hovered over a mound of snow and looked around for a familiar face. He'd been looking forward to visiting Hog's Head, which he'd heard was especially filthy this time of year. Perhaps, they'd have some rotting food in the backroom that he could waft through--something so gruesome he could nearly taste it.

He spotted and Aderyn () walking down a path with a Hufflepuff he hadn't met before (). He floated toward them and hoped to spook Gaia by gliding through her and momentarily freezing her on the spot.

()

"UGH! I really dislike when you do that! YOU KNOW you can only do that when in front of a fireplace!" Gaia went from scolding to laughing. "About time you showed up! Anything you need me to get for you?"

[img align=left]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uye1LcX3z1g/VjgxJmo4ZRI/AAAAAAAAADw/cMEvRED_5jc/s250-Ic42/Roman%252520ii.png[/img] Roman fell onto the snow, laughing and rolling about. When he caught his breath, he stood up and made a show of shaking the "snow" off of him. Then, he smiled at Gaia and announced, "Sorry, I couldn't help myself," in a cheeky voice.

"I could really use a bag of fudge flies and some skeletal sweets," he urged sweetly, hoping she would forget his trick by the time they reached Honeydukes. "Which stores do you need to visit?"

[img align=left]http://i.imgur.com/JUzZSfU.png[/img]Beth waved hello to Roman ().

She noticed a familiar looking Hufflepuff () standing nearby. "Hi, I'm Beth. We're just about to head off to Honeydukes. Would you like to join us?" she asked Millie.

"Hi Beth (). I'm Millie. It's nice to meet you. I'd love to join you. I want to find something nice to take to my grandparents in Berlin. I need to make a quick stop in The Magic Neep at some point so I can get ingredients to make cookies".

Aderyn considered 's words and shrugged.

"I'll go to the Emporium with Emmy first, and we'll meet you down there shortly. I'm just afraid that once we're around the candy, we'll never want to leave!"

She laughed and tugged on Emmy's () arm, pulling her towards the pathway with the other students. They walked alongside Beth () and Gaia, and Aderyn admittedly jumped when Roman () ghosted over through Gaia.

"That still spooks the daylights out of me!" She said with a laugh.

Getting Emmy's attention, she gestured to Roman hovering nearby.

"Emmy, this is Roman. Roman, this is my best mate, Emmy."

"You're really good," he said smiling and swapping his gloves out for hers. And laughed when she said she hadn't stayed out of trouble. "I excel at trouble it seems."

Sam held her gloved hands to her nose and inhaled deeply. The aromatic tang of rosemary reminding her of the bundles of herbs her mom always had hanging about the house. "Sweet!" She exclaimed happily. "The sad truth is, my ma is a total genius with potions, but I can't mix willow bark and hot water to cure a headache. I can't believe you made these yourself they're lovely." she added to Paddy. "Slytherins are like everyone else..., all different. You mix a big ego, with a lot of raw ambition, and some folks can turn pretty nasty. I guess they had quite the dust up here with a real bad'un recently. 'S why the bank sent my Pa to London..., figured he could sweet-talk the goblins in Gringotts. Y'know, get back in their good graces after the show down 'cause he's respectful enuf to know their language." She walked for a few seconds in silence before adding. "Sure glad they did now. I've made more friends here in one semester, than I did in nearly a whole year back in the Confusions. I guess I caused my fair share of trouble too."

( )

"Sure can, Roman! I am not sure but I think I will need to go to all the shops!" Gaia looked at Aderyn and Emmy "No problem! See you in a few!" as they approach the village Gaia started getting more excited. She was running low on acid pops and she needed to replenish her trunk. She wondered if the other students would consider her knowing the owner of the shop by name would be weird.

MG gave her slip and ran to her friend "I am so excited! What are we going to do firt?"

"I was thinking of going to Honeydukes. Where would you like to go though?"