((everyone))

Merlin was excited they were finally going to the quill shop where he planned to get something for Drew, he looked around and found a Phoenix Feather Quill placed inside a frame and Merlin wondered. "Hey Miss Colette, is that one Dumbledore's quill? I'm only guessing since I know he loved those birds so much and I honestly can't blame him. Magnificent birds the phoenix are."

That gave him the idea, those quills were quite beautiful and would make for a nice gift, so he searched and find just one available and quickly took it along with a gift box, then he searched for a notebook to go with it. He found a black one with leather cover and the Slytherin emblem on it. "This is nice." He picked that with a smile, he thought it would be nice for his writings. Then he found a beautiful green one, probably peacock feather by the round marks at the top in blue and brown. "For mom." Another gift box in hand, then he picked ink. Blue ink for his mother and Slytherin green for Drew. Then he also picked a red one for Niall, and a dark blue for Magnus. When he went to the cashier, it seem that he could pick a quill for each ink he pciked, it was a special and only from a small collection of quills he could pick one, so he picked one white for Magnus, one black for Niall, one red for his mother, and one yellow for Drew. "Can I have another green ink and a green feather? I didn't got one for myself." He smiled and paid feeling pleased.

It was then that Niall brought him a beautiful eagle quill. "Oh thanks so much Niall, I love eagles. and falcons since I'm named after one." He put it with his things. "I'll took good care of it." He then took out the ink and quill he bought him. "I got you an ink and it came with a quill so I got you this so you will write me when we are apart, alright?" He smiled to the young boy who in such a short time have managed to gather his affection.

Merlin then searched for Magnus. "There you are! I got you a nice Ravenclaw blue ink with a white feather, to keep in touch during the break." He winks and walks toward Drew. "Andrew! If you thought you will go without a present..you are absolutely WRONG! I got you a few things. First this beautiful Slytherin notebook, green ink and this lovely phoenix quill so you can write lost of stories with them. Also a few jokes from Zonko's so you can have fun making pranks with Kyros or by yourself." He grins. "Hope you like them."

((I am still.... well sort of... around. I will be around Friday night and Saturday for the end of the workshop! Apparently Gaia is running around getting things ready XD))

(-squishes- look forward to getting some rp time with ya)

“Oh thank you,” Magnus said to Niall, “It’s very lovely.” He thought about giving a hug, but decided against it. “And I’ll be sending letters to you with it.”

Niall beamed. He was glad Magnus liked the feather. And Merlin did too. He hadn’t expected Merlin to give him one and ink as well. Now he had three quills and two inks—a good start for school. “Thank ya so much Merlin. It’s lovely, I wonder what bird it belonged too. I bought some teal ink so now I have red too.” He nodded, “I will.” Though the idea of being alone again made his heart hurt so bad.

“Thank you Merlin,” Magnus said with a smile, “O’ course I’ll be writing to you… and sending doodles as well most like. I like inking with quills.”

Merlin was glad Niall liked his quill and had enough to write lots of letters and maybe use for school as well.

"I would be more than pleased with the doodles! I love your drawings after all. It will be sad being away thou, but I also want to go home." Merlin smiled to Magnus while thinking about home.

"I'm looking forward to going 'ome too," Magnus said, "but also to 'ang out, outside of 'Ogwarts. I'm really excited. Whaddya wanna see or do the most at 'ome? Me, I wanna race mum on our Quidditch pitch in a course like Eros had." (and everyone)

"Sounds like fun, mom doesn't play sports. I probably inherit from her my ability in them." He giggles and then Merlin was thoughtful. "First of all I want to see my mom and tell her all about the school term, the friends I made, and my visits to the forest." He grins. "Then I want to see MEOLC! I wantto go fly with her, I just hope I can do it and that she likes my dragon form. I'm so excited to show her." His eyes were glittering with joy just thinking about it. "I also want to eat my mom's meals, haha!"

"Sounds great!" Magnus said.

Nial couldn't bear to hear more. The sting of tears was in his eyes. He didn't want to go back to his orphanage at all--least of all now after people talked to him and showed him kindness and laughed with him. Gifts were nice but the people was far nicer. Just then he felt incredibly lonely. He swallowed hard and went to look a the phoenix quills.

Merlin looked around and hen whispers to Magnus. "When do you think we are getting that gelato? No food here." He blushed. "We only had drinks in the three broomsticks, my appetite is starting to kick again." He saw Niall go around but observe him, he didn't wanted to forget about him again and wanted to make sure he was safe. "Do you think Niall will get permission to hang out with us?"

Drew happily entered Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop. He looked around and decided it was nearly as good as the book store. He wandered away from his friends for a bit, taking it all in before he began gathering things to purchase into a woven basket that was for that purpose. A new sketchbook for Magnus along with a blue glass inkwell and some black ink. Next was a journal type book with a dragon on the cover, which seemed to be wooden, a clear glass inkwell, and green ink for Merlin. Drew smiled as he placed another journal in his basket, this one with a leather cover that showed the Hogwarts crest. He choose a white quill and a jar of rainbow colored ink to go along with it. Then with a smile, he added a blank book for his scribblings and another jar of rainbow ink for himself. He also picked out a black quill for his free gift.

No sooner had Drew paid for his purchases than he was surrounded by his friends. He smiled in surprise at his gift from Niall. "An eagle feather quill! That's so cool! Thank you, Niall! I'll be sure to use this one for all the letters I send you," he said and then grinned and handed over his own gift to the younger boy. "And here's something for you too. I thought you might like a journal to write down things that happen your first term at Hogwarts." He handed Niall the Hogwarts crest journal, the white quill, and a bottle of rainbow ink. "the ink made me think of your drink earlier. No matter what house you're sorted into, we'll always be friends and like family."

Drew than turned to Magnus. "This is for you, wolfie," he said fondly, giving Magnus the new sketchbook, the blue inkwell, and the black ink.

When Merlin called him by his full name, Drew started to wrinkle his nose but his eyes widened instead. "thanks, Merls! This is great! I love it all!! A Slytherin book, green ink, AND a phoenix quill!" He hugged his friend. "I got you a little something too," he said as his presented Merlin with the dragon journal, crystal inkwell, and green ink.

"I can tell I'm going to be coming here a lot from now on," he smiled. "Now...should we try to figure out the other riddles. I think I know the last one about the witch being sent to the headmaster. She got sent because...she was cursing in class!" He snickered and waited for his friends' reaction.

Magnus watched the little boy as well. He understood what Niall was likely thinking and kept his voice low. "I 'ope so. But I think we'll 'ave to really convince 'is Madame. I get the feeling she'll be tough."

“T-thank ya, Drew” Niall said. As he received yet another gift. He wasn’t sure how else to reply, he was getting so overwhelmed.

“Fanks Drew,” Magnus said with a smile. “They’ll get a workout for sure.” He shook his head at the terrible puns for the riddles.

Merlin rolled his eyes at Drew's riddle solving. "I'm not on the mood for riddles to be honest. I didn't even paid attention to what they said." He giggles. "Should we try them?" He went and pick a paper with the riddles written on them. "Let's see... Why didn't Voldemort attend the ball? No date?" He giggled and continued with the next. "What do you call an unexpected bunch of post owls? Powls?" Merlin snickered at his own answer but then read the last one. "Why was the witch sent to the headmaster's office? To get him a snack?" Merlin gave the paper to Magnus. "You try em."

((ooc: Sorry, I haven't had time to sit at the computer for more than 5mins at a time this week. Been busy. Catching up now))

[img align=left]http://i.imgur.com/8c1Q3Re.png[/img] Eros had been following around for a while until she abandoned him and disappeared, so he went on his own to rejoin the other students in the quill shop. He waved to Magnus and the others. The teen was appreciative of the two quills that Niall had gotten him. He placed them both carefully into the gift bag along with Magnus' gifts. As for the favor, he told the younger boy he would let him know on the way to the last stop.

Eros decided to hang around with Niall a bit. "So, while I was gone, have you been corrupted yet, mate?," Eros asked, almost seriously. ()

His eyes wandered to the other two Slytherin boys. "Have you guys made a Slytherin of Niall?" ( )

"Ugh," Magnus groaned, "I'm not a fan of riddles really." He hadn't gotten any of them until someone else replied and then they seemed so clear.

"I really hope so," he replied to Eros. "But both Merlin and Drew keep saying it doesn't matter what house I get in... so I don't think they believe I will be."

Merlin smiled at Magnus, he wasn't too fond of riddles either. "Let's forget about it."

Merlin smirks at Eros question. "Oh I wish he gets into the best house, it would be brilliant!" After listening to Niall's comment, his heart shrinks. "It's not that Niall, but I just want you to know that even if you are not a slyther, you will be my friend. So in case you don't get into our house, you won't be disappointed. How can I know what house you will get into? I'm not the sorting hat - only he knows." He then nods. "I'm sure you have potential to be a Slytherin."

[img align=left]http://i.imgur.com/8c1Q3Re.png[/img] Eros's brows scrunched up a bit as he smirked. "You still have a while before the sorting ceremony. There's plenty of time to convert you to the dark side," Eros studied the boy, still smiling. "Somewhere buried in you a Slytherin just waiting to rule the world...figuratively speaking. The hat also takes what you want into consideration, too. Of course, Merlin and Drew aren't wrong. It doesn't matter... you'll still have friends. But it'd just be a shame. We could use another minion. I wonder if we could bribe the hat?," Eros joked. ( )

"Works for me," Magnus replied, "I've gotten locked out of the Ravenclaw tower more than I'd like to admit." He smirked.

He knew he would be disappointed if he wasn't in Slytherin, especially since most of the people he met were in that house. He nodded but really couldn't come up with a reply until he thought of the snarky comments the boys had made, so he said, "Don't know Merls, ya kinda look like a hat to me." He pointed to a non-existent lump on his head, "See the point is right there."

Niall laughed with Eros' teasing. The guy was seriously too cool. "What would a hat want?" he asked, half in jest, half wondering if it could work.

Drew groaned and rolled his eyes at Merlin's attempts at answers for the riddles, but he was all too willing to forget them as Eros came over. Grinning at the older boy, he said, "We've done all we could to convince him of the best house." He leaned closer to Eros and said in a conspiratorial mock whisper, "Seems the brainwashing spell is working."

At the comments about the hat and what it might like, Drew said, "We could give it a new ribbon. Don't all hat long for that?" He snickered at the mental image of the sorting hat with a pretty ribbon or bow on it. "Seriously though, Niall, the hat will take your thoughts and feelings into account. Look at me. I was determined to be in Slytherin...the hat tried to push Ravenclaw...but I held out for my snakes. And here I am!" He smiled at the younger boy.

(OOC: not having a particularly good day, so just imagine Paddy is browsing the quills & listening to the conversation ;))

Merlin laughs lightly at Niall's comment about his head and shook its head. "I'm sure what a hat will want is a pretty head like mine to carry it." He sticks out his tongue to Niall. Then Drew said something about a bow. "I'm not wearing a hat with a bow! Maybe it will like beads or flowers attached to it." He grins. "But I doubt it will accept bribes, now that Drew says is true, it takes your desire into account. I had no trouble getting into Slytherin, the hat was barely in my head when it said SLYTHERIN!" He laughs remembering his pleased expression when it happened.

((Hope your day gets better))

"Thank you Niall! It's very pretty." Rosie beamed as she received the gift. She ruffled Niall's hair briefly. "You know you can always come round to my place, right? Mum would love to teach you ballet." she added. It looked like Niall was sad and she quickly figured out why. Having to leave shortly after making friends never was fun. She hoped the boy would be sorted into Slytherin. He would be surrounded with some familiar faces in school. Rosie turned her gaze back to the quill collection. "Is it ice cream time yet?" she asked no one in particular.