Cassia stared at the strange, ginger boy. He winked at her! Cassia felt her heart fluttering on the wings of love. Sure, Cassia knew her friend didn't like him, that was obvious. But, Dahlia had dated plenty boys Cassia despised, and that didn't stop her. It was not as if Cassia couldn't at least be friends him, right?

While Dahlia was being measured (with her eyes still narrowed), she went over to where the boy was standing. She decided to strike up a conversation.

"Hi! I'm Cassia Springs, and you are?"

"Oliver. Oliver Weasley. I'm from America," he told her.

" Me too! I live in Maine."

"I'm from Vermont."

"What's it like there?" she asked.

"Okay, I guess. Not much to do." He showed the slight hint of a smile. "Except when my dad visits. He owns a prank shop here in Diagon Alley, but my Mum's an American."

It was obvious that he didn't want to talk about his home. Shortly after she was handed her new robes. She turned as Dahlia hoped off the stool. Her parents had told her they would buy the books she needed, so Cassia and Dahlia only had to buy wands and pets.

"Can you get the rest of your things alone? I'm in an adventurous mood right now." Dahlia nodded; she knew what happened when her friend was like this.

Cassia walked out of the store. As soon as Oliver received his robes, he ran after her, a goofy smile on his face. Dahlia rolled her eyes, walking in the opposite direction.

(Cassia, in the meantime, went to go buy some advanced potion ingredients. She used to do chemistry with her brother Theromyus, though everyone called him Theo.)