Gentle Treading

Sofie chewed on one of her fingernails anxiously, walking absently up Diagon Alley, her blue eyes travelling around. Boy, oh boy, was she lost. Sofie was pretty much alone in this country as it was. With only Boris as a companion, the slight Russian girl realized that wandering about without a purpose was getting her absolutely nowhere. She dropped her hand decisively and turned around, briefly swallowing back her disappointment in herself. “Come on, Boris,” she said in clear English, having been under the eye of her devoutly English mother her entire voice, the Russian accent just faint on some of the ends of her words.

She brushed back her hair, her fingers brushing her hat as she walked forward. She needed to find somewhere to regroup and gather her thoughts. She needed a store that looked lively and clean, but one that was not full of people. Eventually she was going to need to get something to eat. She was absolutely starved at this point. She had not eaten breakfast this morning, having checked out of the small bed and breakfast at dawn and headed to Gringott’s to begin to settle her accounts. Now as morning shifted into afternoon, her stomach told her to add food to her must-get list.

She spotted a nice looking shop that did not seem crowded at all. Marcheti’s Wands. Huh. Though her wand was in order, it looked quiet and like a place where she might get a chance to get directions. She fixed her her dress and headed towards the door. At the entrance she looked down at Boris. “Sidet. Myesto,” she softly commanded. Boris sat and remained there. She reached down and cupped his face. “Molodets.” The dog beat his tail at the praise and she straightened up and pushed open the door.

Sofie stepped towards the counter, turning her head in all directions so her large blue eyes could take in the sights. She reached the counter and place her hands on the edge. She leaned forward, looking into the rows of wand boxes. She lightly tapped the bell and straightened back up, placing her left hand on top of the other as she observed her surroundings.

Plans, ideas, and more plans were all that sat in front of him. It seemed like every day some new problem arose that he was having to work around or deal with. He had never wanted to become the leader of the Death Eaters, but the opportunity was to great to pass up. The only problem was if the general public started to realize who he was and what he did, it would ruin everything he had built up, but it was worth the risk. Having a group of mindless drones doing his bidding all over the wizarding world.... that was not something he could pass up, especially during these times.

He folded up a letter he was sending to Lorcan and he put it in the envelope. He was about to seal it when he heard the bell to his shop ring. He let out a sigh and he finished sealing his letter before putting it in his robe. The school year was about to start so many children had been running in and out of his shop. It was still new so a lot of parents did not trust Aaron as a wand maker, but his name was starting to spread and it seemed like more and more people were coming in.

He slowly descended the stair case and who he saw was not what he was expecting. Instead of a student it was a fellow Death Eater, one he had met at the last meeting. If he recalled, her name was Sofie. She was a nice looking young woman and she did not come off as the evil type, but the same could be said about Aaron, so he did not judge. "Sofie is it?" He said as he finished the last few steps to the counter. He propped his elbow on the counter and he leaned forward. "Welcome to Marcheti's wands, where all your wand dreams come true." He snickered at his own joke/

(Also, I think we need an Aaron/Jack thread)

Sofie had only ever been in one wand shop, and that had been the one where she had received her own. As it was with every other witch and wizard in the whole world, Sofie was deeply attached to her wand. Though very close with her family, she had often felt alone at home, and many afternoons were spent between herself and the wand in the garden, letting the magic happen without her prompting. To have an inanimate object respond to her cues made her feel as though it was possibly the only friend she had here.

She heard an approach and she looked up to see a fellow Death Eater. She could not have been any luckier, he was surely bound by duty and honor to help her. Sofie believed that a proper Death Eater had duty and honor. Then again, there seemed to be very few proper Death Eaters around here.

No, but he was the one who had seemed just as off-put about the Death Eaters as she had been. He remembered her name and she nodded. "Yes, Sofie. You are Aaron, I recall?" She squinted one eye, hoping she was right. He introduced his shop and she blinked, allowing a tiny, reserved smile. "It's a nice shop. Unfortunately, I came here not of a wand-related need, but a directional one. I am quite simply lost."

She did not seem like much of a talker, at least in the few interactions Aaron had with her, but then again he had once been the same way. He quickly discovered that the art of talking could take a person further in life than anything else. A silver tongue could be much deadlier than physicality or magic, if used properly. Often times, though, it was just a way for someone to run their mouth.

"You recall correctly." He said with a smile and then stood upright when she said she was lost. "Where is it you need to be going? I am pretty knowledgeable of the surrounding area, I am sure I can help."

Here was the interesting part of the conversation. The slight amused embarrassment at her own situation showed on her face. The squinted eye, single raised eyebrow, twisted mouth, and an expression that almost said 'forgive me for my ignorance' was the look that met his inquiries about where she was headed.

"That's the worst bit. I got lost trying to find somewhere to go." She smiled. "I'm still waiting for my job to be confirmed, and as I have no relations here at all, I have nowhere I am needed to be." She sighed. "Sitting around in my room is not nearly as appealing as a walk, but a walk is hard to execute without any general knowledge of a route."

He laughed when she told him her predicament. It was a common problem for people who were either new to Diagon or were visiting for the first time. People would often ask how someone could not find anywhere to go or anything to do in a place as vast as Diagon Alley, but honestly with all of the shops and places to go it could make it almost impossible to choose to do anything at all.

"I see," He said tapping his fingers on the counter and pausing for a pointless dramatic effect. "Well lucky for you I know this place like the back of my hand." He pulled his sleeve back and looked at the watch on his wrist. "And it seems as if I am free for the rest of the day if you need someone to show you around?"

This was working out better than she could have supposed. Sofie needed a guide until she found her own feet, and to have one in a position of power was even better. To have someone that could possibly invest in her talents was critical. If Sofie wanted to get things done on her own agenda, it was good to convince someone to make it apart of theirs too. Besides, Aaron seemed like a proper companion.

She did not hide the relief and she allowed a smile to reach her delicate features. "That would be very nice, thank you." She glanced outside and then turned back. "You do not mind dogs, I hope? Mine is with me." She wanted everything to go well. Personal relationships were key, even with the Death Eaters

From the few interactions he had with Sofie , he did not get the impression that she belonged in the Death Eaters. She seemed innocent and sweet and Aaron could not quite put his finger on why she wished so badly to be part of the group of villains. It was fool of power hungry and bloodthirsty fools, and yet, she was neither. He was intrigued by her motivations and he wanted to get down to the bottom of it. Of course he could rather easily just by reading her mind, but in time, she would tell him.

"No sense in letting someone wander the streets alone and clueless." he smiled and he reached under the counter to pull out his blazer. He dressed nice wherever he went, looks were just as powerful as magic. "Dogs I do not mind. Cats though.... Vile creatures." he laughed at his own joke, he was good at that. He felt like a fool when he did but they just came out. "Tell me where you are from, Sofie." he started a casual conversation as he walked out the door, holding it open for her to walk out.

He began to get ready and approved of Boris, claiming his only stipulation was with cats. "Well naturally. Very few men like cats." She smiled, remembering an old quote her father used to chime when her sister acted up and he gave in. "'Women and cats will do as they damn well please. Men and dogs should relax and get used to it."

He held the door for her and she slipped out, pausing before answering her she looked to her dog. "Boris. Ryadom." With the command, her Russian accent came forward in all it's glory, but she reigned it in for her response. Boris came and placed his left shoulder at her right calf as he walked with her. Sofie responded, "I've lived in St. Petersburg my whole life, but my mother is from here. I am a bred Russian, but a born Englishwoman. My mother held to home by cultivating me in her own ways."

He was not sure how he did not catch her accent before. He was sure it had crossed his mind, but when she spoke in Russian to her dog, and then she said she was from Russia, it all seemed to click. He had spent a little time in Russia after he had graduated. There was a famous wand maker that he studied under there for a few months. He did not particularly like the place, to cold, but he had enjoyed some of the countryside.

He deliberated on petting the dog, but he had found out from experience, some dogs were very protective of their owners. Silvyr's damn dog Leah snapped at him any time she could get a chance, but he somewhat admired the loyalty he had bred into her. For a moment, he missed the animal, but he was sure they would meet again. "And what ways would that be?" He asked her while looking for a place to go. He was not sure where he was going but he would find somewhere. "I am famous for being curious, I like to know things, so do not let my questioning bother you. Stop me if I cross a boundary."