"One," Lucy said. "But I don't think he's interested in the shop." Neither was Rowan, as far as Lucy could tell, which, she had to admit, was saddening. In an ideal world, Lucy thought she would have liked to grow up to be like her mother and aunt--running the shop alongside her sister. She didn't think it would happen, though. "I want to take over the shop, eventually."

Lucy thought it would be polite to ask an equivalent sort of question of Miss Burroughs, but she wasn't really sure how to phrase it. "Do you have plans for what you want to do after school?" she asked. "Or--well, I suppose it is still a few years off." For her part, Lucy doubted she would stay on past OWLs. As much as she liked school, there wasn't much need for it.

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"Hmm." Wren had many siblings, but she didn't have to worry about inheriting a shop. She didn't know if Elliot would be interested in doing what their father did, but she didn't think it mattered too much. It wasn't like it was passed down. She thought that running a shop seemed like a lot of work. Besides, there could always be people haggling. Wren would feel bad about that.

"Hm. I'll get married, I suppose." Wren said. This was always in her plans for the future, though she never thought about it in too much detail. Having a career "Maybe I'll volunteer at a hospital every now and then? Ooh! And go to lots of fancy balls." The idea of the social events delighted her.

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Thank you so much, Bee!

"Ooh, balls do sound exciting," Lucy enthused. Though, truthfully, the thing she mostly found interesting about balls was the fashions. Still, there was something enchanting about the idea of dancing the evening away. "Think of all the interesting people you'll have the opportunity to meet!"

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Wren nodded, "I think it'll be so much fun! I wish that we had some to practice at. I'm always worried that I'll mess it up somehow."

Even though she had always considered herself to be socially apt, not to mention the etiquette lessons that they got at Hogwarts, there was always the chance that something might go wrong.

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Thank you so much, Bee!

"Older student can go to the coming out ball, can't they?" Lucy asked. She didn't have a great deal of interaction with older students, but she was pretty sure this was true. "You'll at least have some practice before you're in the spotlight."

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Wren's eyebrows furrowed. "I hadn't thought about it! Do you think they would let me go as a third year?" The seventh years all seemed so elegant, fancy, and mature when Wren looked at them. Even the fifth years were a little intimidating! Or maybe Wren would just have to get more practice with events that her mother could bring her to.

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Thank you so much, Bee!

"I don't know," Lucy said thoughtfully. "I'd think it would be more for older students, but you could ask?" There was surely no harm in that.

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Wren nodded, thinking things through a bit more before saying. "Even if it is for older students, perhaps Madam [Etiquette Instructor] could host a pretend one? I do love acting those out. They are so much fun, don't you think?" Even if it was a little bit like playing pretend, Wren always enjoyed the etiquette lessons.

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Thank you so much, Bee!

"Oh, that would be fun," Lucy agreed. She thought there really ought to be something for the younger years to look forward to at the end of the year. Something at least to take the edge off the anxiety of end-of-year exams, at the very least!

"I should probably get back to studying," Lucy said. "It was nice talking to you, Miss Burroughs."

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"I wish you luck!" Wren said. The worst part about Hogwarts was having to study. "Have a lovely day, Miss Tatting."

She flounced off, feeling a bit lighter and glad to have a nice chat with someone her age.

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Thank you so much, Bee!