29th June, 1890 — Diagon Alley

The individual ingredients of a Polyjuice potion were not, in and of themselves, especially unusual however Verity always made a point to purchase them all separately, ideally as far apart as possible both in time and distance. She had stocked up on knotgrass the last time she happened to be in Hogsmeade, had harvested every leech that Southampton had to offer and now under the smoggy cloak of London, Verity was on a hunt for Bicorn horn.

Diagon Alley, despite the recent misfortune that ought really to have put people off, was surprisingly full and Verity spotted far too many faces she knew. Apparently the Abercrombies weren't the only ones relocating for the summer, though Verity suspected the rest had probably heard where her mistress was going and inevitably followed.

"Excuse me," she snapped testily as somebody unceremoniously bashed into her and the packet of powdered Bicorn went flying to the ground and spilled out around her feet. "Do you realise how expensive that was?!"

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MJ made magic out of my ramblings

Odette had debated gathering the family to the Saditon for the summer, but found it a rather taxing thought. Having travelled a very long way twice in one year, she really did not fancy another trip. Even if both trips were with magic. But a trip to London was certainly doable. Diagon Alley had some rather nice jewelry that Odette had heard about - new and the latest fashion - and she had decided that it was worth a brief trip to the area.

Perhaps she would never had gone at all if she had known how busy it was. Filled with both families and servants alike, who were all trying to get things together for summer, the upcoming school year no doubt, and their own trips to the Saditon. It made her wonder if she should reconsider her stance on the matter. These thoughts were fully interrupted when she crashed right into someone.

Taking one look at the woman in question, any apology disappeared off her tongue at connecting words to status. "Excuse you is right. How dare you talk to someone of higher status than yourself like that?" She snapped. It was one thing to have some flusterment, but this... servant was outright disrespectful.

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MJ made pretties

Bile rose in Verity’s throat. She had met Mrs Tallier before, several times in fact, but the other woman wasn’t to know that fact and the contrast in her tone today compared to when Verity was masquerading as Mrs Abercrombie was startling. If ever proof was needed that the world was full of injustices then this was it.

The urge to reply in kind was tremendous, to tell this jumped up girl that manners wouldn’t part her from any of her unearned riches but Verity was more than capable of parting her nose from its proper place. Instead she held her tongue. Mostly.

“I was under the impression that ladies were trained to look where they were going.”

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   Aldous Crouch

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MJ made magic out of my ramblings

It was best that Odette didn't know about Mrs. Abercrombie's little secret. For the former Rose, it would be seen as a betrayal. Especially to have been forced to associate herself with the likes of a servant. The disgrace of it all. Luckily, this was not something that Odette was ever to be aware of.

To have someone of lower status lecture her was utterly unacceptable. No matter who was right and who was wrong. "Who is your employer? I demand to speak to them at once!"

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MJ made pretties

“Mrs Black,” Verity replied immediately, doubting that any lady, however full of herself, would be foolish enough to bring something as trivial as rudeness of the famously sharp headmaster’s wife.

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MJ made magic out of my ramblings

Mrs. Black? Didn't the Black family strictly employ house elves? Or was that a silly rumor? Not as though Odette was one to question whether such rumors were actually true. "What is yours?" She asked, as though a second thought. Was she really to speak to Mrs. Black on the matter? Likely not. But scaring the street rat wench was enough to settle her frustrated nerves.

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MJ made pretties

Verity nearly laughed in her face. What was Mrs Tallier intending to do – remonstrate with her in the street? It would reflect worse of her than it ever would on Verity but even so the lady’s maid so no reason to tell the truth. Once she was away she could vanish into the scenery.

“Babbity Rabbitty,” she deadpanned.

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MJ made magic out of my ramblings

What an awful little wench. Attitude without end. It was a wonder she was employed. "No matter. With an attitude like that, I'll be surprised if you didn't end up in the lowest of the lows. What employer would keep the likes of you on?" Why she even bothered with such a lowly wench was a mystery. Pride, likely.

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MJ made pretties

“An impatient one,” Verity replied petulantly, artfully sidestepping past the infuriated woman. She had probably gone a bit far, but she hated been spoken to like a, well, like a servant. But worse than that, these society women treated her like a child, spoke to her as though she were stupid and all the while none of them realised how easily she fooled them time and time again.

Risking a final glance over her shoulder Verity darted down a side-street and waited for Mrs Tallier to disappear. She needed to replace the dropped bicorn, she realised with irritation, and she couldn’t go home without it.

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wrap?

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   Acacia Darlington

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MJ made magic out of my ramblings