Turning the sign from open to closed, Ellie moved back behind the counter and into the small office that was meant for Milly on the rare days the elderly woman came in. After she setting a few of the wards, she plucked a sandwich from her bag and pulled a quill out of the box marked damaged. She was just itching to use the thing. Non-drip and self-inking, the handsome blue feather had been in the box because some idiot had dropped it and hand the nerve to step on it accidentally—or so he said. It was just a little bit bent towards the top; it wrote perfectly well.

Brushing the feather against her chin, Ellie contemplated what she would write while on her lunch break. Sighing, she began to compose a letter.

Owen Cauldwell,

Where in Merlin's name are you? You said you were visiting family, but your mother called me to see if you were avoiding her. You’d be proud. I didn’t yell in her ear.

I’m worried about you. I don’t know what I’d do if you disappeared.

She sighed, scratching out the last bit of her letter. Owen knew she worried, but she didn’t have to go out and say it. She bent over the parchment and began to write again.

I told her not to worry, you’d call soon enough.

Don’t make me a liar.

Ellie.

Satisfied with the results, she sealed the envelope and put it aside, vowing to put in the post after work. Glancing at the clock as she finished her sandwich, she debated if she would have enough time now, but the post office was always rushed at lunch. It would be better if she waited until she closed the shop at four.

Restless all of a sudden, she tossed her rubbish away and went back to the main shop, straightening as she went. She was sure minding a stationery store was not her life’s calling, but it helped her pay for the necessities in life, like books and chocolate.

The door rattling snapped Ellie out of her daydream. Glancing at the clock she realized she still had twenty minutes left of her lunch break, but the rattling just got louder. Figuring she could close that much earlier, she unset the wards and let the witch standing outside the door into the shop. The woman looked familiar, but Ellie just shook her head, her parents had lots of acquaintances, she couldn’t always keep them straight.

“Good afternoon.” Ellie smiled widely, trying to look friendly and helpful. She was a good salesperson. She was.

“Hem, hem,” the women cleared her throat and Ellie could feel the color drain out of her face. She had just let the devil herself into the store. “It’s about time,” the woman snapped. “I have an order. The Werewolf Monitoring Division of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, under Delores Jane Umbridge, silver leaf lettering.”

Ellie had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from commenting. “Of course, one moment please.” Waiting until she was safely in the storeroom, with the door closed she let out her real feelings. “Bitch.” Just because Ellie was afraid of werewolves didn’t mean she wanted to hurt them. As long as they left her alone and didn’t bite anyone, Ellie would be perfectly happy. Quickly finding the order, she went back out into the store to find the toad like woman drumming her fingers on the counter. “Sorry for the wait,” she apologized. “That will be two galleons, sixteen sickles, and eighteen knuts. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

The woman sniffed. “That is all.” Putting the money on the counter, she took the box from Ellie. “Keep the change.” She then flounced out.

Ellie looked at the three golden coins that lay in front of her. “Oh joy,” she muttered under her breath, “all eleven knuts.”

Summary: Ellie helps out a customer on her lunch break.