The amethysts on Fletcher's wedding ring caught the sunlight and sparkled as he opened the door to Sinistra's Secondhand Shop. The nicely cluttered shop always appealed to him, reminding him of antique stores or the sort of general store that he remembered from his childhood. Heavens, it had been so long since then. Fletcher would celebrate his twenty-first birthday next February, which is to say (he thought with amusement) that he would be eighty-four. He enjoyed confounding people with that little bit of trivia.

Right now, however, he had more important things to think about. Little Elise, his oldest granddaughter--and it was hard to believe that she was twenty-six already, she would always be Little Elise to him--was engaged to be married at the end of January, and to an Auror, something of which Fletcher heartily approved. In these troubled times, there was no guarantee that Elise and Adam's marriage would be a long one, but it would be happy for...for however long they were married.

Privately, Fletcher was glad that Jack and Wally had chosen not to become Aurors. He couldn't have stood losing another child. And Tessie, thank goodness, worked in the Muggle world as a cook. She had been the only one of his children--or grandchildren, come to think of it--who hadn't been in direct danger when the wizarding world was exposed. Fletcher and Maggie never talked about it, but that week had given them more wrinkles and grey hairs than the previous eighty years.

Fletcher pushed such thoughts out of his head and began sauntering slowly through the store, waiting for something to jump out at him. Eventually it would. Possibly literally, if Apollo had done something strange and experimental. He was looking for the perfect wedding gift. Elise scorned jewellery and someone had already purchased them a complete dinner set, so Maggie and Fletcher had put their heads together and come up empty. Finally, Fletcher had decided to detour after work and throw himself on the mercy of the Sinistras' store. One never knew what one might find here.

Fletcher chuckled to himself. The Sinistra twins were the same age as his second youngest granddaughter, and all three of Tessie's children had been at Hogwarts at the same time. He well remembered Matty telling him incredulously about the "weird" boy who had been Sorted into his house, describing his wild clothes and habits and mannerisms. Bethany, too, had thought he was crazy. Elise, two years older and a Ravenclaw, had known--or at least known of--and liked both of the Sinistras, however. Listening to his older grandchildren--and, later, his grand-nephew and youngest granddaughter--go around and around about the latest bit of gossip involving Apollo Sinistra had been one of the best parts of the holidays.

Returning his mind to the task at hand, he paused to examine a rack of...something. Something with a good deal too much glitter for Fletcher's taste. He blinked at it, reached out a hand to touch it, stopped. Touching something you couldn't identify in this shop was almost always a bad idea. Fletcher didn't really want to spend time in St. Mungo's if he didn't have to...

Blazers truly were wonderful things and perfect for everything. Such as today’s top notch number included but was not limited to stripes that changed colors with his mood – thus naturally they were at a vivid yellow and orange with a pure white background. Artemis had explained that is was rather disgusting how his blazer had the ability to remain in such as constant state and to be honest Apollo had been hoping for something a bit more exciting as well. What challenge was there is accessorizing a constant? However not being one to spit in the face of such novel colors he had done his duty to society and brought out his version of fall colors.

No one wanted to deal with rust this season after all. Depressing and dull and you had to stand out so that people wouldn’t abduct you as they had to the minister and department head. He had written just that in his latest article. Carmen has mentioned hoping he and his colors would do something that no lady ought to say. That naughty girl! At work too! In front of other people to boot! He truly was seducing her without even trying. To bad that since they had woken up together she didn’t seem willing to repeat the experience. And what an experience that had been for her if the soundtrack had been anything to go off of….

It was in such a get up Apollo was currently sorting though the back room boas finding the most suitable for the second batch of fashion forward followers. They had been wildly popular those boas, every girl seemed to be craving one since his last article in some variant of his new and improved fall color scheme. With arms filled he emerged from the backroom, looking more like a glitter fall themed big bird than the fashion god he was.

The faint tinkle of the bell gave him a moment of hesitation. Scare the customer while looking like a bird or sneak off to better his appearance? Of course the latter idea won out and he froze, choosing to blend in with some conveniently placed fabric swatches.

Footsteps! Feathers tickling his nose… footsteps! Coming coming… eek! An elderly man was about to touch his boa created camouflage! What to do?

Apollo sneezed, arms flying up with the force of his nose, boas flying about willy nilly. Apollo flicked a feather from the bridge of his nose before giving the slightly shocked looking man an award winning smile.

“Hello Sir! Seems you found me. May I… wait!” Apollo’s eyes had picked up on something he couldn’t quite place and quickly scanned the man, paying particular attention to eyes and face structure. “Elise! She’s getting married. You must be family! A wedding gift perhaps?” He asked feeling rather pleased with himself.

Take that Arty! I do remember you school friends, even the ones you claimed were off limits! Artemis had just been talking about a wedding and Apollo ever mindful that he would have to plan at least one wedding if not two (Jasper and Artemis) had listened to his sibling with rapt attention, even taking time to consider doing a slight wedding crash – or he had till Artemis had pointed out that he could never pull off being an invited guest and she was most definitely not brining him along, not when he was an absolute mess at weddings. What could he say - they truly were beautiful.

“I’m Apollo Sinistra by the way. Co-owner of this wicked awesome establishment.”

Fletcher discovered that had been right not to touch the display he had been eyeing when it suddenly exploded in a flurry of feathers, stripes, and glitter. If Fletcher had not kept in good shape for his age, if he had been the doddering old man everyone took him for, he might very well have dropped dead on the spot of a heart attack. As it was, he jumped back about three feet, drawing his hands back to his chest. He considered a number of options, including screaming like a little girl and staggering about declaring, "I'm comin' to see ya, Elizabeth," but in the end he settle for standing his ground and trying to see what he had surprised out of the woodwork. Fortunately, he didn't have long to wait before finding out.

“Hello Sir! Seems you found me. May I… wait!” Fletcher complied, moving only to relax his stance slightly into a more natural and less startled position. “Elise! She’s getting married. You must be family! A wedding gift perhaps?”

Fletcher was momentarily surprised that this fellow had remembered his granddaughter, who hadn't exactly stood out from the crowd and had, after all, been two years older than the boy, which gave the young man time to introduce himself as the co-owner. Fletcher relaxed completely--not a demon or a dangerous experiment, then, but Apollo Sinistra himself.

The older man smiled warmly. "As a matter of fact, yes, that's exactly what I'm here for. My wife and I have been wracking our brains trying to come up with an idea for a gift for Elise, and we keep coming up completely empty. Elise was a house-mate of your sister's and she at least knew of you, so Maggie suggested I come here for ideas." Actually, Maggie's exact words had been more along the lines of "Try to see if you can find something in that store that won't kill them both", but she and Fletcher both knew she was kidding. Sort of.

Widening his smile, he added, "As to your assessment, yes, I am family. Elise is my oldest granddaughter, and actually, all four of my grandchildren and my great-nephew went to Hogwarts around the same time...they used to talk about you quite a bit at the dinner table over the hols. Not that I wouldn't have known you anyway...you work at the Prophet, don't you? Fashion columnist? I've worked there since I graduated Hogwarts. I'm Fletcher Parish, I work in the archives."

Aware that he was probably starting to go into what Bethany called Spontaneous Lecture Mode, Fletcher stopped himself and instead turned to study the wares. "What would you recommend for a wedding gift for a former Ravenclaw, now working as a secretary in the Dragon Research and Restraint Bureau, preparing to marry an Auror, with silver hair and china blue eyes?" Elise had, unfortunately, inherited her hair from Fletcher's mother, who had had black hair as a child that had been snow-white by her thirtieth birthday, but it was beautiful on both women. "I was thinking perhaps there would be something that could fill in at least one requirement of that superstitious poem--you know, 'something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue'? She's already borrowing a pair of her sister's earrings, but there's the rest to be filled in."

He had been right! Artemis would never believe it when he said that it was easy to identify a person based off of bone structure but here was living proof of such a thing once again. Now on to the perfect...

"Not that I wouldn't have known you anyway...you work at the Prophet, don't you? Fashion columnist? I've worked there since I graduated Hogwarts. I'm Fletcher Parish, I work in the archives."

A fan! Apollo's smile increased by fifty watts minimum and as if on cue a beam of light fell on his head causing a momentary flash of glitter. This could be attributed to the moving clouds but Apollo had over the years managed to always be standing where sunbeams would next be falling from the grey London skies. Wendell found it disgusting, Jasper enchanting, and Atlas suspicious. None seemed to buy his excuse that the sun was just naturally drawn to him – he being the god of it. It seemed only natural the sun would caress him in its golden beams.

"I am I am! Wouldn't you say that Carmen is a beauty! And her secretary, such a wonderful fashionista, always sporting my latest trend! I just love them all there." He gushed, his hands flying about to prove his point. He would have grabbed the man and hugged him for all his support but Artemis had recently given him a lecture on stranger hugging. Her dulcet tones were still echoing in his ears in fact. Bad boy Apollo! BAD!

Apparently according to Arty and as recent events had shown, hugging elderly people could cause strokes and was to be avoided. Luckily Ms. Beebledum was not going to press charges and was in fact enchanted with the glitter rockets he had sent her in at hospital and was going to make him some cake as soon as she was let out. Ms. Beebledum was always such a sweetheart and made the best chocolate cake that's only real rival came in the form of a chocolate glitter bomb cake as invented by Daphne. They both so loved to make sure he kept some meat on his bones...

"What would you recommend for a wedding gift for a former Ravenclaw, now working as a secretary in the Dragon Research and Restraint Bureau, preparing to marry an Auror, with silver hair and china blue eyes?"

She had been a looker that one. If only Artemis hadn't been such a stick in the mud about letting him date her friends. Then he would really know what to get her - a picture of him in a rhinestone encrusted locket with a lock of his hair. Alas that was not the gift for a grandfather to give... What he needed was a clearer idea.

Wait was Lawful getting married? No! Wait! Think! Lawful had luscious brunette locks. He was safe.

"I was thinking perhaps there would be something that could fill in at least one requirement of that superstitious poem--you know, 'something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue'? She's already borrowing a pair of her sister's earrings, but there's the rest to be filled in."

That was a pity about not having borrowed be apart of the things he could sell the man. He was borrowing a perfectly lovely pair of scarves from Arty that would look quite lovely on someone of the girl’s description. No matter no matter. He had tons of blue, new, and old things! He just need to dive.

“One moment please.” Apollo shouted, his body already half embedded in a pile of what looked like snorkels. He tossed a blue box at Fletcher before running to the other side of the shop and climbing up one of book shelves. A small mangled looking object was flung in the direct of the elder man once again, floating gently down to at his feet.

“Just one more.” Apollo cried, diving from the shelf into a bin of used cloaks. He did a couple strokes to get to the center, pulling out a small velvet box from the pocket of a zebra printed monstrosity masterpiece.

“There!” Apollo remarked with a contented sigh, collecting the objects from Flecher. “These are just temporary ideas you know? We can find more if none of the suit.”

He turned to the blue box and levitated out a delicate set of crystal candelabras. “These beauties meet the something new category. Carved by a lovely pair of Venetian fairies this candelabra set that was forged over the flames of horntail imported over to Venice for that exact purpose. Its said to help bring the couple that owns it energy for..." Apollo trailed off, giving the man a meaningful look. "They both have very demanding jobs. What are your feelings on them? Or would you rather we move on to the other two?" He finished tactfully (for once).

Curious as to her competition, Griselda had naturally picked up a copy of the Daily Prophet, and had been delighted to find the most absurd fashion column she'd ever read -- and that was after living here, in America, in Japan, in Egypt, and Paris. After a bit of digging, she'd found that the author, one Apollo Sinistra, was a madman who was convinced that he was truly the sun god he was named after, and had a penchant for the ludicrously garish and glittery. Such things put an irreplaceable smile on her face -- fellows like this were a dream come true for people like her.

After a spot of tea and dressing in a simple, purple dress that appeared to be a seamless creation wrapped around her delicate form, without seams or decor to speak of. A "template" for this fellow, she was sure. A checkerboarded coat as well, and she let her Christmas red hair flow freely. She kept her make-up muted, though the violet eyeshadow and blood red lipstick was not forgotten. It took a certain kind of woman to wear red lipstick, and she was definitely one of them.

The shop itself seemed to speak volumes about the insanity that she was approaching. She found a smirk on her lips as she took in the bright colours and obnoxious combinations, although the definite fall theme was well placed throughout the place. Most of it was absurd, but she did find... some of these creations were of the kind of eccentricity that she could appreciate.

A light, tinkling bell announced her entrance, as she slipped into the shop, looking about curiously. She spotted an old man being chattered at by an exceptionally garish fellow -- his suit she recognised as one that changed colours with one's mood (she'd tried one, but found the changing colours a bit disconcerting, and too revealing for someone of her profession) that was now glowing bright yellow and gold, with white as the main colour. Not one she had managed to conjure up in her short time in one, and she found herself curious. He also had a trio of boas on his person, and the spilled boas on the floor nearby suggested that he once had the entire pile in his hands at one point. The older fellow seemed to be the customer and was listening to the salesman's pitch intently as Griselda made her way nearby, taking in the oddities as she waited her turn.

Apollo lit up when Fletcher mentioned the Prophet and immediately fluttered off in a gushing torrent. "I am I am! Wouldn't you say that Carmen is a beauty! And her secretary, such a wonderful fashionista, always sporting my latest trend! I just love them all there."

Fletcher was glad of the excuse to break into an acceptable smile. And Carmen Snidgeton, a beauty? She was not without her charm, to be sure, but she put Fletcher in mind of a Milk Dud--sweet on the outside, poison on the inside. Still, he could hardly say so to someone who was obviously one of her few ardent supporters, and instead settled on, "Yes, I've noticed her secretary does seem to keep up with the latest fashion trends. They look remarkably good on her."

As he watched the vibrant young man dive in and out of boxes, Fletcher noticed another patron enter the store out of the corner of his eye, a woman dressed in purple with garish red lipstick. Initially dismissing her as a streetwalker some years past her prime, but as he turned to follow Apollo's progress through a box of cloaks, he got a better look at the woman and recognized her from the back cover of one of Maggie's books--Gaelic Geisha, he thought it was called. Some soppy romance author--her name escaped Fletcher, especially as he had flipped through the book, snorted at the woman's ideas of what a geisha actually was, and never touched another book by that author. Ignoring her, Fletcher turned to Apollo, who was displaying what looked like Venetian crystal candlesticks and explaining their purpose.

“These beauties meet the something new category. Carved by a lovely pair of Venetian fairies this candelabra set that was forged over the flames of horntail imported over to Venice for that exact purpose. Its said to help bring the couple that owns it energy for..." Apollo trailed off, giving the man a meaningful look. "They both have very demanding jobs. What are your feelings on them? Or would you rather we move on to the other two?"

Fletcher couldn't help but laugh at the mental image of Elise's face if he presented her with a candelabra to improve her love life. "As lovely as they are, I think they would be rather out-of-place in Elise and Adam's home. They're furnishing it in Ultra-Modern--all brushed chrome and glass and stainless steel and so on--and Adam's cat gives new meaning to the word 'psychotic', so crystal might not be the smartest idea. Shall we move on to the other two?"

That woman was edging ever closer to the two of them. Probably she was one of the pushy types who assumed that fame bought them front-of-the-line privileges everywhere. Turning to her with a natural expression of politeness on his face, Fletcher asked, "Pardon me, madam, but have we met?" He hoped she would mutter something, perhaps relating to the ancient aspect of his clothing, and give them a bit of space. The last thing he wanted was for a romance novelist to find out about his granddaughter's wedding--next thing you know she would want an invitation.

His candelabra’s were being turned down? Apollo’s smile didn’t fade – he would find something for the man in the end, though the slight twitching of his brain startled him for a moment. Was he gasp actually thinking of something other than the problem at hand? But why? The Door came a gentle hiss in the back of his mind, a voice that had taken up residency since that one day he and Atlas had done a bit of cake testing. Not that he had told Arty about the voice. There were always voices in his head, different ones coming and going willy nilly. This one just seemed to be a rather observant chap. Even pointed out ways to bypass Gringotts security. The door idot the voice reminded him. Ah yes, he had head the bell go off (playing and oldie but a goodie Klaxons tune). No matter, if they needed him they would just call. Now he had a mission to complete.

” As lovely as they are, I think they would be rather out-of-place in Elise and Adam's home. They're furnishing it in Ultra-Modern--all brushed chrome and glass and stainless steel and so on--and Adam's cat gives new meaning to the word 'psychotic', so crystal might not be the smartest idea. Shall we move on to the other two?"

Perhaps he should have chosen more items? Thankfully his next object, something old, was next. He picked up a rather mangled looking object that had wrapped itself around his customer’s feet. He caught a look that looked slightly skeptical and decided to not put the man at ease. Surprises were to be enjoyed, no matter what Arty seemed to think about them and strokes and the like.

Apollo whipped back the cloth with great zeal, revealing that its tatters had indeed been hiding something old – and beautiful in the way that only the French masters could have achieved when under the inspiring leadership of Louis the XVI, also know as the Sun King… or Apollo. A small blue ornate button was now being held up to Flecher… whose attention had wandered it seemed. Pity the button transformed into the most charming blue summer château. Atlas had even updated the security on the place and Apollo himself had refurbished the interior after Arty had given an epically long lecture on leaving history be.

"Pardon me, madam, but have we met?"

The man had a memory like his grandfather – and now though he was a woman to boot. Honestly. “Why yes sir…” Apollo caught a whiff of something that did not belong. Something exotic that he should have easily been able to identify had he purchased it. Something distinctly sophisticated female. His mind flipped though its list of dates… sophisticates usually liked to be home early so he could fit her in if her looks were as enticing as her perfume.

He pivoted slowly, instantly recognizing the red hair from one of the books. He had made it his busness to know everyone and everything at work – well at least with the females. Never knew when the opportunity to date one might come up and you could never turn down a red head. Firey up top and equally as firey in bed!

“…Griselda! We all work together! Lovely to finally meet you as well. That hair – looks absolutely wicked with the blacks.” Apollo finished, as on cue another beam of light came down casting him in a heavenly glow, as he beamed at his customers. It was a meeting! All they needed was Carmen and her lusty looks… and maybe Lola with those mile high legs and that never ending supply of drinks she seemed to posses.

The old man gave her a derisive eye, and she smiled politely, but he seemed to not want to have any of it, and instead turned up his nose at her, turning away. She scowled, also looking in the opposite direction. One thing she couldn't stand were those who thought they were so much better than anyone else. Mostly because they usually weren't. His outdated garb was nevertheless fairly fashionable for being something from another time -- probably one of those with the philosophy of "if it isn't broken, don't fix it." Old fashioned. A traditionalist. She could understand that. After all, Hayao had been quite a traditionalist himself.

Her fingers were trailing along some collection of shinies, when she found herself coming around to the duo once more. The elderly fellow seemed bothered by her presence.

"Pardon me, madam, but have we met?" His face was cordial, but not much else. Having spent plenty of years in politics -- of the aristocratic kind -- she could see his disapproval.

"Perhaps, but not likely," she replied easily. "I haven't been in town very long." She held her hands loosely behind her, to show she wasn't intimidated.

“Why yes sir…” The shopman started to reply. Griselda found herself smiling. Was he truly as simple as he seemed, or was that a wonderful sense of humour? As it was, he turned slowly, coming to look upon Griselda with what was obviously desire -- but sure desire. The kind of fellow who knew what he wanted, and he liked what he saw. She smiled again. Even the simple dress did not detract from a body that she'd managed to keep in rather good shape for her age.

“…Griselda!" She beamed at the recognition. "We all work together!"

"Oh... Do we?" She turned to the old man. "I apologise. Then I suppose we do know each other." Doesn't mean I have to be sweet on you, though, she thought to herself. And even Sinistra, she'd heard, was merely a wonderful plot source. And she was finding that was only too true.

"Lovely to finally meet you as well. That hair – looks absolutely wicked with the blacks.” Apollo finished, as on cue another beam of light came down casting him in a heavenly glow, as he beamed at his customers.

She smiled kindly to him. "Thank you. I find dark colours help to balance it out," she admitted. She smirked, pleased to have made such an impression on the strange store owner. But, she was interrupting... "But, don't let me interrupt. You two carry on with your business -- I'll just browse around a bit longer." Some called it playing hard to get, but letting Sinistra become scatterbrained would annoy the old man far more than her stealing the fellow away now. With a grin, she moved away from them, wondering what all Sinistra had around here that she could use to distract herself...