Having been at Hogwarts, Carys did not have the time to finish all of the Christmas shopping she had planned. Her last Hogsmeade trip had consisted of last minute arrangements for the Yule Ball. Not to mention Hogsmeade did not have the amount of shops and the variety available in London. She'd promptly asked her mother and father for permission to go to Diagon Alley to finish her shopping, and had also requested some extra money to make sure she had enough for all of the purchases she had to make. Carys was a thoughtful gift giver, and it was important to her that she was capable of gifting those she cared about things they would enjoy. Frivolous, throw away, items on sale for a sickle simply wouldn't do.

And, naturally, Carys had no desire to go to Diagon Alley by herself. Neither of her parents were in the mood to chaperon, which is how she found herself in the company of her cousin Theo.

Carys could tell that Theo was not pleased at having been sent out to keep her company while she shopped. But he was, at least, not being outwardly obnoxious or rude about it. He would probably be less pleased to know it had been her idea that he was the one who accompany her. Theo, like her elder sister, was one of the appropriate Whitmans. The sort who fit well into Slytherin and knew how to play politically. She liked that about him- envied it really. Carys never had that capability.

"I suppose I should buy something nice for Oscar," she said to Theo. Oscar Whitman was her godfather as well, after all. "Have you any idea what sort of gift he would like? I'm always clueless when it comes to shopping for men. I haven't any idea what you all like."