So many things to do today! It was not a bad day to spend flitting about from shop to shop, in fact it was a rather pleasant day for running errands. Perhaps only the likes of Molly Weasley could find delight in choosing new dish towels, picking up potions for Arthur, owl pellets for old Pigwidgeon, and stocking up on other such household items. For Molly, it was fulfilling to arrive at home with all of her errands and running around finished, so she could kick her legs up for the day and munch on whatever pastries she'd concocted that day.

It was nice to have the Burrow to herself, though she missed the hustle and bustle of children clambering from room to room. She was convinced that there was an echo that had developed since her last child had moved out, although Arthur claimed not to hear it.

Humming to herself, she meandered by Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Her throat never failed to catch when she passed the place, bringing up memories of the son she'd lost and the son who still remained -- though there were times that it felt like more than just George's ear was missing. He'd been doing so much better since the birth of his son, aptly named after the lost brother. The happy return of George's old self - or at least some bits and pieces of it - furthered Molly's firm belief that children brightened your life. Perhaps she'd find a gift for young Fred today and stop in for a visit.

After taking a moment to admire the lovely cloaks on display at Madam Malkin's (she would certainly be making a pit stop there), she stepped into Alohomocha because she was very much craving a spot of tea. Diagon Alley had changed significantly over the years and this place was rather new-- but seemed to Molly to be very much the place to stop in for something warm to drink.

Lexus entered the cafe that was quickly becoming a regular haunt of hers. She blamed Ayla. The rambunctious teen had spent most of the Summer living or hanging around with Lexus and she seemed to survive solely on lattes and crullers. Even now with her cousin back at Hogwarts it had become somewhat of a routine, picking up a drink or a bite while she whiled away the hours between brewing potions and opening her shop.

As she slipped by an older woman who seemed to be just as happy to be out and about as she was (honestly living in Knockturn Alley could get depressing) she heard a shuffle and a clink. She glanced down worried she had dropped something and instead saw a small coin satchel that certainly wasn't her own.

Lexus bent down and snatched up the satchel. She turned it over checking to see if there was anything inscribed on it before looking to the older woman. There seemed to be a gentle kind nature about her appearance. Someone perfectly happy with themselves. For a moment it made Lexus a bit self conscious. She was nicely dressed with a long flowing turquoise top that was comfortably tight around the chest arms, a pair of black slacks with heeled boots. She had a matching turquoise hairband in her honey, gold and silver locks. Her talon like nails were painted to take away the edge. However the fake silver bracelets on her wrists didn't quite cover the burns she had there and she had forgone her coloured contacts and her make up was minimal.

She extended the satchel to the lady, "Ma'am, I think you dropped this."

Molly had been studying the menu board, or attempting to -- when a young woman handed her Molly's very own coin purse. Immediately Molly felt a wash of relief she hadn't even known she was waiting for, then beamed at the lady who had the good heart to give it back to her. "Oh -- thanks so much!" Molly cheered. She looked back at the menus with the tiny print a bit unsurely, then turned back to the woman, who surely had to have better eyesight.

Never one to admit her age, however, Molly framed the question carefully. "What d'you recommend here, dear?" Molly inquired, peeking over at the machines that were loudly expelling steam and swirling out milk. "I haven't quite... been here..." Molly was getting distracted by all the different mugs and teacups for sale. She had a large weakness for kitschy teacups. They each seemed, like people, to have different personalities. It felt almost rude to have a matching set of teacups, though she knew there were richer women who would sternly disagree.

It had been six days since she landed in London, and she was only on her fourth day at her new job. Lorelei Wong was excited for this opportunity, she really was, but this first week had been a jumble of new faces and paperwork combined with extreme tiredness. And the room which she was currently renting at the Leaky Cauldron was not exactly what she had expected. Shabby, lopsided and with creaking floors. But she expected that was what people would call ‘the rustic charm’.

So this Thursday she had decided to take some time away from work. It seemed like the Brits favoured tea above anything else (a stereotype which Lorelei had found was actually true), so her mission to find a decent cup of coffee was something she felt she couldn’t put off any longer. After some inquiries around Level Three she had reached the conclusion that Alohomocha, in Diagon Alley, would be her best shot. So, with a note pinned to her office door and yesterday’s edition of the American Wizarding newspaper under her arm, she had left the Ministry for some much needed caffeine.

The place was elegant and open, something which surprised Lorelei, as she had found most places in Diagon Alley to be cramped and messy. She sighed with relief when she entered - finally a place that felt a little bit like home. She was standing at the till, handing over knuts for her order (a double espresso), when she heard two ladies talk behind her. One was older, dressed in knitted earthy tones, and the other in a eye-pricking colour of turquoise. Apparently they were discussing the menu. She turned around.

“I’d recommend either a macchiato or a cappuccino,” she said with half a smile. “You can never go wrong with those.”

Lexus gave the older woman a toothy grin and turned her golden eyes to the board. She tucked a golden lock behind her ear with a clawed finger. She looked over the menu. She had never really ordered anything other than coffee. She was getting low on supplies to brew her own energy drinks (which she had made most of her money on selling to muggle locals and tourists alike) Besides going for coffee gave her an excuse to get out of Knockturn and if she was lucky, socialize.

"I'm a coffee kind of gal but my cousin seemed to be really fond of the lattes here when she was home from Hogwarts over the Summer."

She was a bit startled by the third voice. Not because it had come out of nowhere but because it was American! She turned to the newcomer with a toothy grin of her own. Many she had come across over the past few years she had been living in London thought her to be American herself. She never blamed them. She couldn't tell the difference between all the different English accents and it wasn't like she had one of those awful East Coast accents, or worse, Quebecois.

"What in the world is a Macchiato?"

Though Molly could not deny helping herself to a mug or two of coffee on a slow day, she couldn't quite understand those who chose the jitter-inducing beverage on a daily basis. For a while, when things were especially hectic at the Ministry, Arthur had taken to drinking coffee with his morning batch of muffins. It had worried Molly senseless, which he found silly considering all of the madness going on. She was a tea drinker, tried and true.

"I'm a coffee kind of gal but my cousin seemed to be really fond of the lattes here when she was home from Hogwarts over the summer."

The odd-looking woman who had assisted her with her wallet had used a word that had never before entered Molly's head before: latte. Within moments, another quick-talking young woman joined in their discussion buy naming another strange word. As she aged, Molly felt more and more distant from the generations below her. She felt comfortable in her world of knitting, baking, and traditions.

It never hurt to try new things, though. Squinting at the menu, she attempted to choose something that sounded familiar. "I'll have to take your word, dear," Molly told the young American sweetly. "I think today I'll be trying the green tea latte." Molly greatly preferred earl grey, but that didn't seem to be an option here.

“What in the world is a Macchiato?”

Lorelei smiled towards the younger woman with the golden eyes. She felt a jolt of familiarity as he heard her accent, and right then and there decided that this coffee shop (Alohomocha, was it?) was her spot of home in London. Coffee and North Americans - when she needed a place to quiet down.

“It’s what got me through college,” she said with a wink, before ordering herself a double espresso macchiato. After handing over her coins to the barrista (at first way too much - she hadn’t quite got the hang of British currency just yet), she turned back to the two women and held out a hand.

“My name is Lorelei Wong,” she said, meeting both the women’s eyes in turn. “It’s nice to meet you.”