Ariadne handed over the crisp purple-pink paper bag to the witch who looked like she graced the pages of Runwitch. Ariadne had no idea the woman did, and was inwardly wondering why Ariadne did not seem star-struck like the other assistant. The other assistant who came back off her lunch to be fitfully jealous of Ariadne’s opportunity to serve such beauty.

The oblivious, recent Hogwarts graduate’s cheeks felt like they were charmed stiff with all the smiling. Odd, since most of the witches she’d seen on the covers of that particular magazine looked like they might hex you.

It had only been a few hours. Well, five hours, thirty one and three quarter minutes since she’d started this job at Madam Primpernelle’s Beautifying Potions and there was a possibility she’d make it through to the end of the day. A whole day of selling beautifying potions in a sickly sweet smelling shop while the weather outside was teasing her. This was heaven for the likes of the girls who bought those glossy magazines and cooed over the latest potions and lotions. For Ariadne, whose face had only seen makeup today because of where she was working, she’d been regularly glancing out of the shop’s front window.

And there, passing the window was someone young Gamp considered famous. The jealous assistant who had returned from lunch didn’t give Ginny Weasley-Potter a second glance through the shop window, but Ariadne’s nose squished against the glass and left a smudge.
“I’mgoingonlunch,” she gabbled, scrabbling at her apron ties, shoving it under the counter and flinging herself out the shop door without waiting for a response.

Ariadne’s heart was thumping in her chest. She’d only seen Weasley-Potter in the newspaper, or through binoculars at quidditch matches from the cheap seats. She was legendary - not only the best damned seeker who ever played for the Harpies (in Ariadne’s opinion at least) but a badass witch who fought in the front line of the second wizarding war. Oh, and she was married to Harry Potter, but he got all the glory, meh.

Was she slowing up? Was she pausing to go into a shop? The distance between them suddenly shortened. Oh solomon, Ariadne’s mouth was about to work without engaging her brain first. It was up top covering its eyes - if it had any that weren’t her real ones - which were currently like saucers.
“It’s you, isn’t it?” Ari breathed, not necessarily coherently. “Oh my god. I mean, of course it’s you, you’re a human being who goes shopping and lives in the wizarding world, why wouldn’t you be in Diagon Alley at half past one in the afternoon on a Monday?”

Smooth Gamp. Smooth.

“Sorry, I just, you were totally my favourite quidditch player when I was growing up - I had a postcard of you catching the snitch above my bunk on the boat and I still have it pinned inside the roof of my trunk, because you totally signed it for my dad once after a game and he really wasn’t trying to flirt with you at the time…. and oh my god I just told you that out loud.” Ariadne slapped a hand over her mouth and offered her other in a handshake. “Sorry,” she said from behind her hand, and withdrew it, “Ariadne Gamp, star-struck Gryffindor.”

Ginny squinted down at her list, a scribble of letters here and there, some crossed out and some not. She either was really in a rush when she wrote the note or her handwriting was going down the drain. It certainly did not help that a jelly stain marred the paper as well but that brought a smile to Ginny's face, as Lily had grabbed a hold of it before she could snatch it back up.

"Okay Gin, get it together. You don't have much time before picking the children up and this list needs to be completely done. It isn't as if you haven't shopped before," the mother said under her breath. Maybe she should have brought James along to help.... Surely seven was old enough to start helping? Ginny sighed and looked up from her list, starting to put one foot forward to go towards the quite close beauty shop when a young woman with a pretty completion stopped before her and seemed to well, babble. Ginny blinked and looked behind her for a moment, confused, but slowly realized the young woman was talking to her. Her own eyes widened but she could not help but smile, a small laugh escaping.

"Well yes, I am a human. No alien here," she teased. It took a moment to realize what the girl was saying and Ginny could not help but blush when she realized she was standing before a fan of hers. It had been so long since anyone had really mentioned her Quidditch days and in such an enthusiastic way. Her children were too young to converse and Harry never wanted to talk about much of anything anymore, so she couldn't help but be extremely pleased to say the least.

"Wow, that's extremely flattering. Wow," Ginny smiled brightly, really happy for the boost of confidence. It seemed lately all she was was a mother chasing after three small children and a semi adequate wife. She loved her children more than anything, she truly did, but it was refreshing to hear someone remember how she was in the past. Her playing years had been some of the most exciting ones of her adult life.

"You have no idea how neat I think it is for you to have kept such a token. Thank you," Ginny said warmly as she  took the young girl's hand and squeezed gently. "It's a pleasure to meet you Ariadne. It's okay, I often say a lot of things that probably should have been kept inside. Not that what you said should have," Gin laughed again. "Now that you say that, the last name does sound familiar," Ginny trailed off, trying to remember the encounter. It would come back to her as soon as all the other thoughts racing through her head settled.

"Well, Ginny Weasley-Potter, as you already know. Very pleased to meet you. It's always great to meet a fellow Gryffindor."

Ariadne’s initial fear that Weasley-Potter would think her irritating for interrupting her on the street dissipated. Up close she was properly brilliant, but Ariadne had donned the rose-tinted spectacles as she bolted up the street. Ginny was older than any of the postcards and photos Ariadne had treasured as a young girl, but despite the years, Ariadne’s eyes refused to see the age.

“Now that you say that, the last name does sound familiar,” Ariadne’s face broke out into a larger smile.

“My aunt Andromeda shared a dormitory with you. She’s an auror.” There’d just never been a time when aunt and Weasley-Potter were in the same vicinity to introduce, as far as Ariadne remembered. The two witches were very busy, and famous people like Ginny probably got tired of people riding on the coat-tails of their fame because they were in Hogwarts at the same time.

“Uhm, so this is maybe, proper forward and all, but I’m on the job hunt - big time. I used to write for the Hogwarts paper, write up matches and stuff, well, when I wasn’t playing, and I can totally write, proof, check, file anything and hunt stuff down. You’re like, totally the best quidditch correspondent out there. I mean, should I be approaching you, or someone at one of the papers to get my toe in the door?”

Her questions were firing off in the least professional way, but this wasn’t a moment Ariadne had rehearsed in her head or ever thought would happen.

“I’m putting you on the spot, gosh, you’re probably busy and all.” Ariadne wrung her hands.

"Your Aunt?" Ginny asked in surprise, the only Andromeda she knew being of the Tonks variety. Wait.. No.. She did know another Andromeda, or knew of her, because just as Ariadne had said, they had shared a dorm back at Hogwarts. "Ahh, yes, I remember her. Well, a little bit," Ginny smiled, guiltily.

Again Ginny was surprised but pleasantly. While quite an unconventional way to ask for a job, Ginny admired the spunk and courage it took to just up and front ask her for a job.

"You're fine, I'm not all that busy. We could always use extra help at the paper. And if you like going out on assignments, I'm sure I could get approval for an assistant. Is that something you might be interested in?" Ginny had wanted an assistant for quite some time but never actually found the time to get one. This could be a win win for the both of them.

“… we could always use extra help at the paper,” Ariadne’s eyes began to widen, and she clutched one hand in the other before her. “… I’m sure I could get approval for an assistant.” Ariadne’s mouth was starting to hang open, jaw slack with surprise.

“… Is that something you might be interested in?”

It took the Gryffindor a good two beats to snap back to the present. Her jaw shot up to meet her lips and she babbled some incoherent sounds in excitement, her hands shaking a little.

“OHMYGODSYESPLEASE.”

Ariadne clasped both hands over her own mouth for the horrible babble that came out of it. She inhaled, still wide eyed and calmed herself. “I mean, yes, that would be more than amazing. And so incredibly kind - I mean, you’ve not seen anything I’ve written, but I could owl it to you, like this afternoon. And get references - and - and maybe not start all my sentences with and.” She smiled and her cheeks flushed with colour.

Oh yes, Ariadne would be the perfect assistant and if she wanted to further that career, a perfect reporter. Her charisma was excellent and Ginny could only imagine her writing skills just as up to par.

"Well, come by the paper when you can and I will make sure everything is taken care of. Yes, send me something you have written if you could, just in case I need to justify taking you on. If they give me trouble about needing an assistant, I'll throw a fit," she winked, laughing lightly. The paper was doing well and she really did not think it would be a problem. "It might be only part time but we will figure it all out. It will be nice to work with someone with so much enthusiasm." Ginny was at a point in her life where she still loved her job, unlike some others around her.

“… just in case I need to justify taking you on.”

Was Ariadne DREAMING? She’d need to run home and ask Nick or Virgil to hex her to be sure. Suddenly the rest of the afternoon shift at Madam Primpernelle’s wasn’t looking so bad. It would take an effort to force herself back there to finish the shift, but she needed the money however much she wanted to abscond with the apron and tell them to stick their assistant job six hours into her first shift.

“It might be only part time but we will figure it all out.” Ariadne, ARIADNE, focus!

The Gryffindor graduate nodded fervently at what was being said, not worried about looking overly earnest given her excitement. Weasley-Potter had just complimented her enthusiasm. Ariadne had been able to muster enthusiasm for a list of weird and wonderful jobs she’d covered temporarily since moving into Diagon Alley, even if she’d been politely, or not so politely let go from several of them within days.

“I won’t let you down!” Ariadne gabbled, cheeks blushed. “I mean, I will make sure I bring everything down to the offices - as soon as my shift is over. I’m working at Primpernelles - but only temporarily. I mean,” she gestured to her face where her makeup charms were mild at best, “I’m not exactly aspiring for Runwitch. More the quidditch pitch.” Ariadne grinned and bobbed up and down on her feet. “Thank you, thank you - I promise I will do whatever it takes. You’re bloody amazing,” Ariadne’s hands gestured wildly between them in her exhilaration, “and I - I should shut up before I embarrass us any further.” She gave Ginny a bit of a bow.

“I’ll see you soon - thank you, thank you again.” Ariadne repeated, backing away, straight into a shopper, who she apologised to further before scurrying away, simultaneously mortified and on top of the world.