Location: Divine Tea


“Slower than slow,” Jo mumbled as she flicked the page of the music magazine in front of her. She was looking at a spread of Three Owl Standard; she smirked a bit as she thought of who was in the band. She remembered Dennis from school and it still boggled her mind that he was now famous. Granted people wouldn’t have seen Jo as the owning a business type, or even a parent of a little boy turning five. Jo sighed as she realized her little boy was getting older; he was turning five in August.

”Can I go home?” The voice of one of her employees echoed through her thoughts. She looked up brushing blue from her eyes. “Yup, I think I can handle closing on my own.” She smiled before going back to reading the article. It was after the Christmas rush, people didn’t need much tea these days after all she went though pounds upon pounds for Christmas gifts. The oils had been picked clean and it had meant for long nights making up new batches. She definitely was considering hiring new staff to replenish the stocks, but with how slow it got after the Christmas rush it didn’t seem so necessary. She had made a mental note for next year to hire more help.

“Goodnight,” she called out to her employee as she left. Soon it would be Jo’s turn to leave and pick up her son from her parents. Her parents might have been cold and a bit disappointed in Jo, but they did at least take care of their grandson, it definitely cut down on the cost of day-care.

Back to her magazine she leaned her chin on her hand. Since it was 5 o’clock in the evening there were no sit in customers now, and it always slowed for the to-go customers. She had an hour left of the day to be open and about half hour of clean up. The time really could not go by fast enough, she just wanted to get home to see her son. At the sound of the bell she looked up, ready to serve the customer who walked in.

The holidays festivities seemed to be over, but for the Grecian man, the weather did not favor as nicely. It was bitter, almost worse than the time being stuck with Vlad Dragulia in Romania. The positive things, as it had been then as it were now, were that he had the fur lined coat and leather gloves that Vlad given him. He shivered; how miserable it had to be to live in these desolate climates, for Herkalion boded better in December. Elias found beauty, however, being sent over from Greece. The snow was beautiful and well, it was only in storybooks as well as the travels abroad that he ever saw it.

Today was a fortunate one as the Ministry didn't require his presence, so he sat off for exploration. He had seen Diagon, avoided Knockturn this time for his well being, and now was in Hogsmeade. His eyes saw that the Festival was still in full swing and well, his interest peaked as he began to glance about. A toymaker, ice sculpting, remnants of a Quidditch booth as dirty flyers laid strewn across the ground. He shivered once more and his body seeked solace from the elements. It took no time at all to find the tea shop as his eyes were drawn immediately to it; thus, his feet crunched the mushy compound as he headed right into the shop.

All of his senses were sent into an overload: the scents of jasmine made his mouth salivate all the while the soft whistle of a tea kettle and the warmth of the room were added once the coat and gloves were off laying gently on a nearby chair while he stood there in a dark grey suit with a blazing blue tie in the middle. His eyes twinkled most child-like upon seeing Jo's hair, which caused him to chuckle all for but a moment as it ended as a warm grandfatherly smile. How lovely this place was indeed, he thought suddenly.

"Yassas. Your shop is quite beautiful, I must say. I do hope I haven't interrupted your reading," he stated, pointing at her magazine, "but I saw your shop and tea....well, it sounded better than liquor or cocoa." Hopefully...he hadn't weirded her out.

Yassas sounded loudly in comparison to the quiet environment of the tea shop. It was always slow around this time nobody was really interested in drinking tea this late at night, something about the caffeine keeping them up. This was why she was shocked to find a customer, but then she perhaps shouldn’t be considering the winter festival was still in swing, but the festival visitors seemed to want something within the liquor market.

“Oh don’t fret, I shouldn’t be reading.” Jo actually felt worried about being caught reading, but heck she was the boss and the one who field the complaints. The man in front of her didn’t seem to find her reading lazy or impolite, in fact he seemed worried he was interrupting her to begin with. “What can I get you?” Jo asked curiously as she brushed hair from her eyes and flipped the magazine closed.

Jo moved around the counter and held up the menu. “These are our tea blends, we have herbal, black and green teas.” She smiled at the customer hoping to give a good experience and make up for being found reading.

It seemed that his nice demeanor had still left her stumbling about like a carp flopping aboard a fishing vessel, gasping for air. Elias was not like many of his colleagues or better yet, some of the wizarding community. He was a laid back, sometimes no worries atttude, but mostly, a comforting kind of a persona that could almost make him seem he was a flower power child. Alas, the present called him back to reality.

Jo's helpfulness to earn an one-on-one customer relationship pleased him greatly; after all, courtesy was key. "You have so many wonderful selections here; I might just have to buy out your entire store," he retorted with a chuckle escaping his lips as he looked at the menu. The Tippy Assam caught his attention - the description reminded him of home in a most warming way. Clicking his tongue twice, his eyes looked back to Jo.

"Tippy Assam, if you would be so kind, m'dear," Elias said with the warm smile resurfacing over his features once again. His hand made a motion to denote 'just a sec' as he pulled a chair up to the area in front of where Jo happened to be stand. "Hera must be sore with Zeus today for my joints ache - then again, I am hardly the young man I once was. Now....besides the tea, what would you recommend as a compliment to the tea?" Formalities, formalities. Where was his manners?

"Oh, do forgive me. My name is Elias. Elias Nanopolous. It"s a pleasure to meet you, Miss......?" Now, to wait for her response. That is, if the bewitching scent of jasmine did not take him to Olympus first.