When Candice had been packing her things to get ready for the move (she'd made up her mind rather quickly), the witch had managed to unearth a box of records she had bought when she was at Hogwarts. Wizarding music had been a novelty then, so she had bought far more than she had ever listened to, and the record player was long lost or broken.

The witch knew that there was a record store in Diagon- but she'd never been. Candice was curious as to whether or not they bought records, and even if they wouldn't buy them if they would have a use for the old volumes. She certainly didn't and Candy didn't want to just throw them in the trash, that would be wasteful. But at the same time she had no desire to have them cluttering up space in her new house.

Candy came into the store shortly after lunch time with the box in hand. She set it down on the counter and tightened her pony tail, smiling brightly at the woman behind the counter. "I was wondering if you guys buy records?" she questioned. "I found these when I was packing up to move today. I haven't listened to them since Hogwarts."

At some point, Jacoba was going to have to broach the topic of a replacement dog with Adon.  She knew, in some ways, having Baldur around had been annoying but she had gotten very used to the dog's presence and the dog's alerting her to anyone coming into the shop or up behind her out on Diagon.  Most of the time, such events were non-issues but the dog had given her a sense of security that she hadn't really been aware of until the dog had been returned to its rightful owner.    Especially since Jacoba often found herself on her own in the shop with Tilly still away with the baby. 

The sophisticated piece of muggle equipment had been Jacoba's improvement since Baldur had returned to Sasha.  The series of brass bells hung from the top of the door jingled as it opened and the woman stepped inside.  Jacoba abandoned the stack of records she was restocking and moved towards the far side of the counter. 

"Morning," Jacoba offered, brightly, as she pulled a stool up to the counter and peered into the box.  She leafed curiously through the first few albums on top.  "We do deal in used records," Jacoba confirmed as she pulled one of the albums out.  "My boss usually handles the magical titles, though.  But, she's been away a few weeks.  We may be able to work something out.  What all do you have here?" 

"A little bit of everything, really," Candice said in response. "I went through a phase in Hogwarts where all I wanted to do was listen to wizarding music. But... really, the muggle alternative is more convenient," she confessed somewhat awkwardly. Candy couldn't use her ipod at work- really anywhere in the wizarding, but whenever she was at home, she was always able to hook it up to her stereo. It was just more convenient, and really, outside of the house she had no reason to be listening to music anyway.

"I'm sure they're not worth very much," she said. "I don't expect a huge amount of money. Even if you guys can't buy them, I don't have any use for them. I'm sure they're not popular anymore. Gosh- I've had these over ten years!" That was a long time by standards in either world. Music came and went- it never stayed popular for very long.


"They're in alphabetical order by artist," Candice pointed out. "I don't know much anymore about what's even popular. I don't have a wizarding radio or anything like that at home. I don't even have the right kind of record play for these things. I guess I lost it or got rid of it in the times I've moved since I graduated from Hogwarts, ya know?" Candice shrugged indifferently. "They're just taking up space, and I moved into a house and I don't see the point in keeping them anymore."

"But... really, the muggle alternative is more convenient"

"We do have the convenience down," Jacoba agreed, distractedly, as she flipped through the record collection.  She didn't give a second thought to admitting her muggle status.  The woman had already admitted to preferring muggle technology; she couldn't be that anti-muggle.  "Though, vinyl's making a bit of comeback as part of the whole 'go retro' trend."  She pulled a random album out of the box from the middle and flipped it over to peer at the back label.  The trio of witches bobbed and ... were they shimmy-ing?... on the back cover. 

Jacoba started pulling the records out of the box and setting them on the counter.  "So, you're fairly certain there's nothing collectible or more valuable than the standard rate in here?"  Once it had been emptied, she set the box on the floor behind the counter and started flipping through the records with a more business like earnestness.  "Thirty-two albums?" Jacoba asked, glancing up at the woman to verify the number was what the woman expected.  "Our base repurchase rate is one sickle, 7 knuts.  If you think there might be anything worth more, you'd be better off coming back when the owner's here.  Otherwise, I can give you..."

Her voice trailed off and she pulled a piece of paper towards her.  She still hadn't quite gotten the hang of the currency and its weird conversions.  She'd always thought it was annoying that British and Americans hadn't figured out that the decimal system used in metric was so much easier.  Knuts and sickles and galleons, though.  That was more like going back to the whole twelve pence to a shilling and twenty shilling to a pound routine.  Not that she was really complaining, mind you.  It just made multiplying that much more time consuming.  "That's thirty six sickles times thirty-two," she muttered to herself, scribbling the figures on the page. 

"Ok.  I think that's two galleons, five sickles and twenty-one knuts."  She glanced through the stack of albums.  "Would you recommend any of this?" she asked, curiously. 

"I've never been a fan of vinyl. My grandparents still listen to records, and I just don't understand it. I like the shuffle function on my music player too much for that," she said with a shrug. "I'm not up on most trends anyway. It's hard to split your attentions between one world and another. My muggle girlfriends try to keep me up to date, but sometimes you just can't be bothered," she laughed. "Besides, I'm stressed out enough most of the time without trying to add being trendy to the list."

She was a little surprised that the clerk seemed so worried about whether or not any of the records were collectibles. "I don't care about the money," she said. "If you guys get a good collectible for cheap, it's just a good deal for you, yeah?" she suggested. "And that sounds fine. I didn't expect to get anything for them at all."

Candy shrugged again when the woman asked if she would recommend anything. "I barely even remember any of it, I'm the one who could probably use recommendations as far as wizard music is concerned. A lot of it is just super weird to me. I might be the only person in the magical world who isn't a fan of Three Owl Standard or the Weird Sisters or something like that."

"But if I had to recommend anything, I'd probably make you listen to some cheery muggle music. I like anything that uplifts your spirits. Or something that's fun to dance to." Not that she was a particularly accomplished dancer, but she enjoyed it. "I'm always dancing around the house when I'm cleaning or cooking."

"It's not often you run into someone in a shop around here who has any grasp on the muggle world though," Candice commented. "Are you muggle born?" she asked. "Most muggle born witches and wizards seem to leave their muggle lives behind after they graduate from Hogwarts."

Jacoba grinned and shrugged.  "My brother claims sound quality's better on vinyl.  Something about physics and sound waves and analog and digital.  Too complicated for me.  I prefer the convenience of players myself," Jacoba admitted.  She waved it all off.  In the long run, it didn't make that much of a difference.  At least, not that she could tell.

She shrugged as she started to restack the records in the box.  She was already considering plans to spend some time on the record player in back listening through these - it'd be amusing to hear what had been popular 'back in the day.'  "Well, keeping up with things simply because they're trendy's never made sense to me.  You should keep up with things you like and think are worth keeping up on.  Most of my stuff's not that trendy, I guess.  At least, most college kids wouldn't think so.  But, I like to think it's good."  Entertainment should be entertainment.  Stress and entertainment weren't good bed buddies.

She set an intake inventory sheet on the top of the box and just jotted down the first record title with 1s 7k next to it. She could fill in the rest during those times the shop was empty.  She slid a receipt slip over the counter.  "If you can just put your basic information on that - name and address is all we need.  Though, if you've got a mobile, doesn't hurt to put that."  Who knew?  This woman had an mp3 player, after all.

"Be careful who you say that to," Jacoba said with a laugh to make it clear she didn't mean it.  "The shop owner's dating Creevey so the band tends to come around a fair bit.  Even though I'm fairly certain they would be the least concerned about someone not being a fan.

"It's not often you run into someone in a shop around here who has any grasp on the muggle world though.  Are you muggle born?  Most muggle born witches and wizards seem to leave their muggle lives behind after they graduate from Hogwarts."

"I've noticed.  Seems, to some degree, they don't have a choice."  At least, so far, that had been Jacoba's observations as an outsider looking in.  She shook her head.  "No.  Not muggleborn.  Couldn't make a feather levitate without blowing on it.  Naw - pure muggle.  My brother's muggleborn, tough.  Or, apparently, halfblood.  Or, something.  We're not sure." 

"I definitely agree with that!" Candice said with a smile. "I've never understood the point of being trendy. I mean- if you're happy and you enjoy things, why change it just because somebody else tells you that it isn't cool anymore?" She shrugged a little. "I don't know- it just hasn't ever made much sense to me." Though it seemed her new friendship with Dolly was changing Candice a little- making her more trendy, for one.

Candice took the paper and filled out her information. "No- no mobile for me. There is a land line, but mobile phones are finicky around a lot of magic. There's not much magic in my house, but there's enough for things to go wonky if I'm not careful." The floo network was specially designed not to interfere with things. How, Candice wasn't sure. But she had yet ot have a problem with it. Then again, whenever Candice was doing anything overly magic she threw the breaker so that all of the electronics had no power running in on them.

She was slightly embarrassed to hear that the Three Owl Standard was somewhat connected to the record shop. She really should have known that. "Well, we will just have to be glad that they weren't here today then, yeah?" she said with a grin.

"Pure muggle?" Candice repeated. How on earth did someone who was pure muggle work and manage in Diagon? Her brother was a halfblood. Maybe she was married to a wizard? Still, Candy's experience with muggles who married wizards was that they were mostly kept separate from the wizarding world. "Must be interesting to be in your shoes, then," Candy said. "I remember when I found out I was a witch. It was pretty exciting."

"It must be hard, though, to be a muggle in our world. A lot of magical people aren't very tolerant..." Candy fidgeted awkwardly. "This might sound a little awkward- but if you need more friends, you can always send me an owl. I'm sure we could have some fun. And- obviously- I'm much more tolerant of muggles than most. Considering I practically live like one outside of Diagon Alley."

Jacoba smiled back before carefully setting the box of records on the floor behind the counter, clearing the space between them.  It would likely take a good chunk of the afternoon to sort through them and help them find their appropriate homes in the bins.  She might recognize a few of the artists but if they really were mostly vintage then most would probably be unfamiliar to her. 

But, exploring all of them would be, easily, the majority of the fun. 

"So I've noticed," Jacoba admitted.  "My mobile's signal seems to start faltering about four steps away from the Leaky.  In here, the thing's not much more than a paper weight with fun buttons.  That do nothing.  I don't even bother trying; I usually just turn it off while I'm waiting for someone to go through the wall into the alley."  But, without fail, she'd turn it on, again, within moments of she and Adon clearing the front of the pub. 

Jacoba chuckled and nodded.  "The band's pretty easy going.  I don't think they'd care if they were here.  But, they do seem to hang around here a lot."  Which, Jacoba didn't mind.  She'd met them free from any star stuck nonsense and had found most of the boys pretty easy to get along with.  They were all pretty muggle friendly and, generally, easy going.  More along the lines of what she was used to outside of the wizarding world.

"One hundred percent pure muggleness.  The only way I can make things fly is by throwing them."  In which case, they weren't really flying.  They were following.  In a forward-progressing manner.  "Exciting - yes, it can be sometimes.  Some folks seem very welcoming and nice.  Others, less so.  But, what can you do?"  She added with a shrug. 

Jacoba shook her head, confirming that, indeed, many weren't exactly the most tolerant.  "There are quite a few, though, that are welcoming."  A broad smile settled across Jacoba's features and she nodded her head.  "Definitely.  I can borrow my brother's owl.  I think.  He's a funny little thing.  But, I'd love to hang out.  Are you muggleborn?"  She asked, curiously.

Candice nodded. "Most definitely am. As far as I know, anyway," she offered. "Never met my father, don't know who he is. Let's just say my mom isn't exactly the best or most moral person on the planet," Candy laughed. "But I grew up muggle- muggle schools, muggle family, for all intensive purposes I am a muggle born and raised."

"We don't know of any other witches or wizards in the family. I lived in muggle London up until a couple of weeks ago- had a flat near The Leaky Cauldron, because I work down at Calaveras. Have you ever been there?" Candice asked. "I'm a chef- I do mostly desserts, but I help with other stuff, too. Great food! Really fun place. We could go sometime. You like to drink?" she asked. "I could always use a gal pal to go with me for a few drinks!" She smiled- hoping to come off as friendly, not over bearing. Candice just liked making friends.

"It's funny, you know, how magic and electronics work. My house- it's on the edge of a wizard town, kind of where the real world meets our world. Set up for the floo network- but you've got to cut the power in the house to use the floo. Made a special switch for it. Just to make sure it doesn't interfere too much with what's going on in the house- short something or another. But I like having a lot of the comforts of muggle life. You know- electricity, air conditioning, the internet, mobiles... A mobile is so much more convenient than owling. Oh!" she exclaimed, laughing.

"Instead of owling- you could always call. I have a home line. Didn't bother with a mobile. Or, you know, e-mail or whatever. That's how I keep in touch with my friends in muggle london, and I send stuff to my grandparents a lot."

"Same as my brother, then," Jacoba commented, arching her eyebrows curiously.  It was definitely a familiar story.  "Don't know his father either.  For him, too, for all intents and purposes he's muggleborn."  Jacoba couldn't avoid looking intrigued as she leaned across the counter.  "Did you go to muggle school here in London?  What years?"  It seemed unlikely; Jacoba had already accepted that, as a general rule, she wasn't going to find former classmates in the magical world.  But, it wasn't impossible. 

Jacoba grinned but shook her head.  "I've passed by the place," Jacoba admitted.  She frequently passed by Calaveras on her way to and from work though she hadn't had an opportunity to go into it.  "I try not to linger too much down here on my own outside of work."  The risks were just too great - Adon had enough worries on his plate without her also wandering off someplace in Diagon on her own.  "But, I'd love to have someone to go with.  If you're really serious.  And, of course I like to drink - didn't even need to ask."

"Yeah - it is funny.  And, annoying.  I don't know how this world manages without television.  Guess your families actually talk."  Which, was about the extent that Jacoba could contribute to the magic and electronics conversation.  She just didn't know enough about either to get into more into details. 

Jacoba grinned.  "That I can do.  At least when I'm not at work."  The mobile and email were both out of the question in that circumstance.  "We'll definitely keep in touch.  I figure, I need at least one person who doesn't want to kill me for every one person that does to keep sane."  She offered a cheeky grin to show she was, for the most part, joking. 

"Yeah- I went to muggle school until I started Hogwarts. They didn't know I was a witch until the letter showed up, and then it was hard to explain it. Was sent off to Hogwarts- and it was pretty hard, not knowing anything. I guess most magic families do talk a lot. When I was at home I just watched television with my grandparents, too. But we talked a lot, I guess- but I mean, they're old," Candy laughed. "Life for them when they were young was different, so I guess I just got raised in an old fashioned way."

"So I guess that means I was in muggle school up until about 1992, then. It's a shame that so many people have a problem with it. I'd have just lied- and said I was a squib, saved myself a lot of hassle from the general public."

She paused for a moment, then fidgeted awkwardly. "Best to be careful, though," Candice offered. "I used to work with some of the nastier people in this world. Some of the criminals are really scary. Especially those who like muggle baiting. I hope the aurors have given you some way to get in touch if you need them. With the owner gone, you're kind of like a sitting duck."

"Got a piece of parchment or paper handy?" Candy asked. "I can write down my information for you. Me and my muggle friends go out in London a lot- you could come with us. Not sure how many muggle friends you have in the area, but I can help you find some more!" she said with a smile. "I like it- it's nice to keep in touch with... well, I call it the real world now," Candy laughed.

"Ah, makes sense," Jacoba offered with an amiable grin.  She could somewhat picture the home setting Candy was describing - she'd lived vicariously through enough friends growing up to be able to picture it.  But, she had little of her own personal experience to go off of.  And, she had learned not to be too forthcoming with such information, as well.  Her history was ... colored at best.  Some might understand but she'd learned through experience that most did not.  It was better to not tempt fate when friendships were so new. 

But, that did answer one question.  Even if, by some chance, they had gone to the same muggle school, they wouldn't have been there at the same time.  "So, before my time anyway," she offered.  "I admit, I sometimes wonder if it'd be easier to just claim to be a squib.  I could punch up the accent and claim to be from some old German pureblood family.  But, that just doesn't seem right." 

With a slight sigh, Jacoba shook her head.  "We haven't had the best of luck with Aurors," Jacoba admitted.  "There was one assigned to us but I got as much harassment from her as I've gotten anywhere else.  I actually prefer it when she's not around but, no.  I don't really have any way of contacting them.  I'm dating one and he walks me to and from work but, during my shift, I just kind of improv security."  She nodded towards the small brass bell hung at the top of the door.  It didn't do much beyond making it harder for someone to sneak in without her knowing. 

"Not many, believe it or not."  Jacoba fished out a piece of paper and slid it across the counter to the woman.  "I just moved back to London back in September and, I don't know, strangely enough I seem to have just been in this world.  The muggle world was kind of complicated for me here."  Too much risk of running into people from a past life.  That risk, of course, still remained though, perhaps, she'd grown more settled in her place here.  Finding a social group among muggles probably wouldn't be a bad idea.  "I'd love to hang out, though.  Wouldn't mind not being the outsider all the time."


(weird - my response to this must not have gone through the first time.  Hopefully it will, this time.  But, here it is.  Sorry for the delay!)

Candice laughed when Jacoba mentioned pretending to be a squib. "Oh, but sometimes it would be very handy I'm sure! Though, squibs are not much more liked than muggles. A lot of families disown their squibs or send them off to live in the muggle world. Perhaps it is something to try when you're in a town other than Diagon where I'm sure everyone has heard of you by now. Maybe try it at Hogsmeade or elsewhere?" Candy suggested with a smile.

"Well, that bell won't help much if someone knows it is there," Candy said, following Jacoba's gaze. "One quick spell could silence everything." And one quick spell could kill, too, but she saw no reason to mention that. No reason to be morbid really, now was there? At least, Candy hoped there was no reason to be morbid.

Candice was glad that Jacoba seemed to want to hang out. Being an outsider was far from fun. "I can understand that. I've been a bit of an outsider all my life. They find it weird when you don't fully integrate into wizard society, and then enjoying life as a muggle makes you even weirder. But really- it's how I just always lived and I wasn't ready to give it up. Maybe one day, you never know," she said with a bright smile and a gentle shrug.

"Your boyfriend is an auror?" Candice repeated. "I've been seeing a man who is a Hitwizard. Though I think he's just moved to Magical Law Enforcement- something like a police officer. But they all work in the same department. We could all go out on a double date sometime. That might be fun. I love how awkward double dates can be- especially for men. I've no doubt Declan would be fidgety the whole time. He's cute when he fidgets."

Jacoba laughed and shook her head.  It really, honestly, hadn't been a serious idea - she suspected misrepresenting herself wasn't going to win her any more support than being an outlier.  And, probably less so.  Not that it wasn't tempting.  No.  From what Jacoba could tell, Tilly didn't have it that much easier - though, her insistence on employing a muggle probably contributed to some of it. 

"I've been to Hogsmeade a handfull of times.  Not sure it'd work there anymore.  And, contrary to popular belief, I'm not trying to stage some muggle invasion of the wizarding world so I don't really have any desire to go bumming around wizarding communities."  She shrugged and shook her head. 

Jacoba nodded and offered a slight grin.  She'd known the bell wasn't exactly state of the art home, or work, defense.  It was better than nothing.  "I'm aware of that.  Luckily, most of the folks associated with the shop keep an eye out.  Used to have a dog and that was really better.  Still not a guarantee.  But, the dog's back with my brother's.  I'm definitely open to other ideas."   

"I'm kind of used to being an outcast, too," Jacoba admitted.  Despite their respective abilities (or lack there of) in performing magic, they seemed to have quite a bit in common.  "Oddly enough, I feel more like I belong here than I have ever felt on my own in the muggle world.  Given the reality, I know that sounds pretty pathetic but-"  Her voice trailed off and she shrugged. 

Adon wasn't exactly one to fidget.  He was more of a brooder with a tendency towards sarcastic bites.  But, that didn't mean his awkward was any less amusing.  "That could be fun.  I-"  Jacoba couldn't help but hesitate a moment and chuckle with amusement.  With a tone of obvious disbelief, she clarified: "My social circle is law enforcement.  Who would have imagined?"  Not her schoolmates, that was for sure.  "But - I'll run the idea by him this evening.  See what he says.  Having more folks on Level 2 that don't give him grief about...this," or us... "couldn't hurt."

Candice laughed. "I don't think it would be easy to have muggles invade the wizarding world, anyway," Candice said. "Besides- there are enough halfbloods and muggleborns to justify any muggle bumming around a wizard community, I think. But the statute of secrecy is so very strict. Though, I guess it has to be. It would end up being like the X-Men if word got out that wizards existed. Making us register and then treating us awful and stuff like that."

At least the woman seemed to be well adjusted to living in the wizarding world and working there. And she smiled whenever the woman said she'd ask her boyfriend about it. "Just let me know what he thinks, and I'll weasel Declan into it. A lot of the aurors weren't very fond of me when I worked on level two. But that's mostly because I had a job that made me pretty unpopular." Candy shrugged. "But it is what it is. Thankfully I don't do that anymore."

"And I really do hate to cut this short, but I really should get going. We will definitely have to hang out sometime. Next time me and the girls go out for a night on the town I'll let you know and you should come along. It's nice to socialize among muggles after spending all your time with witches and wizards. I don't know how to describe it. It's just... this world is so restrictive. And it's nice to have boundaries, I guess... But freedom is nice, too."