let this promise in me start [open]

open // wearing

like an anthem in my heart

Hannah was content enough to potter around the shop by herself. It was closing time, and the other girl she'd hired had already gone home for the evening, leaving Hannah to close up by herself. She didn't mind it - quite liked it in fact, sweeping up and making sure everything was left just-so when she locked up for the night. She rearranged some items on the shelves and tidied away some mess left by the day's customers - now she owned a store she'd developed an increasingly growing frustration with people's inability to put things back where they found them - and stopped for a moment, surveying the store. 

A happy little bubble rose up in her chest as she looked around, as it did every time she stopped to take it in. This was all hers, and she was unimaginably proud of what she'd done. She'd never thought she would be able to call herself a business owner before she'd turned twenty-five - and yet here she was, able to do exactly that. 

With a small, content smile on her face, Hannah turned to the matter of emptying out the till of the day's takings. She was just counting up the loose change when the bell above the shop door jingled, and she looked up, confused. She was sure she'd flipped the sign to closed...

"Sorry," Hannah said apologetically, not yet looking up from what she was doing, "We're actually closed now, but if it's an emergency I'm sure I can help?" She hated turning people away, after all - call her a soft touch, but if someone was coming to her, it was probably for good reason. 

?

Why were his days always so busy when he had other things to do? He had been running around St. Mungo's without any chance of a break all day. Even his lunch was cut short. He supposed it was just one of those days that they were overwhelmed with patients coming in. Well at least that part of his day was over, even if he had had to stay late to finish his paperwork before heading out.

Of course it was all compounded with his babysitter sending a note over during the day to tell him his son seemed to be coming down with a cold. Fantastic. It had seemed to be the year of his kids getting sick. They also seemed to be trading illnesses back and forth. It had been frustrating to say the least. But at least in the magical world colds were easy enough to take care of. If he could get to an apothecary before it closed.

So right after work he headed to Diagon Alley, hoping he'd make it to one of the apothecaries before it closed. He passed one that's sign said closed, but he could see there was someone inside. Maybe they'd be willing to help out. He went up to the door and tried it, and found it to be still open. He went in, and heard the person apologize. "No I'm sorry, I saw the sign, but I was hoping you could help." he said, his New Zealand accent still strong even though he had been in the country for over 10 years. "One of my kids has a cold, and I just needed the cure for that, if you had it."