New Robes (open)

Martha sighed heavily and pulled her cardigan tighter about her body, as if the thin wool could possibly keep her warm in this blasted cold. She tried to suppress a shiver and failed. Thankfully the Durmstrang uniforms looked warm, if a little rugged and not to her tastes.
She glanced at her grandmother who was conversing in low tones with the seamstress, perfectly composed in her knee length dress and cardigan. Martha did not look forward to being poked and prodded all for the sake of a uniform she hate. God, she missed America. She missed Kentucky. She missed her parents most of all. They at least would have offered her ice cream afterwards. Not that she was in the mood for ice cream. Not in this cold. But it was the principle of the thing.
Nana would let Hell freeze over before she ever offered Martha a treat without first demanding an impossible task.
Martha sighed and dropped her arms before moving to the small platform the seamstress gestured to. Hopefully this would be over quickly.

Serafina was out shopping for her new robes. She hadn't outgrown the last ones, and they weren't old, but Serafina hated wearing the same things every year, even if they did look the same, they had to be new. With that being said, she strolled into Herr Magi's Beste Drakter and started looking for the most expensive, best looking set of robes.

Upon finding the robes she wanted, she went to the front only to notice that the little lady who owned the shop was preoccupied. She was taking up some nasty looking robes for an older girl. Probably a transfer of something since she'd never seen her before. She didn't care, this girl was wasting her time. She had places to be. "Those look fantastic on you!" Serafina exclaimed, maybe a little too enthusiastically.

Martha glanced at the other girl and frowned. "I beg your pardon, but I know quite well how they look on me, and fantastic is not the word I'd use," she replied tersely. The little squirt hardly looked worthy of Martha's time or energy. She turned back to the seamstress with a huff, hoping that was the end of that. The girl was obviously impatient, and while Martha didn't relish staying here any longer than she had to, the idea of making the girl wait just a bit longer to teach her a lesson held some appeal. "Now, run along, little one, go find your mother," she stated as she made shooing motions with her hands.

The girl was definitely pretty and feisty, but not prettier than Sera, no way. "Well geez, I was just trying to give a compliment, but you're right, they're horrible and everyone hates them." Serafina shrugged. Why was it so hard for her to make friends. She was starting to wonder if she should even waste time talking to people. Not many people could pull off Durmstrang robes, but she had to admit, this girl had great potential, just like her, to do just that.

The next comment hit Sera where it hurt most. She recalled the night her house caught on father. Her father tried to get them out safely, dragging the kicking and screaming 7 year old her out the house. Her mother told him to save her, but he'd hoped to be able to go back in for her, however, the house collapsed killing her. "I don't have a mother." she replied with hurt in her eyes, the same hurt as that night. "Besides, I need to get these robes." she held up the ugly cloth. She'd probably have to get them taken in as well because she was pretty petite.

Martha's mouth quirked upwards at the girl's comment. Then her heart clenched painfully in a rare bout of sympathy for the girl's lack of mother. The pain was still fresh herself and she sighed heavily "I apologize," she stated plainly. She wasn't about to spill her secrets, but there was no reason to compound the girl's pain with more harsh words. "Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until I'm done having mine fitted. Ghastly thing, this fitting business. But I suppose it's necessary to look one's best, isn't it?"

"I'm in no hurry. I don't actually have friends or plans." she sighed. The girl's apology seemed sincere, but she didn't need to apologize. Sera was glad to hear the girl change subject. She smiled her award winning smile. "You'd be surprised at what a little fitting and some accessories could do." She once again looked down to the ghastly robes she was holding and sighed. She hated them. She loved the weekend and the field trips when she wasn't required to wear them.

"I'm Serafina." she replied. Figured she might as well introduce herself.

No friends? Well, not that Martha's situation was any different, but she'd only just transferred so that was to be expected. She sighed, "What I wouldn't give to wear accessories," she replied. Nana didn't let her wear anything more flashy than a pair of studs in her ears and the locket her mother gave her unless it was a particularly special occasion. She wasn't mature enough for real accessories, in Nana's opinion. "I'm Martha-Louise, feel free to shorten that as you see fit."

Serafina thought about the amount of accessories she had. She had bracelets, necklaces, scarves; she had rings, earrings and watches. She had bows galore, thought she didn't wear them. If it existed, Serafina had it. The way it seemed, the girl wasn't allowed to wear accessories. That was bizarre and almost made Sera's mouth drop. "You mean, you can't wear accessories? Accessories, are my life." Sera said. She couldn't imagine not being allowed accessories. "You can always borrow some if you want." she shrugged, hoping the girl would catch onto the fact that no one would know what she wore once she got on the boat to Durmstrang. If the girl returned them, good, if she didn't, Sera wasn't poor. Chances are, it was time for her to replace her accessories anyways, and she may just do that later on today.

Sera's favourite accessory was the necklace her mother gave her as a present right before the house fire. It was a small golden necklace with a sword. Deep inside, her parents knew she'd be in Folkvang, like her father. She was the bravest child they'd seen. From the time she'd started crawling til now. She was brave when she was attacked by the werewolf and she was brave the night of the fire. She hadn't taken it off since she'd gotten it, and she never would.

"It's nice to meet you Marth-Louise." Sera smiled, she'd call her Martha, it was easier. The girl was definitely a transfer. America was her guess. Never before had she heard an accent like Martha's before, even when she'd went to Hogwarts.

Sera's Necklace:

Martha shrugged. At least at school she'd have more freedom and could wear accessories whenever she wanted. It was a ridiculous rule her grandmother had, in Martha's opinion, but there wasn't much she could do to change it. She smiled gratefully, "Thank you," she replied with sincerity. A glance towards her grandmother proved the elderly woman oblivious to her granddaughter's conversation, a relief to be sure. If Nana knew Martha planned to borrow accessories, she'd likely pay the teachers to confiscate any 'flashy' items on sight. As it was, she'd barely allowed Martha to pack her earrings. "I'd offer you mine, but I don't think they'd be of much use. I've only got studs, mostly." Of course, there was no way she was giving up her locket. That stayed on always.
It wasn't much, her locket, a gold plated heart hanging on a silver chain--the original was gold but it broke about five years ago--with pictures of her parents on either side. It was also the one thing from her mother that her grandmother hadn't tossed out almost immediately. All her clothes had been dumped when they'd taken her in, and they'd forced her to give up nearly all of her stuffed animals save for a small bear from her father and a collectible, ceramic doll.