A Purchase Needed (Briony and Kiera)

[Briony Romain]

Hearing of the new shop that was now open in the junction of Knocturn Alley and Diagon Alley, Briony had decided that she would go to visit it, being a weapons shop she was probably going to find several things that as a duellist she would be able to appreciate properly, where as others would simply misuse for it's power.

Briony had, of course, come to look for one item in particular, she had heard of it, and she had heard that the owner of this shop had managed to procure it for sale. One of a kind, but so very important, not for her but as a present for her Raven, as she would need it for when she grew older, and developed.

Walking into the shop, Briony rapped on the counter and kept a neutral expression as she looked around for the owner.

[Kiera de Auvergne]

Kiera stretched on the counter and yawned. It had been a long, long day. The goblins were grumbling about their money as usual, and the price for the land leased out to Cruor Sanctorum.
Kiera cast an appreciative eye around the shop. It had turned out exactly as she wanted it to. Draped in shredded black and blue-curtains, furnished with steel upholstery, it lived up to its name. Just as she was contemplating it, a woman walked into the store and rapped on the counter

[Briony Romain]

Briony spotted the woman that she was supposing was in charge of the store, she wandered over to her slowly, and fixed her gaze upon her, leaning against the wall closest to the woman, she looked very young to run a shop like this.

Then again, she herself was young enough for the job that she did, and because of that she decided that she wasn't going to be one to judge the woman in front of her in terms of her abilities, just on her age.

"Are you the owner of this shop?" she asked, simply, with no tone to her voice, neither interest or distaste.

[Kiera de Auvergne]

Kiera cast a an appraising eye on the woman before her. Black-haired, pale faced......if she wasn't mistaken, this was Briony Romain, Headmistress of Hogwarts. She smirked.

Kiera got to her feet and looked at the woman calmly, "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. Needn't look so surprised about it."

[Briony Romain]

Briony smirked wider and she shook her head, normally she was so good at hiding what she thought, perhaps now she was more open because she did not care so much, or perhaps she was out of shape because of the painful self delivery she had to perform.

"I merely thought to own such a shop with such artefacts is an achievement for any young woman." she grinned "I congratulate you."

Sighing lightly she decided that she would get down to what she was here for, after all, it was hardly a positive place to be seen, in a time like this buying weapons was risky.

"I am here to enquire about one of the specialist items that you have been able to acquire."

[Kiera de Auvergne]

Kiera raised an eyebrow, "Thank you. It would have been better if your bloody Ministry was a bit more cooperative, but I'm satisfied all the same."
She smiled ferally.

Kiera walked out of the counter and started running a pale finger over the recently dusted steel shelves, "So what item are you looking for?"

[Briony Romain]

Briony chuckled and she held up her hands, when the Ministry was mentioned, Briony knew only too well how annoying they could be with their rules and their regulations...it stopped her from doing things that she thought needed to be done. It was more than annoying.

"It's not my Ministry. As a duellist, they are a little bit worried about the amount of weapons I have already, but oh well, they don't need to know the exact number." she smirked.

When she asked what artefact she wanted Briony was glad she had gotten down to business;

"I want the Amulet of He Roh."

[Kiera de Auvergne]

Kiera smirked inwardly. As far as she was concerned, no one, and that means no one, could have more weapons than her. So she understood Briony's sentiments perfectly.

When the Headmistress mentioned the Amulet, the teasing smile Kiera had been suppressing rose to her lips, "Oh, an exclusive item? Madam Romain, you are a demanding woman. Don't you at least want to know its cost?"

[Briony Romain]

Briony smirked lightly, returning the smirk that the woman gave her, after all, she could not help but think that she had managed to recognise her, which wasn't hard, but that despite what she heard she would treat her like any other.

Shrugging her shoulders, Briony chuckled lightly; "I am demanding. I don't particularly want to know, but since you want the money I suppose you will be telling me regardless of whether or not I desire to know the price or not."

Crossing her arms, Briony added; "Also, I would like to know with whom I am doing business, you know my name after all."

[Kiera de Auvergne]

Kiera turned her head from the perusal of the shelves and glanced at the woman before her, voice a perfect drawl, "Oh but what's the use of that? You already know my name, don't you?"

Then Kiera shrugged. "But if you insist, its Kiera. Kiera de Auvergne." Something about her tone told any listener how proud she was of her name.

Then Kiera leaned forward on the counter, propping her face on her hand, "And regarding the price, how are you so sure you have no interest in it whatsoever? The Amulet of He Roh is no plaything. How are you so sure I am going to ask money and not," Kiera paused, a gleam in her eyes, "Something else?"

[Briony Romain]

Briony sighed, and she leant against the wall, this was getting tiring now, she had not come to seek conversation she had come to buy the item and then leave the shop, there was nothing else to be done but it seemed as if this woman wanted to speak more than she would have liked.

"Well hello Kiera." she said with a bored tone to her voice "Look, you want to sell the thing, that's why it's on sale, I want to buy the thing that's why I'm here."

Pointing to the ground where she stood, Briony then looked back up to the woman and smirked lightly; "So just do me a favour and tell me the price whatever it is, and then we can both get back to something we would much rather be doing."

[Kiera de Auvergne]

"Fine. I won't waste your time, or my own." Kiera's sharp eyes focused on the woman in front of her, tone cool.

"I don't believe in a system of money. I have more galleons than I care to own. Make it a barter. Offer me anything you can think of which is good enough an exchange for the Amulet and you can have it."

Kiera then turned her back towards Romain, voice utterly dismissive, showing how little she cared. "Take it or leave it."

[Briony Romain]

Briony raised an eyebrow and she laughed lightly at Kiera, she did not believe in the system of money and here she was owning a shop and dealing in money? What a hypocritical notion. However, when the offer of bartering something came up, Briony could think of nothing that she could have that Kiera wouldn't already.

"I suppose that the idea of swapping more weaponry is something that you would not be interested in, seeing as you already have so much of it here." she pondered.

Tapping at her chin, Briony shrugged;

"You could always take one of the paintings from Hogwarts, if there was one that captured your fancy when you attended, if you attended, or perhaps one of the books from the restricted section."

[Kiera de Auvergne]

Even as the sound of Romain's light laughter reached her ears, Kiera smiled. Expectedly, Romain didn't understand. They never did.

"Business is not only about money. I have not spent millions of galleons gathering these artefacts, I've spent my blood and sweat. Its a sacrifice a woman like you should understand, but usually don't. I'm not surprised."

"Fine." Kiera turned around leisurely. "I'll visit Hogwarts sometime and decide upon my payment there." She waved her hand, and sound of complicated wards cracking reached her ears. A heavy, ornate black box flew out of the interior room and settled on the counter.

"Check it."

[Briony Romain]

Briony raised her eyebrow, oh she knew well enough just how business was run, there was a long trail of blood and effort leading up to her position as Headmistress, that few people would dare to take on, let alone understand her motives.

"I suggest if you wish to keep people coming into your business, you will do well not to insult them and their personal lives, after all, you know nothing of me that is worth knowing." she smirked cocking her head to one side.

Waiting until the box was presented to her, Briony waved her wand over it to check that there were no other spells left there to trip her up, upon finding none she opened the box and smirked at the sight of the amulet.

"Shall I take the whole thing, or would you like to keep the box?" she quipped.

[Kiera de Auvergne]

Kiera gave an exaggerated sigh. "I said a woman like you should understand the sacrifice of blood and sweat, ergo, its a compliment."

"Oh and if you wish people to keep on respecting you, its generally helpful not to think of them as hypocrites." Kiera spoke slowly, as if to someone younger. "I know you didn't speak it out loud, but it was clearly visible on your face."

"Oh and keep the box." Kiera added. "Think of it as a remembrance gift."

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Madam Romain." Because no matter what she thought of the woman, Kiera knew a worthy adversary when she saw one.

[Briony Romain]

Briony smirked lightly and laughed as she shut the box, placing it into her bag, this girl was something else, and although it annoyed her slightly to be in the presence of someone so presumptuous, she couldn't deny the fact that she reminded her a slight of herself.

"Perhaps if you weren't hypocritical I wouldn't have to think that." she smirked slightly wider "Thank you for the box, I'll make sure to take good care of it."

With that Briony turned out of the shop, and wandered back down Diagon Alley, humming to herself, now she had the perfect gift for her daughter, and all it cost was a stupid book she had copies of anyway, or a painting nobody actually wants.

[Kiera de Auvergne]

Kiera watched on as Briony Romain, Head Mistress of Hogwarts made her way out of the shop. I have a feeling that we will definitely meet again, Madam Romain.

Kiera turned and began rearranging her shelves, humming lightly. Oh, she definitely didn't believe in the system of money. And she fully supported the barter system.

Except a barter is always between objects, things of the same value. And a book or painting could not compare to the Amulet of He Roh which I have risked my life to obtain. I know exactly what I want.

END

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