In the North End, in an alley between a wine bar and a swanky seafood place, is a nondescript wall, cracked and stained in a generic sort of fashion. People never look twice at this alley and never hang around, and criminals, they always find some other alley to do their business in. It's not that they don't want to be near this alley, it's just that they always find themselves wanting to be somewhere else.
"This is where wizards hang out?" Nate says skeptically, looking around.
"No," says Kingsley. "It's right through here." He points his wand at a stain vaguely shaped like Azerbaijan and says, "Alohomora."
"Oh Kingsley, I haven't been in years," Sophie says, quietly but giddily. The wall disappears and reveals what appears to be a bustling downtown area of a world where everyone wears Snuggies. Sophie says, "I can't wait to have... What were they called? Those drinks that I liked?"
Kingsley smiles. "Butterbeer."
"Yes!"
"You might be a little disappointed," Kingsley says as they step through. "American butterbeer is terrible. It's quite watery."
"Man, I have not been here in far too long!" Hardison declares.
"Not long enough," Eliot mutters.
"The first order of business," Kingsley announces to the group, "is to find you some proper robes."
"What's wrong with my suit?" Nate protests.
"Well," says Kingsley, "I think you may want to... fit in in the wizarding world. Is it not the first rule of confidence schemesters to blend in with one's surroundings?"
"No," Nate says firmly. "It's 'always have an exit strategy'."
There is a silence in which many "oh no!" glances were exchanged between the rest of the team. Well, the rest of the team except Parker, who says, "I thought the first rule was 'travel light'."
"That's definitely it," Eliot cuts in. "Traveling light."
"Yeah, only the bare necessities," Hardison agrees. "Sometimes I don't even bring extra underwear, they just weigh me down."
Eliot makes a face at him as he steps away. "Dude."
"...My mistake," Kingsley concedes.
"Easy one to make," says Nate evenly.
"Let's go shopping!" Sophie exclaims, and everyone else for once enthusiastically agree.
I'm just saying it's a distinct possibility, is all.
"This is where wizards hang out?" Nate says skeptically, looking around.
"No," says Kingsley. "It's right through here." He points his wand at a stain vaguely shaped like Azerbaijan and says, "Alohomora."
"Oh Kingsley, I haven't been in years," Sophie says, quietly but giddily. The wall disappears and reveals what appears to be a bustling downtown area of a world where everyone wears Snuggies. Sophie says, "I can't wait to have... What were they called? Those drinks that I liked?"
Kingsley smiles. "Butterbeer."
"Yes!"
"You might be a little disappointed," Kingsley says as they step through. "American butterbeer is terrible. It's quite watery."
"Man, I have not been here in far too long!" Hardison declares.
"Not long enough," Eliot mutters.
"The first order of business," Kingsley announces to the group, "is to find you some proper robes."
"What's wrong with my suit?" Nate protests.
"Well," says Kingsley, "I think you may want to... fit in in the wizarding world. Is it not the first rule of confidence schemesters to blend in with one's surroundings?"
"No," Nate says firmly. "It's 'always have an exit strategy'."
There is a silence in which many "oh no!" glances were exchanged between the rest of the team. Well, the rest of the team except Parker, who says, "I thought the first rule was 'travel light'."
"That's definitely it," Eliot cuts in. "Traveling light."
"Yeah, only the bare necessities," Hardison agrees. "Sometimes I don't even bring extra underwear, they just weigh me down."
Eliot makes a face at him as he steps away. "Dude."
"...My mistake," Kingsley concedes.
"Easy one to make," says Nate evenly.
"Let's go shopping!" Sophie exclaims, and everyone else for once enthusiastically agree.