{Patil Lotus, Thane, Mumbai}
{12th July 1992}
{Rigel's POV}
The floo spun me around a few times before it spat me out onto a cold marble floor. I steadied myself quickly, glad I'd avoided coming before Harry, as, from the annoyed look on his face, he'd had a bad landing... again. Brushing some soot that was clinging to my shoulder, I turned just as Parvati emerged. She gracefully stepped out, much more used to magical travel than anyone I had ever seen.
"You alright there?" I asked Harry after giving Parvati a nod.
He nodded shakily, giving me a gloomy glance. "I think I'm finally getting used to magical transport, or maybe just getting a little numb to the repeated falls."
Fred and George followed next, bursting from the fireplace in an untidy tumble. Sirius came through, calm as ever, brushing a speck of ash casually from his robes.
Ginny stepped forward gracefully as well, her eyes briefly meeting mine with a shy sparkle before she quickly turned away. The snug fit of her T-shirt hadn't escaped my notice either. It revealed just enough of her slender waist to pleasantly distract me. I looked away quickly, clearing my throat and turning to Parvati, who was already in her element.
Parvati swept forward confidently, gesturing around the airy, vibrant restaurant. "Welcome, everyone, to one of my family's most popular establishments, the Patil Lotus. The food here is amazing, but we can try that later unless you want to stop for a quick bite. Right now, let's go out and explore the market! It's the best way to experience magical India firsthand."
"Sounds great," Sirius agreed warmly. "Lead us, millady." He spoke in an attempt at fake British charm.
'How can he fake that? He's British.'
Stepping out onto the bustling street felt like entering another world entirely. It wasn't a bizarre contrast to Muggle London and Diagonalley, but it had its own unique contrast. A dazzling array of colors and sounds greeted us immediately; the atmosphere reeked of density and energy as the sheer number of people buzzed around, with dozens of conversations in rapid, different local languages.
From what I could make out, there were multiple different languages being spoken around us. My eyes widened slightly at the sheer liveliness of it all. The vibrant controlled chaos was unlike anything I'd seen, even in Diagon Alley, which was always bustling with wizards and witches mulling about.
As we walked, I became increasingly aware of how much we stood out. Everywhere around us, witches and wizards moved fluidly around us, their skin varying shades of warm brown, some lighter, some darker, but none as pale as our own.
A ripple of curiosity traveled through the crowd as their heads turned, eyes watching us closely as we walked, which was pretty easy considering our group towered over the locals. I was not able to detect any hostility directed at us with my mana sense, only intrigue as our appearance clearly marked us as foreigners.
Ron glanced nervously around. "Merlin, we're attracting quite a bit of attention already."
Parvati turned back reassuringly. "Don't worry. People here rarely see foreigners, especially in this part of the market, so naturally they're curious."
Almost immediately, two guards stepped forward from somewhere behind us. Their presence and sharp movements, stern faces, glowing staff, and crisply ironed robes bearing the Patil family crest instantly quieted the crowd's murmurs.
Feeling a sudden rush of sympathy for Harry, I leaned over and whispered jokingly, "Is this what you deal with all the time? If so, you have my sympathies."
Harry groaned softly, rolling his eyes. "You have no idea. Try having people stare at your forehead everywhere you go. It's like I have a fucking billboard on my head"
"What's a billboard?" George asked.
Fred instead seized the opportunity for a suggestion, "You could always tattoo a sign on your forehead. 'Stop staring!'"
George nodded cheerfully. "Or 'Ask me about my latest embarrassing landing.'"
We laughed, as the tension that had appeared dissipated quickly. Harry sighed dramatically, but the smile tugging at his lips told me he wasn't truly bothered by the teasing.
Moving further into the market, I noticed another striking cultural difference: most wizards and witches wore distinctly Muggle-style clothes rather than the traditional robes I was used to seeing back home. Men mostly wore simple cotton shirts and trousers, sleeves rolled up casually.
But it was the women who immediately captured my attention. Most of them wore vividly colored sarees, rich silks that shimmered softly in the afternoon sunlight. Even the ones who didn't embraced Muggle clothing with varied lengths of tops and jeans on full display.
My eyes lingered unintentionally on a woman who passed us gracefully, her deep emerald-green saree wrapped elegantly around her figure. The sheer fabric revealed tantalizing hints of skin beneath, her slender waist laid bare, a small jewel sparkling gently from her navel. The saree's delicate transparency and deep cleavage neckline framed her curves with a subtle, enticing elegance that caught me completely off guard.
"Enjoying the view, Rigel?" Sirius teased quietly, startling me slightly.
I cleared my throat awkwardly, quickly tearing my gaze away. "Just appreciating the cultural differences."
He chuckled knowingly. "Of course you are."
Feeling inspired, I turned to the group and impulsively suggested, "Maybe we should try shopping for some local clothing. It might help us blend in better."
Parvati immediately beamed, excitement lighting her features. "Brilliant idea! There's a fantastic tailor right down this street."
Ginny's eyes sparkled with quiet enthusiasm. "That sounds wonderful, I'd love to try on something new."
Fred groaned dramatically, clutching George's shoulder. "Shopping for clothes? Rigel, you're breaking our hearts here. What happened to the mischief-loving first year that we both know and love?"
"He passed his exams at the end of the year," I replied with a grin.
George continued mournfully. "We've barely even seen the local broomsticks yet."
Ron quickly joined their protests. "Yeah, I heard Indian broomsticks are both brilliant and cheap! Can't we go see them instead? I wanted to see if I could afford one?"
Harry glanced between the twins and Ron, understanding his way out. "Shopping for clothes sounds boring, I'd really like to see their Quidditch gear."
Sirius laughed lightly, patting Harry's shoulder. "Maybe we can split up later, let's keep the ladies company till the first shop at least."
Fred slumped theatrically, exchanging wounded glances with George. "We never stood a chance."
Parvati confidently took my arm again, pulling me gently forward. "Come on, let me show you my favorite place. You'll love the designs, Rigel. I could model some for you." She whispered the last part. Ginny moved closer to us, walking just a step behind Parvati. Her eyes flickered shyly toward me, holding my gaze for a moment longer than usual before looking away.
Turning to Parvati, I asked curiously, "Does your family often get this kind of attention?"
She laughed lightly, her eyes bright with amusement. "The Patils have been influential for generations, so yes, some people tend to notice us moving through the crowd. But this level of attention usually means there's a guest of special interest." She glanced pointedly toward Harry, whose expression instantly shifted into a familiar groan.
"Just great," Harry sighed resignedly. "I can't even escape being famous on vacation."
Fred smirked cheerfully, squeezing Harry's shoulder. "Look on the bright side, maybe you'll finally learn to land properly here. The prospect of International humiliation might do the trick."
Harry glared back playfully as he swatted away Fred's comforting arm. "Thanks, Fred. Very encouraging."
Parvati finally led us toward a bustling tailor shop, it had various sarees and other cultural dresses displayed proudly. She smiled warmly as she introduced us to the shopkeeper in rapid Hindi, or so I assumed, quickly turning back to me with excitement. As Ginny, Parvati, and I stepped into the shop, the rest of the guys quickly slipped away, clearly more interested in having a look around the market.
"Come see these, Rigel, they're beautiful," she urged eagerly, gently guiding me forward into the shop.
Ginny quietly fell into step beside me, her shy smile brightening slightly as she murmured softly, "This is definitely a better way to blend in compared to Harry's face-plant strategy."
I laughed quietly, appreciating her humor. "I certainly hope so."
As we entered the vibrant shop together, we were surrounded by the exotic beauty and rich culture of a diverse country. I was curious how Ginny would look in one of the sarees, which I promptly pointed out, pushing her slightly toward a black one with beautiful embroidery. She nodded shyly before taking it away toward the tailor, who quickly pulled her behind the curtains toward what I assume was a dressing room.
"You seem interested in her, at least let her get to Hogwarts, don't you have too many witches in your harem already?" Parvati joked as she leaned closer. I turned my attention back to the Indian beauty and appraised her.
"Well, we are here for a full week, and I do need some entertainment." I joked back, "Unless you are free, but I don't see Lavender around anywhere?"
She frowned slightly as she looked around, making sure no one heard me. Shaking her head, she replied, "Don't joke around about that. I don't want any rumors getting back to Dad. Besides, it was a fun experience, though I enjoy both sides of the coin, and you know that." She glared playfully at the end.
"Yeah, but you were always attached to... you know. Can't be too sure." I shrugged.
"Sure, sure..." shaking her head, she looked around and grabbed a reddish version of the saree that Ginny went to try on. "Come on, I'm going to need your help." She grabbed my hand and pulled me behind the curtain.
'Well, things certainly escalated quickly.'
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AN - Short smut scene with Parvati in the next chapter.
P.S - 55 extra chapters on P.atreon! Plus the scene of Naricssa's morning squirt from yesterday's chapter is available to free members as an apology for my long absence- www.p.atreon.com/Light_novel_addict