{Saanjh Silks, Thane, Mumbai}
{12th July 1992}
{Ginny's POV}
I stepped out carefully from behind the fitting-room curtain, adjusting the black saree nervously as the assistant who'd helped me disappeared back toward the front of the shop. My pulse fluttered, equal parts excitement and apprehension filled me as I glanced around the shop, eyes scanning for Rigel.
'Where did he go? He was here just now.' I thought as I searched for him while my mind wondered about this new dress.
The attendant had been incredible. Not only had she wrapped me in this gorgeous silk effortlessly, but she'd also done so without a wand, just a slim golden ring which she used to cast magic by twisting it elegantly on her finger as she murmured incantations in a foreign language.
I couldn't wait to tell Rigel about it. He'd love the discovery of a ring-based magic system. He did talk about exploring more exotic branches of magic when he got here. But mostly, if I was honest, I was eager to see his reaction to me in this new dress. Yet, as my eyes searched the bustling front of the shop, I couldn't see him anywhere.
Frowning, I moved through the rows of colorful sarees and other cotton garments, past chattering customers. I felt a little annoyed as I still didn't spot him. He had seemed quieter and more distant than usual today, maybe even distracted, but he wouldn't wander off without telling someone, would he?
'Was it because of Parvati?' I questioned, that thought made my emotions sink a little.
After several fruitless minutes of circling the shop, I turned back toward the hallway that housed the fitting rooms. A small part of me worried he might have been dragged back there with Parvati, especially given the way she'd been clinging to him earlier, dragging him away before I could even protest. It wasn't jealousy, right, but the idea of Rigel tucked away with Parvati stirred some uncomfortable feelings within me.
My footsteps echoed softly against the plush carpet, the muffled sound traveling around the desolate hallway. Swallowing my uncertainty, I called out softly at first, hesitant. "Parvati? Parvati! Have you seen Rigel?"
I received no answer to my call, even after several seconds of letting my words linger. I'm pretty sure she would be here, my heart picked up speed as I stepped farther down the corridor, a strange sense of anxiety gnawing at me.
"Parvati? Are you here?" I tried again, louder this time, my voice clear and strong as I listened carefully for any signs.
"I'm here," A muffled voice echoed from the far end of the corridor, precisely from the last stall. There was another pause before the curtain from the last fitting room fluttered slightly, and Parvati's familiar dark-haired head poked out, eyes wide and cheeks flushed.
'What is she doing there, and why did she have to go so far away from everyone.'
"Ginny! Over here. Give me a sec, I'm trying something on as well."
I hurried down the hallway, the pallu, at least that's what the helper called it, fluttered gracefully behind me as I closed the gap. Parvati's face was flushed, and tiny beads of sweat were visible on her hairline. It was a little stuffy back here, and knowing how complicated putting on these sarees could be, I sympathized with her slightly. Still, she seemed a little off.
Parvati shifted slightly, keeping most of her body concealed behind the curtain as she looked at me curiously. "What's wrong?"
"Have you seen Rigel?" I asked anxiously, lowering my voice instinctively, even though we were alone. "He was outside, wasn't he? I can't find him in the shop, I wanted to show him the...saree?" I questioned at the end, hoping I was pronouncing it right.
Parvati smiled quickly, though something about it seemed off, it felt a little forced. "I don't know, Ginny. Last I saw, he was eyeing a set of kurtas and wandered over to the men's section. You know how he is—" Her breath hitched; did she stub her toe or something? She did shift a little, bending over like that couldn't be any good for her. "—how easily he gets distracted by a book or a new magic or something..."
'Was Rigel in there with her?' I thought. The thought popped up suddenly without warning, and it caused me to shuffle nervously on my feet.
I hesitated, biting my lip as uncertainty lingered. I hated admitting my nerves, even to myself, but something about her posture and the way she hid behind the curtain made me uneasy. "Well, yeah... I just wanted to ask what he thought before I bought this."
Parvati's eyes softened slightly, and her tone turned reassuring. "You look fantastic, Ginny. He'll think so too, trust me. Just wait for him out front—" She paused again, her eye twitching and her lips trembling slightly, "—he'll turn up. I'll be out in a minute myself, just let me finish wrangling with these pleats."
Her tone was earnest, but I knew something was up. She was hiding something, or someone.
'Why is she hiding like that? It's not like I'm going to pull back the curtain and peek inside.'
I forced out a small laugh, the mask of the cheerful youngest Weasley quickly slipping on, "Yeah, no kidding, the attendant did it so fast, I'm not sure I can do it by myself... do you need help?"
"Yeaaaahh," Parvati moaned, which made it certain that Rigel was in there with her. What was he doing? Surely not that right. My mood sank a little at that thought. Sure, I knew that he was close to her, considering that we got permission to travel so quickly, but doing something like this in public, in front of me, even, was a little too bold, wasn't it?
Parvati suppressed her moan and gave me an awkward wink as she replied, "It's Saanjh Silks & Spells, a very famous and old shop. Nobody's ever gotten lost in here for long. Unless you count losing yourself in the fabrics, he'll be back soon."
'Yeah, yeah, she wants me to get out of her hair.' I nodded. It felt bitter and hard to maintain the facade, so I quickly turned away. Sighing deeply, frustrated, as I walked back down the corridor toward the front of the shop, I tugged gently at the saree again, smoothing the fabric over my waist. Rigel would appear soon enough, after he was done... doing that with her.
'She had a year-long head start, plus whether I would like it or not, she is beautiful, in a more exotic way.' I admitted bitterly, but I knew I had a chance as long as I could capture his attention.
...
I walked past the curtain and noticed the attendant who helped her with wearing her saree. An idea lit up in my head, and I quickly trotted over to her. "Hi," I said, getting a practiced smile from the attendant.
"Thank you for earlier," I began before switching the topic toward her ring and the magic that she used. "I couldn't help but notice that you cast that charm or spell from your ring." I finished my sentence as a statement rather than a question, hoping for a broader response I could then narrow down.
A look of concentration appeared on the woman's face as she nodded. After a brief pause, she replied, "Yes, focus ring." She pulled her hand up, indicating the golden ring glimmering on her hand. "It has magical gem, this helps do magic." Her accent was a little different, and her English was broken, but I understood what she was trying to convey.
A grin appeared on my face as I asked, "Yes, the ring. Where can I get one?"
'This will surely get Rigel's attention... I just need to better our relationship little by little.'
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AN: 54+ advanced chapters on P.atreon