Post by Cirenidd on Nov 5, 2004 1:05:33 GMT
Cirenidd glanced around the book shop. Since she couldn't find the book she was looking for at the library, she hoped she would find it here.
But, Ciren wasn't sure whether or not it fell under the catagory of fantasy or science fiction. It seemed to be both, but the book couldn't be split in the two sides of the room.
While she was pondering what genre the book was, another caught her eye. It lay discarded, and rather unwanted on the floor. Ciren disliked it when people just leave books on the ground, it was like not respecting the book or the author.
She picked it up, and dusted off the dirt it had collected from the floor. Thats when she noticed that it had no title, nor any mention of author. Ciren flipped it open to the page that should contain copyright information, but that page didn't seem to exist. All there was in the book was the beginning of the story. She guessed that someone had ripped the previous pages out.
It began with the phrase:
'O pitiable fool, clothed in white linen and sheets of God, do remember that your Lord is still teething—not but a child; and children can be so cruel. And, to His children, the Children of God, He is no different.’<br>
Ciren could only blink, it was a strange way to begin a story. Nevertheless it interested her so she walked up the counter.
"How many sickles is this book worth?" Ciren asked. She estimated that she would have enough for it. The shopkeeper had an astonished look upon his face, as if to say that it was never intended to be found by anyone.
"It's not for sale," he said, snatching it away. Ciren was to disappointed at not being able to get the book that she didn't bother mentioning how rude it was to snatch things out of people's hands.
"Surely you can't have a book out with the other books and not sell it like all the rest?"
The shopkeeper shook his head. He wanted to tell her that it wasn't meant for customers to see, but that would raise suspicion. Something he didn't want, since he was in a rather strange buisness with selling books like that to those who normally shop at Knockturn Alley. He had tried opening a shop there, but there weren't enough customers. And Diagon Alley provided much more profit, although he still catered to regulars of Knocturn Alley.
If people knew he was selling such books, no one would buy his other books. And that wouldn't do good for buisness, not at all. The shopkeeper mentally scolded himself for being so careless with such books for them to fall into the wrong hands.
Although he admitted to himself, the girl did look like she should shop in Knockturn. But if she was someone who shopped at Knocturn, she would have taken the back door to the secret part of the shop.
He didn't want the Ministry closing his shop down for selling those books to minors, nor could he turn down a paying customer.
"Very well," he sighed, the money winning over. Ciren handed him enough sickles to cover the price, then he handed her the book. "But you didn't get it from me."
Ciren looked at him as if he had gone mentally insane, but she didn't really care. She got the book she wanted and if she stayed any longer the shopkeeper might change his mind.
She walked out of the store and into the busy Diagon Alley, wondering how she should spend the rest of her money.
But, Ciren wasn't sure whether or not it fell under the catagory of fantasy or science fiction. It seemed to be both, but the book couldn't be split in the two sides of the room.
While she was pondering what genre the book was, another caught her eye. It lay discarded, and rather unwanted on the floor. Ciren disliked it when people just leave books on the ground, it was like not respecting the book or the author.
She picked it up, and dusted off the dirt it had collected from the floor. Thats when she noticed that it had no title, nor any mention of author. Ciren flipped it open to the page that should contain copyright information, but that page didn't seem to exist. All there was in the book was the beginning of the story. She guessed that someone had ripped the previous pages out.
It began with the phrase:
'O pitiable fool, clothed in white linen and sheets of God, do remember that your Lord is still teething—not but a child; and children can be so cruel. And, to His children, the Children of God, He is no different.’<br>
Ciren could only blink, it was a strange way to begin a story. Nevertheless it interested her so she walked up the counter.
"How many sickles is this book worth?" Ciren asked. She estimated that she would have enough for it. The shopkeeper had an astonished look upon his face, as if to say that it was never intended to be found by anyone.
"It's not for sale," he said, snatching it away. Ciren was to disappointed at not being able to get the book that she didn't bother mentioning how rude it was to snatch things out of people's hands.
"Surely you can't have a book out with the other books and not sell it like all the rest?"
The shopkeeper shook his head. He wanted to tell her that it wasn't meant for customers to see, but that would raise suspicion. Something he didn't want, since he was in a rather strange buisness with selling books like that to those who normally shop at Knockturn Alley. He had tried opening a shop there, but there weren't enough customers. And Diagon Alley provided much more profit, although he still catered to regulars of Knocturn Alley.
If people knew he was selling such books, no one would buy his other books. And that wouldn't do good for buisness, not at all. The shopkeeper mentally scolded himself for being so careless with such books for them to fall into the wrong hands.
Although he admitted to himself, the girl did look like she should shop in Knockturn. But if she was someone who shopped at Knocturn, she would have taken the back door to the secret part of the shop.
He didn't want the Ministry closing his shop down for selling those books to minors, nor could he turn down a paying customer.
"Very well," he sighed, the money winning over. Ciren handed him enough sickles to cover the price, then he handed her the book. "But you didn't get it from me."
Ciren looked at him as if he had gone mentally insane, but she didn't really care. She got the book she wanted and if she stayed any longer the shopkeeper might change his mind.
She walked out of the store and into the busy Diagon Alley, wondering how she should spend the rest of her money.
