"We need to go out and get some supplies first."

"In the muggle world?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I figured out how grocery shopping works, so I can help with that - though the stores in town aren't the most thoroughly stocked."

"We can spread out a bit, if you're coming too."

"Voldemort's probably not checking on the muggle world, but, yeah, we don't want to attract a lot of attention."

"We got some money changed from the Hogwarts fund to use, and we have a list..."

"Alright." 

She pulls out some paper to copy it to. "We should avoid any towns near magical settlements... Still leaves a lot. Money seems like it'll go farther in smaller towns, ideally some of this we can buy in as much bulk as possible..."

The list is dominated by things like flour and yeast (a huge bulk of it, to be bought first; any calories at all are more important than varied calories), cocoa powder, dried fruit, dried beans, nut butters, bandages, muggle over the counter medications (to save potion stocks for more serious ailments)...

Small towns might trade off against bulk or availability, but they can try.

There's a few stores that specialize in selling bulk items - it might be best to start at one of those, actually.

Probably, yeah.

Fay also wants to make another pass at convincing her father to move to Hogwarts, or at least their house - and he'll know good stores in his area. 

So should they split up two and two, since there's four with Bellatrix?

Fay nods - that makes sense to her. Cover more ground, stay safer.

She thinks Ellie and Anathema should be in separate groups - their mirror-necklaces will be good for coordinating, here.

Nod nod.

Fay and Ellie, Bellatrix and Anathema?

Works for her. 

Cool.

Shall they get started, then?

Alright. 

She wishes Bellatrix and Anathema well, then side-alongs Ellie to an alley a block's walk from her father's home (she has at least convinced him to let her ward the property).

"You haven't really gotten to see him in a while..."

"Yeah. We've been kind of busy."

She nods. "I've grown distant, too. It'll be nice having him close."

(Unsaid is that her father is getting pretty old, and even magical interventions can't expand a muggle's life very far.)

"Definitely."

And to her father's front door. 

He opens it shortly after they knock, greeting them both warmly and inviting them to his living room, where Fay explains what's going on. 

Malcolm Reynolds frowns. "Well, shit," he starts. Then: "Your list isn't enough for a siege. Not a long one."

Fay bites her lip. "We're - scrambling, somewhat."

He sighs. "I can see that... Food will help. Tide you over. But you need seed. Livestock - hens are pretty damn easy to get and keep in bulk, everything else a bit harder."

"We have some seeds," Fay says, "But it's all magical varieties, and they're not actually very productive."

A hum, and: "Get what's on your list. I've barely spent my retirement. I'll get the rest - unless you've got an objection to me spending down your inheritance?"

Fay smiles a little. "I'd rather never inherit. You know that."

He chuckles, and - "Let's keep your castle alive now, little bird. We'll fist fight death later."

And he gives them a list of stores to hit in the area - grumbles, but grudgingly accepts Fay's insistence they stick together, then offers the use of his car to make getting to the stores possible and then Apparating with large loads easier. "We'll wanna make multiple trips to different towns anyways, with a population that big."

And then he glances more at Ellie as he's standing to go. "You doing alright?"

"For today, anyway."

"A good enough start," he says with a smile. 

"Come on, let's get moving," Fay says, leading the way out to her father's car. She sits in the back with Ellie, and - "Do you want to split up in the stores?"

"Seems like that'd be more efficient. Store's a small enough area it shouldn't matter too much."