First of all, I want to thank you for those who gave me heads up on
the fact that messed up. I really appreciate that. Thanks again!
Of Lions and Snakes
Chapter 2 - Diagon Alley and thoughts
"Moooom!" I cried, trying to wrench myself from her hand, which was cutting off the circulation in my wrist. She turned around and noticed me then. "Oh sorry." she said. Tonks put her hands over her mouth and laughed. "You two are cracking me up. I'm going to have to steal you in the summer." she said and I nodded. "Sure. If mom doesn't mind." I said and she scowled for a moment but nodded happily enough. I figured that she probably thought it would be a good experience to have me around someone who would be able to show me what a magical household would be like. Or that was my assumption anyways. When we walked into the pub, instead of asking the barkeep like in the letter, we passed by and went out the back door. "Won't the barkeep get mad that we're back here?" I asked and Tonks shook her head. "No, no. This is how we get to Diagon Alley." she said.
But I didn't understand. How could we get into any alley? We were completely bricked in. I saw a movement towards Tonk's pocket and watched her pull out a stick. How was a stick going to help us out? However, Tonks grinned at me. "Watch. This is a wand. You will get one too in a little while." she said. A wand huh? Didn't they usually have stars at the top or something. Tap, tap, tap! Tonks tapped her wand against certain bricks and suddenly, the bricks turned into a pathway, the bricks moving out of the way. My eyes went wide and my jaw dropped as they did so until mom put her hand under my chin and caused my mouth to shut. I hardly noticed it as the sounds and pictures flooded my mind. There! A girl walking down the street in black robes and a witch hat carrying a wand in one hand and a brown owl perched on her shoulder. Here! A boy tagging along with his mother and father, all wearing rich purple robes and carrying massive loads of books. Over there there was a muggle couple, around the age of fifteen in normal clothes with new broomsticks.
"Mom, can I have a broomstick?" I asked dreamily. Tonks laughed. "Uh oh, your certainly your father's daughter." she said with a wicked gleam in her eyes. "Quidditch already! Next you'll want a snitch!" I had no idea what these things meant, but I did want them - I wanted them all. And I had a strange feeling that I was home, home at last. It was strange, because I had a home. I pushed the thoughts away and started to move towards the outside, in the direction of the kids with the brooms, when I felt mom's hand on my shoulder. "Wrong way." she said with a chuckle. "We can look at that in a minute. First things first. We need to change in money."
Money. . .was there a special kind of money that they used? Tonks pulled out three strange looking coins. Peering closer, my moth opened again in surprise. These weren't so strange after all! I had this set in my room. My dad had given them to me when he said that he had went on his buisiness trips. I thought that it was strange, but he said that he had gotten them off of a sunken ship when it was brought up. Strange that I would see them now. "Galleon, sickle, knut." I said thoughtfully, not seeing the two women, but my father in the garage when he gave them to me. "Take good care of these." he said. "I brought these all the way from a very special place." he said but when I asked him where he had gotten them, he would only tell me that they were inside of a boat. He must have been waiting on my eleventh birthday to tell me. A sudden thought crossed my mind then. Would he have told me? If I hadn't have gotten the note? If I hadn't gotten the note, would mom told me of our family secret, for it must certainly be a secret.
I cleared the thoughts away as I felt them looking at me. "Its nothing." I muttered. "Good." mom said and started to drag me again towards an aweseum building, made of white marble. It was quite an intimidating building, certainly. What made it more so was the fact that there was a goblin standing in front of it. A very mean goblin that sneered at me. "Should have told me ya was comin Regina. I could have had Bill take your money out for you. It might be a bit of a wait. These are troubled times after all." She said, bowing her head. Troubled times? This seemed to be a surprise for mom too. "What?" she asked surprised as we went into the building. "You know who has been back for three years now. Don't tell me that you don't know?! Regina Dearheart, the number one student in our school, doesn't keep up with the news?" she hissed quietly and mom gave her a funny sign that I didn't recognize and then looked down at me. That seemed to make Tonks settle down, a bit anyways. Who was this 'You-know-who' character anyway? Something told me I would find out, whether I wanted to or not.
After a pretty long wait, we got our key that dad had evidently stored there and went down this crazy tunnel going quite fast. My watch shattered when I hit it against the side of the cart. I think that breakneck speed has a whole new meaning in my book, but it was aweseum. Tonks and mom screamed happily all the way, like two kids at an amusement park. It was a blast. Mom went into the vault once the goblin had opened it and swooped up some in her pocket. There were piles of Knuts, heaps of Sickles, and mountains of galleons. Getting into the cart again, we went back up. As we got out of the cart, I heard the goblin mutter that muggles were very strange. I thought about kicking the small thing, but decided not to get into any trouble.
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From there we went to grab my books, some parchment, ink and quills and while we did, we passed the broomstick shop called Quality Quidditch Supplies. There was that word again! Was it some sort of sport? I asked mom if we could go inside and both women chuckled. "Go ahead and look around. You cant get a broomstick, but maybe a book or a snitch." she said. I ran happily inside the shop and was amazed. In the front window was the newest broom out, the Firebolt. It was an aweseum broom, but I liked the Silver Arrow in the corner. It was made of ash, a little paper said, announcing its name. There were brooms beside of it as well. The nimbus 2000's looked similar to the sleek lines as the Silver Arrow, only it was darker in color. What were snitches? Mom did say that I could have a book. I found the book section moments later. One book in particular stood out from most of them. I picked it up and read it. "Quidditch through the ages? Oh! There's that word that everyone was talking about." I said thoughtfully, noticing the small ball drawn with a yellowish gold on the front. Is that what they call a snitch, I wondered. There was a little old man at the counter. I went up to him and asked him what the little ball was.
"Oooh! That would be a snitch, dear one!" the old man said with an amused laugh. "I will show you where they will be at. Know about Quidditch?" he asked and I shook my head. He explained everything to me, about the bludgers, the bats, the quaffle and everything about the players. "There ya are little un. That there is a snitch." he said and grinned. I couldn't tear my eyes away from it. Its golden wings were stretched out beautifully, the little golden ball glittering from the pale, dusty light in the shop. Such a beautiful thing! And it was speedy! I would have to protect my windows and keep my door closed to play with it, but one day, I hoped to be on a quidditch team myself. I turned around to face the old man, my eyes sparkling. "How does it feel to fly?" I asked. He just grinned. "Go pick ya up a broom and come back over here." he said. My eyes widened as I nodded and quickly done what he said. I instantly grabbed the Silver Arrow and rushed back to him.
The old man looked surprised, but pleased. "That's my old broom, ya know. Come on, follow me." he said and opened a locked door. I felt a little uneasy because it was so dark, but this was my chance to fly before school started. I watched him pull his wand from his pocket and flick it. Instantly, it became lit comfortably. "Now, do ya see that stand over there?" he said, beaming at me. I nodded. A strange little stand was bolted to the floor with adjustable lengths. He walked over, taking the broom from me and adjusted the heigth on it and then I found myself being lifted into the air. For such a small guy, that was amazing. I felt the brooms thin, hard broomstick underneath me as he sat me on it gently, hanging on to me an extra second to make sure I wouldn't fall. There was a broom in the corner that I didn't notice before. He grabbed it and showed me how to kick off from the ground, to land back on the stand, to move forward, to move backward and to move side to side.
Oh finally, I was flying! I laughed as I circled the high ceiling that the room had joyously. When I got down, I hugged him tightly. "Thank you! Oh thank you!" I said and he patted my back. He chuckled softly as I handed him the broomstick. However, he handed it back to me. "Why don't you keep it? Its a fine broom. Maybe it isn't as fast as the other models, but its a perfectly good broom for a beginner." My eyes widened. "A-are you serious?!" I nearly flattened the old man this time as I hugged him. "Whoa girlie. Yes, I mean it. You seem to really like that broom and no one is going to buy it anyways. Its been up there in that spot for the longest time." Happily I ran out, setting the other stuff on the register and went out to get my mother.
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When mom saw me running outside with a broomstick, she ran up to me and began to give me a lecture on stealing. However, the old man came out and stopped mom. "Regina, is that anyway to treat your daughter?" he said sternly. Mom's eyes widened. "Albert?!" she asked surprised. "You mean, you gave her this broom?" she asked after he had explained that he had given it to her. "After all, I haven't seen my godchild in 11 years. I had to give her something." he said and laughed. "She's got a good eye. Instantly, she picked up Quidditch through the ages, and asked what a snitch was." There was laughter behind Regina. "I told you she would." said Tonks. "Hey Albert, long time no see." she said cheekily. "Nymphadora!" the little old man squealed. "I haven't seen you since you bought your Nimbus 2000 before you graduated." he said.
I felt dizzy. God father? I didn't know that I had a godfather. "So. . .your. . .my godfather?" I asked faintly. The old man chuckled. "Yes I am. Now that your going to Hogwarts, you'll meet a lot of people that are related to you. The Weasleys are one of the families your related to. Your dad was Molly Weasley's brother. You'll love thier family. They are lots of fun. No doubt you'll be in Gryffindor, like your dad, or maybe Ravenclaw like your mum." he said and we started talking (or rather they started talking to me) about the houses. I figured that Gryffindor or Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad to get into. Hufflepuff wouldn't be so bad either - long as I didn't get Slytherin. "Gryffindor sounds like her most I think." said mom, laughing. "Though she might be a closet Ravenclaw." They nodded and Albert said goodbye. "You'll have to drop by the shop sometime in the summer." he said. "Oh, and you forgot these." he said, pulling the snitch and book out of his jacket. "Got to go close up. Its time for dinner." he said and vanished. Vanished. Into thin air! "Lets go." said mom, shaking her head.
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"H-how did he do that?" I asked, as we were walking to the robe shop. I had to get outfitted for my clothes. There was no way I was wearing a skirt. "Um, how many shirts should I get mom?" I asked. "Four or five. We'll see. And some skirts certainly." she said and I shook my head. "No, no skirts. Pants will work fine. I hate skirts." I said. She shrugged. We opened the door and went in. There was a much older boy with red hair and a lot of freckles. He was wearing robes that were a little short and was being taken up. Others that had vague resemblances were outside. An older woman, who had to be the mother, and a girl, who was staring sadly down the street. I was curious as to what the girl was staring at, but had no time. Up on the stool I went next to the boy.
"Hi." I said, a little shyly. "I'm Tabitha Dearheart." I said. The boy turned around and looked surprised at me. "Oh, nice to meet you." he said. He had a somewhat husky voice that truly belonged to London. However, he was certainly Irish with his looks. "I'm Ronald Weasley, but everyone calls me Ron." he said. "You said your name was Weasley right? I - I think that we might be cousins then." I said shyly. He looked surprised. Wot's your mum and dad's names? he asked. "Regina and Richard Dearheart." I said. Ron nearly fell off the stool. "What?! Bloody hell! You are my cousin - your dad is mum's brother. Or wos. Didn't he die?" he asked and I nodded slowly. "Yes, he died a year ago." I said softly. "Oh." Ron said and was taken away. Soon, it was me who was being fitted for robes. Once she had my measurements and how many I wanted, I got down and went to tell mom that I had just met the cousin that my goddad had said I would meet, but mom was talking to the mother. "Ooh! This must be your daughter! Hello Tabitha. You know I'm your aunt, right?" she asked and I groaned inwardly. She was treating me like a baby. I hated that. "Yeah. I just met Ron." I said and she beamed.
"Yes, we need to get his robes resized. Your the spitting image of your dad." she said and I nodded, just about to say something when I was drug back in by large hands. "You forgot your robes." she said and handed me the robes and mom paid for them. I went outside as Mrs. Weasley was saying that she was terribly glad that most of her kids had graduated and was also glad that girls wouldn't be allowed to swordfight. I nearly dropped my bag when she said that. How could I have forgotten that? One robe spilled over the top and Mrs. Weasley noticed.
"Oh dear, they gave you wizard's robes." she said. "Well, you'll just have to go in and get them exchanged." she said and started to shoo me towards the door when I had a sudden thought. Only me and Ron would know if I went to Hogwarts as a boy instead of a girl. I would show them off. A few simple spells and it would be easy! "N-no, thats how I ordered them. My shoulders are a little wider, and I hate skirts, isn't that right mom?" I asked her and she looked at me for a moment and nodded. "Yes, she's just like her dad. A little tomboy and all." she said, though I caught something in her voice that said that she knew something was up. "Well, we will see you around. Bye!" I said and pulled my mom and Tonks along.
"Uh oh. What do ya got planned now little one?" Tonks asked. I was excited! I had finally found the way around there stupid girl thing! "Tonks, I need to ask you a few things later. I know how to slip past thier stupid no girls allowed swordfighting thing. But I'm going to need your help." I said and grinned evily. Mom sighed. "What are you up to now? Should I even ask?" she asked me and I shook my head. "Just let me try this out mom. Within a few weeks, I'll be found out anyways. And by then, I will prove that girls are just as good at swordfighting as guys are. I need something from Tonks though." I could see mom weighing the possibilities, and trying to figure out what I was going to do. Grudgingly, she nodded. "But, if you get kicked out of Hogwarts for it, you will really be sorry." she said. I hugged her happily. "Lets go!"
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Now I had to get my last thing. A wand. An actual wand! Mom sighed. "Oh Ollivander, have you truly disappeared?" Mom said when she saw his shop boarded up. "Come on Regina." said Tonks with a grin. We walked to the back of his old shop to find a little old lady outside, picking up various wood. However, something didn't feel right to me. "Sir. . .I mean mam, we're looking for a wand shop. Do you know where any are?" I asked. There was a deep chuckle coming from the woman. "You had it right the first time young lady." said a distinctly male voice. Wiggling his nose, the lady grew taller, thinner and leaner. Soon Ollivander stood right there. Tonks was grinning at both of thier astonished looks. "He's a metamorphagis like me." she said and mom laughed. I was still struck with surprise.
So, it wasn't hard to look like a member of the opposite sex. Good. That would make it all the easier to do so. "Now, who wanted the wand?" he asked, tapping the boarded door. It opened easily and shut as they went inside. It took a long while to find the perfect wand for me, so mom and Tonks went out. Said something about picking something up. "Phoenix and ash, 12 and a half inches, supple? No. 11 and a half inches, unicorn and cherry? No. Unicorn and rosewood, 11 inches, flexible?" he asked and waited. Once it was in my hand, sparks of beautiful red and gold flowed out of it like a fountain. "Ah, exellent, exellent." he said and took the wand from me to place it inside its box. "Thirteen galleons." he said, just as there was three knocks on the back. It sounded like code.
"Quickly child, get behind this desk and stay hidden." he said as he wiggled his nose and turned back into the humpbacked old woman. Walking to the door, he opened it to find a man clad in black robes like everyone else, but who had on a white mask. His wand was pointing at Ollivander's throat and was pushing it hard. "Back up, old one, or I'll split you in two." said a smooth voice. There was a small hole in the desk where I was. I bit down on my lips to not give away my location and watched him bully the old woman that was really Ollivander. "So, old one, where is Ollivander?" the man asked. "I-I don't know." the old lady crooned. I looked up at the man. He had soft white hair that seemed to shine silver in the dusty old lighting here. A face made of cold marble, lacking any warmth with ice blue eyes colder than the darkest souls that she had ever seen. What could she do? She had learned no spells so far. . . "Please mom, come soon." she whispered hopefully. However, she had spoke too loudly, for Lucius Malfoy had heard indeed and reached over the desk to touch the dark brown locks that belonged to me. I sunk my teeth into him, making him cry out. As soon as he let go of me, I ran.
"Advada Ke-" he started to say but was blasted across the room. Mom had finally arrived! "Oh sweetheart!" Mom said, running over to get me when the man lifted his wand again to hit mom with perhaps the same spell when the wand flew out of his hand. He glared over at the bubblegum pink hair that belonged to Nymphadora Tonks. "Nymphadora. How nice to see you, mudblood." he said, bearing his perfect white teeth. "Yes it is. However, you won't have to see anyone for long." she said and watched over Lucius as she called more aurors to come. Standing guard, the old woman stood by her side. "Thank you dear. Your so sweet to help an old lady out." Ollivander said. As soon as the aurors came, we left. Mom had tried to give him the galleons, but he wouldn't take them. "You saved my life. Go, enjoy your wand." he said.
"Well, this has certainly been an exciting day, hasn't it?" mom said and I nodded. I was starving and exhausted. However, my surprises hadn't ended there. Outside was something I thought I would never see in the daytime. My mother was holding an owl in a cage in her hands. "Happy birthday honey! Owls are wonderful for going to Hogwarts. You use them to send letters. And I want you to send one to me at least every week. And I think Tonks has something that you will really like." she said and I turned around. In her arms was a beautiful ginger cat that had long, soft fur. Beautiful. "Oh! What a cute kitty!" I said. I adored cats. Tonks shook her head though. "This is a very special cat. Its called a kneazle. Pureblooded too. This kneazle will react if they don't like someone, or if someone is in disguise they will let you know. A true wizard's pet." she said and winked. Mom acted like she didn't hear. So, they had talked about that, had they? Well, mom didn't seem upset.
I petted the beautiful owl. Soft feathers of the prettiest brown covered the little barn owl's body. "What will you name them?" mom asked. "Mmm. . .Tanis the owl and Ginger for the kneazle." I said and they grinned. "Great names!" said Tonks. I didn't realize my finger was still in the cage when the owl nipped me softly. "Oww!" I said, looking at the owl, amazed. Tonks laughed. "Its okay. That's how they say hello and that they care about you." she said. "Oh. Kinda strange isn't it?" I asked. Mom smiled. "Kinda. Okay gang, lets go to the Leaky Cauldron and get a room. Tomorrow we will head home." she said. "Tonks, coming?" I asked and she nodded. "Sure."
When we got there, mom got us a room and plates of different foods were delivered. Tanis ate some of the mashed potatoes that was served and I gave him some meat. "We will be in room 202. Come back after you finish hunting Tanis." said mom, who let him out of his cage. He nipped my ear and went out the door. "Ouch. Having an owl is certainly painful." I muttered and the two women laughed. Tanis met up with us as we climbed into bed. When we woke up in the morning, we left to go home. "I'll meet you two when you go to Hogwarts. I've got a job there as the new defense against the dark arts assistant teacher." she said and winked. This was going to be quite a year, I could tell.