Chapter 2:
Diagon Alley
We went to the Leaky Cauldron later that day. We walked in and it was very dirty looking. Nobody was here. I looked around and saw a sight that was amazing. I saw a broom sweeping all by itself. I was mesmerized by the chairs being moved by magic.
"Hello" said the woman who was behind the counter, "By the way you are mesmerized by the magic I must assume that you are muggles?" "Muggles?" Mom asked. "Oh I'm sorry" she said quickly, "Muggles are what we call non-magical humans. My name is Hannah Longbottom. I am the owner of this establishment. I am glad that you are going to Hogwarts. My husband is a professor at Hogwarts. He teaches Herbology.
"Thank you" Mom said as we walked toward the back, "Is this the way to Diagon Alley?" "Why yes it is. Just tap the bricks three times" Hannah said as she turned back to her work.
We walked out the door and saw a large brick wall. "Let me do it Mom" I said as I approached the wall. I tapped the bricks three times and the wall made a strange noise. Then all of a sudden the bricks started to move and it opened up into a wonderful place full of shops. "Wait, misses. Please stop" yelled Hannah, "I forgot to tell you an important detail. At the end of the alley is a place called Gringotts Wizarding Bank. You will need to open her an account so she can get money for her supplies. They take muggle money exchanges for occasions like this."
"Thank you again Mrs. Longbottom" Mom said, "You have been such a big help." "No problem" Hannah replied, "I just ask two things of you." "Oh and what is that?" Mom asked puzzled. "One, call me Hannah. And two, please come visit me" Hannah said as she walked away. As she crossed back over the wall closed up.
We walked down to Gringotts and opened an account. With my coin pack full of money, we went around to the amazing shops and bought my school supplies. The last place we went was Ollivander's Wand Shop. We walked in and a very old sickly looking man appeared out from behind a wall of thin boxes.
"Well hello there" he said as he went around pulling at different boxes, "Ah, here we are." He pulled out a box and opened it up. The most beautiful piece of wood I had ever seen was being handed to me. "Well go on, give it a wave" he said. I waved the wand and the vase on the counter exploded. "No, no, wrong one" he said as he went and got two more boxes. The next one was less impressive, and it made a shelf of wands fall down. The third one was even more beautiful than the first. I waved it and it a bright light shone from it. "And that's the one" he said as he examined the wand.
"Very nice wand" he said turning it around, "Tiger wood, Unicorn tail hair core, 11 and ¾" and very flexible." You wand is very good for Charms, defensive spells and sealing magic." We paid for the wand and left the shop. We were leaving when Mom stopped and left me standing at the door of the Ice Cream shop and told me to get some ice cream. I was eating my ice cream when Mom came back holding the most adorable little Tawny owl I had ever seen. "Happy Birthday Gabby" she said as I ran up and hugged her. We then went home. I rest my head and pray for September 1st to come fast. I can't wait to hop aboard the Hogwarts Express and study magic.
The next day I opened the first book that interested me. I opened A History Magic by Bathilda Bagshot, a large book. I never knew that so much could happen. But soon I became bored with old magic and flipped through till I found something more recent. Then I came across something weird about dark times. I read about a man named Tom Riddle later becoming Lord Voldemort and I was hooked. He was so evil and I couldn't put the book down.
Finally, it was September 1st. I got ready and waited hours for Mom to get ready. When she finally got ready it was eight o'clock. She called a cab to be here by nine-thirty so we have enough time to get there. The cab arrived and we drove off toward King's Cross station. Mom paid the cab driver who was VERY confused by Holly my Tawny owl. I ran up the steps and located the barrier for platform 9 ¾. I pushed my trolley over to the wall and ran through. Mom followed.
"You should go on and get on the train. I will make sure your trunk makes it on" she said. I hugged her tightly. "Bye Mom, I will text you all the time" I said. "I have your phone, you can't text" she said through her tears. "Oh right" I said, "I will send Holly all the time" I said. I let go and stepped on the train. I couldn't believe that I was actually going to a school for wizards. I am a witch.