Chapter 2: Diagon Alley
"Ella! Wake UP! You've got your letter!" I heard Ginny screaming as she burst into my room. The door made a loud smacking sound as it collided with the fragile wall but my overly excited cousin paid it no mind as she jumped up to the bed and settled herself on top of my stomach. Before I could make any sign of retaliation she suddenly conjured a letter from behind her and began flailing it in front of my face. "Wake up, Ella. Aren't you excited to open your acceptance letter to Hogwarts?" she asked.
"Geroff," I managed to breathe out from the weight of her. She quickly fell to the vacant spot on the bed and turned to me expectantly, as she waited for me to sit up. I looked towards the door that was closed firmly on the opposite side of the front door that was wide open. Ron and I shared a semi-detached room where he had to get to his room through mine. "Why haven't you bothered Ronald first?" I asked annoyed, this girl had too much energy so early in the morning!
"I thought I'd leave it to Fred and George to bother him," Ginny smiled. "Well, are you going to get up and open your letter or not?"
I gave a very unladylike grunt as I sat up, snatching the letter and glaring at the young girl who looked extremely eager. "You would think that you never saw these letters by the way you're acting, Gin. It's not like you have five older brothers who's already gotten these letters," I said sarcastically. It wasn't that I was not excited, or didn't appreciate being able to attend magical schools now, but I was a downright git if I didn't get enough sleep; and I didn't get enough sleep. I opened the letter up and scanned through it, not bothering to read it out loud, having seen the read these letters in the past. "Same ol' boring rubbish. Now I'm going back to sleep."
"No, you are not," I heard another voice say from the door as I pulled the cover over my head. I groaned, recognizing the voice at once. "Estella Evelyn, you get up this instant, young lady! We have a big day at Diagon Alley today," Aunt Molly said as she pulled the covers off of me and threw open the white curtains. "I can't believe that you and Ronald are already off to school this year! Lots to buy, and you have to get to Gringotts and Madam Malkin's before everyone else here gets ready. Ronald can just use Bill and Charlie's old robes, but you need a new set," she rambled as she busily bustled in my small room, picking up some dirty towels that littered the floor.
"But auntie, I don't care if I have to use Bill and Charlie's old robes. Besides, why can't we all go to Gringotts together and we can just use my savings in my parents-,"
"No, Ella. I would never touch your parents' savings. Besides, it's yours to spend," Aunt Molly cut me off, though I pouted. "Besides, you're a girl, you need a complete different set with the skirt and everything! Anyway, you're too skinny to be wearing Bill and Charlie's old robe."
"Mom, mom, can I go with Dad and Ella?" Ginny asked excitedly. I smirked, knowing that the reason Ginny was so excited. She had never witnessed a girl getting her uniform fitted, seeing that she only had brothers. She was going to observe me and get herself more excited for her time at Hogwarts next year.
"If Ella-,"
"She's welcome to come, if you're okay auntie. Besides, I'm sure uncle would like to be doing something else than watch me get fitted at Madam Malkin's. Ginny can keep us company," I answered. I saw Ginny smile brightly beside me and gave her a sideway hug.
"Well either way, you have to get up and wash up. You're leaving for Diagon Alley with your uncle in half hour. Toast?" she asked as she crossed the room again.
"Sure auntie. Just one though," I answered, giving her a bright smile.
With that, Aunt Molly promptly opened the door that had been shut this whole time, revealing the bright orange room that was Ron's. I heard him give a groan of protest as Aunt Molly threw open the curtains and started to speak loudly. I gave a snicker at the sound of my cousin, and seeing that Ginny was gone, quickly went to the bathroom to wash up.
Eventually being ready with a skinny black slacks and ivory sleeveless top, I stomped down the many flight of stairs. Uncle and Ginny was already sat around the big dining table, eating breakfast with Percy, who looked already primped and pretty.
"Alright there, Ella?" uncle greeted as he saw me.
"Good morning uncle," I answered. "Good morning, loser," I added to Percy jokingly as I sat down next to him.
"Watch it, Ella," Percy warned, jokingly. "You're looking up at the new Gryffindor prefect. I may just give you a detention for being rude."
"You're joking!" I yelled, "I'm so happy for you Percy, well done."
"Percy! You didn't tell us you were a Prefect!" Aunt Molly gasped. "Oh that's already third one in the family!"
"What's third one in the family, Percy?" Fred asked as he came, bouldering down the stairs.
"And a downright pity that is," George added as he followed right after, taking my toast off of my plate and eating it.
"Boys, Percy is a prefect this year!" Uncle Arthur said proudly. "Well done, son. Well done."
"George, did you just steal Ella's toast?" auntie yelled
"What? She doesn't mind, do you Ella?" George said as he took a seat beside me. I shrugged, really not hungry.
"So, Percy, what would you like as a reward? Maybe a new set of robes? An owl? Maybe both?" Uncle Arthur asked, putting some sausage in his mouth. "Doesn't matter, why don' you come to Diagon Alley early with Ginny, Ella, and me? Speaking of which, we should leave now."
Soon, the four of us were putting on our travelling cloaks. Using the Floo Network, we were soon in Diagon Alley, meeting up in Gringotts.
We visited the Weasley vault first, and I was unsurprised at the little money that littered on the floor. Taking care of the eight of us, Uncle Arthur and Aunt Molly were always nearly broke. However, undefeated, uncle scraped every last remaining coins in the vault, determined to properly celebrate Percy's achievements.
After, we made our way to Vault 572 – my mother's family's vault. Though at one point it used to have significantly less money, since the death of my father and his twin and their spouses and family, all three of the family's savings were added to this vault, the Prewetts', Gamp's, and MacDougal. It was safe to say though I wouldn't be considered rich, but had fair amount of money for just one of me – enough to last me all of school years and a little more. I quickly grabbed a pouch full of money, getting out of the vault as soon as possible.
Soon, we were at Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occassions. Percy was getting a new school robe, and I was getting my first three sets of school robes that I was required to buy. Soon, I saw that Uncle Arthur was getting bored, along with Ginny, and watched as they went across the shop out to ice-cream at Fortescue's. It didn't take long before Percy finished and joined his father and sister, leaving me alone with Madam Malkin's on the footstool.
However, the silence was not long-lived as a little boy, pale, with pointed face with a head full of pale blond hair strutted in. Being led into the back to stand on a footstool beside me, he looked at me with a studying face.
"Hogwarts as well?" he asked with a smirk.
I rolled my eyes at this. This was the one thing I resented about myself. Mother had been a half-Veela, and having Veela blood in me, I naturally attracted males. I looked at the boy with sharp eyes, snapping "isn't it obvious? Can't you see that I'm getting fitted for their robes?"
The boy laughed a genuine laugh at this. "No need to get your wand in a knot, I was just trying to be nice," he shrugged, still chuckling a little. I smiled a little at this as well, this boy's laugh was infectious. "I like your temper, Red. What's your name?"
"You're all done, my dear," Madam Malkin interrupted as she stitched the last of the hem.
I thanked the lady as I handed her some money. I looked back at the boy still standing on the footstool looking at me with curiosity in his eyes, and calculated him. "Well, pretty. I guess you won't know until we get to Hogwarts," I smirked. "Until then."
Then as I was leaving, I walked into another boy, around the same age I presumed. He looked at me open mouthed as I looked at him in the eyes behind the round spectacles. "Sorry about that," I said as I gave a little smile, and mouthing a little excuse me, walked out of the robe store.
I found uncle, Ginny and Percy just out the shop, sharing a big bowl of ice cream. I declined the offer of the ice-cream and seeing that we had time left, Uncle Arthur led us to the Owl Emporium. Percy immediately set out to look for a new owl – Screech Owl, he said he wanted, they were fast and very affordable. All the while, Ginny and I strolled leisurely, looking at all the magical animals that adorned the store.
"Oh what a beautiful thing," Ginny commented, catching my attention.
"A Eurasian eagle owl," I breathed, looking at the beautifully striped black and white owl. Charlie and I were particularly fond of creatures, but this owl was exceptional. "They're very large and powerful, possibly the largest owl species. They are mad intelligent and much faster than an average barn owls or snowy owls since its wings are wide enough to glide rather than fly."
"Right you are miss," I heard a voice say from behind me. It was a rather jolly looking old wizard clerk who worked at the shop. "Very faithful they become, these eagle owls. Not to mention, they have healing properties-,"
"In their feathers," I finished, stroking the eagle owl. The magnificent black and white creature closed its eyes, leaning into my hand, making me smile.
"He likes you. Never seen Horus behave that way to anyone," he said.
"Horus… the Egyptian god of sky," I smiled.
Soon, we were joining others in the others, me, of course, with my new eagle owl, Horus in a cage with me. I couldn't just leave him there. He cost a fortune, but he was fascinatingly beautiful bird. All eight of us bustled along Diagon Alley, and it had been a very big embarrassment, when they all crammed into Ollivander's with me and gave a loud whoop as a wand chose me. Eleven and half inches, Apple wood, and dragon heartstring from a Hebridean Black. But eventually, the fun ended as we all Floo'd back to the Burrow.
That night, Ron and I talked late into the night, petting Horus. And we both knew, we would be ready to face whatever may come our way in Hogwarts.
(A/N) So I've decided to write this story in first person, since this is supposed to be the Harry Potter story through Ella's eyes.
Also, note that she is a quarter-Veela. The reason I did this is because the original Golden Trio consists of all three types of Wizards. I thought having someone in the group who has a sub-human blood would be a nice change.
Anyways, check out my other story, Novi's Story. Thanks