Chapter 2 Diagon alley

Vernon Dursley didn't have a good mood on this particular Wednesday morning. Today was when this freak person came. He again took the letter they had received out of his pocket.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Dursley

I'm sure you remember my letter nearly 10 years ago. As I said back then, it is now time for Harry to start his education as a wizard, time to return to our world, at least during school year.

I'm sure you have informed him about everything he needs to know, but I believe it would be beneficent for him to meet someone to purchase his schoolthings. Therefore Mr. Rubeous Hagrid will come to pick up Harry after noon the 14th of July.

Thank you for all you have done for Harry.

Yours sincerely

Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts

Everything was working according to the plan. Harry had gotten his first ever own cloths, cloths that actually fit him, from his aunt that morning. This was after he had again listened for nearly an hour to Vernon's speech about what he was supposed to do, what not, and of course what the punishments were for any mistake. After finally being aloud to get up from his kneeling position at the feet of his uncle they had an early lunch, Harry couldn't remember when he had ever gotten so much food and then his aunt dragged him up into the bathroom. His new cloth were laid out but he first had a shower before his aunt was roughly covering up any scar or wound that might be seen in any possible scenario with some makeup. She ignored that makeup on an open wound burnt, after all this was only the boy. Vernon inspected her work, not without touching some injuries to cause Harry pain, and they went to wait.

At one o'clock an enormous knocking could be heard. Petunia quickly went to open the door and nearly fell backwards when she saw the huge man in front of her.

"Hello." She said nervously, remembering her role. "Please come in".

He was brought to the living room where Vernon and Harry were waiting.

"Pleased to meet you." Vernon said with a sickly smile.

"Dursley." The giant acknowledged "Ah and here is young Harry." He said much friendlier. "Good to see you, I'm Rubeous Hagrid keeper of keys and grounds of Hogwards. You know about Hogwarts of course?"

"Yes sir." Harry wouldn't risk anything just yet.

"So shall we go?"

"Would you care for a little welcoming drink first Mr. Hagrid?"

Vernon offered and the offer was accepted, even if Hagrid looked a bit suspicious. After the third glass of brandy Hagrid finally insisted.

"Now must be going, we have lots to buy. Come on Harry."

Harry got up, as did Vernon. "I will come with my nephew. It is after all an important step in his life, isn't it? Let us drink to this. To Harry's new life"

Hagrid couldn't refuse that after all and the brandy certainly was good.

Vernon was pleased. This man was big but he didn't seem too bright. After he had two more big glasses of brandy (after all we have to adapt the glass to your size) Hagrid seemed to be more relaxed.

Harry saw all this with quite a bit of worry. While Vernon could be ignorant to the behaviour of his son, he was not stupid. Running a company for many years as well as keeping things about Harry hidden showed that he possessed cunning.

They took the train to London, Vernon keeping Harry at his side all the time, often touching two burns he had given him the last day, just to remind the boy what was at stake. Harry kept to his role, being rather shy (that was certainly no act) but answering Hagrid's questions with a lot of lies his uncle had prepared for him. When they came to London Vernon kept his hand on Harry's shoulder, showing is "support" or rather touching the nasty burn.

They arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, and as Vernon couldn't see it, he followed Hagrid closely. They didn't linger and went out in a backyard. Standing in front of a wall Hagrid took out his umbrella and tapped some bricks.

"Welcome" he said beaming "to Diagon Alley" While Vernon stiffed at the obvious display of magic as the brickwall parted Harry watched the alley in wonder. He had never seen anything as fascinating as this.

"We have to get to Gringott's first to get your money Harry. You know that's the wizard's bank. Then we can purchase your school things. We should get going, much to buy and I need to get back to Hogwarts later."

"Where is this bank?" Vernon inquired.

"Down the alley, we'll back here for the shops later."

"Why don't we look at the shops first that you can show us exactly what our Harry here needs, then you show us to the bank and we can go from there alone? We wouldn't want to take so much of your precious time."

"There's no problem in this even if I do have to bring something back from Gringott's"

"You see and like that Harry and me could take all our time to purchase his things and maybe some additional stuff, you know the boys nowadays…" Vernon fake smiled at Harry, patting his shoulder.

Harry gulped, this didn't sound good at all.

"Wouldn't it be easier to get the money first and then directly buy things?" He asked. Like that he might have a chance to speak with Hagrid or someone else alone.

"Boys, always know everything better." Vernon said with a sweet voice. "I don't want you to carry around too much money, it could be stolen. So we look how much everything will be about and then get the money and Mr. Hagrid can do his important business."

"Right, so then follow me I'll show you the shops."

They went into many shops. Harry didn't really look at them, but tried to find a way away from his uncle. He however had a strong grip on Harry's shoulder, explaining that Harry was a bit shy around too many strangers.

"Here's the apothecary you have to purchase a potion making kit for first years, they are back there. Ah, good day Professor Snape." A sullen looking figure all clad in black turned around.

"Hagrid" Snape acknowledged.

"Harry this is your future potion teacher, Professor Snape"

"Pleased to meet you sir."

Snape stared at him. "And who are…..Potter?"

"Yes sir, I have a question about my letter, could I perhaps speak to you for a mom " Harry continued bravely, ignoring the pain shooting through his shoulder.

"I'm in no mood to speak with you Potter, it's bad enough that I'll have to see you at Hogwarts." Snape interrupted him and turned away.

"Sir, please I…"

"Potter don't you understand English? I said leave me alone." He brushed past them into the crowded alley.

Harry was brought back to reality by the sharp pain in his shoulder. He gulped. "I need to do something, I need to do something " he repeated in his head. Why hadn't this Prof. listened to him? He had thought there was more chance in him helping him than Hagrid, but now he had to talk to Hagrid, but this wouldn't be easy. His uncle had talked so much with him…. If only he could talk with him in quiet.

Harry's chance came at their last stop, Gringott's. The goblins had explained that muggles couldn't go down to the vaults. So Harry and Hagrid stepped after a goblin named Griphok on a narrow cart. Harry couldn't speak during the cart ride as it was really fast. When they stopped Hagrid gave the goblin the key and the vault opened. For the moment Harry forgot his current problem and simply stared. "All yours Harry, thought your parent's didn't leave you anything, did you?" Harry could only nod.

"Come on let's take some of this, we don't want to let your uncle wait too long, do we?"

"Hagrid, I need to speak with you, you you you need to help me."

"Help you? With what?"

"You need to take me away or something I I don't want to go back, I can't. My uncle, he he he hits me I "

"Now, now Harry aren't you a bit hard with him. He seems nice enough and well all kids sometimes get a clap or two."

"No but Hagrid you need Can't I go to Hogwarts early, I could…"

Hagrid interrupted him. "You shouldn't tell such stories to get to Hogwarts early. I wouldn't want to live as muggle either but Dumbledore says it is necessary that you go back to them. And Dumbledore is always right. It certainly isn't so bad. So enough talk, lets get going to these hell carts again."

Harry was desperate. What could he do? Hagrid didn't believe him, this Prof. Snape hadn't listen long enough. He tried again to speak with Hagrid, wanting to show him his injuries, something that was very hard on Harry but the man had other problems, feeling sick because of the cartride and cut him off. They stopped again shortly at another vault and Harry turned to his last hope, the strange looking goblin.

"Can you, can you perhaps pass on a message to someone or…"

"We are not messengers." He replied curtly.

"Or do you have something to write, I can pay it, I I give you 4 of this gold things if you can give me something to write." One thing he had learnt from his uncle. Money could help you in many situations. Normally Harry didn't think it good to use money to get what you want but this certainly was an emergency.

"Four gallons?" The goblin asked interested.

Harry nodded and to his immense relief the goblin took out several pieces of parchment, quill and ink. Harry thanked him and gave the confused goblin the 4 galleons. He quickly knelt down on the floor and began to write 2 short letters.

"Hey Harry what are you doing there?" Hagrid asked, after coming out of the vault.

"Need to write a letter. You're working at Hogwarts right? Could you please pass these letters on to Prof. Snape and McGonnagall? It's really important, I can pay you for it."

"No problem Harry I take them, you don't have to pay for me taking some letters. But there are no strange stories in here, are there?"

"No sir, only some question, but can you give the letters to them as soon as possible? It's really important."

"Will do. So let's go back to the surface, the air down here doesn't become us."

They went back where Vernon was already impatiently waiting.

"What took so long?" He asked.

Before Hagrid could say something Harry answered. "It's very far down so it took long."

Vernon nodded only and turned to Hagrid.

"Thank you very much for all your trouble sir. Come Harry give him one of these coins that he can have a drink. You seem to need it sir."

"Yeah these Gringott's cars…You sure you don't need me?"

"Yes you showed us around very well. Have a nice day."

When Hagrid was gone Vernon grabbed Harry's shoulder tightly and whispered menacingly in his ear. "What have you done down there boy?"

"Nothing sir, it's really far down."

"Come along, you have to change that gold stuff." He steered Harry to a counter he had seen before and exchanged all his money to muggle money, resulting in a fair amount of pounds for his uncle.

Then making sure Hagrid wasn't around anymore he steered the terrified Harry back to the Leaky Cauldron and back into muggle London. Harry looked around desperately for help only consoled by the fact that he had managed to write these letters.

A.N.: This will probably the longest chapter of the whole story, 11 pages! I hope you like it.

I put the unbetaed version up for now, as my computer made a huge mess with the betaed version (therefore there were so many mistakes)