DIAGON ALLEY
As Melinda road with her Uncle in a town car to London, she tried to think of an explanation for what had happened back at the Manor. One moment she was having a panic attack in the library, and the next moment she was opening her bedroom door for her uncle. It was impossible, unconceivable, inexplicable, and exactly what had happened.
"Are you alright? You seem distracted." Miles commented on Melinda's silence.
"I'm fine, just taking in the view."
"Yes, there's nothing like the English Countryside, I suppose." Miles smiled.
"Where are we going to eat?" Melinda made conversation.
"I'm not sure, I thought we might walk around and see if anything strikes our fancy. How does that sound?"
"That sounds perfect." Melinda said, trying to be agreeable.
"Melinda, I'm afraid I have to admit I'm not much of an entertainer. There won't be many people over to the house, and I work long days, so feel free to take the town car into the city whenever you like."
"Thank you. I have a rental, though."
"Oh, yes. I'd forgotten."
"In any case, I've always been a little bit of a recluse myself." Melinda continued in attempts at small talk.
"Is that so? I would think with your background it would be very easy to make new acquaintances." Miles supposed.
"In what way?" Melinda asked.
"Well, I know you said you'd moved around with many foster families growing up. Wouldn't you have gotten practice at making new friends?"
"I guess I could have, but I never really felt comfortable with my peers. Don't get me wrong; each of my foster homes was better than the last and I had friends, I'm just happier when I'm alone with a good book."
"You like to read?"
"Yes, I do, very much."
"Well, I have an excellent library at the Manor; to the left of the double stairs when you walk in the house."
"You have two libraries?" Melinda slipped.
"Well, yes, how did you know?"
"Um, well, I saw the door cracked and I peeked inside to one of the rooms in the hall by my room." Melinda half-confessed.
"I see. Well, as much as I hate to restrict anyone's curiosity, would you mind terribly if I asked you to use the downstairs library instead of that one? You see, it's my personal collection and I'd very much like to keep it in order."
"Oh, of course, I wouldn't dream of disturbing your books." Melinda slapped on as guiltless a grin as she could manage.
"Thank you, I truly appreciate that." Miles said.
The rest of the car ride conversation was filled with small chit-chat. Miles told Melinda about his career as a CPA and Melinda confessed that she still had no clue what she wanted to pursue after college. They both had little luck holding a relationship, as they both tended to be less inclined to opening up emotionally. As the conversation continued, Melinda noticed Miles' body language seemed more relaxed than when they'd first taken lunch, and she was glad to see that he was finding as much ease in talking with her as she was with him. As it turned out, they had much in common in the way of literary taste and social preferences.
"I think I might try to find a summer job." Melinda told Miles over dinner.
"Oh, really? You don't have to, you know. I'm more than able to accommodate your stay. And half of my inheritance really belonged to your mother in the first place, so don't feel like you're putting me out."
"That's not it at all, I like to be busy. Back in New York I worked in a used book shop and waited tables while I went to school. You know what they say, idle hands…"
"Well, if you really feel that way, I think it's a splendid idea." Miles smiled. "So, did you want some dessert, or shall I get the check?"
"I'm full, thank you."
"Wonderful. I have an early morning tomorrow to make up for my day off. I hope you don't mind getting back to the Manor after this."
"Actually, I wanted to walk around the city a bit. I can take the train back if you're not feeling up for it."
"Alright, well, if you promise you'll be safe."
"I promise."
"And you have my cell number if you get into any trouble?"
"Yes, thank you."
"And call when you've reached the station, I'll send a car to get you."
"I will." Melinda smiled, her Uncle was worried. It was sweet.
After saying goodbye to her Uncle, Melinda set on course to find a bookshop that was still open. On a corner of Charing Cross Road, she found a Foyles bookshop that wasn't due to close for another hour.
"Excuse me," Melinda began as she walked up to an employee, "I was wondering if you could help me find a book."
"Sure, follow me." The worker walked behind a counter with a computer. "What's the title or author of the book you're looking for?"
"Hogwarts: A History, I'm not sure of the author." Melinda said.
"I'm sorry, could you spell Hogwarts for me?"
"Are you crazy?!" A strange man grabbed Melinda by the arm and pulled her away from the information desk. Just as Melinda was about to pull away and run from the man, he continued his thought. "You can't just ask a muggle that kind of question!"
Melinda recognized that word, muggle, from one of the other books in her Uncle's library. "And what is a 'muggle' exactly?"
"Oh, you're American. It means non-magic folk. Do they have a different name for it in the states?"
Melinda thought quickly, "Yes, mortal."
"Well I suppose you just run around asking mortals about magical history books there too?"
"Um, yes?" Melinda was so confused. She looked over the stranger, he seemed completely average in every way, his black hair was a bit unkempt, but his clothes were washed and he was clean-shaven. The man didn't look like the sad and delusional homeless that roamed New York City, and yet he was obviously demented. However, due to sheer intrigue and since the day had already been out of the ordinary, Melinda continued to go along with the man's insane ramblings. "I just can't seem to find the right book store here."
"Well you're close, about a block and a half off. If you want, I can show you, but we'll have to hurry. Flourish and blots closes at nine."
"That would be so helpful." Melinda flashed a warm smile.
"I'm Harry, by the way."
"Melinda, it's nice to meet you." Melinda began to follow the man.
"You know, you're lucky that I'm having such a good day. Any other auror would have arrested you for such a display." The man said.
"I'm sorry, I must be coming off as such a foreigner, but what's an auror?" Melinda probed.
"It's just a dark arts crimes specialist within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
"Oh, we call those MBD agents." Melinda said, getting crafty with her fabrications.
"What does MBD stand for?"
"Magical Bureau of Defense." Melinda said knowingly.
"It's always interesting to learn about the differences in countries' governments, isn't it?" The man called Harry said. "Right through here."
As Melinda stared at the abandoned shop that the stranger was leading her towards, she thought back to her promise to her uncle to stay safe, but before she had time to re-think her actions, Harry opened the dilapidated door and ushered her inside. Melinda was surprised to find a pub inside. It was still a bit grimy looking, but definitely not an abandoned shop.
"Through here." Harry called as he walked past the pub area and towards the back.
"What is this place?" Melinda asked.
"It's called The Leaky Cauldron. It's a pub and inn that connects the wizarding world to the muggle world."
"I see." Melinda followed Harry out the back door and into an enclosed alley way.
Melinda was starting to fear she'd mad a bad decision in following the man, and when he reached into his pocket she was expecting him to pull out a knife or some other weapon to hurt her with. Instead, though, he pulled out a whittled twig. The man began to tap his stick on the brick wall in front of the two. When he lowered the twig, the bricks in the wall began to rearrange themselves and opened to reveal another street.
"This is Diagon Alley. Flourish and Blotts is just up the road." The man began to walk away from Melinda.
Melinda took in the shop signs, Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and the Magical Menagerie weren't even the tip of the strange iceberg. "Wait!" She called after the man.
"Yes?" Harry turned back to her.
"I hate to put you out, but if you're not too busy, would you mind coming with me? I'm not sure I'll be able to get back." Melinda admitted.
"Well, I suppose." Harry said.
As the two walked to Flourish and Blotts Harry asked about her book choice. "Why were you looking for Hogwarts: A History? You're much too young to have kids attending there."
"Oh, no. I just…it seemed a good place to start."
"I guess it would be considered a tourist destination for some." Harry agreed.
"You know, I think my Uncle has a copy of it, what I really want to check out is that Ollivander's Wand Shop." Melinda changed their course.
"Oh, is there something wrong with your wand?" Harry asked
"I've seemed to have…broken it." Melinda didn't know if you could break a wand or not.
"I know how that goes. This is my third one since becoming an auror."
Melinda opened the shop door to a cluttered room filled with piles of what looked like shoe boxes.
"Hello, Mr. Ollivander?" Harry called.
"Oh, hello, Harry." A small old man came out from a row of boxes.
"So sorry to bother you this close to closing, but my friend here seems to have broken her wand. Do you think you could find her a new one?"
"Sure, what was in your last one dear?"
"Um…I'm not sure."
"Not sure of what your wand was made of?"
"No one told me?"
"Well I don't know how they do things in America, but you need to know your wand before you're able to use it."
"I guess we'll have to have you try a couple and find out."
