A/N: I'm soooooooo sorry for the late update! But to make up for it I should have 3 new chapters for this story and 1 for my other one, Year of the Weasley (read it please?!) This chapter introduces Anya to Diagon Alley, but there will be another part to it since this is only Gringotts. Also I tried to introduce Anya to a few other character's from the HPverse, hope I wrote them okay... I'll let you judge :)Now on with the chapter!
Diagon Alley
Anya sat gazing out of her window. She hadn't slept well, she woke in a cold sweat and gasping for breath, she had seen Hallie die again, and after that she had kept tossing and turning, trying everything to get back to sleep. I hate the person who said that counting sheep helped you sleep! It does not, in any way, work! Anya thought to herself whilst watching the beautiful sunrise. She had been up since 3am and after an hour of trying to get back to sleep she had just decided to go sit and wait out the night. She sighed. She was thinking about Xander again and their last night together. She sighed again, That's all in the past. Don't let yourself get hung up over it Anya! Her conscience pointed out to her and with a final sigh she heaved herself off of the window seat and to the real problem at hand. "How in god's name am I supposed to wash my hair?!"
Anya exited her room and walked down the stairs, boots clicking on the wood floor as she went. She didn't know what time it was, but thought it must be nearing 9, the time Dumbledore said he was going to be here. "He's an old man, he's probably been up since 3 also, he should have just came over then!" She said aloud. She reached the hallway and heard a large snore come from Mrs Black's painting, and with a roll of her eyes, Anya walked past an ugly, troll leg umbrella stand and opened the door which, she assumed, led to the kitchen. Her assumption had been correct for, she stood in a rather spacious kitchen that seemed to be less dusty compared to the rest of the house. She edged further into the room and saw that the kettle was boiling and the gas stove was on. Feeling fear rise up inside her she reached over to a large wooden block which she assumed held knives. Lucky for her it did, so grabbing the one she thought was largest she held it out in front of her, hoping to at least get a good slice at whoever had broken into the house. But I never heard anything break... She thought to herself but was cut off by the opening of a door, leading to the basement. "Ahhhh!" Anya yelled and charged at... Dumbledore. Anya froze in mid run, unable to move anything but her face. She looked up into the twinkling blue eyes of Dumbledore.
"And might I ask, why you were running at me brandishing a butcher's knife?" Dumbledore asked amused.
"Er... I, uh... thought you were eh..." Anya stuttered, clearly embarrassed, and to save her the bother, Dumbledore answered for her.
"You thought I was a thief"
"Yes" Anya answered feeling about the size of a pin. "I didn't mean it, honest. I just saw the stove on and the kettle and assumed..."
"That someone broke into the house to make you breakfast?" He asked with a little chuckle. "It is fine" and with a wave of his wand, which Anya never knew he'd brought out, she fell in a heap at his feet. Dumbledore carefully stepped over her to resume cooking.
"How is it that you are able to read my mind?" Anya stated out loud while pushing herself up and dusting herself off. Dumbledore turned and gazed at her curiously.
"Its called Legilimency" He explained and received a stare from Anya, clearly saying 'explain it better than that'. Sighing, he said "Well, you are a human. As I am a wizard I am capable of navigating my way through minds through the use of magically training my mind to be able to do so. There are few legilimens present in the wizarding world." Anya took everything he said into account.
"So how do I stop you and others from doing this?" Anya asked, tapping her foot impatiently. Dumbledore stared at her. Considering whether he should talk more about this with her or leave it be. The prior won out, because if she wasn't interested in it and the wizarding world, she never would've asked her question.
"It is called Occlumency. It shields your mind from attacks from an other person's mind" Dumbledore stated. Anya kept looking at him. Anticipating her next question, "If you are interested in learning this skill, I have a colleague who is exceptional at both Legilimency and Occlumency. I will speak to him about lessons for you." Taking that as the end of the conversation Anya nodded and sat herself at the pantry table.
After breakfast, Anya excused herself to change out of her dirty clothes and into some fresh ones.
She had just reached the last step when Dumbledore announced that he was going to take her to Diagon Alley to help open up a new Gringotts account and to show her around quickly before leaving her to wander since "I have to get back to Hogwarts, can't leave it too long" and then they set off.
The walk to the Leaky Cauldron turned out to be a pleasant one as it wasn't too far away from the house, so Anya decided that she'd walk back to Grimmauld Place by herself, stating that she doesn't need a bodyguard 24/7. "Now, focus your mind only on The Leaky Cauldron" Dumbledore instructed her. Anya closed her eyes to help her focus then opened them to find a sign swinging above her head, that hadn't been there a minute earlier, saying "Leaky Cauldron" with a cauldron sitting beneath the words.
"Cool" Anya said and followed Dumbledore through the front door.
"It stops muggle stragglers from wandering it" Dumbledore smiled to her before guiding her in.
It was dark. A lot darker than Grimmauld Place, which is saying something! Anya thought to herself, and a little bit musty too, but despite all that it was welcoming. As they moved further into the inn, Anya noticed it was quiet and there was only one man standing behind the bar cleaning glasses.
"Good morning Tom" Dumbledore greatly kindly, and Tom looked up and smiled, showing his missing teeth. Ew! Anya thought, taking Xander's, old advice "Don't be rude!"
"M'rning Dumbledore, care fir a drink?" Tom asked hopefully.
"Not today Tom, showing Miss Jenkins around Diagon Alley" Dumbledore stated, bringing Anya into the conversation. Anya sighed and stepped forward into the light.
"Well, 'ello. Can't say I've seen you aroun' b'fore" Tom said, clearly in thought.
"You haven't, I'm... a friend of Dumbledore's" Anya smiled politely and looked to Dumbledore for confirmation, but his face was pensive.
"Ah... okay then, well enjoy Di'gon Alley, won't keep you's waiting" Tom said, smiled his toothy smile and returned to his cleaning. Anya followed Dumbledore out through the back of the inn and found a dead end.
"Erm... Dumbledore... we've kind of reached a dead end" Anya stated the obvious and Dumbledore turned round.
"You'll need a wand, and you'll need to tap the right bricks to get in and out, so watch closely" Dumbledore removed his wand from his robe pocket and tapped a brick, which looked cracked in parts, three times. Then what Anya saw next, she wouldn't forget, the brick wall began to readjust itself into an archway leading to a long, stretching courtyard filled with different shops, she could feel the magic in the air.
"Wow..." Anya was at a loss for words. She followed Dumbledore, awestruck and found herself acting like a five year old child, wanting to go into every shop, touch everything she could reach.
Anya noticed Dumbledore had stopped and she looked up at the huge, white marble building standing proudly in the centre of Diagon Alley. "Is that...?" Anya started.
"Gringotts? Yes it is" Dumbledore answered. "Stay close" Dumbledore urged Anya and she nodded.
They had reached the bronze doors when Anya felt something big knock her back. "Eek!" Anya squealed and found found herself rolling back down the marble steps. She came to a halt at someone's feet and looked up into amber eyes. Then she saw a flash of red hair and heard Dumbledore's voice.
"Miss Jenkins are you okay?" Dumbledore gestured his hand and Anya took it gratefully and got herself up.
"Thank you, and no I'm not" Anya looked down at her clothes. "I have to change again" Anya sighed. She looked around and saw a tall red head, with an odd earring, with his hair tied up into a ponytail. And another man with ragged robes and thinning brown hair, with brilliant amber eyes.
"If I could, this is Bill Weasley and Remus Lupin" Dumbledore introduced them respectively. "And this is..."
"Anya" Anya finished him. "Anya Jenkins" She smiled politely. She couldn't help but notice that Remus seemed... different, but she didn't want to be "rude" again.
"Nice to meet you" Remus and Bill stated though not in the same words.
"Likewise" Anya once again smiled politely.
"Well we better be going" Dumbledore announced. "Nice to see you again Bill" Dumbledore smiled, which Bill returned.
"Sorry for knocking you down the stairs" Bill said apologetically to Anya.
Anya smiled. Again! Stop with the smiling! "No problem" She replied strained.
Anya continued up the steps and had reached the bronze doors, again, and noticed that Dumbledore was still at the bottom, speaking with Remus Lupin. She sighed and saw them begin walking up the steps and just before they reached the top she heard a little bit of the conversation. "... I haven't seen him! He said he wouldn't do anything rash, but Harry's last letter must have worried him" Remus had whispered, but not quiet enough.
"I am sorry for the wait" Dumbledore announced to Anya snapping her out of the conversation. Who's Harry? And who was this other person they were talking about? Anya thought. She mentally sighed, I could try and ask Dumbledore...
Yeah like he'd tell you! Her conscience answered and with a final sigh, she followed the men into Gringotts.
