I'm posting chapters as I write them, so I won't be updating regularly or anything like that. Also, thanks to:
fanfanfiction, for being the first to make a review, and SkyeLily Anonomouse, Didget, and Pointless Heart for reviewing also! You guys are the best!
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own brain, Yada Yada Yoda. Wait what?
Let's a go!
It was 4am. He was so excited. It was the 7th and today he was going to Diagon Alley to get his things for school. The school of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Hogwarts! He still couldn't believe it. He climbed out of bed and got ready; he'd been working non-stop for the past two days so that his Gran wouldn't decide not to let him go after all.
He collected his books from under the bed and put it in the second-hand backpack he'd found in the charity collection bin when he got his clothes. The witch in Bettie's Books had put an extension charm on it for him.
After all of the books were carefully placed in the bag, he started packing his clothes. He was going to buy some new ones if he had any leftover money from the school shopping, but just in case he didn't, he would pack his old ones. After slipping on his ratty sneakers he headed downstairs to make breakfast.
Because it was so early, he was confident he'd have time to make himself a small breakfast as well as his Gran's. He decided to make her lunch as well, writing a note on the fridge for her to heat it up in the muggle microwave later. He ate his slices of toast slowly, making sure no crumbs were left behind. He washed his plate and put it back in the cupboard.
It was still too early for his Gran to be up and the garden was perfected, so he pulled out one of his animal books to wait. He was so absorbed in reading about wizards who could change their bodies to an animal form, an Animagus, that he didn't notice it was already 5:05am. If it wasn't for the cacophonous thumps of his Gran's boots across the upstairs floorboards, he would've been caught.
Sometimes it was lucky she was so obnoxious.
He quickly stored his book back into the backpack and stood in the kitchen, dining table already set and ready for her food. As she came downstairs and into the dining room, he made sure he looked somewhat presentable. Neville heard her annoyed grunt from the kitchen when she saw that her food was not already on the table.
As she was about to open her mouth to scream at him, he walked through the archway separating the two rooms with her breakfast tray in hand. Her mouth snapped shut with a loud click, and she dropped her pudgy body ungracefully into the old wooden chair that shrieked under her weight.
"What took you so long runt? I've been waiting for entirely too long for my food you stupid boy. Hurry up now, I'm not to starve." She clicked her fingers at him repeatedly until he placed the tray in front of her, lifting off the lid as he stepped back. She let out a disturbing happy grunting noise as she saw what he'd made for her. It was something he'd found in his World of Food cookbook in the Amish section. It was called an Amish Breakfast Casserole, and it tasted quite yummy from the test he'd done while he was cooking.
As he poured her breakfast tea and retreated a few steps she looked up at him. He tried not to flinch when she raised one, thick, grey eyebrow at him. He cleared his throat to prepare for whatever might come out of his mouth next. He'd planned something to say, but it left his mind as soon as she came down.
"I, um, I decided that since this is the last day I'll be in your presence until I come back from school, I'd make you an especially nice breakfast, ma'am. I have packed prior to coming downstairs, so all I need are some funds to pay for my school equipment, and I'll be gone. Please enjoy your meal, ma'am." He tried not to stutter and keep eye contact at the same time, but it proved too hard. He just looked straight forward so he would be able to indirectly ask her for the money and not show a weak front.
It took a while for her to respond and he was getting more worried by the second. He chanced a glance at her, and gulped when he saw her still staring openly at him. He straightened up a little more when she cleared her throat.
"Very well. It wouldn't do for you to have nothing and those nuisances suspect something untoward was happening. Go to my bedroom, don't touch anything, and fetch the key on my dresser. It has the funds that my son left for your school in that vault. I have been using it until now, as I saw no need for you to be educated, but since you will make me money, I will allow you to use it until you make your own. Go now. Take the key and leave." She didn't have to tell him twice.
He scurried up the stairs as fast as he could and opened her door carefully, spotting the key instantly. He grabbed it and raced back down the stairs. He bowed to her as he passed the dining room doorway, before grabbing his backpack and slipping out the front door, a large grin spreading across his face.
…
Neville walked down the busy London street with his old backpack held securely on both shoulders and the vault key held tight in his hand, hidden in his jumper pocket. He didn't want it to get lost. It was the only thing his Gran had ever given him, and he'd be damned to an eternity drifting through the veil before losing it.
As he turned the corner to the main street, he caught sight of the Leaky Cauldron. The pub did look quite ugly from the outside, with the dark dirty walls and blackened windows. The sign that only appeared to those who were wizards or knew of the world of magic was old and yellowed, giving the pub an overall look of don't go in there, don't do it, DON'T DO IT!
He continued towards the pub, but before he could get to the door, a group of Muggle adults appeared from a nearby alley. He hoped they weren't there to cause any trouble. He walked forward swiftly, gripping his bag strap tightly with one hand and his key in the other, and approached the pub. They saw him immediately, and a few called out to him. He ignored them. They got louder. He pretended he couldn't hear them.
Neville was nearly to the door. He'd go in, greet Tom, and ask him politely to open the bricks for him to go to Diagon alley. Except he didn't. Just before he reached the door, a large brutish male grabbed his shoulder. Neville squeaked and twisted away from him, in hopes of getting inside.
He was grabbed again and spun around to face the street and away from the only place he wanted to be right now. Why were these Muggles out here? Why wouldn't they let him go inside? They were well dressed and clean, so he assumed it wasn't to rob him. He hadn't realised that he was whimpering until one of the other Muggles, a woman this time, slapped the man's hand away from Neville's shoulder.
The woman had caked her face in a lot of make-up that was probably unnecessary and had plastered a fake smile on. He could smell her floral perfume from where he was standing. She came closer to him, and he saw her face attempt to soften as she took in his appearance. It was made impossible by the products she had used to glue her face together. She spoke up in a high voice that she probably thought was comforting.
"Hey, sweetie, are you lost? It's okay if you are, we'll show you where to go. I'm sorry about this guy, he's just very tired. What's your name, honey?" He didn't respond. He had to find a way out of this situation somehow. He was supposed to be smart. What could he do to get away from them and into the pub?
Neville saw that the group was getting aggravated by his silence, so he shook his head quickly. The woman was confused for a second before she understood what he meant.
"I think you might be, because this isn't a place for kids, honey. What are you doing out so early in the morning by yourself?" He was running multiple plans through his head as she spoke, not paying attention to a word she was saying. When he noticed that she was getting annoyed as well he just shook his head again.
"Don't you speak? Or are you scared? I'm sorry, let's start again, okay? My name is Linda, what's yours?" He decided on a play and answered in his most childish voice.
"My name's Lucas. I'm not lost. I'm meeting Uncle Tommy. He told me to wait over there, and he'd come and get me. I'm not supposed to speak to strangers. Can I go now?" He waited for them to respond. If they did something else that could be seen as threatening, he could cry and make a break for the doorway. It was only a few metres away.
The man that had grabbed him in the first place reached for him and he very visibly flinched. The reaction was immediate. Their faces began to close off and he knew what they were assuming. He could do it now. He took a few steps back and bumped into another man that had circled around him. Jolting forward, he wrapped his hands around his middle and made tears form in his eyes.
"Please let me go, I won't come here again, I promise. I'll give you my book, just let me go," the fake tears started to fall and all of the Muggles panicked and backed off very quickly as he started to shake. As soon as there was an opening, he sprinted off towards the door, ignoring their shouts of surprise. He knew they would be chasing him so he ran as fast as he could and just managed to make it inside when one of them reached for his backpack.
He was greeted by the familiar darkness of the Leaky Cauldron. There was the smell of tobacco in the air, and there weren't too many patrons in today. He sighted Tom, the owner and barman, cleaning some dirty glasses. He smiled at some old ladies in the back corner who seemed to be enjoying their tea. There was a small man in a top hat sitting at the bar, and a younger looking man sitting at one of the many round wooden tables reading a Muggle book sitting in the far corner near the Floo-place. He made his way towards Tom and smiled when the round man grinned down at him.
"Hello Neville! Going through to Diagon today? Shopping for school?" Neville nodded. "Merlin, has it been that long since I met you? Eleven already! Growing up so fast! Just give me a second lad, and I'll have the back opened up for you." Neville quickly spoke up before Tom could make his way around the bar.
"Sorry Tom, but could I possibly also ask you to keep a room for me until term? You see… my Gran's going on a trip and didn't want me to stay in the house all by myself so I thought I'd stay here for a while. I don't know if I've enough money for the whole time, but I'll see when I get back?" He felt kind of bad for lying to Tom, but the man only smiled and nodded, assuring him that he'd save a room just for him. Neville then followed Tom through to the little opening in the back and waited for Tom to tap the right bricks before the bricks opened up and Diagon Alley was revealed to him once again.
Rays of early morning sunshine shone through and touched the Neville's face as glimpses of colour were revealed. The sounds were almost explosive, no matter how little people were there. There would be more people in the alley than Neville's usual visits, seeing as most parents would be bringing their children to get their school equipment for the year around this time. Shopping really did take the whole day, so most got in early, especially the first years, as they were the most inexperienced around this type of environment.
When the bricks were fully parted and Diagon Alley was completely visible in front of them, Neville gasped. All of the shops were lit up, splashes of colours everywhere. There were so many things in the shops and so many people walking through them, some empty handed and the ones that had gotten in even earlier had many bags. There was so much noise, from children's excited yells to the groans of many a parent whose child had run off, or found something a little too expensive.
Needless to say, Neville was absolutely amazed by it all. It didn't matter how many times he'd seen it, the Alley never lost its charm.
There were so many happy children milling about with their parents, but Neville couldn't find it within himself to be jealous of them. Neville's hand slipped back into his pocket to check the key was still there. When his fingertips brushed the cold gold of his key he felt reassured. He'd nearly forgotten about it in all the excitement of the past few minutes.
He thanked Tom and made his way forward through the crowd towards his first destination; right down the end of the alley was a massive white building with crooked pillars holding up the roof. The set of white stairs led to a pair of massive burnished bronze doors. On the architrave of the building the words Gringotts Bank was engraved into the white stone, tinted with gold.
This chapter was much longer than the other two, and much longer than what it was before, so I hope you liked it.
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