When Dare opened her eyes, the motorcycle had stopped and they were in a parking lot. A road sign told Dare they were in London. She and Harry hopped out and Hagrid got off the bike.
Dare nor Harry had ever been to London before. Although Hagrid seemed to know where he was going, he was obviously not used to getting there in an ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground, and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow.
"I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic," he said as they climbed a broken-down escalator that led up to a bustling road lined with shops.
"Muggles?" Dare said.
"Non-magic folk," Hagrid explained.
Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily; all Harry and Dare had to do was keep close behind him. They passed book shops and music stores, hamburger restaurants and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it could sell you a magic wand.
Dare inspected her school supplies list that was enclosed in the letter.
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS
ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
Harry was happy to note that his list was the same and they could therefore shop together.
"Can we buy all this in London?" Dare wondered aloud.
"If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid.
They were on an ordinary street with ordinary people. Were there really shops that sold spell books and broomsticks? But Dare couldn't help but trust Hagrid, and Harry felt the same way.
"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."
It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, Dare wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, Dare had the most peculiar feeling that only she, Harry, and Hagrid could see it. Before she could mention this, Hagrid had steered them inside.
For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?"
"Can't Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Harry's shoulder. Dare saw Harry's knees buckle.
"Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at Harry, "is this – can this be –?"
The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.
"Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Harry Potter… what an honor."
He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Harry almost knocking Dare over, and seized his hand, tears in his eyes.
"Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back."
Harry was speechless. Everyone was looking at him. Dare stared at him, too, wondering what on Earth could cause this sort of reaction.
For the next twenty minutes, people bombarded Harry like he was a celebrity, including their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Quirrell. Dare stayed back next to Hagrid and stared on.
"All righ', then. We've got to move on," Hagrid said, pulling Harry from the crowd.
"I didn't know you were famous," Dare said, looking over at Harry who seemed just as shocked as she was.
"I-… I don't really know," Harry said.
"Course ya are!" Hagrid said, leading them through a back door to a brick wall. "Harry, here, is known by every witch an' wizard ever. He defeated You-Know-Who when he was jus' a li'l' baby."
"Who?" Dare asked.
"Voldemort," Harry said. Dare saw Hagrid twitch at the name.
"Don' say that name!" Hagrid warned.
"He was the darkest and most evil wizard ever. When I was a year old, he tried to kill me, but when he tried, he lost all his powers and vanished."
"How?"
"No one knows," Hagrid said, inspecting the wall and mumbling to himself.
"Is he dead?" Dare asked curiously. "And why don't you want us to say his name?"
"Some think he's dead, some – including myself and Dumbledore – think he's just biding his time… and no one in the wizarding world speaks the name of You-Know-Who."
Hagrid tapped a couple bricks with an umbrella he brought out of his jacket and the wall opened. It was the first show of magic Dare had ever really seen and she gaped at the street in front of her, full of people decked in robes and some with hats. Rows and rows of stores that sold cauldrons, robes, books, potions, wands, and other wizard items lined the crowded street. Dare, Harry, and Hagrid squeezed in and became part of the throng.
