Alexandra noticed a definite change in atmosphere from Diagon Alley to Knockturn Alley as she made her way down the winding roads. It was much more chilly, Alexandra had to clutch her jumper to her body tightly to keep from shivering. The people seemed different as well. They didn't appear to be in any sort of rush. As a matter of fact, they were all standing in groups, talking in hushed voices as Alexandra passed.
I should've turned around, she thought miserably as she continued down the path. I don't like this place at all.
But it was too late for her to go back; for she had no idea which way was back anymore. All the shops looked the same, and she couldn't keep track of which ones she had already passed.
Starting to panic now, Alexandra quickened her pace. She was desperately looking for a sign or map or something to point back to Diagon Alley, when she tripped over her own feet, and landed straight on her face.
A group of nearby witches laughed cruelly.
"Poor little pretty," one crackled in a high-pitched voice. "Lost are you?"
"Looks like a Diagon Alley stray if you ask me," another one put in, grinning maliciously. "Got separated from mummy and daddy did you?"
Quickly picking herself up, Alexandra tried to go in the other direction, away from the witches.
"What's the rush?" demanded a witch with wispy gray hair and a wrinkled face. She grabbed Alexandra's wrist. "We haven't even been properly introduced, so rude to hurry off now."
She attempted to pull her wrist from the witch's grasp, but it was no use.
"What's your name girlie?" the witch asked, giving Alexandra a toothless grin.
"A-Alexandra," she stammered nervously.
"Look at this hair," she said, grabbing a handful of Alexandra's thick, messy hair in the hand that wasn't holding her wrist. "Such an amount, don't you think Claridina?" she turned to a woman in the huddle with a dark cloak and a long shawl wrapped around her head. "Think I'll cut it off. I could use it in my sewing. It would make for a fine coat!" She cackled a horrendous laugh.
The woman to whom she had been talking to, Claridina, scowled. "I think her hair is quite ugly. Like the rest of her."
Alexandra felt a pang of indignity towards her, but had no time to dwell on it, because at that moment, she heard a voice call "Alexandra! You alright?"
She craned her neck to see Harry jogging over to her, his wand drawn. The witch immediately released Alexandra's hair and wrist, and backed away along with the other witches in the group, except for Claridina, who was staring Harry straight in the eyes.
"Why hello Mr. Potter," she said in a cool, icy tone. "Fancy seeing you here."
"What were you doing with her Claridina?" Harry demanded fiercely, his wand pointed at her.
"Nothing," she replied. "And put your wand away, there's no reason for you to attack me."
Harry lowered his wand a little, but still stared harshly at her. "I know your record Claridina, you're never just doing nothing."
"But I am," she said in a calm voice. "I thought I'd do a bit of shopping today, stretch my legs. The Ministry doesn't have anything against that do they?"
"What were you doing to Alexandra?" Harry repeated.
"Ah, so you know the famous Boy Who Lived?" she spoke directly to Alexandra. "Comes in handy having friends in high places does it?"
"You'd better watch yourself Claridina, you're one wrong move away from another ten years in Azkaban," Harry warned.
"Thank you for those words of caution Mr. Potter," she said with a clearly fake smile. "I'll be sure to behave myself."
Harry narrowed his eyes. "Come on Alexandra, let's get back to Diagon Alley."
"Take care Mr. Potter," Claridina said in a voice hardly louder than a whisper.
"Who was that?" Alexandra asked Harry as he led her back into Diagon Alley.
"Claridina Wretermoust," Harry answered. "She's not someone you want to be around, she's pretty associated with the Dark Arts. She just got out of Azkaban a couple years ago."
"What is Azkaban anyways?"
"It's a wizarding prison," he answered shortly. "Awful place really, the dementors, those are the guards, drain every happy thought and memory from you."
"Why'd she get sent to Azk-, that wizarding prison?" Alexandra questioned curiously.
"She did some things, evil, awful things, about ten years back."
"What things?"
"Things that I'm not allowed to say," he said quickly. "Sorry, but orders of the Ministry. But like I said, she's not someone you should be in company with."
"Don't worry," Alexandra assured him. "I'm not exactly in any rush to go back to that place."
Harry cracked a small smile. "We'd better find your dad. He's been in a right state trying to find you."
"You found her!" Dudley exclaimed as Harry and Alexandra walked into the Leaky Cauldron. Harry had sent a patronus to Ginny telling them to meet him and Alexandra there. "Where was she?"
"By an old potions store," Harry answered quickly, avoiding Dudley's eye. "She wasn't that far from Gringott's"
Alexandra was puzzled at why Harry would lie to her father about her whereabouts, but didn't press the subject.
"You alright Ally?" Dudley asked his daughter, concerned.
She nodded.
"So, should we head back over to Ollivander's then?" Harry asked.
"We'd better," Dudley said, looking at his watch. "We've been here over an hour and all we've got is our money."
The group of seven exited the bar, and once more, made their way through the packed streets, though this time, Dudley stayed a bit closer to Alexandra.
"Here we are," Ginny announced as they came to a stop in front of shabby looking shop. "Ollivander's Wands."
"Do we have to go in?" Albus asked his mother, indicating to him and his siblings. "I really don't like Mr. Ollivander, he's so, well, strange."
"Yes, and you'll behave yourselves in there as well," Ginny said sternly. "Won't you James?"
"I always behave myself mum," James said, grinning from ear to ear.
"Right well, let's go in then shall we?"
The inside of the store was in the same condition as the outside. It was very dusty, and boxes lay discarded all over the floor and counter. As they entered, a tiny bell rang.
"I'll be with you in a second!" a breathless voice called from the back of the shop.
A moment later, an old man with balding gray hair emerged.
"Mr. Potter!" he said, in a delighted voice. "What a pleasant surprise!" He grasped Harry's hand and shook it eagerly.
"Hello Mr. Ollivander," Harry said politely.
"And Mrs. Potter, looking as lovely as ever I see," he continued, kissing Ginny's hand. "And my word, how you children have grown!"
All three of the Potter children were standing by the door, with forced smiles etched on their faces. "Especially you Lily! The last time I saw you, you were no bigger than a house elf! How old are you now? Five?"
"I'll be seven in July," Lily answered indignantly, earning her a stern glare from her mother.
Mr. Ollivander, however, missed the bitterness in Lily's voice, and asked, "what can I do for you today?"
"My cousin's daughter needs her wand," Harry explained. He nodded over to Dudley and Alexandra, who until that moment, Mr. Ollivander didn't seem to have noticed.
"Well I'll be," he said happily, bouncing over to them. "Another descendant of the great Harry Potter!" He shook Alexandra's hand vigorously, and then Dudley's. "You'll have a lot to live up to my girl, you're following in the footsteps of the greatest wizard in history!"
Alexandra saw Harry's face turning bright red, but Mr. Ollivander paid no mind to that. "You'll be needing the best wand," he said, looking her over. "Come, come, lets get you fitted."
He beckoned for her to follow him to the counter. He pulled a measuring tape from a bent nail on the wall, and tapped it with his own wand. At once, it came to life, and waited in midair for further instruction.
"Let's see, are you right handed dear," he asked, still examining her.
"Left," Alexandra corrected him.
"Very good, very good," he murmured under his breath, distracted.
The tape measure had now started measuring Alexandra on its own, while Mr. Ollivander himself, rummaged through one of the boxes on the counter.
"Here, here, try this one," he said, pulling out a long wand. "Twelve inches. Maple and Unicorn hair. Very flexible. He handed it over to Alexandra. "Just give it a wave."
Obeying, Alexandra gave a feeble flick to the wand. Mr. Ollivander grabbed it back from her immediately.
"Heavens no, that won't do at all! Here, try this one. Blackthorn and dragon heartstring, ten inches." Alexandra had no sooner toke the wand when Mr. Ollivander swiped it back from her. "No, no, definitely not."
She tried a plethora of wands for what felt like hours. None of the wands seemed to be just right for Alexandra.
"Perhaps this will be it," Mr. Ollivander said, handing her yet another wand.
Alexandra took the wand, and was expecting it to be snatched away like all the others. But as soon as she held it in her grasp, a warm feeling spread through her arm. She gave it the smallest of waves, and a shower of gold sparks flew out the tip.
"Well, looks like we found a winner at long last!" Mr. Ollivander said in an accomplished voice. "A beauty as well. Holly and unicorn hair, ten and a half inches. Very useful in Transfiguration."
"Er, how much will that be?" questioned Dudley, as he rose from the chair he had been in.
Mr. Ollivander gave a hearty laugh. "My dear boy! You are a relative of Harry Potter! I owe my life to the chap! His friends and family do not pay in my store!"
"Oh," Dudley said, surprised at this eccentric man's generosity. "Thank-thank you."
Harry cleared his throat loudly. "We'd better get going. Still have a lot to buy."
"Yes, yes of course," Mr. Ollivander said in a slightly deflated voice. "I'll see you again soon I hope?"
"Probably not until James needs his wand," Harry said, clasping his eldest son's shoulder. "But my nephew, Fred, will be here soon. He just got his letter as well."
"Jolly good!" Mr. Ollivander said happily. "Take care then, all!"
"He's so weird!" James exclaimed the moment the group had exited the shop.
"James," Ginny warned, but the expression on her face told everyone that she rather agreed with her son.
The rest of Alexandra's school shopping was much less time consuming. Harry picked up her potions ingredients and cauldron while she was getting fitted for her robes, and Flourish and Blotts had all her required books displayed at the front of the store; though she did venture into the back to glance at the variety of titles.
"Now can we go see Uncle George?" Lily asked Harry as they filed out of the bookshop.
"I suppose so," Harry nodded.
"George is the one with the joke shop, right?" Alexandra asked. She had a general idea of what each of the Weasley's did, but the only ones she saw more than a few times a year were Ron, Hermione, Rose and Hugo, only because they were always at the Potter's whenever she was there.
"Yah, Weasley Wizards Wheeze," Albus said. "Best joke shop in existence."
"And I've brought my pocket money," James said, patting his pocket, grinning. "I have my eye on this new gadget that- well, you'll see when we get there."
Ginny rolled her eyes, but said nothing.
Weasley Wizards Wheeze was one of the biggest shops she had seen in Diagon Alley, and probably the most crowded. Every inch of the store seemed to be filled with customers who were busying themselves over the latest merchandise.
"Morning," greeted a young blonde witch, squeezing through the crowd to the group. "Mr. Weasley is in the back if you would like to see him."
"Thanks Marie," Ginny said.
The seven waded through the many witches and wizards to a small door in the back of the store. James eagerly pushed the door open, and the others followed him through it.
"And we need about ten more boxes of those muggle card tricks," a wizard who looked no older than eighteen said, looking down at a sheet of parchment attached to a clipboard. "And we're all out of Nosebleed Nougats, again, but I just restocked the Canary Creams, so we should be safe on those for a bit. Oh, and a bunch of kids just bought up the last of the U-NO-POO."
"Here's a new box of that," a woman said, coming out from behind a row of shelves. She had dark skin, and a long braid. Alexandra had seen her only on a few occasions.
"Hi Aunt Angelina," Lily said.
"Oh, hi," Angelina replied cheerfully. "Didn't know you lot would be coming today."
"We were just in Diagon Alley so we thought we'd drop by," Ginny said. "Had to pick up Alexandra's Hogwarts supplies."
Angelina smiled at Dudley and Alexandra. "That's right, I forgot you got your letter. Fred's been driving me crazy begging me to take him shopping. We'll probably go next weekend."
"Where is Fred?" James questioned.
"In the back," she answered. "Roxy's there too."
James and Albus raced to the back of the storage room.
"Come on Alexandra," Lily said.
"Oh, okay," Alexandra said, reluctantly following.
Alexandra always felt out of place around the Potter's cousins. They were all so connected and interactive, having grown up together.
"I already have the pranks I'm going to play when I get to Hogwarts all planned out," Fred said to James and Albus. "First night, I won't do anything to dramatic, maybe just a few dungbombs at dinner. But first day of classes, I'll have some real fun."
"I wish I was going," James moaned enviously. "A year is way too long to wait!"
Fred grinned. Though he was a year older than James, he was about an inch shorter. He had dark hair that always hung in his eyes.
"Well Lily and I have to wait four years before we can go," Roxy said. She, unlike her brother, was very tall. She had shiny black hair that reached her waist, and usually wore it up.
"Hi Alexandra," Fred said lightly, spotting her standing near a corner by herself. "I've never seen you in Diagon Alley before."
"She was getting her school stuff," Lily answered for her. "Remember, she's starting Hogwarts this year too."
"Oh yah," he said thoughtfully. "I forgot about that. Any idea what house you'll be in?"
"Um, no," Alexandra replied. Why does everyone insist on asking me that? she thought to herself.
Fred and James exchanged grins with each other, but before they could say anything, George came around the corner.
"Fred, go clean your gobstones out from your mums office," he told his son. "It'll be my head if she finds them in there."
"Alright, alright," Fred sighed, starting to a door on the left side of storage room.
"Hi Uncle George," James said.
"'lo," George said. "Didn't know you were here."
"We had to get Alexandra's Hogwarts stuff," James explained.
"Ah, so you did," George said, shifting his gaze to Alexandra, who he had just noticed. "First time in the shop, huh?"
Alexandra nodded.
"Well, then I should probably give you the grand tour," he said, smiling at her. "Oh, but before that," he reached into his pocket and handed James a small package. "Let me know how those work," he muttered. "But do NOT tell your mum I gave them to you. Last thing in need is one of her Bat Bogey hexes."
"You've got it," James said, stuffing the package inside his pocket.
"So, back to the tour then," George said, clapping his hands together. "First place you should see is my creation room. One of biggest prides, all my genius happens in there, except what Fred and I created at Hogwarts, of course…"
Who's Fred? Alexandra wondered silently. She had heard his name before when Harry and Ginny were talking, she was sure of it.
She followed George around the back room, taking in true prestige of it.
"So," George said after showing Alexandra the last of the new Skiving Snackboxes, Mucus Mints. "What do you think?"
"It's amazing," Alexandra said in an awed voice. George winked at her.
"Alexandra," Lily said, coming from around a corner. "We're leaving now. Bye Uncle George."
"See you Lil," George said, picking up a box from the floor. "Better get back to inventory. See you too Alexandra. And if I don't see you before then, good luck at Hogwarts."
"Thanks," Alexandra said, giving him a fleeting wave.
The journey back to the Potter's house was easier then than their departure. Though still not fond of the Floo network, Alexandra at least now knew the feel of it, and was less startled as she was consumed by the green flames and jostled past numerous gates back to the Potter's fireplace.
Harry helped Dudley load Alexandra's supplies into the back of their pick-up truck. After a quick goodbye to everyone, Alexandra hopped into the her seat of the car, one of her new books, Standard Book of Spells: Grade 1. Dudley started to engine, and pulled out of the driveway. It was then, that it dawned on Alexandra, that in only a few short months, she would be a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.