18. Excited

His time with the Weasley family had been wonderful. They made him feel very welcome. Mrs. Weasley had made it her personal duty to stuff as much food into Harry as possible. Despite her best efforts, Harry was still on the scrawny side.

Yesterday, they had received their Hogwarts supply list. After picking up Hermione, the whole group went to Diagon Alley to do their yearly shopping. They had gotten just about everything, besides their course required books.

Still, the alley was as amazing as he remembered. Magic simply rolled off the place in waves. So many things to explore, to experience, it was a shame that Mrs. Weasley wouldn't allow them into certain sections. Harry wanted to see all of it.

"Guys, I want to go to that shop", Harry pointed to an obtuse shop by the bookshop. It had a plain exterior, lacking even a door. Instead, it had a rectangular opening with a tarp covering it. Ron and Hermione simply stared at him oddly. Without explaining further, Harry walked into the shop.

Entering the shop, Harry looked around him. Small human-like creatures with insect-like wings flew around the shop. He recognized them as fairies he had read about and watched in marvel. A portion of the shop would periodically light up in fireworks. The young Potter boy had to duck to move out of the way of a multicolored fish swimming in thin air.

Floating in the air was the stench of alluring incense. It smelled of spring waters. From enchanted instruments in every corner of the room, a song of life played soothingly.

"Welcome visitor. I am Ambrosius, owner of this establishment", an elderly but strong voice resounded from the side of the store. Sitting on a cushioned chair was an old wizard dressed in plain green robes with a rope tied at the waist. A long flowing grey beard connected to an equally grey mustache and sideburns. The clerk reminded him a bit of Hogwarts' Headmaster, only more so… somehow.

Harry nodded, he turned to await his friends' arrival. Hermione probably made Ron go with her to tell Mrs. Weasley about their little detour.

"Do not worry for your friends, young wizard in training. They have been denied entry, but they are very much safe."

Harry creased his eyebrows in confusion.

This made the old man chuckle lightly, "Your expression betray you. You must be confused as to why your friends could not enter. It is quite simple. This trinket shop is for those with the love of magic."

"If that's true, why couldn't Ron and Hermione enter here?"

Ambrosius stroked his beard before explaining, "There are many reasons why one could lose the love of magic. That elemental spark of wonderment that this shop desires. Perhaps they were born in the world of magic and no longer see it for the marvelous thing it is. Their senses have been marred by convenience. Then there are those that just came into the world of magic. Wide eyes and astounded they carry that spark until school has blunted their minds. Books, spells, and formulas is all they see to magic. It becomes plain and something to 'figure out' at it is. I find that the greatest shame, they have taken the joy out of magic."

It was almost like the man knew his friends exactly. Did Ron not say that the Burrow of all things wasn't much? What was the last time Hermione hasn't tried to quantify and dissect magic? He felt sad for his friends.

"I daresay the very worst crime one can make in the magical world is to label something impossible so readily. It does an old heart good to see that those you delight in magic aren't extinct. Once upon a time, your wonder was commonplace. I fear it will only be a few generations until magic and wizards no longer meld so well. It's already happening. Wizards are so much less than they used to be."

"I don't think that's all true. If I have the wonder, perhaps many more have it too. They just haven't come to this shop."

Ambrosius smiled brightly, "Very true, boy. Ah, but don't let an old man stop you. Take a look. There should be something to your liking, but do sign in."

Harry saw a big, aged, but cared for book laying on a stand. It was opened to a page that had today's date. From the looks of things, Harry would've been the first to enter today. Reaching into his pockets, he removed the Birthday present that the Pale Lady had given him. It was an old oak quill. The feather belonged to a raven and the tip was elongated. Harry didn't have to resupply ink and it wrote as neatly as a ballpoint pen. The gift was practical, but charming. When he wrote Harry Potter, he returned the quill to his pocket and walked around the shop.

Nodding, Harry walked by the counter. The first aisle had all sorts of medieval weaponry. Swords shined gold, while axes had the gleam of the stars in them, and spears looped in fantastic shapes. Brushing his fingers lightly against them, he looked for only a second.

The next aisle was filled to the brim with books. Just about every book was available. All but the books written by Gilderoy Lockhart. Most of them were used, the notes written in them simplified a lot of the instructions. Harry hastily took all the books that matched his list.

His favorite aisle by far was the broom aisle. Hooked unto the sides and even the lower roof, there were broomsticks of all kinds. Some of the broomsticks were flying by themselves. The broom that caught his eyes was in the very back. It was a simplistic broomstick. Harry felt it was a nice reflection of the burrow, he had to have it. Putting them with the book pile he walked to the front.

The older wizard chuckled at the sight of Harry's purchases. "All of that will be 25 Knuts."

Harry frowned, that was far too little.

"Child, I didn't open this shop to get money! I had this shop opened for centuries. I have riches to support myself for hundreds of lifetimes. This was all for the sake of seeing the newest generations. Since this is your first trip here, take this boy. Something tells me that its full potential would be best used by you." From his robes, he pulled out a crimson orb. Taking in hand, he smiled at the shop owner and waved goodbye. When he walked out of the store, he went back to the bookstore where the rest of the group had been looking for him.