Harry was far too excited. They would be off any moment, and while he and his mother went robe and book shopping, Sirius and his father would buy his broomstick and Remus would do Remus did best- surprises and secrets. It was anyone's guess as to what Remus was doing, but they could only assume it was a birthday present of some kind.

Harry was way too anxious for his own good. "So what's first?" he asked, doing everything he could not to jump up and down.

"First, we have to get in," James said, somewhat ominously.

"Get…in? It's hidden?" Harry questioned.

"Of course it's hidden," Sirius said importantly. "We're wizardkind, and they are Muggles. It would seem out of place for Muggles to be walking up and down a wizard shopping center, now wouldn't it?"

"O…kay…" Harry decided, choosing to just go along with it. "But how are getting to the Leaky Cauldron?"

"The best way," James chimed in. "Floo powder." Harry just shrugged at these words, resigned to following his parents. He realized they had to decided to use as many confusing words and phrases as possible to still show him what to do, but utterly confuse him along the way.

Remus stepped up. "Shall I go first?" he asked as Lily offered him a brown urn out of which he withdrew a handful of glittering green powder. He promptly stepped into the fireplace, yelled "Diagon Alley" and was whisked away in green flame. "You see, Harry?" Lily asked. "It's not hard. Just speak clearly and you're there in an instant."

James could see he was still apprehensive, so he looked at Lily and suggested that the two of them go together, and then he and Sirius would follow.

"You know what, that's a great idea. Okay, Harry, you ready?" Harry gulped and nodded. "Let's go then," Lily said as she took his hand. Step into the fireplace… Good… Diagon Alley!"

For the next minute, all Harry saw was green flame, and then endless black until they (he) tumbled out of the grate onto the cement. Lily picked him up, dusted him off, and they stood with Remus as they waited for James and Sirius. Harry turned around and was immediately awestruck by all the shops that were there for his shopping pleasure. He was about to ask his mother if they could just go now as soon as James and then Sirius stepped out of the grate.

"So—what do you want to do first, kiddo?" James asked Harry, who was still taking in all the storefronts and sights.

"Well, before anything, we probably ought to make a withdrawal," Lily interrupted.

"Ah. Right," James said rather sheepishly, with a reddish tinge to his cheeks. "Gringotts it is!