Chapter 3: Diagon Alley
The initial shock of Percy's secret seemed to radiate all over the house. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood. Even Percy had a rather obvious spring in his step. But now, with the wedding being a long ways away, they were all focusing on Hogwarts, which Harry, happy as he was at the Burrow, couldn't wait to see the castle again.
"Diagon Alley today!" Mrs. Weasley shouted up the stairs, as Fred and George slid the banister down to the kitchen. It would be their last year at Hogwarts, therefore, they were excited.
"Eat up! We have a lot to do today! Good Morning Harry dear, Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley murmured, as she cracked eggs into a pan, as Fred and George had already eaten half the table. Once finished, they all went up the stairs to change. Harry, who was still admiring the bright oranginess of Ron's room, remembered the dream he had the night before of the girl. He then realized he had another dream that night of the same girl.
"Ron, I keep having this strange dream,"Harry said, looking at Ron to make sure he was listening." It was kinda strange, because she was beautiful and, and, she was supposed to start going to Hogwarts this year."
At this, Ron looked up. He had a quizzical look on his face as though he was trying to think of what Harry was saying. There had been transfers out of Hogwarts before, yet never an incoming, unless they were in their first year.
"What grade is she?" asked Ron, still pondering what Harry was thinking.
"our grade," he said slowly, trying to remember the whole dream.
"Interesting," he murmured. "hey, we gotta go, Harry."
They sprinted down the stairs in enough time to catch Mrs. Weasley before she left.
"I don't know about you two," she muttered, handing them the jar of Floo Powder. Harry then stepped into the fire and yelled at the top of his lungs, "DIAGON ALLEY!"
***
"Kar, wake up...we have to go get your school things today," murmured her Aunt, as she opened the shades in Karista's room. It was but a week ago that she had come to London, and she had so much fun with her family that she was anticipating on seeing some of the many wizarding places.
"I'm up, I'm up," She said groggily, as she headed for the bathroom.
"Diagon Alley today! You'll love it. It isn't like any of those wizard 'malls' in New York."
"sure," she gaped as a yawn covered her. "I'll be ready in a few minutes."
After her shower, and getting dressed, she headed down the windy stairs into her Aunts Kitchen, where breakfast was served.
"Hurry up! We'll be leaving in a few minutes!" her aunt shouted to her cousins and Karista. "Floo Powder...you all know what to do!"
Karista to a pinch of the powder, walked over to the fire, and threw it in. "Diagon Alley!" she yelled, and the room began to spin.
She opened her eyes a pinch, trying to see where she was going. The soot, which was now so thick that she couldn't breath, kept getting darker until suddenly, she was thrown out into the foyer of a tiny pub.
"Welcome to the Leaky Cauldron," murmured a friendly voice above her head. The man, who was short and toothlesss, helped her to her feet and offered her a brush.
"Thank you. Would you please point me in the direction of Diagon Alley?" asked karista, who stepped out of the way for her aunt and cousins to come through.
"Just through that door, your aunt should know where it is," said the man.
"Thanks again," she muttered, as they all walked out into a dingy courtyard.
Her aunt was busy taping her wand on a brick where suddenly an archway appeared. The archway lead onto a very crooked street with shops everywhere. Off in the distance, she could see the famous wizarding bank Gringotts. She had heard of it, but never seen it.
"Off to get you some money, Karista," her aunt said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her. Karista enjoyed looking at all the shops. Little trinkets outside a junk shop were whirling with people tossing little knuts at them. Soon, her aunt had come out of Gringotts and a wild cart ride with a large sack of money.
"Here you are dear, now, here is your school list...everything you need is there. Spend wisely dear!" her aunt spoke in a dignified sort of way," oh, and by the way...we'll meet in the Leaky Cauldron in about 2 hours...that should give you enough time to investigate."
"Thanks auntie."
"Don't mention it, dearie."
Karista took off up the street where they had just come. She had used her mother's wand, which wasn't really that good anymore. Better get my robes first then, thought Karista, glimpsing a shop entitled Madame Malakins robes for all occasions. She stepped inside the shop to hear the tinkling of a bell.
"Hogwarts, dear?" said a short woman in blue robes.
"yes...I am new to the school," said Karista shakily...she didn't need to wear robes in her old school, therefore she didn't know what these would look like.
"Back here. Another boy is getting fitted for Hogwarts also."
Harry looked into his reflection in the mirror as his heart skipped a beat. That is the girl in my dreams! Harry thought to himself, growing increasingly sweaty. He couldn't help staring at her. Her eyes almost violet and long blonde hair. She was maybe two inches shorter than him, and had a soft yet strong voice. He couldn't help but think he should talk to her, but what would he say?
"Hi there." said the girl. She looked just as nervous as Harry felt.
"Hi. Hogwarts also?" he said, his voice cracking slightly.
"Yeah. This is going to be my first year here. you?"
"my fifth. You don't look like a first year though," said Harry, hoping she would say what he thought she would say.
"I am going to be starting in the fifth year. I am a transfer," she said half-heartedly. She couldn't help but think of her friends in New York.
Harry's heart skipped a beat again. She was in her fifth year! She could be in Gryffindor!
"So, where are you transferring from?" asked Harry, not helping sounding excited.
"New York Wizarding Institute," she stated blankly. She felt bad sounding completely un-interested in him at the moment. She looked into his eyes, then noticed the scar on his head.
"Harry Potter!" she yelped," The Harry Potter! wow, it is nice to meet you. My name is Karista Flannigan."
Harry, at first taken aback, was now blushing furiously. He was used to people being shocked by meeting him, but the embarrassment was heightened now that he had a crush on someone he had just met.
"Nice to meet you too."
Karista now took into full who she was looking at. He was at least a few inches taller than she was, and kinda handsome. His eyes, she murmured to herself, what pretty eyes.
"HARRY! Come on, we aren't finished yet!" Ron and Hermione were holding onto their cloaks and robes and waiting outside.
"Hey, are you here with anyone?" Harry asked, not noticing he didn't have the robe on anymore.
"My aunt, but she is shopping with my cousins," Karista said flatly.
"Want to come and meet my friends?"
"sure."
"let's go!"
Karista, now through with her pinning, grabbed the packages and went outside with Harry.
"You guys, this is Karista Flannigan…she just transferred here from New York!" boasted Harry, not helping grinning. "Karista, this is Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, they are 5th years also."
"Hi there," Karista murmured, still in awe of meeting Harry.
They headed all around Diagon Alley, taking in the shops and basically getting to know Karista, as even Ron, in a hoarse whisper to Harry, couldn't deny she was beautiful.
"She is the girl in my dream, Ron," muttered Harry, as they put a considerable distance away from Karista and Hermione, who were looking at candy.
"What? The exact same girl?" grinned Ron.
"Yep"
Soon, they were all making their way up to the Leaky Cauldron. There arms were full and tired, including Karista who needed to buy more that Harry, Ron and Hermione. Once in the dark pub, Ron introduced Karista to his parents.
"This is Karista Flannigan. She transferred to Hogwarts from New York…isn't that cool?" Ron added, a note of excitement in his voice that Hermione frowned at.
"Yes, that is interesting," muttered Mrs. Weasley, as she had picked up another one of Fred and George's trick wand.
"Oh dear, I am afraid I must be off. We are leaving. It was nice meeting you all today," said Karista, a wild smile on her face. "We will be seeing each other on the Hogwarts express?"
"I should hope so," Harry said, a slight crack once again in his voice.
Karista gave Harry, Ron and Hermione one last smile, then turned and threw some floo powder that her aunt had just handed her into the fire. Harry could feel his heart still skipping a beat. He knew that something would happen this year, and he hoped it would be good.
The initial shock of Percy's secret seemed to radiate all over the house. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood. Even Percy had a rather obvious spring in his step. But now, with the wedding being a long ways away, they were all focusing on Hogwarts, which Harry, happy as he was at the Burrow, couldn't wait to see the castle again.
"Diagon Alley today!" Mrs. Weasley shouted up the stairs, as Fred and George slid the banister down to the kitchen. It would be their last year at Hogwarts, therefore, they were excited.
"Eat up! We have a lot to do today! Good Morning Harry dear, Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley murmured, as she cracked eggs into a pan, as Fred and George had already eaten half the table. Once finished, they all went up the stairs to change. Harry, who was still admiring the bright oranginess of Ron's room, remembered the dream he had the night before of the girl. He then realized he had another dream that night of the same girl.
"Ron, I keep having this strange dream,"Harry said, looking at Ron to make sure he was listening." It was kinda strange, because she was beautiful and, and, she was supposed to start going to Hogwarts this year."
At this, Ron looked up. He had a quizzical look on his face as though he was trying to think of what Harry was saying. There had been transfers out of Hogwarts before, yet never an incoming, unless they were in their first year.
"What grade is she?" asked Ron, still pondering what Harry was thinking.
"our grade," he said slowly, trying to remember the whole dream.
"Interesting," he murmured. "hey, we gotta go, Harry."
They sprinted down the stairs in enough time to catch Mrs. Weasley before she left.
"I don't know about you two," she muttered, handing them the jar of Floo Powder. Harry then stepped into the fire and yelled at the top of his lungs, "DIAGON ALLEY!"
***
"Kar, wake up...we have to go get your school things today," murmured her Aunt, as she opened the shades in Karista's room. It was but a week ago that she had come to London, and she had so much fun with her family that she was anticipating on seeing some of the many wizarding places.
"I'm up, I'm up," She said groggily, as she headed for the bathroom.
"Diagon Alley today! You'll love it. It isn't like any of those wizard 'malls' in New York."
"sure," she gaped as a yawn covered her. "I'll be ready in a few minutes."
After her shower, and getting dressed, she headed down the windy stairs into her Aunts Kitchen, where breakfast was served.
"Hurry up! We'll be leaving in a few minutes!" her aunt shouted to her cousins and Karista. "Floo Powder...you all know what to do!"
Karista to a pinch of the powder, walked over to the fire, and threw it in. "Diagon Alley!" she yelled, and the room began to spin.
She opened her eyes a pinch, trying to see where she was going. The soot, which was now so thick that she couldn't breath, kept getting darker until suddenly, she was thrown out into the foyer of a tiny pub.
"Welcome to the Leaky Cauldron," murmured a friendly voice above her head. The man, who was short and toothlesss, helped her to her feet and offered her a brush.
"Thank you. Would you please point me in the direction of Diagon Alley?" asked karista, who stepped out of the way for her aunt and cousins to come through.
"Just through that door, your aunt should know where it is," said the man.
"Thanks again," she muttered, as they all walked out into a dingy courtyard.
Her aunt was busy taping her wand on a brick where suddenly an archway appeared. The archway lead onto a very crooked street with shops everywhere. Off in the distance, she could see the famous wizarding bank Gringotts. She had heard of it, but never seen it.
"Off to get you some money, Karista," her aunt said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her. Karista enjoyed looking at all the shops. Little trinkets outside a junk shop were whirling with people tossing little knuts at them. Soon, her aunt had come out of Gringotts and a wild cart ride with a large sack of money.
"Here you are dear, now, here is your school list...everything you need is there. Spend wisely dear!" her aunt spoke in a dignified sort of way," oh, and by the way...we'll meet in the Leaky Cauldron in about 2 hours...that should give you enough time to investigate."
"Thanks auntie."
"Don't mention it, dearie."
Karista took off up the street where they had just come. She had used her mother's wand, which wasn't really that good anymore. Better get my robes first then, thought Karista, glimpsing a shop entitled Madame Malakins robes for all occasions. She stepped inside the shop to hear the tinkling of a bell.
"Hogwarts, dear?" said a short woman in blue robes.
"yes...I am new to the school," said Karista shakily...she didn't need to wear robes in her old school, therefore she didn't know what these would look like.
"Back here. Another boy is getting fitted for Hogwarts also."
Harry looked into his reflection in the mirror as his heart skipped a beat. That is the girl in my dreams! Harry thought to himself, growing increasingly sweaty. He couldn't help staring at her. Her eyes almost violet and long blonde hair. She was maybe two inches shorter than him, and had a soft yet strong voice. He couldn't help but think he should talk to her, but what would he say?
"Hi there." said the girl. She looked just as nervous as Harry felt.
"Hi. Hogwarts also?" he said, his voice cracking slightly.
"Yeah. This is going to be my first year here. you?"
"my fifth. You don't look like a first year though," said Harry, hoping she would say what he thought she would say.
"I am going to be starting in the fifth year. I am a transfer," she said half-heartedly. She couldn't help but think of her friends in New York.
Harry's heart skipped a beat again. She was in her fifth year! She could be in Gryffindor!
"So, where are you transferring from?" asked Harry, not helping sounding excited.
"New York Wizarding Institute," she stated blankly. She felt bad sounding completely un-interested in him at the moment. She looked into his eyes, then noticed the scar on his head.
"Harry Potter!" she yelped," The Harry Potter! wow, it is nice to meet you. My name is Karista Flannigan."
Harry, at first taken aback, was now blushing furiously. He was used to people being shocked by meeting him, but the embarrassment was heightened now that he had a crush on someone he had just met.
"Nice to meet you too."
Karista now took into full who she was looking at. He was at least a few inches taller than she was, and kinda handsome. His eyes, she murmured to herself, what pretty eyes.
"HARRY! Come on, we aren't finished yet!" Ron and Hermione were holding onto their cloaks and robes and waiting outside.
"Hey, are you here with anyone?" Harry asked, not noticing he didn't have the robe on anymore.
"My aunt, but she is shopping with my cousins," Karista said flatly.
"Want to come and meet my friends?"
"sure."
"let's go!"
Karista, now through with her pinning, grabbed the packages and went outside with Harry.
"You guys, this is Karista Flannigan…she just transferred here from New York!" boasted Harry, not helping grinning. "Karista, this is Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, they are 5th years also."
"Hi there," Karista murmured, still in awe of meeting Harry.
They headed all around Diagon Alley, taking in the shops and basically getting to know Karista, as even Ron, in a hoarse whisper to Harry, couldn't deny she was beautiful.
"She is the girl in my dream, Ron," muttered Harry, as they put a considerable distance away from Karista and Hermione, who were looking at candy.
"What? The exact same girl?" grinned Ron.
"Yep"
Soon, they were all making their way up to the Leaky Cauldron. There arms were full and tired, including Karista who needed to buy more that Harry, Ron and Hermione. Once in the dark pub, Ron introduced Karista to his parents.
"This is Karista Flannigan. She transferred to Hogwarts from New York…isn't that cool?" Ron added, a note of excitement in his voice that Hermione frowned at.
"Yes, that is interesting," muttered Mrs. Weasley, as she had picked up another one of Fred and George's trick wand.
"Oh dear, I am afraid I must be off. We are leaving. It was nice meeting you all today," said Karista, a wild smile on her face. "We will be seeing each other on the Hogwarts express?"
"I should hope so," Harry said, a slight crack once again in his voice.
Karista gave Harry, Ron and Hermione one last smile, then turned and threw some floo powder that her aunt had just handed her into the fire. Harry could feel his heart still skipping a beat. He knew that something would happen this year, and he hoped it would be good.