Chapter 2 ~ Shopping at Diagon Alley
By the time the weekend had arrived, Ezekial had talked every possible detail about Hogwarts over with his best friend Shannon.
Shannon Kingsley was a stout hearted young boy, who defended the smaller kids from bullies and rooted for the underdog. He was shorter and stockier than Easy, but his face was kinder. He had glazed blue eyes that made him seem slow, and indeed the poor boy was a little behind the ball.
He was also the only one of Eazy's friends to be accepted into Hogwarts. And both were nervous about starting at the school with only each other for company. But what they both feared most was the idea of being sorted into different houses.
Shannon was going to Diagon Alley with Ezekial and his family, and they were walking back to his house with an overnight bag.
Shannon was talking about Quidditch, of course, though Eazy wasn't showing much interest.
"I'm quite sure they still wont let first years join the team. But I'm hoping they'll bend the rules for me." He was saying doubtfully. Shannon's heroes were Harry Potter and Oliver Wood. Both were going to play Quidditch for England in the upcoming World Cup, Wood as Keeper and Potter as Seeker.
"They bent the rules for Potter and look where it got him! I tell you E the only way to be as good as that is to start young! And I'll tell Dumbledore or anyone who'll listen, that that's the truth."
Luckily they arrived back at Ezekial's home before Shannon could finish his speech.
Eazy lived in a two-story house on a street unlike any we have seen. The signpost was nailed to a tree and hand painted, and there were was no road separating the houses, rather a patch off grass with trees here and there.
Ezekial led the way inside, and through the sitting room to the kitchen, where the others were waiting.
His mother smiled and said hello to Shannon, as did his father, but Melinda totally ignored him. She was talking to her friend Raven Gale, who had also been accepted to Hogwarts. Raven was a cruel hearted girl who had once stolen her father's wand and used it to turn E's hair purple.
Unfortunately she was going to Diagon Alley with them. Raven and Eazy had been enemies since they had met and Raven had tol Eazy he looked like a rat faced stick insect. Eazy had retorted Raven looked like a crow with a human's body. Indeed Raven looked exactly like a crow from the shoulders up, she had dark, dark eyes so you can't tell where the pupils end and the iris begins, as well as black hair. You know that patch of sky between stars at night? That black. Her nose was even pointy, like a beak and she had thin lips. When she smiled she liked like pure evil.
She smiled at Eazy. "Hi Eazy." She mocked.
"Hello." E replied, his voice strained. He turned to his parents. "Can we go now?" He asked impatiently. He had been to Diagon Alley many times and knew his way around easily. Once he had gotten some money from his parents he could take Shannon around the place by himself, and not have to look at Raven or Melinda all day.
"We're heading off as soons as your mother is ready." His father replied.
"I am ready we were waiting for you!" She said hotly. Shopping always got his mother on edge for some reason. "Now I need some dragon's tooth and frog's liver from the apothecary, and Cameron we need another owl! Winston just can't hack the long trips anymore. I've pratically lost contact with Jennifer. My God I wonder how her..."
Ezekial looked at Shannon, then pleadingly at his father, who stood up abruptly. "Right then we're off." He said, cutting his mother off in mid sentence. She gave him a look that could melt steel and grabbed a bag of floo powder from the cupboard above the sink.
"Right kids," she began "I know you'll want to go off on your own almost immediately, but I'm afraid your father and I must get the money from Gringotts first, so stick with us until we say otherwise."
Eazy groaned and lent against the wall. Now he would have to stay with Raven and Melinda while his parents went to get money from their vault.
"Here we are girls," his mother was continuing "We'll be right behind you, you all right there Raven dear?"
"Yes Mrs. Mavers." Raven drooled. She reached her long fingers into the bag and withdrew a small amount of the floo powder, Melinda did the same. They then walked into the living room, and Eazy immediately began on his parents.
"Mum, Dad! I don't want to stay with Melinda and Raven while you're getting money out! They're.." He paused, not wanting to sounds stupid to Shannon. "Boring." He ended softly.
"Oh nonsense," his mother retorted, shoving the bag at the boys. They each took a small handful and moped into the living room. When they reached the fireplace they stopped, Eazy was not keen on going first, but nevertheless he threw the powder into the fire. It gloed green and he stepped into it, crying as loud as he could "Diagon Alley."
The firplace virtually sucked him into itself. On the left and right were various exits, but Eazy waited until he saw the one with Diagon Alley on it, he stepped out as gingerly as possible, but he still fell flat on his face when he hit the ground.
Cold laughter erupted from above him, and Eazy shot daggers at the girls as he got up and dusted his clothes off.
Behind him Shannon arrived, walking along the ground cooly. He never had any problem with Floo Powder. "Trouble, E?" He asked, amused.
"No." Eazy responded, shooting him a "not in front of them." Look.
Seconds later his mother arrived, she was carrying a deep black purse and wearing reb, silk robes. His parents refused to wear muggle clothing, and whenever they went into London they insisted on looking their best.
"Well then let's be off." His father said, walking up behind them, wearing deep purple robes and his tallest, stiffest wizard's hat. When he saw the looks on the children's faces he turned red and muttered, "Well I'm expecting to see old George Ungly in Gringotts and he got it for me last Christmas."
He set off up the road, followed by the rest of them. Towards the end was a large white building with a sign on it saying "Gringott's." It was the only bank in Diagon Alley.
However on their sides were more interesting shops. Including the apothecary, as well as a robe's shop, ice cream parlour, Ollivander's Wands, a book shop, and more.
But the Maver's and their guests went straight towards Gringotts, and once inside Mr and MRs Mavers headed for the counter up the end of a long hall. The kids sat near the door in provided chairs, and watched the Goblin's at work.
"Ahh Ungly you old bat how are you?" They heard Mr Maver's booming voice cry as he met up with the manager of the bank, and his old friend.
"Goblins are so call cool." Eazy heard Raven whisper to Melinda. His mouth dropped open. How could she like them. They were ugly, scary and very rude. He shot one of them a disdainful look, but when it smiled at him he looked away quickly.
"Scared, Eazy?" Raven mused, smiling horribly. "Is little Eazy scared of the big bad Goblin?"
All though Melinda rarely insulted E when her friends were about, she had never defended him, he looked her her with a frown,. She was staring idly at the Goblin's, as if in deep thought.
For Melinda this was a strange occurance, ignoring Raven he spoke to his sister, "You look like you're in pain Melinda." He said grinning, but she wasn't paying attention.
"Melinda!" He said loudly. She jumped and turned to him.
"What?"
"Oh never mind," E said, embarassed. He turned to Shannon. "You don't like those things do you?" He asked, too loudly. A passing Goblin turned to him and sneered.
"Things?" It said in a high, but jestful voice. E jumped off the seat and was standing, facing the Goblin.
"N-Nothing," E stammered, "I m-mean, well I-I was just s-saying that.." His voice trailed off unhopefully.
Raven burst into unflattering fits of laughter, and even Melinda was chuckling to herself. Shannon, like a true friend, slapped E on the back, knocking him into the Goblin.
"Woah there kiddo," it said threateningly. Be fore laughing itself and walking off.
Eazy sat down, glared at Shannon, shot daggers at the girls, and stared at the floor until his parents arrived back, his face red as a tomato.
"Here you are then kids," Mr Mavers said cheerfully, handing E and Melinda each a collection of gold, silver and bronze coins. As soon as they had the money they were out the door, their Hogwart's lists in their pockets. The two groups headed in different directions as soon as they were outside.
"Have fun then." Mrs Mavers muttered to herself.
The boys headed straight for Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour and walked out with two double scoop triple chocolate cones which had cost them two silver Sickles and a bronze Knut each. They licked them as they walked up the road, looking at the various shops, and talking about Quidditch. Shannon wanted to go and look in Quality Quidditch Supplies, but Eazy not being the avid fan Shannon was, managed to talk him out of it. They finished their ice-creams and walked into Madam Malkin's Robe Shop to get their school uniform. The cheerful little witch who owned the store, Madam Malkin and her assistant fitted them up and they walked out with three sets of black robes each. They had been considerably more expensive than the ice-creams and had to pull out the gold Galleons to pay for them.
Next they went to the Apothecary to look at all the disgusting and slimy things they had in their. Shannon was determined to buy a collection of water slugs that ranged in size from 7 inches to 3 feet. Eazy was disgusted and walked out of the shop, carrying a first year's potion pack.
In Flourish and Blotts, the book store, they picked up their text books, and Eazy got a interesting book named "A Banshee's Tale." It was written by an anonymous author, and Eazy was suspicious that it was actually written by a banshee. Shannon, extremely bored by the book shop, ended up dragging E out of it to goto the Cauldron Shop.
After getting the supplies from there, and the telescope and everything on the list they headed for Eeylops Owl Emporium. They spent nearly 20 minutes in their looking for what they wanted. Shannon decided on a huge, ugly toad that looked like a huge pile of mud. It croaked occasionaly, sounding like mud being trodden in. Eazy looked at it disgustedly as he purchased his cat. It was a long haired, cat of some breed E didn't really care about. But it was soft as feathers and was a beautiful deep grey colour. They walked out of the shop with huge smiles on their faces and their new pets in their arms.
"Just our wands to get then." Shannon said, stroking his toad. His backpack was weighing him down, as was Eazy's. Once inside Ollivander's, they dropped them on the old wooden floor.
"Be with you two in a moment." Came a voice from behind the stacks.
"Okay." E replied, sitting down on the only chair provided.
"Well then, Mr Kingsley, I have just the wand for you right here." Came the voice, closer, in fact from right in front of them. Before them stood an old man with weird grey eyes and a spooky aura. He smiled and handed the box to Shannon. "Take it out my boy, give it a wave." He said. Shannon did just that, and a few little sparks fell from the end.
Mr Ollivander tsked and took it back. "My mind's slipping in my old age," he said mournfully, grabbing a tape measure from the desk. He set about measuring Shannon, before heading behind the counter again.
He returned after only a few moments and handed Shannon a nother, slightly shorter wand. Shannon waved it and a thin stream of green, sizzling mist came from the end. "That's the one! Oak, 6 inches, firm. Pheonix tail feather. Good wand, mind you take care of that my boy." Mr Ollivander said, pleased. He then turned to Eazy.
"Stand up, lad. Let me measure you." He measured E and walked behind the counter yet again, emerging with a wand in a box. "Take that out, Mr Mavers, give it a wish." E followed the instruction and a box on the counter rose into the air, then fell back down.
"Wonderful! Mahogany, 9 inches, flexible. Pixie hair strand. Very unique, Ezekial. Only sold 4 others in my life. All to good Wizards and Witches mind." He was saying to himself more to than E, he rang up the costs and the boys payed for them.
After reaching the outside, they headed for the Leaky Cauldron. "Suppoes we'll meet the other's there." E guessed, feeling both tired and excited. No tired and nervous. Very soon he would be starting at Hogwarts. Silently he was not so sure about having a pixie hair in his wand. It sounded like a girl's one.
Arriving at the Leaky Cauldron, they walked in. "Here they are! You boys ready for some lunch?" Mrs Mavers asked when she spotted them.
By the time the weekend had arrived, Ezekial had talked every possible detail about Hogwarts over with his best friend Shannon.
Shannon Kingsley was a stout hearted young boy, who defended the smaller kids from bullies and rooted for the underdog. He was shorter and stockier than Easy, but his face was kinder. He had glazed blue eyes that made him seem slow, and indeed the poor boy was a little behind the ball.
He was also the only one of Eazy's friends to be accepted into Hogwarts. And both were nervous about starting at the school with only each other for company. But what they both feared most was the idea of being sorted into different houses.
Shannon was going to Diagon Alley with Ezekial and his family, and they were walking back to his house with an overnight bag.
Shannon was talking about Quidditch, of course, though Eazy wasn't showing much interest.
"I'm quite sure they still wont let first years join the team. But I'm hoping they'll bend the rules for me." He was saying doubtfully. Shannon's heroes were Harry Potter and Oliver Wood. Both were going to play Quidditch for England in the upcoming World Cup, Wood as Keeper and Potter as Seeker.
"They bent the rules for Potter and look where it got him! I tell you E the only way to be as good as that is to start young! And I'll tell Dumbledore or anyone who'll listen, that that's the truth."
Luckily they arrived back at Ezekial's home before Shannon could finish his speech.
Eazy lived in a two-story house on a street unlike any we have seen. The signpost was nailed to a tree and hand painted, and there were was no road separating the houses, rather a patch off grass with trees here and there.
Ezekial led the way inside, and through the sitting room to the kitchen, where the others were waiting.
His mother smiled and said hello to Shannon, as did his father, but Melinda totally ignored him. She was talking to her friend Raven Gale, who had also been accepted to Hogwarts. Raven was a cruel hearted girl who had once stolen her father's wand and used it to turn E's hair purple.
Unfortunately she was going to Diagon Alley with them. Raven and Eazy had been enemies since they had met and Raven had tol Eazy he looked like a rat faced stick insect. Eazy had retorted Raven looked like a crow with a human's body. Indeed Raven looked exactly like a crow from the shoulders up, she had dark, dark eyes so you can't tell where the pupils end and the iris begins, as well as black hair. You know that patch of sky between stars at night? That black. Her nose was even pointy, like a beak and she had thin lips. When she smiled she liked like pure evil.
She smiled at Eazy. "Hi Eazy." She mocked.
"Hello." E replied, his voice strained. He turned to his parents. "Can we go now?" He asked impatiently. He had been to Diagon Alley many times and knew his way around easily. Once he had gotten some money from his parents he could take Shannon around the place by himself, and not have to look at Raven or Melinda all day.
"We're heading off as soons as your mother is ready." His father replied.
"I am ready we were waiting for you!" She said hotly. Shopping always got his mother on edge for some reason. "Now I need some dragon's tooth and frog's liver from the apothecary, and Cameron we need another owl! Winston just can't hack the long trips anymore. I've pratically lost contact with Jennifer. My God I wonder how her..."
Ezekial looked at Shannon, then pleadingly at his father, who stood up abruptly. "Right then we're off." He said, cutting his mother off in mid sentence. She gave him a look that could melt steel and grabbed a bag of floo powder from the cupboard above the sink.
"Right kids," she began "I know you'll want to go off on your own almost immediately, but I'm afraid your father and I must get the money from Gringotts first, so stick with us until we say otherwise."
Eazy groaned and lent against the wall. Now he would have to stay with Raven and Melinda while his parents went to get money from their vault.
"Here we are girls," his mother was continuing "We'll be right behind you, you all right there Raven dear?"
"Yes Mrs. Mavers." Raven drooled. She reached her long fingers into the bag and withdrew a small amount of the floo powder, Melinda did the same. They then walked into the living room, and Eazy immediately began on his parents.
"Mum, Dad! I don't want to stay with Melinda and Raven while you're getting money out! They're.." He paused, not wanting to sounds stupid to Shannon. "Boring." He ended softly.
"Oh nonsense," his mother retorted, shoving the bag at the boys. They each took a small handful and moped into the living room. When they reached the fireplace they stopped, Eazy was not keen on going first, but nevertheless he threw the powder into the fire. It gloed green and he stepped into it, crying as loud as he could "Diagon Alley."
The firplace virtually sucked him into itself. On the left and right were various exits, but Eazy waited until he saw the one with Diagon Alley on it, he stepped out as gingerly as possible, but he still fell flat on his face when he hit the ground.
Cold laughter erupted from above him, and Eazy shot daggers at the girls as he got up and dusted his clothes off.
Behind him Shannon arrived, walking along the ground cooly. He never had any problem with Floo Powder. "Trouble, E?" He asked, amused.
"No." Eazy responded, shooting him a "not in front of them." Look.
Seconds later his mother arrived, she was carrying a deep black purse and wearing reb, silk robes. His parents refused to wear muggle clothing, and whenever they went into London they insisted on looking their best.
"Well then let's be off." His father said, walking up behind them, wearing deep purple robes and his tallest, stiffest wizard's hat. When he saw the looks on the children's faces he turned red and muttered, "Well I'm expecting to see old George Ungly in Gringotts and he got it for me last Christmas."
He set off up the road, followed by the rest of them. Towards the end was a large white building with a sign on it saying "Gringott's." It was the only bank in Diagon Alley.
However on their sides were more interesting shops. Including the apothecary, as well as a robe's shop, ice cream parlour, Ollivander's Wands, a book shop, and more.
But the Maver's and their guests went straight towards Gringotts, and once inside Mr and MRs Mavers headed for the counter up the end of a long hall. The kids sat near the door in provided chairs, and watched the Goblin's at work.
"Ahh Ungly you old bat how are you?" They heard Mr Maver's booming voice cry as he met up with the manager of the bank, and his old friend.
"Goblins are so call cool." Eazy heard Raven whisper to Melinda. His mouth dropped open. How could she like them. They were ugly, scary and very rude. He shot one of them a disdainful look, but when it smiled at him he looked away quickly.
"Scared, Eazy?" Raven mused, smiling horribly. "Is little Eazy scared of the big bad Goblin?"
All though Melinda rarely insulted E when her friends were about, she had never defended him, he looked her her with a frown,. She was staring idly at the Goblin's, as if in deep thought.
For Melinda this was a strange occurance, ignoring Raven he spoke to his sister, "You look like you're in pain Melinda." He said grinning, but she wasn't paying attention.
"Melinda!" He said loudly. She jumped and turned to him.
"What?"
"Oh never mind," E said, embarassed. He turned to Shannon. "You don't like those things do you?" He asked, too loudly. A passing Goblin turned to him and sneered.
"Things?" It said in a high, but jestful voice. E jumped off the seat and was standing, facing the Goblin.
"N-Nothing," E stammered, "I m-mean, well I-I was just s-saying that.." His voice trailed off unhopefully.
Raven burst into unflattering fits of laughter, and even Melinda was chuckling to herself. Shannon, like a true friend, slapped E on the back, knocking him into the Goblin.
"Woah there kiddo," it said threateningly. Be fore laughing itself and walking off.
Eazy sat down, glared at Shannon, shot daggers at the girls, and stared at the floor until his parents arrived back, his face red as a tomato.
"Here you are then kids," Mr Mavers said cheerfully, handing E and Melinda each a collection of gold, silver and bronze coins. As soon as they had the money they were out the door, their Hogwart's lists in their pockets. The two groups headed in different directions as soon as they were outside.
"Have fun then." Mrs Mavers muttered to herself.
The boys headed straight for Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour and walked out with two double scoop triple chocolate cones which had cost them two silver Sickles and a bronze Knut each. They licked them as they walked up the road, looking at the various shops, and talking about Quidditch. Shannon wanted to go and look in Quality Quidditch Supplies, but Eazy not being the avid fan Shannon was, managed to talk him out of it. They finished their ice-creams and walked into Madam Malkin's Robe Shop to get their school uniform. The cheerful little witch who owned the store, Madam Malkin and her assistant fitted them up and they walked out with three sets of black robes each. They had been considerably more expensive than the ice-creams and had to pull out the gold Galleons to pay for them.
Next they went to the Apothecary to look at all the disgusting and slimy things they had in their. Shannon was determined to buy a collection of water slugs that ranged in size from 7 inches to 3 feet. Eazy was disgusted and walked out of the shop, carrying a first year's potion pack.
In Flourish and Blotts, the book store, they picked up their text books, and Eazy got a interesting book named "A Banshee's Tale." It was written by an anonymous author, and Eazy was suspicious that it was actually written by a banshee. Shannon, extremely bored by the book shop, ended up dragging E out of it to goto the Cauldron Shop.
After getting the supplies from there, and the telescope and everything on the list they headed for Eeylops Owl Emporium. They spent nearly 20 minutes in their looking for what they wanted. Shannon decided on a huge, ugly toad that looked like a huge pile of mud. It croaked occasionaly, sounding like mud being trodden in. Eazy looked at it disgustedly as he purchased his cat. It was a long haired, cat of some breed E didn't really care about. But it was soft as feathers and was a beautiful deep grey colour. They walked out of the shop with huge smiles on their faces and their new pets in their arms.
"Just our wands to get then." Shannon said, stroking his toad. His backpack was weighing him down, as was Eazy's. Once inside Ollivander's, they dropped them on the old wooden floor.
"Be with you two in a moment." Came a voice from behind the stacks.
"Okay." E replied, sitting down on the only chair provided.
"Well then, Mr Kingsley, I have just the wand for you right here." Came the voice, closer, in fact from right in front of them. Before them stood an old man with weird grey eyes and a spooky aura. He smiled and handed the box to Shannon. "Take it out my boy, give it a wave." He said. Shannon did just that, and a few little sparks fell from the end.
Mr Ollivander tsked and took it back. "My mind's slipping in my old age," he said mournfully, grabbing a tape measure from the desk. He set about measuring Shannon, before heading behind the counter again.
He returned after only a few moments and handed Shannon a nother, slightly shorter wand. Shannon waved it and a thin stream of green, sizzling mist came from the end. "That's the one! Oak, 6 inches, firm. Pheonix tail feather. Good wand, mind you take care of that my boy." Mr Ollivander said, pleased. He then turned to Eazy.
"Stand up, lad. Let me measure you." He measured E and walked behind the counter yet again, emerging with a wand in a box. "Take that out, Mr Mavers, give it a wish." E followed the instruction and a box on the counter rose into the air, then fell back down.
"Wonderful! Mahogany, 9 inches, flexible. Pixie hair strand. Very unique, Ezekial. Only sold 4 others in my life. All to good Wizards and Witches mind." He was saying to himself more to than E, he rang up the costs and the boys payed for them.
After reaching the outside, they headed for the Leaky Cauldron. "Suppoes we'll meet the other's there." E guessed, feeling both tired and excited. No tired and nervous. Very soon he would be starting at Hogwarts. Silently he was not so sure about having a pixie hair in his wand. It sounded like a girl's one.
Arriving at the Leaky Cauldron, they walked in. "Here they are! You boys ready for some lunch?" Mrs Mavers asked when she spotted them.