Chapter Four
DIAGON ALLEY
"My name is Minerva McGonagall. I am the teacher of Transfiguration at Hogwarts," she said as people shared doubtful looks.
"I understand it is all strange to understand and to accept, for you. So, this meeting has the purpose of explaining to you what wizardy is and what kind of school your children have been called to.
"Just to make a brief introduction, before beginning the tour: wizards do exist. We are people with particular abilities usually known as Wizardry. These abilities can be refined through studying. And this is the meaning of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We prefer to live unknown to people without magic powers. We call you Muggles. Any question, before we begin our tour?"
Nobody moved or showed to have understood what Professor McGonagall had just said.
Lily slowly lifted her hand. "What is Transfiguration?"
"Oh, yes. I was forgetting that... thank you, miss...?"
"Lily. Lily Evans," said the girly proudly.
"Thank you Miss Evans. Well, transfiguration is basically... this!" under the unbelieving look of everyone in the room Professor McGonagall became smaller, her green dress got black and hairy and two felin ears sprouted out of her hat. In a few moments the woman transformed in a black cat.
"AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" all the people in the room stepped back from the cat, as if they had seen a horrible monster.
Professor McGonagall returned human at once "Please, please! Everybody! There's nothing to fear, you see?" she waited for calmness to come back in the room
"Transfiguration is the art of transforming something in something else. What I showed you is a very high level of Transfiguration. The wizards who can transform THEMSELVES into an animal (an object is too dangerous) are called Animagus, and they must be regularly registered to the Ministry of Wizardry. Of course, we have our own rules to regulate the use of wizardry, and to protect all of you Muggles."
People were beginning to accept what they were seeing, even if it was hard to do.
"I think we can now begin the tour, please follow me" Prof. McGonagall headed to a door behind her. After a moment of uncertainty, everyone followed her.
The door lead out of the pub, in a very small court rounded by a brick-made wall. It was a too small a place for everyone, so many of them remained in the first room. Luckly, Peter and Lily managed to stay near Professor McGonagall. She went near the wall before the door, took a wooden wand out of a pocket and touched with that five bricks. Suddendly, the bricks started moving, creating a large hole in the wall. Behind it there was a whole street with shops, restaurants, and people walking around, chatting and buying strange things.
Peter was astonished, as was everyone near him. Lily, instead, was smiling, easly accepting what she saw as only children can do.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley!" said Professor McGonagall.
When everybody had finally passed the hole, they began the tour. McGonagall took them around showing the shops, explaining and answering the questions that were coming like an avalanche in everyone's mind. They saw a pet shop, a book shop, a broom shop ("Wow! Can we really FLY with those?!") and so many others that they couldn't even remember. All the kids were continuosly running around, watching, questioning, and laughing. It was like the most amazing toy shop that they could have possibly imagined.
After about two hours of walking, everyone was feeling really tired, so Professor McGonagall took them to a court where they could seat on some benches. A shop attracted all children's attention: Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. As many other kids, Lily asked her father to buy one. Peter accepted, but then he saw the price: three Sickles.
"Excuse, me madam" said Peter to Prof. McGonagall "what is a 'Sickle'?"
"Oh! Sorry, I had forgotten to..." she stopped watching worried a group of men heatedly talking to the ice-cream man. She run toward them.
"Sorry, Florean! It's my fault; I forgot to tell them about the money!" she called, and the group of angry fathers turned to her.
"In wizards world, we do not use your money. We have our own. If you want to buy someting, you'll have to change a bit of money, first." The company came closer to her, in order to listen better.
"You can do it there, at the Gringott's" said pointing a big white building at the end of the street. A thick group of people decided to go, accompanied by Professor McGonagall. Peter was among them.
They came back after half an hour, that Lily passed watching with hungry eyes all ice-cream flavors. Peter was really shocked.
"There were... there were goblins in there!!! Such horrible creatures! So small and vicious"
"You took the money, didn't you?" asked Lily, worried.
"Yes, yes I did. But I think they'd have done a much worse change if Professor McGonagall were not there"
They spent another hour wandering around and buying things before their guide said it was time to come back. They were in front of the wall they had come through (the hole was now closed) when Prof. McGonagall distributed some sheets
"These are some rules you are pleased to follow when you come back home: 'First: Do not talk of what you've seen or show what you bought to anyone'. Please, remember; this is very important. If you get out of here with the things you bought, it means that you accept to follow this request. If you don't you'll be arrested by the Ministry of Magic. I'm sorry, but it is a necessary measure.
"'Second: You'll receive an owl on the 20th of August with a letter from Hogwarts. You are asked to write if you are willing to send your children to Hogwars or not'. Don't worry, I've explained before how to use a post- owl; it's nothing difficult.
"'Third: You shall be admitted to Diagon Alley again by showing the admittance to the owner of the Leaky Cauldron. Rules one and two are valid also for other things you shall buy here.' This includes things such as school books.
"School shall begin on the first of September, you'll have to take the train that will take you to Hogwarts at eleven o'clock from platform 9¾ of the London train station." Everybody shared other questioning looks. " You'll find a person that will tell you how to reach it, don't worry.
"Well, our tour is over. I hope you enjoyed your stay and look forward to see you again at school!" she re-opened the hole and they returned to the normal London.
DIAGON ALLEY
"My name is Minerva McGonagall. I am the teacher of Transfiguration at Hogwarts," she said as people shared doubtful looks.
"I understand it is all strange to understand and to accept, for you. So, this meeting has the purpose of explaining to you what wizardy is and what kind of school your children have been called to.
"Just to make a brief introduction, before beginning the tour: wizards do exist. We are people with particular abilities usually known as Wizardry. These abilities can be refined through studying. And this is the meaning of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We prefer to live unknown to people without magic powers. We call you Muggles. Any question, before we begin our tour?"
Nobody moved or showed to have understood what Professor McGonagall had just said.
Lily slowly lifted her hand. "What is Transfiguration?"
"Oh, yes. I was forgetting that... thank you, miss...?"
"Lily. Lily Evans," said the girly proudly.
"Thank you Miss Evans. Well, transfiguration is basically... this!" under the unbelieving look of everyone in the room Professor McGonagall became smaller, her green dress got black and hairy and two felin ears sprouted out of her hat. In a few moments the woman transformed in a black cat.
"AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" all the people in the room stepped back from the cat, as if they had seen a horrible monster.
Professor McGonagall returned human at once "Please, please! Everybody! There's nothing to fear, you see?" she waited for calmness to come back in the room
"Transfiguration is the art of transforming something in something else. What I showed you is a very high level of Transfiguration. The wizards who can transform THEMSELVES into an animal (an object is too dangerous) are called Animagus, and they must be regularly registered to the Ministry of Wizardry. Of course, we have our own rules to regulate the use of wizardry, and to protect all of you Muggles."
People were beginning to accept what they were seeing, even if it was hard to do.
"I think we can now begin the tour, please follow me" Prof. McGonagall headed to a door behind her. After a moment of uncertainty, everyone followed her.
The door lead out of the pub, in a very small court rounded by a brick-made wall. It was a too small a place for everyone, so many of them remained in the first room. Luckly, Peter and Lily managed to stay near Professor McGonagall. She went near the wall before the door, took a wooden wand out of a pocket and touched with that five bricks. Suddendly, the bricks started moving, creating a large hole in the wall. Behind it there was a whole street with shops, restaurants, and people walking around, chatting and buying strange things.
Peter was astonished, as was everyone near him. Lily, instead, was smiling, easly accepting what she saw as only children can do.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley!" said Professor McGonagall.
When everybody had finally passed the hole, they began the tour. McGonagall took them around showing the shops, explaining and answering the questions that were coming like an avalanche in everyone's mind. They saw a pet shop, a book shop, a broom shop ("Wow! Can we really FLY with those?!") and so many others that they couldn't even remember. All the kids were continuosly running around, watching, questioning, and laughing. It was like the most amazing toy shop that they could have possibly imagined.
After about two hours of walking, everyone was feeling really tired, so Professor McGonagall took them to a court where they could seat on some benches. A shop attracted all children's attention: Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. As many other kids, Lily asked her father to buy one. Peter accepted, but then he saw the price: three Sickles.
"Excuse, me madam" said Peter to Prof. McGonagall "what is a 'Sickle'?"
"Oh! Sorry, I had forgotten to..." she stopped watching worried a group of men heatedly talking to the ice-cream man. She run toward them.
"Sorry, Florean! It's my fault; I forgot to tell them about the money!" she called, and the group of angry fathers turned to her.
"In wizards world, we do not use your money. We have our own. If you want to buy someting, you'll have to change a bit of money, first." The company came closer to her, in order to listen better.
"You can do it there, at the Gringott's" said pointing a big white building at the end of the street. A thick group of people decided to go, accompanied by Professor McGonagall. Peter was among them.
They came back after half an hour, that Lily passed watching with hungry eyes all ice-cream flavors. Peter was really shocked.
"There were... there were goblins in there!!! Such horrible creatures! So small and vicious"
"You took the money, didn't you?" asked Lily, worried.
"Yes, yes I did. But I think they'd have done a much worse change if Professor McGonagall were not there"
They spent another hour wandering around and buying things before their guide said it was time to come back. They were in front of the wall they had come through (the hole was now closed) when Prof. McGonagall distributed some sheets
"These are some rules you are pleased to follow when you come back home: 'First: Do not talk of what you've seen or show what you bought to anyone'. Please, remember; this is very important. If you get out of here with the things you bought, it means that you accept to follow this request. If you don't you'll be arrested by the Ministry of Magic. I'm sorry, but it is a necessary measure.
"'Second: You'll receive an owl on the 20th of August with a letter from Hogwarts. You are asked to write if you are willing to send your children to Hogwars or not'. Don't worry, I've explained before how to use a post- owl; it's nothing difficult.
"'Third: You shall be admitted to Diagon Alley again by showing the admittance to the owner of the Leaky Cauldron. Rules one and two are valid also for other things you shall buy here.' This includes things such as school books.
"School shall begin on the first of September, you'll have to take the train that will take you to Hogwarts at eleven o'clock from platform 9¾ of the London train station." Everybody shared other questioning looks. " You'll find a person that will tell you how to reach it, don't worry.
"Well, our tour is over. I hope you enjoyed your stay and look forward to see you again at school!" she re-opened the hole and they returned to the normal London.