- 4 -
Stepping out of the Leaky Cauldron, Ashura and Lily looked around. There was nothing but a brick wall and garbage cans outside.
"Wow," Ashura said sarcastically, "amazing!" Lionel took his wand out, and tapped the wall three times. The bricks shifted and moved, forming the doorway to Diagon Alley.
Ashura and Lily smiled, marveled at the sight of such a place. "Why, Lionel, get a camera! Azur is actually *smiling*!" she gasped.
She rolled her eyes. Azur was her nickname, which almost everyone had started calling her by, since Celeste mentioned it. Ashura really didn't mind it. Quite contrary, she thought it was a nice name.
"Mum, we might as well change my name to 'Azur'!" she giggled, "Everyone calls me that!"
"Aw, your real name is pretty though!" Dagmar said. Ashura shook her head, and followed Lily into Diagon Alley.
"Let's go to Quality Quidditch Supplies!" Lily suggested. Ashura looked at her.
"And how do you know there is a shop with that name, by chance?" she asked. Lily laughed.
"The sign says so!" Lily stated dryly, pointing up at the broomstick hanging over one of the doors. Ashura shrugged, and started walking over.
"What broom are you going to get?" Ashura asked. Lily shrugged.
"A Firebolt 2004?" she replied. They entered the shop.
"I'm thinking of getting one of those, too," Ashura said.
"Of course!" Lily laughed. Ashura shrugged, and ran off to find the display.
"Lily!" She looked in the direction of the voice, to see Daniel Radcliffe push through the crowd, fighting to get over to her.
"Daniel!" Lily said, "What are you doing here?"
"I was about to ask the same of you," he said. Lily laughed.
"So, did you get my letter?" she asked. Daniel nodded, frowning.
"Yeah, but Mum dragged me here, before I could read it!" Daniel sighed. He shook his head, smiling.
"Oh, what a surprise!" a sarcastic female voice drawled, "Daniel Radcliffe...Lily's fiancé!"
Lily and Daniel looked at Ashura, who had returned from the Firebolt display. "Hello to you too," he said.
"Lil', after we place our orders for the brooms, we need to head to Madam Malkin's, whatever that is..." Ashura said.
"Madam Malkin's is a robe shop. Why are you two here, anyway?" Daniel asked. Lily smiled.
"Me and Azur are going to Hogwarts for sixth and seventh year!" she said. Daniel smiled.
"Wonderful!" he said. Ashura rolled her eyes, and looked at Lily.
"I'm go to go to the shop now. I already did the thing for my Firebolt," Ashura said, walking away. Lily sighed, shaking her head.
"Well, I think I better get going. Azur will kill me, if I don't get there soon," Lily said. After hugging Daniel, she walked away.
"Hello, dear. Hogwarts?" a smiling witch Lily assumed was the woman that owned the shop asked. Lily nodded. "I have two students back there, already. Go on back."
Lily walked into the back. She saw the two the witch mentioned-one with long dark brown hair, the other with blonde, both of which were chatting animatedly. They looked at her.
"Lily! Long time, no see!" the blonde said, "How are you?"
"Fine, Narcissa. How are you?" Lily said stiffly. She looked to the other girl. "Azur, you do know, that I had to drag myself away from Daniel?"
"Yes. We're going to be seeing him at Hogwarts anyway, so what's the big deal?" Ashura asked. She turned back to the mirror. "These are too long!"
The clerk pinned them up higher, muttering under his breath. Narcissa laughed, showing her perfect teeth. "If you aren't put in Slytherin, I'll die of shock!" she said, nodding in approval at the clerk tending to her.
"Slytherin?" Ashura and Lily asked, looking at Narcissa in curiosity. Narcissa laughed again.
"You two can be so thick sometimes!" she said, "Slytherin is one of the houses at Hogwarts. There's four of them-"
"You're done, Miss Green, Miss Potter," the witch from up front said. Ashura and Narcissa got down from the stools, and went to pay for the robes. Lily got up on one, and got her robes fitted.
Dagmar was waiting for them, smiling. She handed Ashura the money pouch, holding a handful of galleons, sickles, and knuts. Narcissa and Ashura paid for their robes. "Mum, me and Narcissa is going to go to Flourish and Blotts?" Ashura asked, looking at Narcissa, who nodded.
"Ok," she said, "but don't go anywhere else."
"Yes, Mrs. Potter," Narcissa replied sweetly, shoving Ashura out the door, "We are so getting your schoolbooks, and a few extras, so you can study up on Hogwarts a bit."
"Um, sure," Ashura said, smiling nervously. They stepped inside the book shop. Narcissa waved the shopkeeper over. He walked over, smiling.
"How may I help you?" he asked. Narcissa looked at the book list.
"I did two of each of these books," she replied, handing the list over to him. He lead them through the store, grabbing pairs of books from different shelves. He handed them to Narcissa and Ashura.
"Is that all?" he asked. Narcissa nodded. She looked around. She dragged Ashura to one of the nearest shelves, and pulled three thick books out: Hogwarts: A History, The Life of A Hogwarts Student, and The Hogwarts Four: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.
After paying for the books, Ashura and Narcissa left. Dagmar and Lily stood waiting nearby holding boxes, which held the robes. 'Hey, Mum! Lily!" Ashura yelled over the crowd.
"Did you get your books?" Dagmar asked. Ashura nodded, and looked at Narcissa.
"What else is there to get?" she asked. Narcissa looked at the list.
"Let's see you need an owl, your wand, a cauldron, and potions ingredients," Narcissa replied.
"Well, Lionel is getting the potions ingredients and cauldrons right now, so let's go get the owls," Dagmar said. Narcissa, Ashura, and Lily walked down the street.
Entering the store. Ashura and Lily noticed all the birds that were perched around the store. Lily walked over to a cage that held a Snowy Owl. "Mom, can we get this one?"
Dagmar looked at it. Ashura looked at it in disgust. A raven caught her eye. It had shiny black feathers, and bright eyes. "Mum, I want that one, the raven," Ashura said.
Sighing, Dagmar looked at Ashura, then Lily. "How much are the Snowy Owl, and that Raven?" she asked.
"The Raven cost two galleons, and the owl cost one," the shopkeeper replied, looking at them, "Interested?"
"Yes." Dagmar said, "I want them both."
Narcissa helped carry the birds and their cages, as they went to the wand shop. Mr. Ollivander smiled at them. "You are looking for wands?" he asked.
Lily nodded. He took a tape measure out, and let it do the measurements, for both girls. He pulled a box out, and opened it. Elm, dragon heartstring, 7 inches..." he said, giving it to Lily.
Before she could wave it, he took it back. Another box was pulled out. "Pine, veela hair, 12 inches."
Once again, that one was snatched back. "Unicorn Hair, Mahogany, 8 inches, best at transfiguration and charms," Mr. Ollivander said.
Lily waved it, and turned the candle that was on the desk, into a pot. Mr. Ollivander clapped, and put it back in the box. He took another out, and handed it to Ashura. "Yew, nine and three quarters inches long, core of veela hair."
Ashura had barely touched it, when he put it back in the box. "Dogwood, shy of seven and one-half inches, core of hippogriff bone."
Mr. Ollivander took it back, just as Ashura was going to wave it in the air. "Rosewood, a bit over eight and one-half inches, core of salamander claw."
She waved it. Most of the boxes flew out of the slots, and went flying across the room. "Excellent!" Mr. Ollivander said, putting it back in the box.
After paying 2 galleons and 5 knuts, they left. Lionel was standing near the wall, waiting for them. "Oh, hello, Narcissa! How have your parents been?" he asked.
"They're good," she replied, smiling. Ashura and Lily smiled.
"We'll see you at Hog-" Ashura started.
"On the Hogwarts Express." Narcissa said, "It's at Kings Cross in London. We can go together, if you want?"
"Sure," Lily nodded, "Can we, Mom?"
"Yes," Dagmar smiled, "Your house, or ours?"
"Yours," the blonde said, "See you then!"
Narcissa left through the Leaky Cauldron. Ashura, Lily, Dagmar, and Lionel used the fireplace, to get back to Paris.
Stepping out of the Leaky Cauldron, Ashura and Lily looked around. There was nothing but a brick wall and garbage cans outside.
"Wow," Ashura said sarcastically, "amazing!" Lionel took his wand out, and tapped the wall three times. The bricks shifted and moved, forming the doorway to Diagon Alley.
Ashura and Lily smiled, marveled at the sight of such a place. "Why, Lionel, get a camera! Azur is actually *smiling*!" she gasped.
She rolled her eyes. Azur was her nickname, which almost everyone had started calling her by, since Celeste mentioned it. Ashura really didn't mind it. Quite contrary, she thought it was a nice name.
"Mum, we might as well change my name to 'Azur'!" she giggled, "Everyone calls me that!"
"Aw, your real name is pretty though!" Dagmar said. Ashura shook her head, and followed Lily into Diagon Alley.
"Let's go to Quality Quidditch Supplies!" Lily suggested. Ashura looked at her.
"And how do you know there is a shop with that name, by chance?" she asked. Lily laughed.
"The sign says so!" Lily stated dryly, pointing up at the broomstick hanging over one of the doors. Ashura shrugged, and started walking over.
"What broom are you going to get?" Ashura asked. Lily shrugged.
"A Firebolt 2004?" she replied. They entered the shop.
"I'm thinking of getting one of those, too," Ashura said.
"Of course!" Lily laughed. Ashura shrugged, and ran off to find the display.
"Lily!" She looked in the direction of the voice, to see Daniel Radcliffe push through the crowd, fighting to get over to her.
"Daniel!" Lily said, "What are you doing here?"
"I was about to ask the same of you," he said. Lily laughed.
"So, did you get my letter?" she asked. Daniel nodded, frowning.
"Yeah, but Mum dragged me here, before I could read it!" Daniel sighed. He shook his head, smiling.
"Oh, what a surprise!" a sarcastic female voice drawled, "Daniel Radcliffe...Lily's fiancé!"
Lily and Daniel looked at Ashura, who had returned from the Firebolt display. "Hello to you too," he said.
"Lil', after we place our orders for the brooms, we need to head to Madam Malkin's, whatever that is..." Ashura said.
"Madam Malkin's is a robe shop. Why are you two here, anyway?" Daniel asked. Lily smiled.
"Me and Azur are going to Hogwarts for sixth and seventh year!" she said. Daniel smiled.
"Wonderful!" he said. Ashura rolled her eyes, and looked at Lily.
"I'm go to go to the shop now. I already did the thing for my Firebolt," Ashura said, walking away. Lily sighed, shaking her head.
"Well, I think I better get going. Azur will kill me, if I don't get there soon," Lily said. After hugging Daniel, she walked away.
"Hello, dear. Hogwarts?" a smiling witch Lily assumed was the woman that owned the shop asked. Lily nodded. "I have two students back there, already. Go on back."
Lily walked into the back. She saw the two the witch mentioned-one with long dark brown hair, the other with blonde, both of which were chatting animatedly. They looked at her.
"Lily! Long time, no see!" the blonde said, "How are you?"
"Fine, Narcissa. How are you?" Lily said stiffly. She looked to the other girl. "Azur, you do know, that I had to drag myself away from Daniel?"
"Yes. We're going to be seeing him at Hogwarts anyway, so what's the big deal?" Ashura asked. She turned back to the mirror. "These are too long!"
The clerk pinned them up higher, muttering under his breath. Narcissa laughed, showing her perfect teeth. "If you aren't put in Slytherin, I'll die of shock!" she said, nodding in approval at the clerk tending to her.
"Slytherin?" Ashura and Lily asked, looking at Narcissa in curiosity. Narcissa laughed again.
"You two can be so thick sometimes!" she said, "Slytherin is one of the houses at Hogwarts. There's four of them-"
"You're done, Miss Green, Miss Potter," the witch from up front said. Ashura and Narcissa got down from the stools, and went to pay for the robes. Lily got up on one, and got her robes fitted.
Dagmar was waiting for them, smiling. She handed Ashura the money pouch, holding a handful of galleons, sickles, and knuts. Narcissa and Ashura paid for their robes. "Mum, me and Narcissa is going to go to Flourish and Blotts?" Ashura asked, looking at Narcissa, who nodded.
"Ok," she said, "but don't go anywhere else."
"Yes, Mrs. Potter," Narcissa replied sweetly, shoving Ashura out the door, "We are so getting your schoolbooks, and a few extras, so you can study up on Hogwarts a bit."
"Um, sure," Ashura said, smiling nervously. They stepped inside the book shop. Narcissa waved the shopkeeper over. He walked over, smiling.
"How may I help you?" he asked. Narcissa looked at the book list.
"I did two of each of these books," she replied, handing the list over to him. He lead them through the store, grabbing pairs of books from different shelves. He handed them to Narcissa and Ashura.
"Is that all?" he asked. Narcissa nodded. She looked around. She dragged Ashura to one of the nearest shelves, and pulled three thick books out: Hogwarts: A History, The Life of A Hogwarts Student, and The Hogwarts Four: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.
After paying for the books, Ashura and Narcissa left. Dagmar and Lily stood waiting nearby holding boxes, which held the robes. 'Hey, Mum! Lily!" Ashura yelled over the crowd.
"Did you get your books?" Dagmar asked. Ashura nodded, and looked at Narcissa.
"What else is there to get?" she asked. Narcissa looked at the list.
"Let's see you need an owl, your wand, a cauldron, and potions ingredients," Narcissa replied.
"Well, Lionel is getting the potions ingredients and cauldrons right now, so let's go get the owls," Dagmar said. Narcissa, Ashura, and Lily walked down the street.
Entering the store. Ashura and Lily noticed all the birds that were perched around the store. Lily walked over to a cage that held a Snowy Owl. "Mom, can we get this one?"
Dagmar looked at it. Ashura looked at it in disgust. A raven caught her eye. It had shiny black feathers, and bright eyes. "Mum, I want that one, the raven," Ashura said.
Sighing, Dagmar looked at Ashura, then Lily. "How much are the Snowy Owl, and that Raven?" she asked.
"The Raven cost two galleons, and the owl cost one," the shopkeeper replied, looking at them, "Interested?"
"Yes." Dagmar said, "I want them both."
Narcissa helped carry the birds and their cages, as they went to the wand shop. Mr. Ollivander smiled at them. "You are looking for wands?" he asked.
Lily nodded. He took a tape measure out, and let it do the measurements, for both girls. He pulled a box out, and opened it. Elm, dragon heartstring, 7 inches..." he said, giving it to Lily.
Before she could wave it, he took it back. Another box was pulled out. "Pine, veela hair, 12 inches."
Once again, that one was snatched back. "Unicorn Hair, Mahogany, 8 inches, best at transfiguration and charms," Mr. Ollivander said.
Lily waved it, and turned the candle that was on the desk, into a pot. Mr. Ollivander clapped, and put it back in the box. He took another out, and handed it to Ashura. "Yew, nine and three quarters inches long, core of veela hair."
Ashura had barely touched it, when he put it back in the box. "Dogwood, shy of seven and one-half inches, core of hippogriff bone."
Mr. Ollivander took it back, just as Ashura was going to wave it in the air. "Rosewood, a bit over eight and one-half inches, core of salamander claw."
She waved it. Most of the boxes flew out of the slots, and went flying across the room. "Excellent!" Mr. Ollivander said, putting it back in the box.
After paying 2 galleons and 5 knuts, they left. Lionel was standing near the wall, waiting for them. "Oh, hello, Narcissa! How have your parents been?" he asked.
"They're good," she replied, smiling. Ashura and Lily smiled.
"We'll see you at Hog-" Ashura started.
"On the Hogwarts Express." Narcissa said, "It's at Kings Cross in London. We can go together, if you want?"
"Sure," Lily nodded, "Can we, Mom?"
"Yes," Dagmar smiled, "Your house, or ours?"
"Yours," the blonde said, "See you then!"
Narcissa left through the Leaky Cauldron. Ashura, Lily, Dagmar, and Lionel used the fireplace, to get back to Paris.