Visit the Steven Pront and the Mighty Mystery Resource Page at http://cullmanfirst.nazonline.com/spatmm.html.

Before I begin, I'll let you know that I skip a lot of description as far as Diagon Alley goes. I figure that if you're reading my stuff, you've read (or saw) Harry Potter. So, I skipped descriptions to make this shorter.

Chapter 2 - The Return of Rosella

The next morning, Steven wasn't awake before his alarm clock went off. Actually, it was ten minutes later, after he had hit the snooze button, when he finally woke up. He'd spent most of yesterday and last night lost in thought about being a wizard. After having gotten ready for the day, he found himself once again in the kitchen. But today, something was different.

"Nana, what are you wearing?" Steven asked, noticing that his grandmother was wearing what looked like rather old, dark green robes.

"These are my witch's robes. You'll soon find that magic people do not dress the same as muggles ... I mean, non-magic people."

"I don't have to wear any, do I?"

"You can't wear what you don't own. But don't worry, we'll stop by Madam Malkin's and buy you some robes."

"Is Madam Malkin's a store?"

"Yes, Steven. In Diagon Alley."

Breakfast passed by without much more conversation. After Nana had cleaned up and Steven was ready to go, they met back up in the living room by the fireplace. It was rather odd, but in the middle of summer, Nana had the fire roaring like it was mid-winter. "Now, to get to Diagon Alley we'll be going by floo powder."

"And what is floo powder?" asked Steven.

"Well, it's powder from the floo. Come on, you're smart enough to figure that out. Of course, it's magical powder. Now then," she said as she picked up an old pot from beside the fire place, "all you have to do is toss some powder into the fire, step into the fire, and speak very clearly where you want to go to. I'll show you first, and then I'll be right back, okay?"

Steven nodded and watched his grandmother carefully. She filled her hand with some soot from the pot and threw it into the fire. The fire roared green and to his surprise, Nana walked straight into the fire saying, "Diagon Alley." And she was gone. Steven was left standing in the living room alone.

But suddenly from behind him he heard, "Not so difficult."

Steven let out a slight yelp of surprise as he turned to see his grandmother behind him, "How did you...?"

"I apparated back. Now it's your turn. Don't forget to speak clearly - Diagon Alley."

Steven put his hand into the pot, claimed his powder, and threw it into the fire. It burned bright green. With a bit of hesitation, Steven put a foot into the fire and found that it didn't burn. Putting weight onto the foot and stepping in, he said loudly, "Diagon Alley," as he heard his grandmother say, "Tuck in your elbows!"

Tucking in his elbows, Steven closed his eyes as he felt himself whirring past several openings and finally being spat out of a fireplace in a street. And there before him was his grandmother. "How did you... let me guess, apparate?"

"Very good, you'll make a fine wizard. Now, let's make our way to Gringott's, I need to make a withdrawal."

"Gringott's?" Steven asked as he stared around the alley. The alley was filled with loads of people who looked just like his grandmother.

"It's a bank for wizards and witches. I've had an account there for ... well, longer than you've been on this earth."

The trip to Gringott's introduced Steven to a new creature, goblins. Nana assured him they wouldn't harm him, but they didn't look the part. After securing a cart to take down to the vault, Steven and his grandmother found themselves speeding down dark tunnels. "How big is Gringott's?" Steven asked, his hair flopping in the wind.

"Too big to imagine, Steven. Just sit still until we get to the vault." And indeed, a vault it was. Now, Steven knew that his grandmother wasn't the richest lady on the earth. But that vault sure didn't support his theory. Filled wall to wall with gold, silver, and bronze coins, Nana took her purse and loaded it with an unbelievable amount of coins. It seemed that her purse would've burst if she put any more, but she did, and it didn't even bulge at the sides. "We should have plenty enough to buy your supplies and have extra."

Stepping down the steps in front of Gringott's after they had made the withdrawal, Steven heard a loud voice, "Rosella, is that you?"

His grandmother turned her head and met the eyes of another elderly witch in the company of a round-faced boy. "Mrs. Longbottom, how are you? It sure has been a long time."

Steven knew his Nana could talk fast, but it appeared that she was going for a new world record as she tried to catch up with the other witch. Steven decided to make conversation with the boy, "Name's Steven."

"Hello, I'm Neville Longbottom," the boy said shaking Steven's hand. "Going to Hogwarts?"

"So my grandmother tells me."

"I suppose our grandmothers must know each other. Are you from London?" Neville asked.

"No, I'm not even from this continent. I'm from Alabama, in the United States."

"I've never heard about that place. But why are you over here? Aren't there schools in the States?"

"Nana tells me that I'm still registered over here. And she reckons that I'm better off over here anyway."

Steven could here his grandmother saying good-bye so he did the same and they were soon off, continuing their journey. "Did you have a chance to speak with Neville?"

"Yes, I did. He's going to Hogwarts too."

"So his gran told me. Well, here we are at Madam Malkin's. I'll let you get fitted while I pick up the rest of your stuff."

As Steven went in, a boy with a scar on his forehead walked out. "Harry," he heard someone calling, and he turned to see a gigantic man walking toward the boy. Steven was soon fitted for his Hogwarts robe, but Madame Malkin had nearly talked his ear off. Walking out, he found his grandmother sitting at a table across the alley. "Steven, come on over and take a load off."

Steven crossed the alley and looked up at the sign that said Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. His grandmother always did love ice cream. "I've bought all your books, potions' stuff, telescope, and I see that you have all of your robes. Now, that leaves your wand and a pet."

His grandmother looked at him, "Steven, you sure are taking all of this rather well. Not many kids could find out that they're a wizard and actually buy it."

"Well, just call me gullible."

His Nana smiled and they finished their ice cream. They made their way toward Ollivander's, the wand shop, and as they approached, Steven saw the same huge man that he had heard beckon the boy over an hour ago. Inside the shop, Mr. Ollivander was tidying up behind the desk. "Ah, Rosella. I wondered if I would be seeing you again. And who is this you have with you?"

"My grandson, Steven. He's entering Hogwarts this year."

"Well," he said as he disappeared behind a row of boxes, "what have you been up to, Rosella?"

"Nothing much, Mr. Ollivander. Trying to keep Steven out of trouble," she said with a smile.

"Must've taken all you had, Rose. Looks like a stout, young man you have there," he said as he reappeared. "Now then, Steven. If you would just take this wand and give it a whirl."

Steven took hold of the wand. He sorta looked at it for a second, not really believing what was going on, and then gave it a quick swish through the air. A row of boxes caught on fire behind the desk. Mr. Ollivander put the fire out quickly and returned with another wand. This time, Steven knocked off a globe by the window. "No, not quite," he heard Ollivander say. This happened a couple more times and then Mr. Ollivander finally returned with a look of triumph. "Try this one, Mr. Pront."

Steven took the wand and his stomach filled with butterflies. Giving it a cursory look, he gave it a flip and a sudden gust filled the shop. "There we go, Rosella. Well done, Steven. Shall I wrap it up for you?"

"Please do, Mr. Ollivander." After thanking the kind old man, Steven and Rosella left the shop.

"You sure are well known, Nana."

Rosella gave a scoff, "Pay it no mind, Steven."

That response didn't seem at all to be like his grandmother, but Steven just trotted happily along, not giving it another thought. "Now Steven, which animal would you like to take along with you?"

He hadn't actually thought of that before. He knew the choices - owl, cat, or toad - but never thought about it. "An owl, I suppose. Didn't the letter say to send a response back by owl?"

"That it did. And I haven't had an owl in years. Well then, let's try over here."

Steven and Rosella left Eeylops Owl Emporium ten minutes later with a beautiful barn owl. "He'll fit in nicely back home, won't he?"

"Indeed he will," his grandmother said. "Well, I suppose we're done here. Anything else you'd like to look at?"

"No, I'm pretty tired. How long have we been here?"

"About..." but Rosella never got to answer as she caught sight of a rather menacing man approaching. "Hello, Lucius. Imagine seeing you here."

"Rosella," the man said. He had long, white hair and a rather smug look, "what brings you back to this continent?"

"My young grandson here is going to Hogwarts this year. Buying supplies you know?"

"Ah, that's right. Steven's parents are no longer with him, leaving you to raise him. How very ... interesting."

"Thank you, Lucius. For bringing back those memories. Now if you'll please step aside, we're done here."

"I think not, Rosella. I'd hoped I'd see you here today, I have a bone to pick."

"Pick away, Lucius," Rosella said, fire in her eyes. She sat her stuff down on a nearby bench and Steven followed suit.

In a flurry of Lucius' robes, out came a wand and Steven couldn't hear what was muttered. But an eerie light burst from the man's wand and shot straight at his grandmother. Unarmed, but still formidable, Rosella muttered something under her breath and threw her hands forward, blocking the light and sending it back at Lucius.

Dodging the light by jumping onto the ground, the man got up sneering, "You've grown strong, Rosella."

"And you've grown more stupid, Lucius. If one would've thought that possible," she spat at him and picked up her packages. And they were soon back at the fireplace.

"Who was that, Nana?" Steven asked.

"A very stupid man who thinks he's the greatest wizard ever."

"Ah."

"Let's go, Steven. I'm very tired." They traveled back through the fireplace and Steven began going through his things.