Chapter 4 Diagon Alley

For the rest of the week Camillo practiced transforming until she was so exhausted she couldn't even close her eyes. She was relieved when her father told her that they would be going to Diagon Alley the next morning. She had been beginning to think that they were never going to go at all!
Camillo had only been to Diagon Alley twice before, once when she was only three so she didn't remember much about it and again just last year because her father needed to get more books for her. Camillo had read all the ones in the house and was getting very angry because of the lack of knowledge.
They travelled there by floo powder. Floo powder is where you step into a fire place, drop your powder, and shout the name of wherever you want to go. Camillo hated travelling by floo powder. It gave you this horrible sick feeling in your stomach. But she would bare through it if it meant a trip to Diagon Alley.
They arrived at the corner of Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley. Knockturn Alley, Camillo thought as she looked down the street, didn't look very friendly. It was all dark and the witches and wizards looked quite, well, mean.
But Diagon Alley on the other hand was very inviting and full of light and laughter. Camillo saw young kids just like herself getting ready to go to their new school too. Some looked nervous but most looked very happy to be there.
Sirius and Camillo made there way down to Gringotts Wizarding Bank. It was a large pure white building with Gold doors. They walked up the stairs and through the set of doors, then through another set of silver doors, and another set of bronze doors. Then they came to a long hall full of desks. Sitting behind each desk was a goblin, short wrinkly old goblins with huge ears.
Sirius walked up to a unoccupied Goblin, whose name tag read Lution. 'Ms. Black would like to make a Withdrawl.' said Sirius in a calm voice. Lution looked up and said 'Does Ms. Black haver her key?' Camillo dug into her pocket and produced a large silver key and handed it to Lution.
Lution got up and strode over to a door behind him. Both Camillo and Sirius followed. Through the door there was a very large, very dark room with a cart on a set of tracks in to middle. They climbed into the cart and immdiately it sped off through a tunnel and whipped past thousands of doors. It was like being on a muggle roller coaster.
They finally stoped in front of a quite large bronze door. At the top it read "Vault 1031" Everyone got out of the cart and went over to the door. There did not appear to be a key hole but Lution took the key and opened a small, almost invisible flap and put the key in.
The door creaked open and they walked inside. Camillo was astonished as to how much money was in here. It was not a large amount of money but she thought she had saved only a very small sum over the years.
There was a mound probably about 1 1/2 feet high and 4 feet long. It was a sparkley gold, silver, and bronze mass. Camillo smiled and loaded up her pockets.
Wizard money consists of three danomenations: Knuts, Sickles, and Galleons. Galleons are the most valuable. They look like a gold shiny looney. Sickles are second in value and look like slightly enlarged shiny quarters. Knuts are least valuable and look like pennies.
As they got back in the cart Camillo could have sworn she saw a giant whiz by them.
When they had left Gringotts Sirius said they should get the robes first. So they walked down the alley towards Madam Malkins Robes for all Occasions. They stepped into the shop and almost at once a squat witch in Mauve robes came walking up and said 'Hogwarts dear? Just go to the back of the room and someone will help you get fitted. There are two young men back there already.
As Camillo walked to the back of the room she heard Sirius say 'Hagrid! Nice to see you, so why are you here?' But Camillo did not get to here the answer of the one called Hagrid. A young witch had put her up on a stool and was measuring her height. Beside her two young wizards, obviously going to Hogwarts as well, were chatting. One had black messy hair and round glasses. He was looking quite nervous. Camillo imagined she looked quite similar. The other boy had a look of confidence on his face but didn't look at all friendly. He had a pale face and a pointed nose.
They were talking about quidditch (a wizard game played on broomsticks) and what house they were going to be in when they got there. But the boy with black hair didn't seem to know what the other was talking about. He just kept nodding in agreement.
The young witch finished with Camillo's robes and gave them to her to bring to the counter. Sirius was waiting for her there.
Next they went to Flourish and Blotts a book store and purchased Camillo's school books. She then bought her cauldron, brass scales for weighing ingridients for potions, a silver telescope, and crystal phials. As she did this she met a very nice girl with long brown hair also going to Hogwarts named Elenora Gallaway. Sirius knew her father for they were both close friends to a man named Remus Lupin. Camillo hoped that they would been in the same house, it would be good to have a friend in the same house.
The last thing on the list was a wand. Camillo was quite excited about getting a wand. She couldn't wait. The entered a store with a large sign which read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. They stepped inside. An old man was sitting behind the counter looking at some papers through half moon glasses. He looked up and took off his glasses. 'Hello there! Come to buy your first wand then?' Camillo nodded and looked up at the shelves which were covered with long thin boxes.
Mr. Ollivander stood up and strode over to Camillo 'Are you right or left handed?' Camillo held up her right hand. Mr. Ollivander started measuring the length of her arm and as he did so said 'Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Ms Black. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heart strings from dragons. No two Ollivanders wands are the same as no two witches are the same. Of course you will not get as good a result with someone elses wand.
When he had finished measuring he went to one of the shelves and pulled out a box. 'Maple, unicorn hair, 8 inches' he said handing it to her. She waved it a bit but Mr. Ollivander snatched it back from her almost immdieatley. 'Oak, dragon heart string, 10 inches' he handed her another wand. This too did not seem to satisfy Mr Ollivander. They tried probably about 5 more wands before he said 'Ah ha! This one aught to work! Rosewood, Dragon heart string, 13 inches. Excellent for Defence Against the Dark Arts.' Camillo gave it a wave and instantly a jet of blue light and gold light came out of the end. Mr Ollivander smiled. 'Bravo! Very good. That will be seven Galleons. Camillo payed him, said goodbye, and walked out the door.
'So what is the last thing to get?' she asked Sirius. 'You need a pet! No wizard is complete without a pet...in my opinion.' So they walked down the Alley looking at various animal shops without seeing anything that caught Camillo's eye. 'I would really like a snake.' She said quietly as they walked down the street. 'I know it is the symbol of Slytherin but I really would like one.' She said quickly. Sirius thought for a moment. 'Well I think the only place to go is Knockturn Alley. Don't worry we are only going on the very edge of it. There is a nice pet shop that might have what you looking for.' So they walked in the direction of Knockturn Alley.
They reached the shop that Sirius had talked about and looked around. Camillo walked around and saw exactly what she was looking for. A large blue and black snake. It didn't look mean and threatful but it's black eyes looked into her's with love and caring. She told Sirius that that is the one she wanted. As Sirius payed for the snake Camillo said 'It think I will call him Caspian, after a character in a muggle book I read.'
So everything being bought Camillo, Sirius, and Caspian made there way back home. As they were being engulfed in the green flames of the floo powder, Camillo felt happier then she had ever felt in her whole life.