Whoo. Another chapter. I didn't think I'd be able to get it up at first, but I managed. Pretty happy with myself. Anyway, I've got classes later, so I shall leave you to read and review. Enjoy!
Chapter Five – First Sight of Diagon Alley
Harry tried not to gape too much but he was completely blown away by the magnificence of Diagon Alley, as Snape had called it. Everywhere he looked, there was something new and exciting.
Mothers called out impatiently to their children as they bustled along, arms loaded with bags containing their purchases. Shopkeepers called out from where they were standing, advertising their goods for all they were worth.
A woman outside the apothecary was complaining loudly about how the price of Dragon liver had gone up drastically. Turning his head to the left, Harry could see a dark shop with an old sign reading Eeylops Owl Emporium. The shop was filled to the brim with all sorts of owls. From tawny to snowy, they gazed solemnly at him from their cages.
"Can I buy an owl too?" Harry asked, catching up with Snape.
Snape glanced down at Harry, looking slightly annoyed. "Didn't you read your letter?" Frowning, Harry reached down to the letter that he had stashed in his pockets. Flushing slightly, he read the line 'Students may bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad' once more, before looking up defensively at Snape.
"It's not my fault."
"Indeed."
"I just didn't see the sentence the first time round."
"I didn't say it was your fault. Mr Potter," Snape added as they passed a group of teenagers who glared sourly at him, "but you do seem intent on taking it so don't you?"
Harry gaped at Snape. This was the first person he had met who could outwit him. "Well it wasn't," he said stoutly before observing his surroundings once more.
If Snape had found the exchange amusing, he did not mention it, preferring instead to continue walking, his head tilted slightly forward, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips.
There was a group of boys clustered around the window of a shop called Quality Quidditch Supplies. From what Harry could see, they were all ogling at a single broom in the display case. As he walked past, he could hear one of the boys commenting breathlessly, "it's the new Nimbus Two Thousand! The fastest ever…"
The rest of the boy's statement was lost to the crowd as Harry and Snape were swept along further down the street with the throng of people.
Hearing a soft chuckle from beside him, Harry looked up to see Snape observing him with what seemed to be a cross between a smile and a smirk twisting his mouth. Looking highly amused, the older man said, "Pop your eyes back in your head Harry, you won't be able to see everything all at once, though I can't fault you for trying."
Before Harry could think of a suitable response to that statement, Snape had stopped before a white marble building. "Gringotts," he supplied, when Harry shot him a questioning glance. "Wizards' bank. We need to pick up some of the money your parents left you. Or were you expecting to receive your school materials absolutely free?"
Harry blinked. In all his eagerness to see the whole of Diagon Alley, the thought of needing money had never occurred to him. As Snape strode briskly up the steps, Harry followed, hurrying to keep up with him.
Beside the burnished bronze doors leading into Gringotts, there was a short, wrinkled figure dressed in clothes of scarlet and gold. It had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and extraordinarily long fingers and feet.
"That, Harry," Snape said quietly as they were bowed through the doors by a small creature, "is a goblin," making Harry wonder once again if that man could actually read his mind.
A slight smile ghosted across Snape's lips as they walked, but since Harry had not noticed it, nothing more was said.
When Harry glanced up, he found himself faced with another pair of doors, this time in polished silver, with words engraved upon them in a flowing script.
'Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed,
For those who take but do not earn
Must pay most dearly in their turn
So if you seek beneath our floor
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.'
"Not too friendly are they?" Harry murmured as two more goblins bowed them through the second pair of doors.
"They're goblins, Harry," Snape said, as though that single statement explained everything. "Vicious and money-minded… You'll learn more about them in History of Magic I expect."
There was a long counter in the large marble hall they entered. Behind which, hundreds of goblins were seated, writing records in parchment scrolls, weighing coins and examining countless piles of precious gems.
Through doors on both sides of the hall, many people and goblins entered and exited hurriedly in droves, eager to be about their business.
"Good morning," Snape said to a free goblin as they approached the counter, "we wish to make a withdrawal for Mr Harry Potter."
The goblin peered closely at Harry. Then, turning to Snape, he asked in a nasal tone, "And does Mr Harry Potter have his key?"
While Snape pulled out the key, Harry glanced to one side, his eyes widening slightly as he noticed a giant of a man speaking to another goblin just a few feet away.
The man handed over an envelope and Harry strained to hear the whispered words. "Top secret… Dumbledore… you-know-what… seven hundred and thirteen."
Before Harry could hear anything else however, Snape was calling him. When the Potions Master noticed where Harry had been looking, he had said, in a rather bland tone. "That's Hagrid. Gamekeeper at Hogwarts. He's been around a long time, Dumbledore trusts him. The Headmaster's one to give second chances."
Snape's eyes darkened slightly at the last statement, but he provided no further explanation to Harry. "Hagrid." The boy thought, storing the name away in case he needed it in the future.
"I shall get a goblin to bring you down to the vault," the goblin seated behind the counter intoned solemnly, handing the key over to Harry. "Griphook!"
Harry and Snape followed the second gobbling out one of the doors leading away from the main hall. Harry had been expecting to see more marble corridors and was surprised to see a narrow stone passage, lit dimly by the torches that were in brackets attached to the rough walls.
The passage sloped downwards, leading to some railway tracks. Once all three of them were standing near the bottom, Griphook whistled and a cart came speeding towards them.
After minutes of hurtling around in the huge maze of stone passages, with the cold wind rushing in his face, the cart finally stopped and Harry could step out.
Griphook claimed the key from Harry, unlocking a small door in the passage wall. Then, the small creature stepped aside to give Harry access to the vault.
Smoke billowed out, and when it cleared, Harry gasped. Mounds of gold, silver and bronze lay inside the vault.
"The gold ones are Galleons," Snape explained, handing a bag over to Harry. As the boy started to pile some into it, he continued, "the silver ones Sickles and the bronze one Knuts. Twenty nine Knuts make a Sickle and seventeen Sickles make a Galleon."
"That should be enough," the adult said, as Harry placed a few more coins into the bag. "Anymore and you'll probably split the seams."
On the way out of the vault, Harry spied a small wooden box lying next to the coins. Reaching down, he deftly popped it into the bag he was holding before following Snape back to the cart.
Hi everyone. To all my reviewers, thanks a bunch. It's always great to open my inbox and see that I've gotten reviews. To all the readers, do leave a note and tell me what you think, it's always appreciated.
I know I -did- say that Draco might be in this chapter, will, my apologies, it looks like he'll come out in the next chapter instead… I made this part of the story longer than I originally planned.
I know I've been updating regularly so far, but I honestly don't know how long I can keep up at this rate, I've got to up the hours I put into my work. From now till mid October anyway… I WILL try update when I can, but I can't promise that I can put in a regular update.
By the way, I'm thinking of starting another fic, this one for Harry while he's in sixth year, what d'you think? I won't start writing proper till later, I don't think I'll have the time, but I'm starting a bit of planning.
Oh, and for this particular series, if it does well enough, I will follow Harry through his years in Hogwarts. You think?
To I Am A Sly Slytherin – Well, it does really seem like he can doesn't it? Lol, yeah, Blaise is an interesting character. On the other hand… (sees classmates jumping up and down screaming 'GO DRACO!!') Lol.
To ER – Hi again! Write more? Hm… *scratches head* only if you review more! Lol. Kidding. I'll probably make the chapters longer once my exams are over and I've got more time. Till then however, 1000 words ++ is going to be how long my stuff is.
To Sapphire Lotus – Heh. I do try. Harry and Draco? Be friends? Well, all I can say, is that this is AU, so anything is possible. As for Blaise, you'll see xxx (put in the gender yourself =P) later. Till then, wait and continue to review. (smiles)
To Serpent of Light – Yep. I'll have to admit that I do like Slytherins too. Well, Harry *could* become a Slytherin once he gets to Hogwarts. Or he might not… =P Lol, Draco would be playing a pretty main role in this story though, as will Snape. But as his enemies? Or his friends… (mysterious smile) I guess you'll just have to wait till I update? – heh. How can I resist such sweetness…- one update, coming right up.
To momma-dar – Well, wait no more, for here it is. =D
Once more, thanks for reading, and do leave a review here to brighten up my day. =D cheerio!
