Chapter 3- A Visit to Diagon Alley
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Author's Note: Thank you all for reading! I just posted Chapter Two a couple days ago and I'm ready for Chapter Three! Hope you enjoy!
Fred
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Harry woke up early the next morning, surprised to find that Ron was already out of bed. He threw some clothes on and headed down to the kitchen where he found everyone eating breakfast.
He sat down next to Ron and Hermione, who were talking about the upcoming visit to Diagon Alley. Mrs. Weasley handed him some scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast, and then sat down with the rest of the adults, who were talking about security for Harry while at Diagon Alley.
"So," said Harry, "when are we going to leave?" He took another big bite of toast before Ron answered, with his mouth half full.
"As soon as we all finish breakfast, or when Moody decides it's safe enough, which means we might no go till Christmas!" said Ron. Harry laughed. Hermione didn't.
"It's not funny," she said slapping Ron ("OW!"). "Harry could be in a lot of danger." Hermione admitted that the likelihood that Harry would be attacked in broad daylight in Diagon Alley was minimal, but she also added that you could never be too careful.
As the adults' conversation wrapped up, an owl flew straight through in the kitchen and dropped three letters on the table. They beared the Hogwarts crest.
"Hogwarts?" said Harry, "but why, we've already gotten our letters." To Hermione, however, it was obvious.
"It's our O.W.L results. They are a bit late though, Professor McGonagall said they would arrive in July," she said. She grabbed her envelope and looked at her test results.
"I got all O's," she screamed, clutching the letter to her chest. Ron opened his next.
"I did okay," he said. "I got an O in Defense Against the Dark Arts, an E in Transfiguration, Astronomy, Charms, Care of Magical Creatures, and Potions and a P in Divination."
"A P!" cried Mrs. Weasley. "You've got to work harder Ronald Weasley."
"I've given it up, Mum, and anyway, I still got 5 O.W.L.s, Fred and George only got three each. What'd you get, Harry?" Harry opened his letter and read.
Dear Mr. Potter,
Below are the grades you have received on the Ordinary Wizarding Levels, which you took at the end of last term. Please look over the results. See you on September the First.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Defense Against the Dark Arts: O
Transfiguration: O
Astronomy: E
Charms: O
Care of Magical Creatures: O
Potions: E
Divination: A
"The same as you, more or less," said Harry not trying to make Ron feel worse. He hastily put away his letter. "Well," he said, changing the topic, "shall we go?"
Everyone got up from the table to go put their cloaks on. As Harry and Ron headed upstairs to get them, Mrs. Weasley reminded them to get their booklists and to tell Hermione and Ginny to do the same.
Harry and Ron met Ginny and Hermione at the top of the stairs and they all headed down to the fireplace together.
Moody insisted on going first, in order to ensure Harry's safety. "If you don't hear from me in five minutes---"
"JUST GET GOING!" yelled Mrs. Weasley. "This is getting ridiculous." Moody stepped in the fireplace shouted "DIAGON ALLEY!" and vanished. Harry was to go last and as soon as everyone had gone, Harry (glasses off) threw the Floo powder on to the fire, stepped in and yelled "DIAGON ALLEY!" He closed his eyes, he hated this mode of transportation.
He felt himself slowing down, and soon he had arrived.
"Well, let's go," said Moody. "Gringotts first."
When they arrived at the wizard bank they were surprised to find the place almost entirely empty, a few wizards were there making withdrawals and only a dozen or so goblins were working.
They were on there way to see one of the goblins about a withdrawal when suddenly Bill showed up.
"Harry! Mom! Ron! Hermione!" shouted Bill as he came toward them. "I'll take them down Gashkura," said Bill to the goblin who they had almost asked to take them down to the vaults.
After the trip to Gringotts, they left Bill and headed to Flourish and Blotts to get their books.
"Three copies of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Five, three A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration, N.E.W.T. Potions, three as well, and one Ridiculously Hard Arithmancy Book," said Hermione to the assistant manager who went to go fetch their books. He handed each of them one copy of each until he came to the Arithmancy book. Hermione held out her hand. As Ginny would be taking Ron's old books, they had no more shopping, so they returned to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, and once again, Harry went last.