Disclaimer: I do not own any of J.K. Rowling's characters except Brooke Stevens and her family. I also don't own many of the places that the characters visit.

Chapter 2: Meeting People in Diagon Alley

Mrs. Stevens knocks on the door to Brooke's room, "Brooke dear, are you up? We need to get to Diagon Alley before the daily rush of wizards."

"I'm up mum… well I am now at least. Give me ten minutes to change clothes and get ready," says Brooke.

"Ok dear, ten minutes it is… don't be slow or your eggs will get cold"

Brooke climbed out of her bed and changed into a short black skirt and a red tank top. She then brushed her teeth, combed her hair and was downstairs in less then ten minutes. She walked into the kitchen and sat down to her normal breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, and orange juice. Her mom likes everything very orderly so Brooke is quite used to doing the same thing every day. Brooke's mum comes into the kitchen and sits down next to Brooke with her coffee and the newest issue of the Daily Prophet in hand.

"Did you know that Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban today?" Mrs. Stevens asked.

"Azkaban? I thought no one escaped from Azkaban… and who is Sirius Black?"

"Did they teach you nothing at Vadino's? No one has ever escaped from Azkaban and Sirius Black was one of You-Know-Who's highest followers. They say he killed 13 people with one curse."

Brooke sat there thinking about what she just learned while finishing her breakfast. Thirteen people with one curse…that's scary.

Brooke's mother interrupted her thoughts, "Well dear let's head over to Diagon Alley. We need to go get you some books!"

"How are we getting there?"

"Floo powder of course. You know I hate muggle transportation. Now let's go please. I am going to be late for a special appointment."

"What appointment are you talking about?" asked Brooke.

"Oh.. didn't I tell you? I'm meeting up with a friend of mine while your off buying supplies. Now come… you can go first."

Mrs. Stevens gives Brooke some floo powder and nudges her into the fireplace. Brooke shouts out, "Diagon Alley!" and disappears instantly. Mrs. Stevens follows right after her and they both arrive safely in Diagon Alley.

"Well here we are! Let me give you a few galleons, your list, and off you go!"

"Bye mum, where shall I find you once I'm done?"

"Meet me outside of Ollivanders…the friend I'm meeting is the owner of that store. Remember Mr. Ollivander? You got your wand from him a couple years ago? Anyways that's where I'll be. Don't spend your money on anything other then supplies. Be back at the front of the store at half past two. Tata!"

Mrs. Stevens departs leaving Brooke to fend for herself in the crowded stores. Brooke looks down at her list. Hmm three sets of plain black work robes…Brooke looks up at some of the store signs. Eeylops Owl Emporium..no.. Flourish and Blotts..no.. Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.. yes! Brooke walks into the store and is immediately greeted by Madam Malkin.

"Hogwarts dear?"

"Yes please," replied Brooke.

Madam Malkin escorts Brooke over to a footstool and Brooke stands upon it. Madam Malkin then slips a long black robe over Brooke's head and begins to pin it to the right length. While she was doing so, Brooke notices a skinny boy with scraggly black hair and circular glasses on the footstool next to her. Another witch was busy pinning his robe as well. The boy was staring at Brooke very curiously when he noticed she was looking right back at him.

"Hi… I couldn't help overhearing you say that you were going to Hogwarts. I haven't seen you around before, but you sure don't look like a first year," said the boy.

"Yes.. I'm transferring from Vadino's School of Witchcraft. I will be starting as a third year at Hogwarts," replied Brooke.

"Third year? That's great! I'm starting my third year as well. What house do you think you will be sorted into? I'm in Gryffindor… Oh and by the way. My name is Harry..Harry Potter."

"I'm Brooke Stevens. Your name sounds vaguely familiar… I'm not sure where I've heard it before. Anyways, what are these houses you are talking about?"

Harry Potter blushed when Brooke said his name sounded familiar. He decided not to tell her his secret in case it sounded like boasting. He was surprised however that she hadn't heard of him. Surprised… but also happy that finally there was someone who didn't know more about him then he knew about him self.

"There are four houses, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. All of them are pretty good… except Slytherin you don't want to go there."

"What's wrong with Slytherin?" asked Brooke.

"Slytherins are just bad… tons of dark wizards have come from Slytherin. Anyone put in Slytherin isn't exactly a nice wizard. Anyways I must be going… I have to go meet up with two of my friends. I'll see you on the train tomorrow! You'll be welcome to sit with me and my friends," said Harry.

"Oh… thankyou! Bye!"

Harry Potter paid for his new robe and exited the store with a wave of his hand. Brooke sat there thinking. I sure hope I don't get sorted into Slytherin and how exactly do they know which house to put you in? I also had no idea the train for Hogwarts leaves tomorrow! Vadino's never started until a month from now!

"That's it darling, I'm done. Here are your three robes. That will be four galleons," said Madam Malkin.

Brooke paid Madam Malkin and left the store with her robes in hand. She then looked down at her list once more. Books I need books… I better head over to Flourish and Blotts. She walks into the store which had books stacked up to the ceiling of all different shapes and sizes. She then steps up to the owner and asks for the books she will be needing.

"Excuse me, sir. Can you please help me find some books? I need them for school."

"Sure thing," said the owner. "Tell me what you need."

"Let's see… I need Unfogging the Future, Predicting the Unpredictable: Insulate Yourself Against Shocks, Broken Balls: When Fortunes Turn Foul, Intermediate Transfiguration, The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Three, and The Monster Book of Monsters," said Brooke. "I do hope I'm not troubling you."

"No.. no.. not at all. Except of course for the monster book. I'll have to get that out of that cage over there… and let me tell you I nearly got my finger bit off from one of those earlier today!"

The owner gathered all the books Brooke needed (even the monster one that bit at him and he had to close it with rope) and set them on the counter. Brooke paid the owner, said goodbye, and carried her books out into the busy street. She was just about to walk over to Ollivanders to meet her mother when something in a store window caught her eye (as well as everyone else's). She waited for most of the crowd to leave and she scooted up towards the front of the window. She read:

The Firebolt

This state-of-the-art racing broom sports a stream-lined, superfine handle of ash, treated with a diamond-hard polish and hand-numbered with its own registration number. Each individually selected birch twig in the broomtail has been honed to aerodynamic perfection, giving the firebolt unsurpassable balance and pinpoint precision. The firebolt has an acceleration of 150 miles an hour in ten seconds and incorporates an unbreakable braking charm. Price on request.

"Amazing isn't it? My nimbus two thousand and one doesn't even hit 125 miles per hour. I sure hope father buys this broom for me. It's too bad he bought brooms last year for the whole Slytherin Quidditch team. He probably won't agree to spending so much on one broom. Do you play Quidditch?"

Brooke looks over to see the blonde hair, pale faced boy that had just spoken these words to her. He is looking at her rather intently. She replies, "I have never played Quidditch before, though I did ride my mother's broom once. It was lots of fun... though I did have a bit of trouble reaching the ground again. Anyways I heard you say you were on the Slytherin Quidditch team, does that mean you go to Hogwarts?"

The boy answered, "I sure do. The name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

"I'm Brooke Stevens. I'll be going to Hogwarts this year. I'm transferring from Vadino's School of Witchcraft and I'll be a third year."

"That's great. I sure hope you are in Slytherin. It really is the best house of them all. Well I must be going. Father was going to buy me some new robes.. I'll see you on the train tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll be there," says Brooke.

"Great…if you want to you could sit with me and my friends. We can tell you all about the school… stuff like that," replies Draco.

"Cool. I'll think about it… I might sit with this boy I met earlier… his name was Harry something."

"Potter! Don't sit with him… he doesn't know what he's talking about. After all… he is a Gryffindor. You don't want to socialize with Gryffindors. I'll catch you later."

"Yeah… see ya."

Brooke waves goodbye to her new friend. She starts heading over to Ollivanders wondering to herself. Now I've heard that Gryffindor is the best and the worst house and the same goes for Slytherin. I'm not sure which I want to be in. Draco sure didn't seem to like Harry too much either… I'm not sure which one of them I should sit with tomorrow. Argh… I hate decisions. Brooke walks up to Ollivanders and sees her mother.

"Did you get everything you needed Brooke?" her mother asks.

"Sure did… How was Mr. Ollivander?"

"He was doing very well. We caught up on old news… and talked about how Black had escaped. Just the normal gossip. Let's head home now."

"Alright," says Brooke.

The two head back to the fireplace from whence they came and disappear within seconds. They reappear back in their home. Brooke goes upstairs and starts packing her things into a suitcase so she will be ready tomorrow for the train.