Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter J.K. Rowling does and I am very aware of it thank you very much!

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Harry opened his eyes and his mind was greeted by the noisy, crowded streets of Darigon Alley. It was always this way this time of the year, when the Hogwarts students new and old came to get their school supplies for the year. Harry had favored this time of the year since he had first started attending the school. He loved the new displays and all of the vivid colors that surrounded him. He always had thought of it as a reminder he was on his way home in those days.

He took a deep breath and stepped onto the street and walked with everyone else who were walking, running, and jumping on and of the streets of Darigon Alley. He hadn't been there for a while so everything was like new to him.

His eyes scanned the signs until his sight was focused on the place he primarily had come there for, the Wizard Book Shop. Quickly he ran inside and looked around to see if anything had been familiar to him. The shelves were still the same and a lot of the books he used to have, were still there, like The Big Book of Monsters and all of the student books he had used in his years at Hogwarts.

"Harry? Blimey is that you?" said a voice that Harry had remembered. He spin around to meet the eyes of the old bookkeeper.

"Yes... I am Harry" Harry said still a little dumbfounded.

The bookkeeper smiled, "What are you doing here? You graduated about five years ago."

"Y-yeah... I know, but I'm a new teacher there. And I've come to pick up a few books"

"Oh, yer the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher aren't ye?"

"Yeah... I'm looking really forward to it."

"Well, that's great! It's about time they hired someone who knows what they're doing. You know, Harry, I've always told myself you would be a great teacher there and now you are! I also think when the time is right you could even be the Headmaster. You would be the best... uh... I mean next to Dumbledore, that is.

"Um... Thanks." Harry smiled sweetly and looked past him at the clock. Good, I have about 3 hours before the Hogwarts Express comes to take the new Teachers.

The bookkeeper led Harry to the desk and asked, "What books do ye need?"

Harry pulled the card out of his pocket in a struggle. He wasn't able to keep control and it fell on the table making a loud racket and caused the whole store to stare at Harry in bewilderment.

"Oh yes," The bookkeeper said, "Hagrid got this as a gift for you. Watching him try to stuff all those books into a box was the funniest thing. It just made my day. Then the poor guy gave up and I offered him the card."

Harry's laughter made him forget about the loud racket. The bookkeeper got his books and set them in a carrying bag. Harry tried picking it up, but it was no use. He was really weak and there were other things he had to pick up.

"May I suggest this?" The bookkeeper held out a piece of lead that read Nega 20 lbs.

"Won't that make them heavier?" Harry asked as he quivered in disappointment.

"No, this takes 20 lbs off." The bookkeeper placed it inside the bag and Harry lifted it off the table with ease.

"Thanks!" Harry said in a lit up voice. He walked out leaving the bookkeeper to deal with the impossibly heavy card.

Harry got back out onto the street. He looked for the next store he needed to go to, the Clothing Store. He needed the Teacher's Uniform, a few hats, and some shoes. He finally came upon the store and stood out in front. He saw that in the window there was the new and up to date Quiddich wear, for all the teams.

Harry took a deep breath and went in. He was hoping to see someone he knew there, but apparently all of the employees had been replaced. He sighed and began to look around for the proper attire for his new job. He got his clothes and walked out of the store depressed.

He used to love coming to Diagon Alley every year to shop. Was it he was so nervous about his new job, or was he lonely? He was more sure he was lonely than nervous. Normally he had someone to shop with. It was better that way. He loved telling his friends things he couldn't all fit in one letter. He loved to swap wizard cards with other collectors, but he knew this year it would be different. Nothing would be the same anymore. He was supposed to be a mature adult this year and for the rest of his life.

He loved being a teacher in a school he had grown up in as a kid. But it was so different since he wasn't that kid anymore. He missed that and his friends. He also thought about living with his aunt and uncle. That was one of the things he hated more than anything. That cheered him up a little. That and remembering how Dudley began to cower him as soon as he found out Harry was a wizard. He loved it when Hagrid gave Dudley a pig's tail and threatened him with pig's ears to go along with it.

Harry had one more stop and two hours to get to the train station. He ran quickly into the Teacher's Supplies store. He hadn't expected to be familiar with anything, because he had never been in that store before. He looked all over the shelves for the things he was going to need like: ink, quills, more paper, and envelopes.

He got everything he needed and headed home. He got everything pack and had 30 minutes to go and get down to the train station.

He looked around and saw that Errol and Doben were gone. Must have headed home...

Harry picked up Hedwig's cage and leveled his face with hers. "Are you ready to go now?" Harry asked the bird. His only reply was an annoyed "Squawk."

He headed toward the door. He was just barely able to open it, but he managed. He closed the door and went straight to the train station with his only hopes it would not leave early.

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I am so sorry. I know this chapter is extremely short. Harry is going to finally get to school in the next chapter, but a few negative things happen along the way.