-Chapter 2-
Diagon Alley
Cassandra and her grandfather went to a very small pub next to many big shops. You could barely see it unless you know the place, above the door that leads to a dark corridor, was a sign, saying 'Leaky Cauldron'. Cassandra's grandfather brought her into the shop and out again, through the back door, when they were facing a big red brick wall, Cassandra's grandfather pulled out a long stick, which Cassandra reckoned to be a wand, 'Look here, Cassandra,' said her grandfather, as he pointed to the wall, 'use your wand, and tap these bricks over here.'
He tapped a few bricks with his wand, the bricks he had touched quivered-it wriggled-in the middle, a small hole appeared-it grew wider and wider-a second later, they were facing an archway large enough for both of them to get through at the same time, an archway on to a cobble street which twisted and turned out of sight.
'Wow!' breathed Cassandra, she had never came to a wizard's street before, 'Is this Diagon Alley?'
'Yes,' said her grandfather, 'This is where we get your school things.'
They got all the books that Cassandra needed for school and bought a wand, Cassandra needed to try several times until the right one came, it was an 8 and ½ inches long wand, made from ebony and unicorn hair, perfect for charms class. The last thing they did was to buy a pet for Cassandra to keep her company.
'You'd better buy an owl,' said her grandfather as he made a face, 'Sending post buy school owl is not very good, one died once when I sent a letter home while in school.'
Cassandra practically ran into the pet store, she'd always wanted a pet. There were millions of animals, she walked over to a cute small grey owl and reached out for it, but it snapped its beak at her, she pulled her hand back and walked to a brown owl, instead of snapping its beak at her, it looked at her in the eye, then, it flew on her shoulder and hooted happily, Cassandra turned around and told her grandfather, 'I want this one, grandpa.'
At night, Cassandra and her grandfather sat at the dinner table in their house, it was a quiet meal, with Cassandra flicking through her books, and muttering a few spells, preparing for school on the 1st of September, until the old man spoke, 'If my calculations are correct, you will be going to school in the same year with Harry Potter, the boy who lived, you were born 3 weeks after him, he was the one who had defeated the Dark Lord. Do not say the Dark Lord's name while you are in the wizarding world, we fear his return, mention him as You-Know-Who or the Dark Lord.'
'Really? Talking about school, I thought that the letter was supposed to be replied on 31st of July? It's my birthday now, which makes it August already!'
'Cassandra, I replied it as soon as I got it, I just kept it a secret because I thought it would be a nice birthday present, now all you have to do is relax and wait until the 1st of September.'
'Grandpa, you said that magic is not supposed to be exposed to non- magical people-which are muggles, then how can I get to school?'
'You will be getting on platform 9 ¾, I'll show you when we get there,' said Cassandra's grandfather, a strange smile crept on his wrinkled face, 'but for now, go get some sleep.'
For the rest of the summer holidays, Cassandra locked herself in her room, trying out spells she needed for school, her grandfather had made her room a magic-area so the ministry of magic wouldn't notice magic being used. Cassandra wondered if she would be getting used to Hogwarts, but somehow, she had a feeling she would be.
Diagon Alley
Cassandra and her grandfather went to a very small pub next to many big shops. You could barely see it unless you know the place, above the door that leads to a dark corridor, was a sign, saying 'Leaky Cauldron'. Cassandra's grandfather brought her into the shop and out again, through the back door, when they were facing a big red brick wall, Cassandra's grandfather pulled out a long stick, which Cassandra reckoned to be a wand, 'Look here, Cassandra,' said her grandfather, as he pointed to the wall, 'use your wand, and tap these bricks over here.'
He tapped a few bricks with his wand, the bricks he had touched quivered-it wriggled-in the middle, a small hole appeared-it grew wider and wider-a second later, they were facing an archway large enough for both of them to get through at the same time, an archway on to a cobble street which twisted and turned out of sight.
'Wow!' breathed Cassandra, she had never came to a wizard's street before, 'Is this Diagon Alley?'
'Yes,' said her grandfather, 'This is where we get your school things.'
They got all the books that Cassandra needed for school and bought a wand, Cassandra needed to try several times until the right one came, it was an 8 and ½ inches long wand, made from ebony and unicorn hair, perfect for charms class. The last thing they did was to buy a pet for Cassandra to keep her company.
'You'd better buy an owl,' said her grandfather as he made a face, 'Sending post buy school owl is not very good, one died once when I sent a letter home while in school.'
Cassandra practically ran into the pet store, she'd always wanted a pet. There were millions of animals, she walked over to a cute small grey owl and reached out for it, but it snapped its beak at her, she pulled her hand back and walked to a brown owl, instead of snapping its beak at her, it looked at her in the eye, then, it flew on her shoulder and hooted happily, Cassandra turned around and told her grandfather, 'I want this one, grandpa.'
At night, Cassandra and her grandfather sat at the dinner table in their house, it was a quiet meal, with Cassandra flicking through her books, and muttering a few spells, preparing for school on the 1st of September, until the old man spoke, 'If my calculations are correct, you will be going to school in the same year with Harry Potter, the boy who lived, you were born 3 weeks after him, he was the one who had defeated the Dark Lord. Do not say the Dark Lord's name while you are in the wizarding world, we fear his return, mention him as You-Know-Who or the Dark Lord.'
'Really? Talking about school, I thought that the letter was supposed to be replied on 31st of July? It's my birthday now, which makes it August already!'
'Cassandra, I replied it as soon as I got it, I just kept it a secret because I thought it would be a nice birthday present, now all you have to do is relax and wait until the 1st of September.'
'Grandpa, you said that magic is not supposed to be exposed to non- magical people-which are muggles, then how can I get to school?'
'You will be getting on platform 9 ¾, I'll show you when we get there,' said Cassandra's grandfather, a strange smile crept on his wrinkled face, 'but for now, go get some sleep.'
For the rest of the summer holidays, Cassandra locked herself in her room, trying out spells she needed for school, her grandfather had made her room a magic-area so the ministry of magic wouldn't notice magic being used. Cassandra wondered if she would be getting used to Hogwarts, but somehow, she had a feeling she would be.