Chapter III

Arriving in London

Early morning on August the 29th the Shire family left for London. It was a cheery day sunny with billowing clouds floating across the sky in great waves of white.

The green countryside flew by over the hours the drove. At about 2:30 p.m., The Shire family arrived in London.

"Hey mother, where are we going to get my supplies for school?"

"Diagon Alley."

"Oh."

"When are we going to get there?"

"We're almost there." her mother answered "Ah, here we are."

The silver bug pulled into a dark alleyway and stopped in front of a black tavern. Or at least that's what it looked like to Ileana, There was a sign hanging above the door that read, "The Leaky Cauldron."

"What are we doing here? This really doesn't look very inviting."

"Oh it's fine; this is one of the most famous taverns in the wizarding world." Eddy said carelessly.

"Yeah, sure."

Eddy opened the door for her and she walked inside. Followed by her parents and last of all Eddy.

"We'll stay here for the next few days, until we see you off at the train station." Mr. Shire told his daughter.

"I'm leaving by train? Where is this school anyways!"

Ileana thought to herself.

The Leaky Cauldron was a dreary looking place. It was dark, but clean. Dust was no where to be seen, the glasses on the bar in the back were clean, so Ileana didn't mind the place at all. In fact she quite liked the place after all.

Mr. Shire Walked up to the bar and rang a small bell by a large wooden box.

A few minutes later a man dressed in a long black robe peeked around the door at the back of the room behind the counter.

"Ah, hello Mr. Shire, it's been what? 5-6 years?"

The man said walking up to the counter.

"Hello, Greg." Eddy said bounding up to the counter next to Mr. Shire.

"We're here for my sister and new supplies for me!"

Eddy beckoned to Ileana.

"Ah, I didn't know you had a sister!" Greg replied not even glancing at her, he then turned to Mrs. Shire. "Pleasure to meet you mam, you must be Mrs. Shire" Shaking her hand firmly.

"Indeed I am."

"Pleasure is all mine, so how many rooms for your family Mr. Shire?"

"Three Please."

"1009, 1010 and 1020 and an extra 1020 I think, dinner will be served at 7:00 p.m. Sharp."

Greg handed over four sticks with the numbers recently mentioned carved onto the bottom of the wood.

"Thank you very much." Mr. Shire replied taking the sticks and handing the stick 1010 to Ileana and 1009 to Edward.

Ileana followed her family up three sets of stairs and down two long hallways until they reached the rooms 1009 and 1010. There were no handles on the doors.

"Um, how are we supposed to get in?" Ileana asked surprised.

"Just tap the door with the stick." Eddy said disappearing into the room ext to hers

"Alright" Ileana said skeptically and tapped the door. "It still won't open!"

"Turn it around, so the pointy end is up silly."

"Oh"

Ileana tapped the door again, this time pointy end up.

The door sung open and Ileana entered the bright room.

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The sun was playing on the windows showing a small room, a twin sized bed was sitting in the middle of the room, a chair and desk under the window and a bathroom and closet on the left of the door.

She picked up her suitcase and placed it on the desk and fell onto her bed with a sigh.

She glanced at her watch.

"3:00 p.m." she said aloud "and in who knows where, going to who knows what."

"Oh, my."

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