Chapter Two

Diagon Alley

The summer had wasted away to August and all Jenna could talk about was the letter and its contents. She tried to pry more information from her mother about her father, but the only thing she was ever told was that they had been married for three years, with out her knowing about him being a wizard. She found out, they divorced and she hasn't heard from him since. No name, no memories, no nothing.

The school year was coming up again, but Jenna was not going on the public secondary school with all the other eleven year olds in the neighborhood. She had finally convinced her mother to let her go to this secretive magic school that had encompassed so much of her father's life. Not that she knew much about her father.

"Mum! Come on, it's already August and I don't have anything on my list!" Jenna whined to her mother for the hundredth time. Elizabeth sipped her morning coffee and read the paper. Without looking up, she answered.

"Fine. Brush your teeth and we'll go."

"But, Mum...wait, we're going?" Elizabeth looked up from the newspaper and nodded. Jenna squeaked and shouted "Finally!" before running to go brush her teeth.

Elizabeth groaned as they wandered the streets of London, looking for the small pub that would lead them into the wizarding world. She stared at the parchment in her hands.

"The Leaky Cauldron...where could it be? Her head jerked up as Jenna tugged on her shirt and pointed across the busy street.

They walked into the dark, dingy pub and looked around. There were no giant signs over doorways pointing them in the right direction. It was just a pub.

"Are you sure we're in the right pl-"Jenna was cut off by a bald man behind the bar.

"You lookin' for Diagon Alley?" The two girls nodded silently, but the man smiled.

"Follow me."

They followed him out back. There was nothing there but a trash can.

"You see this can here?" They nodded again. "You just count three bricks up..." He took out his wand and tapped the three bricks. "...then you go two bricks over." He tapped the two bricks. Suddenly, the wall began to open up in front of them. Elizabeth and Jenna stared in awe as the entrance to Diagon Alley formed before their eyes.

The street was filled with witches and wizards wearing different colored robes. Children were running about getting supplies for school. A large group of people were staring at a window display, but neither Elizabeth nor Jenna could see what it was.

Just before the wall closed back up again, the bartender called out, "You probably want to go to Gringotts Bank...exchange that muggle money you got."

Elizabeth smile and waved a thank you to the man. They made their way up the street, absentmindedly staring at the shops.

"I wonder which one the bank is." Jenna said.

"Love, it's that one." She pointed to the end of the street.

"What makes you think that's it?" They got closer and were finally able to read the gold lettering on the pure white building.

Gringotts Wizarding Bank

Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay more dearly in their turn,
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.

"Oh."

They made their way inside the bank and up to the teller. Elizabeth opened her purse. "Hello, I would like to exchange some mo—"

She stopped short. Standing in front of her was a small, bearded, ugly man. He stared at Elizabeth as she stuttered. Not being able to take it anymore he spoke.

"How much money would you like to exchange?" Elizabeth coughed, turning bright pink.

"Oh, uh...500 pounds?" She handed him the notes.

"Of course." The goblin walked off through a door behind him, returning moments later with a large bag that clinked when it moved.

"Here you go, Miss."

"Thank you." She turned to Jenna, but could still make out the goblin's muttering, "Stupid muggles." I wonder what muggles are. Everyone keeps talking about them.

They visited the Apothecary shop to buy various potion ingredients. They left quickly as Elizabeth became sick after reading a label that said Bat Blood-Type AB Negative.

"What do we need now, Jenna?" Elizabeth still looked a tad green after the bat's blood. Jenna unfolded the yellow parchment.

"Robes." They looked around and spotted a window with moving manikins displaying robes of various colors and designs. A sign above the display said Madam Malkins Robes for All Occasions.

A bell tinkled as they walked into a large shop with three-way mirrors in the center. Before either of them could even speak, a tape measure zoomed in front of Jenna and began taking measurements. A cheery voice called out from behind a door.

"In a minute!"

A large woman with her hair in a neat bun walked up to them. She smiled as she said "You're very lucky no one else is here. I've been up to my elbows in student all day. It's been very hectic." She stared at the tape measure for a moment before saying "Enough." The tape measure dropped to the floor. "Now let's see here...Hogwarts, I presume?" Jenna nodded happily. Elizabeth was still slightly sick. She did not like blood.

Soon, Jenna had a complete set of school robes and they set off to visit the Cauldron Shop and the Flourish and Blotts to buy books before taking a break at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.

"Mum, we still have to get me pet and a wand." Jenna said as she stared at her list.

"You are not getting a pet, Jenna. Our apartment won't allow them, remember?"

"But Mum, I'm not going to be at the apartment."

"I said no, Jenna, and that's final." Jenna pouted, and then looked at her mother again.

"I still need a wand."

Ollivander's Wands was a very dusty shop; the walls were covered floor to ceiling by millions of long, thin boxes. Clouds of dust swirled in the rays of sunshine that were coming through the shop window.

They walked to the counter and Elizabeth rang the bell. An old man pooped up from behind the desk. Elizabeth screamed and fell backwards onto the floor, sending up more clouds of dust.

"I'm so sorry I scared you. I didn't mean to." Elizabeth got to her feet.

"That's all right, really." But the man she assumed to be Mr. Ollivander was looking at Jenna.

"Come here, miss." Jenna stepped forward.

"You remind me of someone who once came into this shop." Jenna regarded the old man with curiosity.

"Who?"

"A girl by the name of Evans." Elizabeth hadn't realized she had been holding in her breath. She let it out slowly as she thought Thank God he didn't say anything about Harry.

"You know you two have the exact same eyes." Don't panick. That was just some random girl. There are plenty of people with green eyes.

Ollivander went to a wall of boxes and carefully slipped one out. He walked back and gave the wand to Jenna.

"Here. Willow, nine inches, pliable with a dragon heartstring. Just give it a wave, dear."

Jenna waved the wand around, but the old man snatched it back.

"No, no. No good...well let's try this." He reached over to his right and grabbed a box sitting on the counter.

"Eleven inches, ash, inflexible with a phoenix feather core. Very good for charms." Jenna gave it swish and once again Ollivander grabbed it.

"Well, maybe this one." He thought hopefully. He went to a shelf in the back. He came back and gave the wand to Jenna.

It felt warm in her hands. She flicked it and red sparks flew out of the tip. Mr. Ollivander was smiling.

"I thought so. Nine and a half inches, made of Rosewood and very swishy; with a unicorn hair core. Good for transfiguration."

Elizabeth handed him a fistful of coins, and then walked out into the dusk.

"It's getting late, love. Let's go home." Jenna smiled tiredly at her mother and nodded.

I may have gotten the tape measure thing confused. I can't remember if it was in Madam Malkins or Ollivanders. If you could tell me, I'd appreciate it.