CHAPTER 2 – Diagon Alley

"Hello. My name is Lily Evans," she introduced herself. "I'm here regarding Hogwarts."

"What?"

"Hogwarts. School of -. Oh my. I do hope I have the right house. Is this Ella Desmel?"

"Yes," I grunted.

"Oh, alright then." she said looking relieved, "May I come in?"

"No."

"Oh. Oh, okay. Um,-"

"Well, I just don't like practical jokes. Magic is only true in fairytales."

"Oh! So, you did get the letter! Yes – are you able to come? I go to Hogwarts. It's the greatest school around. I was rather surprised when I got the letter to because I grew up with Muggles. Muggle is a name for a human that is non-magical. So-"

"Are you seriously saying that you want me to believe this?" I broke in.

"Ye-"

"Good day."

I shut the door in her face but stayed stayed standing there on the other side. She was not leaving. I could here this Lily girl talking to someone, "I told you! No…no…shut up! Can you…no! I won't and this is not the time. Put on professor Dumb- NO! Let me speak to Professor Dumbledore. I said no – and this is not the time! FINE! Then put on Remus. Hi. God, how many times do I have to refuse? Yes I know. Is Professor Dumbledore there? Thank you. Hello – Professor Dumbledore? "It sounded like she was on a phone, so I opened the door and saw her speaking in the end of a long wooden stick, unaware of my presence, "Yes! She won't believe me sir. Can you please come? She won't even let me inside –"

"Hello?" I spoke, the girl jumped and looked up at me, "THIS," she growled shaking the wooden thing in my face, "is a WAND. You do magic! Accio newspaper." The morning newspaper came whizzing from the kitchen. "Do you believe me now?"

"What?" I was dumbfounded. How could that go –from there – to here?

"Yes, exactly, and if you come you can do this too! Now can I please come in?"

"Hello?" a male voice came from the wand, "Lily?"

"Yes." She declared regaining composure, "Yes, I think I'll be okay. I will contact you if further difficulties sir." She waved the wand and looked expectantly at me. When I showed no signs of letting her in she begged, "Can I please come in? Are your parents here?"

"No and yes."

"Ella, just let me in. I'll explain further once we're inside!" I could tell she was getting impatient, and I really had no reason for making her stay outside. So I agreed and led her in.

"So, your parents are here?"

"Yeah. Well, my mum is sleeping and my dad's at work."

"Okay so…I'll just speak with you for now. Now as you just saw, I did magic. Easy magic. Not all magic is easy and that's why we have schools for it. The three largest European schools European schools are Durmstrang, Beauxbatons, and Hogwarts.

"The schools are much like Muggle schools. Muggles are what we witches and wizards call non-magic folk. In Hogwarts there are houses and headmasters and such. These schools are not day schools but schools where you stay all year long in separate dorms. There are 5 people who share a room.

"School starts at the age of 11 but as you know, you showed your abilities a bit late. You will have private tutoring with a boy in your class named Tom Zenth. He is very talented but a bit bossy if I do say so myself."

"Okay…"

"Who's there?" my mum's snappy voice came from above

"A girl named Lily. She came to offer me place at a year long private school!" I replied, causally not telling all of the truth.

"How much does it cost?" she screeched back.

"Less!" I informed. I didn't know that for sure but secretly I wanted to go. Secretly I believed all this.

"You're going!"

"Excuse me?" Lily yelled to upstairs, a bit quieter since the shower had finally been turned off.

"What?" I could tell Mum was tired.

"I need to take her out to get special supplies…now. Is that alright?" she added.

"Yes, but be back by supper." And a door slammed.

Turning to me Lily asked, "Why didn't you tell her?"

"I didn't want to" I said in my end-of-discussion tone, "Let's go."

On the way out the door, Jessie stopped me.

"Ella, what are you doing?"

"Going to buy school supplies."

"But…we-"

"I'm going to a private school. Jess, the letter…it wasn't a joke."

Silence.

"What?" she croaked

"I'm not kidding! This is … umm… Lily. She goes there, to the school. Hogwarts. She can do magic."

"Yeah…right…whatever you say…" Jessie smirked.

"Lily?"

"Yes?" I could tell she knew what was coming.

"Can you show Jessie that – that thing you did with the morning newspaper?"

"Yeah. Jessie, watch closely."

Jessie squinted.

"Not that closely," I laughed, "It's pretty obvious what she does."

Lily raised her wand, "Accio newspaper."

The paper whizzed by my ear and into Lily's arms.

"What just happened?" Stunned, Jessie looked from the newspaper to me to Lily, then stated, "God I wish I was a witch."

Lily laughed, "Sorry. Ella," she turned to me, "We have to go. I only get two days off. One today, and one in a week. I'll come on September the first to take you to the Hogwarts express."

"Where's that?" Although a better question would have been, 'What's that?'

"London," she continued. "Not far from here. Kings Cross station. Platform 9 3/4."

I had been there loads of times, and had never seen platform 9 3/4, "But-"

"I'll explain more later. Come on."

Once we were on the sidewalk I voiced, "Where are we going?" and she replied, "Diagon Alley. Everyone gets their school supplies and other magical things there."

"How will we get there?" My curiosity never ends.

"We will take a Portkey. Don't ask." she ordered before I could ask what that was. "Just touch that when I do." She pointed to a squished cupcake on the ground. Inwardly I was squirming at how disgusting it was, but I said nothing.

As soon as I bent down to touch it a felt a strange sensation around my stomach. Like something was pulling and churning around in there. As everything came into focus again I felt as though I would be sick.

We were outside a small cheerful pub. A sign over the entrance said "THE LEAKY CAULDRON" As the people walked by it no one seemed to see it. I kept my questions to myself as we walked inside, straight through the brightly lit, clean, noisy room, and outof the back door. Lily stood back and tapped a brick with her wand as easily as if she did this every day.

To my astonishment the bricks moved to form an entrance.

"This," Lily explained as we stepped through the archway, "Is Diagon Alley."

There is front of me was a crowded street full of chattering people. All of them were witches and wizards. I smelt sweet foods and burnt paper. Looking over to my right I saw a little boy with a red letter on fire in his hands. His eyes were wide.

"A Howler." said Lily.

I had no desire to learn what a Howler was.

"Where's your list?" I was asked

"My list?" I echoed, "Umm… I forgot it."

"Are you serious?" she said, clearly dumbfounded as to how anyone could be so stupid.

"Yeah." I replied, "Yeah, but can't you just Assio it or something?"

"Accio. And no. It's too far. I don't have that kind of power. That's all right. Hold on a minute." she waved her wand and spoke into the tip of her wand again, "Professor Dumbledore?"

"Yes?" came the male reply again.

"Ella and I are in Diagon Alley. She forgot her list. Could you send it to Flourish and Blotts? The bookshop down the street?"

"Yes, Lily. But remember you need to be back by 5:00." Dumbledore chuckled. I was pleased he sounded kind.

"Yes sir."