Ch. 1 The Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley, and Other Strange Things
Lily could hardly believe that she was on her way to a pub called, "The Leaky Cauldron." No, it was not the dingy name the pub possessed, nor had Lily never been to a pub- the reason was quite exciting and unique. The Leaky Cauldron marked the beginning of her career as a witch. Today, she would buy all her magical supplies. In just a few hours, Lily would have a wand, spellbooks, but of course, NOT a broomstick. She laughed at the last thing that had popped into her mind. What was it about broomsticks that would make them illegal to first years?
She would soon find out.
"Lily, dear, watch the street signs (they were driving down Charing Cross Rd.). We're almost to York St."
"I see it! Right there! The Leaky Cauldron! Stop, Mum!" exclaimed Lily excitedly.
"I see York St. But I don't see the Leaky Cauldron. Where is it?" asked Mrs. Evans.
"You can't see it? It's that dingy little pub in between those clothing shops."
"I see the clothing shops. It's in between them, you say?"
"Yes."
"Well, dear. I can't see it. But I guess we'll go to the spot where you see it."
The mother and daughter climbed shakily out of the car, one because of her cramped limbs (it had been quite a journey), and the other because of excitement. Lily tugged at her mother's hand, as if Lily were a planet being pulled by gravity towards the sun. The "sun" was a rather old, creaky place. Nonetheless, it was homely and even welcoming. As the two walked through the door, Lily heard a gasp. Her mother had just realized that the Leaky Cauldron was not a figment of Lily's imagination.
Lily didn't know where to look first. At the owner, or at his customers. All of them were wearing robes. Well, no, not all…Lily saw three other kids her age, who looked just as awkward and excited as she felt. Just then, a severe looking lady, with black hair drawn back into a tight knot, introduced herself.
"Good afternoon. You must be Miss Evans. And Mrs. Evans?"
"Yes, we are. A pleasure to meet you," responded Mrs. Evans.
"But you can call me Lily. Miss Evans is rather formal, don't you think?"
The lady looked extremely surprised. "Well, I never really thought about it before. At school, all the professors call the students by their surname."
"Whatever floats your boat," replied Lily cheerfully.
Recovering her poise, the lady said, "My name is Professor McGonagall, and I will be showing you where to buy your things. Those students, here," she moved her hand towards the place the other students stood, "are also first years, who are muggleborn like you."
Mrs. Evans asked, "Excuse me? If you don't mind my asking, what is a "muggleborn?"
"Muggleborns are people like your daughter, who are born into a Muggle family, that is, a non-magical family, but are themselves magical."
"What a funny word!" laughed Lily.
"Yes, well, yes," responded Professor McGonagall. It was the second time she had felt a little flustered. "Mrs. Evans, I will be taking care of your daughter today. I'll be taking them all home. But I'll need money to buy their things with. I have to exchange your currency for our wizarding currency."
"Do you really have time to take all of them home? I don't want to inconvenience you!" said Mrs. Evans.
"It's no trouble at all. She should be home around five o'clock."
"Alright. Here is some money. It should be enough to purchase your books, robes, and things." Mrs. Evans handed Lily money, and kissed her good-bye.
As Mrs. Evans left, Professor McGonagall decided it was time to introduce the students to one another. She gestured to a tall, brunette girl. "Lily Evans, this is Emmeline Vance. And this is Julia Peters." Julia was a short, petite girl with black braided hair. "This is Ted Tonks." Ted was tallish, with blonde hair. "Alright. Follow me."
The students all smiled at each other, and followed Professor McGonagall in her wake. Lily collided into the tall, brunette girl.
"Sorry," said both girls at once.
With a smile, both girls began to talk.
"You're Emmeline, right?" asked Lily in her usual outgoing fashion.
"Yes. But you can call me Em. 'Most everyone does."
"Thanks. So how did you receive your letter?"
"Oh- it was rather funny. We were eating dinner, and my father had just been talking about owls. So when this owl came crashing into our window, well, his eyes got ENORMOUS. It was the most hilarious thing! Then, Stew, my little brother said, 'Did you just do magic, Daddy?' Little did he know…"
Lily laughed and said, "My experience wasn't really humorous. It was more a nice diversion, since I had just gotten in trouble with my mother for blowing up my sister's breakfast. She (my sister, not my mother), was really being a chit."
"Oh- so you do odd things too?" said Julia, out of the blue. "Because once, when this really nasty girl in my class at my old school started making fun of my pale skin, she started getting a little puffy. It would have been funny, except, the magical police people came, which are why I wasn't so surprised when my letter came. I already suspected there must be something a bit odd about me." The girls all giggled.
"Well I accidentally fell off a tree, and instead of a concussion, I just experienced this bouncy feeling," put in Ted.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley, children," said Professor McGonagall suddenly.
Once again, Lily wished she had zillions of eyes, there were so many smells and colors! She could tell the others were at a loss for words also. Professor McGonagall simply took it all for granted.
"First, I'll be taking you to Gringotts, the wizarding bank. Keep close, you don't want to get lost or make the goblins suspicious."
They came to a tall building with dramatic columns. The place breathed with mystery and secrets. The children saw were short, clever looking creatures in uniforms. They didn't look particularly friendly either. Lily figured she should keep on her toes, which she did. Professor McGonagall asked each kid for his or her money to exchange for wizarding currency. After each had his or her due, they exited the ominous structure.
It was certainly a lovely day. The sky was blue, with a picturesque scattering of fluffy clouds. There was laughter and activity everywhere. To Lily, despite the supposed differences of wizards and Muggles, they all experienced joy and sadness the same way- they just had different ways of expressing it.
The first shop the group entered was a clothing store called Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. There were many different kinds of robes, she soon realized. Unfortunately, Professor McGonagall wasn't going to give her much of a chance to look around. She had three others to worry about. They all had to choose plain, black robes. As they were measured, Lily noticed another girl, apart from their group, staring at them with big, mild brown eyes. Lily smiled at her encouragingly. The girl smiled back, looking back as she left the store with her mother.
Em seemed to have seen her too, when she said, "She looked nice. I wonder if she's a first year, too?"
"Looked young enough. Wouldn't it be funny if we all look back on this moment, like they do in those old story-books, and say, 'Little did we realize back then just how great of friends we would become?'" suggested Lily, with amusement.
"Maybe. I guess it could happen," accepted Em good-naturedly. "You know, Lily. I'm glad I met you. I was just so afraid that I wouldn't like anyone at my new school. I'm still scared. But now at least, I have a friend to make it less stressful."
"Me too. I-" began Lily, when she was interrupted.
"That will do you," smiled Madame Malkin kindly. "Is that it, Minerva?"
"Yes. Thank you so much for being so quick. Off to Flourish and Blotts," replied Professor McGonagall.
At Flourish and Blotts, there were millions of books, all on such varying subjects. From spellbooks, to novels, to magazines. As Lily pulled down her Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection (by Quentin Trimble), a boy she had never seen in her life, banged into her. He had a cocky grin on his face, and from his hair, he looked like he had just been through a very bad electric storm. Lily nearly asked him he had been, when she realized- 'wizards probably don't even use electricity.'
"What's your name? Did you know your hair looks like it's burning up?" asked the questionable-looking boy, hazel eyes glimmering behind spectacles that looked like they had been through many trials.
"Did you know that your hair makes you look like you've been through a really bad electric storm?" Lily paused. "You probably don't even know what an electric storm is, do you?"
"Nope. But your hair. Are you SURE it's not going to start turning to ashes?"
"Are you sure that you want me to slap you if you say that one more bloody time?" asked Lily, her green eyes flashing. She had heard the fire-joke way too many times. "If you weren't so addled, you'd realize that I've probably heard that gibe ever since I could talk. And they probably said it before- I just couldn't understand."
"Hmm. I'll have to rethink that one. I'll pick a new target- oh look! A book on quidditch! I wish first-years were allowed to have a broom. Don't you?" asked the boy, an obsessive look etched across his smiling face.
"Quidditch? What is that? Is that the reason broomsticks are dangerous? And how did you know we're first years?" asked Lily curiously.
"You're the right size. You don't get out much do you? Or are you muggleborn?"
"We're all muggleborn," joined in Em. "That's why we're here. Because we had never even heard of wizards before."
"I see how it is. Well- for one thing. Quidditch is the most awesome sport ever played on this small planet, we call EARTH." He said earth as if they were deaf. Several strangers stared at the boy.
"Don't talk so loudly- the entire store must have heard you!" hissed Lily.
"I can do it louder if you want me to," the boy smirked.
"Go on with what you were saying," said Ted. By then, all four were listening to the effervescent boy. Professor McGonagall was paying for their books.
"So yeah. Anyways. Quidditch has seven players per team- it's played on broomsticks. Flying broomsticks, that is," he added quickly, seeing the puzzled expressions on the four others' faces.
"I was going to say, is it like, who can sweep the most?" laughed Julia, who seemed to think the boy was cute. "What's your name anyways?"
"James Potter. Yours? And yours? And yours? And yours, you never did answer my question." he replied, the last comment directed toward Lily, who had her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.
"I'm Lily Evans."
"Julia Peters."
"Emmeline Vance."
"TedTonks."
"Nice. Glad I met you all. I suppose you all are attending Hogwarts?"
"Yes, of course. Where else would we go?" asked Em.
"Well- there's Beauxbatons, and this other school in Russia- but that ones steeped in the Dark Arts."
"Dark arts?" asked Tedquizzically.
"Well-" began James, but Professor McGonagall interrupted with, "It's time to go, children."
"Well I guess I'll be seeing you," said James with a grin, looking especially at Lily. "Especially you, Firehead."
"Well- I'll be counting the moments until I can slap you silly- you- you- " but Lily never finished as she was tugged out of the shop by Emmeline.
After the "James Encounter," the day passed by somewhat normally, well, as normally as any day spent in Diagon Alley. The thing Lily and all the others looked forward to most was getting a wand. A wand was something they all wanted- it sort of linked them to the magic they had each grown up hearing about as babies. The wand shop, Ollivander's, exuded as much age and well, unknown, that Mr. Ollivander did. He stared at them through pale, luminous eyes, taking everything in.
There were hundreds of thin, dusty packages lining the walls- Lily suspected that they held wands.
"Good afternoon, Ms. McGonagall. Who are these? First years at Hogwarts I presume?"
"Yes," she gestured toward each student, and gave his or her name.
"Let's start with you, Miss Evans. Which is your wand arm?"
"Um, I'm right handed," she said unsurely.
"Well then, that would be your wand hand, wouldn't it? Let me take some measurements."
"Measurements?" It was the second time Lily had had to take measurements for something today. Didn't they just have sizes here? Or maybe wands could be 'one size fits all.' How wrong she was.
"You have long fingers, Miss Evans," commented Mr. Ollivander in his lilting, mystical voice.
"Thank you," replied Lily awkwardly.
"Let's get started then." Mr. Ollivander pulled down one of the narrow, dusty boxes and opened it. "Let's try this one: maple, 11 inches, unicorn hair core. Give it a wave."
Lily waved, and felt utterly ridiculous. Nothing happened. 'Maybe I'm not really a witch…' she thought nervously.
"Hmm…well, let's get you another. First wand you try is never the one that chooses you."
"Um, sir? Did you just say the wand chooses you?" asked Emmeline, suddenly.
"Yes, Miss Vance. Each wand is different, and needs a different owner. It chooses the witch or wizard that it is comfortable with."
He handed Lily another. "Ash, 12 inches, phoenix core."
Lily waved it, but nothing extraordinary occurred. Mr. Ollivander handed her several more before she was chosen by a wand made of willow, 10 and ¾ inches, dragon's heart string core. The wand had grown warm and given her little thrills up her arm as she waved it. Sparks flew out, and she had paid Mr. Ollivander gratefully. After the others had gotten their wands, Professor McGonagall took them home, by this method called "floo powder." Lily and the others found it most unpleasant, but it was quick.
At precisely 5 o'clock, Lily was home. Her astonished parents only managed to sputter, "Why, hello, darling," when Professor McGonagall came sweeping out of the hearth, dusting her robes. "Evening, Mr. and Mrs. Evans. Your daughter has all her supplies, and now all she must do is report to King's Cross Station at platform 9 and ¾. It would be wise to be there at 10:30, as it takes time to get seated and together on a train full of students. The train leaves at 11. You have your ticket. Any questions?"
"Just where exactly is platform 9 and ¾, Professor?" asked Mr. Evans.
"The barrier between platform 9 and platform 10 takes you there. All your daughter has to do is walk through the barrier. It allows wizards, and witches, through. You'll see," she said, tiredly explaining for the fourth time that day.
"Thank you," responded Mr. and Mrs. Evans, "And thank you for bringing Lily home."
"You're welcome. I must go. I'll see you on September 1st." With a swish of her bottle green cloak, Professor Minerva McGonagall disappeared.
"So, did you enjoy yourself, Dear?" asked Mrs. Evans, tentatively, looking as if she thought that at any moment, Lily would disappear as well.