Authors Note
Just wanted to say, if you reviewed, I've sent you a reply in PMs!
All right! Welcome back to Chapter 7!
Diagon Alley...Here we come!
Diagon Alley
It had been a few days since Hagrid had picked Harry up from the Dursleys. Over those days, he had taught Harry a lot about the wizarding world, and the things the Dursley's hadn't told him. He had also told Harry about Diagon Alley, the Wizarding market, where they would be going to buy the list of materials Harry would need for his first year at Hogwarts.
Based on all of Hagrid's descriptions, Harry couldn't wait to finally see Diagon Alley in person, and today was finally the day he was going to get to see it.
"You read yet, Harry?" Hagrid asked, as he appeared in the doorway of the small room he had rented for Harry to stay in.
"Coming Hagrid," Harry called back, as he made his way outside.
"Did you remember to bring your list?" Hagrid asked.
Harry remembered with a start that the list was still in the pocket of the jeans he had worn the night Hagrid had shown up. "I forgot it. I'll go get it, one sec," Harry said, as he ran back into the room. Pulling the jeans out of his small suitcase, he rummaged around through the pockets until he found the small sheet of parchment.
"Here it is!" He announced as he ran back outside. "Let's get going."
Hagrid laughed at Harry's excitement, before leading him down a side street. "A left over here," he said, looking down at his map as he turned onto another narrow street.
As Hagrid led on, Harry glanced over his letter. "First year students will require three sets of work robes as well as a wand," He read.
"That's some essential bit of equipment, Harry. Important for all wizards." Hagrid said. "A right along this road," He added.
"I also need a pair of dragon hide gloves..." Harry kept reading. "Umm, they don't mean a real dragon do they?" He asked hesitantly.
"Well, do you really think they mean a penguin?" Hagrid asked incredulously. "Another left along this alleyway," he muttered to himself, taking another left turn.
Harry wisely chose not to reply to the question. "I also need a standard two size pewter cauldron," He added. "Hagrid, this is bizarre! Can we really find all this here in London?"
"If you know where to go," Hagrid whispered into his ear. "A right turn here, and and that should be it." He finally looked up from his map.
In front of them stood a shabby looking inn. Above the doorway, a sign with the words "The Leaky Cauldron," hung on ropes that looked as though they may snap at any minute.
"Here we are, Harry," Hagrid announced. Harry was confused. This didn't look anything like a marketplace, but he followed Hagrid through the doors in to the dimly lit inn anyway.
"Ahh Hagrid," The innkeeper said, noticing Hagrid walk through the door. "Pleasure to see you again. The usual, I presume?"
"Not today, Tom," Hagrid said. "I'm here on strict Hogwarts business. Have to help young Harry here to buy his school supplies," He added, patting Harry on his back.
Tom finally got a look at Harry standing in the shadows next to Hagrid. His mouth went slack with surprise. "Bless my soul," He whispered. "It's Harry Potter."
Immediately the whole inn went quiet as everyone turned to stare at Harry, who looked around awkwardly at the amount of attention he was getting.
Finally, a man broke free of the crowd and approached Harry. "Welcome back, Mr. Potter. Welcome back," He said, shaking Harry's hands. Following the man, another witch came up to him as well. "Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter," The witch introduced herself. "I can't believe that I'm meeting you at last," She added, as she grabbed his hand too.
As the woman walked away, a man with a turban on his head appeared. "Harry P-potter. C-can't tell you how pleased I am to meet you," The man stuttered.
"Well, hello there, Professor Quirrell," Hagrid broke in. "I didn't notice you here with the big crowd." He turned and looked at Harry. "Harry, this is Professor Quirrell. He's gonna be your defense against the dark arts teacher this year."
"Oh! Nice to meet you," Harry said, holding his hand out politely. Professor Quirrell looked nervously at Harry's hand, refusing to take it.
"F-fearfully fascinating subject. N-not that you need it, e-eh, Potter? Heheh." Quirrel added, giving a nervous laugh at the end.
"Hey Harry, we should get going. We got lots to buy today," Hagrid said.
"Oh ok," Harry said. "Goodbye," He said, waving to the others. Hagrid led Harry out through the side door into the back of the pub. The back side was lined with a few fireplaces, making Harry wonder why they had fireplaces on the outside.
"Hagrid, why are we here?" Harry asked. "This isn't a market, it's the backside of a-"
Suddenly he was broken off as one of the fireplaces started to shake. After a few seconds of shaking, a roaring green flame erupted from the fireplace, causing Harry to jump back. A minute later the flames died down and a woman along with a child jumped out of the fireplace.
"Wow that...wasn't fun..." The boy said, spitting some dust and ash out of his mouth.
"Don't worry Percy, you'll get used to it," The woman exclaimed.
"Sally?" Hagrid said. "I don't believe it!"
"Hagrid!" Sally explained. "It's been so long."
"Sally, it is you. Where've you been!" Hagrid asked. "No one's heard word of you for 10 years!"
"It's a long story, Hagrid. How about we all take a seat in the pub and then discuss?" Sally proposed.
"Great idea!" Hagrid boomed. "Hey Tom, change of plans. Get me the usual, and 3 butterbeers for them."
"Coming right up, Hagrid," Tom said, beaming as the four took their seats.
After finally making it out of the dark backside of the pub and into the light, Harry and Percy got a clear view of each other. They had to admit, they did look rather alike. The only differences were that Harry was noticeably skinnier due to being malnourished from his time with the Dursleys. His eyes were also emerald green as compared to the sea green eyes Percy had.
"Percy, I'd like you to meet Hagrid," Sally said. "We became good friends at school. I used to go to him for help with my Care of Magical Creatures Class."
"Nice to meet you, Hagrid," Percy said politely, holding out his hand. Harry raised an eyebrow in surprise. Percy had an american accent. It wasn't something he had heard much around here.
"Nice to meet ya too, Percy," Hagrid said, grabbing his hand and giving it a firm shake. Percy grimaced and Harry had to stifle a laugh. "I'd like you both to meet Harry Potter."
"Heya, Pleasure to meet you," Harry said.
"That's a cool accent, man!" Percy commented.
"Thanks mate!" Harry said, smiling at Percy. 'Maybe I've made my first friend already,' Harry thought happily.
"So Sally, why'd you disappear?" Hagrid questioned.
Sally shifted uncomfortably. "I had been warned of the prophecy," She said.
"Ahh right," Hagrid said. "That reminds me..."
"Hey Hagrid," Harry broke in. "How was it that all those people back there knew my name."
"I'm not sure that I'm the right person to explain all of that to you, Harry," Hagrid said apologetically. "But I'm sure everything will be clear soon enough."
"Hey Hagrid, seeing as both Harry and Percy need their shopping," Sally put in. "Why not going together. It'll also give Harry and Percy time to get to know each other."
"That's brilliant. Let's get started," Hagrid said. "Here ya go Tom," He added, passing over a few coins. "Don't even try, Sally. It's on me this time."
Sally rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless. "Fine, Let's get going boys."
Percy and Harry got up and exited the pub after the two adults. When they reached the back wall again, they looked at each other and shrugged. None of them were prepared for what happened next.
Hagrid faced the far wall, and tapped his umbrella on a few bricks. Immediately, a loud rumbling sound was heard as the wall started to fold inwards brick by brick, revealing the entrance to a road beyond the wall.
"Welcome!" Hagrid said, smirking at the awestruck look on the kids' faces. "To Diagon Alley!"
Harry and Percy's jaws dropped as they looked on at the scene before them. Lined up along the street were row after row of stores
Hagrid, Sally, Percy, and Harry all stept through the archway. Harry and Percy looked over their shoulders and gasped as the archway shrank behind them, closing back into a solid wall. As the archway closed, they turned their faces back towards the alley. The sun shone brightly overhead, illuminating a long brick road, with shops all along the side.
The light from the sun illuminated a large stock of cauldrons of all shapes, sizes, and materials, outside the shop closest to them. They even had magical cauldrons that would self stir the ingredients, or collapsible cauldrons that would shrink to the size of a piece of candy.
Hagrid noticed them staring and said, "Yep, you'll be needing one of these. Not one of the fancy ones mind you."
"But we gotta go and get your guys' money first," Sally said. "Can't buy anything without that!"
Percy and Harry craned their heads as far as they could, trying their best to look over everything. They noticed hundreds of different shops, lots of different people, and even a few small strange creature...Were those elves?!
They turned their attention to the building they just passed, where a woman was grumbling about the high prices. "Dragon liver for sixteen sicles? They're mad, chargin' us so much." Percy and Harry looked up at the building and noticed that it was marked as the apothecary.
As they continued on, a soft hooting sound came from a dark shop. Above the shop was a wooden board with the words "Eeylops Owl Emporium. - Yawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy." Several other boys that looked like hogwarts students had their noses pressed against the windows.
Harry and Percy approached the shop and walked in through the open door. As soon as Percy walked in, the soft hooting turned to chaos. The owls screeched in rage, rattling their cages as they tried to escape. "Uhhh, I'll wait outside," Percy said as he exited the shop. Immediately, the screeching stopped, and the owls stopped fighting against the cages.
"Wonder what could have caused them to do that?" Percy asked.
"Well, don't take it personally," Hagrid said. "It happens sometimes." Percy failed to catch the nervous look on his mother's face as Hagrid said this.
A few shops down, a bunch of older kids were staring at a broomstick in the windowsill.
"Look at it," One boy said softly
"It's the new nimbus 2000," Another boy added.
"It's the fastest model yet," Another continued. "I wish I could have one. It must cost a fortune."
As they moved on, Percy noticed a clothes shop. A plump woman inside the shop was fussing about, taking measurements of the students using a tape measure which magically floated in the air! The shop sold robes for daily use at Hogwarts. Harry and Percy made sure to note that this was on the list as well.
The next store they approached had cut out 3d planets hanging from small threads from the ceiling. Through the open door, the boys saw that the store was filled with different telescopes and other astronomy related material.
Another store contained a large variety of products. Percy backed away in disgust as he noticed barrels and barrels of eels' eyes, bat spleens, and other animal parts. Another box contained roll after roll of parchment, with quills and bottles of multicolored ink placed on shelves above it.
Finally the group reached their destination, as Hagrid and Sally stopped outside a large white building towering over the rest of the shops. "Gringotts," Hagrid said. "The wizarding bank." The four walked up white marble steps towards the entrance to the bank, where someone wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold was waiting to escort them in.
Percy and Harry gasped in surprise. "Umm what exactly are these..." Percy asked.
"They're goblins Percy," Sally answered. "Incredibly proud creatures they are."
"And greedy too," Hagrid broke in with a whisper, as they approached the door. He opened the doors and walked inside with Sally, beckoning Harry and Percy to join them. The sight inside left the boys more in awe than before.
Huge columns rose from the floor, holding up an unnaturally high ceiling. Throughout the building, numerous workbenches were placed, where even more goblins sat at their tables, doing their paperwork. The goblins were about a foot or so shorter than the average human beings, with swarthy faces, pointed beards, and very long fingers and feet with scaly nails.
Making his way through this room, Hagrid and Sally led the two boys to another doorway, marked "Withdrawals." Over the door was an engraving. It read:
Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed
For those who take, but do not earn
Must pay most 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.
"Like I said, terribly greedy creatures," said Hagrid. "You'd be mad to try and rob one."
As they walked through the doors, two goblins greeted them and escorted them to the front desk, where the head goblin was waiting.
"Mr. Harry Potter and Mr. Perseus Jackson wish to make a withdrawal," Hagrid said, clearing his throat before speaking.
The goblin leaned over and stared at Percy and Harry. "And do these two young lads have their keys?"
"Oh wait a minute," Hagrid said. "I've got Harry's here somewhere."
"Here's Percy's key," Sally said, pulling it out of a pocket inside of her purse.
"Ahh got it," Hagrid said, as he finally found the key in his 8th pocket. "There's the little bugger." Then he leaned down and whispered in the goblins ears. "I also have this letter from professor Dumbledore. It's about the you know what in vault you know which," He added secretively.
"Very well then." The goblin said. "Follow me please." He lead them over to the far side of the room, where a large cart stood on a railway track, leading deep into the ground.
As soon as the four stepped onto the cart, it took off at an unbelievable speed. Within a few seconds, they were deep underground, and had stopped in front of Percy's vault.
"Vault 342," The goblin announced. "Lamp please," He said, as Hagrid handed him the lamp. "Key please," he asked. Sally handed him Percy's key, which he pushed into the slot. With a flick of his wrist, the door to the vault opened. Percy and Harry gasped in surprise. The vault was filled with small coins. There were coins of bronze, silver, and gold.
"Those bronze coins there are knuts, the silver ones are sickles, and the gold ones are galleons," Sally explained.
"There are 29 knuts to a sickle and 17 sickles to a galleon," Hagrid continued.
Percy quickly scooped up a handful of each into a small pouch provided to him by the goblins, before they got back onto the cart. The cart stopped again next to Harry's vault. "Vault 687," The goblin announced, as he asked for the lamp and key again.
Harry gasped once his vault door opened. He was just as rich if not richer than Percy was. Similar to Percy, he scooped a handful of coins into his pouch. He was almost sad to go. He had never had money when living with the Dursleys and now he was rich beyond imagination.
Next the cart stopped at a run down, old vault. The door was covered in cobwebs and had an eerie look to it. This time, the goblin didn't ask for anything. "Stand back," He ordered. He went up the door and ran his finger down its length. Immediately, hidden mechanisms within the door started to unwind and the door swung open on itself. "If anyone but a gringotts goblin tried that, they would be sucked in and trapped forever."
Harry and Percy looked at the interior of the vault, expecting riches beyond their wildest dreams. Instead the vault was empty except for a small, grubby package wrapped up in a brown paper bag.
Hagrid picked it up and put t inside his pocket. "Best not to mention this to anyone," He said strictly.
"Don't worry, Hagrid. It'll be our secret," Sally said.
Hagrid nodded in thanks and made his way back onto the cart. Finally the cart ascended back to the surface, and the four made their way outside, ready to start their shopping spree for Hogwarts.
Authors Note:
And that's it for this chapter! I didn't want to make it too long and its at close to 3000 words already, so I decided the next section will have their shopping spree.
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I wanted to keep it similar to the actual version, while also smoothly incorporating Percy into it as well. I really hope it worked.
Please let me know what you guys think!
Thanks for reading! Remember to vote and comment!
Peace out-
