Chapter 2: Diagon Alley

Meera Patil steered her two granddaughters down a set of stone steps and onto the cobbled street of Diagon Alley.

"Come on," she said. "Hurry up, girls."

Padma followed her grandmother and twin sister down the crowded street. An elderly couple argued loudly outside the apothecary about the price of frog spleen, and at the window of Quality Quidditch Supplies, a large group of young witches and wizards crowded around the latest racing broom, a Nimbus 2000.

Her grandmother paused momentarily at a shop selling magical instruments to talk to the owner about the latest lunarscopes, but soon enough they were hurrying along past Gringotts and came upon Ollivanders.

It was a shabby shop with rather grubby windows, and the words Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC were peeling away from the sign above the door. There was a single wand upon a faded purple cushion in the window, and when Meera pushed open the door, a bell rang shrilly, announcing their arrival.

Inside was musty and dust swirled around the rafters, glowing in the early morning sunlight. Padma's grandmother sat down on a spindly chair by the window, pulling her knitting out of her bag again and setting it to work. Padma and Parvati stood side by side nervously. The only sound in the shop was the gentle clicking of knitting needles.

"Good morning," said a voice from behind some shelves.

Mr Ollivander stepped out into the shop, smiling at the twins. He had wild white hair and pale eyes, and glanced from one girl to the other, his eyes unblinking. Padma felt uneasy and decided to stare at the wooden floor instead of looking at him.

"I remember your mother coming for her wand," he said, his voice barely over a whisper. "Eight inches, willow, with a unicorn hair core." He paused for a moment. "But I can't recall ever serving your father."

Padma looked up from the floor.

"He lived in India and was schooled there," she said shyly.

Mr Ollivander nodded sagely.

"I understand." He pointed a long finger at Padma. "You first please, my dear."

Padma stepped forward as Mr Ollivander disappeared behind some shelves. As he went, a tape measure floated up from the counter and started to measure her arm of its own accord. Parvati grinned as the tape wound itself around Padma's neck. Padma tried to swat it away.

"Get back over here!" Mr Ollivander said sharply.

The tape measure unravelled itself from Padma and floated back over to the counter.

"Try this wand," Mr Ollivander said. "Ten and a half inches, made of ash with a unicorn hair core."

Padma took the wand lightly in her hand. Suddenly, warmth rushed up her arm and bronze sparks rushed from the tip of the wand. Mr Ollivander smiled warmly at her. Padma turned around to find her grandmother beaming.

"Well done," she said warmly.

Parvati smiled as well. Padma was given a hinged box to put her wand in and sat down on the floor beside her grandmother, crossing her legs and watching as Parvati began the process of finding her wand. As the tape measure looped about Parvati's wrist, Padma looked up at her grandmother.

"Can I go and get the rest of my school things while Parvati gets her wand?"

Her grandmother nodded shortly. She handed Padma her Hogwart's letter and a purse full of money. Padma put them into a pocket inside her cloak.

"Parvati and I will meet you at the Leaky Cauldron at one o'clock," she said. "Don't go wandering down Knockturn Alley and don't talk to any strangers. Understand?"

"Yes, grandmother," Padma said.

Padma stepped outside the musty shop and suddenly felt as if she could breathe properly for the first time. She glanced back at Ollivanders and set off down the street.

Diagon Alley was even busier now. Young witches and wizards dragged their parents from shop to shop, a large group of elderly wizards argued over an article in Astronomy Today, and smoke and sparks was pouring from the door of Gambol and Japes. The owner opened the door and shooed several hissing fireworks out onto the street.

An elderly couple ducked a spinning rocket, holding onto their hats. Padma continued to walk, taking in her surroundings. All around her were witches and wizards shopping, on a daytrip from the country, and there were street peddlers shouting their wares.

"Love potions!" a witch shouted. "Home made top quality love potions!"

"Quality lunarscopes for sale!" shouted a shabbily dressed wizard. "Knockdown prices; I only 'ave a couple left! Get 'em while you can!"

Padma was sure she saw a sack of tarnished and cracked lunarscopes shoved into a battered suitcase behind him. She passed the wizard without looking at him and headed towards Flourish and Blott's to buy her school books.

Inside was packed with witches and wizards. The whole shop was filled with books. They were stacked up one on top of the other to the ceiling, crammed into bookshelves and some were even piled onto chairs that were meant to be for the customers. A stern looking saleswizard looked very flustered as two tiny witches, probably no older than five, knocked over a stack of books before disappearing from sight. He looked close to tears as he piled them up once more.

Padma looked around for her schoolbooks, squeezing past a plump witch to get her copy of A History of Magic. Soon enough she had a pile up to her nose and she struggled to see where she was going, tripping over a book as thick as a brick and dropping her schoolbooks all over the floor. She knelt down to pick them up, reaching out for her copy of the Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1).

"I've got it," a voice said.

Padma raised her head. A boy about her age was crouched in front of her, holding out the book. He had bright blue eyes, a long thin nose and tan coloured hair. He smiled warmly at Padma as they both stood up.

"Thanks," she said shyly, taking the book.

"It's fine," he said. "I'm Terry Boot," he added, holding out a hand.

"Padma Patil."

They shook hands. Padma struggled through the crowded shop to the counter to pay for her books, dropping them to get her money from her cloak. Terry stood next to her.

"Are you starting at Hogwarts this year?" Padma asked him. She handed over her money to the saleswizard.

Terry nodded.

"Who're you here with?"

"My sister and grandmother," she said. "They're probably still trying to get her wand at Ollivanders. Then they'll go and look at Divination supplies. I have to meet them at the Leaky Cauldron at one o'clock."

Padma took her books in a bag and headed over to the door. She turned suddenly as the saleswizard who had served her screamed. He was staring at a pile of books scattered across the floor. The two little witches had knocked them over again.

"Oh, for goodness' sake!" he shouted. "I just re-stacked all of those copies of Martin Miggs the Mad Muggle two minutes ago! Look what you've done!"

Padma gawped as the two witches burst into tears. Their mother, a formidable looking witch, hurried over. She tried to quieten them and scream at the saleswizard at the same time. The whole of the shop was watching the scene unfold.

"How dare you!" she screeched. "They're just books, after all, and my girls are only five; they couldn't help it! Shame on you for shouting at them so!"

Padma tried to stifle a giggle. She glanced back at the scene, watching as the wizard sank to the floor sobbing as the witch continued to scream at him, her face reddening. It was Terry who broke first; he gave a snort of amusement and hurried out of Flourish and Blott's. Padma followed him, her ribs aching from holding in her laughter.

They sat down on the floor, tears streaming down their faces. Padma took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. She glanced at her watch.

"I'd better get going if I want to get everything bought by one o'clock."

She stood up. Terry followed suit, smiling shyly at her.

"I could come with you," he said. "If you want, that is."

Padma felt her face heat up.

"I suppose so. But what about your parents?"

"They're buying most of my things now," Terry said. "I can't be bothered trailing after my mum. She's a Muggle, so she goes overboard with enthusiasm whenever my dad brings us here."

Padma laughed.

"We'd better get going then."

"Anything left to get?" Terry asked an hour and a half later.

Padma shook her head. She took her books and put them into her cauldron in an attempt to reduce the amount of bags she had to carry. Terry stretched, looking around Diagon Alley. The crowds hadn't got any smaller and there seemed to be a constant stream of shoppers and day-trippers emerging from the back yard of the Leaky Cauldron.

"We haven't been in there yet," he said, pointing to a shop. "And I could do with some more books."

It was a tall, crooked building that looked ancient. There were hundreds of books piled in the windows and stacked on trestle tables outside the door. Padma smiled and followed Terry, lugging her cauldron and bags behind her.

The shop was small, narrow and musty. There were only a couple of people in the shop. A wrinkled old witch was halfway up a ladder sorting books, a young witch wearing a red cloak and hat was reading in a corner and a family stood about one shelf. There was a mother and father, a girl about Padma's age and a younger boy who tugged on his father's sleeve, begging to see the Nimbus 2000 at Quality Quidditch Supplies.

Terry disappeared around a shelf. Padma walked over to another shelf and started to browse through the books. She wanted to find something more challenging than her schoolbooks. Her eyes settled on a thick blue tome title Moste Ancient Magicke of Asia. She picked it up and flicked through the pages.

"Magic of Asia," a girl's voice said behind her. "Fascinating, but I prefer to read about African magic."

It was the girl from the other side of the shop. She had blonde hair, blue eyes and a small, delicate nose. She smiled at Padma.

"I'm Lisa Turpin," she said.

"I'm Padma Patil." She paused and closed the book. "Is that your family?"

Lisa nodded. Her ponytail bobbed as she did so.

"My brother's about as much fun as dragon pox," she said darkly. "He's two years younger than me. Have you got any brothers or sisters?"

"My twin sister Parvati," Padma said. "We get along most of the time."

"Lucky you."

Terry walked over, carrying at least five books of varying thicknesses. He smiled quickly at Lisa, shifting the books around to balance them.

"I'd shake your hand, but I'd probably drop these," he said quickly. "I'm Terry Boot."

"I'm Lisa Turpin," she said. "Nice to meet you. Are you both going to Hogwarts?"

Padma nodded and walked over to buy the book. She glanced at her watch.

"I've got to go," she said, gathering up her school things. "My grandmother and sister will be in the Leaky Cauldron by now. I'll probably see you at Hogwarts."

"Have a good summer," Lisa said, smiling.

She walked back over to her family. Terry gathered up his own books and followed Padma out of the shop.

"I'll come with you," he said. "My mum and dad will probably be in the Leaky Cauldron too."

They hurried up Diagon Alley towards the pub, pushing their way through the thronging crowds. At the back door, Padma stopped and looked at Terry.

"Thanks for coming with me," she said gratefully.

"That's alright," he replied. "I had a better time with you than I would have done with mum and dad."

Padma smiled and tightened her grip on her purchases.

"I'll take that as a huge compliment. I'll see you in September, Terry."

She waved at him one last time and headed into the Leaky Cauldron. Padma spotted her grandmother and Parvati sitting at a table in a corner, drinking tea. They were surrounded by bags, and there were cages with two owls in them on the table. One was a small tawny and the other was a large eagle owl.

"Hello Padma," Meera said. She stood up and hugged her. "I'm very proud for you getting into Hogwarts. The eagle owl is a present for you. That way you can keep in touch with us all while you are away."

Padma looked at the owl, stroking its head gently.

"She's beautiful, grandmother." She smiled at Parvati who was sipping her tea and grinning widely at her twin sister. "Thank you."

"We'll go now," her grandmother said. "Go outside and wait for me. I'll pay for the tea."

Padma and Parvati gathered up all of their things and headed towards the door. Glancing around the gloomy pub, Padma spotted Terry sitting down with his parents. He was showing them his books and looked up, catching Padma's eye and waving. Padma waved back and hauled her things outside.

"Who was that?" Parvati asked, dumping her bags on the pavement.

"He's called Terry and he helped me in Flourish and Blott's," Padma said matter-of-factly.

Parvati giggled and played with her hair.

"Do you like him?" she asked.

"Not in that way!" Padma said sharply.

Parvati looked like she wanted to say something else, but she stayed silent when she noticed her grandmother walking out of the Leaky Cauldron. Meera held her wand in one hand and held it out until the Knight Bus rolled to a stop.

"'Ello!" Stan said cheerfully. "Back to your place then, is it?"

Meera nodded. Stan helped her up onto the violet bus and then hauled the twins' purchases on board with a lot of effort. This time Padma managed to sit down before the Knight Bus took off with a BANG.

She sat looking out of the window as they thundered down Charing Cross Road, thinking that the first of September couldn't come quickly enough.