Ch.1 Diagon Alley

Alexa woke up the following morning to the sounds of clattering and banging downstairs. She reluctantly flipped over and checked her wristwatch. 9:32. She sighed and slid out of bed and into her slippers. She walked down the musty hallway and clambered down the squeaky stairs.

She walked into the kitchen to find her father noisily rummaging through boxes.

"No, no, no," her father said poking through a box. He shifted over to another box and ripped it open. It was towels. He snorted disgustedly and began throwing them into the air in an effort to get to the bottom of the box. "Muggle packing," he muttered. "Who's brilliant idea was this? Can't find a damn…"

"Good morning Daddy," Alexa said, laughingly.

Mr. Regalton spun around and grinned. "Hey, love!" His smile disappeared. "Do you know where the cooking pans are?"

Alexa thought. "I would probably look in the box labeled 'dishes'."

Mr. Regalton nodded and pursed his lips. "Dishes…right." He walked over to a box and began looking through it with renewed energy.

Alexa a peered around the kitchen, investigating the appliances and the cupboards. She looked at the microwave curiously.

"I found them!"

Alexa turned, smiling. "So are you cooking or am I?"

Mr. Regalton looked at her disapprovingly. "You really shouldn't be doing magic yet, Alexa. You're not 17 yet…"

"But who makes better food? And THEY will think it's you…plus, that rule is ridiculous with Voldemort…" Alexa stopped.

Her father froze. "Voldemort…" He sighed and turned to look at her. Their eyes met and they both gave a fake smile. Mr. Regalton sighed. "You make breakfast."

"Ok." Alexa busied herself with taking the pots and pans out of their boxes.

"Alexa? I was thinking we could go into Diagon Alley to get your school supplies later. What do you think?"

Alexa spoke with her back turned. "Sure. But do we know what I need to get?"

"Your list came this morning."

"Oh." She turned and looked at her father over her shoulder. "What time?"

"After breakfast?"

"Ok." Alexa turned herself back to the scrambled eggs.

Alexa and her father walked through the archway at the back of the Leaky Cauldron and a frown crossed Alexa's face.

She looked around the alley, noting the absence of people, the enormous ministry fliers and 'wanted' pictures. She turned to her father. "I thought it would be busier."

Mr. Regalton looked around and nodded. "Me too. Come on Alexa, let's go."

They first went into Flourish and Blotts and got Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6; Advanced Potion Making;, Confronting the Faceless; Advanced Arithmancy; Herbs and Beyond; The Advanced Transfigurer;, and Ancient Runes Made Easy for all her classes at Hogwarts. Next they went to Madam Malkin's to get school robes and then they made a quick stop in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

As they approached Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, Alexa stopped and glanced at the sign in the window. "U-No-Poo?" Alexa said, incredulously. "Can we go inside, Dad?"

Mr. Regalton nodded, smiling.

Alexa pulled open the door and walked inside. The environment inside was nothing like the desolate atmosphere of the Alley. The place was filled with laughing people just enjoying themselves.

Alexa felt her father slide past her, further into the shop. Alexa looked around and couldn't help herself; she smiled.

"There now, Fred, I told you she could smile."

Alexa spun rapidly to be greeted by the sight of two tall bright red-headed boys. "What?" She said, surprised.

"My brother and I noticed your dreary expression and you entered the store, and he said he thought you couldn't smile," one of them said.

"Oh." Alexa said. "And you are?"

"Fred," said one boy. "And George," said the other. "Weasley," The ended together and bowed, smiling.

Alexa chuckled. "Alexa Regalton."

"See anything you like?" Fred asked.

"Well, I haven't had much of a chance to look yet."

"What are you interested in?" prompted George.

Alexa looked at him complacently. "What do you want to show me?"

George smiled. "A smart customer, eh?"

Fred snorted. "Over here is our cosmetics section, and then we have an assortment of muggle tricks; tricks wands; our specialities, skiving snackboxes; and in the back," He led her around, "is our Defense Against the Dark Arts section."

Here, George took over. "All these items," he pointed to various hats, shields, gloves, "have shield charms on them. We also have Decoy Detonators, which will make a distraction for you, as well as instant darkness powder."

Alexa nodded, turning around. "Fascinating." She turned back to the twins to find Fred inspecting her. "And what is your diagnosis?" she said to Fred.

Fred smiled, unabashed. "Are you new around here? No offense, you don't speak like a Brit…"

Alexa raised her eyebrows. "You're not getting off that easy. But yes, I just transferred here from America."

A woman poked her head through the doorway. "Excuse me Mr. Weasleys, but you told me to tell you when your family came. And Harry Potter is with them also."

"Ah." Fred rubbed his hands together, grinning.

George lookedat Alexa. "You'll have to excuse us."

Alexa turned. "Harry Potter?"

Fred shrugged. "What can I say? He's a family friend." Then he turned and walked out the door.

"Hope you find everything you need," George added, before following his twin.

Alexa just stood where she was for a second before following the twins back out into the main store area. She saw Fred and George greeting some equally brightly haired people she assumed to be their family, and then she spotted her father off in a corner, inspecting the skiving snackboxes. She smiled and walked up to him. "Finding your inner child, Dad?"

Mr. Regalton turned. "Maybe." He chuckled. "This store makes me feel like a boy again."

Alexa grinned. "Well, we wouldn't want that. Come on let's go, before you buy something."

Mr. Regalton sighed and submitted to her.

Alexa and her father began twisting through the labyrinth of people towards the door.

"Leaving so soon, Ms. Regalton?"

Alexa turned and saw George, standing by his family, looking questioningly at her.

"Yes, unfortunately."

"Maybe we'll see you around sometime," Fred said, giving her a roguish wink.

"Maybe," Alexa replied. As she turned to leave, her eyes traveled over the family and stopped on a boy about her agewith jet black hair and a lightning scar on his forehead. Their eyes met for a moment, and then Alexa turned and walked out the doorway.

A/N:So the next chapter should really be getting into the story, this first one, plus the prologue was to give background and set up the rest of the story. Please tell me what you think! R&R!