Diagon Alley

Harry gripped Severus' hand tightly, dizzy from the portkey. Sev had said that the uncomfortable feeling would gradually disappear after more experience with the damn things, but Harry wasn't so sure.

He was weak and unbalanced and vulnerable. He clutched Snape's hand tighter. Wasn't there a better way to travel? Severus had mentioned something about 'apparating,' but he had also mentioned something about people being splinched. Harry wasn't quite sure what that meant, but was quite sure that he didn't want to find out. So, no apparating. Which left him with the floo network (Severus had assured him that the system was flawed, undignified, and involved stepping into a lit fireplace. Harry thought he wasn't going to be trying that anytime soon, thank you very much.)…and portkeys.

Damnit. Why couldn't wizards use cars, like normal people?

Hey, wait a second. Sev did have a car. That completely brilliant Ferrari. He'd just have to con Snape into using it next time they had to go somewhere.

Harry smiled a tiny smile, which disappeared when Severus gave his hand a little squeeze and then dropped it. What was the man doing?

He watched as the Professor strode up to the bartender, ordering a butterbeer and a lemon-lime iced soda, with extra fizz. He walked back to Harry, shrugging in a way the boy would have called sheepish in anyone else.

"It's been my favorite since I was a child." He explained, glaring at a pair of nearby teenagers—who quickly found another table—and sat down in a recently vacated chair. He slid the butterbeer over to Harry. "Try that. It's good."

Harry hesitantly reached out and wrapped his fingers around the steaming tankard. "Didn't you say—I mean, isn't this…alcohol? You called it a butter beer."

"No, it's not alcohol. It could be considered the equivalent of muggle…root beer, I believe the drink is called?"

"Oh. Okay then." Harry took a sip. His eyes widened. Whoa. This stuff was great.

He took a minute to look around.

The small bar was dark and shabby-looking. "So—this is the Leaky Cauldron? It's, um, interesting."

Severus snorted. "I believe the word you're looking for is dark. The owner thinks it creates atmosphere. It also lends the place a bit of anonymity, or it's supposed to. The Leaky Cauldron was originally created as a neutral place, a cease-hostilities area where light and dark wizards could get a drink in peace. Of course, it hasn't been like that for decades. Not since Tom's mother bought it, at least. Now it's almost exclusively for light wizards."

Harry flashed Sev a mischievous grin. "So what are you doing here?"

Snape tilted to the side and sent the boy a mock-snarl. "I could choose to resent that, Potter."

"Yeah. I know." Pause. "Are you going to?"

The professor slumped back in his chair (at least as much as he could while still sitting perfectly straight) and gave out a long, loud, put-upon sigh. "No, I suppose not." Harry watched as the man stared down into his empty cup. "Are you ready to go?"

"Um, yeah. Just--" He stood up, drained his drink. "Yes. All ready." He surreptitiously wiped his mouth on a hand.

And let out a sigh of his own as Snape quickly chimed in with—"Napkin, Harry, napkin. That is what they're there for, after all."

Whatever.

He followed Severus out to the back of the bar, borrowing the man's smirk as he noticed how the eyes of the other customers were quickly averted from his companion, and, by default, himself. No one was paying attention to him. In fact, they were ignoring him intently.

Harry smiled to himself, delighted. Hopefully the rest of the outing would be like that as well. Both he and Sev had been afraid of a media circus, which was the reason for the dark, enveloping wizard's robes with the long drawn-up hood he had wrapped around himself. He did not want to be recognized.

At all.

He ducked under Severus' arm as the man held the door open for him, and looked expectantly forward.

And blinked. There was nothing. A brick wall.Trash can. A few weeds. This could not be Diagon Alley.

Was Severus playing a trick on him?

"Sev…what's going on?"

The Professor sent him a puzzled look. "We're going to buy your school supplies. You've been looking forward to this for weeks."

"Yes, but--"

Snape moved in front of the trash can, almost absently counting out bricks on the wall.

Harry frowned. What the hell…?

"But what, Harry?"

"Diagon--"

He watched as Severus tapped a brick three times with his wand. And then drew a startled breath as a hole appeared in the brick, and it got bigger and bigger and this was Diagon Alley, it had to be. It was big. And strange. And had that woman just said something about Dragon liver? He followed Severus down the twisting street, spellbound, staring at all the things around him.

What does one do with a dragon liver anyway?

"Where's Gringotts?" Harry was really looking forward to buying stuff. Anything he wanted. The concept was so unreal.

"That way." Snape jerked his head to the left.

Harry frowned. If Gringotts was over there, why were they going over here?

"Um, why are we going this way, then?"

Snape still didn't turn to look at him. "To buy your school things, of course. Harry, I understand that you're distracted, but really, that was the whole objective of the trip."

Okay, Harry hadn't thought anyone could be thicker than Dumbledore, but Snape was definitely giving the old man a run for his money.

"Severus," He spoke slowly, as if to a child. "In order to buy things, one needs money."

Harry watched, distracted from his annoyance, as a muscle in the professor's jaw tightened. Could he do that? He tried it out, experimentally.

"I know that, Potter, quite we--" He paused, a startled expression appearing on his face. "What are you doing? You look ridiculous. Stop that."

Harry shot Snape an embarrassed look. His face felt sort of hot. Right. What had they been talking about again? "Um, I don't have any money to buy my school things. It's all at Gringotts, remember? You told me that."

"Ah. I see." Severus' face cleared. "I will be buying your Hogwarts supplies this year, as I am your guardian for the time being. If you wish to buy additional items, you will pay for them yourself. After we have bought everything necessary, we will visit Gringotts in order for you to withdraw some money from your account. Understood?"

Oh. Now Harry was sure he was blushing. Sev was going to buy his school things for him? When he didn't have to? That was…really nice. Almost too nice.

Did the man pity him, or something? Or, maybe Dumbledore had told him to do this. Damn. That had to have been what had happened.

How dare the old man interfere with his life that way! He was doing just fine on his own.

"You don't have to do that. Really."

"I know, Harry." The Potions Master sent the boy an indulgent look. "But I want to. It's not like I can't spare the money."

Ohhhhhhh. Harry was feeling all warm inside. Kind of giddy. He was on the top of the world.

"Are you sure?"

"Quite," Snape said.

Kay. Harry could deal with that. His cup was running over. He should share the joy. "You've got a really nice car," he blurted out.

Severus shot him a oh-my-god-you're-so-strange look. But it was okay. He was still joy-filled. Filled with joy. Joyous. Joyful. Joy-ey?

Okay. He should really, really stop now.

"So, where are we going first?"

"Well," Snape considered, "Flourish and Blotts is closest, but I really think we should visit that last. I'm not sure that my bag will hold everything I'm sure you'll be buying. So. Ollivanders first, I think. I'm rather curious to see what type of wand you'll be getting."

"Isn't Flourish and Blotts the bookshop?"

"Mmm."

"And we have to go there last?"

* * * * * * * * * *

End Chapter 19a

Wanted to get something out before I died of guilt.

*bashes head against wall*