A/N: Thanks to Kchan 88 and Psychonerd 5 for the reviews.

Disclaimer: I do not, and most likely never will, own the Phantom of the Opera or Harry Potter.


Chapter 7

Before Reaching Diagonal Ally

The next morning, Raoul and Shagrid ate breakfast, then left for Diagonal Ally. But on the way back to shore, in a boat that was paddling itself, Raoul showed a bit of concern. "Shagrid, where am I suppose to get the money for all the stuff that I need? Uncle Victor or Aunt Patricia aren't going to give me a penny, and I don't have anything."

"What, you don' think your parent's left you anything?" Shagrid asked in complete shock.

"Well, no. Wouldn't I have already knew?"

"Maybe, but you didn't. They left you plenty of money in Dingdong's Bank."

"In what?"

"I suppose you've never heard of Dingdong's bank either. It's a wizards bank. Full of enchantments and curses. You'd 'ave to be crazy to rob it! Very well protected." After this statement, Shagrid withdrew a newspaper from one of his overcoat pockets. By the front of it, you could tell it was named the Daily Profit. Raoul assumed it was a wizards' newspaper. Something was interesting about the pictures on the front, though. They moved. As Raoul stared at this in amazement, he heard Shagrid mumbling.

"The Ministry o' Magic's goin' about, doin' great things again!"

"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Raoul asked in astonishment.

"Of course there is! For a wizard, yeh sure do know little about yeh world," Shagrid responded. "Neil Chocolate is the Minister of Magic."

The boat soon reached the harbor. Shagrid folded his newspaper back in his pocket. They began to walk back to town and to the railway station. Here, they bought their tickets to London, which confused Shagrid greatly. He couldn't understand pounds or pennies. He called it "Muggle Money," and said it was a lot more confusing than "Wizard Money."

When on the train, Shagrid told Raoul, "We should look at the letter yeh got. It 'as a list o' what yeh'll need."

Raoul took the letter that he had gotten last night from out of his pocket, then flipped it over to find a list:

Uniform:

1. Five sets of plain work robes. (White)

2. One plain, pointed hat. (White)

3. One pair of protective gloves. (Hippogriff hide)

4. One winter cloak. (White with bronze fastenings)

Course Books:

The Average Book of Spells

by Miranda Boshawk

An Unofficial History of Magic

by Bathilda Stagshot

Magical Somewhat-Theorized Theory

by Adalbert Goffling

A Beginner's Guide to Oh-So-Interesting Transfiguration

by Emeric Ditch

One Million Magical Herbs and Fungi

by Phyllida More

Magical Somewhat-Interesting Drafts and Potions

by Arsenius Jiggler

Boring Beasts and Where Not To Find Them

by Newt Salamander

The Pitch-Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection

by Quentin Thimble

Other Equiptment:

1 wand, preferably the color of wood

1 cauldron (silver, standard size 4)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope, and not those cheap ones you buy for the entertainment of toddlers

1 set pewter scales

Students may also bring an owl, or a cat, or a toad. First Years are NOT allowed broomsticks of any kind.

"We can buy all this in London?" Raoul asked.

"'Course yeh can, if yeh go to the right place!" Shagrid told him.