Chapter Two: Learning to Speak Diagonally

"Ah, there you are, Mr. Potter. We just need to drop by Hagrid's and then we'll floo over to the Leaky Cauldron."

Harry stared at her for a moment as if she'd grown an extra head. "Excuse me, but I don't have the flu, and I'd highly prefer a cauldron that doesn't leak. If that was some sort of strange wizarding saying, I'd appreciate an explanation."

Professor McGonagall appeared to be trying not to laugh. "Actually, Mr. Potter, the Leaky Cauldron is a pub that has an entrance to Diagon Alley in the back, and floo powder is a form of wizarding travel, nothing to do with the illness. And we're going to Hagrid's because he'll be coming with us. Since the summer's over they'll be less people around the shops, so Dumbledore and I thought it'd be best to have Hagrid along, just as a precaution, what with Sirius Black on the loose."

Harry was by now looking vaguely annoyed. Deciding to just not ask why anyone would name any place "diagonally," or technically "Diagon Alley," he skipped straight to the question he suspected was most important. "And who, may I ask, is Sirius Black?"

McGonagall seemed to be caught off guard. She'd clearly expected him to know about whoever it was. "Black- Black is a murderer who broke out from Azkaban recently. He's considered a threat to the point where the ministry is talking about bring dementors to guard Hogwarts."

"That's lovely. In fact, if I knew what 'azkaban' or 'dementors' were, it might even have been helpful."

"Azkaban is a wizarding prison, and dementors are its guards. Come along, Mr. Potter. I'd like to arrive sometime this week."

"Coming, Professor."

"I'm sorry you weren't raised properly among wizards, we thought you'd be safe at your relatives..." she told him almost tenderly as they walked out the main doors.

Harry was quiet for a moment. "I wouldn't change it, even if I could." Because my past is part of me.

When they arrived at Hagrid's they found that they weren't the first to arrive for a visit. Hermione Granger was sitting inside with a cup of tea.

"Good afternoon, Professor- Harry!" she exclaimed, catching sight of him.

"So I'm a Professor now, huh?"

Hermione mock glared at him for a moment, and then her face broke into a broad smile.

"It's good to see you... but- where were you? How could you just vanish like that? How was your summer? What are you and Professor McGonagall-"

"We're heading over to Diagon Alley to pick up some school supplies for Mr. Potter. We were just stopping by to get Hagrid."

"I'm ready, Professor. Sorry, must'a lost track o' the time."

"Harry, this is Hagrid."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Harry."

"'Course you are. Pleased ta' meet you. Lily an' James son, alive and well."

Harry smiled and nodded coolly. The extremely large man with his wild beard and hair, and friendly eyes seemed mostly pleasant, but he really had little interest in the man's sentimentality over his parents.

"Not to interrupt or anything, but can I come?"

"Miss Granger, there really isn't any reason for you to accompany us. You-"

"I haven't seen Harry in ages. He's a good friend of mine, and-"

"You knew, didn't you?"

"What?"

"Last year. You knew all along, didn't you, Miss Granger?"

Harry cut in, "Maybe we'll tell you after we get back if you let her come along."

Professor McGonagall looked from Harry to Hermione, and back, then sighed.

"Very well. You've been through a good deal, I might as well humor you."

A soot-covered Harry tumbled haphazardly from the Leaky Cauldron's fireplace. He his feet in seconds, due to reflexes built from years of running from Dudley and living on the streets. He shot Professor McGonagall a disgruntled look.

"Professor, I think you might have been wrong about floo powder being unrelated to feeling ill."

"Scourgify!"

"Thanks, Professor."

The fire flared up again, and Hermione stepped neatly out the fireplace. Harry glared at her.

"What?"

"Never mind, Miss Granger. Come along, both of you. Harry turned to follow Professor McGonagall, and then spun around upon hearing the fire flare up again to see Hagrid standing there. Hagrid, who was far taller that the fireplace.

"How-? Oh never mind," muttered Harry.

Hermione chuckled, and he mock glared at her.

Leaving through the back door of the Leaky Cauldron, they found themselves in a rather empty yard with a brick wall on the boarder.

Professor McGonagall approached the wall, and preceded to tap several of the bricks with her wand. The wall began to shift, creating a doorway into what Harry supposed must be Diagon Alley. He, Hermione, and Hagrid followed McGonagall's lead and stepped through.

Though Diagon Alley was in many ways not all that different from a muggle-run area, the shop names and products on display were very different, and probably would have been rather mind boggling if not for the time Harry had already spent at Hogwarts. He had only a few moments to glance around, however, before they turned left and enter a large marble building. Gringotts.

Harry read through the rhyme on the door. Enter stranger, but take head... It was a warning to thieves. It didn't matter, really. For once he was going to fetch valuables that belonged to him. Of course he'd stolen more food than money, but food was valuable as well. He couldn't help feeling a bit uneasy, walking into such a secure bank, perfectly visible and unprepared for whatever might be waiting inside.

A very cheerful Harry and Hermione followed McGonagall and Hagrid out of Gringotts, having greatly enjoyed the cart ride down to the vaults. Hagrid had opted to wait for them in the lobby, instead of coming down with them, as apparently the cart rides made him sick.

Harry now had a bag full of gold coins, apparently called "galleons," with which to purchase school supplies, which to Harry made things seem rather surreal.

"Alright, now that we're all together, here's the plan," began McGonagall once they were all outside. "I'll get the standard supplies, and the two of you will go with Hagrid to pick out robes and a wand. Make sure to stay with them at all times, Hagrid."

"But Professor, Flourish and Blotts-"

"We'll meet up at the Leaky Cauldron in an hour. You can do what ever the three of you can agree on in the time you have left over, if any."

"Yes, Professor."

The trip to Madam Malkins was rather uneventful, though Harry found being measured, and having cloth draped over him, pinned, and cut to be a rather odd experience. Ollivanders, the wand shop, turned out to be rather strange.

The store was quiet, besides the ringing of a small bell on the door that echoes softly as they walked in, and their own footsteps. It was slightly dusty, and dimly lit, adding to the strange mood of the place.

"Ah," a soft voice murmured, "Mr. Potter, I've been-"

A man with white hair and piercing silver eyes had stepped into view. He was now wearing a slight frown, and blinking several times purposefully.

"I haven't been expecting you at all. What on earth are you doing here?"

Hermione chuckled. Ollivander looked distinctly put out.

"Wand shopping," Harry replied calmly.

"I meant- oh never mind. Hold out your wand hand."

Harry held out his right hand, and blinked in surprise as a tape measure floated over and began to measure him. And measure. And measure. Ollivander finally told it to stop- when it had started measuring the distance between his nostrils. Harry highly doubted all this was necessary. Hermione looked amused.

It took a great deal longer to find a wand. Finally, when Ollivander handed him an eleven inch, phoenix feather and holly wand, a feeling of warmth grew in his fingers, and as he gave it a wave, a flurry of red and gold sparks shot from the tip.

"Curious," mutter Ollivander.

"What?"

"That phoenix whose feather is in your wand gave me another feather, just one other. It curious that wand should chose you, when its brother gave you that scar. We can expect great things from you, Mr. Potter. After all-"

"Shut up," snapped Harry, shoving a handful of galleons into the man's hands and striding out the door. Ollivander was starting to get on his nerves.

"We'll have to research that," commented Hermione as they walked with Hagrid back towards the Leaky Cauldron.

"Research what?"

"Brother wands. It might be important."

"Alright. Be sure to tell me what you find."

"Excuse me?"

"I'll have to do a lot of studying on regular subjects to make sure I'm up to second-year level, 'Mione."

"Oh, right, I hadn't thought of that. Of course I'll tell you whatever I find."

"Thanks, I really appreciate it." And he really appreciated her lack of cunning. He was already up to date on everything, but she didn't need to know that...

Harry was the first to enter Hogwarts. He was sighted right away by Snape, who was walking by.

"Potter, out after hours, are you? That'll be a week of detention and-"

"He's with me, Severus," cut in McGonagall, who'd walked through the main doors shortly after Harry.

"Fine. Why don't you escort him to his dorm, then, lest he find his way elsewhere."

"I will, since you're proving incompetent as head of house. Hagrid, could you escort Miss Granger to Gryffindor tower? Come along, Mr. Potter."

Harry followed her, leaving a furious Severus Snape behind.

"Potter, what are you doing here?" Draco Malfoy snapped as Harry entered the dorm.

"He's in this house as well, incase you hadn't noticed. About time you got here, Harry. Your bed's over here, by the way," said Theodore Nott from farther into the room.

"Thanks, Theodore," Harry replied, and walked by Malfoy, smirking.

A/N: So, another slightly strange chapter. I was planning to put more in it, but it's been a week since I last posted, and I wanted to get this up. Hopefully there'll be more up soon.

I've made a yahoo group, which can be found at h t t p / g r o u p s . y a h o o . c o m / g r o u p / h w s s e r i e s / (remove the spaces), for additional comments, questions, discussion, etc. You should go check it out, if only because I posted an image of ghost!Harry on the main page.

Many thanks to everyone who reviewed.