Day Twelve - Diagon Alley
Harry visits the busy wizarding town to do some Christmas shopping.
Harry thought Diagon Alley was busy during the summer holidays when everyone was shopping for the new school year. That was nothing to the wizarding town during the Christmas season. Everywhere he looked there were witches and wizards rushing round with multiple bags in each hand. Parents were trying to keep track of young children who were getting distracted by the window displays and the Christmas decorations.
It was a relief when he finally made it into Gringotts, which was one of the more quiet places in Diagon Alley. No one wanted to disturb the goblins too much. He was guided to his vault to take out some money for his Christmas shopping, and once back in the marble entrance he hesitated. He really didn't want to face the horde of Christmas shoppers in the street. But, he supposed, he'd have to leave Gringotts sooner or later, and the sooner he got done with his shopping, the sooner he could settle in at The Leaky Cauldron for some food and drinks.
Stepping out into the cold December air, Harry glanced around the busy street to decide where to go first. He decided on the bookshop last, for Hermione's gift, and to go for one of the clothing stores first. He had to get some socks for Dobby, then he had decided to buy some new robes for Arthur.
As he continued on with his shopping, the town only seemed to get busier, so he tried to pick up the pace of his shopping. He stopped by Quality Quidditch supplies to get some new Keeper's gloves for Ron, along with a Chudley Canons poster. He bought a heart pendant and matching earrings for Ginny, that would glow whenever they were together. He went into one of the supplies stores to buy some yarn for Molly, as he knew she loved to knit. They had lots that were colour changing and others that adjusted to the temperature. He bought a nice selection of them all.
For Fred and George, Harry had already bought some muggle games and joke gifts for them to use and to give them more ideas for their own joke shop. For Hagrid, he got the latest book by Newt Scamander and planned to send him some mince pies from a nearby muggle bakery. Finally, for Hermione, Harry bought a set of wizarding story books. She loved to read and he knew she was fascinated by the stories told in Wizarding books compared to those in muggle ones.
It was with his arms full of bags that he finally made his way back to The Leaky Cauldron for a meal and a couple of drinks before he went back home to Grimmauld Place. He sat and organised his items while he sat waiting for his food, and made sure to hide Ginny's gifts so he could put them away in a safe place for wrapping when he got home without her seeing them.
It had been an exhausting day in Diagon Alley, and Harry decided that in future years, he'd get his Christmas shopping done early.