The Safeworld Network
Disclaimer: Same as before. I do own Morgan Ylime though, and her family.
She's going to Hogwarts very, very soon, I promise. Oh, and advanced apologies for the airport scene. I modeled it after my family's goodbyes, which are really cheesy, but I don't know how to do them any other way! Also, I know most of you Harry Potter fans know all this stuff about Diagon Alley, but the Gringotts poem is one of my favourites
Chapter 5: Exchange Rates
Morgan still couldn't believe it. A week ago, she didn't even believe magic existed. And now, she was going to a special school for witches and wizards, and most amazingly, she was a witch! At least, that was what Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall had told her. Frankly, she still wasn't sure she believed them.
But despite her doubts, she was still excited. So were her parents. Morgan had eavesdropped a little on their conversation, and she heard Dumbledore tell her parent's that she would receive a full scholarship until she graduated, including her room and board. They would also set her up with a host family in England, so she wouldn't have to fly back for Christmas and Easter (which was only 4 days anyway). Her parents had of course accepted the offer immediately.
So now Morgan had the rest of the summer to pack and say goodbye to her friends for the year. Her parents were taking her to the airport on the 23rd of August. Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall would meet her there and take her to get her books and uniform when they reached London.
(August 23rd)
"Now you be good, alright? Do you homework, eat your greens, don't go sneaking out after hours…"
"Mom, please! I'm not 6 years old!"
"Yes, yes, I know. Oh! And remember to wear your uniform properly."
"I'm sure you'll be the best dressed kid in the school, darling," said her father, giving her a hug.
"Thanks Dad. I love you. I'll miss you. And you to Mom," she said, hugging her, too.
"Morgan! We'd better go now. Our plane's boarding soon, and we still have to clear customs." Professor McGonagall's voice floated across the room.
"Okay!" Morgan called back. "I'm coming!" She kissed both her parents goodbye and followed Professor McGonagall to the customs desk.
They cleared customs with little trouble (the guard was a bit hesitant about letting Morgan's math set on the plane because the tips of the compass were 'too sharp') and boarded their flight.
Seven hours later, the trio got off the plane in Heathrow Airport, London. They got on the tube and rode into London. When they stepped out, blinking, into the bright summer sunlight, Professor McGonagall asked, "Got your list?" Morgan nodded and unfolded it.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
Uniform
First year students will require:
Three sets of plain work robes (black)
One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags
Set Books
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamader
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
Other Equipment
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
"We can get all this in London?" she asked, surprised. Dumbledore smiled.
"If you know where to find it."
They walked on in silence for a while, then Professor McGonagall spoke. "Here we are," she said, stopping next to a small, grubby pub, in between a bookshop and a record store.
"I'm buying my supplies at a pub?" Morgan asked.
"No. But we have to go through the pub to get to Diagon Alley."
"Where's that?"
"You'll see," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. He was enjoying this. They walked into the pub. It was rather shabby and very dark, but the people around them seemed friendly and the bartender greeted Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall at once.
"Afternoon professors. What can I get you today?"
"Nothing right now Tom, but I think we may be back before long. Can we book three rooms for the night?"
"Yessir. I'll have the maid make them up right now."
"Thank you Tom. Now, if you don't mind, we have to get young Morgan here her things."
"Ah! So this is the one you were talking about."
"Yes," broke in Professor McGonagall, "it is. Now we must be going. Good day, Tom."
"Good day."
They left the pub through the back door and entered a small, walled courtyard, empty except for some weeds and a dustbin. Dumbledore counted to himself.
"Two across… three up… here we are, then." He tapped three times on a brick just above the dustbin. A small hole appeared in it. A second later, it had widened to an archway large enough for a giant. They stepped through and it closed behind them. Morgan glanced around, stunned. The cobblestone street wound away to reveal rows of brightly coloured shops. People lined the street; Parents laden with heavy parcels, children scampering excitedly about, teenager lounging on the curb outside… it all added up to a very lively scene.
The shop on their left seemed to sell cauldrons. Morgan eyed it and said, "Should we start there, then?" Dumbledore shook his head.
"No. Your parent's gave me your money, of course, but it's Muggle. We have to go to the bank and exchange it."
"Oh! Wizards have their own money? What's the exchange rate like?"
"Higher than the dollar, but lower than the pound."
They walked on for a while, until Morgan spotted a towering white building with gleaming bronze doors. "Is that it?" she asked.
Professor McGonagall nodded. "Gringotts. It's run by goblins."
"Goblins? Really?" Professor McGonagall nodded again and led the way up the polished stone steps. Next to the door stood a figure in a bright red and gold uniform. It was a strange creature, about a head shorter than Morgan, with long fingers and feet and a swarthy, clever face. He opened the door and bowed. They now face a second door. It's silver surface was engraved with the following:
Enter, stranger, but take head
Of what awaits the sin of greed,
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn,
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.
Two goblins opened the silver doors and bowed them into a vast marble hall, lined with a long counter. About a hundred goblins sat on high stools behind it. Some were scratching long lists of numbers in huge ledgers, others were weighing coins or examining gems. Professor McGonagall spotted a free goblin and headed over.
"Good morning," she started. "We need to open up an account for Miss Ylime here."
The goblin looked up and grabbed a different book. He opened it and started to write. "Full name?" he said without looking up. Professor McGonagall nodded for Morgan to answer.
"Morgan Elizabeth Ylime."
"Spell it"
"M-O-R-G-A-N space E-L-I-Z-A-B-E-T-H space Y-L-I-M-E."
"Birthday?"
"July 1st, 1993"
"And you are a British citizen?"
"No. Canadian."
"Here is your key Miss. Would you like to make a deposit?"
Morgan thought for a moment, than turned to Professor McGonagall.
"No thank you. But we do need to exchange some money."
Half an hour later they walked out of Gringotts with a leather sack. "These bronze ones here," explained Dumbledore, "are called Knuts. The silver ones are called Sickles and the gold ones are Galleons. Twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle and seventeen Sickles to a Galleon. Now, first we should get you fitted for your robes, then we can get your supplies while we wait for them to be hemmed."
So they went first to the robe shop, where a nice old lady named Madam Malkin outfitted her with a long black robe and pinned it up to be hemmed. They went to the apothecary to get her standard potions ingredients, to an equipment shop, for her scales and telescope, and then to the cauldron shop, for a standard pewter cauldron (Professor McGonagall did agree to let her get a collapsible one, so she could fit it in her suitcase). Then they went into Flourish and Blotts for her school books, and they almost didn't come out. Once you put Morgan in a bookstore, it was very hard to get her out again. Luckily, Dumbledore had been prepared for this. Two hours later, they walked out, carrying all of Morgan's set books, and quite a few others, including a nice thick one called Hogwarts: A History and one Dumbledore had bought her for a birthday present called Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century.
"Read that and you'll be well on your way to understanding anything the other students are talking about," said Dumbledore.
They picked up her robes and went back to the Leaky Cauldron. After settling Morgan's things in her room, they went down into the pub for dinner. As they ate their meal, McGonagall laid their plan for Morgan.
"We thought that you wouldn't mind spending the rest of the week here. We'll go get your wand tomorrow, and then Dumbledore and I must get back to Hogwarts. You can explore Diagon Alley, or go into London. We'd just like to ask you to follow a few rules."
Here McGonagall paused, and Dumbledore took up the thread.
"When you go out, please tell Tom where you're going. You may go anywhere in London or Diagon Alley, but please go no further and do not, under ANY circumstances, enter Knockturn Alley. Other than that, you're free to enjoy yourself. Any questions?"
"What's so bad about Knockturn Alley?"
Dumbledore's voice took on a decidedly concerned tone as he replied, "it's an evil place Morgan. A refuge for wickedness and trickery, full of all sorts of murders, riff-raff, and cutthroats."
"Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay…"
Dumbledore quickly changed the subject, and the rest of the evening was spent in pleasant conversation.
The next week passed swiftly. Morgan spent the chief of it exploring London and shopping. In fact, after walking through the doors of Hamley's, it was a wonder she left London at all! But at the end of the week she packed up her suitcase (which was considerably heavier thanks to the addition of textbooks, 5 Lego sets, a Hamley's 'magic' drawing board, and a bag of Lego 'Pick-a-Brick'), hopped on a subway train (for a moment she forgot she was in London, and that Londoners called the Underground the 'Tube', but she soon realised her mistake after receiving several funny looks when she asked someone the way to the nearest Metro station), and was on her way to Kings Cross Station, and the Hogwarts Express.
Gotta love that Metro!
Next Chapter: Morgan Meets Malfoy. Oh dear……