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I know this story might seem like kind of a strange idea but trust me, I have a good plan for it and it will get loads better.
Alright, ready for chapter 2!
Chapter Two
Diagon Alley
"It should be here," Renee said frowning down at the directions in her hand.
That morning she and Bella had set out for London to find Diagon Alley. Bella had been hoping desperately that it really existed. She had never really been to London, atleast not into the very heart of it and was finding all the sights, sounds, and people she passed very intriguing.
The directions they found in the Hogwarts letter had led themdown tiny cobbled streets and past buildings that seemed to be getting older and older as they went along. Yet all the shops were very modern and very ordinary. Nothing looked like the sort of place one could buy a cauldron or a magic wand.
Renee was following the directions to the letter and soon they found themselves on a small street, lined with shops and little cafe`s. Here they stopped and Bella wached her mother peer up and down the street.
"It says we're looking for a pub called 'The Leaky Cauldron'," She said frowning, "I don't see it anywhere."
Bella too began to search the street for such a place when suddenly she realised that it was right in front of her. It was a tiny inconspicuous place, which was why she had not noticed it at first. However she could not help but take note that the other people passing by did not even glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big bookshop on one side to the shiny new CD shop on the other. If Bella didn't know better she would say they couldn't see it at all.
"Mum," she said grinning, "It's here, right here, we're standing right infront of it."
To Bella it looked as though her mother was staring right at the pub, but from the look on her face Bella could tell that, like everyone else on the street, she could not see it.
"What do you mean?" Renee asked looking from the bookshop to the CD store, "It says it's a little pub, there should be a sign-"
"But there is!" Bella interupted, she took her mother's hand and pulled her forward till they were standing almost in the doorway of the pub, "Can't you see it?"
Renee blinked bemusedly at the door for a moment before a sudden awareness became apparent in her eyes.
"How odd," she said in amazement, "For a moment I couldn't see anything at all but then here it was!"
Mother and Daughter stared at each other. A huge smile grew on Bella's face.
"Magic..." she whispered and Renee nodded slowly.
Bella clutched her mother's hand as they entered 'The Leaky Cauldron', she felt a bit of a baby for doing so but she couldn't help it. Butterflies were fluttering in her stomach.
Inside the pub was dark and grubby looking. Bella stared wide eyed at it's patrons. They were all so strangely dressed, in long robes and strange hats. They didn't notice Bella and her mother enter. Renee was once again consulting the directions on the sheet of parchment.
"We've got to ask Tom the bar man how to get on to Diagon Alley," she said finally folding the parchment and placing it carefully in her hand bag.
'Tom' turned out to be a very old and toothless bald man. He knew exactly what they wanted before they even said anything.
"Muggle born eh?" he said kindly, peering over the bar at Bella who blushed.
"Muggle?" Renee asked confused.
"Non Magic folk, like yourself," Tom explained with a toothless grin, "We call 'em Muggles, er, you'll be wanting to get into Diagon Alley, yes?"
"That's right," Renee said and Bella nodded.
"Right," Tom said joining them on the other side of the bar, "follow me."
He led them out to a small walled court yard, there was nothing there but a bin and some weeds.
"Now you'll want to watch me miss," Tom said smiling at Bella, "you'll have to do this yourself, once you get a wand of course."
Tom pulled a long thin wooden stick out of his pocket. Bella and Renee exchanged glances, both wondering what on earth that was for. Tom tapped the wall three times on a certain brick with the tip of his stick.
The brick he touched began to quiver, in the center a tiny hole appeared, it steadily grew wider and wider until soon they were facing a wide archway opening onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.
"Amazing," Renee mouthed and Bella just stared in wonder.
"That's Diagon Alley," Tom said bringing them both out of the daze they were in, they looked at him, "you need to visit Gringott's Wizard Bank first of all, Muggle money is no good here, you have to get it changed. It's the big white building at the end of the street, can't miss it."
"Right, yes," Renee said shaking her head in amazement, "Thank you Tom."
"Not a problem dear," the old man said winking, he turned to Bella, "good luck at Hogwarts."
"Thanks," Bella said as he walked back into his pub.
They stepped through the archway and into a seemingly new world. Bella looked back and to her astonishment noticed that the archway had disappeared and she was once again staring at a regular wall.
The mid day sun shone down on the street and glittered on the cauldrons stacked outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons_All Sizes, Shapes And Colours_Pewter, Copper, Brass, Silver, and Gold_Self Stirring_Collapsible_Now Introducing Self Heating!, said a sign above the door.
"I need a cauldron," Bella said looking interestedly at the shop.
"We apparently need to get our money changed first though," Renee said with a little laugh, "Imagine that, a different currency too!"
Bella could hardly contain her excitement as they continued down Diagon Alley, she wanted to visit every shop and see everything. Even the people hustling a bustling up and down, their arms filled with shopping, were interesting to watch. A woman in bright green robes passed them muttering under her breath, something about, "Powdered horn, gone up to a galleon an ounce, outrageous!"
When they passed a shop called Eeylops Owl Emporium, Renee pointed out that they probably needed one of those too, as it was mentioned in Bella's letter. Outside another shop Bella saw a group of boys ogling a broomstick that hung in the window, the sign under it proclaimed, NEW LIGHTENING BOLT! FASTEST BROOM EVER!
There were shops selling everything Bella could imagine and many more things she couldn't. She thought she had never been so excited in her entire life.
"Ah this must be it," Renee's voice made her look up. They were now standing in front of a huge marble white building, it towered over the entire street. Standing beside the burnished bronze doors was...what was it?
It stood about a head shorter than Bella. It had a vaguely human and intelligent face with pointed features and very long, thin fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside.
They were then facing a new pair of doors, these ones were silver and above them was written:
Enter stranger, but take heed
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,
Theif, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.
Bella felt herself shudder as she read those words. The warning was very effective, immediately Bella thought that a person would have to be mad to try to rob that place. Two more of the small swarthy faced creatures bowed them through the silver doors. They entered a vast marble hall where about a hundred more of the little creatures sat behind long desks on high stools. Renee hesitantly made her way over to one of them who seemed to be doing nothing, Bella followed.
"Er, hello," Renee said, "We need to have some money changed."
Bella read the tiny badge on his shirt which said 'teller goblin, Grimblydook Gorble'. The goblin nodded to her mother.
"Muggle money?" he inquired in a tone which suggested he already knew.
"Yes," Renee said, "and would you mind explaining, er, wizarding money to me? I don't know exactly how it works."
"Not a problem," the goblin said as Renee took a number of notes out of her purse. He pursed his lips as he counted out the money she handed him. He reached down and pulled a large wooden box from somewhere under the desk, out of it he began to take and count out a sum of strange coins. When a small pile of them had formed on the desk he stopped and put the box, along with Renee's money, under the desk.
"Right," The goblin said, "The gold coins are galleons, there are seventeen sickles to a galleon, sickles are the silver ones, and there are twenty nine knuts to a sickle, the knuts are the small bronze ones. It's very simple."
"Right," Renee said eyeing the pile of coins dubiously as though wondering how she was going to fit it all in her purse. The goblin seemed to realise her ire and handed her a blue velvet drawstring purse with a Gringotts crest on it.
"Promotional item that," he said as Renee slid the coins off the desk and into it, "Only available for a limited time."
Bella took a deep breath as she exited Gringotts, something about the goblins made her ill at ease.
"I think," Renee began, "that we should get your uniform first, that shop over there sells them."
Sure enough 'Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions' did have a large sign outside saying, Hogwarts Uniforms Available Now!
Bella entered the shop and glanced around. She barely had time to take in the sight of a multitude of lush shining fabrics before a short, plump, smiling witch was standing before her.
"Hello there," she said to Bella, she looked up at Renee, "Hogwarts yes?"
"Yes," Renee confirmed with a smile of her own.
"Good, good," she said taking Bella's arm, "Just go stand on the stool over there, where that other young lady is, yes, I'll be there in a moment," she looked at Renee, "feel free to have a seat dear, " she said gesturing to some chairs along the wall.
Bella walked over to where Madam Malkin and showed her and stepped up onto the stool. Another girl was there, standing still, whilst another witch took her measurements. She had mousy brown hair pulled back from her face in a long plait and wore round black glasses.
"Hi," she said smiling shyly as Bella stood next to her.
"Hello," Bella said just as shy.
"Are you going to Hogwarts too?" she asked, she had a soft timid voice and Bella almost couldn't hear her.
"Yes," Bella said, "I got my letter last week."
"So did I," the girl said, "I was so happy, I hardly ever showed any signs of magic, you see...I was worried I was a sqib!"
Bella didn't know what a sqib was but she quessed it wasn't good.
"Oh," she said, "well I didn't know I was a witch until I got my letter, it was definitely a surprise."
"You're a Muggle born?" the girl asked interestedly, "I've never met one before."
Bella wasn't quite sure what to say to that, so she shrugged.
Conversation between the two died out quite a bit after that as both girls were far too shy to keep it going.
"Bye," the mousy haired girl said softly as she left when her robes were all fitted and ready.
Bella left soon after that. Her new school robes folded neatly in the first of her shopping bags. Next, she and Renee bought parchment and quills, Bella was extremely fascinated with all the different kinds of ink, Renee had to talk her out of buying some that flashed and sparkled randomly, saying that her teachers might not take too kindly to it.
Then they went to Florish and Blotts which was the largest book store Bella had ever seen and the most interesting. The shelves were stacked with books all the way to the ceiling and all of them had the most interesting titles. Bella had wanted to stay and peruse the shelves for a while longer but Renee, who had no great liking for books, pulled her out after they bought what she needed for school. She used the excuse that they still had lots to buy.
Bella got a pewter cauldron, a set of scales and a collapsible brass telescope before she entered the Apothecary which she thought was probably the most interesting, if not slightly unpleasant, shop of all.
"Alright," Renee said as they exited the Apothecary, her nose still wrinkled against the smell, "we've only got to get your wand next...it's that shop there, 'Ollivander's' where you buy them, the nice lady in Florish and Blotts told me, why don't you go over there and get it, here's some money...I'm going to look into getting one of those owls for you."
"Okay," Bella said nervously as her mother gave her some money.
"I'll be right there Bella, I'm just across the road."
"Right," Bella said smiling, "I'll be fine."
Ollivanders was very small and shabby. Bella gaped as she read the words written is peeling gold paint above the door: Ollivanders, Makers of fine Wands est 382 B.C. A single wand, as Bella realised the 'sticks' that everyone carried were, lay on a faded purple cushion in the shop window.
There was a soft tinkling of a bell as she entered the shop. Bella suddenly felt as though she shouldn't even breathe too loudly. The very air in the shop was thick with something, magic? Bella didn't know, but it buzzed with it.
"Good Afternoon," a soft voice said out of the silence. Bella couldn't help but jump, pressing her hand to her chest.
A very old and tired looking man stood before her, he was looking at her, his wide pale eyes sparkling with amusement in the dim light of the shop.
"Oh...hello," said Bella, blushing bright red.
"Am I correct in guessing you are Muggle born?" the old man asked, his voice was soft and slow, barely a whisper.
"Yes, yes I am," Bella said, wondering how on earth he knew that.
"I can always tell," Mr. Ollivander said, almost as though he read her mind, "you look around you with such wonder in your eyes...magic is truly beautiful to you."
Bella nodded slowly and fiddled with the hem of her t-shirt, unsure of what to do with herself.
"Hmm, let me see..." Mr Ollivander said thoughtfully pulling out a tape measure, "which hand do you write with?"
"I'm right handed."
"Hold out your arm, that's right."
He measured Bella from shoulder to finger, from wrist to elbow, from shoulder to floor, from her knee to her armpit and round her head.
"All of my wands have a magical core substance. I use unicorn hair, phoenix tail feathers and dragon heart strings. No two wands are the same and you'll never get as good results with another person's wand."
Bella took in what he said with great interest. She could tell that he felt truly passionate about his wands.
"Ah, here, try this Miss...?" He said after measuring her and pulled a wand off a shelf.
"Swan," Bella answered, "Bella Swan."
"Right, Miss Swan," Ollivander said handing her a wand, "This one's willow wood and unicorn hair, ten inches, very swishy, give it a wave."
Bella took the wand and, feeling very foolish, gave it a wave. She wondered if anything was supposed to happen. Apparently something was supposed to happen as Mr Ollivander promptly took that one away from her muttering, "No, no, of course not..."
"Here," he said handing her another one, "Holly and dragon heart string, seven inches, whippy."
Once again when Bella waved the wand nothing happened.
"How about this one, Maple and phoenix feather, eight inches, flexible."
Nothing.
"Cherry and unicorn hair, eleven inches, springy."
Nothing.
On and on it went. Renee soon arrived now holding a caged owl in her arms but Bella could hardly spare her a second glance. Wands were being thrusted at her left right and center. Bella began getting the sinking feeling that no wand would ever be right and that she wasn't a proper witch after all when suddenly Ollivander clapped his hands and smiled.
"I know!" he said excitedly, "I'm willing to bet this one is right, Beech-wood and pheonix feather, twelve inches, pliable, try it."
As soon as Bella touched the wand she felt a rush of warmth shoot through her body. She gave it a little wave and shimmering purple and gold sparks came out the end and sparkled aound her.
She heard her mother's exicited gasp and Mr Ollivander clapped.
"Oh Bravo!" he cried happily, "I do like a challenge every now and then."
Bella paid seven galleons for the wand and Mr Ollivander bowed her and her mother from the shop. Renee decided to treat them both to ice cream, and they enjoyed choosing flavours they had never even seen before. As they sat outside the ice cream parlor Bella got a chance to look at the owl her mother bought her.
She was a beautiful snowy white, resting with her head under her wing.
"Mum, she's beautiful!" Bella said happily.
"I know, isn't she just," Renee agreed, "You can use her to send us letters when you're away at school, the man in Eelops said that these owls just know how to find anywhere! It's amazing really!"
"Wow!"
"What will you name her?"
Bella looked at the owl for a moment and frowned.
"I'm not sure," she said, "I have to think about it."
"Well it'll have to be something pretty won't it?" Renee said stroking the owl's feathers through the bars of the cage.
On the way back home Bella felt felt as though she was stained permanently red in the face because of all the scrutiny the people of Muggle London were giving her, laden as she was with her strange parcels and a snowy owl. She was happy when she and her mum got out of the last train and into their car in the lot to finally head home.
Her father was already home from work when they got back and Bella burst into the house with a huge smile on her face.
"Dad, we went!" she exclaimed, "Diagon Alley, it's really there, and I've got an owl and a wand and Dad, I'm really a witch!"
Charlie couldn't help but smile just as widely as his daughter because he hadn't seen her so happy since she was a very little girl.
So, chapter 2...you like?