Chapter Seven.
Shopping In Diagon Alley.
My jaw dropped in amazement. I didn't even realise I had stepped through the archway until Hagrid touched my shoulder. It was like I was a magnet being pulled towards another, Diagon Alley was incredible, it was crowded with people in multicoloured robes, pointed hats and arms full of books. A large range of ages wander the streets from elderly people to children younger than me or Harry.
Once we'd all stepped through, I looked back at the archway but it was gone. The sun shone brightly on a stack of blackened cauldrons outside the nearest shop. There was a sign displaying sizes and materials in which the cauldrons where made from, including pewter which is the cauldron compulsory for first year.
Both Harry and I wished we had more eyes because our heads where whipping about in every direction imaginable as we walked up the streets, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping but also the signs written in beautiful handwriting, colour paint and ink.
A low, soft hoot catches my attention, the noise came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium – Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown and Snowy. It was also advertised that the shop doesn't just sell owls, it also sells cats and snakes as well as bats. Whilst I was hypnotised by the animals, Harry was otherwise occupied by a broomstick – yes, a broomstick, I heard one boy not much older than me or my brother say, 'Look, the new Nimbus Two Thousand – fastest – ever –' Hagrid continued to walk us through Diagon Alley, there were shops selling robes, shop selling telescopes and strange silver instruments I'd never been before, there was windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, piles of spell books, quills and rolls of parchment, potion bottles and globes of the moon.
"Hagrid, how are we suppose to buy all of our things?" I ask, "We haven't got any money."
"Gringotts, the wizard bank," Hagrid says pointing to a snowy-white building which towered over the little shops. Gringotts was tilted at a odd angle, the entrance to the bank was polished golden doors. "There isn't any place safer." the giant claims as we enter into a vast marble hall, the floor was marbled with high ceiling with a beautiful crystal chandelier. At about hundred separate counters, ugly creatures sit scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins on brass scales, examining what looked like precious stones through eyeglasses.
"What are these things?" I whisper to Harry.
"Goblins, there nasty things, better stay close." Hagrid warns. There were so many doors acting as ways in and out of the hall, I see a few regular people come and go accompanied by goblins. We wander up to the counter that is being cared for by a scary goblin, despite it's tiny height, inside its mouth was needle like teeth and it's eyes were black and beady. "Mr and Miss Potter would like to make a withdraw."
The goblin hums in suspicious, he grabs the front of the desk revealing long talon-like nails, "Does Mr or Miss Potter have their key?" he questions staring at us in an intimidating manor. Hagrid then exclaimed quietly and began to empty his pockets on the desk, the goblin wrinkles his nose in disgust before finally, amongst the piles of items within Hagrid's pockets, he removes a tiny golden key.
"There's the little bugger," he says smiling happily to himself before handing the goblin the key who took is happily, he then pulled out a letter, sealed with the Hogwarts coat of arms but with TOP SECRET stamped in red across the front, "And I've also got a letter from Professor Dumbledore, it's about You-Know-What in vault You-Know-Which." whispered Hagrid, in a not very discreet voice but I assume its the thought that counts.
The goblin read the letter very carefully, "Very well," he said handing the letter back to Hagrid, "Griphook! Show Miss and Mr Potter to their vault."
Griphook was another goblin, who took us down a set of grand stairs to a small railway, there was a different contraption, it looked like a car just that the seats faced outwards and the drivers seat was goblin sized. "All aboard." the goblin announced, looking nervously at Harry, he climbed into the seat and gestured for me to join him. Taking a deep breath, I step onto the small footwell before sitting on the cold metal.
"Gringotts vaults go hundreds of miles beneath London," Hagrid informs us.
Then, without so much as a whistle from Griphook, the cart was off, hurling through a maze that presented itself of twisting passages. I tried to remember the way but it was impossible and the cart seemed to know its own way as Griphook wasn't steering, he was merely staring ahead. My eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but I kept them wide open as the cart plunged deeper into the caves, doors made from different colours, normally the same colour as the stone in which they are placed in. There was underground waterfalls and small patches of foliage. My stomach lunged and twisted with the sharp turns and sudden dips in the tracks, then the cart began to roll to a steady stop – thank god!
"Vault six hundred and eighty-seven." Griphook announced holding his arms up, Hagrid signed and picked the small goblin up and placed him on the uneven rock floor of the ledge outside the vault. "Lamp please," he required in a high-pitched voice, I handed him the lantern that was on the cart. Griphook took it gently from me before guiding us over to the vault door that was a dark green colour, almost black. "Key please." he then asked handing the lantern up to Hagrid who exchanged it for the golden key.
Griphook unlocked the door, a solid noise clicked and then then goblin ran the talon nail on his small index finger down a certain part of the door, another series of locks clicking to open echoed through the caves, a hissing noise followed by green smoke. Once it had cleared and Harry had stopped coughing, Griphook stepped aside and Harry and I peered into the vault.
It was dark like a save with only two lights shinning into two large tables, the light was illuminating mounds of gold coins, columns of silver and heaps of little bronze Knuts. Harry and I stand there memorized by – what I assume is – money.
"You didn't really think your parents would leave you with nothing did you?" Hagrid asked with a smile. I scoffed in sheer amazement, I thank our parents in a silent prayer. "Gold ones are Galleons, seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleons and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickles, it's easy enough to remember."
"Left pile is mine." Harry jokes.
I laugh as I watch Griphook go from one pile to another, taking exactly the same amount from each pile but putting them in separate bags. He handed me and Harry a bag each. "That should be enough for a couple of terms." Griphook says bluntly.
And then we left, with money that was actually mine in my hand was such an odd feeling, I almost didn't like it. If the Dursleys had found out that our parents had all of this money sorted from us, they'd have had it from us faster than blinking. Then I remember all the times Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had complained how much Harry and I cost for them to keep? And all this time, there had been a small fortune belonging to us, buried deep beneath London's streets.
We loaded back onto the cart and whisked back onto the tracks, rattling over an underground ravine, I leant forwards to see what was down at the dark bottom but Hagrid groaned and pulled me back by the scruff of my neck. The cart shuddered to a vault outside a vault marked seven-hundred and thirteen, which unlike mine and Harry's vault, had no keyhole.
"Stand back." Griphook ordered importantly and he – like our vault – stroked the door and it opened with a high pitched screech which reminded me of when Dudley scraped his fork along his plate at dinner. Something extraordinary must be inside this top security vault as Griphook explained that he and one other member of staff had access to this vault, anyone else would have been sucked through the door and sealed inside, Griphook also thought it was nice to add that they check the vault for people sealed inside but only once every ten days.
I was certain to see a vault filled with jewels, diamonds and perhaps emeralds but I was mistaken and very disappointed when all I could see was a grubby little package wrapped in brown paper lying on a large table. Hagrid took one giant step into the room, snatched the item and tucked it deep inside one of his pockets.
"Don't mention this, to anyone, you hear?" Hagrid asked sternly, almost scarily.
Harry and I just nodded, but I was curious and by the look in Harry's eyes I could tell he was too. I wonder what is inside the package Hagrid is so desperate to conceal?
Shopping was exhausting and now Harry and I had money, Hagrid was giving no mercy in whipping us round the shops quicker than we had ever walked before. Within the space of an hour Harry and I had bought all of our books listened on the requirements sheet giving to us along with our acceptance letters. We had also picked up plain work robes, Harry's came in sizes small, medium or large whereas I had to stand and be fitted by a women who smelt like moulding cheese, thankfully hats and winter cloaks were sold in the same shop so we managed to buy all of those in bulk getting a rather nice discount for being new first-years. No one else gushed over me and Harry and it felt nice blending into the crowds were we, for once, felt normal.
Hagrid slipped back off to the Leaky Cauldron as the carts in Gringotts had made him feel ill. Harry and I didn't mind, we managed to pay for the rest of our school supplies, people gave us funny looks in the shop where we purchased our protective gloves, cauldrons, phials (glass), telescopes and bass scales. Soon it was becoming too much for Harry and I to carry all the bags and items, we were so relived when Hagrid showed up again pushing a large trolley. We loaded our items into the trolley and Hagrid insisted he pushed.
In the next shop, Harry and I bought trunks which we had only seen in old films but unlike the films, these trunks where beautifully crafted and pressed with the Hogwarts coat of arms. We made pit stop and transferred all of the bags to the trunks.
"Now, you two head off to Mr Ollivanders, the best wander maker ever, I've got something to do so I'll pop in when yous are finished." Hagrid smiled, Harry and I looked nervously at him but he simply pointed us in the direction of the shop and left.
The shop was narrow and shabby with gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. As we stepped inside, a thick bell rang somewhere in the shop, the foray was small and a rotting desk sat no more than four meters from the front door, from then on was bookcase and bookcases of thousands of small boxes stacked neatly on large shelves. A thick lump blocked my throat and I was almost ready to leave then the noise of a rolling echoed through the shop and a elderly man on a moveable ladder appeared at the edge of one of the nearest shelves. He peered at his with his blue eyes hidden by white wispy locks. And then he smiled warmly.
"I wondered when I'd be seeing you two." He grinned before coming down from the ladder to greet us, he shook our hands transferring dust from his palm to ours. "My word, Grace if it wasn't for your scar I would of mistaken you for your mother. And Harry, you look just like your father, except your eyes of course, they are your mothers."
"You knew our parents?" I ask.
Ollivander nods, "It only seemed like yesterday they were in here buying their first wands." the old man hums, "Your mother had a lovely wand for charm work, ten and a quarter inches, long, swishy and made of willow. James – your father – had a different wand, mahogany wood, eleven inches, a little more power and excellent for transfiguration."
Suddenly, Mr Ollivander's hand moved quicker than anything I'd seen before, the elderly man swept a piece of Harry's fringe away from his forehead revealing the lightening-bolt scar. Ollivander's misted eyes flicker between myself and my twin. The wand shop owner studies our faces and body language carefully before stepping backwards, "Now, ladies first." he says pointing to myself before turning swiftly to the cases and cases of boxes.
He reappears from around a corner holding a black, rectangular box. He rests it on the desk and removes the lid revealing a beautiful wooden wand which faded to back at the handle. Ollivander hands it to me, I grip the handle, I'm not sure what we expected to happen but nothing was, I looked up at the man who stared at me in confusion. "Well, give it a wave." he orders. I do aiming it towards a vase of dying flowers, the glass shattered making us all jump. "Defiantly not," Mr Ollivander mumbled to himself before wandering off to another case of wands, I watched him select another box. He looked worried for a moment as he studied the box.
"Try this one," he says handing me the wand, this one was far more interesting than the previous want, it was made of dark wood with a crafted handle. There was a small tint of blue at the tip and base of the wand with small details that appeared to be vines. As soon as I took the wand in my trembling hand, I felt a sudden warmth in my fingers and my hand became steady. What should I? Wave it? I look over at Ollivander, who just nods in approval.
I waved the wand through the dusty air, simultaneously: there was a crack and soft stream of dark blue light and silver sparks shot from the end like a firework. Harry and I both yelped but Mr Ollivander clapped loudly, "Bravo! But interesting..." he then mumbled to himself.
"Interesting how?" I question.
Mr Ollivander took the wand off me, re-boxed it and wrapped a gold ribbon around it. "Ebony wood, ten ½ inches and the core is the tail-hair of a Thestral. Very powerful wand, good for charms and the dark arts." He informs me, Harry looked at me very nervously, "Now, Mr Potter, its your turn."
Harry's eyes flickered nervously between me and Mr Ollivander but I smiled warmly at him. Harry stood in front of the desk where I had previously been stood, I stood by the window gently tracing the golden letters on the black box. I had a wand, a actual magic wand. Like myself, it took Harry a wand or two that wasn't right for him before Ollivander handed him a wand that was larger than mine but not by much and a lighter shade of wood. The moment he grabbed the wands handle, he seemed to light up and a gust of wind, whose origin was unknown, ruffled his hair.
"Curious... very curious..." Mr Ollivander began to mumble to himself, removing the wand from Harry's grip before running it through his own finger, examining it closely. Harry and I stared at him in confusion.
I stepped forwards lightly, "What's curious?" I ask.
Ollivander fixed a pale stare at us as we stood side-by-side. "I remember every wand I've ever sold. The phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, Mr Potter, gave another feather – just one other. It is very curious that you should be destined for this wand, when it's brother, gave you those scars." He said pointing at our faces.
The lump in my throat grew, "Who owns that wand?" I question.
Mr Ollivander shook his head and gave me a cold look, "We do not speak his name." he warned, "The wand chooses the wizard or witch, it's not always clear why but from the wands that have chosen you two, I except great things."
We paid for our wands and left the shop feeling like a heavy cloud was hanging over us. Heading back to the Leaky Cauldron, we see Hagrid seated at a long table by the fire place with our trolley which holds Harry and my trunk. However, there were two new additions to the pile of items we had bought, a metal cage and a carry-box.
"Hagrid, what are those?" I ask pointing to the items, Hagrid just smiled and pushed the carry-box over to me, I peeked inside the wooden front to see a beautiful Bengal kitten, it purred furiously at the sight of me. I turn to see Harry who was gushing over a stunning Snowy Owl.
"Happy birthday." Hagrid gleamed at us as we gushed over our new pets. Harry and I lunged to hug Hagrid thank you. However, no matter how happy Harry and I were to see we actually had a pet to take to Hogwarts, the words that Ollivander had said to us was still looming over my head and I could tell by Harry's facial expression, it was worrying him as well, even more so, the wand that gave us these scars was brothers with Harry's. What does that mean for him and me?
"Are you two okay?" Hagrid asked once we'd seated down to eat, "You're very quiet."
I signed heavily before looking over at Harry who looked like he wasn't going to speak, so I did, "He killed our parents, didn't he? The one who gave us our scars." I say to Hagrid whose happy eyes plummeted. "You know Hagrid, we know you do."
It was Hagrid time to sign, he pushed away his food and leaned back so he had both of us in his vision, "First: you need to understand this, Grace, and you too Harry because it's very important, not all wizards are good." he says in a low voice, poking the hard oak table with his index finger, "Some of them go bad, and not long ago, there was a wizard who went as bad as you can go. And his name was V-v..." Hagrid signed as if speaking this name was actually doing him physical harm, "His name was V-v-v..."
"Maybe if you wrote it down." Harry suggested.
Hagrid shook his head, "No, I can't spell it, all right – " then he took the deepest and most cleansing breath he could manage before releasing it slowly, "His name was Voldemort." Hagrid's voice was so hushed I almost didn't hear the name.
"Voldemort?!" Harry and I exclaimed in unison as if saying the name was no big deal, but Hagrid cringed as the name escaped our lips. How could he be so scared of a name? I mean, it is only a name after all.
"Hush!" Hagrid almost wails, Harry and I look around to see if anyone had heard us but the Leaky Cauldron was close to empty, aside from the barman. Hagrid leant in prompting Harry and I to lean in as well, "It was dark times, very dark times. Voldemort started to gather some followers, brought them over to the dark side. Anyone who stood up against him ended up dead." he tells us slowing making sure we were keeping up, then he signs with sadness, "Your parents fought against him, but no one lived after he decided to kill them. No body. Not one. Except you two."
"Us?" I ask in horror, "Voldemort tried to kill us?"
Hagrid nodded, "Yes, that isn't any ordinary cut on your faces. Those marks only come from being touched by a curse, and a evil curse at that."
"What happened to You-Know-Who?" Harry asked.
The giant shrugged, "Some say he died, rubbish in my opinion, I reckon he out there still, too tired to carry on." he mumbles, then slightly brighten us, "But one thing is for certain, something about you two stumped him that night, that's why you're both famous, that's why everyone knows your names." Hagrid almost smiled, "You're the twins that lived."
Hagrid walked us back to the train station and passed over our belongings. I wasn't sure how pleased the Dursley's will be when Harry and I return with no only trunks filled with items to do with magic but also our own pets. My Bengal of whom still needs a name.
"Blimey!" Hagrid exclaimed suddenly making me jump, "Is that the time?! So sorry but I best be off, Professor Dumbledore will be needing –" he patted his pocket before hesitating about what he was about to say, "He'll be needing to see me." he recovers nicely, he reached into one of his pockets and pulled out an envelope. "Yous tickets for Hogwarts Express, the train leaves at exactly eleven o'clock so get there early. All the other information is on your ticket, don't loose it and if the Dursleys are a problem, send me a letter with Harry's owl, she'll know where to find me."
"Thank you, Hagrid." I smile before hugging him, Harry does the same. And then we head off to the train that will take us back to the Dursleys and back to normality. The boring normal that Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia will force as much upon us before we can escape.
Hagrid waves us off, Harry and I sit by the window so we can wave but as soon as the train begin to move, and all in the time span of a blink, Hagrid was gone.
A/N: Now, I need your help, Grace's cat needs a name, it's a boy so give me suggestions! Also, just to stir the pot, most Death-Eater wands are made of Ebony wood ;) Make sure you follow, favourite and review.