Chapter 5
Diagon Alley. Molly always felt a sense of peace when shopping at Diagon Alley. She was surrounded by people like her. Wizards who were proud of their magic. She loved browsing the various stores, always finding something new about her wondrous world. She loved helping out in her dad's shop, making people laugh and leave with a smile on their face.
School shopping, however, was her favourite. With every new textbook or piece of equipment, Molly became more and more excited for school starting again. Her impatience and anticipation to start the new school year were overwhelming. She had a healthy stock of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes supplies stashed in her case to last her all year and everything she would need in bags around the house.
"Are you sure you have absolutely everything?" Fred asked, the evening before Molly was due to return to Hogwarts, "your mother would kill me if you forgot something."
They stood outside the joke shop after closing time. Molly had been helping out all day, leaving Kat at home to finish the house.
Molly giggled, "I'm sure, dad."
"Books?"
"Yep."
"Quills?"
"Uh-huh."
"Parchment?"
"Definitely."
Fred leaned in to whisper, "Pranking essentials?"
"Actually," Molly joked, "I thought I'd leave those. Not very important, you know? From an awful business, too."
"I think you'll find that those products are from the best joke shop in Britain," Fred laughed.
"And you would know that because…?"
"Trust me, I've been to plenty. Muggle shops are awful, you know."
"Anyway…"
"Right, you wait here, I'll tidy up and lock the shop up."
Still chuckling slightly, Fred turned and went back into the shop. Molly sat on the cold pavement to wait, glancing around the deserted alley. After a moment, her eyes fell on a dirty sign, pointing towards a lane which was seemingly unused. Molly got to her feet and made her way slowly towards the street. She squinted slightly to read the filth covered sign. 'Knockturn Alley'.
The lane was dark and eerie, with moss growing up every wall. Hushed voices seemed to follow Molly. While the cobbled pavement was dirty and grimy, each shop was perfectly clean, dim lights in the windows casting long shadows inside. Vague figures cloaked in black bustled around the shops, each hunched over and lurking in the darkest corners.
One shop belonging to an undertaker had lines of human skeletons pinned on the back wall, a plaque above each one. Another shop sold all sorts of medieval forms of torture and punishment, all adapted slightly. There was a noose in the window which had the rope lined with sharp metal spikes which were tinted red and moved continuously around the loop. Molly sincerely hoped that it hadn't been used.
The entire alley reeked of dark magic so it wasn't long before Molly turned and started to speed back through the lane in what she hoped was the direction of Diagon Alley.
Just as she was about to step past the old sign, however, a loud creak stopped her in her tracks.
"My dear girl," the voice sent shivers down her spine, "I have something you might be interested in."
Molly didn't turn around. Although she had never heard the voice before, something about it put her on high alert.
"No… no thank you," she stammered, "I'm not interested."
"Oh, but you are. I can just about see the curiosity bursting from your little mind."
The voice was rough and hoarse, as though it hadn't been used in years.
Still without turning, Molly managed to stutter, "No, thank you. I really-"
"My dear, I think it would be a very good idea if you came into my shop."
Molly gulped, she could feel the tip of a wand being pushed into the back of her neck. "Actually, yeah. I might just come in, good plan."
"Clever girl. Very clever girl."
The wizard, staying hidden behind Molly, slowly turned her around and guided Molly into the shop and closed the creaky door behind them.
A/N: Oooh, might something interesting finally be happening? Took long enough