Diagon Alley
Over the next couple days, madness ensued within the Corkshire household. People were darting around trying to find different items, one of which was the bucket containing the family floo powder.
"Honey, we can't go to Diagon Alley without the floo powder!" yelled Mr. Corkshire.
"Yes we can dad," responded Josh. "We can always apparate with Lance grabbing onto one of us".
"And risk one of you getting splinched? No thanks. I'd rather be bitten by an acromantula than risk that happening to one of you boys. "Oh George, be reasonable," interjected Mrs. Corkshire. "I'll take them for side along apparation later today to Diagon Alley for school shopping."
"Fine Jen, but only if I get to come along with. I have to show my newest article to the boys. It is a hoot!"
"I can agree to that," said Mrs. Corkshire while nodding.
With having handled transport methods, the Corkshire family apparated into Diagon Alley without any hiccups. While walking through the main street, they saw articles in every window, including Olivanders.
Most of these articles were that of the catastrophe at the quidditch cup finals.
"Here boys, over here!" said Mr. Corkshire excitedly, pointing to his article on the wall of Eeylops Owl Emporium.
Cockatrice Goes on Rampage
at UK Quidditch Finals
Tragedy struck at this year's UK quidditch cup finals.
An enormous cockatrice got loose
from her reinforced viewing chamber and onto the field,
killing one person, and injuring several more.
With dragon pox season coming back around and
the recent rumor of accidents in the ministry,
St. Mungo's already have their hands full.
One representative from the Quiberon bench
(who insists he remain anonymous)
says that the cockatrice just, "wasn't cooperating"
and it just, "needed some air" but digging deeper, this
reporter found evidence to believe that this release was
part of a sinister plot to kill the renowned Yorkshire
Youngblood's seeker, Jonah Klepski. I don't know what
you're thinking dear reader, but yours truly has not
ruled out foul play from Quiberon as the cause behind
this thrilling mystery.
Continue article on page 8
"How much of this is really true dad?" Asked Lance. "I know your journalism can't always be trusted."
"Well…" Mr. Corkshire started uneasily. "The Deaths and injuries are true, but it wasn't exciting enough! So I decided to spice it up a little with some Quiberon - Yorkshire drama! Do you like it?" He added with a note of uncertainty in his voice.
"No dad! I can't have you spreading false rumors just to stir up excitement!" responded Lance. "It's wrong!"
"Clearly you have zero clue what the general public desires. If the public wants a jarring story, I give them a jarring story. And as a bonus, a big payday for a big story means presents for you!"
"You can't buy me anymore dad. I've moved past that stage of my life."
"Are you sure a new wand wouldn't change your mind?"
"Yes, I'm sure! And plus, you bought me a new wand last year after acing my third year exams. Now I'm going into my fifth year and I don't need any bribes from my dad."
Mr. Corkshire, extremely taken aback, rescinds his offerings and the Corkshire family goes back to shopping. In Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, Mrs. Corkshire forced her boys into the most horrendous looking dress robes they had ever seen. Lance's Robes had a hideous mismatch of what looked like spare parts of other robes, and Josh's robes had a bonnet and a mismatched bowtie. When the boys rejected their initial robes they instead walked out of the robes shop with matching robes and bowties, all of which ties nicely together with their brightly colored blonde hair. Outside of the next shop, the Corkshire family was met with a familiar face. It was Walter Malfoy, the quidditch commentator.
"Good afternoon, boys. Pleasure seeing you again!" Malfoy said with a grin.
"Mr. Malfoy! I can't believe you remembered us!" Responded Josh. "Of course I remember you! You were that delightful family I met in the top box at the quidditch cup! How are you boys? Ready for Hogwarts yet?"
"You boys talk to Mr. Malfoy," said Mr Corkshire. Your mother and I will grab the rest of your books and things. If you can't find us, you know what to do."
"Yup," replied Lance, then transferring his focus to Mr. Malfoy. "Not quite, we still have some shopping to do before we get on the train. Why are you here though? Seems like a heck of a coincidence meeting you here."
"Well I uhh…" Malfoy started uneasily, "If you must know, I was heading down to Knockturn Alley to grab some flesh-eating slug repellent for my lawn, so they don't eat up all of my petunias. Anyway, I must be off! Lots to buy…" And with that, Walter Malfoy vanished into Knockturn Alley.
"That was suspicious," remarked Josh as Malfoy walked down the alley. "What do you think he's really up to?"
"The hell if I know," Said Lance, confused with the whole ordeal as well. "Maybe he's planning something using dark magic he doesn't want us to know about"
"Maybe…" Pondered Josh. "But we should get back home. Mom and dad are probably done shopping and I can't find them anywhere. They always say to meet back at home if we get lost. Here, grab on." With that, Josh held out his arm and once Lance grabbed on, he apparated back home.
Inside the Corkshire home, madness once again ensued. Each morning Josh set off a louder noise every day ranging from a klunk on the head to the smack of a bat hitting a baseball. The morning the Hogwarts portkeys were to arrive, Josh set off an air horn so incredibly loud that Lance's eardrums had to be magically fixed by his mother.
"Come on! Today's the day we go back to school! Don't you feel even the least bit excited?" Josh asked after seeing the angry look on his face. "I am but it's KIND OF HARD TO BE EXCITED WHEN YOUR EARDRUMS ARE BROKEN!" screamed Lance angrily.
"Woah woah woah, calm down boys. It was one incident," said Mrs. Corkshire. "I'm sure you have good reason to be mad, but that never warrants yelling; we are a no yelling household, remember that.
"Yes mom," Lance responded with a hint of exasperation in his voice. "Now eat your food or else it's going to get cold," Mrs. Corkshire warned.
"Yes mom," Lance and Josh responded in unison, this time with even more exasperation in their voices.
After eating breakfast, the boys set off towards the abandoned hill with their father.
"Alright boys, have a good year!" Said Mr. Corkshire as he walked off of the hill.
"Bye dad!" answered Lance, Josh gave off a loud grunt while he was fixing the wheel of his luggage cart. When he got up, he walked over to his father and gave him a hug. After hugging, Josh walked away with Lance through the barrier between the hill and the hidden part into a whole different world. This was the world of magic.