"Want to go to Diagon Alley?" Hermione asked, Aaron the day after the dinner at the Weasleys.
"Sure," Aaron said. "Are Muggles allowed in a magical place like Diagon Alley?"
"Yes, because a lot of the students are Muggle-born like myself and you can't expect a 10 or 11 year old to be able to find the alley on their own. Even if they can no parent is going to let their 11-year-old child go on their own with no parental supervision."
"True," Aaron agreed. "No responsible parent is going to let their kid go somewhere strange alone. I can't wait to see the place that you've been telling me about."
"I'm sure you'll find it fascinating, just as I did when my parents took me when I was 11. Actually, I was nearly 12, but that's beside the point," Hermione said. "My birthday is in late September about three weeks after the start of term."
"So school starts in early September," Aaron said doing the calculations in his head.
"September 1 every year," Hermione confirmed.
"I should've known. That's no different than any other boarding school," Aaron said shaking his head. "So are we Apparating or driving?"
"We can drive if you like," Hermione said giving Aaron a break.
"I would prefer that since Charing Cross Rd. is not that far away unlike the Weasleys who live in Devon."
"OK then," Hermione agreed, even as she went to gather everything else she needed.
Aaron, meanwhile, got his coat, since it was chilly out, as he had moved his stuff to Hermione's house in the last few days.
"Ready to go?" Hermione asked Aaron.
"I am, I'm looking forward to you showing me Diagon Alley," Aaron answered.
The two of them left the house and Hermione made sure to lock the door before they headed to her car.
"So when are you going to acquire house-elf like you promised Harry and Daphne you would," Aaron asked.
"I was actually hoping you had forgotten that," Hermione winced. "I won't say house-elves aren't useful, but I can't help thinking that I'm enslaving them. Something inside me just balks when getting a house-elf is brought up."
"Believe me, I understand," Aaron said, even as he put a gentle hand on Hermione's arm from the passenger seat. "You were brought up to abhor slavery no matter what form it took, but really, this isn't slavery, not in the way you're thinking. Harry told you to think of it as giving a house-elf a decent home. You remember our discussion about the twins right?"
"Of course I do, it was just the other day," Hermione said.
"What I'm getting out if you cannot push your ideals onto a different species. House-elves live by different rules and different laws of nature. They don't see it as slavery and yes, I know you believe they were brainwashed, but you have to remember they're not human so they wouldn't have human ideals."
"That's a point," Hermione admitted quietly, as she drove towards Charing Cross Rd and the Leaky Cauldron. "You're right, they're not human and I shouldn't expect them to have the same kinds of ideals that I was raised with. My conscious keeps telling me that it's no better than slavery no matter what the house-elves believe, but logically I know you are correct."
"We could hire human servants of course, but as Daphne pointed out house-elves are loyal and they won't betray their master, even on the threat of death. You cannot be expected to handle all the chores when we eventually have children, as they'll be more clothes to wash and more to keep clean. We'll probably have a yard and possibly a garden and you cannot be expected to do it all yourself not even with magic, especially since magic has to be under cover."
"I can clean clothes in an instant though with a simple Cleaning Charm," Hermione argued. "There'll be no wasting time on washing them the Muggle way. They can also be folded with magic. Of course, some magicals can't do simple Cleaning Charms, as they just don't have the knack, but that's not my problem."
"Don't change the subject," Aaron told Hermione firmly.
"I wasn't..." Hermione started to protest, but then, stopped, because yes, she had been changing the subject. "All right, I suppose I did go off on a tangent."
"Also, you have to remember that neither one of us can cook and while we can eat out all the time, doing so is expensive and unhealthy as well."
"I should be able to cook," Hermione shook her head.
"Why should you be able to?" Aaron asked with an eyebrow raised quizzically. "A lot of people can't cook so what makes you so different?"
"Because I'm very good at potions and if you can do potions then you should be able to cook, as they are very similar," Hermione explained. "I'm very good at potions if I do say so myself, but I can't cook to save my life, while Harry is the exact opposite. He can cook like a master chef but isn't good at potions.
"I see," Aaron said thoughtfully.
"Potion making shares many similarities to cooking, which is why I should be able to do both," Hermione said her tone rather aggrieved.
"Not being able to do something just makes you human," Aaron said. "None of us are perfect no should we be. If we were we'd be so arrogant that we wouldn't be able to stand ourselves."
"That's one of my major faults I don't like admitting when I can't do something," Hermione said.
"Back to the previous subject," Aaron said.
Hermione groaned. "You made a lot of good points and so did Harry and Daphne when we went to dinner at Potter Manor. I'll try to get over my aversion of owning a house-elf."
"Why don't you give one a try for say a month," Aaron suggested. "If you can honestly tell me after that, that you don't want one we'll find them a good home. Remember what you said about the symbiotic relationship. Both of you get something out of it."
"All right fine," Hermione said finally accepting defeat. "I'll ask the head Potter elf to find me one that needs a good home or there is an elf placement agency in Horizont Alley."
"Horizont Alley?" Aaron asked,
"It's an offshoot of Diagon," Hermione explained briefly.
"I would suggest doing that as soon as possible before you change your mind," Aaron encouraged getting back to the subject at hand.
Hermione knew that was a distinct possibility so she just nodded.
"Here we are Charing Cross Road, the Leaky Cauldron, technically, named number 1 Diagon Alley."
Hermione found a place to park and then she and Aaron got out of the car and walked across the street to the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione led the way taking Aaron's hand in her own so that he to could see the pub.
The Leaky Cauldron seemed to shimmer before Aaron's eyes before it solidified into a building.
"Whoa!" Aaron said staring at the Leaky Cauldron that he and Hermione were now standing outside of.
"Come on," Hermione grinned at Aaron's reaction, as she led him in the front door. "You'll have to try a Butterbeer but after we finish touring and our shopping in the alley," Hermione said. "It's a wizarding drink made out of butterscotch, sugar and water with a slight alcoholic content. It's actually really good."
Hermione led Aaron to the back of the pub to a small courtyard. Aaron looked around and didn't see anything but when he looked back at Hermione he saw her tapping certain bricks in the back wall of the alley. He watched in amazement as the bricks seemed to melt away to make room for a fairly wide doorway.
"Wow! That's pretty amazing," Aaron said, as he watched the doorway to Diagon Alley, appear.
"Come on," Hermione urged him grabbing his hand again and pulling him into the revealed archway.
Hermione pulled Aaron through the entrance and then closed it behind her.
~~~Aaron and Hermione~~~
"I know you told me about Diagon Alley, but I had no idea it was so large," Aaron finally said haven't seem to be in shock.
"Oh. this isn't the only alley," Hermione grinned. "There's also Knockturn Alley as well as Horizont Alley, and Carkitt Market. We don't have time to explore it all today. As far as Knockturn Alley is concerned it's not something you want to see. It is solely Dark Arts items. The people in that alley will hex you without apology and possibly kill you depending on who they are and who you offend. I've never been to Knockturn Alley and I have no intention of changing that habit. One thing I know, you had better be able to defend yourself if you decide to go down that particular alley. Besides, I'm a very recognizable figure because of the war I fought in and I don't want to give those at the Ministry of Magic an impression that I've taken up the Dark Arts and word would get back to them, trust me on that. That could cause us a lot of trouble in the long run so it's just better to avoid that particular alley."
"That still leaves three other alleys to explore," Aaron said taking Hermione's advice to heart as she was the one that knew her environment. If Hermione said it was dangerous to venture down that particular alley Aaron would pay attention to that advice.
"We'll have to make many trips to see all there is to see," Hermione said.
"If it does, it does," Aaron shrugged unconcerned.
"I need to go to Gringotts to get some money," Hermione explained.
"Do you have an account?" Aaron asked.
"I do," Hermione said. "It's easier than exchanging pounds for Galleons and also faster. After first year my parents did open a small account for me and I've just continued to use it. They added money to it every year so it was never empty. I've added quite a bit to it since. I'm not rich but I certainly have enough to live on and that's all that matters. Also, I have a Muggle bank account as well, as how else would I convert pounds to wizarding money."
"I have plenty of money for both of us," Aaron told her, "and also any children we happen to have. Money isn't a concern for me. I've invested well over hundreds of years, so I'm not about to go broke."
"I like to pay my own way," Hermione told him. "I'm very independent."
"When we marry what I have is yours as well," Aaron told her firmly, but quietly. "It's not like I have to worry about divorce as that's not possible with immortals and their mates. You will have free access to everything I own, as that's the way it is when you're married."
"You're right," Hermione said shoulders slumped in defeat. "Let's not argue about it right in the middle of the alley we can talk about it later."
"We can talk about it like reasonable adults, but I'm not changing my mind," Aaron warned her.
"I don't expect you to," Hermione said with a half smile. "I believe we just had our first argument."
"So we did," Aaron smiled back.
"We usually get along so well that there's been no need to argue," Hermione said. "But one of my main hangups is I'm very stubborn. I usually look after myself paying my bills and fulfilling other adult responsibilities. On the other hand, I've never had a serious boyfriend before much less the man I'm going to marry."
"An admirable quality," Aaron told her with a small smile as the two of them strolled down the alley towards Gringotts Bank. "Your parents raised you well I see."
"As you know I was an only child," Hermione said. "My mother could never have another and had several miscarriages before I was born. It would've been nice to have a sibling, as I was often lonely as a child. Too intelligent for one thing and also my emerging powers as a witch kept me apart from others my age."
"Harry is your brother, even if technically you're not related," Aaron told her. "If there's one thing I've learned in my long life is that it's not necessarily blood that makes a sibling it's affection and love. You love Harry in a platonic way and that's fine. There are many different kinds of love in this world, there is the sisterly love you feel for Harry and then there's they intimate love you feel for me and also there's a love for your friends."
The two of them reached the steps at the front of the bank, which was very impressive with its wide white marble steps that led up to the double doors made of bronze.
They entered the bronze doors walking by the goblins dressed in scarlet and gold uniforms and were in a small entrance hall. Before them were another set doors made of silver and engraved on them was a warning.
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,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.
Aaron read the warning where they raised eyebrow not seeming at all wary of what could happen to him if he tried to steal something from one of the vaults.
"Take the warnings seriously," Hermione told him quietly. "Goblins are greedy which makes them ideal for guarding wizarding money or treasure. The only person that's ever tried to rob the bank ended up facing goblin justice, which is basically a death sentence. Also, so long as you treat them with respect then they'll treat you with respect."
The goblins on either side of the silver doors nodded respectfully as he and Hermione entered the bank.
Aaron was impressed despite himself as he saw marble floors with counters with numerous goblins behind them after they had entered the silver doors.
Hermione went to stand behind a wizard and Aaron followed.
"So where do those doors lead," Aaron asked Hermione quietly.
"The money is underground," Hermione explain just as quietly. "There are vaults down numerous tunnels and each one belongs to a particular family or a particular magical. A lot of magicals have multiple vaults depending on how wealthy they are or they could have a vault for business and then a personal vault."
"First time at Gringotts?" asked the wizard in front of them as he heard Hermione explaining what to expect at Gringotts.
"Yes, it is," Hermione answered for Aaron. "I'm showing Aaron around Diagon Alley. We're engaged to be married."
"Well congratulations to the pair of you," the wizard said. "I hope you are as happy in your marriage as I am in mine."
"I know we will be," Aaron answered the wizard. "I'm Aaron Dunin."
"Barnabas Barclay at your service," said the wizard who had been unnamed until now.
"It's nice to meet you Barnabas," Aaron said shaking the wizard's hand cordially.
"It's just Barney," Barnabas said. "I have no idea what my parents were thinking when they named me Barnabas."
"There are several famous wizards that share your name," Hermione told him speaking for the first time. "Barnabas the Barmy for example."
"Who wants to be named after him? The wizard that taught trolls how to dance?" Barnabas scoffed rolling his eyes.
"Well, there's always Barnabas Cuffe, who's editor of the Daily Prophet," Hermione mentioned her distaste obvious.
Barnabas scoffed at the mention of Barnabas Cuffe editor-in-chief of the Daily Prophet.
"Next please," called the goblin and Barnabas went up to the counter.
"It was nice meeting you," Barnabas told them before he turned his attention to the goblin.
"We're next, so I should probably explain that there will be little carts that are like those old fashioned mining carts controlled by a goblin. They are controlled by magic," Hermione told him quietly. "They go very fast so try not to throw up."
"I'll try not to embarrass you," Aaron promised.
"If you do, don't worry about it as it happens. Throwing up has never happened to me, but I've heard that other witches and wizards have thrown up because of the speed of the carts. It's like being on a roller coaster."
"Thanks for the warning," Aaron told Hermione just as Barnabas finished his business.
"You're welcome," Hermione told him before she turned her attention of the goblin and asked him very politely if someone could've escort her to her vault.
"Someone will be with you momentarily please step back," the goblin told Hermione and Aaron. Hermione did so and went to stand off to the side of the lobby Aaron following her.
~~~Aaron and Hermione~~~