As soon as the first beep of my alarm goes off, I fling off my covers and spring upright. It was 6:00 am so early that the sun hadn't even gone up yet. I had to wake up early today because it's Friday, which means it's Diagon Alley time!
I go to the bathroom to wash up and change out of my pajamas as quickly as I can. I brush my teeth at the same time I brush my hair—for maximum efficiency, of course. I am so excited that I nearly miss my foot while putting on my socks.
After I finished, I bound down the stairs two steps at a time. I see my mom standing by the kitchen island, holding a mug of coffee in her hands. "Good morning, sweetie," she says.
"Good morning, mum!" I say, excitement bubbling in my voice. "We're going to Diagon Alley today, right?"
"Yep," she says, rummaging around in the cabinet. "Eat some cereal quickly, and then we'll go pick up Rose."
After we finish eating, I run out the door and down the street, counting the houses as they go by. One, two, three... all the way to lucky number seven.
I knock at the door and wait a bit. I shuffle my feet as I wait since it's kind of cold outside. After a minute or two, I knock again. I don't want to knock too loudly since it was quite early in the day.
If Rose doesn't come out in the next two minutes, I will knock again, really loudly.
I eyed flowers in the grass while I counted up in my head. 13, 14, 15...
Rose's house was quite old-fashioned. It was tall and dark, and the door was smooth but it looked like it belonged in a manor.
44, 45, 46...
I was busy trying to spot the moon behind the clouds when the door finally opened.
"Hey," she says. I turn around. Today, she's wearing a light cream sweater that looks blue in the darkness and faded blue jeans. Her hair is tied up in a ponytail.
"Good morning! It's time for..." I drumroll. "Diagon Alley!"
"I'm ready!" she says, walking side-by-side with me down the street. We make our way back to my house, where I see my mom in the distance get closer. I then groan as I realize something. "Wait... the car ride is going to be like, four hours!"
My mom chuckles. "Normally, yes. However, I have something else in mind..."
"Huh? What do you mean, mum?"
"Oh," my mom chuckles. "I have a few tricks up my sleeve."
The "tricks" up her sleeve were a literal flying car. A flying car! I already knew magic existed, but this was something I couldn't even imagine!
"Woah... how come you've never told me our car could fly?" I say, looking accusingly at my mom.
"Well, we've never had to travel that far," she answers with a knowing smile. "And, you were too young to remember it."
My mouth hangs open because, apparently, I rode in a flying car before and didn't even remember it!
We all got into the car and it took off with a rumble. I look out the window, and I see the ground and the sky blur together. I was debating whether or not to open the window, just to try it, but I ended up not doing it.
I've never been on an airplane before, but the takeoff was pretty mild aside from some strong rumbling in the beginning. Once we were stabilized in the air, the ride was pretty smooth. Looking at the birds and the clouds and the sky felt freeing—like I could do anything.
My excitement was ebbing away because I was starting to feel tired. I usually only wake up at 7:30 am for school, and I made the mistake of staying up late to read a book last night. In my defense, it was a really good book! The main characters were just about to realize their feelings for each other, but they were interrupted by a life threatening event. It was such a bad cliffhanger to leave off!
I looked at Rose, and she was looking out the window. I didn't really have anything to talk about, so I just watched her for a bit before looking back out the window. I started to doze off, and I was trying to remember what I needed to buy at Diagon Alley...
I fell asleep.
When I woke up, we were already there.
"We're here!" my mom announces as she unlocks the car. We had already landed and I barely felt anything. I blink back the sleep from my eyes and look around.
I would think that a magical place like Diagon Alley would have a fancy or grand archway that marked the entrance of the market street—in a pretty location—but this is the complete opposite.
The building we parked in front of is so rundown and old that it's hard to believe this is the doorway to Diagon Alley. There is a dangling sign that look likes it creaks that read "Leaky Cauldron" on the front.
My mom opens the door with a slight creak, making me shiver. The building is a pub. I never really went to any, but it looks like a traditional bar.
"Mum..." I say quietly, tugging on her sleeve. But she continues to lead us inside, and I shut up when we approach a man behind the counter, looking intensely at us while cleaning a glass, but also somehow looking bored at the same time.
Then his eyes light up as he seems to recognize my mom.
"Hello, Emily. Long time no see!" he says, greeting my mom in a much friendlier tone than I expected. "Here to bring these youngins to Diagon Alley to start school, eh?"
"Hey, Tom," my mom says with a smile. "It's like you read my mind!"
Tom chuckles, shaking his head. "Ain't got that level of magic."
Rose turns to me. "You know, the original founder of the Leaky Cauldron was named Daisy." It's the first thing she has said since we got in the car.
"Nice, I'm an old pub owner, then," I joke. "How did you even know about that?"
What would it be like to own a restaurant of my own? I always dreamed of having a bakery or a cafe. Or maybe even a cat cafe! Though I like dogs better, but there doesn't seem to be any dog cafes.
She shrugs. "Some random trivia."
We make our way to the back of the Leaky Cauldron. I tentatively take steps in places where the floor doesn't look like floor anymore, and more like the bottom of a dirty sink. I glance around, spotting many customers seated at the tables. I saw other witches and wizards of various heights with very elaborate gowns... at least, I assumed they were witched based on their clothing. And were those goblins? I quickly look away, feeling my face heat up. Did they see me looking at them?
After two seconds of reevaluating my entire life, we stop in front of a brick wall. My mom takes out her wand (phoenix feather, willow, 11", yes I have it memorized), and taps the brick that was counted three up and two across. Don't ask me why I paid so much attention to that, but after taking a nap and walking a little bit, I feel super energized.
The brick wall slowly opens up to reveal a magnificent, busy shopping street with many little shops lined on both sides of the cobblestone road. I could barely see over the crowd, but I saw many people carrying interesting things like birds, clothes, and cauldrons full of weird ingredients.
"Woah," Rose says, staring in wonder at our surroundings.
"Woah indeed, woah indeed," I agree, nodding my head.
"Okay, let's see here," my mom says, pulling out my acceptance letter. "We have enough spare change to buy everything we need, so we don't have to stop at Gringotts. We're gonna get your robes first, then your books, other stuff... oh, and of course, your wand! After all that, we can go get your pets."
"Sounds good!" I say, excited to start. I was most excited to get my wand and a pet. I already started planning what I would name it.
"Oh, and Rose, if you need anything, I have more than enough to spare to cover your Hogwarts supplies," my mom says kindly to Rose. I kick a pebble and look in the other direction.
"Thanks, Mrs. Sewell," Rose says, smiling. "But I should have enough money on me for everything."
"Of course, of course," my mom says. "But if you ever need anything, just know that we're here for you, okay?"
"Yeah," Rose says, looking down abashedly.
Admittedly, I've never met Rose's parents. I don't even know what their names are. Every time I went by her house, it was her who opened the door. Every single time without fail. I think her parents are witches and wizards, too. I think she mentioned once before her parents were called purebloods, and she never had any muggle experience before coming to muggle elementary school with me.
We head down the street. I stick closely to my mom and Rose because I am scared of getting lost in the crowd. We stop in front of a store called Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.
My mom opens the door and I hear a bell jingle.
"Hello, I'm afraid you'll have to wait your turn," a lady, presumably Madam Malkin, says to us.
My mom gives her a wave, and we sit down in the chairs at the front of the building. I sit quietly, dangling my feet off the edge of the chair. A boy is being measured for his clothes right now. He looks around our age, with side-swept light brown hair. He seemed familiar somehow, even though I could barely see his face.
"Hey, Rose?"
She hums.
"Does he look familiar to you?" I whisper.
I nudge her in the direction of the boy and she squints at him.
"Eh," she shrugs.
I lie back in my chair and look at the pictures on the wall, the pattern of wood in the ceiling, and the hanging lights. Everything is so normal, and yet not. It's quite interesting.
Finally, it's our turn.
The boy exits too quickly for me to catch his face. I sigh dejectedly—my curiosity will never be satisfied now! Maybe I will see him at Hogwarts.
Madam Malkin measures me with various rules and measuring tapes. They floated and zipped around me. There was nothing magical-ly looking about them aside from the fact they were moving on their own and floating! Woah. These are so cool and effective! I hope I can learn magic to do this at Hogwarts!
After I am measured, she moves on to Rose.
"Yes, I'd like three sets of robes for each of the girls. Could you include the self-ironing and self-repairing features? Thanks," my mom says to Madam Malkin at the counter after she finishes with Rose's measurements. "They also need hats for daywear, a black winter coat, and I'd like the dragonhide gloves. One for each of them."
"Yes, you wouldn't know how many students come to me for clothing. I've practically memorized Hogwarts's supply list by now!" Madam Malkin says.
She piles all the clothing into two bags. She slips in two packs of nametags, as well. "Don't forget these."
"Ah, right, almost forgot!" my mom says. "How much?"
"21 galleons, 11 sickles, and 20 knuts," she answers back.
My mom pays for the clothing and we walk out of the store. "Alright, onto books!"
She then turns to Rose. "Oh, right. Dear, I'll pay for everything now, but if you must, I'll let you know how much all your things cost, and you can pay me back later."
My mom winks in my direction and I smile back.
"It's just more convenient, this way, you know?" she says to Rose.
Rose has no choice but to nod. My mom can be stubborn at times—I get that from her.
"Woo!" I say, throwing my hands in the air as we walk down the busy street. Never before had I been so excited to buy mundane school supplies.
We enter Flourish and Blotts and I smell the familiar scent of books. It smells like a library. My mom hands me and Rose copies of the supply list. "Go find these books and bring them back here," she tells us.
I go to the right side of the store in search of the first book in the list. The Standard Book of Spells by Miranda Goshawk. Hmm... The books are organized by categories, so there must be one for beginner spellbooks. Or school textbooks? Or was it in alphabetical order?
Ah! There it is!
It is tucked neatly among books that were also written by Miranda Goshawk. I see Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3. I take two copies of the Grade 1 version.
Next is A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot. No offense to these people, but bath and bag? Are these names from the European Middle Ages?
I turn around and almost hit my nose on the person behind me, coming very close to his eyes.
"Oops, sorry!" I say quickly. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he says, nodding. "Actually, do you know where I can find Magical Theory?"
"Erm... no, sorry. I'm actually trying to find my own books," I say. "Can you move to the side? I think it's behind you."
He shuffles to the left and I spot the book I was looking for.
"Yeah—thanks." I stood there awkwardly for a moment. "Well, bye!" I walked as quickly as I could back to the spot my mom decided for us to meet back.
"Hey, Daisy," my mom says when she sees me. "How's the book hunting going?"
"Hi, mum. I got The Standard Book of Spells and A History of Magic," I tell her.
From behind my mom, I see Rose walking toward us. I wave to her.
"Hi," she says. "I found everything under A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration on the supply list."
"Okay, that means we still need Magical Theory and the guide to transfiguration," my mom says. "I can go look for those. Give me your books." Rose and I hand her our books.
"You girls can wait outside the shop for me, and if you want, you can go find the other supplies on your list. Other than your wand and your pets, of course," she adds. "I wanna be around to see what you get." She hands me a leather purse filled to the brim with jingling coins. It was kinda heavy.
"Okay, see you later mum!" I say, and we walk out of the bookstore. I grab Rose's hand to prevent us both from getting lost or separated from each other.
"Let's get our cauldrons, first," Rose says.
"Hmm... cauldron shop, cauldron shop," I hum. I spot a sign far away that has the word cauldron on it. "There!" I point to the sign. Potage's Cauldron Shop, it reads. Cauldrons—All Sizes—Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver—Self-Stirring—Collapsible. Under the sign were a bunch of cauldrons stacked on top of one another.
"Ooh, self-stirring sounds so cool," I say absentmindedly.
Rose nods in agreement. "Too bad we are only allowed to get the basic one."
We enter the shop and the shopkeeper greets us, who introduces herself as Madam Potage.
"Are you two young ladies First Years?" she asks us. I nod. "Alrighty, that means you'll want two pewter cauldrons. That'll be 30 galleons total."
I start counting my galleons, ready to pay for us both, but Rose takes out 20 galleons faster than I can count to five. She hands them to Madam Potage before I can protest.
"My mum gave me money for the both of us," I say.
"That's okay, you can pay for the other stuff," she answers. Well, I can't argue with that, I guess.
I hand the shopkeeper the remaining 10 galleons. She hands us our cauldrons and moving them proved to be really difficult for our short legs and arms. Rose was a couple of inches taller than me, but she also had trouble.
"Here, let me help you with that," Madam Potage says. She takes out her wand and swishes it, magically making the cauldrons pocket-sized. "When you get to school, you can have one of your teachers help you with making it normal again. Or your parents."
"Thank you," Rose says stiffly. She leads me out of the store. "Next is... one set of glass or crystal phials," she reads.
"Huh, where are we supposed to find those?" I ask.
We wander around Diagon Alley for a while, looking into shop windows to try to find a store that sold glass phials.
"Maybe they're sold in a big store? Like a convenience store for... magic stuff?" I suggest.
"Hmm," Rose thinks. She turns toward a shop that says Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment above its door and windows. "I think you're right."
We enter the store, which also has a bell jingle. A lot of stores had bell jingles, these days. Or maybe wizards just like the little bells. I gasp at the interior. Many golden chandeliers and stars hang from the ceiling. I can see the second floor through a large hole in the center, and on it are many different-sized telescopes and other astronomy trinkets. In the center of the dome ceiling is a spherical golden ball with a painted mural. It looks like a larger version of the weird astronomy balls on the second floor.
"Hello, are you here for school supplies?" the shopkeeper says. "Ah, do you like the armillary spheres?" So that's what they were called.
Yes, we need glass phials, telescopes, and brass scales," Rose lists. "Do you sell those here?"
"Of course," the shopkeeper replied. They waved their wand and two sets of each item that Rose said magically flew toward us. "That will be 26 galleons in total."
I reached into the purse my mom gave me but Rose already handed the shopkeeper a bunch of coins. I turn to look at her with an accusing glare but she smiles smugly at me.
What the heck! I wanted to say. But I didn't, because that would be impolite in front of an adult.
The shopkeeper hands us both a bag with the items. "Thank you!"
"Now we've got all the non-important stuff out of the way," Rose says. "Let's go back to the bookstore and wait for your mum."
"I think clothes are very important," I counter, walking along the road with her. Witches and wizards, young and old, tall and short, all pass us on the street. "I don't wanna carry all my books everywhere, though," I whine. "Are there lockers at Hogwarts? There are lockers in high school."
"I don't think so, but we have dorms," Rose answers. "I hope there's a large break between classes. I heard that in high school, you only get three minutes between classes."
I gasp. "Three minutes?! I don't think I can even walk from one side of the school to the other in three minutes. Especially at Hogwarts. My mum says there's moving staircases and you have to be lucky to get anywhere."
Rose bumps my shoulder. "Well, we'll have you. You're basically the personification of luck."
"I'm lucky, but I'm not that lucky."
"You literally got two thousand dollars in Monopoly and watched me die."
I cover my mouth with my hand as I giggle. "That was funny."
Rose stares at me with the most serious expression. "I was broke and you had two thousand. Two thousand."
I burst out laughing.
"What are you two laughing about?" my mom says, startling us, but she has a smile on her face. "Have you got everything?"
"Yep!" I say. "We got cauldrons and glass biles and telescopes and stuff."
"Phials," Rose corrects me.
"Glass viles," I say again.
"Phials."
"Pills."
"Let's go get your wands then," my mom says. Now we can get the thing I was the most excited about, my wand! I can get my own, very one-of-a-kind wand! I wonder which type I will get. Rose looks anxious about her wand, too.
Rose and I skip toward the shop that reads Olivanders, Maker of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. The building looks more rundown and old than the rest, with cracks in the upper floor windows. I shudder as I duck through the door, careful not to touch any lingering spider webs.
"Hello?" my mom calls to the empty building. Suddenly, an elderly man on a ladder rushes toward us. The ladder is propped up by the rows and rows of shelves that revealed themselves to us. I try to see the end of the room, but I can't see clearly to the end. It looks foggy here.
"Hello, there," he says. "Ah—I remember: phoenix feather, willow wood, 11", surprisingly springy. I take it your wand is treating you well?"
My mom nods her head. "And you have exceptionally accurate memory, like I remember."
He looks at me and Rose, his pale eyes shining like moons. "I've been expecting you two." He extends out a pale hand before quickly taking it back. "My name is Ollivander. I presume you're here to get your wands?"
"Yes," my mom says. "Both of them; they are starting Hogwarts this coming fall!"
"Ah, I see, I see," he murmurs. "Alright, then. Who would like to go first?"
I nervously bounce on my toes. "You can go first," I tell Rose.
"Nah, you can," she answers back. We have a small staring contest before I sigh. "Okay, I'll go first," I concede.
Ollivander brings a magical floating measuring tape, like the ones Madam Malkin used. I hold my hands together in front of my waist as I wait patiently.
Ollivander goes back into his hallway of shelves and takes a shiny, black case, and hands it to me. "Try this."
I hesitatingly take the wand from the red fabric around it and give it a little flick. Nothing happened. I pouted a little, but Ollivander grabbed the wand out of my hand. "That won't do—try this, phoenix feather, vine, 13"."
He places a different wand in my hands. It feels smoother than the other one. I lift my arm up to swish it but Ollivander immediately takes the wand away again. I almost wanted to say Hey, what gives?
He nearly throws another box into my hands. I open it and take the small wand out, flicking it. Suddenly, I heard a whizzing sound, like a bee flying next to my ear, before the lights went out.
"Ah!" I shriek, scared.
Ollivander tsks, shaking his head. The lights go back on and I think he used a spell for that. He takes my wand away and searches his shelves. Finally, he comes back with a light pink box with sparkling rhinestones on it. Ooh, pretty.
"Try this," he tells me.
I take out the wand and it feels warm, somehow. It feels like the times I would play in the park with Rose, back home; the sun shining on my face, the gentle breeze fanning my hair. The wand itself is a warm-brownish reddish color, and it feels smooth and lightweight, but still has a good weight, in my grip.
I swish the wand and a small ray of light shines out the end, forming a rainbow. I see pink and white sparks float around me, twinkling like stars. "Woah," I say.
"Yes, yes—wonderful!" Ollivander says, pleased. "Unicorn hair, alder wood, 11", fairly bendy. It suits you very well."
"Ooooh!" Rose and I say at the same time.
"Unicorn hair! So cool!" I say, pumping my fists into the air.
Ollivander smiles, and then he turns toward Rose. "Now it's your turn." He hands her a box which she opens. I take a seat next to my mom to watch. My excitement from finding my wand was slowly going away, but I still felt the feeling on the surface. I gently hold the box that holds my new wand.
Rose tries the first wand, a gray-white one, and the tip explodes into sparks, leaving a dark, ashy tip.
"That won't do," Ollivander mumbles, handing her another box. She waves the new wand and nothing happens.
Then, he gives her a shiny black and green striped box. The wand was an orangey-beige color and it looked longer than mine. Rose waves her wand and blue, green, and black fire emits out of the tip, creating an array of dancing flames. It reminds me of those fireworks shows my dad likes to watch, the ones that are 100% muggle. My face gets hot from the fire, but even though they are really close, it doesn't burn me or cause any pain.
"Woah," I breathe.
Ollivander claps his hands. "Brilliant! Dragon heartstring, acacia wood, 11 1/2", and surprisingly swishy."
"I have no idea what that means," Rose admits. She speed-walks over to me. "Yay! I got my wand, too!"
"Yay!" I say. "Let's go get our pets, now!"
I pull Rose out of the store, waving at Ollivander. "Thanks!"
I know my mom will stay behind and pay for our wands, and I feel a little bad for leaving her behind without saying anything. But then, I see the store called Eeylops Owl Emporium, and I forget all about the other stuff. My excitement takes over my body and I run as fast as I can to the store.
Rose and I rush into the store, the jingle bell jingling. There were rows of cages, toys, perches, food, treats, owls, and owls in cages.
Right as I enter the store, my eye catches a particular owl. "Oh my gosh," I say. I press my nose against the cage and my eyes are probably so big right now.
"Hi," I say in a high-pitched voice. "You're sooo cute!"
The owl has pearly white feathers with dark spots and yellow eyes. The owl's face looks so fluffy because of its feathers covering most of its face. The owl flaps its wings in excitement before it calms down. Then it starts to preen itself and I almost die from cuteness overload.
Just then, my mom walks into the store. "Mum!" I call. "I want this one, please!"
"Of course," she says. I jump. Yippee!
As my mom is handling my owl business, I take a look around the store and see what I missed. There were a bunch of different animals: frogs, cats, and other small birds. Wow, I didn't know you could get a songbird as a pet! Eh, probably not allowed at Hogwarts, though...
"Rose, dear?" my mom calls. "Have you found a pet yet?"
Rose walks towards us with a cage in her hands. Inside was a tall, thin owl with brown and beige markings. It had huge, round yellow eyes with really big pupils. It stared at me intensely. I cooed at it. "It's so cute!" I say quietly.
"Yes, Mrs. Sewell," Rose says politely.
"Aww," my mom says, waving her hand. "I've known you since you were this small! You can call me Emily."
"Err," Rose says, shifting on her feet. Ever since she was little, well, littler, she's always called my mom Mrs. Sewell, or sometimes Madam Sewell, Or ma'am. I shudder at the formalities. I've never liked formalities.
"I'm gonna name my owl Mika," I say to Rose as my mom pays for our pets. "What are you naming yours?"
"Hmm," she thinks. "I don't know yet. I'll think of a name later."
"Hey," my mom says to me, turning around. "Why don't you go buy some candy, since it's your first time here? I'm going to buy some other supplies so you might as well have fun."
"Okay, mum! Thanks!"
My mom winks at me. "No problem."
"Come on, Rose. Let's go!" Rose and I walk around Diagon Alley, keeping our eyes peeled for the candy shop.
"Do you think we can keep the candy for the train ride?" she asks me.
"Yeah," I answer. "But we can eat some right now, too!"
We spot the store called Sugarplum's Sweets Shop and walk inside. I hear the familiar jingle of a bell. There is so much candy everywhere! I spot chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, peppermint toads, blood lollipops, and pumpkin pasties. All the candy and sweets everywhere are making my eyes have a sweet tooth! ...That doesn't even make any sense. Whatever, I wanted candy!
I scan the shelves until I spot the licorice wands.
"Ew, licorice," Rose says as she ducks under the overhanging shelf.
"Very ew, very ew," I agree.
We collect a basket full of candy. I made sure to include Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, peppermint toads, chocolate frogs, sugar quills, fizzing whizbees, and of course, some normal chocolate bars.
"Oh! My mum's favorite candy are those Toothflossing Stringments because it's kinda healthy," I say. "I'm gonna go grab a few, if they have any."
"Sure, sounds good!" Rose approves. "I love mint flavors."
I take some Toothflossing Stringments and then I head toward the counter to check out.
"Getting ready for a road trip, are you, children?" the lady behind the counter says.
"Yep!" I say cheerfully. "We're going to Hogwarts soon, so we have to have some candy for the train ride."
I hand her a bunch of sickles and a couple of knuts.
"Nice! You girls have fun with those," she says.
"Thanks!"
We walk out of the shop. I rummage through my bag. I felt like eating a candy now, but which one? My hand scours the bottom of the bag. Is that a chocolate frog? No, it feels like a fizzing whizbees, wait...
I look up. Across the street looks like a shop that seems interesting, with its quaint side windows and orange-yellow hues. I walk towards it. "Hey, Rose, why don't we go check out here?" I say.
I don't hear her answer, so I look around, and I realize that Rose isn't by my side anymore. I frantically look around, but the crowd is filled with wizards and witches everywhere, and, due to my shortness, I can't see above them. It feels like the street got really, really busy.
"Uh, Rose?" I say. "Where are you?"
I try to go back the way I came, but then an older wizard shoves past me.
"Hey!" I say, but he doesn't hear me and keeps moving.
I frantically push my way through the crowd to get out, my heart thudding in my chest, and I finally make it to the side of the street. I'm in front of a shop that looks rundown and old—like the Leaky Cauldron, but darker. It's kind of freaky. I don't know what else to do but wait there until I can see an opening in the crowd. I bite my lip nervously. I don't have any way to contact my mom, so I hope she or Rose will just find me eventually.
Then, I see a wizard in a nearly black cloak walking quickly toward me. He rushes into the shop with his black cloak billowing behind him. I squeak and push myself against the wall so that he doesn't notice me, but luckily, he looks to be in too much of a hurry to see me. My heart pounds, but my curiosity buzzes even louder.
On my tiptoes, I peek through the dusty window, pressing my hands against the glass to block out the glare. My breath fogs the surface, so I wipe a spot clean with my sleeve. It's hard to make out much inside—it's dark, like a storm cloud has settled into the room. The shelves are cluttered with strange trinkets, old books, and metallic objects, some jagged and odd-looking. Cobwebs hang thick from the ceiling, and some things are swinging gently, as if stirred by a breeze that shouldn't be there. The place feels... wrong. Like the kind of shop where something dangerous is waiting to be found.
I swallow hard. My hand hovers over the door handle. What am I doing? I shouldn't be wandering around alone, especially in creepy places like this. I'm only eleven. I don't even know a single spell that could protect me. And what if that wizard is dangerous? What if he catches me snooping?
I start to back away slowly, my heart in my throat.
Suddenly, the door flies open with a loud slam, missing my nose by an inch. I yelp and stumble back, my heart leaping into my throat.
The dark wizard steps out, his hood shadowing most of his face. But I can see his eyes—cold, sharp, and watching me closely. I freeze, unable to move or think.
"Sorry," I stammer, barely louder than a whisper. My voice trembles.
He towers over me, his presence heavy and suffocating. For a moment, I'm sure I'm done for. He's going to do something terrible. But instead, he leans just a little closer, enough to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
"Don't put your nose where it doesn't belong, little girl," he says quietly. His voice is low and smooth, almost like a warning.
I nod quickly, swallowing down my fear, but my tongue feels too tied to respond.
He holds my gaze for a moment longer, then turns sharply, his black cloak sweeping behind him as he walks away, disappearing into the crowd like a shadow slipping between cracks.
I stay frozen for a second, my heart pounding in my ears. I glance around nervously, making sure no one else is looking at me. When I finally exhale, I realize my hands are shaking.
Then, something on the ground catches my eye—a glint of light, just near the door.
I crouch down to get a closer look. It's small and shiny, almost like a piece of jewelry. I reach out and pick it up. It feels smooth but cracked, like broken glass. The shape is unusual—jagged but long, like a shard of a diamond, though dull and cloudy, with tiny chips along the edges.
I turn it over in my fingers. In the light, it reflects a faint shimmer of blue. For some reason, the color feels warm and cold all at once, sending a strange tingle through my fingertips. It looks like a trinket that should've belonged to someone—or something—important.
It must've fallen from the dark wizard when he rushed past me. But the thought of calling him back makes my stomach twist with fear. I bite my lip, glance in the direction he disappeared, and quickly decide against it.
Instead, I tuck the shard into my pocket. I don't know what it is, but something about it feels too important to leave behind. Maybe it's just junk. Or maybe it isn't.
I straighten up and glance around nervously, hoping to see my mom or Rose. The crowd is still thick with wizards and witches hurrying about, but I walk along the side of the street, away from the store. I can't see them anywhere, and panic starts to rise in my chest again. But at least I'm not standing in front of that creepy shop anymore.
I step back toward the main part of the street, keeping my hand on the little shard in my pocket. I don't know why, but holding onto it makes me feel just a bit better.
Now, all I have to do is find my way back to my mom and Rose. And I really hope I don't run into that dark wizard again.
I walk a little further, and the street seems to get lighter, which feels like a good sign. My nerves ease a bit. I have no idea where I ended up earlier, but for some reason, it was so dark and eerie. I don't understand why Diagon Alley would even have a place like that. My mom never mentioned anything about a creepy corner in Diagon Alley. And the strange thing is—I hadn't even gone that far.
But then again, Mom didn't tell me a lot about the magical world. She shared little stories now and then—funny things, mostly—but nothing like, "Oh, by the way, if you wander off too far in Diagon Alley, you might stumble into a sketchy wizard shop." I guess I never thought about the logistics of it all. Everything about Hogwarts just seemed so cool and exciting that the little things didn't seem important. Maybe I should start asking more questions.
As I keep walking, I notice more kids my age, some maybe a little older. They seem relaxed, chatting with each other, holding bags from shops like Flourish and Blotts or Quality Quidditch Supplies. Most of them look to be around twelve or thirteen, maybe first or second years. I don't really see anyone younger than me—or at least, not that I notice. There are a lot of teenagers, though, probably in their later years at Hogwarts, and a lot of adults. Maybe Diagon Alley is all the wizards' main shopping area? I don't remember anything about other places to shop for wizards.
They remind me of the college students I see near my neighborhood. There's a college not far from where we live, and sometimes I see students hanging out at cafes or restaurants in the afternoons. They always seem so cool, but obviously, they don't notice kids like me. They're not like high schoolers or middle schoolers, who sometimes act like they have a personal vendetta against anyone younger. I hope Hogwarts students aren't like that.
Maybe things will be different at Hogwarts, I think to myself. I really hope so.
"Daisy!"
I hear my name and whip around. Rose is running toward me, her dark hair slapping across her face with how hard her steps were, her face full of worry.
"Where did you go?" she exclaims. "I was following you, and then you just disappeared!"
"Rose!" I call, relief rushing through me. "I... I may have gotten a little lost," I admit with a sheepish smile.
Rose gives me a look, crossing her arms. "What happened?"
I shrug, embarrassed. "I got stuck in the crowd. There were just so many people, and I got pushed all the way to the end of the street. And, um… it got a little weird back there. But I found my way back!"
She lets out a breath, her shoulders finally relaxing. "That's a relief. I'm just glad you're okay."
"Me too."
Rose shifts her weight and glances around. "You know, maybe we should figure out a way to keep in contact in case something like this happens again. It was really scary not knowing where you were."
"Yeah," I agree, nodding. "I wonder if wizards have any communication spells. That would make things a lot easier."
Rose brightens. "Ooh! Like magical telephones or something? Or enchanted mirrors?"
I laugh. "Yeah, something like that! I bet there's a spell for it. Wizards seem to have a spell for everything."
"Let's ask your mum when we get back," Rose suggests. "Maybe there's some kind of charm we could learn before school starts."
"That would be smart," I say. "Especially if Diagon Alley is always this crowded."
Rose smiles, and just like that, the knot of anxiety in my chest starts to loosen. It feels good to know we're back together again, and the streets seem brighter with her by my side.
"Come on," Rose says, nudging me with her elbow. "Let's go find your mum before we get separated again."
I grin. "Good idea."
With that, we walk side by side through the bustling street, keeping close this time. The hum of Diagon Alley surrounds us again, but it feels less overwhelming now. And tucked safely in my pocket, the strange shard glints faintly in the sunlight. I give it one more curious pat, wondering what exactly it is—and why it feels like it might be more important than just a piece of junk.
For now, though, it can wait. What matters is that Rose and I are together again, and everything feels right in the world.
We eventually spot my mom waiting for us and head over to her. "Hey, girls! Are you ready to go home?"
"Yeah," I say. I open my bag and hand her some Toothflossing Stringments, and because I am soo generous, I give her a chocolate frog, too. I also give her some Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, because I know my dad likes them. He doesn't like the "weirder" candy because he's a muggle, but that's okay. The muggle world also has different flavored jelly beans, so maybe that's why he likes those.
"Give these to Dad when he comes home," I tell my mom. Ignoring the fact that I bought everything with her money, hah.
"I will, thanks honey!" my mom says. We then make our way to her car.
We put everything in the trunk, except for a small amount of candy that I put in my pocket. Rose and I slide into the back seats while my mom puts her on her seatbelt with a click. A few hours of eating candy later, we made it home, and this time I didn't fall asleep.
My mom and I split the candy bag and give half of it to Rose for her and her family.
"Do you want to bring these home, dear?" my mom asks Rose.
"You're taking me to the station, right, Mrs. Sewell? Is it alright if you keep them here for me?" Rose asks.
"Yes, that's right."
"Then it'd be better if you left my stuff here, to avoid taking another trip, if that's okay."
"That's more than OK! That's very thoughtful of you."
"Mum, I'm heading out and Rose is coming with me!" I yell from the doorway. Before I leave the house, I stuff 2 sugar quills and 2 packs of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans into my backpack.
Rose follows me out the door and I wave to my mom.
"Alright, have fun!" my mom says.
"Wanna go to the park?" Rose asks me after the door closes behind us.
"Sure, let's go!" I answer.
On our way to the park, I spot Jessica's hair over the stone wall. She whips her head around and she sees us. I see her visibly shrink slightly, and the sight of her makes me want to laugh. As we get closer, I see Bryton and Dylan with her, and they are all looking at us with hatred... and maybe fear. They are nowhere near the swing set, and I smile to myself.
"The forecast is perfectly clear for swinging today, ma'am," Rose mock salutes to me and we both giggle. We go to our usual spots at the swings.
"Sugar quill?" I offer it to Rose, taking one out of my bag.
"Sure," she says, plucking it out of my fingers.
I take the other sugar quill and nibble on it. Sugar quills personally are one of my favorites, because they taste like sugar cookies, which I love. I mean, I love cookies in general. But sugar cookies feel extra sweet. We finish our quills and Rose starts pushing my swing.
"We're going to Hogwarts soon! I'm so excited!" I say happily swinging.
"Same! I hope we get treated equally there," Rose says. "Not treated as freaks who only mess stuff up. And as much as I love Jessica cowering in front of us, I kinda just want to be normal, for once."
"Yeah, we will! And we'll have so much fun there! I can feel it!" I assure her. "So don't worry about it so much."
Rose smiles. I watch the sunset melt the sky's blue colors into orange and purple. Just like the last time we went here.
"I know what I'm going to name my owl," Rose says.
"Oh? What is it?" I say.
"Mara," she answers. "It means bitter, but it also represents strength. Resilience through difficult times."
"Aww, then it'll be Mara and Mika. That's a nice name."
We sit there swinging for a bit, enjoying the moment. The sun starts to go down, so we head back to our own houses. I walk to Rose's house first, before heading back to my own. I wave bye to Rose as I see her disappear into her house, shutting the door behind her with a soft click.
I can't wait to go to Hogwarts! I rush to my room and flop on my bed, snuggling into my sheets. I smile, exhausted but happy from a long day at Diagon Alley—my first real experience with the wizarding world! I quickly get ready for bed and change into my pajamas—I never go to sleep without changing out of my outside clothes. As I put my clothes on the back of my chair, the glass shard in the pocket goes unnoticed and forgotten.