First trip to Diagon
“Do you think I really am a witch too, Harry?” Eleanor held Harry’s hand while they were walking on one of the streets of London with Hagrid in front of them. “Do you think I would get a letter too? Next year?” she pouted. She doesn’t want to be left behind. She doesn’t want to be without Harry; she doesn’t know how to. “You won’t forget about me for that year, do you?”
Harry chuckled at her question. “Don’t be ridiculous, Lily.” Eleanor smiled at what he called her. He only calls her Lily when he assures her of things she needed and wanted to hear and know. “Of course you’re a witch. Our mom and dad’s a witch and a wizard, you’re going to get your letter in after a year.” Harry let himself go from Eleanor’s grasp and instead, wrapped it around both of her shoulders. “And you honestly think to ask if I would forget about you?” Eleanor looked into his eyes, and saw the sincerity there, even in his lips as he smiled. “Never. Never in my life would I forget my one and only sister. We’ll send each other letters, won’t we?”
She felt her lips curved up a smile and nodded before snuggling herself around her brother. They are going to buy Harry’s things and necessities to go to Hogwarts, and of course she came, too. She would not in her life miss the first ever shopping her brother would have.
“Here we are, the Leaky Cauldron!” Hagrid happily pointed them to the tiny, grubby-looking pub in the corner. “It’s a famous place.”
She did not notice it there at first— like it got there suddenly. The people passing by didn’t bother to glance at it, only by the two shops in which it is sandwiched to. Eleanor thinks that only her, Harry, and Hagrid can see the little pub. For a famous place, the place is a little too dim and shabby. There are a lot of people in groups or in solos in different parts of the place. The little chatter she can hear stopped by when they waved at Hagrid. A lot of people seemed to know him, and a bartender smiled at him. “The usual, Hagrid?”
Hagrid waved the man off. “Can’t, Tom. I’m on Hogwarts business.” He clapped his hands on both of Harry and Eleanor’s shoulders.
“Good Lord,” whispered the bartender. He is now looking awfully at both Harry and Eleanor. “Are these— can they be—?
The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.
“Bless my soul,” whispered the old bartender, “Harry and Eleanor Potter . . . what an honor.”
He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed towards her and Harry and seized their hands, tears in his eyes. “Welcome back, Mr. and Ms. Potter, welcome back.” They didn’t know what to say. Everyone was looking at him. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out.
Hagrid was beaming.
Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Eleanor found herself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.
“Doris Crockford, Mr. and Ms. Potter, can’t believe I’m meeting you two at last.”
“So proud, Mr. and Ms. Potter, I’m just so proud.”
“Always wanted to shake your hands — I’m all of a flutter.”
“Delighted, Mr. and Ms. Potter, just can’t tell you, Diggle’s the name, Dedalus Diggle.”
“I’ve seen you before!” said Eleanor, as Dedalus Diggle’s top hat fell off in his excitement. “You bowed to me once in a shop.” She looked at Harry. “Remember that one time we went to a shop and someone suddenly bowed at us? It’s him!” She smiled in excitement.
“She remembers!” cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. “Did you hear that? She remembers me!” They shook hands again and again — Doris Crockford kept coming back for more.
A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching.
“Professor Quirrell!” Hagrid beamed. “Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your professors in Hogwarts!” Eleanor frowned at the sight of the man. He’s in a turban, and seems like not in a good shape to teach.
“P-P-Potter,” stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry’s hand, “c-can’t t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you.” He looked at Eleanor. “Y-y-you t-too, M-Ms. P-P-Potter…”
“So, what type of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?” Harry asked.
“D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts,” muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he’d rather not think about it. “N-not that you n-need it, eh?” he laughed nervously. “You’ll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I’ve g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself.” He looked terrified at the very thought.
But the others wouldn’t let Professor Quirrell keep the siblings to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble.
“Must get on — lots ter buy. Come on, Harry, Eleanor.”
Hagrid then led them out of the pub and into a small, walled courtyard, with nothing but trash cans and a few weeds. Hagrid grinned at them and reminded just how famous they are, that even one of the Hogwarts professors trembled at meeting them.
“Is he always that nervous?” Eleanor asked, remembering the man. She feels something odd out of him, making her clutched onto Harry’s hand more and resting her head on Harry’s shoulder.
“Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin’ outta books but then he took a year off ter get some first-hand experience. . . .
They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o’ trouble with a hag — never been the same since. Scared of the students,
scared of his own subject — now, where’s me umbrella?”
Using his umbrella, he tapped on the wall before it magically opened itself, thus, making Harry and Eleanor gasp at the sight. “It’s wonderful.”
“Welcome to Diagon Alley!”
The siblings walked inside the pavement and Eleanor immediately looked over her shoulder and saw that the wall magically sealed itself. There are a lot of things to focus on now! There are different types of cauldrons, brooms, and everything! Literally everything!
“Before everything, we need to get your money first,” Hagrid said, making Eleanor frown.
“Money?” she murmured before speaking at Harry. “Harry, we don’t have money. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon did not give us any,” she said, making Harry’s eyes widened.
Hagrid, who heard about what she said, spoke. “Don’t be silly, Eleanor, did yeh think yer parents left you with nothing, yah?” Then Hagrid went off to tell how their parents left them an entire vault full of golds called galleons, and knuts, and sickles. They then went to Gringotts where they are greeted by Goblins and they are both welcomed to each separate vault of their own, and those two vaults are full each! The two kids cannot believe their eyes that they have that much of a fortune, despite the ten years of living like slaves to the Dursleys.
Hagrid told them to get some for the things that they will buy— Eleanor might see something she wants in the whole place, and Harry to spend for the whole year. Eleanor’s eyes nodded when they went to Olivanders to get Harry his wand.
Mr. Ollivander recognized them at once the moment they entered his shop. “Mr. Harry James Potter and Ms. Eleanor Lily Potter, you’re back at our world.”
Harry tested one wand to another until a wand finally found him. Mr. Ollivander said that the wand chooses the wizard. It’s ironic that the wand who chooses her brother, is the sister wand of the wand whose wizard killed their parents.
Then they went to Madam Malkin’s to get Harry’s uniform, and Hagrid went to get something out of the Leaky. Madam Malkin’s assistant assisted Harry unto one of the rooms while she stayed outside and sat on one of the couches, with a wizard also waiting with her.
“Hello.” The boy greeted her. “Hogwarts?” The boy has a pointed face, with blond hair, and a smug grin on his face.
She shook her head. “No, not yet. My brother is the one going to Hogwarts, I will attend next year.” She held her hand out to the boy and smiled. “I’m Eleanor. Eleanor Lily Potter.”
The boy widened his eyes at her introduction. “Eleanor Lily Potter? The youngest Potter! It’s true!”
Eleanor frowned. “What is true?”
“The rumors! About you and your brother!” Eleanor’s mouth formed an ‘o’ upon realizing what the boy meant. Deciding she don’t want to talk about it, she shrugged. The boy obviously did not want to introduce himself so she was about to retrieve her hand when he suddenly held it. “I’m Draco. Draco Malfoy.”
She smiled widely when the boy— Draco, smiled back at her. They stayed there for a few minutes and talked about random things. Draco introduced some of the wizarding world to her and she can’t help but be amused, until Madam Malkin came and gave Draco his uniform and he had to leave. “I had a great time,” he said when they both stood up. “I’ll see you next year, Eleanor. I hope to be friends with your brother.”
Eleanor giggled to herself, sure that she had secured a friend for her brother, and for her when she comes in to Hogwarts next year.