Diagon Alley
The archway revealed a busy street. "Welcome, Harry, Emma, to Diagon Alley," Hagrid said. Harry and I grinned as the three of us started making our way down Diagon Alley. There were so many weird and cool shops. "Here's where you'll get your quills and your ink," Hagrid said as he pointed at a shop before pointing at another. "And over there, all your bits and bobs for doing your Wizardry." We walked passed several stores like a hairdresser and an owl store. I even saw a bat! I've never seen a bat outside the zoo before. We walked passed a group of people crowding around a store with a broom on display.
"It's a world-class racing broom!" One girl said.
"Wow, look at it! The new Nimbus 2000!" One boy exclaimed.
"It's the fastest model yet," another girl whispered and Harry and I gaped at it.
I want one, Harry!
Me too!
"But, Hagrid, how are we to pay for all this?" Harry asked.
"We haven't any money," I said.
"Well, there's your money, Harry, Emma," Hagrid said as he pointed at a large, white building with 'Gringotts Bank' written on it in gold letters. "Gringotts, the Wizard Bank. Tain't no safer place, not one. Except perhaps Hogwarts."
...
"Er, Hagrid, what exactly are these things?" Harry asked as we walked past some bank workers who were very clearly not human.
"They're goblins, Harry. Clever as they come goblins but not the most friendly of beasts. Best stay close." Harry and I inched a little closer to Hagrid. If a guy that big says to worry about something, we probably should. We approached the goblin at the end of the room. Hagrid cleared his throat and the goblin looked at him. "Mr Harry Potter and Miss Emma Potter wish to make a withdrawal."
"Ah." The goblin made a weird noise, put (what I assume is) his quill in an inkpot and leaned over his desk. "And do they have their key?"
"Oh, wait a minute," Hagrid said as he started going through his pockets. The goblin leaned back from the edge of the desk. "Got it here somewhere."
Harry, why does he have our key?
I don't know. Should we ask him?
Maybe later.
"Ha! There's the little devil," Hagrid said as he showed the key to the goblin. "Oh, and there's something else as well." He took a letter out of one of his pockets. "Professor Dumbledore gave me this." He handed the letter to the goblin.
Harry. It says TOP SECRET on it in red. What do you think is in it?
I'm not sure. Do you think Hagrid would tell us if we asked?
"It's about You-Know-What in Vault You-Know-Which."
Given that, only the two of us are in hearing distance of Hagrid and the goblin's conversation with Hagrid whispering and he still phrased his sentence like that, Harry. I highly doubt Hagrid will tell us if we asked him about it.
"Very well," the goblin said. Hagrid nodded at the goblin.
...
"Vault 687," the new goblin said before he got out of the Mine Cart. He faced Hagrid. "Lamp, please." Hagrid took the lamp off of its place in the Mine Cart and passed it to the goblin. The goblin turned around and walked to the Vault as Hagrid got out of the Mine Cart. Hagrid walked over to the goblin as Harry got out of the Mine Cart. "Key, please." I got out of the Mine Cart as Hagrid took the lamp from the goblin before passing the key over. Harry and I walked over as the goblin unlocked the door and it immediately opened without anyone touching it. Harry and I stared with wide eyes at the mini-mountains of gold coins that are up to my shoulders in the Vault.
Is this all ours, Emma?
I think it is, Harry.
"Didn't think your mum and dad would leave you with nothing now, did yeh?" Hagrid grinned at us as he spoke.
Our mom and stepdad. Not our mom and dad.
Step-dad?
Mom was married to James, Harry. That makes him our stepdad, even if mom didn't care about him.
Oh, right. Yeah.
...
"Vault 713," the goblin said as the Mine Cart stopped in front of the new Vault.
"What's in there, Hagrid?"
"Can't tell you, Harry. Hogwarts business. Very secret."
"Stand back," the goblin said before he ran one of his nails in a line down against the door. The door unlocked and, like the other door, opened without anyone touching it. All that was in there was a small parcel in weird packaging held closed by a piece of string.
It's the size of a rock, Harry.
It's the shape of a rock. It's too big to be the size of a rock, Em.
No. Remember that rock Dudley threw at me across the playground on the last day of term? It was about that size and shape.
But why all this secret business about a rock, Em?
Maybe it's a special rock.
A special rock, Em?
We just found out magic existed and that we have magic, Harry. Is it so farfetched that it could be a special rock?
Fair point, Em.
We should research special rocks when we get to Hogwarts. There's bound to be a library. All schools have a library. Imagine it, Harry. A library that's full of books on magic.
That's probably the only library I'd be willing to spend as much time in as you do, Em.
Hey! I can't help it if I like learning.
I like spending time in the library too, Em. But you spend too much time in there.
Harry, you're hurting my feelings.
Sorry, Em. I know a lot of people at school make fun of you for spending too much time in the library. I didn't mean it like that.
I know you didn't, Harry. It's okay.
"Best not to mention this to anyone, Harry, Emma," Hagrid said as he put the package in his pocket. We nodded.
...
"We still need..." Harry started as we read the list.
"Wands and animals," I finished.
"I want an owl," Harry said. "That way we can send letters."
"I want a cat," I said. "I don't like toads and that way we have two different kinds of animals to share between us."
"Wands? Well, then you want Ollivanders. There ain't no place better." Hagrid pointed at Ollivanders. "Why don't you run along there and wait? I just got one more thing I got to do. Won't be long." Hagrid walked off as Harry and I walked into Ollivanders with our stuff.
This place is weird, Harry.
I know. Harry and I put our stuff down on one of the shelves near the door before walking further into the room. "Hello?" Harry called. No response.
"Hello?" I called louder and then a guy on a lander moved into view. I assume this is Ollivander. He's so old, Harry.
"Ah, I wondered when I'd be seeing you, Potters." Ollivander got off of the ladder and started looking through the boxes opposite the ladder. "It seems only yesterday that your mother and father were in here buying their first Wands. Ah." He pulled out a dusty box and walked over to the counter with it. "Here we are." He took a stick out of the box and passed it to Harry.
Wait, Wands look like sticks? So dad killed our mom with a Wand?
Yes, Harry.
"Well, give it a wave," Ollivander said with an annoyed tone of voice. Harry waved the Wand and a load of large boxes jumped out of their places and onto the floor with paper flying everywhere. Harry put the Wand back on the counter. "Apparently not." He chose a different Wand from a higher box and passed it to Harry. "Perhaps this." Harry waved it and a vase with flowers in it shattered. "No, no, definitely not." Harry put the Wand on the counter with the other one. "No matter." Ollivander went back to the back of the shop, took a Wand out and looked at it with a weird look on his face. "I wonder," he whispered. He walked over and hesitantly gave Harry the Wand. Harry's eyes went wide and a golden light started shining over him like a spotlight and wind started blowing. "Curious," the old man said once the wind stopped and the light disappeared. "Very curious."
"What's curious?" I asked as Ollivander took the Wand back from Harry.
"I remember every Wand I've ever sold. It so happens that the Phoenix, whose tail feather lies in this Wand, gave another feather. Just one other. It's curious that you, Mr Potter, should be destined for this Wand when its brother gave you that scar." Ollivander pointed at Harry's scar.
"And who owned that Wand?" I asked.
We know who owned the Wand, Em.
Yes, but this is our chance to get more information, Harry.
"We do not speak his name. The Wand chooses the Wizard, Mr Potter. It's not always clear why. But I think it is clear that we can expect great things from you. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things. Terrible... Yes, but great." Ollivander walked over to the back of the shop and we heard someone tapping on the window.
"Harry, Emma." We looked over and saw Hagrid with a white owl in a golden barred cage in one hand and a white kitten in a black barred cage in the other. "Happy birthday."
"Wow," Harry whispered.
"Miss Potter." We turned to Ollivander. "Your turn." He passed me a black Wand with a light brown handle. I waved it and the windows in the shop broke. "No, no, no!" He snatched it back before grabbing another Wand. This one was dark brown. "Try this one." I waved it and red sparks left the Wand and set some papers on fire. "Definitely not." He took it back before grabbing a white Wand and passing it to me. He put out the fire as I waved the Wand and the candles in the back of the shop went out. "Let's try another." This time he got a light brown Wand from the back of the shop. I waved it and a small tornado appeared. Ollivander snatched the Wand from me and the tornado disappeared. He grabbed a black Wand with a golden handle and a white strip down the middle of it from the back of the shop. "Maybe..." He whispered. He passed the Wand to me and the same thing happened that had happened when Harry finally had the right Wand. The look on Ollivander's face had me curious.
"What is it?" Ollivander took the Wand back from me.
"The Dragon, whose heartstring lies in your Wand, gave three others. A prophecy tied them together with another Witch. It is believed the one who owns this Wand is their missing link."
"Who were the owners of those Wands?" Harry asked.
"The three Black sisters. Narcissa Black, the youngest, is now known as Narcissa Malfoy. And, Andromeda Black, now known as Andromeda Tonks, was disowned for marrying a Muggleborn. The eldest, Bellatrix Black, is now known as Bellatrix Lestrange. She was He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's right hand. His biggest supporter. Shame. She was The Brightest Witch of Her Age. She, along with her husband, her brother-in-law and Barty Crouch Junior, were arrested the day after He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's disappearance and sentenced to Azkaban Prison for torturing Alice and Frank Longbottom into insanity with the Cruciatus Curse. They were trying to get information on He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's disappearance."
...
Hagrid, Harry and I were eating soup at The Leaky Cauldron. Thankfully, Hagrid was still not drinking. "You two all right? You're very quiet."
Maybe we should see if we can get some more information about our parents and what happened the night they died.
And all of this He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named business, Harry.
Plus, maybe we'll find out more about Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix.