Harry Potter had been utterly astounded to learn that not only was magic real but that he himself was a magical! A mere week ago, Harry had no idea such things existed. Such odd ideas were always smacked out of him at Privet Drive, after all. None of the Dursleys dared to mention such things, and eventually neither did Harry. But, no longer. No, ever since he had met the rather large, odd man called Hagrid, Harry vowed to be himself. Which was why today, Harry Potter was in Diagon Alley. And had been near for the past week, in fact.
After discovering he had magic, and money, Harry fled from the Dursley house. He had been discreetly staying in a room somewhere between Alleys Diagon and Knockturn. Hagrid had mentioned, amongst many things, that the Potter family was rather well off. Because of this, Harry almost immediately visited Gringotts - with Hagrid's assistance. After assuring Hagrid that he had it handled from here on out, Harry was finally left alone. Hagrid seemed like a nice man and all, it was just difficult to gather oneself when someone was constantly talking your ear off. And Harry needed some quiet time for reflection.
After penning a letter back to Hogwarts, Harry stopped being bombarded by invitation letters. Upon receiving his school list, Harry retrieved the expandable Gringotts sack he had been provided and left his rented room. After some wandering, Harry managed to find the shops he needed for his school items. Eventually, he came upon a couple of clothing stores, in which he bought plain school robes - meant to be transfigured once you were sorted into your Hogwarts house - some muggle clothes, and a decent amount of various wizard attire. Admittedly, he could have and should have done this earlier. But he had spent so much time lately just wrapping his head around the fact that he was a wizard. That magic was real. Therefore, clothes weren't really at the forefront of his mind.
Harry had noticed a few of the rather nasty looks he had received in Dudley's old, massive muggle clothes, and changed into one of his new wizard outfits before leaving the final clothing store. Though he had already gotten his school supplies, Harry hadn't recognised anyone seemingly important, so he didn't fret too much about just who had seen his previous attire. Not that he really minded anyway, but Harry knew that first impressions were important. One of the few smart things he had learned from the Dursleys. Nasty looks were no longer directed at Harry, though some sceptical looks were - probably due to his lonesomeness. He noticed that not many children were off by themselves in Diagon. Keeping his head down, Harry continued exploring the Alley.
A short while later, Harry entered a shop that sold animals. He didn't really take notice of the name of this shop like he hadn't retained the others'. Upon entering, two distinct sounds caught his attention from opposite ends of the shop. Following the lyrical chirping first, Harry saw a pretty, white owl snuggled beside a rather odd egg. The owl didn't seem to notice Harry at first, too focused on the egg. Harry smiled. Maybe this owl was a mother? Deciding to adopt her, not wishing for her and the egg to be separated, Harry called one of the shop workers over and had the two cage-dwellers brought to the counter. Momentarily leaving the avians, Harry went to the other end of the shop now, tracking a smooth hissing. Harry reached a rather large terrarium of snakes and noticed a blonde girl observing a colourful snake. Harry bent down beside the girl, neither acknowledging the other's presence just yet.
"Hello, bright one. What is your name?" Harry asked the colourful snake, not seeing the blonde girl's look of surprise.
"I am Stella, young speaker! Speaker, will you or lady bring me home? Brothers always fighting," the snake, Stella, replied. She seemed quite excited at the prospect of leaving, haughtily dismissing her bickering brothers.
Harry, wary of having a third animal so young, decided to ask the blonde if she would take Stella home. "Excuse me, miss...?"
The blonde turned to Harry, her face having returned to its prior blank, aristocratic state. "Rowle. Stella Rowle."
Harry giggled, cursing Rowle to glare at him. "What exactly is so funny?"
Sobering, Harry replied, "I'm sorry. It's not you, it's just that, well, that snake's name is also Stella."
Rowle's eyebrows briefly rose in surprise. "Well, I suppose that is a bit silly," Rowle replied, offering Harry a quick lopsided smile.
Harry nodded, smiling back. "Stella, the snake that is, wants to go home with one of us. The problem is, I already have two birds, and I don't know if I can handle a snake just yet..." Harry trailed off, shooting Rowle a hopeful glance.
Rowle tilted her head. "Seems reasonable... let me go ask my father." With that, Rowle stood up and temporarily left Harry in search of her father. Soon returning, Rowle pulled her father to the terrarium where Harry was still crouched, chatting with the snakes.
"See daddy, she's so pretty! May I please have her?" Rowle asked, pleading with her father. "She wants to come with me as well," Rowle continued, tilting her head up defiantly.
Rowle's father smirked. "Does she now?"
Harry piped up now, making his presence known to Rowle's father. "She does, sir," Harry announced shyly. "She told me, you see?" Harry questioned, resuming his conversation with Stella and the other snakes.
Rowle's father widened his eyes in surprise. "Well, I suppose she did." Turning to his daughter, "You may have the snake."
Rowle squealed and profusely thanked her father.
"Don't thank me," Rowle's father joked, "thank the boy."
"Oh, yes!" Rowle suddenly remembered. "Thank you...?"
"Potter. Harry Potter," Harry replied, introducing himself as Rowle had.
Harry didn't see the blondes' looks of surprise as he was observing Stella the snake's brothers.
"Thank you, Potter," Rowle eventually said, warily smiling down at Harry.
"You can call me Harry, you know," Harry offhandedly replied, not paying much attention to his fellow magicals.
"Well, thank you, Harry. You may call me Stella."
Rowle's response caused Harry to look back up at her, smiling. "Okay. Just don't get confused if I get you and snake Stella mixed up," Harry joked.
Rowle's father tilted his head in confusion, prompting the children to inform him of Stella the snake's name. Rowle's father chuckled, looking back at his daughter. Briefly leaving to fetch a shop worker, human Stella and Harry talked a bit.
Harry learned that Stella Rowle was a sixth year Slytherin. She was a prefect and a pureblood. Her mother had passed away and she had a younger sister called Vivian. Vivian was a third-year Slytherin. Stella Rowle also had an apparently wonderful fiancé, called Ashwyn Dolohov.
Soon after Rowle's father returned with a shop assistant, the Rowles were set to leave.
"Bid Mister Potter a good day, Stella," Rowle told his daughter, prompting Harry to stand and properly bid them farewell.
The children exchanged slight pleasantries, Harry telling Stella - both human and snake - that he hopes to see her at Hogwarts. Finally, Rowle's father provided Harry with his name and a brief, kind smile.
Harry watched as Stella Rowle, snake Stella, and Thorfinn Rowle left the shop, before wishing snake Stella's brothers farewell. Then, Harry headed to the aviary section again, where he set about finding some things for his owl and egg. Finally, Harry went to the front and paid the attendant for his purchases and pets.