22 Diagon alley

*Cough* "I maybe noticed magic quite awhile ago." Nick looked away sheepishly and grimaced when he heard Harry groan. "Figures , why didn't you say anything?" Harry asked sounding slightly hurt. Nick sighed "Do you have any idea *cough* how I'd sound if I just*cough* said that I knew about magic?" he answered Harry with another question. "Barmy." Harry said with a sigh. Nick nodded "I did *cough cough* find the books on accident though." he said honestly. "So this entire time we've just been studying?" The boy glared at the books like they had betrayed him.-

Nick tried to laugh but had to stop when he got caught in a coughing fit instead ending that conversation there. Harry didn't really mind Nick keeping magic a secret from him since he could understand how crazy he would seen if he told him. What did bother Harry however was that it still felt like Nick was hiding something , but his intuition told him it had nothing to do with him and so he ignored it. Soon the day of Harry's birthday came and much like he had said Nick recovered and was fine again even if He looked terrible for the whole week.-

It was odd to Harry as literally the day before Nick was looking like death warmed over and now he was totally fine. He was very tempted to say it was magic but until he actually knew what he was talking about he'd hold judgement. Harry couldn't help but be a bit jealous of Nick when they were getting dressed since his friend had the beginnings of a six pack forming on his stomach. Nick was very lean but only those with keen eyes would notice the slight hints of muscular definition on his frame thanks to all the forging he has been doing.-

Hagrid showed up shortly after breakfast in a thick coat made of many animal skins sewn together in a strange way. "Happy birthday harry!" the man boomed out with a smile as he was the boys. "Morning Hagrid!" both of them said at the same time before sharing a laugh. "Well we'd best be off , lots to do you know. just follow me fer a bit and we'll be set to go." the half giant said without explaining. Harry and Nick did so and after an hour of walking found themselves outside a seedy looking bar with a rusty sign that read "The leaky cauldron".-

Peeled paint and dirty floors greeted the two boys as they entered with Hagrid leading them. The patrons of this bar looked like homeless people with dirty torn wizarding robes. Behind the bar a man with short brown hair and a stern face stood in a dirty apron cleaning a glass with an equally dirty rag. "Morning Tom , i've got a couple first years to take to the alley." Hagrid said and the bar tender merely nodded and motioned for Hagrid to go on.-

Harry looked confused at the interaction but Nick could feel the magic laced throughout the building shift to allow them passage. 'Probably to keep any muggles who stumble across this place from finding diagon alley accidentally.' he thought calmly. Behind the pub Hagrid walked up to what appeared to be a normal brick and and turned to the two boys. "Remember this for the future , three up two across three times from the rubbish bin." he said before demonstrated causing the wall to fold inwards revealing diagon alley. "Wicked!" Harry exclaimed in awe causing Hagrid to beam but Nick remained calm having expected it.-

What he didn't expect however was that the scene that greeted him was much grander than what was described in the books. A whole throng of people going about their business with so many shops that Nick couldn't recognize any of them save perhaps two , Gringotts and eeylops owl emporium and magical menagerie. Gringotts was a massive white building literally set in the center of a cross roads with knockturn alley to it's left and the rest of diagon alley to it's right. 'Probably to represent neutrality or some such.' Nick noted thoughtfully.-

The other building was recognized mostly because of the many birds in the windows as well as the huge hanging sign that had it's name on it. Nick got chills from the building however as ever single owl in the windows had their eyes locked on him. not in the sort of way that one would stare at food but rather royalty. 'I know it was stated that the birds were tied to magic but I need to stay away from them because they might oust my magical circuits at this rate.' Nick thought nervously. He very much doubted that only the birds in the window had all turned to stare at his direction.

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