Chapter 11 : Enter! Diagon Alley

August 27. 1990

Antares POV

Today will the first time I would visit the Diagon Alley. I don't believe that the movies showed everything, and neither did books. The whole alley can't be just few stores. There must be more than that.

It was an hour after lunch when I was told that we're leaving and that I should be ready within five minutes. I decided to wear simple black robes with silver linings.

I was on my way to the Floo, but was abruptly stopped. I turned around, saw my father and asked "We're going through the Floo, right?"

"No, we're Apparating today" answered father.

We waited one more minute before mom arrived.

I noticed there was one person missing so I asked "Where's Draco? Isn't he going with us?"

"No, we wanted his first visit to the alley be special"

That makes sense. Draco always want to be the centre of attention.

Father gave me his arm and when I grabbed it my whole word twisted.

Side Apparition sucks. A lot. It's like your stomach is being turned over and then back, your head is spinning and your vision is blurred. Floo is much better!

When my vision cleared I notice that we're in Muggle city.

'Probably London' I thought.

"Where are we?" I asked just to be sure.

"We are in Muggle London" answered mom.

'Muggle London? But why are we here?' The confusion must have shown on my face because father immediately answered.

"We're here because it's not allowed to Apparate directly to the Diagonal Alley. You have to enter through Leaky Cauldron."

After a minute of walking I noticed the most horrendous looking building I ever saw in both of my lives.

Leaky cauldron looked definitely better in the movies. This one looks a lot worse and about one hundred years older. It was asymmetrical looking building made of burnt looking wood, dark brown bricks and grey glass around the door.

I want to talk with whoever made this and ask what the was he smoking.

But as the saying goes 'don't judge book by it's cover' I will wait until I see interior.

One. Hundred. Years. For a person like myself who was addicted to electronics and anything that looked nice, pretty, good, whatever you want, this before me is crime.

Everything looks dirty, old and there is barely any light. The candles are doing very good job at lighting this place up! Please note the sarcasm.

The looks on my parents faces matches my thoughts. 'We don't want to be here' I can almost hear it.

We quickly move through the crowd to the back.

The opening to the Alley is the same. The brick combination appears to match the movies.

As the bricks move I can finally see what is this drama about. And I can see what was this about. The alley itself is beautiful, colorful and full of life. The buildings are a bit pressed on each other for my taste but at least the street is wide enough.

"Where to first?"

"To the Gringotts" came short reply.

As we walked I kept looking around us. The street was decorated with various shops, restaurants, cafés and stalls. Some were more... unique than others. Some looked antique. And before I noticed we arrived to the bank.

The Gringotts building is more majestic than in movies. It's made of snow white marble and it's the best looking building in the whole alley. But as a lots of other buildings, it's unfortunately askew.

*sigh* 'Another beautiful building destroyed'

Upon entering to the bank we were greeted with cryptic message that every potterhead knew by heart.

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

Once we were behind the door I could see the goblins. They were looking as same as in the movies.

We moved to one and father demanded escort to our vault. We've gotten to the cart and after we were there it immediately started to move.

The ride was fun, even if mom and father looked slightly green in face when we finally stopped at, probably, our vault. Our vault number was 693. The entrance was in dark green stone. Once we entered I could see a room full of gold, treasure, books and other things piled up to the ceiling. On my side was a chest with a few dozen pouches.

"Pick one. It doesn't matter which one. In all of them is one thousand galleons" said mother from behind me.

"Can I take few books as well" I asked. No way I'm leaving without at least ten of those books.

"Yes, but only five of them"

"Eight"

"Seven"

"Seven it is"

In the end I choose two books for beginners in charms, one book on Ancient Greek, two books on advanced potions and two books for beginners on warding.

With everything we needed in my pocket we could finally leave the bank.

When we were back on the street I took out the shopping list to decide the next course of action.

( AN : # means comment from MC )

Shopping List

First-year students will require:

UNIFORM. # Ugh, I hate clothes shopping #

Three Sets of Plain Work Robes (Black)

One Plain Pointed Hat (Black) for day wear. # I will never ever wear one of those atrocities!! #

One Pair of Protective Gloves (dragon hide or similar)

One Winter Cloak (Black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all student's clothes should carry name-tags at all times. # Bullshit, never ever have I seen someone wear it #

BOOKS. # Father will have to get them #

The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 Wand # I will have to go and get it #

1 Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2). # Father will acquire #

1 set of glass or crystal phials # Again, father will acquire #

1 telescope. # Once again, father will acquire #

1 set of brass scales # You know the drill #

Students may also bring an Owl OR a Cat OR a Toad. # Cat, definitely a cat. And maybe, maybe, an owl if some catches my eye. #

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.

After I told mom and father, how we will do the shopping, we parted ways. Me and mom went to get my trunk, wand, pet and robes. And father the rest.

It took us about three minutes to arrive at the shop that sells trunks. Once we entered we were greeted by an old guy.

"Good afternoon, are you here for your first trunk?"

"Yes we are"

"Well, and what kind of trunk would you like to have young man?"

"I'd like to have the trunk made from elm wood. It has to be fire proof, water proof. It has to have anti-theft, shrinking and weightless charms on it. Next I would like multiple enlarged compartments. The first one will be personal library, second potion station, third will be for miscellaneous items. The next three will be empty, for now that is, and the last one will be hidden, also empty. The trunk will have three locks on it and each compartment will have a separate lock each. I think that's all."

When I finished I was greeted with raised eyebrow and slight gaping. I think you know which was who.

"Is there some problem?" It seems that snapped them out of whatever that was.

"Uh, yeah, yeah, sure. I will have it done in ehh three hours? yeah three hours and half top."

And with that we went out of the shop.

Another five minutes of travel and we arrived to Madam Malkin's. When we opened I noticed that nobody was in the shop.

'Nice, no need to socialize'

"Hogwarts, dear?"

"Yes, ma'am"

And like that conversation died.

After standing on the stool for about fifteen minutes we were told it will all be ready in about two hours. When I was done begging my now wooden legs for a permission to leave we were finally out.

"Wand or pet first?" asked mom.

"I think wand first" I answered.

The Ollivander's wand shop is shabby looking building that have seen better days. I wonder when was the time wizards decided that it doesn't matter how things look. They have no sense of style. Sixty percent of the buildings in the Alley looks like they were never repaired after something happened to them. It honestly looks like from fourteenth century. Innovation is nowhere to be seen.

Once we entered I saw the interior and it was impressive. Shelves full of wands were to the ceiling. I didn't get to admire it more because it had to be interrupted.

"Hello, Mr. Malfoy, here for your wand?" asked the creepy old man.

"Yes, Mr. Ollivander" I dutifully answered.

"Aahh Lady Malfoy, Walnut, Dragon heartstrings, slightly flexible, 10 3/4", still good I hope?"

"Yes, Mr. Ollivander" replied mom stiffly.

"Now, come here Mr. Malfoy"

I did as he asked and was immediately assaulted by dozens of questions.

'What is this? A shitty personality test?'

After a while the old creep left and came back with three boxes.

"Try this one, Cherry, unicorn ha-No, no, no, not this one" He said before I could even touch it.

"Hmmm, what about this one. Elm, dragon heartstrings 13", slightly flexible."

I took the wand, flicked and... nothing happened.

"Perhaps not. Now.. this one. Hawthorn, unicorn hair, reasonably springy, 10"."

Once I've gotten the wand in my hand I felt a small pulse of heat and then it was snached again.

"Close, close" muttered Ollivander.

"Wait a moment please" Aaand he's gone.

About a minute later he came back with another box.

"Hawthorn, Thestral hair, unyielding, 12", try this one Mr. Malfoy"

When the wand was in my hand I felt the calmness that I normally felt from my core. This was it. This was my wand.

"Curious, curious" Of course everything is curious for that old creep.

Thankfully, we paid for the wand and wandholder and left before he could say something else.

'Ugh, I hate that guy. At least I don't have to go there anymore' were my last thoughts before we were out of the shop.

Next we went to Magical Menagerie for my pet.

The inside of the shop was smelly and loud. There were a lot of animals ranging from mice to Crups.

In the end I decided for a white persian long hair kitten with amber eyes.

"Your name shall be Bastet."

*Mreaw*

After the cat I was, unsurprisingly, forced to get a owl either. The owl I picked up was southern white faced owl named Abeona.

The day ended when we met with father, collected my trunk, clothes and Apparated home. I was so tired that I fell asleep before I made it to the bed.