14 Diagon Alley
With a loud yawn, Rowan stretches while Severus fidgets unable to keep still from excitement. They climb into the backseat of an old automobile that has no straps to buckle them in. Reginald climbs into the front seat and loudly starts the car. Shivers run down Rowan's back as she unconsciously grips anything she can hold onto.
"And we are off," Reginald triumphantly said as the car rushed forward like a cheetah.
Severus and Rowan can only hold on to whatever they can as the car literally darts through the forest. Apparently, the car was enchanted allowing it to swerve and pass in between trees at the last minute. This occurred for the entire trip even when they got on the roadway. Rowan and Severus are absolutely certain that are scores of crashes behind them.
Half a block away from the Leaky Cauldron, Rowan swerves and illegally crosses a roadway before pulling into a sliding stop between two parked cars. Pale and trembling, Severus and Rowan shakily regain their bearings as Reginald reaches into his pocket for muggle coins. He suspiciously eyes the muggle money in his hand with great distrust.
"Now, I just need to put these muggle coins in that strange metal contraption to pay for my parking spot, correct?" Reginald frowned. "What a strange muggle idea to ask one to pay for one's parking spot?" Reginald ruefully shakes his head at the foolishness of muggles.
Like trembling newborn fawns, Rowan and Severus rather unsteadily emerge from the old automobile. Reginald busies himself by pushing the muggle coins into the metal contraptions slot. The timer on the meter fills up until Reginald is satisfied.
"Come along, children," Reginald boisterously said while Rowan and Severus follow at a much slower face still feeling the aftereffects of the rollercoaster car ride to London.
Despite feeling unwell, Severus's face brightens at spotting the flaming red hair and emerald eyes of Lily Evans. Standing in front of a large book shop and record shop, Lily eagerly awaits with her parents the arrival of Rowan and Severus. Her parents accompany her, Mr. Evans, a ginger man with light-colored eyes, and Mrs. Evans, a light-haired woman with emerald eyes.
Severus eagerly waves and still rather wobbly rushes past Rowan and their grandfather to greet Lily. Lily excitedly waves back and rushes to meet Severus. The two meet each other halfway and give each other a big hug. They had missed seeing each other over the summer.
With Severus out of earshot, Rowan still feeling sickly says, "Grandfather, you should at least try to drive on the correct side of the road."
Reginald carelessly shrugs, "It's all the same to me."
"That's exactly the problem," Rowan drily quipped as they approached the Evans family.
Glancing around, Rowan does not spot the fair-haired Petunia Evans. It would seem the bitter seed of envy had already been planted. It was a shame really; she knew Petunia would have enjoyed several of the sights at Diagon Alley.
With the two families before each other, Reginald politely greets the muggle couple. "Greetings, allow me to present myself, I am Reginald Prince," he paused to point at the twin. "And these are my grandchildren, Rowan and Severus prince, whom I believe you are already acquainted with."
Reginald paused and waited for the muggle family to introduce themselves. The Evans couple appears rather uncertain until Lily says, "Hello Mr. Prince, I am Lily Evans, and this is my mum and dad."
"A pleasure," Reginald nods his head in greeting as the Evans couple mutter something along the lines of likewise.
"Now, we shall venture into Diagon Alley," Reginald said. "Please follow closely behind as I will be your guide."
"Thank you, Mr. Prince, please lead the way," Mr. Evans said as he and his wife shared a glance of relief and worry.
The two groups set off as Lily leans over to whisper to Severus, " Severus Prince?"
"It's grandfather's surname. Mum had us take the family surname after we left Spinner's End," Severus proudly explained as Lily shrugs in easy acceptance.
The Evans couple let out a shocked gasp at spotting a seedy pub sandwiched between the book shop and the record shop that had clearly not been there before. Mrs. Evans firmly clutches her purse that much tighter as if afraid of being robbed. "Not to worry, Madam," Reginald calmly explained. "Only wizards or those that have been invited can see the Leaky Cauldron." The Evans couple relaxes a tiny bit as they study the small pub sandwiched between a record shop and a large bookshop.
Reginald leads the couple into the tiny, grubby-looking bar as a hunched-back bartender wipes the bar with a questionable rag, while a bizarre assortment of customers drank alcoholic brews. Tom, the old bartender nods to them as Reginald leads the way to Diagon Alley. With a tap of his wand three up and two across a small hole appeared. The hole widens until a large archway formed leading to a cobbled street on the other side.
On the other side, the sun shines brightly on a stack of cauldrons for sale. Severus and Lily including the Evans couple stare in awe as Rowan just wrinkles her nose at the apothecary scent from nearby. Reginald swiftly motions for them to follow and leads the way to Gringotts Wizarding Bank to have the Evans couple exchange their muggle money for wizarding currency. Along the way, Reginald answers simple questions for the couple allowing them to feel much more at ease with the magical atmosphere.
Rowan follows closely behind their grandfather keeping a firm grip on his coat sleeves of Lily and Severus. Lily and Severus gawk in awe trying to take in all the astonishing sights which in Rowan's opinion made them easy targets to be stolen away. They pass a shop where a group of boys presses their noses against the shop window that displays brightly polished broomsticks. Severus and Lily want to get a closer look, but Rowan does not budge.
Soon they arrive before a snowy white building that towers over the rest of the shops in Diagon Alley. Standing in the front of the outer burnished bronze doors are guards in a uniform of scarlet and gold holding spears. Yet what was more shocking was the fact that they had pointy ears and were even shorter than the children.
Lily stares in fascination as does Severus until Rowan jabs his ribs. "It's not polite to stare just because they are goblins. Mind your manners," she reminded the two of them, who quickly looked away.
One of the goblins at the door has a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard, and very long fingers and feet. He seems pleased at Rowan's remark. The goblin bows and allows them inside revealing a second pair of inner silver doors with inscribed words.
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 here.
Lily and Severus's eyes glitter with childish delight. It was as if they were going on a real grand adventure! There would be treasurers to pillage and villains to do battle with!
On the other hand, Rowan takes note of the area around the second set of inner doors. The uniformed guards once again permit them to enter a vast marble hall. The entire Evans family and Severus are astonished at the sight of hundreds of goblins sitting on high stools behind long counters, scribbling in ledgers, weighing coins on brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses, while other goblins move in and out of hundreds of doors leading people in and out of vaults.
Lightly coughing, Reginald gathers their attention. "Mr. and Mrs. Evans, if you would line up at a counter, one of the goblins will attend you shortly and aid you in the exchange of currency."
Reginald paused to look at the twins with a severe look. "Wait for me right here, I shall be heading to the Prince Vaults and will return shortly." Reginald Prince does not even need to wait in line as a goblin automatically comes up to escort him to the Prince family vaults after confirming the vault key. The Prince's were valuable clients and would be treated as such.
Mr. and Mrs. Evans with some hesitancy step into line followed by the three children. The line moves steadily forward until it is their turn at the counter. The goblin at the counter crossly asks, "Well, what can Gringotts Bank do for you?"
"We've come for currency exchange," Mr. Evans apprehensively answered as he took a wallet from his inner coat pocket filled with cash. The goblin with ease counts the muggle money, before using a strange sort of tool to count, before promptly counting out the correct number of galleons, silver sickles, and bronze knuts. The goblin promptly hands over a large enough pouch filled with the exact amount as Mr. Evans carefully accepts the bag.
"Next!" The goblin snapped as the Evans couple hurriedly move aside along with the three children.
The Evans couple appears to be rather lost until Rowan says, "Grandfather should be back soon."
They did not need to wait for long when Reginald emerges from a door with a gleam in his eyes and a skip in his step. "The ride is always good for the soul," he hummed to himself.
Spotting the Evans couple and the three children, Reginald swiftly makes his way over. "Were you properly able to make the currency exchange?"
"Yes, it wasn't too bad," Mr. Evans replied with some relief at the return of their guide.
"Good," Reginald briskly said. "Now stick close, we'll need to keep up a firm pace to finish shopping for all the children's school supplies." The Evans couple nods in understanding and reaches for Lily's hand to keep a firm grip on her. Reginald does the same as he reaches out to take one twin in each hand. With a warm feeling in his chest, Reginald Prince and the Evans couple set off with the children in tow.
