Fullmetal Wizard | Chapter 81

His long golden hair was pulled back in a ponytail today. Though it was already a warm day, he wore a dark, long sleeved shirt, carefully buttoned up to his neck; a dark vest, long black pants; and heavy black boots. A long chain stretched from a front belt loop to a watch carefully placed in a front pant pocket, and white gloves graced both hands.

He had no telltale white bandage on the front of his neck for the first time in weeks, but the burn there was an ungodly mix of red and a deep purple-blue in the rough shape of a thin hand. It still itched like mad, but he was ignoring it successfully. Fortunately, the collar of his shirt covered most of it.

With a frustrated growl, Hermione grabbed his arm and nearly dragged him across the street. Ron following sullenly right behind.

There were a number of small shops all around them, but they stopped at what looked like small section of brick wall. Ed turned about to find that sign they mentioned, and was about to recross the street when Ron caught his arm and pulled him back. He found they were facing some old window with peeling paint about the siding, and he suddenly found he had to find a privy, (though he didn't need to actually use it)--he turned about once more, intent on doing just that. Hermione firmly grasped his other arm, and turned him back to the window with her mouth set in a determined line. She nodded over at Ron, and he, too, firmed up his grip.

"You really ARE a Muggle.." Hermione said with gritted teeth, and though he felt compelled to turn around yet again--this time to get a bite to eat, (though he wasn't quite THAT hungry, yet)--Ron and Hermione weren't having it. They held their grip firm, and forcibly marched him through what turned out to be a door. He knew this because, once he was within said tavern, he looked behind him as it closed.

"What the shit..?" Ed muttered in Amestrian, and looked about him.

There were moving pictures plastered upon the walls, dark empty booths along the walls. Before him was a bar, with a number of people sitting on stools, quietly nursing drinks even at this early hour. He'd seen that look on their faces numerous times before; it was one of defeat and sorrow. The bartender, a rather stooping, balding figure of a man, looked right at him, and frowned. His eyes narrowed slightly.

"Can I help you?" The barkeep said.

"Just passing through!" Hermione said in an overly cheerful manner, and hooked her arm through his. (Ron had let go abruptly of the other as soon as he was inside.) Ed smiled widely and gave his own wave to the man with his right as Hermione walked him behind the bar. They exited the door and entered what looked like a small courtyard.

"Sorry..in a bit of a rush." Ron said over his shoulder as he joined them.

Hermione reached into a pocket and took out her wand. Ed watched as she looked at the brick wall before them rather intently, then tapped the wand on a specific brick.

"Three up..two across.." she whispered. As Ed watched, the wall appeared to deconstruct sloppily, and in extremely slow motion, revealing a rather cheerful and busy shopping district behind it. There were quite a few people and children rushing about in robes, some wearing pointy hats. Most had bags floating behind them, others were accompanied by the creatures Ed knew were called 'House Elves' that carried the burden for them.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley. First thing..we need to change your Muggle money to Wizard."

"You vreally have separate currency?"

"Yes. I'll explain how it works as we go..."

"Funny. Jon plans to set up a currency system just for dhis dhing he calls 'internets'. Says it'll catch on. And here dhis is..vright under his nose..."

"Intern Nets?" Ron said

Ed shrugged.

"I vreally have no idea vhat it is, Ron. It's..um.. vone of Jon's dhings he does."

Ed looked about as they headed towards a large imposing building at the end of the alley. There were numerous small shops lining the narrow street. One in particular caught his eye..just for the numerous books on display in the window. He made a mental note to visit it as Hermione chattered away about "Galleons", "Sickles", and "Knuts". Ed figured he'd be fine trying to manage it..it wasn't the first time he'd had to adjust to a foreign currency system.

Ed noticed another alley jutted just beyond the great white building enblazoned with the word "Gringotts", and stopped a moment to look.

"Oh..that's Knockturn Alley..we won't need to go there." Hermione said.

"Vwhy not?..I can see more shops down dhere."

"Just..trust us. You don't need anything from any of them. It's real creepy." Ron said.

Ed snorted.

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