2 Chapter 2: Diagon Alley

We left the orphanage in a few minutes, caught a bus to Charing Cross Road. When we reached there my eyes immediately tried to find a dingy old pub. It was not easy, my eyes went over it once without noticing it even though I knew what I was looking for but I spotted it in the end. McGonagall walked straight towards it and we stood up in front of it.

"Remember this place, it's an old pub named Leaky Cauldron. This place acts as a connection between muggle and magical society". She said as we entered.

"Good Morning Professor McGonagall. How are you doing this fine morning?" Tom greeted us with a smile that had a few teeth missing.

" Morning Tom, I'm fine, just guiding young Mr. Callum Haven here through his first time in the magical society", Prof. McGonagall replied.

"Hello to you too Callum Haven, welcome to the magical Britain. You can come look for old Tom if you need any assistance in the future. Always happy to help new muggleborn witches and wizards like yourself", Tom said patting his chest

"Thank You Tom, I will keep that in mind".

"Come on now, Mr. Haven we are getting late. Good day Tom." We left Tom to his work.

"Tom is the owner of Leaky Cauldron. If you need to send an owl in future he can help you. Witches and Wizards communicate through owls. They are intelligent creatures and are incredibly fast that can find anyone you want to communicate with. Normally students send their confirmation letter through owl but since I'm the one picking you up you don't need to send one", Prof McGonagall explained as we made our way through many witches and wizards, of which many greeted Prof. McGonagall and she nodded in return, to the back of the pub, and into a small Walled courtyard.

"Do all wizards and witches wear robes?", I asked a question any normal 11 year old muggleborn would.

"Yes, except when we go to muggle part of the society, we wear muggle clothing, like I am".

"Now play attention, this is how you enter Diagon Alley. Tap this brick three times. Remember the brick three up, two across", McGonagall explained as she tapped the brick three times. It quivered, then a hole appeared in the wall and it gradually got wider until they were facing an archway that opened into a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.

We walked through the street past some shops and stood in front of a snowy white building that towered over little shops.

"Gringotts Wizarding Bank", McGonagall said. Standing in front was a creature about a head shorter than me with pointy ears and long thin nose and beady eyes. "It's run by Goblins, they are magical creatures known for their cunning and love for treasures", McGonagall continued, " never mess with a Goblin", she warned as an afterthought.

"Wizarding currency is divided into gold galleons, silver sickles and bronze knuts. There are seventeen Sickles to a galleon and twenty nine knuts to a sickle. We won't be going in today as I already have your funds, but for future you can also exchange muggle money for Wizarding currency here too".

She then walked me past a dozen or so shops into a narrow alleyway to quite a large shop called Thomas' restoration.

"There are many shops in Diagon Alley where you can buy all the items in the list brand new, but those who need Hogwarts fund can get the same items slightly used but masterfully restored here at Thomas'. Don't worry Thomas and his staff are best in the business of restoring, you won't have any complaints from using them", McGonagall said.

We entered into the shop where Thomas, a tall middle-aged man with graying hair and glasses greeted us. " Good Morning Professor, is this the young wizard who needs us this year?".

"Yes, Thomas, this is Mr. Callum Haven."

"Good Morning", I greeted him.

"Good Lad, go through door at the back, Gerard there will fix you up with three sets of school robes, a winter cloak and a pointy hat, they may be slightly used, but they will look good as new. Meanwhile, I will have rest of your stuff ready", Thomas gently pushed me in the correct direction.

I returned with my robes from Gerard that fit surprisingly well and sure enough Thomas was ready with a large trunk with all my courses books and a Potion set inside. I put my robes in the trunk and asked, "What about the wand?"

"We don't sell used wands here Mr. Haven. First wand for a wizard or witch is special, Ollivander's is the only place for first wand. Well, looks like all your stuff is packed in the trunk or is there anything else you need?", said Thomas.

"Um.., Prof. McGonagall is there any book that can tell me basic things about Wizarding culture, I don't want to be ignorant of basic etiquette and knowledge at the start of the school", I asked hesitantly as a book would be a good cover for my knowledge just in case.

Thomas answered instead of McGonagall, "I'm glad you asked, I have just the thing for you", he went to a shelf filled with books, brought two books and handed them to me.

I read the title of the first book, "A guide to muggleborn wizards: Everything you need to know about Wizarding culture".

The other one was Hogwarts: A History, " These will tell you all about magical people and Hogwarts itself so you don't feel out of place, mind you Hogwarts will still surprise you at first even if you read the books".

"Thank you Mr. Thomas, this will be very helpful to me".

"Oh, don't thank me yet, I have an amazing offer for you, if you bring me all these books back next year when you don't need them in good condition, there's a few knuts or even sickles for you depending on the their condition. Same goes for school robes when they don't fit you. Think of it as pocket money, you can save a lot by the seventh year so that you will have something after graduation till you find a job", explained Thomas.

I was really happy knowing that Hogwarts and Thomas are doing so much to support new muggleborn witches and wizards. 'It's not as bad for muggleborn wizards as some of those fanfics made it, They are actively supporting muggleborn wizards growth and making them less dependent on the system', I thought.

We bid farewell to Thomas and headed back to the main street of Diagon Alley. "Next stop is Ollivanders", informed the Professor.

We stopped in front of a shop that was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.

McGonagall handed me seven galleons and said, "You go in alone here Mr. Haven. Choosing of a wand is a unique personal experience, I will be at the ice cream shop", she pointed at Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour a few shops away. I could tell that she was reluctant to go in the shop, Ollivander can make even her a little uneasy.

I went into the shop and saw Mr.Ollivander sitting at the desk polishing a wand and was a little disappointed that he didn't try to spook me by suddenly appearing and greeting. He looked exactly like the books described him, pale eyes like moon and frizzy and thinning hair, wrinkling face.

He fixed his pale eyes on me as soon as I walked in. "Good Afternoon child, first year at Hogwarts huh", he walked right up to me and peered at my face, I averted my eyes a little in case he knows passive legimency.

"Hmm, I can't recognize your parents from your face, are you muggleborn?", inquired Mr. Ollivander.

"Yes I am, Actually I don't know my parents as well, I grew up in orphanage".

"Oh, my deepest apologies, what's your name child?"

"Callum Haven, Do you know every witch and wizard in London?"

"Only those who ever bought a wand from me Mr. Haven, which is truthfully almost everyone. I remember each and every wand I sold, which is a gift of mine. Don't worry we will find you a wand that will support and compliment you".

He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm, your dominant hand?"

" I'm right handed"

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured me from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Haven. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

Mr. Ollivander then started flitting around the shelves as tape measured on its own. "That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Haven. Try this one. Fir and dragon heartstring. Eleven inches. Soft and Supple. just take it and give it a wave."

I took it and waved it around, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of my hand quickly. He gave me the next wand but took it back just as quickly. I tried several other wands but result was the same.

Mr. Ollivander on the other hand getting happier as I tried wands one after the other.

He thought for a few seconds then disappeared in the back of shop and brought a dusty old box. He took out the wand and studied it. It was a light brown wand with a beautiful design carved on the handle. He slowly passed it to me, " Teak and unicorn hair, eight and a quarter inches, strong and sturdy".

As soon as I held, I felt the warmth I have been waiting for. I waved it slightly and dark blue sparks and flames came out of the end along with a shock that ran through my hand. I almost dropped the wand in surprise.

It seems like I wasn't the only one surprised. He applauded with a laugh, " Bravo Mr. Haven, you must be special as this wand chose you. Did I mention that a wand choses a wizard as much as a wizard chooses the wand. This particular wand was one of the last my late father made and last one I have left of him. It's very temperamental stubborn, none of the previous wizards who tried it could get reaction out of it, which is unlike unicorn hair wands, usually they are mellow and can give decent results even if the user is not the owner, of course only owner can get the best results from it. It will be a very powerful wand if you take good care of it and make your bond stronger."

He took it back and put it in the box. He wrapped the box in brown paper and handed it back to me, "I have had it for nearly a hundred years, take good care of it. If you have any problems with it bring it to me. That will be seven galleons", I handed him the money as I wondered how old he was if he had the wand for nearly hundred years, maybe even older than Dumbledore.

Mr. Ollivander bowed as I exited the shop to find Professor McGonagall. She was sitting at a table inside the Ice-Cream shop with a cup of tea in front of her. She nodded as I entered the shop, " Did you get the wand?"

"Yes, Teak and unicorn hair core, eight and a quarter inches", I showed her the box.

"Good, you can order an Ice-Cream, it's my treat", she smiled at me.

"Thank you professor", I ordered a butterscotch and chocolate sunday with blueberries on top.

As I was eating the Ice-Cream, I asked, " where are we going next?"

"St. Mungo's hospital for magical malaise and injuries, there are some diseases that are specific to magical people like dragon pox, they will examine you and give a Potion that will prevent you from catching these diseases. Children of wizards usually get it when they are a few months old, you are new to magical community so you are not susceptible to them yet but after prolonged exposure you may catch it, that's why it's necessary to get the dose now."

'Well that explains why Harry didn't have to go to St. Mungo's, he was already treated in his childhood, there goes some of the fans' conspiracy theories, where Dumbledore didn't want Harry to get treatment from St. Mungo's to keep him weak' I thought as I finished my Ice-Cream.

Nothing noteworthy happened at St. Mungo's, a healer examined me with his wand muttering something under his breath, then gave me two potions to drink. I drank them without a fuss even though they were slightly bitter. He asked me to wait half hour then we were good to go.

"Next we are going to Kings Cross Station", McGonagall said as we exited the hospital, "You are going to have catch a train on September 1st come to Hogwarts".

We went to Kings Cross and she showed me how to get to Platform nine and three quarters.

Finally she dropped me back to the orphanage, she stopped me in front of the gate, "Before you go, there is another thing you need to know about magical community as a muggleborn wizard, most wizards and your fellow students will treat you normally and even be helpful but there is a minority of people who believe in magical lineage supremacy, they will think of you as below them because you are muggleborn, which you are not as all witches and wizards are equal regardless of blood. Try to keep away from them as much as possible. You can come to me or any faculty if they give you problems. Don't worry as Hogwarts I behind you if you haven't done anything wrong. Headmaster Dumbledore who is one of the greatest wizard who ever lived always says that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it. One last thing, I'm sure you are excited by the prospect of using magic, but until you are 17 you are legally not allowed to use magic outside of hogwarts, this comes under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery. You can study magic through your books but don't attempt to use your wand especially in front of muggles otherwise you could get expelled and your wand broken. This is good bye for now Mr. Haven, I look forward to seeing you on September 1st."

She patted me on the shoulder then took two steps back and disappeared with a turn. I stood there for a few seconds then entered the Orphanage.