A Magical Family Time

Devlin and his family looked around turning their head in every direction like tourists visiting Time Square in New York City for the first time. Devlin remembered the time he went to Diagon Alley in Universal Studios in the United States with his family that one time. Obviously different, but the energy is there.

Bright energy fills the air as the sun shone brightly down the alley. "Oh that's so cute!" Devlin heard some girls expressing themselves as they stare at the window with all the candy. Devlin peaked over to see the store sign say "Honeydukes". They walked through many stores selling telescopes and instruments never seen before. Kids in robes rushing about with their parents no doubt probably shopping for supplies as well.

"Here we are now..Gringotts." said Mrs. Sprout. They reached a white building towering over the other shops. "This is where you can make a bank account for world." Walking through the entrance a pair of goblins bowed to them welcoming them in.

"Whoa..who are they?" Kate asked in shock while observing the vast amount of goblins sitting on stools behind the counter.

"They are goblins. They are very intelligent beings. It's because of them we can feel safe with them securing our money." Mrs. Pouch said as she brings Devlin and the family to an free goblin at the counter.

"Afternoon." Mrs. Sprout said. "We've come to open an account and exchange some muggle currency."

The goblin at the desk the proceeds to discuss the procedures with Devlin's parents. After signing a few things, the goblin hands his parents a key and a lamp. "Please follow."

The goblin opens the door for them. Devlin and his family found themselves a narrow stone passageway leading to a cart starting from the tracks ahead of them. They climbed in and they were off.

After a few shocking twists and turns and realizing the cart was driving on its own, Devlin's mother was screaming at surprise dip or turn. Devlin and Kate were laughing and getting a joy of the ride. The cart stopped in front of a private area with a door. "Vault 1065." Said the goblin as he walked towards the door. He puts his hand out towards Devlin's parents. "Lamp please." The goblin said bluntly. Peter handed the lamp to the goblin and the goblin hung it by the key hole. "Key please." Peter then handed the key that was given to him earlier as the goblin takes it and unlocks the door.

A lot of green smoke came billowing out as the open happens and has a small pile of coins in there. It seems that the money conversion discussion already happened before visiting the vault.

Mrs. Sprout handed Peter a sheet of paper. "Here is the conversion rate between our currencies. If you convert, you'll find the scale of pricing is similar. For now, if you don't mind me." Mrs. Sprout went ahead and took a pile of coins and put it in a pouch. "This should be enough for school supplies."

"I see." Peter took the pouch. He started reading the conversion sheet of paper. "Okay, then maybe we should grab a little extra just in case. I guess 50 Galleons will do."

After another cart ride later, the group found themselves in the sunlight outside of Gringotts. "Well, now that we got that settled! Lets go get our things for school shall we?" The first stop they went to Mrs. Sprout gestures the group to is called "Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment."

"It's best if you buy a chest first. It'll be easier to carry everything around and you'll have something to pack when you leave for Hogwarts." Mrs. Sprout explained. Once they found a chest they like, they were then directed to "Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions."

Madam Malkin turned around and approached the parents and then looked at the kids. "Hogwarts, for two?"

"For one, my daughter." Devlin's mother explained.

"Very well! I have another family here as well. Come follow." In the back of the shop they see a family waiting on the side while two twin young boys with flaming red hair play around taking turns who should be standing on the footstool while waiting for staff.

"Fred, George! Behave yourselves!" A plump kind looking woman by them lectures them.

One of the twins stood up on the stool. "But Mum, we're twins! Does it matter which one of us stands on the stool?" he then jumped down the stool.

The other twin stood up on the stool next. "Besides, it'll be entertaining to see if they can't tell us apart! Right George?"

George joined in and balanced on the stool so they are both on the stool. "Right Fred! Besides we decided, since we get Percy's hand me downs, we must decide!" George announces.

"Decide what?" The mother asks

"Who gets Percy's pants and who gets the shirt of course!" Fred says

"And neither of us want his pants!" George says

"Things must be done equally mum!" The twins say together at the same time. Devlin then noticed two younger kids behind the mother. Both of them with the same fiery red hair like the twins but one female and one male.

"Oh you boys! You are both getting your own robes! Percy can still fit Charlie's old robe and Charlie is using Bill's Robes before he graduated. That just leaves you two but none of you fit their old clothes when they were younger, and you have outgrown your robes from last year." She explained.

"YES!" The twins high five each other and each found their own stool instead of sharing one. The mother turned her head and blushed lightly realizing another group was staring at them as Madam Malkin gestures Kate to stand an a vacant stepstool.

"Mrs. Weasley, its been a while. I take it you are doing well?" Mrs. Sprout broke the ice.

"Oh! Mrs. Sprout. How are you? I apologize for the chaos of my kids." One of the twins sticks out his tongue in response. Kate and Devlin slightly laughed in an entertaining way.

"It is no worries." Mrs. Sprout smiled. "Let me introduce to you. This is the Delwyn family. They are a muggle family, but their daughter will enroll into Hogwarts this year. Delwyn family, this is Molly Weasley and some of her kids. They are a wizard family." As she gestures to Kate getting measured.

Mrs. Weasley turned and smiled at the family. "Nice to meet you. My name is Molly Weasley. And this these are my kids. The twins over there are Fred and George." She gestures to the twins. The twins both at the same time put their hands up and smiles playfully to Devlin and his sister. "These two little ones behind me are Ron and Ginny." Ron and Ginny also wave as a greeting.

"A pleasure, this is my husband Peter, and my kids, Devlin and Kate. Kate will be going to Hogwarts this year." Devlin follows suit with his sister and waves and smiles at the family.

Devlin thought to himself "Wow, the Weasley family is just like how I read them. Really red hair." Devlin was shocked to bump into someone from the novel again. Is this fate? So many coincidences. He feels like the wizarding world is a small one, but then again, this could also be a common time for families to shop for school supplies.

"Oh a muggle family! My husband would be happy to meet you. He's currently out with our other sons of ours shopping for other supplies. He has a fascination of Muggle Artefacts. He works for the Ministry." Molly explained

"Even if he's dad, careful with that one I'd say!" George said in a playful manner

"Yes yes! You'll be drowned with questions and it would never end!" Fred responds with the same manner of energy.

While they laugh, the parents of both families along with Mrs. Sprout continue to chat on various topics about the school, culture, life of muggles and life of wizards. Devlin walks over to the younger kids sitting by the ledge.

"Hi, as my mom said, my name is Devlin Delwyn. Nice to meet you." Devlin excitingly reached out his hand to make a connection with two future leading figures.

"Nice to meet you too." Ron said

"So you four plus two more with your dad?" Kate who just finished getting fitted joined in the conversation. The twins are still getting fitted due to their behavior.

"Seven of us." Ginny said in response "Bill moved out. Charlie and Percy are with dad, and then there's us."

Kate nodded to her. "So, a wizard family? You must know a lot of spells!"

Ron shook his head. "Not really. We're not old enough to attend Hogwarts. I'm 10 and Ginny is 8. We don't have our wands yet."

Devlin curiously then asks as well. "So you didn't learn any spells or anything yet?"

Ron thought about it. "Well sometimes accidents happen you know. But I wasn't really interested in learning it now. Our mum only taught us how to read and stuff. We can always learn magic when we get to Hogwarts. Besides, it's really hard to cast spells without a wand!" Ginny also nodded in agreement.

"I guess this is the difference between living with magic and discovering it for the first time. It's not as curious and new to them so they are not so desparate to cast magic." Devlin thought to himself.

"Okay, now that we have your uniform settled, how about we go buy the rest of the supplies shall we? Mrs. Weasley, you are welcome to join us if you wish." Mrs. Sprout invited as she noticed Devlin's parents and Mrs. Weasley enjoying each other's company.

"Oh that's a great idea! Maybe we'll bump into Arthur and the other boys on the way!" Mrs. Weasley said.

Devlin's father approached Mrs. Sprout and Mrs. Weasley. "Actually, I do have one question. I saw a man reading a unique newspaper back at the bar. Is there a way I can get access to that? My family is part of this world now. Knowing current events wouldn't hurt."

"Oh yes. Then we'll need to go to The Daily Prophet then!" Mrs. Sprout

The group arrives on the south side of the Alley approaching a sign that says, "The Daily Prophet." They walk into the building and in view they see a reception desk and a friendly faced dark haired female giving the group a welcoming face.

Devlin looked behind him and saw a classic looking Gutenberg printing press. What's interesting is that it is running on its own without anyone touching it. It looked like it finished its first impression and flipped, and the paper floated off to a pile while a new blank sheet floated over to its place to get printed as well.

"Look at that Kate! It's moving on its own!" Devlin said

"Whoa how is that done?" Kate wondered.

The kids look in amusement as they approach the counter. "Hello. How may I help you?" The girl at the counter said.

"Ah yes.." Peter clears his throat. "How would one be going about subscribing to this paper? We.." He looks at both Mrs. Sprout and then his wife nervously then looks at the girl at the counter. "Are muggles. I'm not sure how this works."

"Ah yes, that is not a problem. Thank you for being a customer." The girl took out a sheet and ink and a quill and handed them to Peter. "Please fill this out with your information. Once complete, we will send an owl to you daily. Compared to muggle papers, you or a family member must be present to the owl to pick up the paper yourself and you drop payment which is one Knut. If it is not paid, the owl will leave with the paper."

"You can't just leave it at location? I can pay here ahead of time." Peter asks

The girl shakes her head. "That's not how it works here. Also, as a safety, we'd prefer it if the paper was not left alone in a muggle town. We have laws of secrecy here. The law now applies to you as well. While you are muggles, you are now family to wizards and part of our world and the our law as well." Peter nods his head in understanding. Once completing the subscription form, they left.

The group continued walking down Diagon Alley as Mrs. Sprout and the Weasley family show the Devlin family around. Devlin and Kate even became friendly with the Weasley Twins, Ron and Ginny. As a thanks, Devlin's father went ahead and treated the kids to a bunch of candy at Honeydukes while resting and taking a break.