Harry stepped off the rickety bus, one hand holding a slice of pizza, the other clutching the strap of school back he had stuffed all the money in.
"this pizza tastes ass…" said harry with a scowl on his face; still chewing hard on the pizza.
The summer heat in London was sweltering, making the air feel heavy, harry had mean moving places and trying to remember where the leaky cauldron was located.
After spending 2-3 hours roaming, he finally found it.
Wedged inconspicuously between a large bookstore and a record shop was a small, almost invisible sign that read "The Leaky Cauldron."
The sign looked old and faded, as if it had been there for centuries. It was easy to see why Muggles would overlook it entirely.
Harry again checked his attire,
He wore Dudley's favorite hoddie, it draped on him like an oversized rag, he also wore a baseball cap he had nicked from a kid on his way.
"I would have burned this horrendous hoddie, if I was not wearing it."
Pulling hard the hood over his head, harry walked into the molding bar.
The interior of the Leaky Cauldron was dimly lit, a stark contrast to the bright summer day outside.
Harry blinked a few times, adjusting to the gloom. The smell of old wood and spilled ale filled his nostrils as he glanced around. The pub was a hodgepodge of old, mismatched furniture, and the walls were lined with shelves holding a variety of oddities and curios.
A few drunks were scattered about, their loud conversations creating a low hum.
Harry noted that despite its shabby appearance, there was a certain charm to the pub – a sense of history and secrets hidden just beneath the surface.
As he made his way to the bar, Harry kept his head down, not wanting to attract any attention.
People too gave him a once over in passing, but as this being a busy transit part nobody really cared that much.
Harry made his way to the bar, Behind it stood a bald, toothless man who was methodically wiping glasses with a somewhat dirty rag.
"I'm looking for Tom, the bartender."
"Aye, that's me. What can I do for ya, lad?"
"I need to get to Diagon Alley," Harry replied quietly. "Can you help me?"
Tom nodded knowingly. "Of course. Follow me."
With Tom leading the way, they moved to the back of the pub. Harry glanced around as they walked, noting the various patrons who seemed to be lost in their own worlds. Some were clearly wizards and witches, dressed in robes of varying colors and styles, while others seemed more ordinary, though they carried an air of mystery about them.
"is that a new trend for robes." Tom said with an odd look on his face.
"…" harry looked at the back of the man with scorching eyes, but said nothing.
Not getting any replie, tom just shrugged his shoulders and walked ahead.
With Tom leading the way, they moved to the back of the pub. Tom tapped a specific brick on the wall, and Harry watched in awe as the bricks rearranged themselves to form an archway.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley," Tom said with a smile, stepping aside to let Harry through.
Harry felt a thrill of excitement as he stepped into the hidden world. The alley was filled with witches and wizards, all going about their business.
Shops lined the cobbled street, each one offering a glimpse into the magical world. There were stores selling potions in shimmering glass bottles, their contents bubbling and changing colors. One shop had a display of broomsticks, each one sleeker and more advanced than the last, while another advertised enchanted quills that wrote on their own.
Harry's attention was caught by a bookstore with a sign that read "Flourish and Blotts." Its windows were filled with towering stacks of books, some of which seemed to glow faintly or whisper as he walked past. Nearby, a shop called "Eeylops Owl Emporium" had owls of every size and breed, their eyes following him with keen intelligence.
A bit further down, Harry saw "Magical Menagerie," a pet shop where cages held an array of strange and wonderful creatures. He spotted a cat with fur that changed color, a cage of chattering pixies, he then saw a black cat that seems to look at him and screeched.
Despite the allure of these shops, Harry knew he had a specific goal in mind. He walked past the attractions, reminding himself that there would be time for exploration later. His destination lay in a darker corner of the magical world.
The cobblestones beneath his feet seemed to absorb the sunlight, casting the entire alley in a perpetual twilight.
There were far fewer people here during the day, yet as Harry walked into the street, he felt the light of the sun dim further in this corner of the world. It was as if the magic in the air itself reflected the depravity of the people and things here. The air was thick with an unsettling quiet, punctuated only by the occasional muttered conversation or the clink of chains from a distant, unseen source.
Harry walked with quick steps, his senses heightened by the dark aura of the alley. He was not uncaring, but rather felt a thrill of excitement even in this type of environment. Memories from Voldemort's past guided him, making his path feel eerily familiar.
Finally, Harry made his way to a small, inconspicuous shop tucked away in a corner. The sign above the door read "Chun Tai's Exchange." It looked unassuming, almost blending into the shadows that clung to the alley walls. Harry pushed the door open and stepped inside, a bell tinkling softly above him.
"I don't know how a bell could sound so gloomy" harry muttered to himself.
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An:
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