16. Diagon Alley

About 2 weeks before school started, we planned to go to Diagon Alley and buy my school supplies. Dad and I were up early, Tobrey our house elf had the breakfast ready and we were quickly done.

We used the floo to go directly to Diagon Alley, we stepped out of one of the mass exodus fireplaces available, just like in the Ministry.

Since we had several things to do, we chose to start with going to Gringotts and my vault.

Dad went with his own bank manager while I went into my vault. As the last time, I got sucked into the vault, the galleons were still to the side, so I loaded up with some there. I planned to start using the workshop I had in Muggle London, and It would take capital to get into working shape, and convert it into a wood shop. I was planning on getting that antique furniture workshop up and running.

I also placed back the books I had from my first year, all the beginner materials, and my first year Hogwarts books. And then I took out the intermediary versions.

I went back up with the goblin, and I had a short meeting about setting up a magical business that could work in both the muggle side and magical. I got dad to sign the papers as I wasn't of age. And since he worked for the ministry, getting the permissions for starting such a business was way easier.

The goblins also helped with sending out job listings for muggleborns specifically, to help run it, and man the workshop itself.

I had the general requirement of being good at charms and Transfiguration, since those would be the main jobs in restoring all the furniture.

And since the store part of the shop would require someone who would be able to cater to the more high end clientele that I was hoping for, I had ads placed for that as well.

All in all, I would be hiring 7 people in total, I wasn't going to be running the workshop day to day, so It would require multiple people to handle it, along with those that would be able to restore furniture, and even make repairs.

In the long run I was hoping that the restoration business would be the biggest part of the business, but time will tell.

All I now needed was to somehow get the thousands of antique furniture from the ROR at Hogwarts, to my workshop. But that was for then, first I needed the workers, then refurbish the shop, and finally then I could get started.

As that had now been completed, I would be getting folders with info on any applications the goblins received after their own screening by owl.

As this was my second year, I would once again be getting new supplies, books and materials.

Walking along the alley having done most of our shopping, only missing madam malkins, we sat at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, getting what I consider to be some well deserved ice creams.

A commotion happened at the entrance to the alley, people started pointing, and talking, it seemed some sort of celebrities were coming, I looked down towards the entrance and there I saw Harry Potter walking along with his father, Lord Potter. Lord Potter smiled, but was otherwise trying to protect his son from the masses that wanted to have a look at him.

"Dad, why is everyone behaving like that around those two?", I said as I pointed towards them, I knew who they were but I didn't know their stories in this world, since in the one I was aware of, Lord Potter was dead, and Harry an orphan.

Rufus looked and squinted towards the entrance and the throngs of people milling about the Potters, "sigh… That is Lord James Potter, and his son Harry Potter, they were there when the last Dark Lord, Voldemort, was defeated by Professor Knott. It seems there is a prophecy about the young Harry, that he will defeat a future Dark Lord, that will bring chaos and death to us. So everyone is very curious about him. Though how much I believe in Prophecies I can't say, to me they are some of the most unusable magics! Sigh.. Now wait here Thomas, I'll go help disperse the crowd, the gall they have to just crowd around them!".

Rufus Pov:

Pulling out his wand, Rufus walked with determined strides toward the crowd, and firing a noise hex in the air, making a loud crack, followed by a sonorus he quickly went to work dispersing everyone, to let the Potters have their privacy and space.

"That's it! Everybody disperse, let them have their space people, this is highly improper, DISPERSE!".

With much difficulty and shouting, the crowd finally dispersed.

"Well met Lord Potter, and Young Harry, I hope you will be able to enjoy this occasion, it isn't every year that you start Hogwarts or take your first trip to get your wand.".

Lord Potter looked with a happy smile at his son Harry and ruffled his hair, Harry returned the smile and had an eager expression. "Yes, Harry has been most troublesome having to wait for the day, he almost apparated in excitement just to get here early haha".

Rufus returned the smile, and they both talked for a couple of minutes until Harry got impatient and started pulling his fathers cloak, "Come on dad! You promised we could look at the new brooms as well! And then I want to get my wand, I can't wait to be able to cast magic just like you and Professor Knotts, he is so cool!".

Lord Potter grimaced slightly at his words, Harry had developed somewhat of a hero worship towards Alan, or Professor Knott as he is called now, he is a friend of the family and since the day of Voldemort's defeat had always been there since. Helping, guiding and being a true friend and support for the Potter family.

To be perfectly honest he was one of the main reasons why the Potter family had prospered so much during the time since the Dark Lords fell.

And even though Lily died in the attack, he managed to defeat one of the greatest dark lords of our time, and he would be forever grateful for that.

"You must excuse me Rufus, but it seems Harry has inherited the need for speed that seems to run in all Potters, so we must go and look at brooms".

With that Lord Potter and Harry left with Harry dragging his father to increase his pace.

Rufus was quite sure that it wasn't only Harry that had the need for speed if James' days at Hogwarts had been any indication, since he had been a fantastic flier back then. And he was sure that it wouldn't be just Harry practically drooling over whatever new broom was being displayed. With a chuckle he returned to Thomas.

General Pov:

Diagon Alley cannot be said to be a peaceful street, not in the way that chaos runs rampant, or people are screaming and yelling, more in the way that the street was filled with people, all bussing about, getting ready for the new school year.

New animals being bought, books being selected, wands choosing their wizard or witch, people talking, laughing and generally creating a happy atmosphere in the alley all along its length.

But for the keen observer, cloaked figures that seemed to be trying to not show their faces, or draw attention to themselves, appeared around the alley, each slowly walking forward towards the front of gringotts bank, gathering together there were nearly thirty figures, the noise suddenly started to quiet down as people started to notice them.

Each of the cloaked figures drew their wand and just as the noise were at their lowest, with almost all the people in the alley looking at the group, the front row started to cast blasting hexes at gringotts, while the back turned around towards the wizards and witches gathered around them and started to fire into the crowds of people.

And all hell broke loose!

Thomas' Pov.

Having finished my ice, and dad returned complaining about people not leaving the Potters alone, I noticed the group of cloaked wizards gathering in front of the bank, it seemed weird, like they were ready to start a protest of some sort, or sing, something like that, a happening haha I just imagined them as a flash mob that would start dancing and singing, do Wizards perform those ?

But just as suddenly reality set in, and they started to fire at the bank, shooting magics into the crowds around them, dropping people down by the droves.

Dad managed to react first; he threw up a shield that tanked a couple of the first spells, but they were too many, so I drew my wand and cast my own shield.

The screaming filled my ears and the absolute chaos of people running for their lives, Rufus led me back towards the ice cream shop, you couldn't apparate inside the alley, so they couldn't just run away, and backing away while dueling several of the figures proved too much.

Multiple colored lights were thrown all around, and a lot of them impacted my shield. I could feel that it shook with the power, but determined not to let them harm either me or dad, I kept feeding it power, and when I could, I fired back. Moody's training had made me a lot more comfortable with combat, but nothing could have prepared me for the level of chaos here. And the very real feeling of these people wanting to kill as many as they could!

Suddenly dad screamed and was blasted away, his shield had cracked and something hit him as he went down on his knees.

I fired back but I had nothing to really fight them with, only stunners and disarmers but they easily blocked them. A red light and a sudden pain flared up in my leg, I looked down and saw blood started to flow from my leg staining my pants.

I collapsed next to dad, the pain being too much, it clouded my mind making me unable to focus on other things.

Dad pulled me into him, and cast another shield. I couldn't make out what he was saying, but I felt reassured that he was here. This was already the second time in only a year that I had felt like I was about to die. I just hope this isn't the end.

General Pov:

The cloaked group having destroyed the front of the Gringotts and hurt almost 50 people around them, though none had died yet, they each threw away their cloaks, revealing scarred faces, haunted looks, each and everyone of them were werewolves, shunned from society, forced to be second rate citizens because of a disease they had no control over.

Gringotts had refused them, society had shunned them, no more would they take it, so a message was needed, we are here, we are not weak, you are!

A man wearing fur, with long hair and a full beard, broad chest and shoulders stood on the steps of the bank, his voice echoing all around the alley, "We have had enough! No more will we be looked down upon, the wizarding world has shunned us from society, but no more, we will have rights, we will have POWER! This message you will all deliver to the ministry, the Werewolf society is one. Beware of us, for we are now at war! Kill and main these pitiful people, my family, my pack, show them our might!!".

And with that half of the people started to half turn into their wolf shapes, while the rest maintained their human shape fully and attacked as one.

Amidst the terror and chaos, the battle that was going on a figure flying through the air landed in the groups midst, and with a deafening boom, magic poured out of the figure surrounding the alley, he stood tall and with a hand gesture a staff appeared in his hand, and as the bottom hit the ground the earth cracked and blasted the group away from him.

"ENOUGH! Ulrick! STAND DOWN!". And as the figure stood tall among the fallen group of werewolves it was clear that Alan Knott had appeared, and he was angry!

The wolves only hesitated shortly before going on the attack, firing dark magics at Alan, Ulrick stood up as well, and with an angry but apprehensive look ordered the attack, and soon followed suit.

Allan thrust his staff into the ground and a golden shield appeared around him, covered in translucent runes that appeared to shift around the circle. The staff remained embedded in the ground and he took out his wand from his sleeve, with the golden dome still standing he started to cast his magic.

Waving his wand a wall of fire was conjured from the empty air, surrounding him and expanding, against the main group of werewolves, followed by another wave, this time more intricate, with a whispered incantation that sounded like it was whispered right into your ear, but unable to understand, it sounded like backwards gibberish, a blue arcane force appeared and expanded out from him like a bubble, before being pushed out like a shockwave, hitting the wolves again, this time it burned away their transformation, but it was clear it was an agonizing way of being transformed back, as they all yelled and collapsed.

Alan stood with his back straight, calm, but furious, the staff was still in the ground with the golden dome almost completely transparent now, like its power had slowly been drained as it had taken the attacks of those not transformed.

"Ulrick, stand down now, you have lost!", bellowed Alan out towards the remaining werewolves.

Ulrick looked conflicted, but it was apparent he was too far into this to back down, so with the remaining wolves with him, they started to attack once again.

Alan conjured another shield around him, but the simultaneous magics broke the shield, and he was pushed back. 10 vs 1, he started to transfigure the ground around him, making walls to take the spells thrown at him. Being protected now, he started to cast more intricate magic, forming several golems that did not at all look bulky, but refined, athletic almost, and as one they charged the group.

With the golems taking up the focus, Alan started another spell, one much more intricate than anything seen so far, he waved his wand above his head and with it conjured a white almost transparent hazy dome that expanded out to cover almost the entire alley, he didn't stop chanting the spell, and as it passed through the wizards in the alley, each and everyone felt the connection they had to their magic disappear, all at once everybody turned into a muggle with a fancy stick in their hands or pockets. Alan Knott had cast his signature magic, Anti Magic. The ones that took the highest tool from, having their magic cut, were the wolves. As the barrier passed through them, each clutched a hand to their stomach, and let out a yell in pain, and when it had passed them all, they each collapsed to the ground. The battle was over.