After all this time? Always...

Diagon alley

   It has been a week since Sirius told me the news, meaning there was only 2 weeks left until I finally meet him. Every day closer to the day I leave for Hogwarts my belly felt more and more nervous, I couldn't stop thinking about what people might say and think. I have never had to worry about that sort of stuff, hardly anyone knows I exist.
Of course when you have been in a cellar for the best part of 15 years, you don't exactly have the supply's to go to a wizarding school, I don't even have a wand. Whenever I wanted to practice my spells I would use Sirius' , but it often didn't do what I wanted it to do and a simple summoning charm would often break about 5 glasses - something gave me the impression it didn't like me very much.
    I was worried that I wouldn't know what to bring to Hogwarts, but sure enough a letter was dropped off outside the abandoned house we had been taking up residence in by a very old looking barn owl. That was one thing I loved about the world I live in, the crazy and amazing things that you would never get to witness if you were a muggle. Thinking about it, muggles life's are pretty boring.
The letter was addressed and said
     Mis Ava Potter
     Abandoned house 35
     Churchill Avenue, Sussex
On the back of the letter there was a stamp right were the fold was. On it there was a picture of all four houses at Hogwarts school. Although I didn't know much about Hogwarts, I knew about the houses and the constant rivalry between them, especially Gryffindor and Slytherin.  I carefully opened the letter, unfolded it and read what it said.

Dear Mis potter,
You have been invited to study at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Here you will learn the basics of magic and it will set you up for the wizarding world. If you accept our offer you will be joining 5th year, and you will need the following list of workbooks:
Care of magical creatures,
Potions 5.0,
Charms for experienced wizards and witches,
Defence against the dark arts extreme edition,
And Broom handling and flying.
You may also need these following items if you don't have them:
A wand,
Uniform with everything apart from tie which you will be given once sorted into your house,
A cauldron,
And a broomstick.
you are also  allowed to bring either a cat, owl or toad.
We are looking forward from hearing from you,
All the best
Albus  Dumbledore.

I felt a bit overwhelmed, I had never really set foot in the outside world before, never mind knowing where to get all this equipment. I had heard about one place however, Diagon Alley I think it's called, but I have no idea where it is, and how to get there.
Suddenly the door opened above me , and you could hear the distant sound of Sirius humming a song he had just learnt. 2 minutes later he waltzed into the room smiling and dancing around. Sirius was often like this, even in the darkest times he could bring a smile to anyone's face. He looked at the letter in my hand and his sapphire eyes brightened " I see you have received your letter then" he said in a enthusiastic tone.
I nodded my head, not knowing how to react to the letter, and the fact that I was having to go.
"Oh don't tell me you are still upset with me," Sirius spoke again with a frown starting to develop on his face.
"No,no I am not. I don't mind anymore.. it's just that. Well there is so much that I haven't got, I haven't even got a wand Sirius, I mean where are we going to find all this." I replied, in a not so excited tone. I have always had to be the realistic one, Sirius was to optimistic to thing about the real life picture. The frown disappeared and the smile grew back on his face "well Diagon Alley of course" he spoke whilst still dancing around. Even though Sirius has been on the run for 15 years, he was very good at blending in so that nobody could see him. So the next day me and Sirius packed our bags and caught the train to Oxford street. It was weird being outside again, don't get me wrong I have been out for walks and for fresh air, but I can't remember the last time I actually spent the day out, and the last time I saw Sirius brushing his normally knotted Mane.

Within 15 minutes we had arrived at an old pub just off the side of the busy Oxford street, as we walked in you saw chairs flying around, and tables cleaning themselves. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, I have never seen so many witches and wizards in a place at once, I kept on thinking to myself it only took one muggle to walk in and our whole world would be exposed. Then I remembered that muggles  can't see this pub, so I started to relax again.
Me and Sirius started to push our way through the queue for the bar, and managed to make our way outside into the beer garden. It was empty and at the end was a rustic and old looking brick wall. I didn't know where I was, or how we were going to get to Diagon Alley from here, but before I could say another word Sirius tapped on a brick with his wand, and the whole wall started to separate. Bricks moved to form a gateway into the most extraordinary street have ever seen.

The cobbles that formed the pavement danced around in the sunlight, and as you look up you could see the clouds ripping away allowing the sun to shine through. Brightest coloured shops ran along the cobbled walkway, and signs from each of them enticed you nearer towards them. Each person that you saw had a different style, some dressed in the more traditional clothing, and some were dressed as if they wanted to blend in with muggles. Teen-ages would dart around the street on fast broomsticks shouting at people that got in the way, and younger children ran around with lollipops in there mouth whilst there parents ran along after them with about 15 shopping bags in their arms. I can't believe that this is what I had been hiding from  for the last 15 years. For some reason Diagon Alley comforted me, and you could tell that Sirius felt automatically relaxed as well. I didn't mind that I was going to be discovered now, because it will allow me to experience this truly spectacular world that I have never been apart off.

It made me finally start to feel somewhat free.