dursley [h. g.]

••dursley•• || despair in diagon alley

With no small amount of pleading, Kendra was finally allowed out of the house when Mrs. Weasley finally allowed (when a sufficient amount of protection was promised) for a trip to Diagon Alley. Hermione had made Kendra promise not to leave her side when Mrs. Weasley had allowed her to go with everyone else.

"Alright, have you got everything? Your wand is in your pocket?" Mrs. Weasley asked, looking Kendra up and down.

"Actually," she replied, her voice wavering for a second, recounting the moment in her mind. "They took my wand. I don't have one anymore." Kendra swallowed thickly as she remembered the snap of the wood, her own whimper in response, and the cruel laughter that followed. She wrung her hands together, trying to shake the thoughts from her mind.

Mrs. Weasley gave her a poorly disguised look of pity. After a moment of thought, she continued. "Not to worry dear, I'll write Dumbledore and see if you can have a new wand made. Until then, you ought to stick by someone who's got one."

"She'll be with me, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione spoke up, stepping up next to Kendra and silently intertwining their fingers together. Kendra sighed without realizing it. Despite the fact that they were struggling to understand one another at the moment, Kendra couldn't deny that Hermione's presence comforted her. She squeezed the brunette's hand, and watched as a small smile spread across Hermione's lips. She turned to Kendra, a mix of adoration and worry in her eyes as she grabbed a piece of Kendra's hair with her free hand. "You hair is long again," she said softly, referring to the long hair Kendra had sported her first year of Hogwarts.

Kendra smiled fondly at Hermione, but made no move to reply. They turned their attention back to Mrs. Weasley, who was directing them in pairs of two through the fireplace to Diagon Alley. When they, to everyone's relief, all gathered in the Leaky Cauldron, Mrs. Weasley was quick to guide them to, much to everyone's surprise, Hagrid.

"'Allo, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and 'o course, Kendra," Hagrid beamed at them all. "Good to see you back on your feet now."

"Hagrid," Harry greeted his second oldest friend with a smile. "I didn't think extra protection would mean you!"

"Well, just seems right to guide you around Diagon Alley around again," Hagrid said, winking at Harry.

Diagon Alley had changed significantly since the last time Kendra had seen it. Several shops had gone out of business, a couple with the sign of a struggle- like Ollivander's and Florean Forescue's ice cream shop. And at the center of it all was Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

After a tense trip around the rest of the remaining shops to get what they needed, they approached what seemed to have become the new heart of Diagon Alley. The shop was brightly colored, with oranges and greens together in a haphazard way. The twins' shop had more customers than anywhere else in Diagon Alley, even with the before school rush.

Mrs. Weasley was increasingly worried that her sons would be murdered in their beds, but their marketing was genius. Even Kendra, who had no mind for any of the stuff that they sold there, let out a laugh at the 'U-No-Poo' poster.

Inside the shop itself was even more chaotic, but it was in such a way that it soothed Kendra. It felt safe, like there was nothing that could touch her in the eye-accostingly colored store front. There were a thousand different directions to look, and Ke data was very grateful when Ginny grabbed her hand and tugged her off to a bright pink corner, where Ginny instant picked up a love potion and started looking it over. Kendra laughed slightly and Ginny looked up at her, blushing furiously.

"What?" She whispered, her eyebrows knitting in concern.

"Ginny, you don't need a love potion," Kendra shook her head fondly.