Coiled (Book 1 of 2)

The Banded Krait

Diagon Alley.

July, 1978.

She moves quickly now, her heeled black boots making just the briefest contact with the pavement between steps as she flies along.

She can be quite fast when she wants to be, when there's a pressing or urgent matter. And today's just that sort of day.

It's a grey, rainy morning. The type with rain that falls in heavy sheets on and off.

All the better. She's always loved the rain. Especially now since it's cleared out the streets entirely. Dashing along, she passes a row of brightly lit shops as she goes.

Quicker, yes?

Fast as you can.

But despite herself, she comes to a sudden stop when she hits the turn-off to Knockturn Alley. As a single stray rain drop hits the bridge of her nose, she stares, seemingly lost in her consideration of the darkened alleyway.

Quite a vision though, even with the downpour. Perhaps even because of it.

With a periwinkle blue velvet hood pulled loosely over her head, only her pinkened cheeks and a few stray strands of flaxen hair peek out.

Go on, then.

Go on ...

But still she baulks internally.

Just so dark;

So filled with trouble

With danger ...

But not for her. Not necessarily. Especially given her name, her birth. With those, she can walk down here without so much a second glance.

And yet ...

Looking back, she gives the deserted stretch of Diagon Alley a final glance before turning and darting fully into the shadows.

The sound of her footsteps, now magnified as they echo off the blackened stone walls. Ignoring the sudden nervous flutter in her stomach, she forces herself to keep a brisk pace, her long cloak trailing after her. She rushes past Cobb & Webbs, then Ye Olde Curiosity Shop. Finally, after several more moments spent walking she nears her intended destination and begins to slow.

She's still seen absolutely no signs of life at any point other than a parliament of owls presently gathered together atop the keystone of a large crumbling stone archway. Her pale eyes glancing upwards, she takes a few seconds to study them as they stare back at her, the largest of their number craning its neck forward and hooting down aggressively.

At this she averts her gaze immediately and brings her attention back to the building before her.

A narrow, multistoried black brick building, nearly indistinguishable from those around it save for the large wooden sign hanging above the entrance. Swinging ever so slightly as it catches a draft of air billowing down the alley, the large looping script on the sign confirms it's the location she seeks:

"The Banded Krait. Est. 1809."

She's now reached a point where anyone who sees her here will ask questions. So without any further hesitation, she rushes forward and slips in through the entrance.

She's never been here before, but she knows the basic layout of the place, as told to her. And so she glides quickly past the shadowy patrons scattered among the booths and tables. Straight past the barkeep and all the way to the back, to a small booth lined with red curtains. Here, a large, rather bored looking elderly wizard sighs then tips his gaze up from the book he'd been reading.