It's OK To Not Be Ok...Right?

13. Here Comes The Sun

It was safe to say that travelling by Floo powder was not Sloane's favourite way to travel. In fact she hated it. But it was also the quickest way too and since she was not so good at the Disapparating yet, Floo it would have to be. 

When she arrived and stepped out of the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron, she gave a quick flick of her hand to remove the dust and ash off her clothes, hair and face before hearing a 'Sloane' call behind her. Hermione had been waiting patiently for about ten minutes for the girl to arrive with Harry seated next to her. Sloane made her way to the table. Hermione gave a jealous sigh at the girl's appearance. Her skirt and cardigan were beautiful and a far cry from Hermione's jeans and t-shirt. Suddenly the hazel-eyed girl felt insecure. 

"Hey guys," Sloane smiled as she sat her bang down on the seat. 

"Morning," Harry smiled at her and Hermione gave a shy little wave. 

"Hermione you look gorgeous. I love your hair up like that." Hermione blushed. Actually, she put her hair up as it was annoying her hanging down around her shoulders in that heat. At least it was up and out of the way she didn't have to worry about it being frizzy. "And jeans! Oh, I love jeans. I don't have any myself but they are a big thing in the American fashion world."

"Thanks," Hermione said blushing more. 

"Do you guys want a drink or are you ready to head in?" Harry asked. 

"I'm ready if you are?" Sloane and Hermione both said to one another and then giggled before heading off to the back courtyard of the pub. "I have to admit I have no idea how to do this," Sloane frowned. "In Nashville, you turn a vinyl disc on the wall to the left and the door opens."

"This is a little different," Harry said tapping a few bricks on the plain wall. Sloane stood with her mouth open as the bricks began to move, repositioning themselves to form an archway, an opening to Diagon Alley. 

"Oh, how quaint!" Sloane said stepping through and taking a good look around. In America, the wizarding village was quite a bit bigger and the shops were very straight and uniform. Here they shot up ways, forwards, sideways and any other ways you could think of. The shopfronts were covered in merchandise and marketing signs. This place was amazing. 

"Ok, so first I need to get some new shirts for school from Madame Malakin's and I assume you need a whole uniform?" Hermione asked and Sloane nodded. "And Harry you need new trousers and a new robe."

"Hermione you sound more like my wife than my housemate." Harry rolled his eyes. 

"Yes you do," Sloane laughed. "But she is not wrong."

"Ok, let's go this way." Hermione pointed down the walkway towards the end of the street. Sloane was fascinated and tried to take everything in as she walked. She made a note of all the shops she would need to visit and the ones that she wanted to visit. They arrived outside their destination and Sloane could see the needles and threads inside working tirelessly on a stack of grey material. 

Hermione pushed open the door and in they went. "Hogwarts?" A little voice sang out.

"Yes, please. Final year. Two touch-ups and a full set." Hermione called back.

A little lady came bustling out from around the counter clearly having been there the whole time but being too small for anyone to actually notice. "Ok, full set?"

Sloane raised her hand and the lady smiled. "I am Madame Malakin. It's lovely to meet you, Sloane. I knew your parents." Sloane gasped. "Of course, I knew who you were. I know everybody who steps through my doors. I hold no prejudice against anyone. Never have, never will." She smiled as she gestured for Sloane to stand on the podium. As Sloane was busy being measured, another lady came around to measure Harry and another to measure Hermione so all three stood on podiums in the middle of the shop.  There was silence as the sound of scissors snipping and a sewing machine going could be heard. Sloane had thought that it would take ages for her to get measured and to find the right items for her to wear, but after about five minutes, Madame Malakin announced she was finished and Sloane hopped off her stool and away to pay.