My Home Away From Home

Diagon Alley

Lucie watched outside her window as a black car came down the driveway. Rolling clouds roamed the sky, and enveloped the sun in its gray cloak.
She was going to Diagon Alley today.
Footmen floated across the foyer, grabbing her luggage and placing it in the trunk.
Lucie put on her gloves and grabbed her purse. She peeked into her father's office, only to find the chair empty.
"Mother, I'm leaving in about five minutes!" She called out. She listened for her mother's clacking of heels but silence answered.
Lucie walked outside and ducked into the vehicle. The engine roared to life and flew across the country into the big city of London.
She gazed out of the window, watching the trees turn into buildings. She fiddled with the hem of her dress as she got directions from the driver.
Lucie got out her cosmetic mirror and touched up her lipstick. The car slowly pulled up to the Leaky Cauldron. Oh no. Already there were people staring at the car. Was it a novelty people drove cars to town? She grabbed her sunglasses from her purse and took a deep breath. She straightened her dress out then stepped outside. There was a slight breeze, and her skirt danced as the air swirled around her. So this is Diagonal Alley.
Lucie tipped her driver then walked quickly to the Leaky Cauldron. She pulled her hat over her head and went inside.
The Leaky Cauldron was crowded with people. Owls and rodents and creatures Lucie had never seen were in cages on tables or hanging from the ceiling. The smell of Tobacco and smoke hung in the air.
Lucie tilted her head down to conceal her face as she moved through the crowd. She almost made it to the door when a man grabbed her wrist. He had a mustache that curled up and out all the way to his ears.
"Oy," he pulled her back through to the bar. "Where you think you're going?"
Lucie lifted her head up. "Why do you ask?"
"We've never seen you before," another man replied gruffly.
She tilted her sunglasses down. "Well, I'm new."

The mustached man holding her gloved hand raised his eyebrows. "Well, what're here for?"
Lucie huffed. "I don't see why you need to ask such questions. I'm only here to shop."
"But see, all the newcomers are little pints and pigeons, not-" he tilted his head up and down, gesturing to her dress.
She laughed. "As I said, I'm new. I haven't the foggiest idea how people dress here!"
The man let go of her hand. "Well, sorry m'am. Didn't mean to make you nervous!"
"You didn't." She patted his arm and made a tight lipped smile. "Now how might I get in to Diagon Alley?"
"I'll show you," a red bearded man came around, beckoning her to follow.
She turned back to the man with the mustache. "It was nice meeting you."
She waved behind her as she went to the back of the building. The red bearded man tapped a passcode on a brick wall. The bricks at his command suddenly started rotating and moving to the side. The bricks left an opening wide enough for Lucie to go through. She thanked the man and stepped into Diagon Alley. There was an old-fashioned street lined with quaint buildings along the sides. Each one was a different color and shape. There were people bustling about carrying parcels and wearing large hats. Men with wheelbarrows whisked through the crowds, and children carried stacks of books and cages with owls. The whole scene was so exciting that Lucie's mouth hung open in awe. What a terrific little place!
She grabbed her list and slowly started making her way through the shops. She bought some textbooks for Herbology and the History of Magic, and she did a fitting for her Hogwarts uniforms. As she arrived at the shop called "Scribbulus," it was early afternoon. She went inside, causing the bells lining the door to ring a merry tune. She went over to the quills section and saw another girl there. She was busy writing something down in a leather journal. "Excuse me," Lucie said softly. "Do you know where I could find a Swan Quill?"
The girl looked up and smiled. "Of course! Right over there," she pointed to a shelf in the corner.
Lucie gave thanks and picked out two quills. The girl watched her. "I haven't seen you around, are you new?"
"Yes," Lucie sighed, putting her things on the counter. "This is all so new to me."

"I've been there," the girl laughed. "What's your name?"
"Lucie Du Pont," she replied, tilting her head down.
The girl's jaw dropped. "No kidding! Are you serious?"
Lucie nodded.
The girl shook her head in amazement. "Well, I'm Hermione Granger."

Hermione stuck out her hand and Lucie shook it. She paid for her things then walked outside with Hermione.
"I'm dying for some ice cream," Lucie rubbed her stomach. "Would you like some?"
Hermione nodded and locked arms with her new friend. "There's a shop down the street. Come on, I'll show you."
They set off walking, quickly becoming the best of friends. They exchanged addresses to write to one another, then they parted ways.
Lucie called her driver and had him grab her parcels. Her first day, and she had already made a friend.

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