A Hogwarts Legend: Round Two [2]

Chapter Five

Chapter Five- "GO HOME LOSERS!"

Harry and I wait for a minute, then as quickly as we can, we slip out the cabinet, pass the glass cases and out of the shop door.

Holding on to Harry's arm I stare around. We have emerged into a dingy alleyway that seems to be made up entirely of shops devoted to the Dark Arts. The one we've just left, Borgin and Burkes, looks like the largest, but opposite is a nasty window display of shrunken heads, and two doors down, a large cage is alive with gigantic black spiders.

Cool.

I want one!

Two shabby-looking wizards are watching us from the shadow of a doorway, muttering to each other. Feeling jumpy, I set off, dragging Harry with me.

This is the kind of place where people get mugged...

An old wooden street sign hanging over a shops selling poisonous candles tells us that we are in Nocturn Alley.

AWESOME! I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO DOWN HERE!

"Not lost are you, my dears?" says a voice in my ear, making me jump.

An aged witch stands in front of us, holding a tray of what looks like- fingers- gross. She leers at us, showing mossy teeth. We back away.

"We're fine, thanks," Harry says. "We're just -"

"HARRY! EMILY! What d'yeh think yer doin' down there?"

The witch jump; a load of fingernails falling to her feet and she curses as the massive form of Hagrid strides towards us, beetle-black eyes flashing over his great bristling beard.

"Hagrid!" I smile in relief.

"We were lost," Harry croaks. "Floo powder ..."

Hagrid seizes Harry and I by the scruff of our necks and pulls us away from the witch, knocking the tray right out of her hands. Her shrieks follow us all the way along the twisting alleyway out into bright sunlight. I see a familiar, snow-white building in the distance: Gringotts. Hagrid's steered us right into Diagon Alley.

"Yer a mess!" says Hagrid gruffly, brushing soot off Harry so forcefully he nearly knocks him into a barrel of dragon dung. "Skulkin' around Knockturn Alley, I dunno - dodgy place - don' want no one ter see yeh down there -"

"Why?" I ask but I'm ignored.

YOU GUYS ARE SO WUDE!

"I realised that," says Harry, ducking as Hagrid makes to brush him off again. "I told you, we were lost - what were you doing down there, anyway?"

"I was lookin' fer a Flesh-Eatin' Slug Repellent," growls Hagrid. "They're ruinin' the school cabbages. Yer not on yer own?"

"We're staying with the Weasleys," I explain. "But we got separated. We should probably go and find them ..."

We set off down the street. Hagrid and Harry start talking about the Dursleys and other stuff, I don't really care.

"Ruddy Muggles," growls Hagrid. "If I'd've known -"

"Emily! Harry! Over here!"