My Godfather

Chapter X: Diagon Alley

Harry laced up his shoes and ran downstairs. Sirius had told him that they would go shopping for his supplies today and that the Weasleys would meet them in Diagon Alley itself.

He dashed into the living room just to see Sirius coming downstairs as well. "So, I've got your letter that has the school list. Molly said she'll meet us outside Gringotts and from there, we'll carry on with the rest of the shopping." Sirius explained as he readjusted Harry cloak so that both the ends were equal.

Harry couldn't help but smile at the small action. It was a small gesture but the parental affection made Harry feel warm nonetheless. "Ready?"

Harry nodded, although floo wasn't his favourite method of travel.

"Can I... Can I try on my own please? To go through alone?" Asked Harry nervously. He wanted to try it out, to see what it felt like to do it all alone. "Are you sure?" Asked Sirius, gazing at Harry worriedly. Judging from his godson's expression last time, Harry hadn't enjoyed floo travel all that much but now when he saw Harry nod tentatively, he complied reluctantly.

"Okay pup, here's what you need to do. Take a handful of the powder. That's it just like that. Now you step in and say 'Diagon Alley' loud and clear. Okay?"

"Okay." Harry replied and did as told. He stepped into the fireplace and took the floo powder in his fist. He threw the powder into the fireplace and green flames arose immediately. "D-Dia-gon Alley," he coughed, thanks to the smoke. And then came the disliked part.

It felt as though he were being sucked down a giant drain. He seemed to be spinning very fast, the roaring in his ears was deafening, he tried to keep his eyes open but the whirl of green flames made him feel sick and suddenly the his big lunch didn't feel so good.

He fell face first into he floor, his glasses snapped at the bridge and his elbow bruised. Harry groaned as he pushed himself off the floor and sat up. He blinked as his eyes took in the surroundings.

A glass case nearby held a withered hand on a cushion, a bloodstained pack of cards, and a staring glass eye. Evil-looking masks stared down from the walls, an assortment of human bones lay upon the counter, and rusty, spiked instruments hung from the ceiling. Even worse, the dark, narrow street Harry could see through the dusty shop window was definitely not Diagon Alley.

The sooner he got out of here, the better. Nose still stinging where it had hit the ground, Harry made his way swiftly and silently toward the door. An old wooden street sign hanging over a shop selling poisonous candles told him he was in Knockturn Alley. This didn't help, as Harry had never heard of such a place. He supposed he hadn't spoken clearly enough through his mouthful of ashes. He needed to find Sirius.

As he walked, he saw several people glance at him rather crookedly, like they weren't right in the head or something. They gave him twisted smiles and one of the guys, am old, bald man smiled at him weirdly, revealing one lost tooth. He sauntered towards Harry, taking his time. "Lost are you, boy?" He asked, his voice was gravelly and rough. "I'm alright-"

"HARRY! What d'yeh think yer doin' here?" Harry's head snapped to his left and he saw Hagird. Never had he been so pleased to see the genial half giant. He brushed past the old guy and ran towards Hagird.

"I was travelling through the floo and then... and then instead of going to Diagon Alley, I landed up here. His words came out in short desperate breaths and he wanted nothing more than to get back to Sirius.

"O'right. Let's get yeh back tah Diagon Alley." He said.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sirius had turned up in Diagon Alley about a second after his godson had gone through the floo. Worry had seized his heart when he didn't see Harry waiting there. He looked around, his eyes scanning the crowd of people that thronged the streets of Diagon Alley but he didn't catch the similar flash of untameable black hair nor the glasses. He mentally chastised himself for having allowed Harry to go through the floo alone. He should have firmly refused.