Harry Potter and the last Potter (fanfic)

Diagon Alley

We returned to the Gryffindor common room, stomaches full and ready for a good nights sleep. The room still smelled off barbecue. I wonder if there's a repair man, or something, to fix up the fire place. I did feel bad, it kind of sucked. I didn't mean to do what I did, and secretly, it's not the first time something like this has happened.

Hermione and Ginny showed me to the girls dormitory and there sat a ready made bed with a red velvet quilt and drapes with gold stitching, my trunk in front of the bed and a pile of books on the desk next to it. My most favourite possession lay beautifully, flat out on my bed, the neck leaning against the pillows. My guitar.

I was amazed at how all of my stuff was here. "Oh look!" bounced Hermione, "your books!" She ran over to the desk excitedly. She paused and picked up a piece of paper from on top of the books which I didn't notice. She read it quickly and said it was from Dumbledore, "looks like Hagrid is taking you to Diagon Alley"
"What's Diagon Alley?"
"Think of it as the Oxford Street of the Wizarding World"
"So clothes and stuff?"
"No," Ginny laughed, "you'll need more books,"
"A quill and ink," joined Hermione
"Possibly an owl," sang Ginny
"Or a cat,"
"Ah!" They gasped together, "and your wand!" They said together as if it was a just-born baby. "It's the first thing that I went and got before I started first year!" squealed Ginny, "straight from Olivanders!"

>                       The next day                    <

I woke up the next morning and wore my favourite maroon jumper with my favourite jeans and brown boots which have lasted me two years. I went down to the Great Hall with Harry and our friends. We ate breakfast and waited for Hagrid to come and pick me up so we could leave. While we ate, Malfoy walked in and sat at the table opposite us facing me. He smiled a bit and nodded, I smiled back but not very much. It felt very awkward between us and I didn't like it. We could've been good friends but he chose beef over friendship, and that's why he's a Slytherin.

We spoke and laughed about so many things that morning. It was one of those times when you just don't want it to end and if feels like it won't and you laugh so hard you're sweating and your cheeks hurt. I looked over at the entrance to the hall from time to time to see if Hagrid would be standing there. It had been quite a while and classes were about to begin. Finally when I looked over I saw Hagrid - not standing there - waddle over frantically towards our table, knocking a few people over and into their tables with his big belly.

"Hagrid!" Smiled Hermione, "what have you been up to?" She asked. His hair was more frizzier than usual and there were twigs with leaves stuck in his thick wiry beard.
"Ohh," he mumbled "you know fang, always running off into the forest"
"When has Fang ever ran off?" Said Ron with sausages stuffed in his mouth.
"Any-hoo, ready ter go?" Beamed Hagrid
"Yes!" I grinned. Then we left.

We didn't take Hagrid's wizard motor bike, we took something called the floo network. You take a handful of powder in your hands, step into a fireplace, say where it is you want to go, and drop the powder. Hermione and Ginny were right, we went to a place called Diagon Alley.

The streets were long and old fashioned. Much like the school, magic was everywhere; in the air, in hands, being worn. Magic was at each of the 5 senses. It was never ending. There were wizards from all countries it seemed. Apparently some were here just to visit the British parts of the Wizarding world. It was quite phenomenal. All I could think of was what the Japanese part of the wizarding world would look like. I'm sure it would be a lot more modern than here. But I wasn't complaining. I loved it. I'm sure Harry did too when he paid his first visit to Diagon alley.

We got everything, my books, my money from Gringotts and my pet owl which was white with black highlights and ice blue eyes which I called Lily. I fell in love with her immediately. One last thing on the list was a wand. Can you believe it? My own wand. I wonder if Gandalf had a wand as well as his staff... Anyways...

Hagrid said there was only one place to get a wand and that was Olivanders. As we approached the rough looking shops, Hagrid announced that he had to go off quickly and do some "Hogwarts business". We agreed that when we were finished, we were to meet outside Olivanders.

I opened the door and the smell of wood filled my nose. It was dark; there was not much light coming in through the windows. The store was quiet. I approached the dark wood desk and tapped my fingers out of boredom and impatience. I bit the inside of my lip and picked my nail polish. There was a rusty, dusty looking gold bell sitting on the desk which I noticed when I walked in. It didn't look like it worked so I didn't bother trying it. Out of curiosity I tapped the bell and it made no sound. Nothing at all. The only thing that came out of it was dust.

Suddenly, an old man with white hair sticking up like spikes, rolled in on a ladder against a huge shelf. "Maria Potter," he said slowly
"Yes, sir," I swallowed "how do you know my name"
He smiled but didn't answer. He began pulling box after box out of the shelves. He was muttering under his breath as if trying to make a decision. "You see, your brother already has that wand so I wouldn't be surprised if you needed a replica of that wand... Only two in existence you know!" He babbled on. I didn't know what to reply with so I just laughed and smiled a bit every time he said something. "Ah! Here, try this!" He said opening what looked like a green shoe box. Inside was a wand. A real wand! "This is a dragon heartstring," he explained. I picked it up and held it. "Well go on, give it a little flick" he said. I did and BANG! Boxes flew off of the shelves and thick clouds of dust filled the air, causing the wand man to cough. I carefully placed the wand back in its box feeling pretty shit about myself and a little bit scared to touch anymore. "I wonder if..." Said Olivander. Then he turned and climbed up and down the tall shelves searching for something. Assuming it was another wand, I waiting patiently. There was a tap on the window behind me. It was Draco. I mouthed the words "what are you doing here", he tapped his wrist like he had a watch and waved to me to hurry up. Then suddenly Hagrid came up from behind him. Draco looked up at Hagrid towering over him and he ran off. Hagrid smiled and waited. I turned back around to watch Olivander search to find him standing directly in front of me, holding open a seriously dusty box with its label losing its stick curled at the corners and going black. He looked at me wide-eyed and hopeful. I picked it up, fearing the reaction to come out of this one.

I held it in my hands and I felt it. It felt like warmth, pure warmth. It was like joy had filled my blood stream, spread throughout my bones, into my skin and fingertips. This really was magic.