Poppy Potter

Diagon Alley

Hagrid took us into London, both of us still dressed in tattered clothing that got some stares, as Harry started to read out the letter he was given, and I silently read mine. "All students must be equipped with...one standard size two pewter cauldron and may bring if they desire either an owl, a cat or a toad. Can we find all this in London?" I wanted a cat. Cat, definitely.

"If you know where to go." He smiled at us, before going into a corner building.

It was a sort of pub on the inside, and there was music and people talking, meaning that I hid behind my hair further, my cardigan tied around my waist. And the barkeeper seemed to know our escort, Hagrid. "Ah, Hagrid! The usual, I presume?"

The giant man shook his head. "No thanks, Tom. I'm on official Hogwarts business today. Just helping young Harry and Poppy here buy their school supplies."

"Bless my soul. It's Harry and Poppy Potter."

Then the pub went silent, and someone went up to my brother, shaking his hand as I cowered into Hagrids slightly pungent side, and he put his arm around me. "Welcome back, Mr. Potter, Miss Potter, welcome back."

Another woman came up shaking Harry's hand too. "Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter. I can't believe I'm meeting you and your sister at last."

Finally, a man with robes and a turban on his head appeared, smiling at us. I didn't like him, not that I really liked anyone. I was too scared most of the time, hence why I didn't speak. "Harry P-potter. P-Poppy P-p-Potter. C-can't tell you how pleased I am to meet you b-both."

"Hello, Professor. I didn't see you there." Hagrid smiled at the man, trying to nudge me forward a little. "Harry, Poppy, this is Professor Quirrell. He'll be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts."

"Oh, nice to meet you." My slightly more outgoing twin smiled, holding out his hand, but he didn't shake it.

He managed a small smile. "F-fearfully fascinating subject. N-not that you need it, e-eh, Potters? Heheh."

"Yes, well, must be going now. Lots to buy. Heh."

Harry waved slightly. "Good-bye."

Then Hagrid lead us through into a back room winery in front of a brick wall with a smile, and Harry hugged me, knowing, like usual, when I was scared. That was a lot of people. "See, Harry, Poppy, you're famous!"

That didn't make sense, though. What did we do? We grew up away from all of this. "But why are we famous, Hagrid? All those people back there, how is it they know who we are? I'm no one, people never see me."

"I'm not exactly sure I'm the right person to tell you that, twins." He tapped the brick wall with his umbrella in special places, and the blocks shifted carefully to reveal a busy, hidden street. "Welcome, Harry, Poppy, to Diagon Alley."

We both grinned in bewilderment as we walked down the street, past a screeching owl and a load of different shops and people in brightly coloured clothing, so much prettier than my drab old skirt from Aunt Petunia. "Here's where you'll get your quills and ink, and over there all your bits and bobs for doing your wizardry."

My twin brother and I were amazed as we passed by shops and owls and bats, and a store where there were children looking at what they were calling a racing broom, like a witch in a story book would ride and how it was the fastest ever. They were talking about a broom as though it was a car!

Only... This had to be too good to be true, didn't it? "But, Hagrid, how are we to pay for all this? We haven't any money."

"Well there's your money, Poppy, love." He smiled, patting my shoulder. "Gringotts, the Wizard Bank. T'aint no place safer, 'cept perhaps Hogwarts."