The New Trio and the Philosopher's Stone

Chapter 5: Diagon Alley

Notes:

Finally, a big chapter! I rather like this one. Enjoy!

After all, with a few innocent and well-placed sentences, the course of a beloved soul is changed forever.

__________

About a week before his eleventh birthday, his Hogwarts letter finally arrived. He knew it was his Hogwarts letter, because it came by Tawny owl, which Remus and Sirius had told him was the standard Hogwarts owl, and because he could clearly see the Hogwarts insignia stamped into the lime green wax.

He waited impatiently for his godfathers to come downstairs, and as soon as he saw Sirius in the doorway, he grabbed the letter, which he had untied from the owl a few minutes before, and opened it carefully, savouring the feeling of excitement rushing through him. He pulled out the first letter and read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)

Dear Mr Potter-Black,

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

He was so excited, he could barely breathe, let alone speak or write a coherent letter of affirmation, but Remus seemed to be handling that. He and Sirius had sat down at the table, watching their godson in amusement, and Remus had summoned a piece of parchment and a quill, writing a quick reply back. Once finished, he tied it to the waiting owl's leg and let it outside, then sat back down while Harry was still staring at the letter with a sappy grin on his face.

"How about we visit Diagon Alley on your birthday, hey pup?" asked Sirius, breaking Harry out of his trance.

Harry nodded so vigorously, he felt as though his head might come off.

Sirius and Remus both laughed, then Remus asked, "Aren't you going to read the equipment list?"

Harry simply grinned before taking out the second letter and reading it through carefully.

*

Harry was, once again, very excited. He'd been to Diagon Alley plenty of times before, but this time it felt different. Sirius and Remus had side-along apparated him right into the middle of Diagon Alley, and the nearest shop was the apothecary. Cauldrons - All Sizes - Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver - Self-Stirring - Collapsible said the sign hanging above it. "So, Prongslet, what's the plan?" asked Sirius.

Harry thought for a moment. "Well," he said, "I'd really like to get my own owl, so maybe we could go there first? Then after that, Moony, you're the best at potions, could you go to the apothecary, while Pads, could you get my telescope?"

The two men nodded, and Harry continued. "Okay, while you do that, I'll get my robes, and we could meet at Maire's Café for lunch. Then we could get my wand, and I'd like to go to Flourish and Blotts last, because this new tome on the different uses of unicorn horns and hair came out last month, and apparently it's really in-depth."