Everlasting ⁂ Harry Potter [1]

Chapter Sixteen

"So can you do magic in Diagon Alley?" Ted asked curiously as he walked beside Liv through the streets of London. The time Olivia spent at home for the holidays so far seemed to have no other topic but magic. However, Liv didn't mind. Her father and Amelia were merely curious and she was excited to tell them about all the things she has learned so far. Although all three of them were slightly disappointed she couldn't also show them due to the restrictions on underage magic.

"Sadly not. You'll have to wait until I'm seventeen dad." Liv said with a small laugh as they came upon the Leaky Cauldron. The young girl's mind ran over the memory she had of Professor McGonagall opening the passage to Diagon Alley which was hidden behind the wizarding pub. She knew that if she ever wanted to get into the street she would need to remember it, and now she hoped she had managed to.

"How serious are these rules really? Maybe it's just something they say to scare you from using magic till later?" Ted suggested making his daughter stop so she could look up at him with a pointed look on her face.

"Expulsion from Hogwarts kind of serious." Olivia said firmly. Even if the Ministry wasn't as strict about the prohibition of underage magic, she wasn't willing to put her father's theory to the test. She quite liked being at Hogwarts. If staying there meant not using her wand for some time while away from the castle, Liv could live with that.

"Don't use magic." Ted pointed his finger at her as he instructed. Liv could only shake her head at him as they passed through the dimly lit and sparsely populated pub. Back when they had come here in August the place was more than full, with many people having to stand as all the seats had been taken. Right now, if they wanted to, Olivia and her father could even stop for a bite. However, they had eaten at home and stopping for food wasn't in their plans. Although, some ice cream surely wouldn't hurt.

"You're the one that's been trying to convince me to use it all this time." Olivia pointed out to her father as they moved through the back door of the Leaky Cauldron and came face to face with the brick wall. Liv pulled out her wand. While using spells and charms outside of school was illegal, Professor McGonagall had made it quite clear that once she has a wand Liv was allowed to use it to get into the alley. After all, how else was she supposed to get her supplies in future years when there would no longer be a professor escorting her to do so.

"So what book do you need to get from the bookshop?" Ted asked as the wall opened up to them, revealing the lively hidden street that each time left both Hawthornes amazed by its beauty. He walked through the wall, extending his hand to Liv as the started to walk through the thick crowd. Ted wasn't a wizard, and he didn't know Diagon Alley that well, so the thought of losing Olivia in the crowd made him keep her close so she wouldn't get whisked away. Amelia was sure to kill him if he lost her, even if he did return her safe and well.

"We're actually not going to the bookshop, but the library." Olivia informed her father, tugging on his hand so he would turn in the other direction instead of where he remembered the book full of wizarding and magical books to be.