The Girl Unknown *A Harry Potter Story*

Diagon Alley

From here on out, it should be set in third year. Any flashbacks will be in italics (and titles in this chapter).

It's just a few weeks before our third year. I had joined Neville and his grandmother to go to Diagon Alley, since my adoptive father didn't care about me enough to even bother making sure that I got here okay. Thankfully, Neville and his grandmother are my neighbors. We moved over the summer. We walked into Gringotts to get the money that we needed for our supplies before going to Flourish and Blotts to get our books for the year. Of course, I had my wand in my back pocket, should anything happen. Cherry wood, phoenix feather core, seven inches. Mr. Ollivander told me that I was destined for greatness and that I had great potential, as the wand has the widest range of magic.

We walked into Flourish and Blotts, glad that we didn't have to get any more of Lockhart's false books. Everything in the books were factual, of course, except for who did it. It was never Lockhart. It was always another witch or wizard who did it. Neville and I were helping each other to grab the books that we needed for the year. I grabbed two copies of Monster Book of Monsters, since Neville and I were taking that class together. I then grabbed the books I needed for Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, classes I am taking with Hermione. Neville was also grabbing the ones for Transfiguration and the books he needed for some of his other classes. I grabbed the rest of the ones I needed when I came across a couple of books that I found interesting. There was one that was definitely magic. It was 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard.' The other one was definitely a muggle book. 'Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH,' it was called. I turned the book over to read the back cover, to find out what it may be about.

'Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, is faced with a terrible problem. She must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a solution for her dilemma. And Mrs. Frisby in turn renders them a great service.'

I put it in the stack of books that I have for classes and meet Neville toward the register. We exchanged the books that the other one would need, Neville handing me Intermediate Transfiguration and Standard Book of Spells: Grade Three. I handed him Monster Book of Monsters, Unfogging the Future, and The Essential Defense Against the Dark Arts. I held my books as Neville and his grandmother bought his books. Neville had to leave a copy of a herbology book that he'd clearly wanted. I told the lady to give it to me. I figured it would be a late birthday present for Neville.

Once I had bought all of the books I needed, I ran to find Neville and his grandmother in Slug and Jigger's Apothecary, restocking Neville's potions ingredients. I needed to restock nearly my entire supply because I had made so many potions last year. Plus, Professor Snape wrote to me to take a look at the Wolfsbane potion for this year. I'm not sure why, knowing that it isn't a third year potion, but I was fine doing it none the less. He said he'd want to see me after dinner on the first day back. For Christmas my first year, he had gotten me a second cauldron so that I could have one potion brewing and make a second one. It was really sweet of him. Of course, I said that I didn't know who it was from so that nobody would judge me or Professor Snape. Thankfully, the owner is a friend of Professor Snape's. Snape had told them to expect me at the beginning of the year and what ingredients I would need so that they could be set aside. Since I've been buying my ingredients here twice a term since first year, the owner of the apothecary has given me the family discount. 

We then went to one of the carts, where I stocked up on writing supplies, as I tended to experiment with potions and journal what I use in each potion. After that, we went to a few other shops that we needed to before we finally went back to the Longbottom household.

I know this chapter is rather short, but the next one will be longer... I hope