Heirs of the Dark Lord

Chapter 5: Diagon Alley

Dumbledore escorted Harry through the archway and down the busy street.
"So...wizards have banks?"
"Just one, Harry. Gringotts. It's run by goblins."
"Goblins?!"
"Yes, Harry. Never mess with goblins. They are very protective of treasures and do not forgive easily. Gringotts is nearly the safest place in the world for anything you want to keep safe. I actually have some business there myself." Harry stopped keeping up the conversation. He was captivated by everything he saw. They passed the cauldron shop (Cauldrons—All sizes—Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver—Self-stirring—Collapsible), the Apothecary (Everything you'll every need for potions), Eeylops Owl Emporium (Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, & Snowy), Quality Quidditch Supplies (Nimbus Two Thousand now in stock), Madam Malkins (Robes for all occasions), and on and on until they reached Gringotts.
Harry looked up at the snow white building that towered over the other shops. He followed Dumbledore up the stairs toward a set of bronze doors. Standing at attention on either side of the doors were short, swarthy creatures with pointed beards and very long fingers and feet.
"Is that..." Harry couldn't quite bring himself to finish the question, but Dumbledore understood.
"Yes, Harry, that is a goblin." The goblins bowed as Harry and Dumbledore walked through the doors. They now faced a second pair of doors with a short poem engraved on them.
Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed.
For those who take but do not earn,
Must pay dearly in their turn.
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.
Another pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a giant marble entrance hall. Harry wished he had three more pair of eyes so he could see every direction at once. There were goblins everywhere. There were also many wizards and witches generally executing transactions with the goblins. Dumbledore led Harry across the room to an open goblin. Dumbledore and the goblin conversed in some odd language before Dumbledore finally smiled and pulled out a key.
"The key to Mr. Potter's vault. Harry, this will stay with you now. You can access your vault as needed for anything you need. Now Harry, you will be travelling to your vault with Griphook here, while I conduct some business. When you return to the hall, if I am not here, feel free to venture on to Madam Malkin's to begin your school shopping. I will catch up to you."
"Yes, sir." Harry followed Griphook out of the marble into a cavern, and onto a wild mine cart ride. When he reached his vault, he unlocked it and was amazed by how much money he had. He knew he could never tell Petunia or Vernon about this. He seriously doubted that their abhorrence of magic would extend to a vault of gold. Harry gathered up some money in a small sack Griphook handed to him, then locked up his vault and got back in the mine cart. Griphook quickly explained the wizarding money system to him on the way back to the marble hall.
"The gold ones are Galleons. 13 silver Sickles to a Galleon, and 28 Knuts to a Sickle. You should remember that easily enough." By this time they were back in the main hall. Griphook bowed to him and walked away.
"Bye, and thanks!" Harry called after him. Odd creatures, goblins. Harry took a quick glance around the hall, but didn't see Dumbledore anywhere, so he walked back out both sets of doors and toward Madam Malkin's shop. When Harry walked into Madam Malkin's he was greeted by a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.
"Hello, dear. I'm Madam Malkin. Are you starting Hogwarts? I've got the lot here. Another young man is being fitted up in back just now. Come along." Harry followed her into a back room and up onto a footstool. A boy with ice blond hair was standing on the footstool next to him.
"Hello there. Are you starting Hogwarts as well?" Harry waited a moment as Madam Malkin thrust a robe over his head and started pinning.
"Yes. What is your name?"
"I'm Draco Malfoy. Pardon me for not offering to shake your hand, but Miss Malkin here would kill me." He laughed slightly. "And you are?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm Harry. Harry Potter." The boy's eyes flew open.
"The Harry Potter?"
"Er...well, I don't know, but I suppose so." A large smile suddenly split the other boy's face.
"You are. Brilliant. We've finally found you! Oh, mother is going to be so pleased. And Aunt Bella, she'll be ecstatic! Not to mention Lettie. She's going to freak. You must wait here. Really." He looked down at Miss Malkin. "Miss, may I come back and have you finish later? I really must get my parents."
"Of course, dear. Just a moment." She flicked her wand and the robes were gone. Draco hugged Harry and ran out of the store screaming for his mother. Dumbledore came running in just a moment later.
"Harry, what is going on?"
"I don't know, sir. I was speaking with that boy, and when I told him my name he got really excited and ran out screaming for his mother."
"What was his name?"
"Draco Malfoy."
"Damn. Madam Malkin, are you finished?"
"Yes, of course Dumbledore. Just a moment and I'll ring these up along with the rest of his Hogwarts things."
"Thank you. Harry, why don't you go on ahead to get your school books. I'm in a bit of a hurry at the moment. If you leave me twenty galleons it should more than cover your things."
"Very well, sir." Harry slowly trudged out of the shop, hoping that Draco would make it back. He wanted to talk to him more, to find out who he is, and what he meant by when he said they'd found him. Unfortunately, Flourish and Blotts was right next door, so it only took him a few seconds to go between the shops. Once inside, a kindly old gentleman walked up to him.
"Starting Hogwarts, dear boy?"
"Yes, sir. I'll need..."
"Yes, yes, of course. I've got the lot right here. They'll be forty galleons." Harry paid the man and walked back out of the shop, once again hoping to run into Draco. However, Dumbledore was standing outside waiting for him. Dumbledore hurried him through the stationery store (for quills, parchment, and ink), the magical instrument store (for the phials, telescope, and scales), the apothecary (for some basic potions ingredients), and the cauldron shop. At that point, Dumbledore had another brilliant idea to help foster a bond between himself and Harry, and so, sent Harry off to Ollivander's for his wand alone.
Harry didn't mind. He was used to doing things alone, and he was too excited to care. He had been looking forward to buying his wand so much that he ran across the street and right into the store. He skidded to a stop just inside the door. He felt as though he had entered a very strict library. The very dust and silence seemed to tingle with secret magic.
"Good afternoon." Harry jumped and spun around. An old man was standing before him, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.
"H...hello, S...sir."
"Ah yes, yes I thought I'd be seeing you soon, Harry. But your appearance, hmm...not at all what I expected. It seems only yesterday your mother was in here buying her first wand. Twelve and three-quarter inches long, unyielding, made of walnut." Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy.
"Your father, on the other hand, favored a yew wand. Thirteen and one half inches. Extremely powerful. Well, I say your father favored it—it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course. Hmm...Well now, Harry. Let me see. Which is your wand arm?" As he spoke he pulled out a long tape measure with silver markings on it.
"Well, I'm right handed."
"Hold out your arm, that's it." He began to take all sorts of measurements. As he did, he spoke. "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander's wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, phoenixes or dragons are the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand." At this point, Harry realized the tape measure was working on its own. Ollivander was examining boxes on the shelves. As he came down a ladder with a few boxes, he called to the tape measure which immediately fell to the ground.
"That will do. Now, Harry, try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartsting. Nine inches, rather flexible." As soon as Harry had picked it up, Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand. Another box was opened.
"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches, quite whippy." Again, the wand was snatched back as soon as he had touched it. "Ebony and unicorn hair. Eight and a half inches, springy." Snatch. "Olive and phoenix feather. Ten inches, unyielding." Snatch. This went on and on until the pile of boxes reached Harry's waist. Harry had no idea what Ollivander was looking for, but he seemed to get happier with every box that piled up. At some point during this, Dumbledore walked in quietly. He watched the process with fascination. Finally Ollivander pulled out a box at the back of the top shelf.
"I wonder now—yes, why not—unusual combination—holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches nice and supple." The moment Harry touched the wand, he felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. On impulse, he raised the wand above his head and brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of silver and green sparks shot from the end like fireworks.
"Did you see that?" Harry was ecstatic. Ollivander was obviously pleased as well. He was calling out.
"Oh, bravo! Yes indeed, oh very good. Well, well, well, how curious...very curious." He accepted payment and put Harry's wand back in the box, still muttering, "curious."
"I'm sorry, but what's curious?" Ollivander fixed Harry with his stare.
"Well, your wand has a brother. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand gave another feather—just one other. It is very curious that you should be destined for this wand..." Dumbledore suddenly stepped forward.
"Well, Harry, we must be off. Thank you for your help, Ollivander." He gathered the packages and walked Harry out the door.
"Sir, what did Ollivander mean?"
"I'm sorry Harry, but I don't really have time right now. We will have to discuss this later. Now, I will be transporting you back to your Aunt and Uncle. You will stay with them until the start of term. I will not be able to join you for your trip to school, however, if you have any troubles getting them to take you to King's Cross Station, send me an owl."
"An owl, sir?"
"Yes, Harry, this snowy owl is yours. Happy birthday." Harry stared at the beautiful owl in her cage. His first birthday gift.
"Thank you, sir. She's beautiful."
"You are welcome, Harry. Now take my arm so we can apparate." Harry did so, and the next moment they were back in the Dursley living room. Dumbledore helped him get his purchases to his cupboard then handed him an envelope. "This is your ticket for the Hogwarts express. First of September. King's Cross Station. It's all on your ticket. As I said, any problems, send me a letter with your owl, she'll know where to find me. Enjoy the rest of your summer Harry. I must speak with your Aunt and Uncle before I leave." Harry stayed in his cupboard looking at his purchases to prove that the day had actually happened. About an hour later, Vernon yanked open the door and told him he was getting too big for the cupboard and would be staying in Dudley's spare bedroom. Harry couldn't believe his ears. This must be Dumbledore's doing.
After several trips, Harry managed to get all of his new purchases upstairs. He spent the rest of the day sorting it all and putting things away. Just before he went to sleep, Harry made a calendar on which he could cross of the days until he would leave for Hogwarts. As he lay in his new bed, he had a feeling the rest of his summer was going to be much better than any other time he'd been with the Dursleys.