Rose Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Oh...My...Magic

"Bless my soul...Harry and Rose Potter..." The old bartender said, peering at Harry and I.

He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward us and seized our hands, tears in his eyes.

"Welcome back, Potters, welcome back."

I looked at Harry and he looked at me, we were both thinking the same thing...What do we say?

Everyone was looking at us. An old lady with a pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out.

There was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Harry and I found ourselves shaking hands with everyone at the Leaky Cauldron.

"Doris Crockford, Potters, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."

"So proud, Potters, I'm just so proud"
"Always wanted to shake your hand-I'm all of a flutter."

"Delighted, Potters, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle!"

I was getting more and more frightened by the minutes.

I hate all the attention on Harry and I, let alone know how to act with a crowd.

I kept hiding my face in my hair and hiding behind Harry, who looks like he was with a strange conversation with Mr. Diggle.

I kept backing away until I hit a guy behind me. I looked up to see a pale young man, he looked very nervous. One of his eyes were twitching.

"Professor Quirrell!" Said Hagrid.

"Harry, Rose, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts"
"P-P-Potters" stammered Professor Quirrell, Grasping my hand "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."

"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?" Harry asked.

"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts" muttered Professor Qurriell, as though he'd rather not think about it.

"N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potters?" He laughed nervously.

"You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself" He looked terrified at the thought.

I kinda feel bad for Professor Quirrell, he seems so nervous all the time.

I can understand for a kid to be nervous but an adult nervous about everything...just sad.

I send him a smile before he left, he seemed tacked aback at first but smiled nervously back at me.

"Must get on - lots ter buy. Come on, Harry and Rose."

We finally left the Leaky Caldron and I can't tell you how happy I am that we were leaving.

"Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you two were famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' Ted met yeh- mind you, he's usually teremblin'."

"Is he always that nervous?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studying outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand experience... They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag- never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject- now where's me umbrella?"