It was crowded in the London backstreet and a bit overwhelming for the 18-year old girl working her way through knots of people. Katherine Phillips had been born and raised in a small town in America, and now she was about to start school in England. The older gentleman that had been her next door neighbor since she was twelve, had gone to the same school that Katy was headed for now. And before she had left, Mr. Chestwood had told her all he could remember about the place.
"Am I in the right area?" Katy muttered, looking around.
She was relieved when she spotted the old tavern entrance squeezed between two more modern looking buildings and walked up to open the creaky door. Everyone inside turned and stared at her as she entered, making her feel very uncomfortable. But as she walked through, they all went back about their business. Stepping out the back door, Katy looked up at the brick wall confronting her.
"Now... Let's see if I can remember..." she reached up and tapped five bricks in the pattern that Mr. Chestwood related.
The wall began to open up, producing an arched doorway into a hidden street. A grin spread across Katy's face as she stepped through.
"Diagon Alley..." she whispered in awe.
Pulling a piece of parchment out of her pocket, Katy examined it carefully before looking around and walking into a shop with a sign that read; Flourish and Blotts. She pulled several books off the shelves and staggered up to the counter, setting them down heavily.
"That'll be twenty galleons for the lot." the shopkeeper said.
Katy dug a pouch from her coat pocket and stared into it for a moment before pulling out the required coins. After the transaction was complete, Katy walked out of the store with her bag of books and looked at the piece of parchment again.
"Right. Potage's next." she crossed the street and entered another shop.
After paying for a small pewter cauldron, Katy carried her things to yet another shop to buy a set of scales and some phials. Then she wandered around till she found Madam Malkin's and got measured for her school uniform.
"Just leave your things here, honey, and your robes'll be ready when you get back from buying your wand." the older woman smiled.
So now all Katy had to find was the wand shop. Turning a corner she saw a tall thin slightly crooked building squashed between two others. It bore a sign that read; Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.
"That's been around awhile." Katy muttered to herself, looking somewhat surprised.
She timidly opened the door, which squeaked loudly on it's hinges, making the girl cringe.
"Be right with you!" a man's voice called from the back of the store.
Katy was about to reply when suddenly a pleasant looking elderly man appeared at the counter, "How may I help you?"
"Oh. Um..." Katy was still trying to get used to everything, "I... I'm here to get my wand."
The old man cocked his head, "Forgive me, but I'm used to younger customers."
"I know." Katy swallowed, "I'm starting late."
"Then we'd best find you a wand quickly." he chuckled.
Katy smiled polietly. Appearantly that was supposed to be a joke, but she didn't get it.
"Now..." the old man looked his customer up and down, before turning around to pull what looked like a thin shoebox off the shelf.
He opened the lid and held it out to Katy, "How about this one?"
She slowly picked it up, "I'm supposed to wave it around, right?"
He nodded and she took a deep breath before giving the wand a quick swish. A flower vase exploded and Katy jumped as water cascaded down a cabinet to the floor.
"Ah." was all the man said, "Not that one."
He gently took the wand from Katy's grasp and put it back in the box, before pulling another off a different shelf.
"This one perhaps?" he smiled and opened the lid.
As Katy hesitantly removed the wand, she felt power pulsing through her and the wand itself seemed to glow with a golden light.
"Ah ha!" the old man looked triumphant, "Twelve inch Cedar with a dragon heart-string core. Young lady, you have found your wand."
Katy looked in awe at the wand in her hand for a moment, then she snapped out of it, "How much do I owe?"
"Seven galleons."
Katy pulled said amount out of her money pouch and dropped the coins into the man's hand.
He looked at her with a serious expression, "That wand has the potential to do powerful magic. Use it wisely."
Katy nodded solemnly and the old man smiled, "Good luck."
"Bye." she smiled a little and left the store.
After picking up her uniform and other purchases, she looked up at the large building at the end of the street.
"This should be interesting." she muttered before walking through the huge doors.
The marble entrance hall of the bank was much more breathtaking than the outside and Katy couldn't help looking all around as she walked up to one of the goblin tellers.
"I would like to open an account." Katy said clearly to the creature behind the counter.
It grunted, "You'll have to deposit at least five galleons."
"I'm going to deposit twenty-five galleons and twenty-three sickles." Katy said as she counted out that number from her pouch.
"Very well." the goblin said as he swept the coins toward him and looked at something behind the counter, "Your vault number will be six hundred and twenty-three."
"Thank you." Katy nodded and left.
After trotting down the steps, she made her way back to the archway and found it closed up again. A few quick taps opened it and Katy stepped through into the regular alley. She then proceeded back into the tavern.
"I hope they still rent rooms like Mr. Chestwood said." Katy thought as she approached the bar.
"Excuse me, are there rooms for rent here?" she asked a friendly looking man behind the bar.
"Yes, Miss." he smiled, "Room three is free if you like."
"I'll take it. How much for one night?"
"Two galleons and three sickles."
Katy pulled the correct amount out of what remained in her pouch.
"The room is up the stairs, first on your right." the man smiled as he handed her an old fashioned key.
"Thank you." Katy smiled and walked to the other side of the tavern where the stairs were.
Once she was settled in the room, Katy pulled a small box out of her pocket and set it on the floor. Then she picked up her new wand and pointed it at the box.
"Engorgio."
The box swelled to the size of a trunk and Katy opened it, glad to see that her belongings already inside and been returned to their normal size as well.
"Now that's how you pack light." she chuckled to herself and began putting her new things into the trunk.
