Sydney's POV:
Before I knew it, a week had passed and we were ready to go to Diagon Alley. Hermione and I quickly got dressed before heading down the stairs as the doorbell rang.
"Hello Professor McGonagall!" I greeted the Professor, who was standing in our front entrance.
My parents were both putting their shoes on.
"Good morning Miss Granger, and the other Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall replied with a small smile.
"How come you are calling us by our surnames?" asked Hermione curiously.
"That's how you will be known at Hogwarts," McGonagall explained. "Are you all ready to go?"
Hermione and I nodded, our shoes already on. We both grabbed sweaters from the coat rack and tied them around our waists.
My parents led the way to the car, with my dad climbing in the driver seat and McGonagall in the passenger seat. I was in the back with Hermione and mum. Hermione was in the middle and was not happy about it.
We drove for about fifteen minutes, with McGonagall directing my dad on where to go, before he eventually pulled into a parking lot in downtown London. As we got out of the car, I noticed a bookstore, a dry-cleaning place, and a couple of cafes. There was also a pub called "The Leaky Cauldron", which my parents didn't seem to notice at first.
McGonagall ushered them towards the pub, with Hermione and I bringing up the rear.
The pub wasn't very busy, just a few people dressed in cloaks reading books and the newspaper. The barman smiled at Professor McGonagall.
"Would you like a drink, Minerva?" the barman asked.
"Not today, Tom," McGonagall declined. "I'm escorting the Grangers to Diagon Alley and we are on a short schedule."
"Have fun at Hogwarts," Tom the barman said, winking at Hermione and I.
Professor McGonagall lead us to the back of the pub, then, after glancing around furtively, drew her wand and tapped five of the bricks. Immediately, they moved aside to form an archway into:
"Welcome to Diagon Alley." Professor McGonagall said.
I looked around in awe. There was a large, cobbled street in front of me, filled with shops of all kinds. There were shops selling robes, telescopes and strange instruments I had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels labelled bat spleens and eels' eyes, a bookstore with tottering piles and shelves of books, quills and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon...
"There will be plenty of time for shopping later," McGonagall assured us. "First, you need to get some money exchanged. We're headed to Gringotts, the wizarding bank."
Ahead of us, I could see a snow-white marble building that towered over all the other neighbouring shops. "Gringotts" was written in gold lettering at the front of the building.
Inside Gringotts, nearly all the counters were occupied by wizards, who were being helped by some type of creature. It wasn't human, that's for sure, but looked almost like an elf, but an angry elf.
"Professor McGonagall, what exactly are those things?" Hermione asked.
"Goblins," Professor McGonagall replied. "They are great at their jobs, but not always friendly. They've never liked wizards much."
"That's reassuring," I muttered as I put an arm around Hermione's shoulder and drew her in closer. We approached an unoccupied counter.
"My name is Gornuk, how may I help you?" asked the goblin in a bored voice.
YOU ARE READING
Sydney Dadzie-Granger and the Philosopher's Stone
FanfictionSydney Dadzie-Granger knows that she was adopted. Her parents are Jean and Hugo Granger, both dentists, while her sister, Hermione, is a complete book-nerd. Sydney doesn't know much about her real family - just that she has the last name of Dadzie. ...
