Chapter 8
Plans for Knockturn Alley
Draco and I wrote to each other for the rest of the summer. I absolutely could not wait to see him again and go back to Diagon Alley, both of which are happening today.
Maybe this time Aunt Becky will actually let me try out the floo powder by myself. I was sure I could do it. What could possibly go wrong? I wondered if Draco’s parents are this overprotective. He told me in one of his letters that his father may consider buying him a broom to sneak in the school, but has not got a definite answer. I have not tried this yet, but I’m sure if I asked Aunt Becky she would just tell me it was too dangerous.
“Miss Melanie?”
I looked out from my bedroom closet to see Tinker standing by my room door.
“Yes, Tinker?”
“The mistress was just wondering if Miss Melanie was ready to go to Diagon Alley.”
“Almost,” I replied, still rummaging through my closet. “Hey, Tinker. Do you know what I’m suppose to wear?”
“When Mistress Rebecca went for the first time, she wore just regular clothes and received her robes at Diagon Alley.”
“Oh, okay.” I just grabbed my black sweater and threw it on.
As I went downstairs and entered the living room, I found both my aunt and uncle standing by the couch.
Aunt Becky smiled at me. “We’re almost ready. I just asked Tinker to go fetch us some more floo powder.”
“Okay,” I replied with excitement in my voice while plopping myself on the couch.
“This will be a big year for you, Melanie,” Aunt Becky stated beaming at me. “Your first year at Hogwarts. After we get your supplies it will only be a few more weeks until you begin.”
“It will be a big year for Hogwarts all together,” Uncle Richard added. “I believe Harry Potter will be starting at Hogwarts this year.”
I looked up at him and then to Aunt Becky and asked, “Is that the boy you told me about? The one that survived Volde… I mean You Know Who?”
“Indeed it is,” replied Aunt Becky. “He’ll be quite famous. I just hope the poor boy doesn’t get too overwhelmed by all the attention he surely will get.”
“Where is he now?” I inquired curiously.
This time Uncle Richard answered, “I believe he is staying with his aunt and uncle, both muggles.”
“Yes, that’s right,” Aunt Becky chimed in. “I can never seem to remember their names. Their surname started with a D I know. I think its dur-something.”
Then it hit me. “Dursley?”
“Yes, that’s right. Dursley!” She clapped her hands together then looked at me curiously. “Now how did you know that?”
“I use to play with his cousin, Dudley,” I admitted. “I never saw much of Harry Potter, though. Dudley says he’s weird and they keep him the cupboard under the stairs.”
“They keep him where!” Aunt Becky raged all of the sudden. “How could those muggles keep their own nephew locked away in a cupboard, or any child for that matter? This is an outrage. I’m writing to Dumbledore this instant!”
“Wait, why?” I demanded.
“He can’t keep living on those awful conditions. I writing to Dumbledore, telling him that Harry Potter will stay here. There is plenty of room in our home, after all.”
“What, he can’t stay here!” I protested, afraid he might recognize me.
Aunt Becky ignored me and began writing the letter.
Calmly, Uncle Richard walked over to her and stated, “Rebecca, I think you know what Dumbledore is going to say to that. Remember, there is a reason Harry Potter must stay with his family.”
“I going to write to him anyway,” Aunt Becky declared stubbornly.
I then started to ask, “Why does he have to stay with…”
“Mistress, Tinker has arrived with the floo powder.”
“Thank you, Tinker,” Uncle Richard said and then looked to Aunt Becky who was still writing. “Are you ready to go?”
She nodded saying, “Just let me give this to Lionel, and then we can go.”
Aunt Becky gave the letter to the little grey owl that first brought me my letter from her, and then walked to the fireplace to join us.
“Melanie, come with me,” she ordered reaching one hand out to me while the other grabbed a handful of floo powder.
I sighed. Will I ever get to try out the floo powder by myself? Since I could tell she was still upset about Harry Potter’s living conditions, I decided best not to argue this time around.
The moment we arrived, I immediately began to look for Draco Malfoy, but did not see him. I was, of course, not allowed to separate from my aunt and uncle.
After we bought my books, a telescope, and a set of brass scales, Aunt Becky said, “Next we will go to Madame Malkin’s to get you fitted for your robes and then we’ll get your wand.”
As we walked to the little shop, I saw a giant man, standing outside of it.
“Oh, that must be Hagrid,” Aunt Becky commented, not appearing the least bit unsettled by this man’s height. “I wonder what he’s doing here. Melanie, Hagrid is the school’s keeper of keys. He lives at Hogwarts so you will be seeing a lot of him.”
I briefly said hello to the giant man. I looked at him kind of in awe as I greeted him. I was then sent in to the shop, while my aunt and uncle continued to have a word with the giant man. As I entered, I passed a boy about my height wearing round, broken glasses. I wonder if that’s…
“Hey, Melanie, over here!”
“Draco, hey!” I walked over to him as he Madame Malking finished up his robes.
“Hello, dear. You’re next.” Madame Malkin showed me to the stool for measuring.
“I’ll wait with you,” Draco said sitting down on a nearby chair. “Dad’s still down in Knockturn Alley.”
“What’s Knockturn Alley?” I asked lifting my arms up for measuring.
“It’s the shops just around the corner of Diagon Alley. They have the coolest dark magical items. Dad says there’s this skeleton hand that grabs you every time you put your hand near it.”
“Cool!” I said excitedly. “We should check it out later.”
He seemed pleased that I was so impressed, but said, “I wish we could, but Mum says I’m not allowed to go down there, at least not until I’m older.”
I waited until Madame Malkin walked over to the back desk to record my measurements before suggesting, “We could sneak down there.”
He only looked at me apprehensively, raising his eyebrow. “How are we going to do that?”
I pondered for a moment and then said excitedly, “I know! You can tell your parents that you want to do the rest of your shopping with me and I’ll tell my aunt and uncle I’m with you. As long as they believe we are with each other’s family, we should be fine.”
Draco looked up for a moment to consider this, before he grinned mischievously, “Let’s do it.”
YOU ARE READING
Melanie Rosen Chamberson: Year 1 (A Harry Potter Fanfic)
FanfictionThis is the story of a young muggle born witch, who attends Hogwarts the same year as Harry Potter. To keep the friends she has made, she lies about her identity but the truth rest deep inside her, slowly digging its way out.
