Draco Times Three

Draco Times Three

Prongs and Padfoot

Chapter 3: Diagon Alley

"Are you both ready?" Mrs. Lafayette asked as she and the two girls gathered in her office. It was Tuesday afternoon and their trip to Diagon Alley was set for today.

"As ready as we'll ever be," Desirea answered, pulling on her dark green backpack.

"Yup. All set," Drea added while zipping up her red backpack.

"All right. Touch the dragon. One finger will work. Now, one of you say 'The Leaky Cauldron!' and we'll be off," Mrs. Lafayette instructed. At the same time, both of the twins yelled, "The Leaky Cauldron!" and suddenly they were flying through a vast array of colors and sounds, each one more different from the last. Desirea was starting to feel slightly sick, (she didn't travel well) Drea was grinning like mad and Mrs. Lafayette was trying to watch both girls and to make sure they were all right.

As quick as it all started it suddenly stopped. Mrs. Lafayette and Desirea both lost their balance and fell to the ground. Drea was still smiling something horrible, ignoring the way Mrs. Lafayette was trying to get to her feet, the sickly green shade that was quickly dissolving from Desirea's face and the stares of all the oddly dressed people about her. She noticed movement out of the corner of her eye even though she swore she saw no one sitting in her line of vision. Her curiosity got the best of her and she swiveled around to stare at--- a picture? But that was impossible! Wasn't it? She walked up to the portrait of a young man dressed in hunting gear. He waved at her. He waved at her? He waved at her! She waved back, not noticing how a few concerned customers in the pub had started to whisper about her stage of mental health.

"How are you this fine day?" The man in the picture asked her cheerfully.

"Uh... fine, thanks," she answered back. She had no idea as to what she was supposed to say. The man suddenly started talking about it being fox hunting season, and Drea continued to just stare.

Meanwhile, at the bar, Mrs. Lafayette had struck up conversation with the bartender, a man called Tom with extremely crooked teeth. He had explained that what they had used was a portkey and how to get into Diagon Alley. She explained most of the situation to him, and he led her and the girls to an empty alleyway where only a trash can and a brick wall were sitting. All three of the newcomers stared strangely at the odd scene before them, but Tom just smiled and took out his wand. He tapped a brick in the center three times. All four waited for something to happen. Mrs. Lafayette was starting to think this was an elaborate hoax. Desirea felt relieved that her stomach was settled. She also felt there was something about the wall that wasn't right. Like it shouldn't have been there. Drea was still recovering from her chat with the picture and finally started to realize that something was supposed to happen when suddenly the wall started to form a magnificent archway. When all three looked into what it held, all their mouths dropped. Tom just smiled and told them that he had to get back to work.

"Oh, sorry. How rude. This is the point where I'm supposed to say something like, 'Welcome, to Diagon Alley!' Yes, well, must be off. Goodbye!" And he left them standing there. After a few moments Mrs. Lafayette recovered.

"Come, girls. I don't have all day. We need to first go to the bank. Come along!" She started walking down the alley and both girls followed, trying to take in everything that was set before them. Every window to a shop they, passed, they looked in eagerly at the contents.

"Oh, Mrs. Lafayette! Check this out!"

"Oh, please, Mrs. Lafayette! Can we buy this?"

"Mrs. Lafayette, we've got to come back here when we get out money!"

"WOW! LOOK AT THAT!"

"Girls, calm down!" Mrs. Lafayette said exasperatedly. "We'll have to get all your school supplies, but I don't see why we couldn't get some extra pocket money out for you to spend here and there."

Before they knew it, they were walking up the steps of a huge marble building that looked as if it were held up by magic. (Which, the twins thought at the same time, it probably was.) As Mrs. Lafayette led the girls into the building, two impish-looking creatures bowed to them all and opened the doors.

"Thank you," Mrs. Lafayette said hurriedly but politely. She wanted to get Desirea and Drea away from those kinds of creatures as soon as possible, but as soon as she walked into the main part of the bank the idea was swept out of her mind. The creatures were everywhere. A few sat up at tall counters counting things such as rubies, diamonds, emeralds and various jewels. Others were weighing gold or counting every kind of currency note in the world. A few were exchanging British pounds for weird coins that came in gold, silver and bronze to a couple of people that looked like they were NOT magical in anyway. Although, they did have a girl around Desirea and Drea's age that had bushy brown hair and big, bright brown eyes.

"Do you suppose she's starting at Hogwarts this year too?" Desirea asked Drea quietly, pointing at the girl and her family.

"It looks like it," Drea said.

"I do say, the goblins these days are very rude," said a strict-looking witch that was hurrying past with several children (each and everyone having the exact same shade of red hair and freckles). Desirea stared after one of the boys in particular, but quickly turned her attention back to Mrs. Lafayette as she spoke.

"So, that's what these things are," Mrs. Lafayette whispered to the girls as another of the "Goblins" walked by, scowling at them. "Not too friendly, these little buggers. Are they?" She asked, receiving giggles from both girls. They walked past yet another tall counter, where a goblin was helping a very large man and a skinny boy with messy black hair. Finally, they reached a counter where a friendly-looking goblin was sitting. (A/N: Oh, the horror! *o* A friendly goblin! Run!)

"Hello! How may I help you this fine day, ma'am?" It asked Mrs. Lafayette in a high-pitched voice. It must have been a female.

"I wish to make a withdrawal from Misses Desirea and Drea Maloy's accounts," Mrs. Lafayette explained clearly.

"Do you have their keys?" The goblin asked suspiciously. Mrs. Lafayette produced the shiny golden keys, and the goblin called another over.

"Despredone! Take these ladies to vaults 127 and 128!" The goblin screeched, making Desirea and Drea wince at the sound of her voice. Mrs. Lafayette followed a grumpy goblin into a side chamber where an old mine cart stood, and motioned for the girls to get in.

After what was a long and tedious time (What with Desirea looking deathly ill the whole time, Drea with non-stop smiling and Mrs. Lafayette wanting to get away from the wrath of Despredone) the trio was finally back out in the middle of Diagon Alley and discussing where their first stop would be.

"I think we should get your books. Those are the most important thing you'll need," Mrs. Lafayette stubbornly said.

"Nah. We need potions ingredients and cauldrons!" Desirea put in.

"Actually, I think you're both wrong," Drea said quietly. Mrs. Lafayette and Desirea stopped arguing momentarily to listen to her better. "I once read, even though the book was fiction, that the most important tool of any wizard or witch's trade is a magic wand. Their wand empowers them to have all sorts of abilities they would other wise not have without it. If one is to practice the art of magic, one needs to have the ultimate tool. A wand," Drea finished dramatically. Both of them just stared at her. "What?"

"You memorized that from a book?" Desirea asked.

"Yeah, so?" Drea asked.

"Nothing. I side with Drea. let's get our wands," Desirea said, dropping the previous subject.

When the girls looked at the shop sign, they burst out in identical laughter.

"What is it?" Mrs. Lafayette asked.

"Look at the sign!" Desirea said while gasping for breath. It was true. To any person not brought up in the wizarding society, the sign was funny. It read 'Olivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 b.c.

"That's impossible! No shop could stay open that long!" Drea said. Mrs. Lafayette stifled her laughter and said, "Yes. Well, we should go inside now, you know."

"Yes. All right," both girls said in response. Mrs. Lafayette had to smile. She loved it when the twins said or did something identical. It proved that no matter how individual they thought they were, they were alike in more ways than one.

As they walked into the shop a small bell gave a faint tingle even though they couldn't see where it was. A voice called out, "Just a minute," from somewhere deep inside the shop. The place was filled with nothing but boxes of wands. Piles of them were leaning, as if about to fall, and it looked as if someone had neglected to clean for some time. Drea had the feeling that the shop was bigger than it looked (by magic, probably). Desirea had the feeling that there were over thousands of wands in there, and she was wondering how they would choose one. Mrs. Lafayette was counting down the second until her allergies would start kicking in. Three, two, one...

"A-choo!"

"Bless you, miss," Desirea and Drea said politely.

"Thank you dears," Mrs. Lafayette answered, taking a seat on an old chair by the dusty window. A man appeared behind the desk. He was very old and wearing a mouldy looking pair of robes. Both the girls just stared but Mrs. Lafayette jumped up to shake his hand.

"Hello. I'm Annita Lafayette. These two are my, um, charges and they got they're acceptance letter to Hogwarts this year." She said this last part with a lot of pride.

"Ahhhh... you're muggles?"

"Pardon me?" Mrs. Lafayette asked, looking offended. Mr. Olivander (for that was who they guessed he was) appeared to catch this, and explained to them exactly what a muggle was.

"Oh, well then... I am, but these two aren't," she said, motioning to Desirea and Drea.

"Ah. I see. Well then, let's get started," he paused. Then he said, "You both look just like your parents." When Drea started to ask him what he meant, he ignored her and pulled out a couple of measuring tapes with silver markings. "Now, let's see. Which are your wand arms?"

"Uh, we're both right-handed if that's what you men," Desirea said. This man's a loony! She thought.

"Ah. I see," he repeated once again. He clapped his hands and both of the measuring tapes started to measure all parts of the girl's bodies, including their legs, heads, and back. Mrs. Lafayette just smiled. She loved all this magic she was seeing. Oh, what she would have done to be able to go to this school when she was their age!

Finally, the measuring tapes dropped to the floor where Mr. Olivander summoned them to him. He went back into the shelves and disappeared for a moment before coming back out with a stack of boxes. He motioned for Desirea to join him and she hesitantly walked over.

It was finally fifteen minutes and twenty-three wands later when Desirea was finally showered in green and silver confetti from the end of her wand. Mrs. Lafayette gave her a hug and a whispered, "Congratulations, honey!" and Mr. Olivander was muttering, "Excellent. Mahogany, eleven inches with essence of Unicorn hair. A highly liked and dominant female of that herd, I must say. Excellent for Defense Against the Dark Arts and love charms. You'll have those boys chasing you, you will!" Desirea was blushing furiously but Mr. Olivander was already off retrieving more boxes of wands for Drea.

Not more than half an hour and thirty-three wands after that Drea had the room full of a sweet-smelling scarlet and gold dust. Mrs. Lafayette hugged her also and Mr. Olivander was nodding his head in contentment while saying, "Maple with a Walnut handle, twelve and three-quarter inches with essence of rose wood. Excellent for charm work, especially levitation, and Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Five minutes later, after paying fourteen galleons for both the wands, Mrs. Lafayette, Desirea and Drea were back out on Diagon Alley. What they didn't notice, however, was that a tall, blonde woman that looked just like the twins walked past them and headed into Olivanders...

However, after hitting up the Flourish and Blotts (where Drea purchased Hogwarts: A History "I can learn more about the school!"), The Potions Supply Shop, The Astronomy Place and Quality Quidditch Supplies ("We have to check out that broom! Please, Mrs. Lafayette? Please!) They only had one thing left to purchase.

"Well, girls, why don't you go to Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. I'll...uh.... Take a look around. Meet me at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor when you're done," she said as she eyed Eeylops Owl Emporium. Both girls gave her cautious looks but said, "Okay," in unison and walking into Madame Malkin's Robes.

A rather pretty witch was standing at the counter, and when she saw them she smiled. "Hello. Hogwarts, dears?"

"Yes," both of the girls said in unison.

"Well, we already have two boys in the fitting area now. You'll have to have a seat," she said, motioning to a few vacant chairs across from an open doorway. Desirea and Drea shuffled over, taking their time, and sat down. Desirea happened to glance at what was on the other side of the door, and a glint of blonde caught her eye. She stared for a moment, not wanting to believe what she saw, but then turned to tug on Drea's shirt.

"Drea! That boy in there. He looks like... like..."

"Us," Drea finished for her twin, finally noticing the two other people having robes fit on them. The people in the other room were staring at them, too. The twins watched as the blonde boy said something quietly to the black haired boy, then laughed at his own joke. The other boy showed no emotion at the joke (which, Desirea thought, had to be something rude) and just stared at Drea. Drea stared back, thinking as to where she saw him before. Then it struck her.

"Hey, Des. That boy, the black haired one, I saw him in Gringotts earlier today."

"So? Hey, he's kind of cute. So is the other one, too," Desirea said, stating the obvious.

"Oh come off it!" Drea said, sick that her sister was always boy scouting. It appeared that she couldn't give it a rest, even in the wizarding world. Finally, one by one, the boys left, and the twins could get their robes. But, when the blonde boy walked past them, his eyes flashed. Both girls didn't even notice though, and walked into the fitting rooms.

After leaving, they meet up with Mrs. Lafayette like they said, and shocked at what they saw she had bought.

"Cool! Owls!" Desirea yelled, attracting attention form a few passerbys.

"Wow. Mrs. Lafayette, this must have cost a lot," Drea said. She didn't want Mrs. Lafayette spending so much money on them.

"No. It wasn't that much. I went back to Gringotts and had them exchange some of my money into wizard money and picked out the owls I thought you would each like best." She handed them each a cage with an owl in it and said, "Consider it an early birthday present, since I won't see you this year."

"Thank you," both girls breathed while admiring their owls. Desirea had received a salt and pepper looking tawny with large, golden eyes. Drea had got a light brownish-gold tawny with light brown eyes.

"What are you going to name them?" Mrs. Lafayette asked after giving them each a sundae and starting on her own.

"Well... I like Greek mythology. And I'm really fond of the Goddess Athena; she was my favourite. And she had an owl. Is it a male or female?" Drea said.

"They're both females. The sales wizard told me the males get aggressive as they get older, so I though females would be better," Mrs. Lafayette told them.

"So, I officially dub thee Athena, Goddess of Wisdom," Drea said, opening the cage door and allowing the owl to perch on her arm.

"And you, Desirea?" Mrs. Lafayette asked. Desirea looked like she was deep in though, and this scared Drea yet again (A/N: I resent that! Good.).

"I think... I think I want to name her... Aphrodite. After the Goddess of Love," Desirea finally concluded. She too let out her owl to perch on her arm.

"Here's to the official Christening of Athena and Aphrodite!" Mrs. Lafayette said, holding up her sundae. The girls joined in saying, "To the official Christening of Athena and Aphrodite!"

Draco was talking to a boy. He had no idea who the boy was; he was just talking to him. His father was down the street buying his books and his mother was looking at wands (only the best for a Malfoy, to quote his father). He was just boasting the family name, trashing about mudbloods when he spotted a few glimpses of blond out of the corner of his eye. He quickly turned his head and stared.

There were two girls that looked exactly like him. They were staring too. 'Must be twins,' he thought. He looked back at the other boy that was staring at them too.

"Wouldn't mind having one of them as a personal maid. Know what I mean?" He asked. (A/N: He's eleven! Of course he's going to make lame comments. Deal with it! Yeah! Shove it, Padfoot. Back to the story...)

"Sure," was all the other boy said. Okay. Now he was really starting to touch Draco's nerves. 'No matter. I'll be done in a few minutes. Come on Draco. You can take his ignorance about the wizarding world for a few more minutes. Come on. Come on...'

"Done! Announced the witch that was working on the alterations on the other boy's robes. "Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," he drawled. The boy said nothing. This only managed to make Draco even madder than before. But he kept his cool. Malfoys always kept cool in public. He glided, yes glided, off the stool when he was done and walked gracefully past the two girls waiting to get their robes outside in the waiting room. As he walked pat, he noticed they had his nose, mouth, ears, chin, and, was that, HIS EYES?!? But no one had Draco's eyes. Except Draco, of course. They were flashing uncontrollably, and Draco was aware of that. His eyes always flashed when he was upset or danger was near. He had inherited this from his mother. He quickly paid for his robes and left. But no matter how hard he tried to shrug off the feeling that he had something in common with those girls kept irking him. No bother, though. He started thinking of Hogwarts and how he would be on his way there on September first, and all thought of the twins was set far back in his mind.