Through the Barrier

"I guess I'll see you around, Carrot-top."

"Oh, no need to worry, you'll be fine. Just say very clearly where you want to go, and tuck in your elbows."

"Are you mad? You actually liked it?"

"But we haven't gotten my wand yet!"

"You are going to buy... let's see... 19 books!!!! They've got to be kidding!"

Chapter 5. Shopping!

When they had finished breakfast, they took their bags and went into the Entrance Hall. They started heading for the doors, but...

"We meet again, Miss Williams."

"So it seems, Mr Malfoy."

He gave her a smile full of irony.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Hermione said suspiciously.

"Tsk, tsk, manners Granger. We don't want you to start acting like Potty and Weasel, now do we? Does I have to have bad intentions? Can't I just be nice once in a while?"

"No."

"Hermione!"

Their chaperone had arrived.

"Hagrid!"

Hermione ran up and hugged the half-giant. Draco Malfoy watched the scene with an ironic smile playing on his lips. He turned to Emily.

"I guess I'll see you around, Carrot-top."

"You sure will, Drakie."

Draco looked at Emily, amused, and then left and went into the Great Hall. Emily went up to Hagrid and Hermione.

"Hello. Nice to meet you, Hagrid. I've heard so much about you."

"Hello! So you're tha' new student, right? Emily something, was it?"

"Williams. Emily Williams. So, how much did they tell you about me?"

"Not much, yer see. Only tha' yer a transfer-student from Sweden an' tha' yer didn't have all of yer school-stuffs. Is there anything else?"

"No, that's probably all I guess." Emily gave Hermione a look that said: "that's all he needs to know".

So they walked on towards Hogsmeade. Hagrid chatted about the new wonderful year and all the exciting animals he planned of introducing them to ("Do yer think Dumbledore will allow me to bring a Sfink? They're not tha' dangerous... if yer answer their question right...... Or perhaps I'll introduce yer all to Fluffy. Wouldn't yer like tha'?"). By the time they arrived to Hogsmeade, Emily was quite worried about the following year.

Instead of going towards the train-station, like Emily had expected, they went to the Three Broomsticks.

"Why are we going in here?" Emily asked Hagrid.

"We can't take the train! That'll take way too long time. Nah, we'll travel to The Leaky Cauldron by floo from Three Broomsticks."

Emily secretly wondered if there was a fireplace big enough for Hagrid, he was a bit big.

(A/N: Okey, from here, I won't write Hagrid's accent, because I stink at that, I've tried, but I only get it wrong. So you have to use your imagination. Hey, don't blame me, I'm Swedish, and I've never even been to an English-speaking country and I think I'm quite good at English under the circumstances. Ha!)

When they entered the Three Broomsticks, which was quite empty as a matter of fact, Hagrid walked up to the counter and said:

"Hello Rosmerta, how are you doing? We'd like to floo to Diagon Alley, thank you."

"Hello Hagrid. I'm doing fine, thank you. And what brings you to Diagon Alley the first day of term? Aren't you supposed to be in school? And they too?" She nodded towards Emily and Hermione.

"Oh, yeah, right. But Emily here, you see, is a transfer, and she needs to get her school supplies."

"A transfer? How nice. I didn't know that Hogwarts took in transfers... Well, I guess I'll be seeing you around here then, dear? Now, I've got customers to take care of. You know where the fireplace is, Hagrid. Are all of you going?"

"Yes," Hermione answered.

"That'll be 3 sickles, please."

Hagrid took you some money out of a leather pouch he wore around his waist. "Here you are."

"Thank you dear."

Hagrid lead the girls to a room at the end of the bar, which only contained two things, a fireplace and a big pot of floopowder. Emily looked from the pot to the fireplace, and back again. Hermione noticed her unease.

"Oh, you've never done this, have you?"

"No, but I have heard Harry's way of experience it, and I have a feeling I'm not going to like it."

"Oh, no need to worry, you'll be fine. Just say very clearly where you want to go, and tuck in your elbows."

"That's Mrs. Weasley's line."

"Huh?"

"Never mind..."

"I'll go first, so you'll see how to do."

Hermione took some floopowder from the pot and threw it onto the fire. When the fire turned green she stepped into the fireplace and said high and clear "The Leaky Cauldron". And with a "whoosh", she was gone.

"Come on now, there's nothing to be afraid of," Hagrid said and gave Emily a light push in the back.

Emily swallowed. Oh, what the heck! She walked up to the fireplace, grabbed some floo powder, and threw it onto the fire, and thought: "Well, it's now or never. Would you like your meat fried, grilled or flamed, miss? Flooed please." And then she stepped into the fireplace and said just like Hermione "The Leaky Cauldron".

***

Emily thought she wouldn't like to Floo. Boy, was she wrong. She loved it! It was just like riding a roller-coaster! A bit more sooty, that was all. But it was soon over. She jumped out through the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron.

"That was awesome! Can we do it again? Please!???" She looked at Hermione who looked a bit green.

"Are you mad? You actually liked it?" Hermione looked worryingly at Emily.

"It was fun!"

There was a "whoosh" behind them and out came a bent-over Hagrid.

"So, girls. I'll be leaving you at your own now, and we'll be meeting here again at 12 for check-up and lunch. Be on time, don't get yourselves killed, and have fun. See ya!"

And Hagrid stormed of.

"I am so grateful that we didn't get McGonagall as our chaperone. She wouldn't have left us alone for a second," Hermione said. "Should we get going?" She gestured at the door leading out from Leaky Cauldron to the Muggle world.

"Sure, but, hold it! Do you have the cap and sunglasses?"

"Yep." Hermione pulled out a white cap and black sunglasses from her bag and put them on. "Done. Let's go!"

They want out, and immediately, Emily began looking for a cash dispenser. She soon found one a bit down the street.

"I need to take out some money," she said to Hermione. "Coming?"

"Sure."

On their way there they passed a bookstore, and in the window laid all the five Harry Potter-books. Emily took no notice, it wasn't a very unusual sight, but Hermione stopped dead.

"Oh my god," she whispered.

"Huh?" Emily turned around.

"There they are. In the window."

"What?" Emily looked. "Oh, right. Do you want to go in and have a look?"

"Can we?"

"Sure, why not!"

They opened the door and stepped into the bookstore. A little bell rang as they entered. Immediately, a young woman emerged.

"May I help you?"

"No thanks, we're just looking," Emily said.

"Okay, just call if you want any help."

"We'll certainly do that." Emily smiled.

Hermione was standing by a table, filled with various Harry Potter-items. She looked as if she was oppressing laughter. She looked at Emily.

"I'm an action-doll?! And on cups? And book-ends? And..."

"Yeah, all that and much more. So, what do you think?"

"I think it's all madness! How can some book-characters become this famous? It's just too much."

"I know the feeling. Do you want to continue?"

Hermione didn't answer, she had just lifted up "Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone" and began reading the cover. Emily shook her head, smiling. She decided it could be useful for Hermione to see some pictures, so she called for the shop-assistant."

"Hey you! Come over here, please!"

The woman came up to them.

"Yes?"

"Can you please tell me where you keep the posters?"

"Oh, it's at the end of the store, right by the maps and the travelling-section."

"Thank you..."Emily peered at her badge, "Patty."

"No problem."

Emily turned to Hermione, and tapped her shoulder. Hermione gave a start and spinned around.

"Oh, you scared me! It's really freaky, reading about me, Harry and Ron."

"I can guess. Oh, speaking of freaky, I'm going to show you something. Come with me."

Emily took Hermione to the place Patty had pointed out.

"Look here."

She quickly found a "Chamber of secrets"-poster and showed it to Hermione.

Hermione just stared. Then she blinked and stared again.

"Can someone please pinch me, because I think I'm dreaming. Aoow! I didn't mean literally, Emily! This is so weird. Seeing yourself on a picture you know you haven't posed for. You were right, she do look a lot like me. Was it Emma.... something, she was named?"

"Yes, Emma Watson. Have you seen enough? Shall we proceed to the cash dispenser?"

"Sure." Hermione had difficulties tearing away from the picture.

"Come on, Hermione," Emily said. "You'll be hearing enough about them from me. Do you think we should tell Ron and Harry?"

"About this? And make Harry even more uncomfortable with all this fame-thingy and Ron more envious? No, I don't think that'll do any good. It'll be better for them to find out later."

They exited the bookshop and continued down the street towards the cash dispenser.

"So, Hermione, how much do you think I need to take out?" Emily said as they walked down the road. "I don't really know how much everything costs in the wizarding world."

" Oh, well, if you are going to buy a whole new set of robes, potion stuff, books, and other things that'll make life enjoyable, I recommend you to take out about 350 pounds, which you will have to exchange to Wizarding money later when we get to Diagon Alley. It have to last all year, you know, there's no bank in Hogsmeade."

"350? Hm... that would be probably somewhere around 2450 Swedish crowns, since 1 pound is approximately 7 Swedish crowns..... Yeah, that sounds good. I'll do that."

After taking out 350 pounds, they went back to the Leaky Cauldron, to get back into Diagon Alley, so that they could begin their purchases. First they went to Gringotts, to exchange Emilys pounds into galleons, sickles and knuts. Then they were of to Madam Malkins. There Emily was fitted for two sets of school robes, some nice skirts and blouses, some ordinary every-day-robes and a set of formal robes. Deep purple. Hermione thought it would be best to have one in case there would be a new ball this year. Emily were very pleased with her new robes, and went into a toilet and changed as soon as they stepped out from the store.

After that they went to the Apothecary to get all that had to do with potions. Emily had received a list with all of the things she needed for the year, concerning the lessons. ("Seems like you too have potions, poor you, Snape is dreadful" Hermione said looking at Emilys list)

After the Apothecary, they proceeded to buy other things that Emily would be needing for her studies, ink, quills, parchment, and things like that. Emily was very delighted when she found invisible ink (that turned visible if you tapped the page and said hippo for some stupid reason).

When they stepped in the sun again, Hermione had a look at her watch.

"It's almost 12. We should be getting back to the Leaky Cauldron and meet Hagrid."

"But we haven't gotten my wand yet!" Emily complained.

"We'll have to do that later. We promised Hagrid to be there at 12."

"Fine." Emily shrugged. "By the way, Hermione, why do you call Hagrid Hagrid, and not Rubeus or professor Hagrid? I mean, Rubeus is his first name, and you call all your professors for "professor". Why not him?"

"Oh, I don't know. I've never thought of it really. We just do."

They walked into the Leaky Cauldron and looked around for Hagrid. He wasn't there yet. So they sat down by a table, and immediately, Tom the Inn Keeper came up to their table.

"Lunch, my ladies?"

"Yes, please, Tom," Hermione said. "Can we have the menu, please."

"Of course. I'll be right back."

Seconds later he returned, handing each of them a menu.

"We'll be needing one more," Emily said. "Hagrid will join us any minute."

"That won't be necessary. Hagrid takes the same every time he's here. And here he comes."

The girls looked up and saw Hagrid entering the pub. He made his way over to the table.

"Hello Tom!"

"Good afternoon. The usual Hagrid?"

"Yeah. Have you girls decided yet what you want to eat?"

"I'll have the Knittle-beaf and chips, please." Hermione said.

"And to drink?"

"Pumpkin juice, please."

"Okey, and what about you?" Tom asked Emily.

"Um, I think I'll have the same."

"Pumpkin juice too?"

Emily nodded.

"Very good. So that'll be two dragon-burgers with chips and a extra large beer...."

"I think I'll take a extra large pumpkin juice, instead today Tom. I am out on school business, after all," Hagrid said.

"Understood. Then it is two dragon-burgers with chips and a extra large pumpkin juice, two Knittle-beefs with chips and pumpkin juice to that too. What size?

"Medium," Hermione answered.

"Medium," Emily confirmed.

"Medium it is. Coming right up!"

And then Tom left them.

"Have you had a nice day so far, girls?" Hagrid asked. "Have you bought everything you need?"

"Almost," Hermione said with a glance at Emily. "We still have some things left."

Emily now remembered that Hagrid did not know about her "background", and as little as he knew, the better. She had been about to pout over them not buying her wand until after lunch, but kept silent. Hagrid did have a tendency to say things he wasn't supposed to tell, just by accident.

"Yeah," she said instead. "I need an owl and my books."

Tom appeared again, this time he had a large tray floating in the air in front of him. It smelt delicious.

"Here you are! Hope you'll enjoy your meal!"

They started eating. After a while, Hermione asked Emily;

"Can I see your list of books? Then we can find out what subjects you're going to have."

"Sure," Emily replied. "I've got it here somewhere...." She started digging in her backpack. After a second the pulled out a wrinkly piece of parchment. "Here it is. Here." She handed it to Hermione who studied it carefully.

"You've got a lot of subjects, you know, Emily. You are going to buy... let's see... 19 books!!!! They've got to be kidding! You can't read all of those subjects! You'll be like me in my third year!"

"What? Let me see!"

She grabbed the list from Hermione.

"Oh, I know about that...," Hagrid said.

"You do?"

"Yeah, McGonagall told me you'd might freak out over you list of books. But it's nothing to worry about. She said that she put all of those books on your list so that you could check up so that you were up to Hogwarts-standards, and some of them just because they held information about the Wizarding world in general. Not why I understand why you would need that...."

"No matter, keep going Hagrid, did she say something more?" Hermione said, urging Hagrid on.

"Oh, just that you are the one who's going to tutor Emily."

"I am?"

"Yeah. And apparently you were to get house-points for it. But Harry is going to help her with Defence Against the Dark Arts, since he received an Outstanding Owl in that."

"Naturally."

"Well, I'm off." Hagrid proclaimed and stood up. "We will meet back here at 5. and don't you dare to be late! Then I'll tell McGonagall. Bye!"

And he left.

"Well, that's going to be fun," Emily said. "To get tutoring from you and Harry. I probably need it."

"Don't worry, you'll be fine", Hermione reassured. "Are you finished?"

"Yeah, I am. Can we go get my wand now? Please?......"

"Sure."

And so they did. They said hi to Tom as they left.

Out in the sun again, they headed for Ollivanders.

Emily was as excited as a first year, almost jumping up and down with anticipation.

"Calm down," Hermione said. "It's not the biggest thing in the world."

"In my life so far, yes it is! I'm getting my wand!"

Hermione shook her head, but smiled all the same. She had probably been acting similar, six years earlier.

"Hi, Mr. Ollivander!" She said as they entered the store. "This is Emily Williams. I figure Dumbledore has notified you that we would come."

"Indeed, indeed," the old man answered. "What arm is your wand-arm?"

"Right."

"Good." He started measuring Emily, and when he was done he disappeared into the depths of the store, just to return second later, with two long boxes. He opened the first one.

"Willow, 11 inches, unicorn hair. Give it a try."

Emily took the wand and waved it. A few sparks came out of it, nothing more. Mr. Ollivander tore the wand out of her hand.

"Not that one.... not that one... Try this one instead."

He handed her a new one.

"Mahogany, 7 inches, also unicorn hair."

Nothing.

"We might be onto the wrong track..." He climbed up a ladder, and then down again with a new box. "Cherry, 9 and a half inches, phoenix feather."

Still nothing.

"This one have to be the right one. Rowan, 8 inches, dragon heartstring."

And indeed it was. Emily felt a tingling, warm sensation, and when she swung the wand a shower of stars came out of it.

"Bravo! Excellent for Charms, that one is. That will be eight Galleons, dear."

When they exited the shop, Hermione said:

"Now remember, don't use it until we come to Hogwarts, or you'll be in problems with the ministry."

"You do that."

"What?"

"In the second movie. When you meet Harry in Diagon Alley, he has broken his glasses again, and you fix it, in broad daylight, with "Occulus Reparo"."

"But that's forbidden! I would never do something that stupid!"

"I know," Emily answered. "But you did it there. Now, where next?... Oh, I want to get an owl!"

"Right," Hermione said. "Then the Magic Menagerie is where we should go."

After spending ten minutes in the Magic Menagerie, Emily found an owl she liked and purchased it. It was black, and she decided immediately to call it Zorro after she found out it was a male.

On their way to Flourish and Blotts, they passed Quality Quidditch Supplies, which Hermione sternly refused to let Emily in to ("You'll only end up wasting all your money anyway").

When they stepped into the bookshop, a middle-aged woman in a red robe came up to them.

"Hello, dears, Hogwarts, I presume? Perhaps even the Swedish girl, is that one of you?"

Emily raised her hand.

"Good. Mr. Dumbledore have notified me of your arrival so that I could prepare the books for you. Please follow me."

They went through the store and the woman took out two filled bags of books. Hermione and Emily just starred at them. How on earth were they going to carry them? The woman noticed their worry and said:

"Oh, don't you worry, I've put a weightless charm on them. Hum, let's see the costs.... First we had the quantity discount and then half of the cost was to be paid by Stockholm's institute for young wizards and witches..... So that would be...."

"Why?" Emily interrupted.

"Why the half is going to be paid by Stockholm's institute for young wizards and witches? Oh, it had something to do with trying to make up for their mistake of accidentally missing to send you a letter, six years ago."

Emily was astounded that there actually was a school for magical children in Sweden, but a bit pissed of that they had "missed" her. So they paid for the books and then went out in the sun again.

"What time is it?" Emily asked Hermione.

"4.50," Hermione answered. "We've only got 10 minutes left before we're going to meet Hagrid at the Leaky Cauldron. We might as well go there now, we can't do much in that little time."

"Yeah, sure."

It took them about five minutes to get to the Leaky Cauldron, now when it was later in the day and many wizards and witches were going home from work.

When they got there, Hagrid was already there.

"Right on time!" he said when he saw them entering. "Okey, let's get going. It always get crowded here after five. Come on!"

He lead them to the place they had come out from when they arrived here in the first place. They had to wait as an elderly witch got in first. And then they were off. In the same order as before, only this time they called "Three Broomsticks" as they went.

"I'll follow you up to the castle," Hagrid said when they were safely out in Hogsmeade.

It was a quiet walk up to the castle, everyone quite tired of a whole day of shopping. Hagrid didn't say anything about where he had been all day, and the girls were wise not to ask.

When they finally came to the Main Doors, Hagrid turned to them.

"Well, I'll leave you here, now. Good luck Emily, and say hi to Harry and Ron for me."

"We will," the girls promised.

"Bye!"

"Bye, Hagrid!"

So after a long day of shopping, the girls were finally back, opened the Main Doors, went in, and shut the doors behind them.