My New Generation

Chapter 2, Diagon Alley

We're in Diagon Alley now: My parents, Jamsie and me! I know 'Jamsie' sounds stupid, but I love to tease James, anyway he teases me too (more often).

Well, we're going in to the robes shop. James and I both need new ones, for school and for at home. Oh yeah, Jamsie needs dress robes! For his dances at Hoggies! Just hope he chooses a pink one!

****

James and Emma stepped into 'Madame Malkin's Robes for all occasions.

Emma looked around. She had been in here loads of times before, but it had never been so crowded as it was now. There were people on stools everywhere. Women were taking measures. It looked like there were only Hogwarts kids.

James grabbed her arm.

"Come on, Em! We've got to find someone who'll help us. You don't want to hang around here all day, do you?" He nearly 'dragged' Emma over to a woman who was standing near a wall, apparently bored.

"Hi, ehm...We need new robes and dress robes, please."

The woman smiled. "Okay then, who first?" James and Emma looked at each other. "You go," James said, pushing Emma towards the tall, smiling witch.

Emma looked around while she was standing on the wooden stool, the woman measuring.

The was a girl next to her, who was standing on the stool too. Emma thought she looked way haughty. The girl smiled when she saw Emma looking at her. The girl had very light blond hair in a tight bun and light blue eyes. "Hello, good morning!" the girl said in a high pitched, haughty voice.

James bit his lip, looking at the girl and Emma, trying hard to keep his face straight.

"Hey..ehm..what's your name?" Emma asked the girl, smiling weakly.

The girl stuck her head high in the air and then said: "Well, of course you must have heard of my family name. Oh, I don't think I know yours though, you don't seem the type. My name is Annika Phinny-Whitton."

James then did burst out laughing. Annika looked around at him. "You think my name funny, do you?" she stuck her head even higher in the air, if that was possible, "Don't you know, I'm the daughter of the Minister for Magic himself!"

Emma shrugged at James and mouthed: "Why are you laughing?" James stopped laughing and grinned at her. "I'll tell you outside," he mouthed back.

Annika tuned back to Emma. "So, what's your name then? I suppose that's your brother," she said, pointing a long nailed, pink polished finger at James.

"You two have got the same eyes." Emma smiled. "I'm Emma Potter and this is James Potter." She said, gesturing towards James.

The girl seemed completely abashed. "P..Potter, did you say?" she asked. "You mean you're the son and daughter of Harry Potter?" Emma just nodded her head, getting bored of this girl. "Wow..." she said.

Emma was sure, she didn't like her. Annika frowned. "But Mr. Potter's very rich, isn't he? I mean, he's an important head of department at the Ministry and was a brilliant Quidditch player in his twenty's. I've heard you live in a mansion. But you don't seem that rich, when I look at you." Emma looked down at her clothes. She didn't see anything exactly wrong with them. They were her midnight blue dress robes, the ones she always wore when she went shopping. They were made of satin and Emma loved them. She looked at James. He was looking down at his emerald green robes. Then he looked at Annika, as coldly as he could.

"What d'you mean?!" he snarled at her. "You mean our robes don't match your stuck-up ones at all? I'm glad they don't!!" Annika seemed so shocked at the way she was spoken to, that she looked down at the ground and didn't say another word.

After they had bought their robes, gloves, cloaks, hats and James' new dark blue dress robes, they walked out of the shop.

James was still angry with Annika. "Who does she think she is, talking to us like that!" Emma looked at her brother. "Well, you know, she is the Minister's daughter." James looked angry. "That's no reason to say all those things!" He grinned. " Lazarus Phinny-Whitton is so stupid, he can't do anything on his own, everyone else helps him. And that's what she's proud of!" Emma laughed.

"And her own clothes," James went on, "She should take a good look at herself in her Barbie-robes!"

Emma and James walked to 'Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.' Emma and James' parents and Lee and Tamarah would meet there, have and ice cream and then go buy their books.

After a minute or so, when their parents were waiting there with them, Emma saw Lee and Tamarah running towards them.

"Em!! Jamsie!!" Tamarah called. She hugged them both. "Tamar!!!" Emma screamed. "I thought you would never come!" James laughed and looked at Emma, grinning. "There's no need to be so dramatic about it!" Emma frowned. "Oh, can't you just keep your comments to yourself, James?!"

After they all had had an ice cream, 'the kids' were allowed to go buy their books, wands, potion ingredients, phials, telescopes, scales, cauldrons and animals together. First they went to get the wands for Emma and Tamarah, then the telescopes, phials, scales and cauldrons, then their books, quills and parchment and after all that, to the Eeylops Owl Emporium.

Emma looked around. There were all sorts of owls in cages everywhere. "Are you getting an owl too?" she asked Tamarah. Tamarah nodded her head. "Yeah!" she said.

Emma called to Tamarah. "This is exactly 'Mississippi!'" She pointed at a very small, pure white, snowy owl in a cage. He was so cute. Tamarah chose a little barn owl she christened 'Eustace'. They bought the two owls, plus some owl food and treats. They carried their new owls in cages, as they walked out of the shop.

Then they went to the Quality Quidditch Supplies. James and Lee both needed new brooms. They were the best chasers on the Gryffindor Team. They saw the brand new 'Skyfighter' in the window. Everybody was talking about it. It was the best broom of the moment. It was quite expensive though. But as James and Lee both had got a lot of money from their parents for a new broom, they bought it anyway.

"We're not allowed new brooms!" Emma said, disappointed.

They walked back to the Leaky Cauldron, where their parents would come in about half an hour, so they could have a drink before that.

James, Lee, Emma and Tamarah all sat down at a round table with a mug of hot butterbeer each.

It was quite busy. Lots of Hogwarts students were there, but adults too.

Emma turned on her chair and saw... Annika and another girl right behind them. She nudged James and pointed.

"Oh god.." he sighed, rolling his eyes. Annika had just noticed them too. She came over to their table with her friend. "Hi everybody!" she said.

Emma groaned. Luckily, Annika didn't notice. She was too busy talking to James, who she surprisingly seemed to like. "This is Meline Avery." She said, pointing to the very petite, blondine, behind her.

Annika and Meline sat down at their table and started talking. Tamarah & Lee didn't seem to like them much either.

"We've got to beat it," James said after some time. Emma could see he had just enough of Annika and Meline.

James, Emma, Lee and Tamarah stood up abruptly. They decided to wait outside for their parents.

****

Well, I'm home again by now. It's September the first tomorrow! (Wow)

I've got to get up early and set off. I've finished my packing, so as it's eleven o'clock, Dang it, I'm going to bed.

Bye, Emma