More to Life

Chapter Three - Diagon Alley

He was dreaming again about the flying motorcycle, the same reoccurring dream he had been having since he was small. He was always so unbelievable happy when he was sat flying it through the cloudless sky. Nothing mattered. He didn't have to think about anything; he liked it that way. He probably would have dreamed about it for another good hour if he hadn't been woken up by something wet hitting his face.

Harry woke up with a start. Wiping his eyes, he realised what he had been woken up by; water being thrown over his face. His emerald green eyes then caught sight of one grinning Draco Malfoy.

"You sleep like a log by the way," the blonde haired boy said in a conversational tone.

Harry grabbed his glasses off the bed side table and growled in Draco's general direction. "Did you really have to use water?" he grumbled.

"I could have used dirty water, or sludge, or-"

"Ok, I get your point," Harry interrupted. "At least I don't need much of a shower now."

"Well hurry up then," Draco said, throwing robes at the younger boy. The blonde bit back a laugh when the said robes landed on Harry's head. The black haired boy made no effort to move them.

"I'll go like this then, shall I?" came the muffled voice under the fabric.

"If you want. It'll give Diagon Alley something more to talk about other than who you are," Draco stated smugly.

Harry seemed to seriously consider this. He finally pulled the robes off his head, making his unruly hair stick up even more, if it was possible. "Maybe I should shove a paper bag over my head?"

Draco groaned and grabbed the other boy's wrist, pulling him off the bed. "Just come on. You need to go to Diagon Alley in style, not half asleep. Or half dressed for that matter."

"How about we don't go at all?" Harry moaned.

Draco scoffed. "What is the matter with you? It's like you don't want to famous or something."

"I don't!" Harry grabbed the robes, walked off into the bathroom and slammed the door after him, leaving Draco a little stunned.

It was true; he didn't like the idea of being famous that much. He was used to being largely ignored, even by his own family. He didn't mind that people wouldn't look his way twice. Everyone in the Wizarding world would be staring at him because he was well-known for something he couldn't even remember doing. For something that was pure luck; at least that's what Harry saw it as. He didn't want to be famous for something he really had no part in. If he was famous he wanted it to be for something he had total credit for. Even if he did like the thought of being famous, he wanted people to like him for himself, not something he did.

Harry looked in the bathroom mirror. His short black hair, which he swore had a mind of its own, was sticking up in every direction. Harry made do by wetting his hands and smoothing his hair down a few times. It made it stick up a little less, but not by much. His eyes then travelled to tape that held his glasses together. He sighed. White tape really did stick out too much.

Pulling the robes over his head, he adjusted them a little so they were comfortable then emerged from the bathroom. The robes had a dark green trim around the collar and sleeves. Harry looked at himself then to Draco. "I want people to like me for just being me," he mumbled under his breath, finishing his train of thought.

"Harry, people will like you for just being you, but you'll have to get used to people hero worshipping you too," Draco seemed amused.

"Great," Harry said sarcastically, "Woo, lets roll out the red carpet, Harry Potter is here."

Draco gave him a funny look. "What?"

"Muggle expression," Harry told him.

"Ah." The two of them were silent for a few moments. "Well, off to Diagon Alley we go."

"You really like Diagon Alley, don't you?"

Draco mumbled something under his breath as he stepped out the door.

"What?" Harry asked.

Draco poked his head back through the doorway. "I said I like going to Quality Quidditch Supplies."

Harry sniggered. "That's just you all over isn't it? Always talking about Quidditch."

"Of course, why should it be?" Draco seemed a little put off by this.

Harry sighed. "I'm sure I'll like it better once I've seen a match."

Draco snapped his fingers. "That's it!"

"What's it?" Harry asked as the two of them walked down one of the many staircases.

"I'll pester Mother to take us to a Quidditch game." Draco stopped where he was and grinned at Harry. "It's perfect! I've wanted to go to a game for ages and this is the perfect excuse!"

"Using me as an excuse now? Draco, I'm hurt," Harry said, mocking placing a hand over his chest.

The blonde haired boy gave Harry a shove. "Shut it you."

"Diagon Alley it is then." Harry paused. "Hey, if you say Diagon Alley fast it sounds like diagonally."

Draco laughed.

*~*~*

Lily Evans wasn't a typical muggle-born Witch. In fact she wasn't really muggle-born. True, her Mother did not have magical powers, but she wasn't a muggle. Lily's Mother was a squib, a fact Lily never found out. Lily's Mother was glad that at least one of her daughter's had been able to explore the Wizarding world. It was a very interesting place, despite the resent she held for being a squib in a wholly Wizarding family.

Lily still went to Hogwarts with no knowledge about this very different world, since her Mother found it painful to talk about. One concept Lily never understood was why house rivalries were so strong, especially between all the Pureblood Wizards and Witches. She never followed traditions either. So when a first year Lily decided to try and make friends with a Slytherin, even though she was in Gryffindor, the whole school heard about it. Many resented her for it.

None of the Gryffindors would talk to lily for weeks on end. They all told her that she was a traitor to their house for not seeing the Slytherins as they actually were, how there wasn't a Wizard or Witch that went bad that wasn't in Slytherin. Of course she'd heard all about Dark Wizards, but they couldn't stereotype a whole house because of a few people, could they?

How wrong she was.

Severus Snape wasn't your typical Slytherin. No matter how hard he tried to ignore Lily's attempts to try and gain his friendship, she still kept trying. It wasn't that Severus hated her; in fact he thought she was a very amusing person. She did try awfully hard to fit into the Wizarding world, and she did for the most part, except she wouldn't let the rivalries lie.

In the end Severus gave up and accepted her friendship.

He was glad he did.

Lily ended up being like the sister he never had. He even learned a little about the muggle world from her. In return he made sure she didn't make a prat of herself in front of Purebloods. She was grateful for that since she tended to go bright red very easily.

They stayed friends till she died; even when Severus was forced to become a Death Eater by his own Father, even when Lily told Sev about her crush on his worst enemy. To this day Severus didn't know why Voldemort went after the Potters. So Lily was a muggle-born, but Potter was a Pureblood. To his knowledge, Voldemort had no reason to go after them.

Severus thought he owed it to Lily to keep her son from harm, even if he was the son of his old arch-rival. It wasn't as if James Potter was even there anymore anyway to keep a rivalry up.

Even though Harry James Potter was a carbon copy of his Father, he had Lily's eyes and the glimmer that Severus recognised. From what Severus had seen of Harry so far, he had the exact personality of Lily. Acting like the muggle-born Witch Severus used to know.

How he missed Lily Evans, even after eight years.

"Severus?" a voice broke Severus' line of thinking.

"Hmm?"

"The boys will be down soon."

Severus shook his head clear of thought from the past and looked up at Narcissa, who was stood a few feet from where he was sat.

"You think too much sometimes Sev," Narcissa commented, a small smile on her face.

"I know," Severus said.

Narcissa placed a hand on the Potion Master's shoulder. "Try not to let the past get to you Sev."

Severus only had time to nod before Draco and Harry walked into the room. Draco looked happy about something, while Harry had a slight smile on his face; a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Severus guessed the boy was a little apprehensive about going to Diagon Alley. He couldn't blame the boy really.

"Mother, this is Harry. Harry this is my Mother," Draco introduced.

Narcissa gave the dark haired boy a warm smile, while Harry looked like he wanted to say something but only managed a small smile.

"Pleasure to meet you, Harry," Narcissa said.

"Same to you, Ma'am," Harry replied.

Narcissa laughed. "No need to call me Ma'am, Narcissa will do."

"Ok."

Narcissa gave Severus a pointed look and the Potions master placed a little bottle of Potion on the table in front of him, shoving it towards the dark haired boy. "Drink this."

Harry picked it up and gave the open end of the bottle a sniff. "What is it?"

"Collyrium Potion. It will fix your eyesight."

Harry brightened at this. "Really?"

"No it'll really make your hair go green," Draco replied in jest.

Harry gave Draco a quick glare before downing the potion in one go. He pulled a face. "That tastes horrible."

"All potions do. You'll get used to it," Draco said.

"Not all potions, Draco," Severus added.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Ok, most potions. That better for you Uncle Sev?"

"Don't call me that," Severus muttered under his breath.

Harry blinked a couple of times, then removed the glasses from his face and blinked again. He smiled at the dark haired Professor. "It worked!" he exclaimed.

Severus looked put out. "Of course it worked," he mumbled.

Narcissa gave him a tap on the shoulder. "Don't be sour Sev, it doesn't become you."

Severus gave her a look that said, 'what are you on about I'm always sour'.

Narcissa sighed. "Come along boys. We will never get to Diagon Alley at this rate."

*~*~*

The Leaky Cauldron on Charing Cross Road was lively at that time in the afternoon. People stopping for a drink after a hard days shopping trip in Diagon Alley. Harry felt like the whole pub had their eyes on him. That wasn't true, until someone pointed him out.

"Well I never. It's Harry Potter."

Everyone turned to look in his direction.

Harry felt like hiding.

In fact he tried to hide behind Draco. The blonde boy, being slightly taller than Harry, was proving to be a prefect place to hide. Draco stifled a giggle. Harry glared at him.

"Sorry, I can't help it. It's funny trying to see you hide," Draco said trying not to laugh.

"S'not funny," Harry grumbled. He began picking out random comments from the crowd.

"Is that really Harry Potter?"

"Of course it is, he has the scar, see?"

"He's a bit small, isn't he?"

Harry glared at the stout man sat at the bar who had spoken last. The man hastily looked away.

"Looks like you've perfected the art of scaring people away, Harry. Useful skill to have that," Draco commented.

Harry gave Draco a small smirk. Maybe being in Diagon Alley wouldn't be so bad. Ignoring the rest of the bar, Harry and Draco followed the blonde's Mother out through the rear door, into the small backyard. He watched as Narcissa opened the wall to reveal the place Draco had been talking about virtually non-stop the day before. For the first time he realised why.

Harry was amazed at how different Diagon Alley was to anything in the muggle world, with shops like Eeylops Owl Emporium. The buildings were incredible different from anything Harry had ever seen before. He was that astounded by the place he completely ignored the looks he was getting from passers-by Harry grinned as he stopped Quality Quidditch Supplies. He looked at Draco.

"That's you're favourite shop then?" Harry asked knowingly, pointing in the direction of the shop.

Draco grinned. "We'll have to get you a broom, you know that don't you? I mean you can't go to a Quidditch game without knowing how to play." Draco looked up at his Mother. "Gringotts first, Mother?"

Narcissa nodded. "Harry needs to pick up some money after all."

Harry blinked. "Money?"

"Of course. You didn't think your parents would leave you with nothing, did you?"

To say Harry was gob-smacked would be an understatement. He had never really thought about his parents that much. Since the Dursleys would never tell him anything about them except that they were freaks, which Harry now understood why Vernon called them that, not that he liked it though. He never thought that they would leave him something, let alone money. He had never had his own money in his whole life.

Draco grinned at his new friend. The blonde boy never knew how overwhelming Diagon Alley could be for a person who had grown up with muggles. He found it amusing the way Harry was looking around, trying to take everything in at once.

The three of them stepped into Gringotts. Harry stopped as soon as he walked in, remotely stunned at the creatures working in the bank. Draco saw this and went back to whisper in the dark haired boy's ear.

"They're goblins. Just ignore them. They can be nasty things sometimes."

Harry nodded and followed his friend to the front desk, where Narcissa already was. She signalled for the two young boys to follow her and the goblin through a round door, which oddly enough reminded Harry of a safe door. Well duh Harry, it's a bank why not have a safe shaped door? Maybe some things in the Wizarding world aren't as different as the muggle world.

They stepped into the cart and it began rolling down the slightly rusty tracks. Harry distinctly heard a roar off in the distance, but didn't ask about it. He was almost afraid of the answer. The cart finally came to a stop outside a vault with the number '687' written on the door. Harry took no notice of the goblin as he took a glance back up the track they had come down.

Harry blinked. He then blinked again just for good measure. Sure enough he saw a creature, that Harry thought looked like what only could be described as a dragon, disappearing around a corner. Harry turned to look at Draco who was also looking up the tracks.

"What was that?"

Draco smirked. "A dragon."

"Dragons are really real then?" Harry asked in amazement.

"Yes, they're really real," Draco said with a laugh.

"Harry, come and take some money from your vault, dear," Narcissa voice came from the side of the two boys.

Harry obeyed and peeked into the vault. He then nearly fainted. There was a huge pile of gold, silver and bronze coins in the middle of the vault. There looked like there was more than enough for Harry to live on for years. "This is all mine?" he asked, still in a state of shock.

"Yes dear," Narcissa told him, a small smile on her face.

"Wow," Harry said in reply.

After a trip to Draco's family vault, the three of them were back in Diagon Alley once more. Narcissa proceeded to lead the two boys to Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions. Harry had never been clothes shopping before, since he had always worn Dudley's old cast offs.

"Hello dears," Madam Malkin said with a warm smile. "Wanting some new robes are we?"

"Just Harry here Madam Malkin," Narcissa said in reply and gave Harry a little shove in the older woman's direction. Madam Malkin's eyes flicked up to look at the scar of Harry's forehead before looking the boy in the eye once more.

"Come along dear," Madam Malkin urged.

It didn't take Harry long to be measured and fitted with several slightly different coloured robes, mostly greens and greys and black. Madam Malkin gave them a cheerful farewell. Harry and Draco then ran off towards Quality Quidditch Supplies, Narcissa trailing behind. Draco ran up to the window and peered at the newest broomstick, the Comet 260. Draco gave his Mother a longing look.

"No Draco, you have a perfectly good broom at the Manor," his Mother said firmly.

Draco gave in and glanced at Harry. "You need a broom anyway, get the new one so I can have a go."

"Draco!" Narcissa said sharply.

Harry grinned. "It's ok, he's right anyway, I do need a broom."

Draco grinned back. "Ha! I get to play on a Comet 260." If he wasn't in a public place he would have surely started bouncing around on the spot.

Harry realised this was the happiest he had ever been in his life. The thought of never having to go back to Privet Drive made everything a whole lot better. The only regret he had was that two, innocent - ok, maybe not perfectly innocent - people had died. Dudley now had no parents because of a group of people who wanted him dead because of something he had done as a baby. He wouldn't wish having no parents on anyone. He knew more than anyone what it was like. Always hoping wherever they were they weren't disappointed in you.

He was going to enjoy living in the Wizarding world, even with the whole overrated famous thing he had going. He had a friend that was his for once in his life and adults that seemed to care more than his own relatives ever did.

For the first time in his whole life he was home, and no one was going to take that away from him.

~+~

I hope this chapter explains why Sev seems a little out of character. Yes I made him actual friends with Lily and he's seeing Harry more as Lily's son than James' and all because I say so.

Collyrium means eye salve (I think) it's my creation. Wanted to get rid of Harry's glasses *smirks*

I don't know when the Comet 260 actually came out but lets just say it was new that year, ok?

Leatrix Malfoy ~ 5^th October 2003