Not Myself

Chapter 2 - Diagon Alley

Mrs. Weasley walked into the kitchen and saw a figure sitting at the kitchen table. She pointed her wand at them and said, “Don’t move.”

“Mrs. Weasley?”

“Harry?”

Mrs. Weasley waved her wand, turning on the lights in the kitchen. Harry lifted a hand to shield his eyes from the light.

“Harry, what on earth are you doing down here so early?”

Harry shrugged and replied, “Ye had to ge’ up early where I was a’. Simple as tha’.”

“Well, you don’t have to here. Go back to sleep, dear.”

“Can’t.”

Mrs. Weasley smiled and said, “I wish my children were like you.”

Harry arched an eyebrow at her. “Li’ me? Why?”

“They don’t get up early.”

Harry looked at her strangely for a moment then began to laugh, softly at first but gradually going up in volume. Mrs. Weasley smiled at him and said, “That’s the first time I’ve heard you laugh.”

“Na’ much to laugh abou’, Mrs. Weasley.”

Mrs. Weasley began to fix breakfast but continued talking to Harry as she did so.

“Did you have any friends, Harry?”

“Friends?” said Harry, bewildered for a moment. “Yeh. Tyls. ‘E and I grew up together on the streets. We sorta…took care o’ each other. Ye know? In tough spots an’ stuff.”

Mrs. Weasley nodded as she poked her wand at something in a pan. After a few moments of silence she said, “We’re going to go to Diagon Alley today to get your school supplies. Professor Dumbledore sent an owl last night with the key to your vault.”

“Vault,” said Harry.

“Gringotts vault. It’s the wizard bank.”

“Ah.”

Silence fell in the kitchen until a man Harry assumed was Mr. Weasley came into the kitchen. He smiled at Harry and said, “You must be Harry.”

Harry nodded. “I am, sir.”

Mr. Weasley smiled again then looked at his wife. He asked, “Is nobody else up?”

Mrs. Weasley shook her head then turned and pointed her wand at Harry.

“No, Arthur. Harry here was up before me.”

Mr. Weasley looked at Harry, who simply shrugged and said, “Ye ge’ up early in the streets. No sleepin’ late there.” Mr. Weasley looked at him for a moment then smiled and headed for the stairs. Mrs. Weasley looked after her husband then went back to fixing breakfast.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Alright, everybody line up. No, Ginny, dear, you’re coming with me.”

“Aw, mum. Ron gets to go by himself!”

“Ron’s older than you.”

Ginny frowned at her brother, who stuck his tongue out at her. Harry shook his head at the two of them, an amused expression on his face. Mr. Weasley looked down at him and asked, “Ever used the Floo before, Harry?”

“Jus’ once. When I came ‘ere.”

“Ah. I see. Well, then, just say the Leaky Cauldron. Everybody got that?”

“Yes,” came the resounding reply and Mr. Weasley tossed a handful of Floo powder into the fireplace. The flames roared green and Mr. Weasley went through, followed by Percy, then Fred, then Ron, then Harry went through, followed closely by George, Mrs. Weasley, and Ginny. Harry ended up on the floor coughing up soot and had to be pounded on the back by Ron. Once Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had banished the soot from all of their clothes, they wandered out into an alley behind the pub. Harry watched closely as Mr. Weasley tapped several of the bricks in quick succession. Before he could ask what that did, the bricks began to move, forming into an archway that led into a bustling alleyway like nothing Harry had ever seen.

As they walked, Mrs. Weasley looked over Ron’s shoulder at his list. She said, “Alright, first, we go to Gringotts, then I’ll take the boy’s to Madam Malkin for their robes and Arthur, you can go get their books.” Mr. Weasley nodded and made a copy of Percy, Fred, and Ron’s lists. Then they were off.

They entered Gringotts and Harry was floored. He looked around wildly at the strange creatures all about him. Goblins, he thought. Ron suddenly nudged him in the back and he started moving again. They got up to the front desk and Mr. Weasley handed two keys to the goblin, one being the Weasley’s and the other being Harry’s. The goblin motioned to another goblin, who took the keys, then led them down two flights of stairs to a cart. Once they had all climbed in, the cart began to roll.

Harry was grinning foolishly by the time they stopped at the Weasley’s vault. The cart ride was much more fun than rushing about the streets and picking pockets. Harry watched as Mrs. Weasley got out and went into the vault, scooping a meager amount of coins into a leather purse. As they set off to his vault he said a silent thanks that Mrs. Weasley had explained wizard money.

Harry followed the goblin out of the cart when they reached his vault and nearly collapsed when he saw what was inside. Mounds of gold Galleons, stacks of silver Sickles, and little piles of bronze Knuts. He knew his jaw had dropped but he didn’t really care. He was thinking of how ironic it was that he had been stealing purses for a living when he had a fortune buried under London.

Once he had gotten back his bearing, Harry scooped as much as he could into the bag and closed it tight, tucking it safely away. If anyone knew how dangerous pickpockets were, he did. As he climbed back into the cart he tried to ignore Ron, Fred, and George’s awestruck stares.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Back in the sunlight that streamed down on Diagon Alley, Harry finally got Ron and the twins to stop staring at him. Instead, they were practically drooling at the broom in the Quidditch Supplies window. Mrs. Weasley grabbed the three of them by their ears and dragged them off with a lot of grumbling and moaning.

“Ow!”

“Mum!”

“C’mon, mum, I need my ear!”

Harry chuckled at them and followed behind with Ginny, who kept stealing glances at him then blushing when he looked at her. He just smiled at her and she squeaked.

“Hogwarts?”

Harry looked up in surprise to find himself in Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions. He nodded then quickly walked over to where Ron was standing. Madam Malkin maneuvered him onto a stool then vanished through a door. A blond boy with a pale, pointy face on Harry’s left said, “Hogwarts, too?”

Harry nodded and the boy asked, “Play Quidditch?”

“I know the basics,” replied Harry huskily.

The boy frowned at him and said, “Your off the streets.”

Harry’s eyes narrowed at the way the blond boy said streets, like anyone who had lived there was automatically gutter trash. He had met plenty of people who were much more interesting than the boy beside him.

“Yeh. What’s it to ye?” growled Harry.

“Nothing,” replied the boy.

There was silence then the boy asked, “What House do you think you’ll be in?”

Harry shrugged and looked at Ron, arching an eyebrow as if to say House? Ron mouthed, “I’ll tell you later.” Harry nodded then said to the boy, “No.”

“Well, no one knows till they get there, really. I bet I’m in Slytherin - my whole family’s been. Imagine if you got Hufflepuff…”

“Yeh,” said Harry, “imagine.”

“Who’re your parents?”

Harry’s eyebrows shot up into his hairline. Where had that question come from? He was about to answer when Madam Malkin returned and said to the boy, “That’s you done, my dear.”

“See you at Hogwarts, I suppose,” said the boy as he left. Harry smiled grimly in response.

As soon as he was gone Fred hissed, “Harry, what were you doing talking to a Malfoy?”

Harry was about to say something when Ron cut in.

“Harry didn’t know, Fred.”

“Yeah, but…”

“Sod off.”

“Ooo, ickle Ronnikins used a…”

“I’m warning you, George.”

George and Fred broke into a strange song that Harry couldn’t follow but from the way Ron was blushing it was obviously something about him. Harry shook his head and watched Madam Malkin bustle about.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“O’k, we’ve go’ robes, books, cauldrons, potions ingredients, telescope, brass scales, glass phials… what’s left?” said Harry as he consulted his list.

Mrs. Weasley leaned over his shoulder and said, “Well, we’ve got to get you a wand and then you can get an animal if you want.”

Harry nodded then was steered towards a shop called Ollivander’s. Once inside Mr. Weasley called, “Mr. Ollivander?”

“Arthur Weasley.”

Nearly everyone jumped as an old man appeared before them, pale eyes shining in the dark shop.

Mr. Ollivander smiled and said, “Maple and dragon heartstring. Thirteen inches. Flexible.”

Mr. Weasley nodded and Mr. Ollivander smiled, turning to each of them in turn before he turned on Harry and said, “Ah. Harry Potter. I wondered why I would be seeing you. Let me see. Ah, yes. Try this one.” Mr. Ollivander handed Harry a wand. “Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just give it a wave.”

Harry waved it around but Mr. Ollivander snatched it back.

“Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try -”

Harry tried - but had the wand snatched out of his hand before he could fully raise it.

“No… Ah, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Try it out.”

Harry waved again and again and again. The Weasley’s were watching him and by now he felt very foolish and was wondering what exactly Mr. Ollivander was looking for.

“I wonder - perhaps - yes - holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple.”

Mr. Ollivander handed Harry the wand, who waved it lazily. A shower of silver and red sparks shot out of the wand. Mr. Ollivander seemed delighted.

“Very good. Very, very good. Yet very curious…”

Harry looked up from the wand in his hand and asked, “What’s curious?”

“I remember every wand I’ve ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather - just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand with its brother - why, its brother gave you that scar.”

Harry blinked. His wand? Brother to Voldemort’s wand?

“Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember…I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter…After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things - terrible, yes, but great.”

Harry shivered involuntarily, looking down at his wand. None of the Weasley’s had heard the entire conversation as Mr. Ollivander had spoken in a hushed tone. Harry quickly paid for his wand and they left.

A few moments later the Weasley’s and Harry were heading back up the alley into the Leaky Cauldron. Mr. Weasley had taken Harry’s new owl with him, as owls couldn’t travel by Floo.

One by one, they dragged their things into the fireplace and called out “The Burrow”.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

As soon as they were back at the Burrow, Harry, Ron, Fred, and George dumped their stuff in their rooms and went outside. The three Weasley’s were adamant to teach Harry about Quidditch and had convinced Mr. Weasley to teach Harry how to fly.

“I don’t know boys…”

“C’mon, dad. Harry wants to learn. Don’t you, Harry?”

Harry nodded vigorously and Mr. Weasley relented.

“Alright, but if your mother yells at me you two will be degnoming the garden.”

Fred and George saluted and Mr. Weasley sighed, leading Harry out into the backyard. George was letting Harry borrow his broom for practicing.

Harry listened intently as Mr. Weasley explained about flying, gripping the broom tightly in both hands.

“You got that, Harry?”

“Yeh.”

“Okay, then. Give it a go. Fred, you be ready to get him if something happens.”

“Gotcha.”

“Okay, Harry. Let’s see what you can do.”

Harry mounted the broom and kicked off from the ground. And then - he was free. He spiraled upwards then shot back down, going into a steep dive that he heard the Weasley’s below him give shouts. But he ignored them. He was in his element. He was meant to fly. No question about that.

After executing a number of moves that left the Weasley’s below gasping in awe, Harry landed neatly, a wide grin plastered on his face. Fred and George immediately began to pound him on the back in joy.

“You’re a natural, Harry!” said Fred.

“Yeah,” agreed George, “some of those moves Charlie would probably have a hard time doing.”

Harry blinked. “Who’s Charlie?”

“Our older brother. Works in Romania with dragons.”

“Oh.”

Mr. Weasley stared at Harry for a moment then said, “Why don’t we go inside, boys? I’m sure lunch’s ready by now.” The four boys nodded and all five headed inside.

After lunch, Fred, George, Ron, and Harry flew in the Weasley’s backyard (the four of them rotating off the brooms as there were only three) until dinner. Harry was so tired he only ate a little then went upstairs to Ron’s room. He was asleep before his head touched his pillow.