Diagon Alley Part 1

The next morning finds the Insanias, Harry, and I waiting for Hagrid outside her home. The Dursleys have already left for their house, wanting absolutely nothing to do with anything regarding magic.

After Hagrid and McGonagall left last night, they didn't stick around to talk about anything that had happened, immediately retiring to their rooms for the night. Clarity's parents, meanwhile decided that everyone should get to sleep as soon as possible since none of us knew what the day would bring.

Unfortunately, that meant that we couldn't eat the cake last night.

But fortunately, the Insanias let us have it for breakfast!

While we wait, we discuss what kind of transport Hagrid will be bringing. Some kind of wizardly vehicle? A squad of brooms that prevents others from seeing them? Ooh! Or maybe even some kind of instant transportation device!

When a triple decker bus pulls to a stop in front of us, and Hagrid waves us on from his seat by the window, it's safe to say that we are all shocked. Sure, it's unusual, but where's the MAGIC!?

The doors open and his waving gets a bit faster. Looking at each other, we all shrug and get on. At the wheel is a an elderly man with white hair on the sides and back of his head rising behind him. Must be making up for the fact that there's no hair on top of it. A large pair of glasses rest on his face, though they're almost styled like goggles.

He doesn't say anything as we get on, but Mrs. Insania lets out a shriek. We follow her gaze and notice a shrunken head hanging from the... roof? Second floor? Let's go with that.

We stare at it for a few moments before a scruffy looking guy hurries us along. Honestly he doesn't look like he's all there.

He hands each of us a ticket as we take our seats. I decide to sit behind Hagrid with Clarity, while Harry decides to sit next to him. Clarity's parents sit on he seats across from us.

The conductor tells the driver to go, but there's no response. Then the shrunken head at the front speaks and notice Mrs. Insania choking down another scream.

"He said ta hit it Erni!" For whatever reason, the head speaks in a jamaican accent.

The driver, Erni, jumps in his seat... then before I realize what's happened the bus is stopped someplace else.

I blink, looking around.

Next to me, Clarity's mouth hangs open and her eyes are rolled up. At the front of the bus, I see her parents untangling themselves from each other. In front of me, I can see that Hagrid has his arm across Harry's chest.

The conductor speaks while sweeping his arm towards the exit. "The Leaky Cauldron."

"Come on now. I know the first time is rough, but it wasn' that bad!" Hagrid gives Harry a hand up and guides the rest of our discombobulated group to the exit.

As we step off, I turn and look at the bus. As soon as the last of us exits, it speeds away nearly faster than I can see. 'Guess that explains what happened. I wonder how often muggles get killed by wizards' reckless driving?'

Shaking off my thoughts, I turn to where Hagrid's brought us. The outside looks like like a bar. We enter and the inside looks like a bar. I wrinkle my nose since it smells like a bar. There's a guy passed out on the bar.

...

Do magical folk not have an age restriction on drinking? I can get behind that!

"Ah, Hagrid! The usual I presume?" The bartender shouts out to Hagrid.

"No thanks Tom," Hagrid refuses. "I'm on official Hogwarts business. Just helping the young ones here buy school supplies." He pats Harry on the shoulder with one hand, and with the other gestures towards me and Clarity."

"Well now, who might these be?" Tom, the bartender, peers at us as if he could recognize us just by looking closer.

"Well this is Harry, his sister Misha, and their friend Clarity." He points to each of us in turn, but Tom doesn't seem to be listening.

In a shocked whisper, he speaks into the suddenly quiet bar. "Bless my soul, it's Harry Potter!"

After a moment of shocked silence, people start coming up and introducing themselves to Harry, elation clear on their faces. He shoots a confused glance my way, but I just shrug. How am I supposed to know what's going on?

It's then that a man in a dark purple turban approaches. "Harry P-p-p-potter. Can't tell you how p-p-pleased I am to meet you."

Hagrid greets him, followed by an introduction. "Hallo' professor. I didn' see you there. Kids, this is Professor Quirrell. He'll be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, at Hogwarts."

Still with a confused look on his face, Harry stretches his hand out. "Oh, nice to meet you."

When he does, I notice something strange. Quirrell flinched when Harry stuck his hand out. And now, there's a slight hesitation as he shakes it.

"F-f-fearfully f-f-fascinating subject. N-n-not that you need it, eh Potter." He lets out an awkward chuckle.

At this point you can almost see the question marks over all of our heads. Hagrid seems to not like the direction the conversation is heading, as he excuses us from it.

I wave at him as we head to the back of the bar and he jumps a bit. Did he not notice our group? And more importantly...

Why did everyone want to meet Harry but not me!?