Liber Fatalis: Chapter 2
Chapter 2– Diagon Alley
He saw her, the vision of a figure seated on the cushion of a rocking chair. She had beautiful red locks curling onto her shoulder and floating around her as she rocked back and forth, letting the curved part of the wooden chair squeak against the floor that it slide against. She hummed a faint lullaby, one that she remembered from her childhood, sung to her by her own mother when she was growing up.
She let one of her hands stroke the large swollen stomach with a mother’s caress.
The serenity of the moment had stolen away by the eager slamming of the front door followed by the pattering of footsteps that raced to the room. Shoes clanked louder and louder as the figure approach, appearing with a breathless moment. A man appeared, his unruly black hair ruffled about and his brown eyes gazing at her with an excitement that coursed throughout his entire body until it was bleeding out into his voice.
“Lily!” He exclaimed while dropping a pile of toys he had just purchased from a store. The toys tumbled down and scattered on the wooden floor. A bear foot away, a wooden toy broom rolling away, and a toy snitch following the broom. He came and knelt beside her, his eyes grinning. “I decided a perfect color for the nursery room! Gryffindor colors!”
Lily giggled at that, swatting at her husband’s head at the comment. “I am not surprised,” she told him, “I bet Sirius, Remus, and Peter helped you decide that too!”
James let out a goofy grin. “Actually, Remus wanted a light blue, but we persuaded him otherwise.” With that, his face softened with wonder as he placed his head on his wife’s stomach so that he could feel his child kick him. His faced shimmered with a sort of awe as he could feel a tiny leg kick his foot, as if the boy knew that it was his father there.
“You bought more toys,” Lily accused him, glaring at the broom, “You’re really going to spoil Harry rotten.”
Ignoring her comment about the toys, the loving man inquired, “Harry? Is that his name?”
Lily nodded at him.
James let out a grin. “Harry Potter… It sounds like a name for someone who is going to be great…”
Suddenly, everything faded black. The scene disappeared before him in an enveloping mist. There was a dire change in temperature and now everything was very cold. And black. Darkness laid everywhere he turned. It was a darkness, a sort of blackness, that made him feel as though he was not alive.
Through this darkness, a scent of garlic lingered in the air, almost overpowering.
A voice called out to him then, it was hardly a whisper but it sent a chill to placed where cold never had reached him before.
“Your destiny lies in Hogwarts child, to Hogwarts you must go…”
“No,” he responded, surprised at himself. “I shall go wherever I want. Destiny is what I make it.”
But the voice would not listen to him. Instead, through the darkness a hand appeared, the wrinkled fingers reaching through the mist to him, attempting to snarl him within its grasp.
He woke up from his dream only to find himself forgetting it just as quickly. He didn’t dwell on the fact that much, seeing how his dreams had fluttered away from him after he woke up many, many times before. He lay in bed for a moment, feeling the warm blankets around him and the softness of the bed underneath him. He thought it was heavenly, being slightly spoiled that was. He absolutely loved the attention and care that he was receiving from Mrs. Figg. It was just a few days ago that he had received his letters. Yesterday he received another post from Beauxbatons with some specifications for him. They had written to him that he was to come a month earlier than the other students in order to attend some special language classes that would help him learn French seeing how Beauxbatons was distinctly French. He had also received a list of school supplies that he was going to need to pick up at Diagon Alley…
Diagon Alley!
He almost forgot! Aunt Bella had told him that she would take him To Diagon Alley today! Excitement budded up deep inside of him as he rushed out of bed like a blur, getting ready with record speed only to be stalled slightly by his attempt to get his hair to stay down. He glared at the mirror, his inherited green eyes finding their way at his reflection and at the scar that was half hidden underneath the moppy hair of his. He allowed Aunt Bella’s voice flood back into his ears at her story about the Halloween of many year ago. It was this scar that signals his brush with death as well as representing his parents ultimate sacrifice. It also was a symbol of his meeting with the Dark Lord. It was a scar that he had never thought of much before, but now each contour of the scar weighed down against him with a heavy ache of the heart. He never did think much of it before, but now knowing that it was a symbol of the Wizarding World as well as something spectacular made him nervous.
Becoming important wasn’t an aspect he was use to.
Then again, he couldn’t comprehend why exactly would the wizarding world would really look up to him the way they apparently did. And if they still did, he just knows that they’ll be horrible disappointed in him. Especially since he wasn’t anything that important. He was just a boy for goodness sake…
He gave up on his hair, knowing fully well that he was never going to get it down (he was never able to get it down). He headed out to meet Mrs. Figg instead, getting excited once again about the aspect of going to Diagon Alley, a shopping area for wizards selling wizarding stuff!
Somewhere out the door he can’t help but wonder why he suddenly has an admiration for the colors red and gold as well as a strong aversion to the scent of garlic.
The thought lingered at the back of his mind as he ate breakfast.
***
Harry stood in front of the fireplace in curiosity as Aunt Bella explained him about the dynamics of flooing. Not wanting to deal with the hassle of driving her car (which she hated because it kept on breaking down at the most inconvenient places and times), Aunt Bella had opted a means of transportation that was a slight bit more… magical. Not to mention easier and quicker.
“Now Harry, what you do is step inside of the fireplace, take a handful of this green powder here called floo powder, throw it hard onto the ground. After you carefully articulate where you want to go, you are to throw the floo powder down, and just let the magical current take you when it fulfills your request.” Aunt Bella explained to him, showing him the green bag through a zip-lock bag of hers.
“Do you think you can do that Harry?”
Looking from the green powder that was safely locked up by the plastic sealing of the ziplock and the brick fireplace that was devoid of anything other than some ashes here and there. ‘Hopefully not of a burnt body’, Harry thought nervously before nodding at Mrs. Figg, palms sweaty.
Mrs. Figg patted Harry on the back with her hand. “Good boy. Now get into the fireplace, go on now.”
It took Harry three medium steps to get into the fireplace that sported a pretty large amount of headspace. After that, Arabella grabbed his hand and transferred some powder into his palm for him to use. A bit of the powder tumbled out of his hand a bit to flutter onto the ground, causing a bit of sparks here and there.
“Hold it tight now.”
Harry clasped his fist tightly, his eyes gazing into Arabella with an uncertainly. “I just… say Diagon Alley and throw this?”
The graying neighbor nodded, her expression kind. “Don’t be nervous Harry! You’ll do just fine! Now remember, say in clear and precise words ‘Diagon Alley’ before throwing down the powder to be brought to the main floo entrance there. When you get there, please wait for me there. I will only take one moment.”
“Okay”, said Harry. ‘Here goes nothing!’
“DIAGONALLY.” Harry yelled before throwing the floo powder and disappearing with a whip of smoke.
Mrs. Figg groaned, “…. clearly Harry, clearly.”
***
Harry felt his body move violently through different currents of magical traveling system until he was forcefully pushed out of the channel by invisible arms. Tumbling out, he rolled onto the cold stone floor of a dusty room with a pressing ‘oomph’.
He couldn’t help but conclude with the fact that he would never ever enjoy flooing. Straightening his glasses that drooped down to his nose, Harry got up from the cold floor and looked around, finding himself affirming his displeasure with the travel method. The room was dimly lit save the few cracks of sunlight that filtered itself through between the curtains. Harry stared at the fireplace for a moment, waiting for Mrs. Figg to show up behind him… but, Harry couldn’t help but get a sinking feeling that he wasn’t in Diagon Alley.
Harry attempted to focus on things that were in the room. There were… bottles, tubes, yes… and… a hand? Harry looked at the hand, a dried up hand on the counter. Curiously, Harry reached out to touch the hand, just to know if it was real or fake… The hand scared the living daylights out of him by grabbing him in response.
Yelping out, Harry pulled his hand free and ran far, far away from the attacking hand, his heart beating a mile a minute. He ran through the doors, past the leering couple, ignoring the outside cart selling things that were not to be sold, and into a hard black wall. Harry bounced onto the ground, rubbing his nose in surprise.
“What are you doing here?” A voice snarled at him, dark eyes glaring at him as strong arms pulled him up from the ground and down the alley. “This alley is not fit for children.”
Harry squirmed in his grasp until the man plunked him down onto a street that looked slightly happier and safer than the one that he was just in. Harry tilted his head to the sign that read ‘Knockturn Alley’ that lead to the area that he had just ran through like a wild banshee.
“HARRY!” A voice called out from behind him, revealing his wonderful neighbor clad in some gray robes. “I was worried sick! I didn’t think you would be that far from Diagon Alley, but I didn’t know where you had gone… Didn’t I tell you to speak clearly?”
“Sorry Aunt Bella. I was nervous…” He said, his cheeks staining a slight pink as he hurried off to her side. Arabella ruffled Harry’s hair slightly before turning to the figure that brought her ward back to Diagon Alley.
“Severus Snape, how are you? I like to thank you very much for bringing Harry back into the alley. It was Harry’s first time with floo today…” she explained to him. The dark haired man inclined his head to the elderly witch.
“Harry, I would like you to meet Severus Snape. He is a professor at Hogwarts. Professor, this is Harry Potter.”
Although the man was previously passive to the boy, his expression had changed outright by the mention of his name. While Aunt Bella told him that he was famous and everyone pretty much worshipped him for what had happened many years ago, Harry couldn’t help but feel as though she was clearly misconceived about what she believed affectionate was. Obviously, the way the man’s eyes narrowing at him with annoyance and disgust was not affectionate. Nervous and slightly embarrassed to be at the receiving end of this man’s glare, Harry sunk into the back of Arabella’s robe in order to hide his red face.
“Harry Potter,” sneered the man, eyes unwavering from his look of disgust, “Already getting himself in trouble. I can already imagine him at Hogwarts already, breaking all the rules because he’s a celebrity.”
“Actually,” Arabella responded, blatantly ignoring whatever malice was in Severus’ voice. “Harry will not be attending Hogwarts. Come fall Harry will be attending Beauxbatons instead.”
“What?” Asked the potion’s professor, eyes widening in absolute surprise of her words. “How could that be so? Did Hogwarts not send an acceptance letter…? No, I heard McGonnagal speak of it the other day…”
“He was accepted to many schools other than just Hogwarts. Harry has decided that out of the ones he was accepted to, Beauxbatons would be the school that he would actually be going to. Not Hogwarts.” Arabella explained, winking at Harry. “I do believe the boy has made a fine choice! I hear that Beauxbatons is a wonderful school.”
“What does Dumbledore have to say about this?”
“Dumbledore?” Arabella asked, annoyed. “What does Dumbledore have to do with Harry’s decision? It’s Harry’s life, not Dumbledore. If Dumbledore really cared at all about Harry, he would have involved himself into the boy’s life before. I will not allow Dumbledore to attempt and take advantage of the boy before he has the chance to truly understand the situation for himself. The road Harry takes is his alone, all we can do now is watch as he takes it.”
Severus understood. Dumbledore, although appearing quite good natured and kind, was someone who was skilled with manipulation into the pursuing of what he thought was to be good. Even if his plans meant sacrificing one boy, he would do it, for his beliefs and for sake of the better good.
“He won’t have it.” Severus responded simply.
Arabella smiled slyly at that, as if she knew something that no one else knew. “It’s already too late. The path of fate has already been altered.”
***
Harry felt uncomfortable sitting by Mrs. Figg while listening to her spar words with the dark haired dreary professor from Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He didn’t understand the man at first, blatantly displeased at the fact that Harry would be going to Hogwarts only to be in complete surprise at the fact that Harry wasn’t going to be going there. If anything, Harry would have thought the man would have been relieved. But after hearing the exchange between Mrs. Figg, Harry couldn’t help but have a sinking feeling that if he had gone to Hogwarts, his entire life would have already been mapped out for him by hands not his own.
Then again… how different were events going to be now that he has strayed from the path that was most likely? How different was the world going to change?
But as Mrs. Figg said to the snarling professor, his fate was his own to make, not for another to mold. Listening to Mrs. Figg, he felt as though she possibly that she knew a bit more than anyone else did… he just didn’t know how…
The dark eyed professor stared down at him again, this time with a less disdainful expression and a more thoughtful one printed on his face, as if he resolved some things inside of him. “Arabella is correct, fate is for you to determine it. I wish you luck Mr. Potter… but keep this in mind, the fate that you hold in your hand may not be only yours…”
With that, he turned and walked away, his black robes swinging after him.
Harry watched, slightly surprised.
“Well now Harry!” Arabella’s gentle, but rough voice spoke up, pushing the boy towards the opposite direction. “We must get going to get some of your school supplies before you go off for your month for language training. It was awfully nice of Madame Maxine to set this up for you. Last thing we need is for you to fall behind in classes because you couldn’t understand the difference between ‘spider legs’ and ‘oranges’.”
“I would be leaving in a few days, would I not be Aunt Bella?” Harry asked, slowly forgetting what had happened to his excitement about school once again. He reached for the list that was nestled in his pocket (thought slightly burnt on the edge a bit… from the floo?). “Would it be all right? The Dursley’s have yet to return home from their trip for the States… If they know I’m gone… a Magic School to the boot!”
The elderly lady scoffed at that, looked undignified at his lack of trust in her abilities, “Now Harry, didn’t I tell you earlier to not worry about it? I shall deal with it all for you. Trust me Harry, I am not just a senile woman with cats. I am a senile woman with cats and a wand.”
Harry giggled at her statement, finding it particularly amusing to imagine his relative’s expression when they find out that Aunt Bella was anything but ‘normal’. Grinning widely, Harry allowed his childish urge to grab the older lady’s free hand. Arabella smiled fondly at this and squeezed his hand gently. “First stop is the bank dear Child. We have a vault to raid.”
***
Mrs. Figg took him to a large building, made of white marble and sported a dominating exterior as it stood higher than any of the other buildings in the alley. There were steps, dozens of them, that lead upward to large bronze doors. He followed the scent of cabbages up the white stairs and through those doors only to enter a room with another set of doors.
The room was a relative size, not too big, but it couldn’t be considered small either. There were some chairs placed against the wall, with some people talking to one another here and there. Harry stayed close to Mrs. Figg as they reached the other set of doors, silver ones that was intricately designed with these engravings:
Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.
“It is a warning.” Arabella told him, “A message warning though who may be foolish enough to attempt to rob the bank. The bank is one of the most well protected and safest places in the world. There are some things down there protecting these vaults that even the Ministry does not know about. The goblins are creatures that take it to their utmost duty to do what they are paid to do.”
Arabella skirted the two into the next room. It was a long room, buzzing with people here and there and small creatures sitting on high cherry wood desks. They were strange looking, with surly expressions on their faces, large hands and pointed ears dressed in a very elegant manner. “Are those… goblins?”
“Yes. Nasty looking creatures aren’t they? Foul temper they have too, sneaky also.”
Harry edged up closer to her when he saw that some of them were staring at him as he walked with the other woman. She chuckled. “But don’t worry, I doubt if they’ll be foul to you. I hear that your parents vault has a hefty sum in it… they wouldn’t risk upsetting a precious customer… not to mention a famous one.”
“Ah! Here we are,” Arabella lead him to one of the main desks up front where a troll sat, toppling them from his high desk.
“What can I do for you?” The goblin asked, his voice thick and squeaky, sounding discordant to Harry’s ears. The goblin stared down at Aunt Bella first, before his eyes landed on Harry’s… and stayed there. He stared at the scar on his forehead, half showing from its position beneath Harry’s dark bangs.
“We are here to pick up some coins from Harry Potter’s vault.” Arabella responded to the goblin.
“And does Mr. Potter have his key?”
Harry shook his head, not knowing what the goblin was talking about. He never did receive a key… not even one to the Dursley’s house… he couldn’t help but feel a sinking feeling somewhere in the pit of his stomach. What if he really didn’t have any money… how was he going to be able to go to school?
But Aunt Bella did something that relieved his frantic thoughts. Reaching into a hidden pocket she had in one of the ruffles of her robe, she revealed a golden key that had been resting there until just a moment ago. The key was sparkled as it was held up, for the goblin to see.
The goblin nodded before calling another by the name of Griphook to lead them into a dark pathway just ahead.
“Where are we going?” Harry whispered to Aunt Bella, who gave him the key.
“Down to the tunnels. We’re going to take a cart to your vault. Horrible the cart is, I never know if I want to lose my lunch or keep it.” Aunt Bella said, her face scrunched up in disgust. Harry watched as the tunnel became darker and darker as the only lighting was from the flaming torches attached to the cave walls. “They really need to upgrade their method of transportation to something less disturbing.”
“Arabella!” A deep roar split the air behind them. The exclamation came from a large man, almost three times high height. He had a bushy looking beard and just as frizzy looking hair. Although the man was slightly intimidating, he wore a huge grin.
“Hagrid,” Arabella greeted the large man. Hagrid, as Mrs. Figg had called him, looked over towards Harry, from his scar and then to his face and then up and down. Next thing Harry knew it he was crushed into a hug by the giant’s strong arms.
“’ARRY!” Hagrid burred out, excited. “I havn’ seen ya since ya wuz a baby! Lookin’ jus like ya pa ya are.”
“Hello.” Harry squeaked out from the man’s arms, before being slipped back on the ground. Aunt Bella found it to be amusing.
“I hear from Prof’ Dumbledore that ye aint goin’ ta Hogwarts… izit true?” The giant asked him, eyes staring at him curiously. Harry nodded, validating that response.
Aunt Bella verbally confirmed it. “No, Harry will not be going to Hogwarts. Instead, Harry is going to go to Beauxbatons. A fine school it is too.”
“Awww… Kinda hoped he went ta school at Hogwarts so I cud be his friend and all.”
Aunt Bella’s expression softened at that comment. “I bet Harry would love to be your friend regardless of which school he choose to go to. Isn’t that right Harry?”
“Yes!” Harry said, eager. Harry never did have a friend before, and if this man wanted to be his friend, of course he would comply with such a wish. The gloomy look on Hagrid’s face soon disappeared, leaving a brightened grin on it instead.
“I’m getting some money for school supplies today… What are you here for Hagrid?” Harry said to the giant-looking man. The man’s goofy expression was soon exchanged to a solemn and serious expression.
“Official Hogwarts business. I have ta pick up sumthing for Prof’ Dumbledore. Very top secret.” Hagrid looked at his pocket watch after saying those words, the goblin that was leading him to the carts pointed to one off to the side. Hagrid was slightly hesitant to leave just now, especially after meeting Harry again.
Arabella remedied Hagrid’s reluctance. “If it’s possible, we could always meet outside of the bank after you get what you needed to get and Harry picks up some money. I bet he’ll love to spend some more time with you!”
Harry agreed with this statement with much nodding and the words, “I would!” And it was true, Harry never really had a friend before, therefore to be able to spend time with a friend was something he couldn’t help but find exciting to do.
“’Kay then, I’ll see ya two outside then,” with those words, Hagrid got onto the cart that soon swooshed away with great speed. Harry stared at the traveling cart with anticipation before jumping his own cart, eager to finish all this bank business in order to meet up with Hagrid once again.
***
Harry collapsed on his bed, exhausted from his day of shopping and exploring Diagon Alley under the watchful eye of Aunt Bella and the company of Hagrid. Everything was fun and exhilarating, the different sights and people that he scene in the alley. Never had he experienced so many surprises in his life. There were so many mysterious that he had not known about existed in this world. Although he had always thought there was something such as magic out there in the world, he never could have imagined racing brooms and candy that made your skin change multi-colored! It was something far grander than mere rabbits out of a hat! All this was exciting to him.
There weren’t many children in the alley, Harry had reflected. Aunt Bella told him that it was still far too early for children to be purchasing their school supplies for Hogwarts. Thus, there weren’t many children at all. However, Harry did meet one child when he was in the robes shop getting fitted for his uniform for Beauxbatons. He was an obnoxious boy, with slicked back blond hair and a haunting sneer. He was demanding and cocky and, yet, at the same time he looked a bit nervous and out of place. The boy’s name was Draco Malfoy and he happened to be going to Hogwarts. He was getting fitted early because he wanted some special alterations to his school robes. He went on about how he wanted to get sorted into the Slytherin house before asking Harry about what house he wanted to be in.
“I’m not going to Hogwarts. I’m going to Beauxbatons,” Harry explained, as the boy looked at him a bit surprised. After the initial shock, he began to talk about how he had cousins that went to Beauxbatons, veelas, and then about his family’s summer house they had in the south of France.
Harry had just nodded until the boy left with his father, bidding him farewell as well as telling him if he ever wanted to have an acquaintances to write to, just send him an owl. Harry nodded, recalling the dozens of owls that came over and dropped the dozens of school letters at the doorstep of Aunt Bella’s house with a smile.
Strangely enough, he couldn’t help but feel a bit happy. He had two friends, a bit awkward the both of them were, however…
They were his own.
He fell asleep that way, happy and excited for the future that was to come.