Chapter 6: Diagon Alley Trip

Diagon Alley, the commercial center of the British wizarding world.

Various shops of the wizarding world gather here, supporting the daily needs of wizards.

It is also the place where new Hogwarts students purchase enrollment items.

Looking at the dazzling commercial street in front of them, John's family is attracted by the scene in front of them.

Before, they only saw a few wizards who could use magic. This time, they truly saw the epitome of the wizarding world, making them realize how magical a place they are in.

After their family walks through the archway and enters Diagon Alley, the red brick wall behind them starts to slowly return to its original state. Before it completely closes, owner Tom says "Good luck to you," and disappears in front of them.

"Let's go, let's go to Gringotts first and exchange some Gold Galleons."

John steadies his mind and says to his parents beside him.

Afterwards, several people walk into Diagon Alley together. Gringotts is inside Diagon Alley, a tall white building managed by goblins. Several people only need to walk straight all the way, and they can see Gringotts.

On the way, John looks around. This commercial street of the wizarding world has all kinds of shops, including wizard snack shops, bookstores, clothing stores, pet stores, and a wand shop that claims to be a thousand-year-old shop.

According to the requirements of the admission letter, they have to buy quite a few things today.

Soon they find Gringotts. It is indeed a white building, and I don't know if it's the designer's problem or the engineer's problem, but this Gringotts is built crookedly, making Mr. Merick, who is an engineer, have his obsessive-compulsive disorder triggered, and his blood pressure soar.

Fortunately, after entering the interior of Gringotts, the magnificent and neatly arranged Gringotts hall makes Mr. Merick's blood pressure calm down.

Most of the staff here are composed of goblins, and occasionally a few wizards walk by. On both sides of the hall, there are two rows of tall tables, and goblins are working with their heads down behind the tables.

John walks directly to the hall manager in the innermost part. Any wizard who needs to handle business goes directly to the hall manager.

"Hello, we need to exchange some Gold Galleons." John looks up at the goblin on the high seat and says.

"Purpose."

The goblin on the high seat doesn't even look at John, just writes something while saying faintly.

"Purchase items required for Hogwarts enrollment."

"Proof."

John hands up the admission letter. That goblin finally looks at John and takes that letter.

After reading the letter seriously, the goblin returns the letter to John while saying: "Muggle currency exchange for Gold Galleons, you can only exchange up to 100 Gold Galleons a month."

While saying this, this goblin writes a certificate and hands it to John.

"Go to the second counter on the left to handle the exchange."

After saying that, this goblin buries his head in work again.

John simply says thank you, but doesn't get a response, and then John turns and walks toward the second counter on the left.

After handing in the certificate, John takes out 500 pounds and exchanges 100 Gold Galleons.

Weighing the heavy bag of gold coins in his hand, John cannot help but sigh. 500 pounds is not a small amount.

Handling these businesses is all done by John himself, and Mr. and Mrs. Merick's main role is companionship.

Originally, John could come by himself, but his parents insisted on following. One is just in case, after all, John is only 11 years old, and the other is that they are also very curious about what the wizarding world looks like.

After leaving Gringotts, according to the road he came, John finds the nearest clothing store, Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

Besides this one, there are actually other clothing stores, such as a clothing store called Twilfitt and Tattings. John simply understands it, and the prices there are outrageously expensive, seemingly only accepting private customization, facing the consumer group of those nobles and rich people.

There is also a second-hand robe shop, and you know what it means without asking.

"Hello, Madam. I need three sets of plain work robes, a pointed hat, a pair of protective gloves, and a winter cloak."

"Oh, no problem, child. You must be a new student at Hogwarts, right? Come, let me measure your size."

Madam Malkin is a gentle and dignified woman. After she measures John's size, she directly takes out a whole set of school uniforms corresponding to the size for John.

-15 Gold Galleons.

Well, it's more expensive than he imagined.

John's second stop is Flourish and Blotts, which is the largest bookstore in Diagon Alley. The reason for choosing this is because besides the necessary books for school, John also hopes to buy some books that help him understand the wizarding world.

I don't know what the reason is, but hearing John is here to buy books for Hogwarts enrollment, the clerk's face looks a bit ugly, but after seeing the books in John's list are first-year books, his expression returns to a smile.

While the clerk is helping him prepare the books, John isn't idle either, walking around in the bookstore.

During this time, he found a history of Hogwarts, but he didn't need it anymore; after all, he had gotten a free ride on Professor Snape's book.

Finally, John buys "A Popular Interpretation of the International Statute of Secrecy," "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," "Quidditch Through the Ages," "A Guide to Harmonious Coexistence between Muggles and Wizards," and "The Tales of Beedle the Bard."

The rest he wants to understand are just right in the textbooks required for enrollment, such as History of Magic, Magical Theory, Defense Against the Dark Arts, which are all content that Hogwarts will teach.

Originally, the books required for enrollment needed 8 Galleons, but after John's own books were added, it cost a total of 13 Galleons.

The next stop is Potage's Cauldron Shop, and the Apothecary next to it.

These seem to be things prepared for Potions class: cauldrons, scales, crystal vial sets, basic potion material kits, and... a telescope?

Although he doesn't understand, John still buys all the items, spending another 15 Galleons.

The last stop is Ollivanders Wand Shop, where John needs to buy his first wand in his life.

Pushing open the ancient wooden door, a bell sound rings out. John sees dazzling wands filling all the cabinets in the shop, and all he sees are wands.

"Hello, I need to buy a wand."

After John enters, he says to the owner at the counter.

Owner Ollivander is an old man with gray hair but high spirits. After hearing the bell, he looks up at John.

"Of course, child. Every little wizard should have a wand of their own." Old Ollivander smiles at John, then walks out of the counter and comes to John's front.

"Your dominant hand."

Hearing Ollivander's words, John subconsciously stretches out his right hand, just like a Chinese doctor taking a pulse.

Ollivander looks at John's hand and looks at John again.

"Oh, I know. That wand must be suitable for you."

After saying that, old Ollivander turns and climbs the shop's shelf ladder, pulling out a box from the very top.

After he takes the box down, he opens it in front of John and takes out a wooden amber gold wand. The handle of the wand also has silver-plated vine patterns wrapped around it, which is very good-looking.

"Olive wood wand body, phoenix tail feather core, 14 inches long, medium to hard."

"Come, try it."

Old Ollivander hands the wand to John. The wand feels warm, smooth, and quite heavy. He always thought a wand weighed about the same as chopsticks.

John waves it lightly, and the tip of the wand emits a soft light. The magic power floats up like a ribbon, surrounding John's body.

"Oh, very good, very good. This wand has been in my place for almost fifty years and hasn't found its owner. It was also from then on that the wands I made became more popular."

"Now it has chosen you, which can be considered fulfilling my wish."

Old Ollivander sees this wand recognize its master and smiles happily.

"If it were according to the market price fifty years ago, this wand would cost 10 Galleons or even more, but now, it's 7 Galleons."

"A wand shouldn't be the threshold for little wizards to learn magic."

After thanking him, John leaves the shop with his wand, and today's shopping trip can come to an end.

The admission letter says that you can bring a pet, but it is not mandatory.

Although he quite likes furry animals like cats and dogs, he thinks about it and forgets it.

Once you decide to buy, you must take responsibility for this pet.

But there is still uncertainty in the process of learning magic in the future. If you can't take good care of this pet because of the heavy academic burden, it's better not to buy it from the beginning. ===== CHAPTER 7 =====