Truths, Friendships and Families

Chapter 2: Diagon Alley

"Good morning. I am here to speak to Harry Potter and Dudley Dursley." The woman said. Harry was shocked that someone was actually there for him and his cousin.

"BOY! Who is it?" Vernon yelled as he walked into the hallway. When he saw the woman standing in the doorway he turned angry. "You… You're one of them, aren't you?" He growled.

"If you're referring to wizards and witches then yes, I am indeed a witch. My name is Professor Minerva McGonagall, and I am here to speak to Harry Potter and Dudley Dursley." Professor McGonagall spoke sharply, glaring at Vernon.

"You're not welcome in this house, freak." Vernon ground out.

McGonagall pulled a stick out of her robe pocket and pointed it at Vernon.

"Do you really want to make a scene Mr Dursley? Or will you let me in so we can talk about this rationally? Not that this conversation has much to do with you anyway." She threatened, her lips thinning and eyes glaring.

Vernon just shook with anger and walked back into the kitchen, McGonagall entered and Harry shut the door behind her. She smiled down at him and he hesitantly smiled back.

"You know, last time I saw you, Harry, you were just a baby. You still look a lot like your father, you have your mothers' eyes though." McGonagall said kindly.

"Really?" Harry replied in wonder.

"Yes. Where is your cousin?"

"In the kitchen. I'll just go and get him."

She nodded and he rushed to the kitchen, going to his cousin.

"Someone's here to see us, Dud." Harry said excitedly.

"Really?" Dudley asked with a smile on his face.

Harry nodded and led him into the hall where the woman was waiting for them.

The boys led her into the living room and the three of them sat on the sofa, the boys huddled together on one side, facing her as she faced them.

"I am Professor Minerva McGonagall, and I am a teacher of Transfiguration at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Witchcraft and wizardry? But that's not real." Dudley said reluctantly.

"Yes, it is." McGonagall looked angry but she soon hid her anger from them. "Have either of you ever done something strange? Something you couldn't explain when you are sad, angry, or scared?"

The boys looked at each other, shocked, before looking back at the Professor and nodding eagerly. She smiled at them.

"Well, that is called accidental magic. All wizarding children do it before they go to school and learn how to control their magic. Didn't Petunia and Vernon tell you this?" She asked, hiding the anger she felt inside.

"No. They told us that magic wasn't real. That we were freaks. That I infected Dudley with my freakishness. That my parents died in a car crash. That we're burdens." Harry said silently, looking down at his lap as his cousin wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Well…" McGonagall started, trying to reign in her extra anger. "Magic is real. You are both wizards, I am a witch." To prove this point she took her wand out of her pocket again and transfigured the table into a pig and back again. "I just used my wand to transfigure the table into a pig and back again with my magic. Also, Harry, your parents didn't die in a car crash, but I will explain how they died later. First I need to give you both your letters." She explained as she pulled two parchment envelopes out of her pocket and gave them to their intended recipients.

Harry and Dudley carefully took their letters and opened them, reading them slowly so they could absorb all of the information.

"THEY WILL NOT BE GOING!" Vernon yelled as he entered the room.

"Mr Dursley…"

"We swore to put an end to this when we took the boy in. Then he infected our son with his freakishness and we swore to get it out of both of them. They will not be going to that school and being taught magic by a crackpot old fool." Vernon demanded.

"It is not up to you whether they go or not, Mr Dursley. Harry's name has been in the book since the day he was born, and Dudley's came not too soon after that. They are both wizards and they both need to be taught how to control their magic so they are coming with me even if you don't want them to." McGonagall practically shouted.

Vernon looked angry but didn't say anything as he turned and stomped out of the living room again.

"Right boys, you ready to go and get your school things!" McGonagall said gently, smiling at the boys on the sofa.

"But… we haven't got any money." Dudley said quietly, looking down at the floor sadly.

"Well, Harry's parents left him a trust fund which is more than enough to last through the seven years of school for both of you, and the school also has a trust fund for students who can't afford everything so there are options." McGonagall explained.

"I have money." Harry whispered in awe.

"Yes. Your father was from a very old and rich pureblood wizarding family. And your mother was able to make quite a bit of money as well. They put together a trust fund for your school years, and there is more which you will receive at seventeen. You can share your trust fund with Dudley if you wish, there is more than enough for the both of you in there." McGonagall said, smiling at the amazed boys.

"Okay. Where do we go?" Dudley exclaimed excitedly.

"Diagon Alley, which is hidden in London. Come on then." She replied, smiling gently as she let the boys put on their shoes, led them out of the house and down the street.

She stopped in an alley and they stood in front of her, confused.

"Before we take the portkey to the Alley I am going to transfigure your clothes so that they fit you properly." She said, a frown on her face as she pointed her wand at Harry, transfigured his clothes, then did the same to Dudley. The boys watched in wonder and awe as their clothes changed so that they weren't filthy and actually fit them. "We can get you both some clothes as well as your school things if you want?"

"Really?" Harry asked excitedly.

"Yes. The store which will do your school clothes has a wide variety of clothes, both wizard clothes and muggle clothes."

"What are muggles?" Harry questioned curiously, he always liked learning new things, even if they weren't allowed to show that at school.

"Non-magical people like Petunia and Vernon." Minerva explained as she took the handkerchief that was their portkey out of her pocket. "I need both of you to hold onto this very tightly, when I say the activation phrase it will transport us to Diagon Alley, you may feel nauseous after the journey, but I have a stomach soother you may have when we get there. Okay?" The boys nodded and took hold of the handkerchief, holding it tight. "Tabby."

Then they were off. Soon they landed in a deserted alleyway and the boys were on their knees, breathing heavily. "Are you both okay? Do you need a stomach soother?" The boys nodded and she gave them both a vial, they drank the potions and she helped them up, shocked at how easy they were to lift from the ground, but also angry at the muggles who did this to them.

"Are you ready to go?" She asked, and they nodded. "Okay, to Gringotts it is." She said, smiling gently as she led them out of the alley and into the larger one filled with shops and people.

The boys looked around in awe at everything they were seeing. Parents with their children. Laughing, talking. All of the wizarding things like brooms, and cloaks, and wands. Owls and other creatures. It was fascinating to both boys. "Welcome to Diagon Alley." McGonagall said to them, noticing their awe.

Then they got to Gringotts, when they entered Harry and Dudley were looking around and saw a lot of strange looking, small creatures. "What are these things or creatures?" Dudley asked.

"These are goblins Dudley, but don't worry they are friendly, as long as you don't insult them." McGonagall replied.

McGonagall, Harry and Dudley went up to a goblin and McGonagall asked if they could go to vaults 657 and 713. "Here is a letter from Dumbledore about the you-know-what in vault seven hundred and thirteen, and the key to Harry's vault, which they will both be taking money from." McGonagall said. She gave the letter and key to the goblin. The goblin then asked another goblin, Griphook, to take them to the vaults.

They stopped at vault 657 first to get the money for the boys. Griphook asked for the key to the vault, which McGonagall gave to him, and he unlocked and opened it. When the door opened smoke started billowing out of the vault. Once the smoke was cleared they could see all the money.

Harry and Dudley both gasped in shock at how much gold, silver and bronze there was. Harry and Dudley started to take some money each and put it into the two leather pouches that Griphook gave to them. They all got back into the cart and went to vault 713 to pick up the thing. When they got there Griphook once again opened the door and smoke came out again. The thing was on a podium and in a little leather pouch. McGonagall took it and put it into her pocket, asking the boys not to tell anyone about it.

They all took the cart back to the main part of the bank and McGonagall, Harry and Dudley left Gringotts.

"I think you should get your clothes first as that will probably take longer than the other things." McGonagall suggested. The boys nodded in agreement and followed the witch to Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions.

Madam Malkin and her assistant greeted them and once McGonagall told them that the boys needed ordinary clothes, shoes, and school clothes they whisked the boys to the back room to get their measurements.

When the measurements were taken Madam Malkin asked what kind of everyday clothes they would like, showing the boys different designs, etc. They pointed out what they wanted and Madam Malkin told them everything they needed would be ready by four in the afternoon so they decided to get the rest of their things before coming back to get their clothes.

They went to Flourish and Blotts to get their school books, as well as some extra books to teach them more about the wizarding world and Hogwarts. They then went to the Slug and Jiggers Apothecary to get their Potions ingredients. Followed by Potage's Cauldron Shop to get their Potions equipment, and Sribbulus Writing Instruments for their quills, parchment, notebooks and things. They also went to Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment to get trunks for all of their things.

Then they went to Ollivanders to get their wands, the shop that both boys were the most excited for.

"I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." A soft voice spoke as they entered the shop, causing the boys to jump and turn to the right to find an old man smiling kindly at them. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work. Your father, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it – it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

Mr Ollivander moved towards the boys, stopping in front of Harry and looking at the scar on his forehead. "And that's where... I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it. Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands… Well, if I'd know what that wand was going out into the world to do…"

He shook his head and then turned to McGonagall, smiling brightly.

"Minerva McGonagall! How lovely to see you again... Fir, nine and a half inches, dragon heartstring, wasn't it?"

"Indeed, it was, Garrick." She replied, smiling kindly to the man.

"And this young lad must be your cousin, Harry?" Harry nodded in response. "Nice to meet you both. Now, wands…."

Ollivander rushed around the shop, picking up boxes from the full shelves and giving them to the boys, who tried the wands. It took about an hour for Dudley to find a wand; ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. It took half an hour more for Harry to find his; holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple.

"Curious… curious…" Ollivander said after Harry tried his wand.

"Sorry, but what's curious?"

Ollivander fixed Harry with a pale stare.

"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 when its brother – why, its brother gave you that scar."

Harry swallowed.

"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. The boys both paid seven galleons for their wands and Mr Ollivander bowed them from his shop.

"Would you two like an animal to take to school with you? You're allowed either an owl, a cat, or a toad. Owls are very useful, they are used in the wizarding world to send letters to people. They make good pets as well. So do cats, although I might be a little biased towards cats considering I can turn into one." The boys stared at McGonagall in shock and awe.

"You can turn into a cat? Can all wizards do that?" Harry asked in awe.

"Yes, I am an Animagus, meaning I can turn into an animal at will. You have the abilities to become one but it is a lot of work and you can ask someone to teach you how to when you are older. And you won't necessarily be a cat, you will be an animal which represents part of your personality usually. A lot of the time it correlates with your patronus, unless your patronus is a magical creature because you can't physically become a magical creature. But you can learn more about that stuff when you're older, that magic is too advanced for you right now. So, do you want an animal?" The boys still looked shocked and intrigued, but they nodded nevertheless.

McGonagall led them to the Magical Menagerie. After twenty minutes Dudley had brought a ginger half-Kneazle which Dudley chose to name Crookshanks as well as the things that he would need to care for the cat. McGonagall led them to Eeylops Owl Emporium so Harry could have a look at the owls. It took him about fifteen minutes to find a snowy owl and the things he would need for her, including a cage and owl treats.

McGonagall then led the two boys to The Leaky Cauldron for a late lunch as they still had a couple of hours to wait until they had to go and get their clothes. She ordered them the food and drinks that they wanted, it was quiet as there weren't many people in there. They sat at a table towards the back of the pub.

"Professor, what happened to my parents?" Harry asked quietly, nervously.

McGonagall sighed and told the boys about how Harry's parents died, and Voldemort, and the first wizarding war. She also answered other questions they had, about the wizarding world, and school, and classes, etc.

Soon they were back on their way to Madam Malkin's, where they paid for their clothes and thanked the women who had made them before leaving.

They went back to the deserted alley they arrived in via the portkey and stood in almost a triangle.

"So, since you now have everything it is time to head home." The boys looked scared and McGonagall noticed the fear in their looks. "What's the matter boys? I could tell something was wrong when I arrived, but I can't do anything to help unless you tell me what is going on."

The boys looked at each other, scared.

"Do you want to go home? Or does something happen at home that you don't want to go back to? I can't help you unless you tell me what is going on. You can trust me. I promise." McGonagall said gently, a small, kind smile on her face. The boys just looked down, scared. "Do Petunia and Vernon hurt you? I can tell they don't feed you well, or give you proper clothes, but do they hurt you?"

The boys nodded, knowing they needed help.

"Okay. I won't take you back to them. I will take you to my home. Are you okay with that?"

"We can live with you? But we're burdens. You don't want us. No one wants us." Dudley said as tears filled his eyes. Harry was already crying.

"Oh, boys, what have they done to you? Of course, you can live with me. You're not burdens. Come on, we'll portkey back to my home and get you both settled in." She pulled out her wand and shrunk the boys' things, taking the owl out of the cage and telling it where to meet them before she shrunk the cage, putting them all in her pockets before pulling out the handkerchief portkey and the boys gripped onto it. "Home." She spoke and they were gone.

Hello. Hope you enjoyed it.

I will update again soon.

Please review.

Hello. Hope you enjoyed it.

I will update again soon.

Please review.