Chapter Three

The New Day

Harry woke, not having a nightmare at all. He climbed silently out of the wardrobe pulling the robe that had been covering him out with him. He didn't really know what it was, but he folded it neatly and placed it in the trunk that was open. Looking around he noticed the absence of Tom. It didn't really bother him, he was fine by himself and as long as he was good, he couldn't be punished. At that he decided he should get started.

He closed the lid of the trunk and moved it back to the side of the bed where he'd noticed it before. He then made the bed carefully, tucking in all the sides and making sure there weren't any wrinkles. He opened the window a little like Aunt said; to air the room and piled the things on the desk carefully to make sure they didn't blow if a wind came. He knew it wasn't much, but there wasn't much to do. He sat in the wardrobe once he was done: silent and out of sight; like his relatives wished.

Tom mayn't have said anything, but Harry knew it was wrong to ask questions. He wanted to try and make Tom forget a bit, so he wasn't completely in trouble; if Tom could see he did everything right, maybe he wouldn't mind, so long Harry didn't break the rules again.

o0o

Tom climbed the stairs, carefully keeping the toast he'd taken from the dining hall hidden. The other children here were scared of him and wouldn't say a thing, but if one of the workers saw, it would cause problems. He knew Harry hadn't had lunch or dinner the previous day and seemed worried about coming down for dinner or Tom bringing anything up. He had to be hungry, but Tom doubted he'd of said anything; in fact he was pretty sure he'd have to tell Harry he had to eat it or force it down his throat himself. Tom didn't like where his thoughts were headed. He also didn't understand why Harry was always at his relatives. He may hate the orphanage but even the younger kids knew they checked a house somewhat before allowing you to stay there. To come back and forth for a year was ridiculous.

When he entered the room he noticed what had been done. That was something that had to be fixed. He turned to the wardrobe and opened it right up. Harry was sitting in there, on the left, so he sat next to him on the left.

"Hello," Tom said, and handed Harry the toast. "Here."

Harry pushed it back, no eating unless Uncle Vernon said.

"Eat it," Tom said. "We're going out today and you need to eat. I will find a way to make you eat if you don't eat it yourself."

Harry chewed his lip, looking at Tom's serious expression. He took one and slowly started eating, watching Tom the whole time. It took at least twenty minutes to eat the one slice. Harry stopped and checked Tom's face all the time and chewed it all right up knowing he would get sick if he didn't. Tom then wanted to give him another piece:

"Not hungr'y anymore," he said. Tom decided it was enough he'd eaten one and using a bit of 'accidental' magic he learned early on, protected the rest of the toast and shoved it in his pocket.

"Alright," Tom said, firmly. "We're going out. Both of us."

Harry blinked. "Can't."

"Yes you can, I told you: you're in the past. That means your relatives won't know, now come on," he commanded. Tom being older Harry knew he had to listen, especially if he didn't want Tom angry because of the questions; so he nodded.

"Alright," Tom said and pulled the robe Harry had been sleeping under out of his trunk as well as a medium sized bag which the robe was shoved into. "Come on."

And with that they left the room

o0o

The inside of the orphanage was nearly the same as Harry's; but he did notice differences. It was the outside that really did it. It was greyer, so to speak. It was wet- normal. People dressed different, and a little funny, it was like stepping into one of Aunts TV programs. It seemed very gloomy though. Harry didn't really get a chance to look though. Tom tugged his arm, not hard, but persistently as they travelled through the streets. Only one person said a thing: 'Are you all right boys?' to which Tom replied: 'Quite well, and you? -good! - Well, we really need to be off."

They hurried through the streets keeping to the sides. Harry who only came to London for his trips to and from the orphanage had no idea where they were headed. He knew he was tired though. Tom walked fast and he had a few hours of chores a day which was the only 'exercise' of such he got as the rest of the time he was locked in his cupboard or hiding himself in the wardrobe in his… his and Tom's room.

"'m tired," he said tugging back on Tom's arm. Tom stopped and looked around.

"We're almost there," he said. "We'll have a break there; I know we're rushing but I want to spend a good amount of time there. We've only got another ten or so minutes to get there. Harry nodded.

o0o

Soon they were on Charing Cross standing on one side, facing the other.

"See that?" Tom said, "The building opposite. It's rather old and dirty, but it's the main way into the magical world. It's called the Leaky Cauldron; none of the people around us can see it because they're not magical, they're muggles."

"Muggles," Harry repeated. "They have no magic, magicals have magic."

"Witches and wizards," Tom murmured. "Come along now."

Tom was right, it was dirty and old, but it was also full and noisy and busy. Harry didn't like it.

"Come on, it's alright," Tom tugged him through the fray. Soon they were at the back where it was quite empty. There Tom took the bag off and pulled the robe on.

"This is a robe, all wizards wear them," he explained.

"And witches?" Harry asked, carefully.

"Yes," Tom said, "But most wizards just say wizards and witches say witches. I suppose it's just easier that way."

Harry nodded solemnly.

The two then made their way to the back.

"We'll have to get you a robe so you'll fit in," Tom said.

"I don't have money," Harry whispered.

"It's alright I have some, I often help people outside the orphanage. Most of the older children do too, fourteen, fifteen. I started when I was nine though, books are expensive," Tom explained. "The school gives children a small fund if you haven't the money; I used that to buy supplies. I would probably only buy a second hand robe- depending on the price if I used my own money. Come on, we have to the bank to exchange my money first."

He turned to the bricks, then back. "Don't gape alright? Or stare, we're blending as well as we can."

Harry nodded and watched as Tom tapped the bricks of the back alley. They wiggled and parted into an archway, "This is Diagon Alley," Tom said, quietly. "Come on, the bank's the tall white building; it's run by goblins, don't stare. They seemed very disdainful of those who stared and those who looked down on them. Be polite."

Harry nodded. He felt he was doing an awful lot of that, but- what else was there to do?

Harry didn't stare but he glanced around an awful lot. To was right! Look at this stuff, brooms, weird ingredients and flashing light colours and signs. It was a bit much. He would take notice after the bank.

o0o

The goblins in the uniforms, standing at the door bowed them in, Harry and Tom nodded back. Tom knew that this was unusual, but he respected them, in his own way. He'd help Harry to read the History book when they returned to the orphanage.

The two made their way through the other doors to the bank. Tom pulled him to an empty counter where they waited.

And waited. The goblin – Griphook, the nameplate said; continued on with his papers. He then looked up. Most wizards would demand attention, even the muggle-born ones. The fact these two waited, the eleven years old from a few weeks back and a young boy, five perhaps. The goblins would know about them, they would be watched.

"May I help, Sirs?"

"Please," Tom asked. "I need this money exchanged for the wizarding currency."

Griphook nodded and held out a hand which Tom placed the money in. "Twelve pounds," he said. "I know it's not much but I do need it."

Griphook nodded again, "three galleons, one sickle and twenty knuts," he said.

"Thank-you," Tom nodded his head, Griphook bowed them off.

A.N: Sorry about how long it took to get this out. It really didn't want to be written and I'm still not particularly happy with it. I may fix it when I continue on. Sorry about leaving you here but I want to keep it separate.

Note one: money: I used the HP Lexicon currency converter but changed it a bit. I put 10.5 in the UK pound selection and got 2 galleons, 1 sickle, 20 knuts. I added a galleon and changed it a bit so it would somewhat show a price change, but not much as the wizarding world doesn't keep up with the muggle world much, and though I'm sure the goblins do, there'd probably be a riot if the magical folk new their money system connected.