Chapter Text
In the deepest bowels of the Ministry of Magic. Hidden in the darkest corner of the Department of Mysteries, was a bustle of activity. This was not a common occurrence, but the reason for it, was.
The Head Unspeakable, whose name was Croaker, alas this was not his real name, was running. This was a strange occurrence, for there were not many things that could cause Croaker to be so shaken. This was one of them.
The Department of Mysteries, commonly known as the DOM, had its own healing wing, this was where the hub of activity was centralised.
The DOM prided itself on expanding magical knowledge, new discoveries and secrecy. Once in the DOM, no one could know what you did. The DOM only answered to Lady Magic, and never the Ministry despite how much Cornelius Fudge thought he could order them.
There was one secret, that was the most hidden and most fortified secret of all. A man. He had been in a magical coma for the past 12 years and 8 months. Today, at 8 pm on the 16th of July 1993, he awoke. Caused by a sudden influx of Familial Magic, for that could be the only thing that could wake the man.
Croaker, rejoiced at having his deputy head back. The stand in was just not up to standard. Unspeakable Croaker knew what had caused the influx and he couldn’t find it in himself not to laugh, and he laughed harder at the fact that it caused the Minister to go into a frenzy. Oh, how he hates the man.
Croaker, instructed the fellow Unspeakable to keep an eye on the kid, the cause of the influx, there was a murderer on the loose that could be after him, though Croaker didn’t believe that, he thought it was utter Codswallop but had not been able to do anything without disclosing the fact that, despite what many believed on October 31 1981, James Potter did not die.
Now James Potter was awake and demanding to see his son, who had just gotten to the Leaky Cauldron.
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Harry was panicking, he’d blown up his Aunt Marge like a balloon, destroyed all the good china sets, the door of the cupboard where his stuff was, and the dinner, and dinner table that everyone was sitting at.
Now running away was not his smartest decision, as he was sure to be expelled and nowhere to go, but he knew if he stayed that he would be killed. His Uncle would not let him live after what he did.
Harry started planning, the minute he got on the Knight Bus, holding on to the bars of the bed he was sitting on, he stared at the paper in Stan Shunpike's hands. How he was able to stay standing like that he did not know.
“Who's that?” Pointing at the man in the paper, he had seen the same man on the Telly at the Dursleys.
“Who's that he asks, that’s Sirius Black that is, one of you know who’s most loyal followers, surely you know who you know who is?” Stan couldn’t understand how he could not know who Sirius Black was, despite the name that was given, Stan knew that the boy on the bed was Harry Potter, but clearly he didn’t want anyone to know who he was.
“Yeah him I know,” Harry stared out the window, hoping that they weren’t far from the Leaky Cauldron.
When they stopped outside the Leaky Cauldron, Harry’s anxiety skyrocketed, standing outside was Tom, the owner and barkeep of the Leaky Cauldron. I’ve been found. As soon as he got off, the bus, Stan handed him his trunk. “See you next time Neville,”
Harry waved back to Stan as the bus took back off, his stomach doing flip flops and making him nauseous as Tom ushered him inside. “The Minster is waiting for you upstairs, room 11,”
Tom took off back to behind the bar, before Harry could open his mouth. Sighing he resigned himself to his fate but his plan fully formulated despite what may happen.
Harry made his way up the creaky staircase, knocking on room 11, he heard a faint come in.
“Ah, Mr Potter, nice to meet you, come, come, take a seat,” Minister Cornelius Fudge was a podgy man, smaller than Uncle Vernon, thought Harry but no less Podgy and Harry didn’t trust him.
He stared blankly at the Minister, making no move to sit, rattling the Minister more than Fudge would care to admit.
Harry wasn’t entirely sure on what was happening but did think he was going to be expelled. If you asked Harry what had happened with the Minister, he wouldn't be able to tell you apart from the fact that he knew he wouldn't be expelled but could stay in the alley for the remainder of the summer. He was also handed his Hogwarts letter and told he would have to be re sorted. Pocketing the letter, Harry decided he would read it later.
The next morning, Harry was more coherent. Going through what he could remember, he knew that he was expelled but re enrolled and would have to be re sorted. He could stay in the alley for the remainder of the summer but not go in the muggle world. He had to stay in the alley. Harry was also told that payment of the room was sorted by the Minister.
Once he had sorted out his mind, Harry thought on what he would do, now knowing that he didn’t have to go back to the Durselys or that he was expelled, his plans went out the window.
Harry decided that he would enjoy his stay and explore. The first few days of his stay in the alley, Harry wanted to see if he was being followed, he didn’t push the boundaries, he stayed in the main street, he did his homework on the grass seating area beside Florean Fortesque’s ice cream parlour, he went to Gambol and Japes Joke shop, Sugar Plums Sweet Shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies and Flourish and Blotts. Standard places to go for a teenager.
By the fourth day, Harry had concluded that he was not being followed, he was happy about that fact but he thought that it was a stupid idea to leave a teenage boy without supervision in a magical alley.
After breakfast at the Leaky, Harry decided today he would explore. Exiting the Leaky Cauldron, he made his way down North Diagon. Harry noticed that there were small side streets that went between shops. The main streets were around 6 meters wide, around the width of most roads in the muggle world. While the smaller side streets were around 4 meters wide. Large enough for carts to go through and for people to walk side by side.
Harry was amazed as he walked through the smaller side streets, there were more shops, and he could see that some of them were flats. He came across signs for several different alleys as he walked through, Horizont Alley, Celestial Alley, Vertic Alley, Carkitt Square and Knockturn Alley. Though he didn't think he was keen to go back down there after the glimpse he had on his first trip down the Floo Network.
While he was walking, he spotted several fireplaces, he assumed that you could only Floo through to the Leaky Cauldron, though, he mused, that would be silly, as the alley is a lot bigger than he first thought.
During his exploration, Harry had brought a few things, the shopkeepers shrinking some of his packages so they were easier to carry. A bag of assorted sweets, a small box of 6 chocolate frogs, a bag of beartie every flavour beans from Sugar Plums Sweet Shop, 4 trick disguises in the shape of a muggle pill and a few pranking knick knacks from Gambol and Japes Joke Shop. He discovered self inking quills from Amanuensis Quill’s. A practice snitch from Quality Quidditch Supplies, more owl treats from Eeylops Owl Emporium, a wand holster from Ollivanders.
Sucking on a sugar quill, Harry walked through Carkitt Square, he spotted a sign on the window of Stowe + Packers Magical Bags. It was advertising the new updated version of their travelling trunks. Perfect for the travelling witch or wizard, a one bedroom and bathroom and kitchen suite now newly equipped with a study and an outdoor garden area
Harry grinned, I love magic, that was not the first time he had thought and doubted it would be the last. Walking in, the bell jingled over his head as he opened the door. He spotted the display of the trunks, his eyes greedily roamed over the display, and the moving pictures of what the inside looked like. Harry saw that there were two types, one that was furnished and one that was not. Both came with fully equipped magical kitchens. However, once his eyes spotted the price, his smile dropped, he didn't have enough on him.
He felt a bit dejected about it, he was hoping he could get it, so then he wouldn’t starve at the Dursely's, until he remembered that he was in Diagon, he could just go and get some more galleons and come back.
With a spring in his step, Harry began making his way to the crooked, but no less formidable building that is Gringotts Wizarding Bank.