Chapter 14 - Diagon Alley (1/2)
With a yawn, Rowan stretches as Severus is unable to stay still from excitement. In the front seat, Reginald drives an enchanted car to the Leaky Cauldron, where they had already agreed to meet with the Evans couple and Lily. Despite Reginald's terrible driving skills, Reginald managed to safely arrive at the Leaky Cauldron with zero fatalities.
However, their ride wasn't yet over for half a block away, Reginald managed to pull into a parking spot between two cars. Somehow, the cars move back as enchanted vehicle neatly squeezed between the already parked vehicle and slides to a stop. Trembling, Severus and Rowan shakily regain their bearings as Reginald reaches into his pocket and suspiciously looks at the muggle money in his hand.
”Now, I just need to put these muggle coins in that strange metal contraption to pay for my parking spot, right?” Reginald huffed. ”What a strange muggle idea to ask one to pay for one's parking spot?” Reginald ruefully shakes his head in disagreement.
Like trembling newborn fawns, Rowan and Severus unsteadily emerge from the car as Reginald with great curiosity pushes the muggle coins into the slots. Seeing the little timer on the meter change, Reginald nods in approval. ”Well, off we go,” Reginald boisterously said as Rowan and Severus follow at a gentler pace.
Despite feeling unwell, Severus is the first to spot a fair young girl with ginger hair and emerald eyes, Lily Evans. In front of a large book shop and a record shop, Lily eagerly awaits with her parents, Mr. Evans, a ginger man with light-colored eyes and Mrs. Evans, a light-haired woman with emerald eyes. Severus eagerly waves and wobblily rushes past Reginald to meet with Lily in the middle of the sidewalk.
With Severus safely out of earshot, Rowan frankly says, ”Grandfather, you really should at least try to drive on the correct side of the road.”
Reginald shrugs, ”It's all the same to me.”
”That's exactly the problem,” Rowan drily replied as they approached the Evans family. Noticing that Petunia Evans is missing, Rowan frowns knowing that the bitter seed of envy had already been planted.
Reginald Prince nods in courtesy to the couple and says, ”Greetings, I am Reginald Prince and I believe you have already met my two grandchildren, Rowan, and Severus Prince. Please stick closely and it will be my pleasure to be your guide.”
The Evan couple glance at each other with relief in their eyes as Mr. Evans says, ”Thank you, Mr. Prince, please lead the way.”
”Prince?” Lily whispered in confusion to Severus.
”It's grandfather's surname. Mum had us take it after we left Spinner's End,” Severus proudly explained as Lily nods her head in understanding.
The Evans couple suddenly blinks in surprise and fear at finding there is a seedy pub neatly sandwiched between the book shop and the record shop that hadn't been there before. Mrs. Evans firmly clutches her purse that much tighter as if afraid of being robbed. ”Not to worry,” Reginald hastily said. ”Only wizards or those that have been invited can see the Leaky Cauldron.” The Evans couple relaxes a tiny bit as they study the small pub sandwiched between a record shop and a large bookshop.
Reginald leads the couple into the tiny, grubby-looking bar as a hunched back bartender wipes the bar with a questionable rag, while a bizarre assortment of customers drank alcoholic brews. Tom, the old bartender nods to them as Reginald leads the way to Diagon Alley. With a tap of his wand three up and two across a small hole appears. The hole widens until a large archway forms leading to a cobbled street on the other side.
On the other side, the sun shines brightly on a stack of cauldrons for sale. Severus and Lily including the Evans couple stare in awe as Rowan just wrinkles her nose at the apothecary scent from nearby. Reginald swiftly motions for them to follow and leads the way to Gringotts Wizarding Bank to have the Evans couple exchange their muggle money for wizarding currency. Along the way, Reginald answers simple questions for the couple that allows them to feel more at ease with the magical atmosphere.
Rowan closely follows behind their grandfather and keeps a firm grip on the coat sleeves of Lily of Severus. The two of them gawk in shock as they try to take in all the astonishing sights. Along the way, they see a group of boys pressing their noses against a window with broomsticks. Keeping a firm grip on Severus and Lily, Rowan drags them past the many shops until they finally come to a stop before a snowy white building that towered over the rest of the shops.
Standing at the front of the burnished bronze doors in a uniform of scarlet and gold is a pointy-eared figure shorter than the three of them. Lily and Severus gawk in shock as Rowan coughs and softly says, ”Goblins.” The goblin at the door has a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard, and very long fingers and feet. The goblin in uniform bows and allows them inside to reveal a second pair of silver doors.
Enter, stranger, but take heed