Storm McGonagall: A Hogwarts Fanfic: Diagon Alley

This is a long chapter, but I wouldn't get used to long chapters. I really enjoyed the cliffhanger, but it will be a while before the new chapter. Have fun. 


"Storm, get up!"

"What time is it?"

"Time to go to Diagon Alley. Hurry up."

Storm groaned. Her watch said that it was 8:30. "Okay."

Within ten minutes, Storm was downstairs, in the kitchen, ready to leave.  But Minerva McGonagall wasn't there.

"Mom? Where are you?"

"In my study."

Storm walked upstairs again.

"Why are you here?"
"We'll travel by fire, and this is the best place for it."
"Fire?"
"Floo Powder. It is a wizard means of travelling. You throw the powder in the fire, say where you want to go, for us it is the Leaky Cauldron, and you step in the fire.”

“Just like that?”

“Yes. It is not hard. You’ll be fine.”

“O – okay, I guess.”

“Don’t be afraid,” said professor McGonagall smiling, “I’ll be right with you.”

“Okay.”

“And really Storm, can’t you brush your hair?”

“No.” Storm’s normally sparkling blue eyes send arrows of ice to her mother. “You know I don’t brush my hair.”

Minerva sighed. Storm was too stubborn. The short, black hair, the same as her own, had not been brushed since Storm had turned seven.

“You’ll be the strangest person in Diagon Alley.”

“I’d have been strange anyway.”

“Very well. If you’re sure you want to go dressed like that, then go like that. Now, get some Floo Powder. We are going to the Leaky Cauldron. And wait for me when you´ve arrived!”

“Okay.”

When both of them had arrived, Minerva tried to take her daughter outside without anyone seeing them. Of course, she failed. Even at nine in the morning, the Leaky Cauldron was filled with people. And Storm´s hair and clothes made it impossible for them not to be noticed too.

“Minerva! Nice to see you! Who is that little girl?”

“She’s my daughter.”

“You have a daughter?”

“Obviously,” Professor McGonagall snapped, “otherwise I wouldn’t have said it.” She tried to take storm outside.

“She looks a lot like you. But where did she get those eyes?”
“If they’re not mine, they must be her father’s, don’t you think so? But I’m sorry, Tom, we have to go. School supplies.”

“You know the way,” the old man said.

“Come, Storm.”

Diagon Alley was a wonder. There was magic everywhere, even at nine AM.

“We’ll first go to Gringotts, the bank.”

“Okay.”

The McGonagall safe wasn’t loaded, but it had a significant amount of gold, silver and bronze in it. It was also very deep underground.

“We McGonagalls aren’t poor, you know,” said Professor McGonagall when Storm asked. “And I have no relatives who might want to take the gold.”

“Yeah, I’ve always wondered, why not?”
“That is a story for another time. Right now, we’re going to Ollivander’s, to get you a wand.”

The shop bell rang. An old man came in from the back.

“Minerva? That is a long time ago. Oak, dragon heartstring, eleven inches, great for Transfiguration. Has it broken?”

“No, Ollivander. I’ve not come for myself. My daughter is in need of a wand.”

“Your daughter?”
“Me,” Storm said, walking towards the two.

“Isn’t she too young, Minerva?”

“I’m eleven,” answered Storm. She was, as all  children, proud of her age.

“She looks younger than she is,” added her mother.

“Well, in that case, young lady, welcome to my shop,” Ollivander said, with a bow.

“Thank you. I like it.”

Ollivander smiled. “You’re welcome. Now, let’s find you a wand, shall we?”
“Yes please.”

“Manners. You can learn from her, Minerva. Anyway, try  this one.”

Storm took the wand.

“No, no. That’s not the right wand. You’re not a person for willow. Try this one.”

Again, he interrupted Storm before she could do anything. This went on for a while, until Storm had a yew wand in her hands. The core was dragon heartstring, nine inches. It felt perfect.

“Yes,” mumbled Ollivander, before telling them out loud that it would be seven Galleons.

Professor McGonagall calmly paid, while muttering softly to herself.

“Mom? What did you say?”
“It was nothing, dear. Now, why don’t we go on and get you robes?”

After robes came Potions supplies, books, a telescope and everything else that was on the list. When they had finished and were, packed with Storm’s supplies, walking towards the Leaky Cauldron, Professor McGonagall remembered something.

“I haven’t gotten you your birthday present yet.”
“Birthday present?”
“Yes. It was your birthday two weeks ago, remember?”
“Yes, but –”

“Well, did you see that you can take an animal with you?”
“Yes.”

“You can pick any animal you choose. Not just an owl, cat or toad, but any animal.”

“Really?”

“Yes. We’ll bring this to Tom, for safe keeping, and then we’ll go to Magical Menagerie, for an animal.”

“Thanks mom!”

When they had reached Magical Menagerie, Storm almost ran inside.

“Hello dear.” The witch behind the counter smiled.

“Hi.”

“Hello, Selma.” Storm’s mother had entered.

“Minerva. Why didn’t you come to see me sooner?”
“I’m sorry, Selma. But we’re not here for me.”

“No, you don’t need animals.”

“I do have an owl, you know.”

“Yes, yes. Now, dear, what can I do for you?” Selma directed those last words to Storm.

“I – my mother said that I could pick any animal to take to Hogwarts with me.”

“Hm, hm. And who is this mother of yours?”
“I am,” Minerva interrupted.

Selma was suddenly very interested. “Really?”

“That is a story for later, Selma. Will you help us now?”
“Sure.”

Storm looked around. There were all kinds of animals, but there was only one that really got Storm’s attention. It was a bird, but not an owl. It was in a very large cage, about three square meters.

“Why has that bird such a large cage?”
“Se hates it to be encaged. We try to keep her calm by giving her a cage that is so big that she doesn’t notice that it is there.”

“Ah. Can I see her?”
“Of course, dear. Wait a moment.” Selma waved her wand. A leather armguard appeared around Storm’s left arm.

“How did you know I’m left-handed?”

“I just know those things, dear. Besides, you opened the shop door with your left hand.”
“I see.”

Selma opened the cage door and let Storm in. Thirty minutes later, Storm had convinced her mother to buy her the hawk.

“Thanks mom!” Storm hugged her mother. Minerva smiled.

“You deserve it.”

When they came home, Minerva started on their dinner.

“Now, why don’t you pack your trunk while I fix dinner,” she said, over the noise of someone cooking.

“Okay mom.” When Storm had put her supplies in her trunk – and let her hawk out of it’s cage – she went to her mother, to ask where she could find a quill and some ink, to write her name in her books.

“Why don’t you use your own quill?”
“I already packed it.”
“Okay. There are some quills and bottles of ink on my desk. You can take those, as long as you put them back.”
“Thanks mom!” Storm went upstairs again. But before she had taken a quill and a bottle of ink, she saw her name in a letter. Knowing that it was wrong, she read the letter. After reading it, she went downstairs, the letter still in her hand.

“Mom? Why didn’t you tell me that my father is Albus Dumbledore?”