At Diagon Alley

Chapter 5: At Diagon Alley

A crooked, cobblestone street stretched out in front of us. It was quaint, charming, and reminded me at once of something out of a Dickens novel. Remus saw my wide-eyed expression and took my hand, squeezing it gently.

"Are you doing all right?" he asked solicitously.

"Fine," I gulped, "I think. Remus, I-I don't know what to say--"

"You don't need to say anything, dearest."

"But I thought you were... were..."

"Crazy. Yes, I know. Let's look around, shall we?" He tucked my hand through his arm and we walked toward the shops.

The street was a busy place. Women bustled in and out of stores, most sporting the pointed hats I'd always associated with witches. Two teenaged girls, wearing cloaks over denim jeans, stood on the sidewalk and hunched over a magazine, giggling at something. A man clad in dark robes similar to a graduation gown walked along, unrolling a piece of paper and reading as he went.

"Try not to stare," Remus whispered in my ear as he steered me toward a shop window.

I realized that I'd been doing just that. Swallowing hard, I tore my eyes away from the people to where Molly Weasley was standing. The store's sign read 'Quality Quidditch Supplies', and the three balls dangling beneath it reminded me of pawnshops back home.

"What's Quidditch?"

"Wizarding sport. All my boys are absolutely insane about it," Molly told me, rolling her eyes.

I had to smile at that. Apparently the male obsession with sports was a universal addiction.

"Although," she went on, "my daughter Ginny's positively mad for it as well. She's on her house team at Hogwarts."

"How is it played?" I asked.

"Well," Remus said, "if you have a year or two, one of Molly's sons can explain all the finer points of the game to you. Suffice it to say that it's rather like Muggle football, except on brooms."

"Excuse me?" I stopped dead in my tracks. He hadn't said that. He hadn't.

"It's a lot like football, except instead of one goal at each end of the pitch, there are three--"

"No, no, no," I interrupted impatiently. "You said brooms."

Remus' smile was almost apologetic. "Yes, Kailin. Brooms."

I don't know why that struck me as more absurd than walking through a solid brick wall, but it did. I had lived through almost thirty Halloweens in my life and seen countless pictures of witches on brooms. Somehow the newly discovered notion that there was indeed an alternate reality was inconsequential next to the idea that witches actually did fly about on broomsticks. Remus was gently pulling me closer to the window.

"Look," he said, pointing to several of the brooms on display. "Just like Muggle automobiles, they can be fancy or plain, and the price varies accordingly."

The brooms sported names like Cleansweep, Nimbus and Firebolt, and the placards accompanying them listed attributes such as fantastic speed, fabulous cornering ability, and superior braking. It might have been ads for the latest models from Ford and Chrysler. As I stared at the window's contents, it occurred to me that I was no longer speechless. Instead, I had a million questions.

"How do you sit on them? How do they work? Is there a steering mechanism? There's no fuel, right? Are they as uncomfortable as they look? What does the letter G next to the price stand for?"

Poor Remus. It was his own fault, I thought, as I became the one pulling him by the hand from window to window and peppering him with questions. The multiple shocks of the day were wearing off, and now my relentless curiosity was taking over. To think that all this was possible, let alone real... At one point, I heard the whine of a jet engine overhead, the jarring note, which reminded me that I wasn't on another planet completely. Then I found that if I listened very carefully, I could make out traffic sounds from the other side of wherever we were.

Our next stop was Flourish and Blotts, and even I could tell that it was a bookstore. The shop could best be described as 'cozy', nothing like the massive sprawl of the bookstores with which I was familiar. Even the books, which I presume were new, looked extremely old. The titles all related to magic and what I thought of rather broadly as 'the occult', although they seemed to run the gamut from fiction to non-fiction, biographies to textbooks.

"What are Hogwarts letters?" I asked, puzzling over a sign that said 'Hogwarts Letters Will Be Arriving Before You Know It: Shop Early!'

"Supply lists for school, primarily," Remus said.

"But why do you have to go to school to learn how to be a wizard? I thought you were born with the ability."

"It's no different from a musician who has to study for many years. You may have the talent, but developing the skills take time."

"Do most magical children go there?"

Remus nodded. "Nearly all -- in Britain, that is. There are other schools scattered around the globe."

"Even in the U.S.?" I asked.

"Even in the U.S."

"Incredible," I muttered.

"Remus taught at Hogwarts," Molly put in enthusiastically. "He was a wonderful teacher. The children just adored him."

I racked my brain. "You told me you taught... how did you put it?"

"The course I taught was Defense Against the Dark Arts," Remus explained. "What I actually said was that I taught a course in self-defense."

I fingered a book called 'Hi-jinks with Hexes', remembering our first real date weeks before. "This is a lot different from Raleigh's, isn't it?"

"What's Raleigh's?" Molly inquired.

"It's a chain of bookstores. Very large bookstores, actually," I told her. "Besides the books, they have a tea room and live music sometimes."

"They sound quite charming," she said without a trace of envy in her voice.

Next up was a place called 'Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions'.

"Robes?" I turned to Remus questioningly, nodding toward several men walking briskly past us. "Like they're wearing?"

"Yes."

I studied a pair of store window manikins clad in dark-coloured garb. "Do all wizards wear these?" I asked in a hushed voice.

"Oh, yes," Molly said. "Both men and women wear them. Black robes are traditional, although they come in a wide variety of colors. And in warmer climates, they make them much more lightweight."

I tried to picture the Wicked Witch from the 'Wizard of Oz' wearing a hot pink robe instead of her usual black. The thought of it absolutely boggled the mind.

"I've never seen you wearing a robe," I pointed out to Remus.

"Yes, well, if I'd been wearing a robe you'd have had a lot more questions for me before now, wouldn't you?" He grinned. "Besides, my robes have seen far better days, I'm afraid. They're not nearly as grand as the ones in the window."

Molly Weasley was looking wistfully at an auburn-colored robe with a fur-trimmed hood. "That's beautiful, isn't it? Oh, well, perhaps some day..."

A sign near the robe display said 'See Our Sales Advertisement in the Daily Prophet'. "What's that?" I asked. "What's the Daily Prophet?"

"That's the wizarding newspaper," Molly informed me.

"Do wizards really wear robes with moons and stars on them?" I asked, suddenly thinking of Mickey Mouse surrounded by rampaging brooms with buckets.

Remus chuckled. "It's done, although that sort of look would be rather garish for most people."

"I've seen pictures," I began, but Molly shook her head tolerantly.

"We like to let the Muggles have their own odd ideas, dear. It keeps them entertained."

I didn't know what to say to that.

We continued down to the end of the street where I met my complete undoing, even beyond the revelation that the bank was run by goblins of all things. I stared at the sign outside Ollivander's wand shop, incredulous.

"Are they serious?" I gasped. "Three hundred eighty-two B.C.?"

"I believe so," Molly told me nonchalantly. "I suppose they could be fudging a bit give-or-take a few years, but wizarding history is rather well documented."

"Incredible," I muttered. It was fast becoming the most used word in my vocabulary.

We turned and started back towards the Leaky Cauldron, window shopping along the other side of Diagon Alley. Halfway back, Remus pointed out a small café. "That's our destination," he said, and shortly we were seated at an outdoor table at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.

"There really is an ice cream parlor," I said, watching the other customers enjoying their treats.

He looked surprised. "I said we were going for ice cream, didn't I?"

"Yes, but at the time I thought your grasp on reality was a bit tenuous."

Remus chuckled. "Happier now?"

"You have no idea," I said fervently.

We ordered our ice creams -- Remus strongly recommended the Chocolate Brownie Chunky Raspberry Sundae Supreme -- and waited in the dappled sunlight of the summer afternoon. Molly Weasley told me about her family, her seven children and the husband who worked at the Ministry of Magic.

"There's a Ministry of Magic?" I asked, intrigued.

Remus' attention was elsewhere. I followed his gaze towards two men, both wearing purple cloaks, walking purposefully toward us. He grimaced.

"Speaking of the Ministry..." he muttered and began to climb to his feet.

At once Molly put a restraining hand on his arm. "I'll handle this, Remus." She rose quickly and bustled toward the two men, intercepting them several tables away.

"Is something wrong?" I asked Remus.

"They're from the Ministry," he said quietly. "They'll be wanting to know why we've brought a Muggle into Diagon Alley."

"You mean I'm not allowed to be here?"

"Yes and no. You have to understand that there are all sorts of secrecy laws, which prohibit us from disclosing ourselves to Muggles. Of course, there are Muggles who know about the wizarding world. Some witches and wizards are Muggle-born, with one or more Muggle parent, so naturally the parents and siblings are aware. And there are mixed marriages between wizards and Muggles. Still, we're not allowed to give the information to just anybody."

Well, I thought, it was good to know I wasn't just anybody. "Are they afraid I'd tell people? Who would believe me? They'd think I was crazy."

"That's one thing they count on."

"Wait a minute," I said, frowning. "How do they know I'm here? Did someone see me and turn me in?"

"No. There are safeguards. An alarm of sorts is triggered. They're just following up on it to be sure we've not brought you here as a lark."

My frown deepened. Someone knew I was here and was checking up on me? It smacked of Big Brother and grated on my distinctly American civil-rights-at-all-costs-sensibilities. I was certain that the U.S. wizards, whoever they were, enjoyed a lot more freedom than this. This type of thing did not go down well at all on my side of the Atlantic.

"That's an invasion of privacy!" I said, bristling with righteous indignation.

"They're trying to prevent an invasion of privacy, Kailin. Invasion of the wizarding world's privacy."

I was still contemplating this unhappy fact when Molly returned to the table. The purple capes were retreating, I noticed, and I wondered what she had said to call them off. Remus beat me to the question.

"No problem," she assured him, looking quite pleased with herself. "I told them Kailin was a distant Muggle relation of mine, and that you were her fiancé."

Remus looked relieved. "Thank you, Molly. I owe you."

"It was the least I could do. Don't even think about it."

The waiter brought our ice cream just then. The Chocolate Brownie Chunky Raspberry Sundae was truly massive, and I gasped aloud in dismay. "Why didn't you warn me? We could have shared one!"

"Nonsense," he said with a wink. "Everyone should experience a Fortescue's sundae at least once."

"I don't suppose they're magically unfattening," I muttered, picking up a spoon and prodding a scoop of ice cream.

"Heavens, no!" Molly cried cheerfully. "That's part of the fun!"

We each dove into our own sundaes, and I was pleased to find that wizarding ice cream was not vastly different from Muggle ice cream. It was as delicious as Remus had promised, but I knew there was no way I could finish the entire bowl. I whittled away at it, thinking back over everything I'd seen in the past hour. "I have a question," I said finally. "What happens if -- for whatever reason -- I decide that Remus and I have no future, and I return to the States? Do I have to swear on my life that I won't tell anybody about all this?"

Molly and Remus exchanged glances. He put his spoon down and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"For everyone's good, the wizarding authorities would perform a Memory Charm on you. You would forget everything you had seen and heard today."

"Everything? Would I remember you?"

Remus cleared his throat. "I don't know. Depending on the circumstances, you might recall only that a nice man helped you pick up your belongings in the train station."

I stared at him, definitely not happy about the idea of someone messing with my memories. Then a light bulb went on in my head.

"You used magic to get my lipstick from under the train," I said. "And you fixed my backpack. After I got home that night, I never could find the rip in it."

"Well," he said, shrugging, "you said you liked that knapsack a lot."

I didn't know what to say. "Thank you," I murmured. "That was very sweet of you."

"Remus is very thoughtful," Molly added, and from the look Remus shot in her direction, I could tell that he didn't appreciate her efforts to build him up in my eyes.

We finished our sundaes -- gave up on them is probably a better description -- and rose to go. I paused once at the Eeylops Owl Emporium to peer at the handsome birds for sale. Remus explained the wizarding mail system to me, and while it seemed a clever idea, the thought of getting my fingers anywhere near these birds of prey made me nervous.

While I was admiring the owls, Remus and Molly chatted behind me. I could hear bits and pieces of their conversation.

"When... tell her?"

"-- night, I think."

"-- good head on her shoulders --"

"-- can't imagine what she'll think --"

I turned around. "Whatever are you two talking about?"

Remus hesitated. It was Molly Weasley who patted his arm and spoke.

"We'd like you to meet more of our friends, Kailin. Tomorrow night. Would that be all right with you?"

"Of course. I'd love to meet more of your friends," I said enthusiastically. This had been the most incredible (there was that word again) day of my life. What could be better than more amazing discoveries tomorrow? I took Remus' proffered hand and we continued our stroll. His smile, I noticed, seemed more resigned than happy.

Back through the brick wall (courtesy of Remus' wand this time) and the Leaky Cauldron, back out into what I could no longer refer to as The Real World. We bade Molly Weasley goodbye and headed toward the Underground once more.

"Molly seems very nice," I commented.

"As is her entire family. You'll meet more of them tomorrow night," Remus said absently.

"Remus, it was lovely to meet her and all, but -- well, why was she here? I mean, you obviously invited her."

He smiled wryly at me. "I wasn't sure if you'd be amenable to going inside the Leaky Cauldron with me, for one thing. I rather thought you'd think I was completely mad by the time we got here."

I burst out laughing. "I did, actually."

"I know, and I'm sorry for that. At least you know that's not the case."

I was silent for a moment. "Why did Molly talk to those Ministry men instead of you?"

Remus didn't answer immediately. When he did, it was obvious that he was choosing his words with great caution.

"It would have aroused more suspicion if I had done it," he said simply.

"Suspicion of what?"

A pained look crossed his face. "I can't tell you yet, Kailin."

"Because it's complicated?" I guessed.

"Right in one." He smiled and slung an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close as we walked. I don't know if he was hoping I'd change the subject to non-wizarding things, but there was much on my mind now that the dam had been breached.

"So if Sirius was a school friend," I said, "then he was a wizard, too. You both went to that Hogwarts school."

"Correct."

"You said that he was accused of killing a couple you knew from school --"

"James and Lily Potter."

The first name rang a bell. "Didn't you say that James Potter was one of your close friends?"

"Yes. As was Lily, although she wasn't part of the Marauders."

"So if Sirius didn't kill them, who did?"

Remus exhaled, avoiding my eyes. "That's part of everything I need to tell you tomorrow night."

And he would say no more about it. We boarded the Tube for the return trip, making idle small talk about any but what I'd just seen and heard. By the time we reached my flat, the entire afternoon was beginning to seem like one enormous illusion. If I hadn't been stuffed to the gills with Fortescue's ice cream sundae, I would have wondered if it was all a dream.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" I asked, unlocking the door to the flat.

"I can't stay, I'm afraid. I have some errands to run," he said reluctantly.

"Of course." In truth, I wasn't too upset. I rather welcomed the chance to be alone and mull over the day. "What time tomorrow night?"

"The meeting starts at eight. I thought we could get there a bit early so that I could introduce you to everyone."

"What do I do while you're having your meeting?" I asked out of curiosity.

"You can wait upstairs. There'll be others there who aren't in the Order, so you're not the only one banned from the room," Remus told me, smiling.

I nodded. We chose a time for Remus to pick me up tomorrow evening, then he kissed me tenderly.

"I'm glad you're not crazy," I told him.

"So am I, frankly." Remus ran a finger along my jaw line. "I take it I've not scared you off yet?"

"Far from it. This is absolutely fabulous. I feel like I've been entrusted with an incredible, unbelievable, secret." My eyes sparkled with the excitement of it all.

His smile was forced. "I wouldn't be too happy about it, if I were you."

I cocked my head curiously. "Why?"

"Tomorrow night, sweet. I'll tell you more then."

"Fine, be that way," I teased.

Remus hesitated, studying my face intently. "I do love you, you know."

My throat tightened. "I love you, too, Remus Lupin."

"Please don't think I'm being callous about putting you off. I want you more than you can imagine, Kailin. It's just --"

"-- complicated. Yes, I know." I smiled at him, rising on tiptoe to plant a kiss on his cheek. "See you tomorrow, dear heart."