First stop: Diagon Alley ((Natalia Antipova))

[jaspar]

"Where exactly are we going?" asked a voice full of excitement and a little nervousness. It was the voice of a small boy with a shock of untidy brown hair which he pushed impatiently out of his eyes as he looked up at the man who was holding his hand. "Diagon Alley, Colin. That's the place where all young wizards and witches like you get their supplies for school," replied Robert Kingsley. Robert Kingsley was a worker from the Ministry of Magic, and one of the tings he was responsible for was introducing Muggle-borns to the world of magic. A few days ago Colin had received a letter from The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a place he had never known existed, containing the overwhelming fact that Colin was a wizard - and that he was now ready to start his magical education.

About an hour later, Colin met Robert Kingsley for the first time. He had come to try and explain a few things to the astonished and bewildered Jaspar household, and it was the first but not the last visit he made there. Today he had come to take Colin to Diagon Alley. Nervous but eager and excited Colin said goodbye to his parents who were still looking like they weren't sure they were doing the right thing, a small bag with him containing Muggle money which Kingsley was going to help him exchange at a wizarding bank Colin heard him call "Gringotts."

Kingsley was good at his job. He put Colin and his parents at their ease and Colin felt safe with him and quite ready to allow him to take Colin on his first journey to the magical world. "Okay here we are. Watch what I'm going to do to these bricks; you'll be doing it yourself soon for many years to come." Colin watched interestedly and gasped when a large hole opened up in the wall before him.

Diagon Alley.

Kingsley smiled a little to himself as he saw the astonished expression on the young boy's face. Colin stared around him saying nothing, trying to look everywhere at once. Wizards and witches dressed in multi-coloured robes were buying and selling all kinds of things he had never seen before. "To Gringotts then Colin. We need to change that money of yours into some magical money." Speechless for a minute Colin now burst into loads of questions which Kingsley patiently answered. A huge white building much higher than most of the shops stood before them with a creature Kingsley told Colin was a goblin standing before it. Kingsley took Colin's money, counted it, went over to a window with another goblin before it and quickly exchanged the money then came over to Colin with a sack full of coins. "OK now let me explain about money. I daresay you'll make many friends to explain it again if you forget it so don't worry." Colin listened as he learned yet another new thing today.

"Where are we off to now?" asked Colin. "Oh.. you're going to enjoy this," said Kingsley. "We're going to get you a wand. Can't do any magic without a wand can you?" On their way there Kingsley suddenly called a wizard with a girl who looked the same age as Colin and greeted him warmly. "Got one of them too?" asked Kingsley. "We're off to get young Colin here his wand. Have you got your wand yet?" he asked the girl with his friend, who Colin guessed was probably his colleague from the Ministry.

[Chantal]

Lianeen and Yuri were talking very quickly in Russian as their daughter Natalia ran around in a tizzy. It was Thursday and Natalia was going to be leaving today, to attend her new school, very far away from her parents. “Yuri where is Natalia’s sweater?” Lianeen broke out in English. “I packed it already,” came the response from another room, “Okay,” she called back. Natalia was packing the last of her dance things, though she knew there was no facility at school for her to dance. “I don’t know why you couldn’t take me mama?” she asked as she locked the clasp on her suitcase. “You know why Natalia. Your papa and I have to leave fro Russia today, and your grandmamma cannot take you shopping for your school things, that is why Mr. Wiggon is coming to take you.” Lianeen was closing the last of her daughter’s suitcases. Natalia’s face fell, she so wanted to go with her mother and father to her homeland of Russia, but unfortunately school was starting soon and it wasn’t possible. “But Sergei is going?” she whined, she really wanted her mother to go with her. Lianeen looked at her, “Sergei is going because he is going to school from there. Don’t fret Natalia. I’m sorry but this time you are going to have to do this without me.” Lianeen knew what Natalia was feeling, she had been very close to her daughter, the only person closer to Natalia was her grandmother, Tanya. She hugged her, “I promise I will write you even before you get to school. Okay?” Natalia smiled, it was better than nothing she supposed, “All right.”<br>
The doorbell rang and Yuri’s voice could be heard from downstairs talking jokingly to another male. “Natalia Mr. Wiggon is here,” he called up to her. Lianeen brought down the bags using a featherweight charm, “Hello,” she said pleasantly, “Natalia will be just a moment she is saying goodbye to her grandmother,” she told Mr. Wiggon and Yuri. Natalia was sitting on the edge of her grandmother’s bed. Tanya was talking to her thoughtfully in Russian she only spoke Russia to Natalia, though she did know English. “Now come give me a hug before you go,” she said finally in a rich accented voice. Natalia did as she was told, “I will miss you,” she said and began to walk from the room before her grandma began to cry. Tanya watched her little babushka go, she was her favourite grandchild for many reasons, mostly because she was just like Tanya had been at that age. “I will miss you too,” she said to the door as it closed, a tear running down her cheek.

Everything after that went very quickly, she said goodbye to her parents and her brother Sergei who was doing some packing of his own and then Natalia and Mr. Wiggon left. He drove her to London and before she knew it she was in the Leaky Cauldron and being escorted into Diagon Alley. Natalia was walking with Mr. Wiggon through Diagon Alley when he was called over by one of his workmates. “Sure do there Kingsley. This is Natalia Antipova, Yuri and Lianeen Antipova’s girl,” he told Kingsley. “Who’s this young man?” he asked. Natalia looked at the boy, “Hi,” she said in an almost whisper, she almost jumped when Kingsley addressed her. “No I don’t have my wand yet sir.” She looked at Mr. Wiggon, “Actually Kingsley, we just arrived, haven’t gotten a thing yet. If you are heading for Ollivander’s well I guess we could come along. Get her wand the same time.”

[jaspar]

"This is Colin Jaspar," said Kingsley. "Let's head to Ollivander's then." Colin looked at the girl who was just a first year like him. "Hi," he said with a small smile. "Do you know this Ollivander's we're heading to?" Colin noticed that she didn't look English. Kingsley and Wiggon were in front of the two, occasionally looking behind them to make sure they were still with them. Presently they came to a shop with gold peeling letters that read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. It was nothing at all like what Colin had imagined - but then nothing in this new world was like what Colin had imagined. It was shabby and dusty and smaller than the other shops Colin had seen so far. In the window under the shop's name was a small cushion with what Colin guessed correctly to be a single wand on it.

Kingsley and Wiggon walked in, Colin and Natalia close to them. As the door closed behind them Colin felt like a barrier had been created between him and the outer world - like he had entered a new place that had a magic of its own. The shop was so quiet you could hear a pin drop and for a minute neither Colin nor Natalia said anything. Looking around him curiously Colin noticed rows and rows of small oblong boxes.

Colin looked at Natalia but before either of them could say anything a soft voice startled them. "Good afternoon," said the voice. It belonged to a wizard that looked old and wise - the wand maker, Mr.Ollivander. "Hello Kingsley, Wiggon. Got some more of them for me have you." It was more of a statement than a question. Kingsley pushed Colin forward and Mr.Ollivander looked at him piercingly. Colin had the feeling that he could see right through him and could read his innermost thoughts. "Ah.. a Muggle-born," he said. "Make some of the best wizards my boy. Which is your wand arm?" he asked. Sticking his right arm out intuitively a tape measure which Mr.Ollivander had just pulled out of his robes started making some measurements starting with Colin's arm length. A few minutes later the tape measure fell to the ground and Mr.Ollivander pulled out a few of the oblong boxes and pulled out a wand. Giving the wand to Colin who had no idea what he was supposed to do, Mr.Ollivander instructed him, "Go ahead and give it a wave boy." Colin did so and Mr.Ollivander took it back and said "No.. you don't need one with a core like that.. hmmm.. try this one," he commanded. Again nothing happened and Colin was beginning to feel rather disheartened. Three minutes and two wands later and Mr.Ollivander looked at Colin victoriously, "Yes, yes… this one should be just right… 10 inches, cypress, unicorn hair core." Waving the wand rather reluctantly Colin was astonished to see a golden thread fall out of it ending with a soft pop. He smiled in relief as Mr.Ollivander gave him a little pat on the back and said "Good luck my boy. Now it's your turn," he said looking at Natalia.

[Chantal]

“Hello there Mr. Jaspar,” Wiggon told the young boy before returning to talking to Kingsley. While the two men talked Colin spoke to Natalia, “Yes, I know about it. It’s where we’ll get out wands.” Natalia followed Wiggon and Kingsley, they looked behind them once or twice to make sure their charges were still with them, and then returning to their conversation. They reached Ollivanders pretty quickly, the peeling letters of the store showed its age. There was nothing to really catch your eye, the window was not elaborate like the others, it was simple in its decoration, just a single wand on a cushion. Natalia had been here once or twice before, the last time she had come with her brother, for his wand had been broken in a friendly game of quidditch at a friend’s house, and he needed a new one.

The two men went in first, followed closely by Colin and Natalia. Natalia stepped in and looked around, there was nothing different from when she had come last time, Mr. Ollivander was obviously a man who didn’t care for change in her mind. It was quiet inside, “Ollivander?” called Wiggon into the expanse of the shop, his voice broke the silence like a cannon blast. “He’ll be out in a second,” he told the others, “So Kingsley, how’s the family?” he asked, going back to his previous conversation. Wiggon was right, a few seconds later the soft voice of Mr. Ollivander caught their attentions. “Sure have Ollivander,” Wiggon said to Ollivander’s question. Kingsley pushed Colin forward towards the elderly man, with his piercing silver eyes. Natalia watched in silence as Ollivander began the process of finding the right wand for Colin.

When Ollivander was finished with Colin he turned to Natalia, she stepped forward on her own, she had seen this done twice before now, first her brother and now Colin. Ollivander did as he had with Colin and then it was time for Natalia to try out wands, “Are you related to Lianeen Antipova?” he asked her as he handed her the first wand. “Why Ollivander, this is her daughter Natalia.” Ollivander looked at her closely, “That would explain the eyes. You have your mother’s eyes. A lovely woman your mother, very kind. Both of your parents from long lines of purebloods.” Natalia smiled slightly, “Thank you. Yes they are,” she said quietly. The first wand was a dud and the following three were the same, but the fifth wand she tried, Beechwood and dragon heart-string, ten inches, was perfect, firm and swishy.

Natalia stepped back once she had her wand, she smiled brightly at it, “I think you will do just fine at Hogwarts Ms. Antipova” Ollivander told her. Natalia stood next to Colin, she spoke to herself happily in Russian. “Where are we going next Mr. Wiggon?” she asked the man who was still talking to Kingsley.

[jaspar]

Colin waited until Natalia finished with Mr.Ollivander. It took her a few trials to find the one for her, just as it had taken Colin. Colin noticed that Mr.Ollivander called Natalia's family "pure-bloods" and had called Colin a "Muggle-born", and guessed that Natalia probably came for a long line of wizards and witches. "I've got a wand!" he thought excitedly. It was still difficult to believe that he was a wizard and was actually going to do magic! Kingsley and Wiggon lead the way, and Colin, who had heard Natalia speaking in a foreign language at Ollivander's asked her curiously, "Where are you from? I thought I heard you speak in a foreign language back at Ollivader's."

In reply to Natalia's question, Mr.Wiggon said, "Let me see - Madam Malkin's isn't too far from here - let's go get your robes then we'll get your books and other stuff." The two adults and the young boy and girl soon reached the shop. Many robes were on display in the windows, and Colin, who had been surprised and not very sure if he would like wearing robes, began to change his mind. Kingsley said to Colin, "Could you give me your list Colin? I need to check what you need to buy. Colin was just about to as he was told when a short, kindly-looking witch came over to the two. "That won’t be necessary Mr.Kingsley. I can tell you're a first year by the look of you dear," she said with a smile at Colin, who nodded and smiled back. "Hope you had a nice summer Mr.Kingsley. Oh, Mr.Wiggon, you're here too. Hello my dear," she said, smiling at Natalia. "You can get your robes with this young man. You two just stand on those footstools over there please, yes, now I can start fitting you both," she said, running over and getting the black Hogwarts' robes.

"I hope everything is fine at the Ministry. I heard they haven't replaced Fudge yet," she said her mouth full of pins as she and her assistant draped Colin and Natalia in black robes and started adjusting them. "Ah you’re done my dear. Go try on one of those hats and find one you like. I know your size now; I'll get you a cloak. Oh, and try the dragon hide gloves too, you'll be needing a pair of those," she continued. Colin did as she said, tried on a pointed hat and looked at himself in a mirror. "Mum and Dad would die of laughter if they saw me now," he thought as he looked at his reflection.

[Chantal]

Natalia looked at Colin, “I’m from Russia. I was born there, but we moved her a few years ago,” she said before Mr. Wiggon announced their next destination; Madam Malkin’s for their robes; they would get their books afterwards. “Have you ever been there?” she asked Colin, though she doubted he had, or he would have recognised her accent. Natalia was often told about her accent, but she never heard it, to her she sounded like everyone else, her mother, father, grandmother and brother, they all sounded like that. The four walked to the robe shop, Natalia took the opportunity to look in the windows of stores they passed on their way. She saw some very interesting stores, places she knew her brother went to when he was in England and visited the Alley.

Natalia knew all the wizard schools had robes, she wasn’t sure what Hogwarts looked like, she had only seen Durmstrang’s robes, cause her brother went there. She had looked forward for so long to being able to wearing the robes of a real wizards school, somewhere as prestigious as Hogwarts, and now that time had come. She was very excited, but tried not to show it. Kingsley asked Colin for his list, when they entered the robe shop, Natalia was looking at a mannequin that was in the window. She was looking at it still when a cheery woman’s voice caught her attention as it addressed Mr. Kingsley and Mr. Wiggon. Natalia walked over to them as the woman greeted her. She smiled, “Hello.” Madam Malkin smiled. Natalia did as she was told and walked over to the footstools where they would be fitted for their robes.

Natalia got up on the footstool beside Colin, as Madam Malkin went and got some black robes for them to try. She came back and her assistant helped her in fitting them over the two first years. Natalia looked at Mr. Wiggon as Madam Malkin asked him about things at the Ministry. Natalia had heard that they were planning on replacing Fudge as the Ministry’s head, but this was the first she had heard anyone who wasn’t in the Ministry talk about it, and she was curious. They finished with Colin first, and Natalia a few minutes later and Madam Malkin instructed them to go find hats they like. Natalia stepped down, her black robes fitted her perfectly, and she walked over to the hat rack. Colin was trying one on when she got there, and she picked up on and tried it. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, she didn’t like that one, it made her head look big, so she picked another.

The second hat was great and she smiled brightly as she looked at herself in the mirror. Madam Malkin was getting their cloaks and she called to them to get a pair of dragon hide gloves. Natalia found a pair and put them on, and once again returned to the mirror, she laughed. She looked at Colin, who was also laughing, “What’s so funny?” she said half laughing herself.

[jaspar]

“Russia?” said Colin. So that’s why Natalia talked English with that accent, not that it made it difficult to understand her or anything. “No, I’ve never been there before,” he said, wondering how Natalia liked living in England. Probably she had gotten used to it as she had already lived here for a few years. From what Colin could remember from history when he went to muggle school Russia was a very interesting country with a historical background full of many strange and interesting events and characters, but he had never met anyone from there before.

As Colin looked at his reflection in the mirror Natalia walked up and asked him what he found so funny. Colin looked at her a little embarrassedly and explained why he was laughing. “Well before I came here I thought wearing robes was really weird. I just wasn’t used to them, and after I saw everybody wearing them I thought it was really funny, I was almost waiting for somebody to come up and say “Trick or Treat?” or something,” he explained with a rueful grin. “I’ve changed my mind though, I really like some of the things in this shop, and our uniform isn’t bad, even though it’s all black,” he added, looking at the mirror and adjusting the hat on his head. “I laughed because I was thinking of the expression on Mum and Dad’s face if they were to see me now.”

Madam Malkin walked up to the young boy and girl and took all the items they had chosen and took them to the counter. She put them in plastic bags for both of them, and then Mr. Wiggon and Mr. Kingsley paid her the money for the items Colin and Natalia had purchased. “Good day, Madam Malkin,” said Kingsley as he and his companions left the shop. “Good luck, children,” said the salesperson smiling at them. Colin could hardly contain his excitement as he wondered what their next stop would be. They had got his wand and his robes – now his books and potions ingredients were left, if he could remember the list correctly. “Where are we going now?” said Colin, pulling at Kingsley’s sleeve. Kingsley smiled a little to himself, knowing that Colin was excited like all the Muggle-borns he took every year to prepare themselves for their new academic year, and replied to the excited boy’s question. “Well you need some potions ingredients for your new year. You’ll also need other things for Potions class, you’ll see them once we get to the apothecary,” he said.

They soon reached their destination, Colin once again looking interestedly at the people they saw on their way and at the other shops around them, and as soon as they entered the shop Colin inhaled the unpleasant smell of the ingredients around him as soon as he set foot inside the shop, but the smell didn’t stop him from feeling excited about this new place. Mr. Kingsley left Colin for a minute and walked over to the counter where a young was sitting looking at he group of people who had just entered his shop. “Basic ingredients, I’ve got a first year with me,” he said. The man picked up a bag and started placing various items from the different shelves inside it. Colin looked at Natalia and whispered, “Let’s check out this place.” He then walked around the shop, looking at all the different jars containing colourful herbs and shiny powders and other glittery ingredients he couldn’t identify, and wondered where they all came from, as he didn’t think he had seen anything like them before.

Kingsley walked over to Colin just as he was approaching an area of the shop containing cauldrons, some small enough they just reached Colin’s knee, and other’s so big he could just barely see the top of them. “You’ll be needing one of those,” said Kingsley, leading Colin to a pewter cauldron that reached to just under Colin’s chin. “I’ve already picked a brass telescope for you.” Colin took the telescope from Kingsley and turned to Natalia, and looked at her through the telescope. “What do you think we’re going to need this for?” he asked, a bewildered expression on his small face.

[Chantal]

“Yes Russia. Oh, I did not think you had, but I just asked, you never know for sure unless you ask,” Natalia said and Colin told her he had never been to her homeland before. She smiled, “You see, robes aren’t so bad. I am used to seeing them, so they do not seem strange to me. Trick or treat?” she asked puzzled. Her family had never celebrated Halloween like they did in other countries; there was no trick or treating. “The things here are very nice and I like our uniforms. I am sure your mama and papa will think you look nice,” she reassured Colin. “I know my mama is looking forward to seeing me all dressed in my school clothes, just like she was when my brother got accepted to Durmstrang.

After all was done, and they had all they needed, Madam Malkin took their items and the Kingsley and Wiggon paid for them. “Good day,” Wiggon said as he walked out behind Kingsley, Natalia waved as she left the store and gave Madam Malkin a smile, “Thank you.” Their next stop was the apothecary shop to purchase their potions ingredients. Natalia listened but said very little as they walked to their next stop, Colin, the boy with her was constantly asking about things, but that was expected since he did not know about wizard things like Natalia. She was oblivious to the other people she passed on the street, her mind was elsewhere, she did not pay attention at all till they got to the shop.

The shop smelled of fresh earth, and herbs and something a little old and stuff, but pleasant nonetheless. Mr. Kingsley walked over to the counter and announced to the clerk that he wanted basic ingredients for first years. Natalia watched as the man began to put things into bags for them, “Hmm,” she said as Colin spoke to her, “okay,” she said and nodded her head and followed him. Different jars lined the walls and shelves of the shop, they were different colours, some had liquids others powders or bugs. Natalia was looking at a jar of gypsy beetle eggs, they were beautiful to look at, but in the wrong potion, they were deadly as she well knew, she had read it in one of her brother’s books once.
Mr. Wiggon walked around the shop and picked a cauldron for Natalia and brought it to her, “I got your cauldron, thought you might want to pick your telescope for yourself,” he told her. Natalia was smiling at Colin who was looking at her through his telescope, “It’s very nice. It is for astronomy class,” she explained to him before turning to Mr. Wiggon. “Thank you Mr. Wiggon, I will pick one now.” Natalia walked over to the telescopes, there were so many, made of gold; brass, silver, titanium, platinum and other alloys. She looked them over, and finally decided on a silver one, “I would like this one,” she told Mr. Wiggon, who tucked it under his arm. Natalia was fond of the subject from seeing her brother’s things, so to her it made sense to buy one that would last longer, since she intended to keep the subject throughout her school like, though she had yet to experience a class. “Well if that’s it?” Mr. Wiggon went to the clerk and picked up Natalia’s bag and paid for her things, “Is that all Kingsley?” he asked, turning to the other man.

[jaspar]

"Astronomy… cool! You mean we're actually going to take that class at night and look at stars and stuff! Boy, I can't wait to get to Hogwarts! I bet it'll be a lot more fun than the school I used to go to before!" exclaimed the excited first-year-to-be. "Yes, that'll be all. Come on you two, we've gotten everything you need from here." The small group exited the store and Colin left feeling exhilarated and ready to check out more stores in this wonderful new place. However, Mr. Kingsley had other ideas. "Wiggon, it's getting late, and the only thing the boy needs is a pet, and that can wait till tomorrow. I'll take him for a quick meal at the Leaky Cauldron. See you at work! Goodbye, Natalia!" he said. Colin smiled at Natalia and said, "Bye! I'll see you at school soon!"