Finally Harry recognized Charing Cross Road.
"Ah, we're here. Let's get ter Tom an' see what room he got yer. Then if yer want I can show yer around Diagon Alley a bit. I guess yer didn' see ter much with Professor McGonagall. She tends ter keep visits ter the essentials." Hagrid said.
"Yes, I know a few shops like the bookshop and I saw the others in walking past. We were at Gringotts to get me some money first and I have an appointment with my account manager Corpnik on my birthday at ten in the morning." Harry confirmed Hagrid's assumption.
Hagrid led Harry into the Leaky Cauldron and asked Tom where Harry's room would be.
"Ah, yes Professor Dumbledore came by and told me you would stay here for a while until he got the matter of where you'll stay in the future solved. He also told me to keep your stay here secret. He didn't want the press to come upon you like vultures. Can be nasty those in bigger numbers. Keep an eye out for Rita Skeeter. She has a very sharp and nasty quill. Always out to get a sensational story. Doesn't always print the complete truth though. She likes to exaggerate. Here we are; room twelve, a bit isolated from the other rooms. Breakfast is down in the pub from seven to half past nine. Lunch and dinner don't have fixed times; just remember the kitchen closes at half past eleven." Tom said.
"Okay, I'll remember that." Harry said.
Harry was led to the second floor of the Leaky Cauldron. There room 12 was located at the end of the corridor. The room itself held a comfy looking queen size bed with dark blue curtains by the window. There were a rustically looking wardrobe, a desk, shelves for books, a chest of drawers and table with two armchairs by a small fireplace.
"Why don' you get settled in, Harry and when you're done, yer join me for lunch down in the pub. After tha' we can take a walk aroun' Diagon." Hagrid suggested.
"Sounds good to me, Hagrid." Harry said.
Hagrid and Tom left the room and Harry started to put his few clothes into the wardrobe and chest of drawers. He placed his books on a shelf and let himself fall onto the bed. It was soft and he was sure he would sleep really well in it. Finally Harry decided it was time to go down to Hagrid. He wanted to see Diagon Alley, but he also needed to get some more clothes for normal day wear. The one set Professor McGonagall had got him was well, but he couldn't wear it all the time. It would need washing sometime and he also didn't want to look like a slob. No, those days were over. He looked into the mirror and noticed that his scar, while still red, didn't look as pronounced as before anymore. Perhaps it would fade more over time so that it would be hard to notice.
.....
He walked down to the pub, having made sure that his fringe covered the scar. At the moment the weather was too warm to think about wearing a cap or something like that. On top the scar was still tender and putting pressure on it wasn't a smart idea. And he doubted people would recognize him immediately as long as the scar was covered and Hagrid and Tom didn't slip up. He spotted Hagrid easily. With his size, Hagrid stood out everywhere. Harry took a seat on the other side of Hagrid and asked what food was recommendable here. Hagrid told him the shepherd's pie was good, so Harry decided to test it.
While they were eating, Harry asked Hagrid more about Hogwarts.
"So what is the school like?" Harry asked.
"Ah, Hogwarts is great. The castle and the grounds aroun' are big 'nough to have place fer a thousan' students easily. At the momen' though, we only have abou' three hundred. Yer see, durin' the war, many died before they had children. Shame tha', so many good people fell ter You-Know-Who. The McKinnons, the Bones, the Prewetts. Sometimes the Death Eaters also turned on the babies and lil' children. Monsters they all were. So many died. So the current years at Hogwarts only have a bi' mor'n forty each. Numbers'll go up again soon. Nex' two years are the las' ones where the war was still goin' when the children were born.
"Was a right boom o' babies the year after You-Know-Who was defeated. So numbers'll go up. There're four houses, as yer know. Gryffindor, my ol' house, yer parents were also in there, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw an' Slytherin. Each's named after a founder. Gryffindors are brave an' honourable, Hufflepuffs are mos'ly seen as duffers, but yer won' find a person more loyal an' hard-workin' than a Puff. Ravenclaws are the smart ones. Yer'll nearly always find 'em with a book. And the Slytherins are cunning an' ambitious, but nearly all those tha' supported You-Know-Who were in that house. Dark place Slytherin has become. Wasn' as bad in my time. Still had nasty folks there.
"The students in a house have their classes together. Sometimes with another house. Hogwarts also has a great Quidditch pitch. Big competition fer the cup each year. If yer sorted in Gryffindor you'll see how fanatic some people can be. Captain of the Gryffindor team, Wood, is highly competitive. Doesn' like losing tha' guy. Had ter take a harsh loss in the las' match las' year."
Harry nodded. He wanted to see if he could play Quidditch. But the no broom for first-years rule sucked.
"Hagrid, are there rules against first-years trying out for the teams?" Harry asked.
"Interested eh? I only know 'bout the broom rule, but not abou' a not tryin' out rule. Yer would have ter talk to Madam Hooch, the flyin' instructor to know. With how James always boasted abou' yer talent, yer could have a chance." Hagrid said smiling.
Harry finished his pie and told Tom to put the money on his room bill. Then he and Hagrid went to the back door and Hagrid held up the pink umbrella, which Harry had wondered about for some time and tipped the stone McGonagall had also used to open the passage.
"Why didn't you use your wand to open the arch?" Harry asked.
.....
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