"I knew it would come today, my dear," Mrs. Shafik said, emerging from the kitchen with a freshly baked pumpkin pie. "Breakfast first, Robert. The Weasleys have invited us to join them in Diagon Alley to get your school supplies."
"Okay, Grandma," Robert replied. He'd already arranged to go with Fred and George, but the plan was contingent on his letter arriving.
He had just finished his slice of pie when a familiar, cheerful series of knocks echoed through the house. He opened the door to the smiling, red-headed crowd that was the Weasley family.
The Weasleys had a busy shopping day ahead. With Charlie entering his seventh year, Percy his third, and the twins starting their first, Mrs. Weasley had to purchase books and supplies for four children. Though her husband, Arthur, worked diligently at the Ministry, his modest salary was stretched thin supporting their large family.
The Shafiks weren't wealthy either. The family's fortune had dwindled long ago, and his parents, both Aurors, had dedicated their lives to the Order of the Phoenix rather than accumulating wealth. Now, his grandmother's pension was their only income. Fortunately, the vault his parents left behind contained enough gold to see him through his school years. Robert briefly considered the Undetectable Extension Charm, thinking how useful it would be to carry the entire vault with him. It wasn't that he thought Gringotts was unsafe, but a small, rational part of him, the part that remembered his old life, didn't fully trust the greedy glint in a goblin's eye.
Mrs. Weasley didn't waste any time. "Right then, no time for tea! To the fireplace, everyone. Remember to speak clearly! Charlie, you first."
Charlie grabbed a handful of glittering Floo powder, stepped into the hearth, and with a loud, clear cry of "Diagon Alley!" was consumed by a roar of emerald flames. When the fire died down a second later, he was gone. One by one, the others followed, until it was Robert's turn to be whisked away in the dizzying, soot-filled whirlwind.
He stumbled out into The Leaky Cauldron and then through the brick archway into the dazzling chaos of Diagon Alley. The street was a riot of sound and color, filled with bustling witches and wizards. They decided to split up. Mrs. Weasley, ever practical, took her brood to find second-hand robes and books.
"We'll meet you at Flourish and Blotts in a few hours," Mrs. Shafik said, steering Robert toward the towering white marble building at the end of the street. Gringotts Wizarding Bank.
The goblin tellers behind the long counter eyed them with dispassionate stares. They were short, with clever faces, pointed noses, and long, spindly fingers perfect for counting coins. On the wall, an inscription warned:
Enter, stranger, but take heedOf what awaits the sin of greed
After presenting their key, another goblin led them to a rickety minecart. The journey down to the vaults was a gut-wrenching spiral through dark, winding tunnels. His grandmother, looking quite pale, clutched the side of the cart until they finally screeched to a halt before a small, sturdy vault door.
The goblin unlocked it with a final flourish. "Vault 714."
The contents were modest. Robert's sharp mind did a quick calculation as he stared at the small piles of coins: just over a hundred Gold Galleons, a few hundred Silver Sickles, and a large mound of Bronze Knuts. Enough.
His grandmother produced a small, beaded bag. Though the Undetectable Extension Charm was complex and its effects weren't always permanent, it made the small pouch surprisingly spacious. Robert scooped a hefty amount of Galleons and Sickles into it, enough for his school supplies and then some. As they left, he thought about Hogwarts. No tuition, room and board included—it was a far better deal than any school from his past life.
Their first stop was Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. A short, smiling witch bustled forward. "Hogwarts, dear?" she asked, not waiting for an answer. A magical tape measure zipped around Robert, measuring him from his shoulders to his feet while Madam Malkin jotted down the numbers. "Come back in an hour and they'll be ready."
Next, they visited the apothecary, a fascinating shop filled with the pungent smells of herbs and potions ingredients, where they purchased a standard-sized pewter cauldron, a set of crystal phials, and a brass scale. Then it was on to the bookstore, Flourish and Blotts, to buy the long list of required texts, from A History of Magic to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
After loading the heavy books into the enchanted bag, his grandmother smiled. "Alright, Robert. There is one last, very important thing you need to buy. And you must do it alone."
She pressed the bag into his hands. "Go on. I will wait for you here."
Robert knew exactly where he was going. He walked down the cobblestone street, his heart pounding with an excitement he hadn't felt in nine years. He was most looking forward to this moment. He stopped before a narrow, shabby-looking shop. Peeling gold letters above the door read: Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.
This was it. He pushed the door open and stepped inside.