Walking through this place is a bit bothersome. There are so many people and children running around. I didn't think there could be this many people in one place. According to the stories, after the Great Disaster, Diagon Alley remained closed and not a soul could be seen. The once-crowded streets were practically empty. But that won't happen again. This time, everything will change, and this place won't be lost like so many others in the future.
Diagon Alley… truth be told, it's far more beautiful and lively from this perspective. Children darted through the streets, rushing from shop to shop, trying to buy the best magical supplies ahead of time—before the wealthier families swept them up and left only scraps behind. Particularly in the days and weeks before the start of Hogwarts, the place was overflowing with witches and wizards.
Even Alphonse had thought ahead, which was why we'd arrived weeks before classes began. The alley was mostly cobblestoned, lined with all manner of restaurants, pet shops, herbology stores, potion suppliers, sweet shops—you name it, even broomsticks. Truly, it was the most magical place in the wizarding world. The perfect spot to find everything on the academy's supply list.
It was completely hidden from the Muggle world—hidden right under their noses. It was even bigger than I had imagined, its streets seeming endless, thanks in part to the sheer number of people moving through them. The shops rose in several levels, and there was security everywhere, guarding both the buyers and the businesses from any conflicts that might arise.
Yet I could sense how Alphonse never let his guard down for a second. His eyes were sharp, tracking every movement of the crowd around us. I suppose it made sense—this was probably the first time he had been surrounded by so many people at once.
"There are many popular stories about this alley," Alphonse said, taking my hand. "For instance, there's always been debate over which building is the oldest here. Some speculate it's Gringotts, others say Ollivanders, the wand shop. Then there's the mystery of how many enchantments were cast to hide this place from the Muggle world. Some rumors say more than three hundred, while others insist it's fewer than a hundred."
"Quite interesting, Alphonse. You know a lot about this place."
"Indeed, my lord. This was my favorite place as a child. I would come here on holidays with my sister, so she could enjoy the magic. In fact, it was here that I first met your mother—a girl who stood out from the crowd with her long white hair, peeking out from behind the tower of magical books she carried in her arms." Alphonse reenacted the moment, walking in a comical way.
"You're right, she was very intellectual. But wait—white hair? My mother?"
"That's right, my lord. Hard as it may be to believe, her hair was that color. She later chose to change it. In our time, that color was a source of discrimination. They said it was a bad omen for the school… Well, here we are."
His eyes reflected pure disgust as he recalled those memories of my mother being shunned.
"We'll start by buying a pewter cauldron, size two. Then, one set of glass or crystal phials, a telescope, and a brass scale—these are the first items listed for Hogwarts. After that, we'll get the uniform: three simple work robes, one pointed black hat for daily wear—though you may never use it—a pair of protective gloves, very important to prevent burns or accidents with your wand, and a winter cloak for the season. Then we'll buy the books. And finally, the most important and exciting purchase—your wand," Alphonse said, pointing out each shop with his finger.
Though everything Alphonse listed was mandatory, I also needed to make some purchases of my own: stones and metals to help me develop an object perfected in the future—something that allowed one to channel and focus magic, much like wands did. For that, I would need two more cauldrons, one copper and one brass. I'd also need stirring spoons, along with the rest of the preparation tools: knives, grinders, mortars, and mortar gloves.
Oh! I'd also need potion vials in different shapes and shades, as well as potion-grade protective gloves and safety goggles.
The biggest question was how I could hide all these materials from Alphonse, since he was always with me. The only way would be to get a magically expanded storage bag—but asking for one would already raise suspicion with Alphonse.
And besides, not all the materials I needed could be found here. But I remembered well—my teacher had spoken of hidden places where dangerous, dark materials were sold. Materials I needed. She often told me stories of this place, just as Alphonse did now, but she had been more specific about the darker corners of Diagon Alley. Unlike the bustling, cheerful commercial district, where honest merchants thrived, in the shadows lurked only swindlers, thieves, and traffickers.
The merchants of the shadows were always ready to offer the best compounds and illegal magical items—if they believed you worthy of such tools, and not a risk to their safety with the alley's guards.
Still, I suspected there were guards allied with them, turning a blind eye to their illicit work. And here was the most difficult part: as a child, slipping away from Alphonse might prove impossible. I could use spells to boost my speed, but my current magical reserves weren't enough for it to be reliable. But perhaps… no, Alphonse still hadn't lowered his guard.
Only one option remained. I hoped it would work.
"Alphonse, may I take a walk on my own for just a moment?"
Alphonse's eyes widened in shock. "My lord, it's dangerous. You don't know the place. You could get lost—and we don't know who might be waiting to do harm. I don't want to risk it. Please, stay with me."
"Relax. I grabbed a map of the alley from one of the shops earlier. I won't get lost. I just want to see more of this place—where my mother grew up."
"..." Alphonse fell silent, clearly weighing his options.
"Very well, my lord, but under my conditions. Give me a moment."
He led me back to the shop where I had taken the map and picked up one himself. "If we're going to do this, you must be very careful. I know you can defend yourself, but there are incredible—and troublesome—wizards around here."
He pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall on both maps. Then, with his wand's tip pressed to the parchment, he repeated the words "first point" three times, along with an incantation I didn't understand. The blood vanished, and two glowing points appeared on each map: one red, one blue. Red for Alphonse, blue for me. Incredible—I had never seen this kind of magic before.
"How did you do that, Alphonse?"
"A little trick your mother taught me, inspired by one of the greatest mischievous relics of Hogwarts: the Marauder's Map. This is just a cheap imitation—it only works to track us. But it will help us know where the other is."
"Brilliant. That's perfect."
"Here, also take some money in case you see something you like. Guard it well," Alphonse said, handing me a few gleaming Galleons in a cloth pouch.
"All right. I'll see you in a bit, Alphonse."
"Be careful!" he shouted behind me as I slipped into the crowd.
I must admit, I hadn't expected him to let me go so easily. But perhaps it was nostalgia—memories of when he was a child, running through this same place, darting in and out of every shop. Maybe, in a way, he wanted me to live that same experience.
Well then… now I just needed to find that secret market. But first, I had to disguise myself before entering such a place. The best would be to get a mask and a cloak. Luckily, here, you could find that and more.