Pushing through the pub's main room and out into the courtyard, Charlie stepped back into Diagon Alley.
In his memory, the wizarding world had plenty of special sweets, but earlier he hadn't spotted any dedicated candy shop along the street.
Not in any rush to spend, he first headed back to Gringotts.
The goblins sat on ridiculously high stools—even adults had to crane their necks to reach the counter. Charlie figured they were a little touchy about height.
He jumped up at one counter and waved. Behind it, a goblin straightened and peered over the edge.
"Oh, a young wizard. Lost, are you?" Long fingers adjusted his monocle.
"No, I'm from the Muggle world," Charlie said.
"Obviously." The goblin muttered, eyes flicking to the patched newsboy cap on Charlie's head.
"I'd like to exchange some pounds for Galleons."
"Of course." The goblin nodded.
"Show me your acceptance letter. You're allowed thirty Galleons a year at five-to-one. Hogwarts policy benefit.
Once that allowance is gone, the rate goes up—gold standard. But I doubt you need the details yet."
"Definitely not." Charlie handed over the letter and fifty pounds.
Minutes later he walked out of Gringotts with ten shiny Galleons in his pocket.
Zonko's Joke Shop—the busiest store in the alley. Even the broom shop didn't pull in half as many kids.
No dedicated sweet shop, but they still carried plenty of snacks.
The classics hit him first: Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and Chocolate Frogs.
After grabbing those, a plate under glass caught his eye—hundreds of colorful slugs wriggling around.
Jelly Slugs.
Nope.
The sight of all those slimy, crawling things made his stomach turn. He looked away fast.
Just the thought of biting into jelly that looked exactly like a slug… one little tongue press and—
He shook his head hard, slapping his cheeks to clear the image.
Moving on, he spotted the Ice Mice—blue, thumb-sized hard candies in four flavors: peppermint, raspberry, spearmint, and lavender.
He bought one of each.
Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Blood Pops, Caramel Spiderwebs… he swept up almost everything except the Cockroach Clusters and those damn Jelly Slugs.
Stepping out of Zonko's with bags swinging from both hands, Charlie paused on the street and glanced at a nearby lamppost.
A huge fruit bat hung upside down, calmly grooming its wings.
Staring at those yellow eyes, he decided a quick trip to the pet shop was in order.
If he could find the right companion, why not? Hogwarts life would feel a lot less lonely.
Owls were out—Hogwarts had plenty of school owls, and he had no one to write to anyway.
He didn't know anyone. No friends. He was basically a ghost in Chester. Hell, he wasn't even sure he had proper papers.
Magical Menagerie
The shop's name sounded grand, but inside it was cramped and the smell hit like a wall—every kind of animal musk mixed together.
Sorry for the wording, but that was exactly how it felt. Charlie pinched his nose, seriously debating whether breathing through his mouth would be any better.
Cages covered every inch of wall. Creatures chattered, preened, and did everything they could to catch the eye of passing young witches and wizards.
"Eeeee~"
A pair of huge-eyed purple toads puffed out their throats. A big turtle with gem-encrusted shells showed off near the window.
Poisonous orange snails oozed along the edge of their glass box. And right in the middle, a fat transfiguring rabbit kept popping into a shiny silk top hat and back again with loud poof sounds.
Cats of every color, a cage of noisy ravens, bats, rats, double-tailed newts, spiny lizards—every weird creature you could imagine.
"Looking for a friend to take to Hogwarts, dear?" A girl around seventeen or eighteen—maybe freshly graduated—came over.
She pointed at the rats. "Like these? I know Hogwarts only officially allows cats, owls, and toads.
But no one minds if you bring a rat or a newt. They turn a blind eye."
"Doesn't look special," Charlie said, puzzled. "What's the difference between these and the ones rummaging through bins outside?"
"Er…" The girl thought for a second. "These are specially bred and trained. Smarter than street rats, and they recognize their owners.
Same with the other animals. You can't buy an owl in the Muggle world that'll actually deliver your letters."
"Fair point." Charlie nodded, then noticed a ginger rabbit with a white belly.
The little guy was busy washing his face. When he saw Charlie, he looked up with big dark eyes, nose twitching.
"Looks clever. Quick question—won't someone's cat or owl just hunt down a rat or rabbit at Hogwarts?"
"Never happens," the girl said behind him. "Pets don't hurt each other at Hogwarts. Ever."
She didn't explain why—maybe she didn't know—but her tone made it clear it was true.
Charlie opened the cage door, wanting a closer look. Suddenly the ginger rabbit leaped straight into his hands.
Then it used his palm like a springboard, bounced onto his shoulder—
—and snatched the newsboy cap right off his head with its teeth.
"Hey!" Charlie caught the cap.
Before he could lift the rabbit down, the little rascal gave a tiny shrug—pop—and turned into a brand-new felt fedora.
"Whoa…"
Charlie blinked, then spun the hat lightly on one finger and smiled at the girl.
"So… how much for my friend's freedom?"