Frank rushed out of his room and glanced down the stairs. He saw a person sitting in the living room, wearing a emerald green wizard's robe and a pointed witch's hat.
Frank thought: This should be Professor McGonagall. She feels even more stern than in the movies. I wonder if she turns into a serious cat? Would catnip work on Professor McGonagall in her cat form?
Frank walked downstairs and said to his father and mother: "Father, Mother. Is this the professor from Hogwarts?"
"Yes, I am Minerva McGonagall. You may call me Professor McGonagall. I am here to take you to Diagon Alley to purchase your school supplies and books."
Huvenal looked carefully at Professor McGonagall: "My apologies, since receiving the letter, I assumed it was a prank. Would it be convenient for you to demonstrate your magic?"
Professor McGonagall nodded: "I understand your thoughts. Almost all Muggle parents have such doubts. Muggle is our term for people who cannot use magic."
As she spoke, Professor McGonagall raised her wand. With a gentle flick, the teacup on the table turned into a mouse. The mouse started to move, ready to run, but then turned into a turtle, before changing back into a teacup.
Huvenal and Hremiah looked at each other in surprise, quickly picking up the teacup to examine it closely: "Did you see that? This teacup just turned into a mouse and a turtle."
They glanced at Frank again, then immediately asked Professor McGonagall: "Will Frank be able to do this in the future? Is learning magic difficult? Where do we buy the things on the list? Do you use pounds as well?"
Professor McGonagall replied: "As long as Mr. Frank Del studies diligently, he should be able to do this by the end of his first year.
Also, wizards do not use pounds. We use Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts. One Galleon equals seventeen Sickles, one Sickle equals twenty-nine Knuts. Five pounds equal one Galleon.
Well, I need to take another student to Diagon Alley as well. She should be arriving at Charing Cross Road soon. Let's hurry over."
Huvenal quickly stood up: "I'll drive, we can all go together."
Everyone got into the car driven by Huvenal and arrived at Charing Cross Road. Professor McGonagall pointed to an anxiously waiting family of three ahead: "They're already here."
Everyone quickened their pace. Huvenal said in surprise, "Dr. Granger?" "Mr. Del?"
Professor McGonagall looked at the two men: "It seems you know each other, so I need not introduce you. Miss Hermione Jean Granger is also a new student at Hogwarts. She will go to Diagon Alley with Mr. Frank Del."
Huvenal nodded: "Dr. Granger is a highly skilled dentist. Many of my colleagues and I see Dr. Granger for our dental needs."
Professor McGonagall glanced at the Del couple and the Granger couple: "Since you all know each other, please wait outside. My apologies, we have other matters to attend to after shopping, we need to be quick."
Professor McGonagall led Frank and Hermione towards the Leaky Cauldron. As they walked, she said to Frank and Hermione, "Muggles cannot see this pub, nor can they enter. Also, many wizards hold ill will towards Muggles. Unless necessary, do not let your families come here in the future."
Frank nodded. "Then Professor, why did you bring them today...?"
"To prevent your parents from worrying about you, I specifically brought them along once. Moreover, you need to return home later. Also, Frank, what is in that small bag of yours? It doesn't seem to fit much."
"It's fine, Professor. There are other things in here."
The three entered the Leaky Cauldron. It was crowded with wizards dressed in strange clothes. Frank and Hermione followed McGonagall closely, hearing constant greetings to her: "Professor McGonagall, bringing in new students again?"
Professor McGonagall nodded to the surroundings: "I still need to take them shopping. Please make way." The crowd parted to form a path. Professor McGonagall led the two to a trash can in the backyard, turned around, and said to them: "Remember, from this trash can, count up three bricks, then across two, and you can enter Diagon Alley."
The wall slowly opened a passage, and the magical world came into view.
"We need to go to Gringotts first to exchange pounds. Every Muggle-born student can exchange one hundred Galleons per year, which is five hundred pounds. Gringotts is run by goblins. They are not wizards, but don't mind them. After exchanging Galleons, we will go to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions to buy school uniforms. After measuring, we'll go to Flourish and Blotts to buy textbooks, then to Potage's Cauldron Shop, the Apothecary, and Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment to buy some equipment. Finally, we'll buy wands and pets, then come back to pick up the uniforms."
As Professor McGonagall spoke, she led them to the counter: "Excuse me, please exchange pounds for these two students." The goblin looked up: "Oh, Professor McGonagall. Please present the admission letters. I need to compare them with the record list."
Frank and Hermione handed their letters to the goblin sitting inside the counter. "Comparison complete. Frank Del and Hermione Jean Granger. Each of you has an annual exchange limit of one hundred Galleons."
"Excuse me," Frank interrupted the goblin. "May I ask, can gold be exchanged?" The goblin looked at him, "Of course, of course. Gold exchange is unlimited. One gram of gold exchanges for two Galleons."
"Okay, please exchange five hundred pounds and five jin of gold. Thank you. Also, do you have vaults where I can store gold?"
"Oh—Of course, we also support cheque services. Does the young sir require that?"
"Of course, I'll also take one hundred Galleons with me."
Professor McGonagall watched from the side as they completed their transactions: "Let's go, now to buy school uniforms. Also, you can buy an extra wallet at Wiseacre's later; it can hold your money."
Professor McGonagall led them to purchase the related items one by one: "Next, the wands. A wand is a wizard's most important tool. No matter when, you must remember to hold onto your wand firmly."
Professor McGonagall led them to Ollivander's Wand Shop. Compared to other shops, this one looked old and small.
The peeling gold lettering on the door read: Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. In the shop window, a single wand lay on a faded purple cushion.
Frank and Hermione entered the shop: It's much bigger inside than shown in the movies! The house looks small from the outside, but it's huge inside.
Shelves at least three stories high were densely packed with long, narrow boxes arranged like a chessboard. Each horizontal shelf was clearly marked with the wood type of the wand shaft, and each vertical shelf indicated the core material.
"Ah, good morning. Professor McGonagall, I see you bringing children here every year." An old man with white hair slid over leaning on a tall ladder. Frank specifically looked at the ladder; it had no wheels.
"Good morning, Mr. Ollivander. Please select wands for these two children."
"Yes, yes, let's get down to business. Ladies first?"
Professor McGonagall brought Frank out of the shop: "Generally, no one hopes others know what their wand is. We'll wait here for a while."
Frank nodded, then turned to look inside through the shop window. But the window only showed that lone wand. Frank turned and asked, "Professor McGonagall, may I go buy a pet first and pick up mine and Hermione's school uniforms?"
McGonagall nodded: "Of course, generally, wand selection doesn't happen that quickly. Also, for pets, I suggest you choose an owl. It can help you send and receive goods, and there's a special area for pets in the dormitories.
Perhaps a cat would be nice too."
After a while, Frank returned, holding a bag of clothes in his left hand, a grey Eurasian Eagle-Owl sitting on his right shoulder: "Professor, this is my owl. I named him Rod."
Not long after, Hermione came out. Frank handed the clothes to Hermione: "I just went to buy a pet and picked up our school uniforms.
You can look around first. Or there's aDessert shop over there, you and Professor McGonagall can sit there for a while."
"Thank you, but too many sweets can cause toothaches," Hermione took the school uniform and said, "It's alright, I can read a book here."
"Okay. It's my turn to choose my partner." After saying that, Frank walked in.