Chapter Text

July 31st, 1991 — Prologue

Harry Potter stumbled out of the archway and looked on in awe. In front of his eyes lay something so utterly preposterous, he had to pinch himself to confirm it wasn’t a dream. This was Diagon Alley, the heart of Magical Britain.

——

His jaw dropped open in a look of wonder as Hagrid guided him past scores of witches and wizards, some of whom were carrying cauldrons and broomsticks in their arms. Owls soared past their heads, mail and letters firmly secured in their talons.

As they strolled through the alley, Harry noticed children of similar age to him that were equally enamoured by the sights. Indeed, his attention was captured by bouts of magic being performed on the street, and he clapped for one particularly talented wizard who managed to play six instruments at the same time.

After a short walk, Hagrid and Harry arrived in front of an imposing looking building clad in white marble. They pushed past a set of burnished bronze doors and another pair of silver ones, the latter of which was engraved with an ominous poem.

“Yeh be mad ter rob it, Harry,” Hagrid warned. “Don' even think abou' it.”

Harry gulped as the doors opened up to reveal a vast hall, brightly lit by a cluster of crystal chandeliers. Narrow marble counters hugged the walls and were manned by evenly-spaced goblins.

Hagrid turned to Harry, who looked as if he was going to faint in the presence of such opulence. “Righ', Harry. We'll go ter your vault an' get yeh some galleons.”

——

One terror-inducing rollercoaster ride later—and a brief swim in a pool of galleons—Harry stood back at the entrance of Gringotts, his leather pouch filled to the brim with various coins. Hagrid emerged slightly later, looking pale and faintly green.

“I think I need ter settle me stomach, Harry. Yeh got your list an' everything?” he asked, and Harry nodded at him. “I'll be back in a bit.”

Harry watched as Hagrid awkwardly carved a path through the hordes of wizards and witches, his giant form towering over them. He pulled out his list and started scanning it, eventually deciding to go to Flourish and Blotts first.

——

Each shop he visited had their own unique charm, and Harry found himself marvelling at how such a different world could be hidden away in the heart of London. Ollivanders was probably the most interesting of them all, and his new wand resided comfortably in his right pocket.

His latest stop—Madam Malkin’s—would’ve gone relatively uninterrupted if a pompous blonde-haired boy hadn’t walked up to him, spouting some nonsense about “blood status” and boasting about his new broom. Harry had no idea what he was talking about, so he just shrugged and left after paying for his robes.

Hagrid was waiting outside, and Harry quickly walked up to him.

“Who’s that blonde boy? He seems really unlikeable,” Harry said matter-of-factly. Hagrid glanced through the windows of Madam Malkin's before letting out a low hiss.

“Malfoy,” he growled, almost spitting out the name. “It'd be bes' if yeh avoid 'im, Harry. Nasty lot, they are.”

Harry shrugged, pulling out his list again. “Can we go get a pet now? It says here that I need one for Hogwarts.”

“Righ'. I almost forgot. Any preference fer a specific animal, Harry?”

Harry’s eyebrows furrowed, mulling the decision over in his head. “An owl, maybe. I think that they’ll be more useful than a cat or toad.”

“Alrigh’, then. Off we go ter Eeylops Owl Emporium.” Hagrid strode away at a pace that required Harry to jog in order to keep up.

——

They were walking past Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour when indistinct voices caught Harry’s attention. He looked across the street to see a family of four exiting The Magical Menagerie, engaged in what appeared to be a lively argument. The father was an imposing man, with close-cropped brown hair and a tall build. The mother was distractingly beautiful, and loose waves of blonde hair cascaded down her back. One of the daughters—the eldest, Harry presumed—attempted to break free of her mother’s grip, but it was unyielding. The daughter sighed in resignation before dropping her hand and tucking loose stands of blonde hair behind her ear.

Harry unconsciously drifted closer to them, attempting to listen in on their conversation.

“I’m sorry, Daffy, but we can’t get you that one,” the mother said gently. “We want to hear from you throughout the whole year, so your father decided that an owl was best.”

The father coughed, spluttering indignantly before pointing at himself and muttering “Me? What did I do to belong in this conversation?”

The mother smirked and wrapped an arm about each of her daughter’s shoulders, pulling them closer. “It’s always you, Winston. You make all the decisions for us, don’t you?”

Winston looked as if he were about to argue, but his shoulders slumped and he sighed in defeat. “Yes, dear.”

Harry felt an involuntary pang at seeing such a caring family, but quickly quashed the feeling. He made to move away, but froze as the youngest daughter turned around and spotted him. She leaned over and whispered something into ‘Daffy’s’ ear, occasionally glancing back at Harry. Suddenly, the entire family stopped and turned to face him.

Harry involuntarily took a step back as the mother shot him an encouraging smile and walked up to him cautiously. She approached in a way that made Harry seem like a cornered animal.

“Hi there,” she said kindly, her hazel eyes peering at him. “I’m Cassandra Greengrass, and this is my husband, Winston.”

Winston Greengrass smiled faintly, his blue eyes twinkling. He held his hand out, offering a handshake. Harry grasped it timidly but was startled to find that Winston's grip was surprisingly gentle.

Cassandra shook her head amusedly before continuing. “And these"—she gestured to the girls clinging onto the hem of her robes—“are our daughters, Daphne and Astoria. Say hello to him, won’t you?”

The sisters tentatively waved at him, a gesture that he reciprocated in kind.

He inhaled deeply before squaring his shoulders and murmuring, “I’m Harry Potter.”

Instantaneously, Daphne and Astoria’s eyes widened comically and they gasped in unison. Cassandra shot them both a stern look before turning back to Harry, laying a hand on his shoulder. “It’s lovely to meet you, Harry. Where are you planning on going?”

Harry blushed under her warm gaze. “Eeylops Owl Emporium. Hagrid was meant to show me the way, but I got a bit sidetracked.” Cassandra smiled knowingly at him and began to walk forwards.

“We’re going to the Emporium as well, to get Daphne an owl. Do you want to come with us?” Harry nodded earnestly and scrambled forwards to match pace with her.

“How are you, lad?” Winston asked.

Harry paused for a moment before turning back to look at him. “Good, thanks. It’s been amazing so far. I just learnt about the existence of magic today, and I can’t wait to learn more.”

“Merlin,” Winston breathed, sharing a look with his wife. Their daughters blanched slightly at the revelation. “It seems if you have quite the journey ahead of you, lad.”

Harry’s reply was cut short as they stopped in front of Eeylops Owl Emporium, which was filled to the brim with owls seemingly incapable of blinking. Cassandra opened the door and they stepped in, Harry’s eyes dilating rapidly as he got used to the dim lighting.

——

He had seen almost every single cage in the Emporium and was yet to find a suitable owl. Slightly disheartened, Harry was about to enter the last row when he felt a light tug on the back of his shirt. Confusedly, he turned around to find a blonde-haired girl—Daphne, wasn’t it?—looking back at him bashfully.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled, staring at her feet. “It was improper of me to gawk at you like that.”

“It’s alright, Daphne,” he replied, flushing slightly. They stood in an uncomfortable silence before a question popped into Harry’s mind. “Do you prefer other animals to owls?”

Daphne looked up at him in surprise before she smiled widely, her eyes unfocusing slightly. “Yeah, actually. I love all creatures, really, but cats hold a special place in my heart. Whenever we go to grandma’s, I spend most of my time playing with her cats. Shame I can’t get one, though.”

Harry nodded at her before gesturing to the aisle in front of them. “Shall we?” Daphne inclined her head slightly and they walked off together, inspecting various owls along the way.

Their journey had ended in front of a pair of owls, one the colour of snow and the other an earthen brown. Daphne immediately took the cage of the tawny owl and Harry picked the snowy owl. They looked at each other before grinning goofily.

“I think I’ll name this one Hedwig,” Harry said, stroking the owl’s soft feathers. It hooted appreciatively and nuzzled his hand.

“And I think I’ll call this one Hestia,” Daphne replied softly, petting its head affectionately.

Harry and Daphne had rejoined her family at the counter and were about to pay when Hagrid suddenly burst in. Spotting Harry, he sighed in relief and moved towards them, ducking occasionally to avoid cages hanging from the ceiling.

“I thought I’d los' yeh, Harry,” Hagrid said gruffly, then turned to regard the rest of the group. “This a new friend o' yours?”

Harry nodded and introduced them, each person waving at Hagrid when their name was called. To the vehement protests of Cassandra and Winston, Hagrid paid for both of the owls, insisting that it was the least he could do. He instructed Harry to meet him at the Leaky Cauldron in an hour, and bid them all farewell.

“Well,” Cassandra said, clapping her hands together, “that was certainly something. Who’s up for some ice-cream?” All three children perked up at the mention of dessert and earnestly nodded their heads in response.

Daphne sidled up to Harry and began talking animatedly to him while Astoria stood in-between her parents, clutching a hand on either side. A calculating glint entered her eyes as she watched Daphne, her lips gradually curling upwards into a smirk. She was almost overwhelmed with the amount of possibilities swirling in her head. 

Astoria squeezed her mother’s hand, looking up at her with her best puppy-dog eyes. “Can I get a magical camera, please?” she wheedled, worrying her lower lip.

Cassandra practically melted under the onslaught of her youngest's pleading expression and reached out to smooth out her brunette hair. “Of course, sweetie. After we get ice-cream, we can get you one.”

“But why can’t I get it now, Mummy?” Astoria pressed, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Cassandra sighed in resignation, instructing her husband to watch over Harry and Daphne before pulling Astoria away.

——

Astoria emerged from the shop triumphantly, holding a magical camera in her hands. Her mother trailed behind, mournfully patting a purse that felt significantly lighter.

As they neared the Ice Cream Parlour, Astoria aimed her camera at Harry and Daphne—intentionally cropping out her father—and snapped a photo of them eating ice-cream together. She waited patiently for the photo to process and handed it to her mother, a pleased smile adorning her face.

“They look rather cute together, don’t they?” Astoria asked slyly, her hazel eyes glittering with amusement. Cassandra looked at her daughter, only just realising what she had unleashed with that supposedly 'innocuous' purchase. She groaned and put her face in her hands.

“Please don’t tease them too much, Tori.”

Astoria grinned evilly. “Oh, I’ll try.”