His Mark
[Knowledge is Power]

10th June 2016
Friday

Six hours earlier.

A tall for his eleven years, Aileen walked along the sidewalk of Charing Cross Road.
Again and again he found himself looking around for something.
And that something he discovered between a bookstore and a record shop - a shabby-looking old pub.
The red-haired boy walked briskly towards the pub and went in through the dingy door.

He stopped for a moment and looked around the pub.
It was quite dark and the interior also looked quite shabby.
What does this place have to do with magic, he thought, shaking his head partly in disgust and partly out of anger.

He slowly walked to the counter where a bald man stood behind and chatted with an old woman with a large dark green pointed hat.
"Thank you, Tom."
She said, and walked away with three small glasses, to two other old women further back at a table in the restaurant.

Aileen shuddered as he heard the man's name.
It had been his father's name...
He hated that name...

"Can I help you, my boy?" Asked the man smiling and pulled him out of his thoughts.

The boy cleared his throat.
''Yes, indeed. Can you tell me how to get to a place called Diagon Alley?"

Normally, he hated not knowing something.
And most of all he hated to ask others for help.
But this time he just didn't have a choice.

The smile of the man however grew a little wider, "Of course. I'll show you the way, if you want."

"That would be nice." Aileen replied coolly.

The man came around the counter and offered him with a gesture to follow him. They went through a back door of the pub and that led to a backyard with a brick wall in front of which stood a trash can.

Surprised, the boy stared at the man, but the later was smiling.

How was he supposed to get to the wizarding world from this backyard?

The man walked to the wall, pulled his wand out and counted the bricks of the wall above the dustbin off.

"Three up ... two to the side..." he muttered.
He knocked three times with his wand against the wall and took a step back next to the stunned-looking boy.

The stones on which he had knocked, trembled, wobbled and at a small gap appeared at the center.
The gap started getting wider and wider, and shortly thereafter they stood before an archway.
It led them out onto a paved lane that was lost in a tight bend.
''So my boy, welcome to Diagon Alley. You're probably going to you buy your things for Hogwarts, right?" The bald man asked him and looked at the still stunned-looking boy with a smile.
"Y-yes, sir." Aileen replied absentminded.

"Then enjoy, and have a nice day." The innkeeper said, patting him on the shoulder and left the yard again.

Aileen stepped slowly through the archway, behind him, the stone wall closed shut again.

He looked around.
On the paved road, many men, women and children walked with different colored cloaks and pointed hats, went in and out of shops or looked at the shop windows.
Aileen managed to take his eyes off this bustle with slight difficulty, pulled out the list of the utensils from his jacket pocket and read.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Uniforms
In the first year, students will need:
1. Three sets of simple work clothes (black)
2. A simple pointy hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide,or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, with silver buckles)

Please note that all student's clothes should carry name-tags at all times.

Textbooks
All students should have one copy of the following works:

- Miranda Goshaw: The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1
- Bathilda Bagshot: A History of Magic
- Adalbert Waffling: Magical Theory
- Emeric Switch: A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration
- Phyllida Spore - One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
- Arsenius Jigger: Magical Drafts and Potions
- Newt Scamander: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
- Quentin Trimble: The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection

Further needed:
- 1 Wand
- 1 boiler (pewter, standard size 2)
- 1 set of glass or crystal phials
- 1 Telescope
- 1 set of brass scales

The students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.

I grudgingly thought of the little leather pouch with money that Professor Dreely had given me the week before.
If I hadn't gotten my mother's letter this morning, I would have had to make due with this bit of money.

'Why don't you buy a pair of cloaks with that? Your clothes practically scream Muggle born.'
I heard Momos hissing voice inside my head.

'And get me out of this backpack, I can't breath in here!' Momo hissed, whilst moving around angrily inside the backpack.

I should be able to buy at least one high quality cloak with this...two if I was really lucky.

'Yes,yes you should...but please do your shopping quickly!' Momo hissed in anger and annoyance.

After buying the best cloak that I could afford with that money, which was the second most expensive one, I made my way to Gringotts.

With one fluid motion, I brushed my hood of my head, as I walked into the Bank.
Before me stretched an almost endless array of high desks and matching chairs.
Every chair was occupied by a small, ugly goblin.

I purposely walked up to one of the high tables.
"What can I do for you?"
I heard the high, almost squeaky voice of the goblin say.
"I want to get galleons from my vault...Gaunt." I murmured so only the goblin could hear me.

The Goblin however raised a bushy eyebrow and asked: ''Do you have the key?''

''If I had one, I would have given it to you by now.''
I said in a low whisper.

This was becoming a scene, I've been standing here for far too long...
I can practically feel the blond boy on my far right inching closer, trying to listen into the conversation.

''I can't let you into the vault without a key, the consequences would be-''

''Listen!'' I said through gritted teeth.

''There has to be a spell, or a potion of some sort that lets you check if I'm really who I say I am!''

Did that platinum blond boy just get closer, or am I imagining things?

''Well, there are spells and potions that can determine your identity... but those potions are hard to come by and-''

''So basically, what you're saying is that you need something that proves that I'm a Gaunt before you decide to do anything.''
I rudely interrupted the Goblin.

''Yes...'' The Goblin answered adjusting his glasses.

''I don't suppose you have something of the Gaunt family with you right now?'' He asked in an annoyed tone.

''No,'' I answered which made the Goblin smirk in satisfaction.

''I have something that belonged to Salazar Slytherin,'' I said triumphantly, the blond boy who was now practically standing next to me was long forgotten.

All that mattered was the incredulous expression on the Goblins face as I pulled out Salazar Slytherin's chain from under my cloak.
____________
A/N
Hillo there lovely readers(:
What do you all think of the first chapters so far?
And what do you think of Aileen so far?
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!
Much love
Jamz