Diagon Alley: A Harry Potter Tale

3. An Invitation

Jack woke up to find himself in his chair, the TV was still on. He looked around for his watch, curious to know what time of the day it was. Once he had found it, he looked at the time. It was 7:30, just in time for him to get ready and head off to work once again. After putting on a fresh set of clothes, he grabbed a cup of coffee and a piece of toast. Eating quickly, he rushed the meal down and cleaned his face. After checking that he had everything he needed, he exited his house. He wanted the nearby muggles to think he left and came like a normal person, so he never apparated from inside his home. He would always walk out to a nearby alley and travel from there.

Once he had apparated to Diagon Alley, he walked up to his store, greeting others along the way. When he went to open the door, he found a note with the Seal of Hogwarts pressed onto it. He opened the parcel curiously and read its contents as he walked into the store.

"Dear Mr. Night, I understand that you have opened a new shop on Diagon Alley. Congratulations! Hogwarts is having an event where we introduce students to those who worked hard both in school and out in the real world. I believe that you would make a great impression on our students and give them some inspiration to do well. We would be honored to have you as our guest. Please send me an owl to confirm your final decision.

Sincerely, Minerva McGonagall"

Jack stroked his beard in contemplation as he finished reading. You could see the gears in his head turning as he thought of what he should do. While in the process of decision making, George walked in.

"Morning Mr. Night!"

"Good morning George. Needing a restock a bit early don't you think?"

"Oh no, it's nothing like that, I just came to congratulate you on the letter."

"How'd you know about it?"

"Well Charles told me. Sounded a bit upset about it, he did. Something on about how he should've gotten invited and what not."

"I see. So what do you think? Should I go?"

"Definitely. I think it'll be good for everyone there. Plus, you were such a big hit, the Prophet's already put you in the paper again. Students read that you know."

"Well...I suppose it would be nice to revisit the place, and I could probably come up with something tonight. With all that settled in about 8 seconds, I think I will go. Are you going?"

"Mate, I'm George Weasley. I think I would give McGonagall either a heart attack or minor PTSD just from stepping on school grounds."

Jack let out a chuckle. George seemed to always carry a smile with him and give one to others wherever he went. Jack knew about Fred, but he figured it wasn't his place to bring up the topic. He didn't want to see George lose his smile.

"Well, you best put on your best outfit. You'll want to leave a good impression on those kids, otherwise they'll end up like me!" George said as he let out a laugh

Jack laughed along and the two carried some short conversation before George left to open up shop. Jack was busy again during the day, though not as busy as opening day. Despite helping multiple customers and dealing with inquiries and requests, he couldn't get his mind off of how he was to go about his visit. At around noon, he sent an owl to Hogwarts, confirming that he indeed would be attending. As the day drew to a close, he locked up his shop and began to walk down the street, when he was stopped by someone tapping his shoulder. It was Charles, with a look that screamed superiority. The jealousy was present in his eyes.

"Hey Charles, how's it going?"

"Let's get one thing straight Night, just because you got invited to Hogwarts to speak doesn't make you're some kind of star here. My grandfather started with nothing and created one of the greatest stores on this street. Leonard's has provided some of the most famous wizards with luxury items. I have a picture of me selling Cornelius Fudge a new chair!"

"I don't think having a picture with Cornelius Fudge is something too many brag about."

"Just stay on your side of the street. Know your place, and we won't have a problem. I got my eye on you."

Charles stalked off and left Jack standing alone, confused. Jack was disappointed that Charles saw him that way, but he didn't have time to think about the argument, he had a speech to prepare. He spent nearly 5 hours preparing at home, going through enough pieces of paper to make it look like he worked for the Ministry of Magic. However, in those 5 hours, he did come up with a plan for what he was going to say and how he was going to go about it. He went to bed, this time in his actual bedroom and not his living room chair.

Morning came as Jack was up bright and early. He quickly showered and got ready in his best vest and tie, the same one he wore for his shop's opening day, and grabbed his old Ravenclaw scarf and a jacket. He made sure his beard was groomed and that his hair looked decent. He ate a quick breakfast of eggs and bacon, brushed his teeth, and left for Hogwarts. Getting on the Hogwarts Express, Jack found himself an unoccupied cabin. Riding the train have him a feeling of nostalgia, and made him smile as he reminisced about his short time at Hogwarts.

When the train arrived at Hogsmeade, Jack stepped off and looked around in awe. It had been quite literally decades since his last visit to the village. He entered into Honeydukes to grab his favorite sweet, a Chocolate Frog. After eating his treat, Jack looked inside to see who's card he received. He pulled it out of the box and looked at it with a smile. He had drawn Harry Potter's card. He placed it in his pocket as he walked to where the self-pulled carriages were. He had found one waiting with his name on it. He sat down and immediately, the carriage moved. When he finally arrived at the entrance to Hogwarts, he took a deep breath, and entered the castle