Pluto Projector.

Chapter Ten.

On the Saturday after Harry's birthday, it was finally time to head into Diagon Alley. Molly was very tense through breakfast. Bill, who would be staying behind with Fleur, passed a full money bag across the table to Harry.

"Where's mine?" demanded Ron at once, his eyes wide.

"That's already Harry's, idiot," said Bill. "I got it out of your vault for you, Harry, because it's taking about five hours for the public to get their gold at the moment, the goblins have tightened security so much. Two days ago Arkie Philpott had a Probity Probe stuck up his... Well, trust me, this way's easier."

"Thanks, Bill," said Harry, pocketing his gold. (Y/n) smiled pleasantly as her own money bag was slid to her by Bill.

"Always so thoughtful," Fleur mused. Ginny mimed vomiting into her cereal behind Fleur. Harry choked over his cornflakes and Ron thumped him on the back.
It was an overcast, murky day. One of the special Ministry of Magic cars, in which they had ridden once before, was awaiting them in the front yard when they emerged from the house, pulling on their cloaks.

"It's good Dad can get us these again," said Ron appreciatively, stretching luxuriously as the car moved smoothly away from the Burrow, Bill and Fleur waving from the kitchen window. He, Harry, Hermione, (Y/n), and Ginny were all sitting in roomy comfort in the wide backseat.

"Don't get used to it, it's only because of Harry," said Arthur over his shoulder. He and Molly were in front with the Ministry driver; the front passenger seat had obligingly stretched into what resembled a two-seater sofa. "He's been given top-grade security status. And we'll be joining up with additional security at the Leaky Cauldron too." Harry did not at all look too pleased with the news of needing to shop with a battalion of Aurors.

"Here you are, then," said the driver, a surprisingly short while later, speaking for the first time as he slowed in Charing Cross Road and stopped outside the Leaky Cauldron. "I'm to wait for you, any idea how long you'll be?"

"A couple of hours, I expect," said Arthur. "Ah, good, he's here." Harry imitated Arthur and peered through the window; his heart leapt. No Aurors were waiting outside the inn, but instead, the gigantic, black-bearded form of Rubeus Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, wearing a long beaverskin coat, beaming at the sight of Harry's face and so oblivious to the startled stares of passing Muggles.

"Harry!" Hagrid boomed, sweeping Harry into a bone-crushing hug the moment Harry stepped out of the car. "Buckbeak— Witherwings, I mean— yeh should see him, Harry, he's so happy ter be back in the open air—"

"Glad he's pleased," said Harry, grinning as he massaged his ribs. "We didn't know 'security' meant you!"

"I know, jus' like old times, innit? See, the Ministry wanted ter send a bunch o' Aurors, but Dumbledore said I'd do," said Hagrid proudly, throwing out his chest and tucking his thumbs into his pockets. "Let's get goin' then— after yeh, Molly, Arthur—"

"Is that... started with an H," (Y/n) snapped her fingers by her ear, trying to remember the name she had read that described the half-giant before them.

"Hagrid," Ginny and Hermione finished for her.

"Hagrid," (Y/n) repeated with a nod. "Is that him?"

"Yes," Hermione nodded. "We went to his hut a lot through the years," she informed. (Y/n) nodded, smiling. While she knew practically everything about everyone that her past self had been so nice to write about, she was always glad to hear about them from something other than text.

The Leaky Cauldron was empty upon their entry. Only Tom the landlord, wizened and toothless, remained of the old crowd. He looked up hopefully as they entered, but before he could speak, Hagrid said importantly, "Jus' passin' through today, Tom, sure yeh understand, Hogwarts business, yeh know."
Tom nodded gloomily and returned to wiping glasses; Harry, Hermione, (Y/n), Hagrid, and the Weasleys walked through the bar and out into the chilly little courtyard at the back where the dustbins stood. Hagrid raised his pink umbrella and rapped a certain brick in the wall, which opened at once to form an archway onto a window-cobbled street. They stepped through the entrance and paused, looking around.
While this was the first version of Diagon Alley (Y/n) could remember, she was told it had changed. The colourful glittering window displays of spellbooks, potion ingredients, and cauldrons were lost to view, hidden behind the large Ministry of Magic posters that had been pasted over them. Most of these sombre purple posters carried blown-up versions of the security advice of the Ministry pamphlets that had been sent out over the summer, but others bore moving black-and-white photographs of Death Eaters known to be on the loose. Bellatrix Lestrange was sneering from the front of the nearest apothecary. A few windows were boarded up, including those of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. On the other hand, several shabby-looking stalls had sprung up along the street. The nearest one, which had been erected outside Flourish and Blotts, under a striped, stained awning, had a cardboard sign pinned to its front: