The first rays of the late August sun filtered through the curtains, illuminating the motes of dust dancing in the air of Albert's bedroom. He opened his eyes precisely at the moment the rhythmic, light tapping of bare feet hit the hallway floor. He knew those steps—brimming with anticipation and impatience—could only belong to Nia.
A second later, the familiar soft knock landed on the door.
"Time, Albert, time! Get up!" Nia's voice, muffled and electric with excitement, came from the other side.
Albert emerged from bed, stifling a yawn that threatened to split his face, and executed a slow, satisfying full-body stretch. The door cracked open, and the ginger shadow, Tom, slipped through the gap with the effortless grace of a well-oiled machine.
The cat didn't head for the bed but made a beeline for the small, velvet-covered cushion Albert often used on his desk chair. Tom circled it twice, kneaded it methodically, and then settled into an orange, purring lump of contentment.
"Looks like Tom has officially claimed the reading cushion," Albert observed, reaching out to give the cat a cursory pat. He smiled at Nia, who was now leaning against the doorframe. "I'll be down in a moment, but I need to change."
"Hurry, please! Dad said we need to be parked near Charing Cross before ten o'clock," Nia urged, her impatience palpable. She then swooped down, gently scooped up the cushion with the cat still on it, and cradled both like priceless treasures before reluctantly exiting.
"Ten o'clock? That's remarkably early for the start of a family expedition," Albert commented, slightly surprised by Herb's uncharacteristic zeal.
"He said that if we start early, we avoid the worst of the London traffic and have ample, unhurried time to fully experience Diagon Alley," Nia explained, already entirely on board with her father's strategic planning.
This trip was different. The Anderson family—Herb, Daisy, Albert, and Nia—were undertaking a collective venture into the wizarding world. Last year, Albert and Herb had gone alone, navigating the newness with confusion and wonder. This year, with two new initiates to the magical world, the entire process needed to be paced and savored.
Downstairs, over breakfast, Nia made an innocent but disruptive suggestion. "We should bring the new camera! I want pictures of the moving walls and the strange people!"
Albert immediately shot down the idea, his tone firm. "Absolutely not. Bringing a Muggle camera into Diagon Alley would be a guaranteed disaster. It would attract the wrong kind of attention, and that attention is something we must actively avoid."
Daisy paused, slowly setting down her fork. Her brow furrowed in careful consideration. "Are you implying that… that they still maintain a sort of cultural hostility toward ordinary people? A kind of ingrained disdain?" She avoided the word 'prejudice,' recognizing the sensitivity of the topic.
"Hostility is one way to describe it, Mother, but perhaps 'systemic fear' is more accurate," Albert corrected, peeling an orange with precise movements.
"Yes, some wizards possess an acute sense of superiority based solely on their extraordinary abilities. They look down on Muggles as inferior, clumsy, and predictable. But fundamentally, the isolation of the wizarding world is rooted in a deep, historical fear of persecution. That fear, amplified over centuries, has resulted in an astonishing technological stagnation and a widespread intellectual complacency. Diagon Alley is a perfect visual representation of this backwardness—a vibrant hub of magic, yet stuck aesthetically and culturally in the 17th century."
He leaned back, his eyes distant. "You cannot deny the sheer power and utility of magic, which can solve problems instantly that Muggle science takes decades to address. But the minds of the people who wield it are often incredibly parochial. They view the Muggle world—with its advances, technology, and sheer numbers—as a constant, looming threat. To introduce a camera is not just a breach of law; it's confirmation of their deepest fear: that their isolation is temporary and their world is being documented and understood by the very people they wish to ignore."
Albert took a sip of his tea. "The most important thing for us, right now, is to live our own lives to the fullest. We are small players. Reformers are often the lucky ones who die on the front lines, and the unlucky ones who are forgotten in the footnotes. The political and cultural inertia of the wizarding world is vast. It's not our fight. Our goal is to simply navigate it, acquire the necessary knowledge, and enjoy the benefits of our short lives."
The conversation ended there, the heavy topic cleared away to focus on the practicalities of the journey. The air remained tense, however, as Daisy and Herb absorbed the weight of Albert's calculated cynicism.
By 8:30 a.m., they were on the road. Despite the early hour, London traffic required Herb's focused attention. It took them almost an hour to reach the vicinity of Charing Cross Road. Herb successfully located the inconspicuous area he remembered—a large bookstore and a record shop separated by a barely noticeable, perpetually damp archway.
"We're here, yes?" Nia asked, her voice hushed, her eyes darting between the Muggle shops. "But… where is the magic? Where is the hidden doorway?"
"This is it," Albert confirmed, nodding toward the grubby arch.
Herb let out a low whistle of genuine appreciation. "It's remarkable. I've driven past this exact spot countless times since your first year, Albert, trying to spot the Leaky Cauldron. I followed your directions, but no matter how many times I parked and looked, it just wasn't there."
"That, Dad, is the power of the Concealment Charm," Albert explained. "It doesn't just make the bar invisible; it actively makes any Muggle brain process the visual information as something tedious and ignorable—a derelict building, a forgotten alley, a memory lapse. It stops the ordinary mind from registering the impossibility of the entrance."
"So how do we break the enchantment?" Daisy asked, her nervousness masked by an intense, intellectual curiosity.
"You follow me," Albert said, taking Nia's hand and leading the way. "Act natural. Your state of mind is often the key to disrupting subtle passive magic."
Albert led them through the arch and into the Leaky Cauldron. The interior was everything Nia hadn't expected: profoundly dark, smelled vaguely of stale beer and old woodsmoke, and was populated by a handful of patrons who looked eccentric even by London's standards—a trio of silent, shadowy figures huddled in a corner, an elderly woman puffing smoke from a clay pipe, and the bald, scraggly barman, Tom.
"Oh," Nia breathed, shrinking back and clutching Albert's hand fiercely, startled by the sheer ugliness of the place. "It's… it's not what I imagined."
Ignoring the subtle, curious stares of the patrons, Albert gave a slight, acknowledging nod to Tom the barman and navigated his family toward the back.
"Control your breathing, Mother," Albert advised quietly, noticing the subtle tension in Daisy's jaw. He knew she wasn't biting her lip this time, but her posture was rigid. "You're here for commerce and knowledge. This place is just a functional, necessary inconvenience."
"It's simply more… squalid than I pictured for the gateway to an entire hidden society," Daisy confessed, glancing around the dismal, brick-lined backyard. "Is this where the magic happens?"
"Yes." Albert drew his wand, tapped the correct sequence on the brick wall—three taps on the third brick from the dustbin, left to right—and they all stepped back. The rhythmic, grinding shift of the stone, the sudden appearance of the expansive, sunlit cobblestone street, made Nia gasp.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley," Albert said with a slight, satisfied smile.
Daisy surveyed the street, lined with ancient, canting shops that looked like they hadn't seen a structural inspection since the reign of Queen Victoria. "It truly is… archaic," she commented, confirming Albert's earlier observation.
Their first stop was Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Since Herb had converted a substantial amount of Muggle currency into Galleons the previous year, leaving them with an ample balance, they didn't need to visit the vaults.
This led to Nia's immediate disappointment, as she desperately wanted to see the goblins—the supposed "fairies" of the wizarding world. Albert gently promised her a visit another time.
They quickly proceeded to Flourish & Blotts. The sheer volume of books temporarily overwhelmed Nia, but Albert quickly ushered his father to the required section. They had only one mandatory purchase this year: the new textbook for Charms class, "Standard Spells, Grade 2."
While Herb handled the transaction, Albert's eye was caught by a lavish display in the window, separated from the rest of the store by a velvet rope. It was a single, elegantly bound volume on runic theory.
"Excuse me, is this book for general sale?" Albert inquired of the harried shopkeeper.
"Oh, that?" The man glanced nervously at the book. "No, sir. That's the limited-edition, private printing of 'Runic Arcana and Abjuration Principles' by Mog McDougal. We were only allocated a hundred copies worldwide."
"Only a hundred?" Albert asked, feigning surprise. "Why the limited run? Surely a new work by a recognized theorist would warrant mass printing."
"Well, sir, with respect," the shopkeeper lowered his voice conspiratorially, "Mr. McDougal felt the content was too specialized—that the theoretical complexity was so great that only those already steeped in advanced runic scholarship would comprehend it. To reprint it for the general public, he argued, would be a pointless expenditure, as no one would buy a book they couldn't read. It was essentially printed as a status symbol for his peers and key institutions."
Albert nodded slowly, the shopkeeper's words confirming his theory. The book wasn't meant for wide distribution; it was an act of intellectual elitism, a form of esoteric currency. "So, those hundred copies were primarily printed to be distributed as gifts or to those who could appreciate the dense content, thereby acknowledging a specific, high-tier cohort of scholars."
"Precisely, young man," the shopkeeper confirmed, slightly impressed by Albert's grasp of the situation. "If you truly are interested in runes, I strongly suggest the 'Basic Runes Explained' text—it's far simpler and much easier to digest."
Nia tugged on Albert's sleeve, her voice full of indignation. "Do you mean you already have a copy of that special book, Albert?"
"I believe so, yes," Albert said, carefully avoiding explaining that McDougal had given it to him precisely because Albert belonged to that 'high-tier cohort' of runic enthusiasts. He paid for his mandatory textbook and ushered Nia out.
Their next stop was the Apothecary, a place that instantly filled Nia with childish dread. The strange odors, the rows of desiccated Flobberworms, and the sight of peculiar, unsettling ingredients made her cling to Albert's cloak.
Before leaving, Albert directed Herb to purchase a small, clear vial labeled Essence of Dittany.
"It's expensive, Albert," Herb noted, looking at the price tag. "What exactly does this do?"
"It is a near-perfect healing agent," Albert explained, emphasizing the unique magical advantage.
"A severe knife cut, a deep burn, a scrape—a few drops of this will instantly halt the bleeding, stitch the wound perfectly, and prevent scarring. Unlike Muggle medicine, which merely manages damage, this repairs it on a fundamental level. It's an invaluable magical insurance policy, far superior to anything in the non-magical world."
Both Herb and Daisy were struck by the description. The concept of instant, scarless healing was a profound revelation of magic's true power. They were so impressed that they immediately decided to purchase a second, identical vial to gift to Grandpa Luke, reasoning that such an impossible preventative measure was the most valuable gift they could offer a Muggle.
Albert then needed new school robes. He had shot up several inches over the summer, making his first-year uniform look comically short. At Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, Albert was led to a pedestal for fitting.
While waiting, he saw them: the McDougal brothers and their mother, waiting for their own garments. The encounter was a study in perfectly executed social avoidance. Albert and the McDougal mother exchanged a single, fleeting glance—hers cold and calculating, his utterly neutral—before she turned her back to him, subtly blocking her sons from initiating any conversation.
"Do you know them, Albert?" Daisy asked, watching the silent, loaded exchange.
"We are acquainted, Mother," Albert replied casually, shrugging slightly. "We all participate in the same extracurricular club at school, nothing more." He left it at that, not mentioning the intellectual rivalry that simmered beneath the surface.
At Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment, while Albert restocked his ink, quills, and parchment, Nia became transfixed by a large, magnificent object: a constellation model, an oversized glass globe containing a miniature, three-dimensional representation of the solar system, with the planets slowly orbiting on fine, shimmering silver wires. It was beautiful, mesmerizing, and clearly enchanted to depict the accurate movement of the heavens.
Nia begged Herb to buy it.
Herb hesitated, glancing at the price: fifteen Galleons. "It's beautiful, honey, but it's just a decoration. It's too expensive for an ornament."
Nia's face fell, the earlier joy draining away. Herb, guided by his ingrained Muggle sensibility of material value, saw fifteen Galleons as a significant amount of money for something purely aesthetic.
Seeing his sister's genuine disappointment, Albert leaned down and whispered a promise only she could hear. "Listen to me, Nia. Study hard this year. If you achieve top marks in all your classes, I will personally guarantee that you get that constellation model. I'll make sure the family buys it for you."
Nia's eyes immediately brightened, the momentary sadness forgotten. She gripped his arm and promised, with fierce determination, that she would be the hardest-working student Hogwarts had ever seen. Albert smiled, knowing he had just created a potent, targeted motivator.
After securing Tom's special, enchanted food at the Magical Menagerie, the family needed a break. They settled under a brightly colored umbrella outside a small, cozy café, sipping butterbeers and recounting the sensory overload of their first family trip to Diagon Alley.
It was there that Albert was spotted by a figure barreling through the crowds: Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain.
"Anderson! You haven't forgotten, have you?" Wood demanded, pausing only long enough to catch his breath. "You need to get a new broomstick! Training starts the second week back. You've got the Seeker position waiting for you, but you need your own equipment!"
Albert's family looked at him with proud, approving smiles. Herb and Daisy exchanged a silent, knowing look that confirmed their son was clearly destined for greatness on the Quidditch pitch.
"There's no need to rush, Wood," Albert replied, raising a hand. "If I am selected for the team—a certainty, of course—then I will buy the appropriate equipment. Until then, buying a broom is preemptive waste of capital and storage space."
Wood looked utterly bewildered by the transactional, non-committal response, but before he could argue, Albert politely but firmly moved on to discuss the quality of the butterbeer.
Later, on the way back through the Leaky Cauldron, Herb brought up the subject of Quidditch, his voice tinged with parental concern. "You don't sound very enthusiastic about the sport, son. You're clearly good enough to be courted by the team captain."
"I'm not enthusiastic about the practice," Albert admitted, shrugging. "It's an enormous time sink. I find the endless flying drills and scheduling completely inefficient. I believe that time could be far better spent on research that actually moves me closer to my ultimate goals."
Before Herb or Daisy could respond, Nia chimed in, her voice full of the honest, brutal assessment of a younger sister.
"He means he's lazy, Dad. He finds anything that requires sustained, non-intellectual effort boring. He gave up basketball after six months, quit tennis because the court was too far away, and lasted only three months in that karate class because he said the repetitive movements were beneath his level of expertise!"
Silence descended upon the Anderson family. Nia's summary, though blunt, highlighted the core of Albert's flaw: his reluctance to commit to anything that didn't provide immediate, challenging intellectual stimulation or direct, visible magical progress.
Herb and Daisy looked at each other, the weight of their son's intellectual brilliance balanced by his profound lack of persistent effort in the Mundane world.
They couldn't help but feel a sudden, unsettling realization—that Albert's intense focus wasn't just about magic, but perhaps about avoiding the long, hard work required of a career in the non-magical world, like, say, high-level finance, which they had always secretly hoped he would pursue.