Harry was about to step into a narrower, gloomier side street when a gentle but firm hand tapped his shoulder.
He turned to find an elderly witch regarding him with kind concern.
“Young man, I wouldn’t go in there if I were you,” she said sternly.
“That’s Knockturn Alley. Your parents would be furious if they knew you’d set foot in such a place.”
Harry blinked innocently.
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand. What’s wrong with it?”
“It’s a haven for dark creatures, shady wizards, and witches,” she explained.
“They trade in dark artefacts and far worse things. It’s no place for a child.”
Harry nodded respectfully.
“Thank you for the warning. I’ll stay clear.”
He had no intention of venturing down there yet — not until he had far better control over his magic.
Instead, he skirted the entrance and continued mapping the main alley.
His next stop was Flourish & Blotts.
The idea of someone tampering with his perfectly organized memory palace unsettled him deeply.
Following the assistant’s recommendation, he purchased An Introduction to the Mind Arts and Protecting Your Mind and Invading Others, a focused volume on Occlumency and Legilimency.
He also picked up A Formal Guide to Letter Writing, knowing he would soon need to contact the heads of the allied houses as his father had instructed.
All three books were neatly packaged and shrunk for him.
More studying, Harry thought with a wry inner sigh.
And term hasn’t even started yet.
His final stop before lunch was Eeylop’s Owl Emporium.
The moment he stepped inside, something pulled at him — a quiet but insistent call drawing him toward the back of the shop.
There, perched just above eye level, was the most magnificent bird he had ever seen: a beautiful Snowy Owl.
She stared directly at him with piercing amber eyes.
Without hesitation, Harry lifted the gilded cage and carried it to the counter.
“You’d best be careful with that one, young sir,” the old clerk warned.
“Thank you for the warning,” Harry replied softly, “but I have a strong feeling she’s meant for me.”
The shopkeeper shrugged.
“It’s your fingers she’ll be taking off, not mine.”
Harry simply smiled.
“I’ll take her.”
He also bought a supply of owl treats, a sturdy perch, and a care pamphlet.
After paying, he slipped the shrunken items into his pocket and carried the cage outside.
With his new companion in tow, Harry crossed the alley and claimed a table at the outdoor seating of Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour.
He set Hedwig’s cage down carefully and ordered a generous three-scoop sundae along with a coffee.
Later, back in his room at the Leaky Cauldron, he set up Hedwig on her new perch near the window where she could bask in the sunlight.
He named her Hedwig on the spot.
For the next couple of hours he immersed himself in his new books, then returned to the alley to collect his finished spectacles from the eyewear shop.