The following morning, Charing Cross Road, London.
A family of five—Charles, Diana, Henry, William, and Harry—stood outside a dirty, cramped pub, dressed in casual clothes that were as inconspicuous as possible while still being unmistakably well-made.
The pub’s sign creaked in the breeze, bearing the image of a battered cauldron.
Muggles hurried past them, seemingly unable to see the pub at all, or instinctively avoiding it even when they did.
“Is this the place?” Charles stared incredulously at the establishment, so completely different from the environments he was accustomed to, his brows tightly furrowed.
William looked around curiously, while Harry clung tightly to his mother’s hand.
“That’s right.” Dumbledore’s voice came from beside them.
Today, he had changed into a plainer robe, making him look more like a uniquely dressed elderly scholar.
“Welcome to the Leaky Cauldron, the gateway to Britain’s magical commercial center.”
He led them into the dim, noisy pub.
Several oddly shaped patrons looked up, and when they saw Dumbledore, they all nodded in greeting.
Their eyes then swept over the well-dressed family behind him, revealing undisguised surprise and curiosity.
The pub’s owner, Tom, hurried over while wiping his hands.
“Professor Dumbledore! And these people are…?”
“Good morning, Tom. A few curious visitors here to see Diagon Alley,” Dumbledore said amiably, skillfully avoiding a direct introduction.
They passed through the small courtyard behind the pub.
Dumbledore drew his wand and tapped a particular sequence of bricks on the wall.
The bricks immediately began rotating and sliding apart.
An archway appeared in the center and gradually grew larger, eventually forming a broad passage that opened onto a winding cobblestone street.
Strange shops of every kind lined both sides of the street, while crowds bustled everywhere, creating a lively atmosphere.
“Welcome to Diagon Alley.” Dumbledore turned around and smiled.
The sight before them left the Royal Family speechless.
Diana covered her mouth with one hand.
Charles’s eyes widened.
William let out a short, “Wow!” while Harry completely hid behind his mother, peeking out with only one eye.
Henry, on the other hand, looked completely unfazed.
Tall, crooked shops were crammed together, their windows displaying all kinds of unbelievable products: spellbooks that kept jumping on their own, telescopes that slowly revolved, cauldrons emitting strange smoke, and even a shop with cages hanging outside its entrance, containing owls, brightly feathered birds, and small lizards that occasionally breathed fire.
Witches and wizards in robes walked back and forth.
Some carried towering bundles on their heads, while others brought along strange pets that bounced and hopped beside them.
The sky was not the familiar gray of London, but a clear, transparent blue, with several owls leisurely flying overhead.
“This… really is…” Charles could not find the right words.
“Unbelievable,” Diana finished softly.
Besides shock, a hazy fascination gradually appeared in her eyes as she became captivated by the pure fantasy surrounding her.
Yes, magic really was amazing.
Their appearance soon attracted attention.
Although they were dressed as Muggles, Charles and Diana were simply too recognizable, especially with Dumbledore personally accompanying them.
Whispers spread like ripples through the crowd.
Some people stared wide-eyed, others desperately rubbed their eyes, and reporters from the Daily Prophet seemed to have smelled the biggest news imaginable.
They excitedly tried to push their way over, only to be stopped by a kindly glance from Dumbledore.
“So this is the magical world? My goodness…” Diana looked around, unable to stop marveling.
Henry’s two foolish little brothers were equally astonished.
Charles, meanwhile, was also amazed and curious, but he was still doing his best to maintain his composure.
Their first stop on their trip through Diagon Alley was Gringotts.
It was a building that towered over everything around it, its massive bronze doors tightly shut.
The figures standing beside the entrance made Charles’s gaze tighten slightly—they were not human.
They were short, with dark complexions, finely tailored scarlet uniforms trimmed with gold, pointed ears, and even stranger faces.
They were the goblin guards of Gringotts.
“Gringotts Wizarding Bank,” Dumbledore’s gentle voice sounded from beside them, as though he were introducing a tourist attraction, though his blue eyes carefully observed everyone’s reactions.
“The primary financial institution of the magical world. I believe arranging some necessary financial matters for His Royal Highness Henry should be our first priority today. After all, the purchases that follow will all require magical currency.”
They climbed the broad white-stone steps under the watchful eyes of the goblin guards.
At the entrance to the grand hall, a goblin wearing a small nameplate was already waiting for them.
The nameplate read: “Griphook.”
“Esteemed Professor Dumbledore, and distinguished guests,” he said with a courteous bow.
“Welcome to Gringotts. What business may we assist you with?”
“Open a vault for the young Prince Henry, and exchange some Galleons for his expenses in the magical world,” Dumbledore said concisely.
Griphook’s black eyes moved over Henry before sweeping across Charles and Diana.
“In accordance with the International Statute of Secrecy and the ancient agreements reached between Gringotts and the relevant parties, our bank does not accept or store Muggle currency directly. For new Hogwarts students, Gringotts also imposes limits on currency exchange. Both the opening of an account and currency exchange must be conducted using assets recognized by the bank.”
Dumbledore had already mentioned this point to them beforehand, so they had come prepared.
“If gold is provided as the asset, would that meet your bank’s requirements?” Charles asked.
Griphook’s pointed ears twitched.
“Gold is one of the eternal currencies recognized by Gringotts, provided its purity and origin meet our standards. Please, follow me.”
They were led into the magnificent yet austere marble hall.
Beneath the towering vaulted ceiling, hundreds of goblins sat behind long counters.
Some were buried in ledgers, while others were still weighing gemstones on scales.
Numerous wizarding customers were conducting their business there.
When they saw Dumbledore and this group of unusually distinguished visitors, especially when they recognized Charles and Diana, astonishment and whispers instantly spread through the hall.
Griphook led them into a relatively private reception room, where magical tapestries depicting ancient goblin financial transactions hung on the walls.
Charles wasted no time on pleasantries and went straight to the point.
“We would like to open an independent vault for Henry with the highest possible level of security and classification. At the same time, we need to exchange some Galleons for his use today. We have brought some gold.”
He took out a pouch and placed it on the table.
Dumbledore had given it to him the previous day.
It was a pouch enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm, containing several large chests.
The goblins took out the chests and opened them.
Inside were neatly stacked gold bars, gleaming with a soft radiance beneath the lights.