Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Year One ❯ Diagon Alley ( Chapter 5 )

"Eep! What ARE they?" Kagome asked and jumped backward in fright.

"Uh, goblins, maybe?" Kurama suggested, not sure himself

"Hn." Hiei snorted and walked up to one.

"Ask for help at the front desk." the thing sneered.

"What are you?" Hiei growled, and drew his sword. he then pointed the tip of it a centimeter from the thing's nose.

"Goblin!" the goblin squeaked.

"Hiei, put your sword away."Kurama said.

"Hn." Hiei answered, but put his sword back in its sheath.

The goblin scurried away as soon as the sword was away from his face.

"Come on. I see a free goblin over there." Kurama said, pointing to one at a desk.

Kurama and Hiei immediately walked toward it, Kagome following cautiously behind, looking around. She did not like these creatures.

"Key?" the goblin asked as soon as they approached

"Uh, what key?" Kurama asked, startled.

"The key to your vault." the goblin answered in a bored tone.

Kagome snapped her fingers right when Hiei put his hand on his sword hilt.

"You mean something like this?" she asked and pulled out a small, golden key.

"Yes, exactly what I mean. Do you gentlemen have one?" the goblin drawled.

"Hn." Hiei said and pulled two golden keys from his pocket. Kurama didn't want to think how he acquired his own key.

"Hornook!" the goblin called, surprising Kagome and Kurama, and they jumped in the air.

"Show these *humans* to the vaults." the goblin at the desk said to another goblin that had appeared next to Kurama. Hiei growled at the word 'human,' Kagome glanced at him, as did Kurama. But Kurama then continued glaring at the goblin at the desk.

Then all three of them walked after the goblin called Hornook through another doorway.

Kagome was surprised as she saw not more marble, but just dirt.

Kurama relaxed as he saw dirt. He was getting apprehensive with all the endless marble. If someone attacked, he would have to use most of his energy to break through the hard rock.

"Is this a roller coaster or something?" Kagome asked as she saw the cart on a track.

"A what?" Hornook asked her.

"Never mind." Kagome sighed, realizing someone from the magical world, especially a goblin, wouldn't know what a roller coaster was.

Hornook just shrugged. "Get in the cart." he said.

"Why?" Hiei asked.

"So we can get down to the vaults." the goblin replied slowly, as if Hiei was mentally slow.

Hiei growled at the goblin, but followed Kurama and Kagome into the cart anyway.

"How do you steer this?" Kurama asked.

"You don't" Hornook replied casually.

"WHAT?!" Kagome yelled.

"You can't steer a cart. I'd advise you to sit down, miss." Hornook said again.

"Do as he says, Kagome. I think that cart is moving." Kurama said, tugging on her arm.

'When did I stand?' Kagome thought, but sat down angrily between Kurama dn the side of the cart.

"Eeek!" Kagome screeched as the cart gave a lurch and started down what seemed to be a VERY big hill. Kagome thought that she was lucky she couldn't actually see how far down it really was.

Hiei sat calmly, or emotionless, however you look at it. He was remembering a fight he had with a demon a few years ago, and had rolled off a cliff. He had his sword at the time, so he stopped himself by sticking it in the rock face. He then climbed back up. The demon, however, wasn't that lucky. This wasn't any worse tan that experience, and he was only six at that time.

"Here we are!" Hornook called after hundreds of twists and turns, ups and downs. He seemed unfazed by the ride, Kagome noted.

"This is the miss's vault." Hornook said and took out Kagome's golden key.

"This is mine?" Kagome asked as Hornook opened her vault. She hadn't ever had more than twenty dollars in her pocket at a time. She now saw two piles of god, a pile of silver, and three piles of bronze coins.

"What coins are these?" Kurama asked, looking at a bronze coin.

"That's a Knut you have there, sir. The gold ones are Galleons, the silver are called Sickles. Twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, seventeen Sickles to a Galleon. Very simple, really." Hornook replied.

*Ever heard of the coins, fox?* Hiei asked in telepathy.

*Yes, actually. I had some coins transported here...* Kurama replied for Youko, who was telling Hiei the story of how he 'met' the wizard.

"Grab a few bags of coins, and we'll be on our way." Hornook said to Kagome.

"Can you cash dollars for Galleons?" Kagome asked.

"Yes, you'll have to make the trade at the desk above, though." Hornook replied as the cart started moving again.

'My vault is halfway empty already. I'll have to get a job.' Kagome thought.

"This here is the redheaded sir's." Hornook called out after the cart stopped.

Hornook put Kurama's key in place and opened the vault door.

"Wow." Kagome gasped.

The walls glittered with gold. Jewels and precious stones were heaped everywhere. No space was empty of either gold, silver, or bronze coins, and some were jewels that could shine in the darkest night.

*How much stealing did you do?* Hiei asked.

*I guess a lot.* Kurama replied, himself awe struck at the sight of the glittering gold and jewels. Suddenly, Kurama felt embarrassed as he remembered Kagome's vault. He quickly put a little in his bag and scrambled back in the cart.

~Aren't you glad I do that type of work~ Youko said to Kurama as everyone else climbed into the cart after him.

~I would rather you have done an honest job instead.~ Kurama replied.

~Boring, you mean.~ Youko yawned.

~Only to a thief~ Kurama shot back.

~Being a thief takes skill~ Youko defended.

~Who needs that kind of skill?~ Kurama asked him

~...~

~Exactly~ Kurama said victoriously

"Here we are! Last stop. Emotionless sir's vault." Hornook said.

While Kurama and Youko were arguing, the cart had already moved to Hiei's vault.

Kagome giggled at Hornook's comment on Hiei. She thought it funny, but Hiei scowled at the goblin.

Hiei walked inside his vault, with silence. No one outside spoke either, for Hiei's vault was pitch black. You couldn't see a thing. Nothing sparkled in the shadows. It almost looked like a never ending tunnel.

When Hiei came out again a few minutes later, Kurama noticed that his bags were full as well. It seemed Hiei had done his share of stealing as well.

~It's a common profession~ Youko said.

~So why follow the crowd?~ Kurama asked sarcastically.

~There aren't many as good as I am, if any~ Youko prided smugly. ~They're trying to follow in my footsteps. I have to be there to lead them~

Kurama gave up the argument.

'I think somewhere it says arguing with yourself is bad for your health.' Kurama thought.

~Only in your mind~ Youko replied before fading once again in Kurama's mind. "Finally!" Kagome said as they got out fo the cart at the top.

Kurama smiled at her statement. He, too, was not fond of traveling around in a cart in the dark.

They stepped back out onto the busy street again.

"You made the right choice, Suichi." Kagome said.

"Why is that?" Kurama asked confused. He hadn't made a choice, had he?

"We now have money to buy our school stuff!" Kagome said happily and started walking down the street.

"Mental note." Kagome said out loud. "Go to Gringotts first."

"Hn. A mental note is supposed to stay inside your head." Hiei scoffed.

"Well aren't we a ray of sunshine?" Kagome said sarcastically.

Kurama coughed, trying to cover his laughter. Hiei? A ray of sunshine? (I thought it was funny ^^)

"What's Gringotts, Kagome?" Kurama asked her as soon as he recovered.

"That marble building we just came out of. The name is engraved above the door." Kagome said.

Kurama turned around to look back at the building.

"Oh." he said as Hiei snorted.

"Shall we try here?" Kurama asked, as he felt Suichi exclaim at the sight.

"Figures." Hiei muttered as the three went into the bookshop.

"Hello! Welcome to Flourish and Blotts. How may I help you today?" asked a man behind the counter.

"We're going to Hogwarts!" Kagome chirped (odd...)

"May I see your school list, ma'am?" the man asked.

"School list?" Kurama asked.

"Should be inside the letter you got." the man replied.

"Oh! I found it." Kagome said, pulling out a piece of paper.

Kurama and Hiei soon did as well.

"Ok, miss! Will you please read me your list?" the man asked.

"Uh, ok.

Course Books: 'The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)' by Miranda Goshawk"

The man put three books on the counter.

"'A History of Magic' by Bathilda Bagshot 'Magical Theory' by Albert Waffling 'A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration' by Emeric Switch 'One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi' by Phyllida Spave 'Magical Drafts and Potions' by Arsenius Jigger 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' by Newt Scamander 'The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection' by Quentin Trimble" Kagome finished

"Well, there you go. By the way, I'm Hojo." Hojo said as he put three huge piles of books on the counter.

"I'm Kagome, this is Suichi, and that's Hiei." Kagome said, still browsing the books on the shelves. She soon disappeared into the bookshelves.

"Hey, is she your girlfriend?" Hojo asked Kurama.

"What? Oh no. She isn't." Kurama said quickly denying it.

"Oh, ok then." Hojo said, immediately brightening.

Kurama then disappeared also, but quickly coming back with two more books on plants.

Somewhere during that time, Hiei had come back with a book too. Kurama tried to catch the title, then wished he hadn't.

Hiei was holding a book call, '101 Ways to Cursing Muggles' by Blacint Bloodcul.

Kagome soon came back, carrying a book called 'Hogwarts, A History' Kagome looked at Hiei's book, then asked, "What's a muggle?"

"A muggle? Someone with no magic. Ordinary, in a sense." Hojo answered her as the three payed for their books.

As he handed Kagome her books, he asked her a question.

"Hey, do you want to go out some time or something?"

Kagome froze.

Hiei and Kurama both narrowed their eyes at the boy. He hardly knew her and he was asking her out? And she was just 10?

"I don't know you." Kagome politely protested.

"Exactly! We should get to know each other better." Hojo said.

"I'll have to get back to you on that. Shall we go, guys?" Kagome said politely and turned to Kurama and Hiei, bags of books in her hands.

Kurama nodded and followed Kagome and Hiei out the door, casting one last glance at Hojo.

Hojo went to the back room to begin his one of many love letters to send to Hogwarts, addressed to a Kagome.

******

"Where to now?" Kagome asked happily to Hiei and Kurama.

"How about there?" Kurama asked and pointed to a shop with a sign over it that said, Apothecary.

"Uh, sure." Kagome said and walked into the dark shop.

"What smells?" Kagome asked and covered her nose.

Kurama and Hiei smelled it too, unfortunately even stronger with their powerful noses. The smell of rotten eggs flooded everyone's nose.

They all bought their phials, scales, and cauldrons at the shop, and came out as quickly as they could. They gasped for fresh air, even Hiei, yet it wasn't as obvious as Kurama or Kagome's show of it.

"Wands, next?" Kurama asked. "Sure. There's a wand shop over there." Kagome pointed. "Ollivanders." she said.

They walked inside the musty old shop, for Kurama had seen a sign that said- Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.

Kurama thought the building might fall down on them, for it was very old, and definitely looked its age.

A small bell rang as they went inside, and on old man came out. He looked as old as the building itself.

"Hmm. Ah yes! Higurashi! I wondered when I would be seeing you." the old man said to Kagome.

"Umm. Do I know you?" Kagome asked, trying to remember if she'd ever seen this man before in her life.

"No, but I know you. I am Mr. Ollivander. Come, come, I know the perfect wand for you." Mr. Ollivander said and disappeared into the back room.

He soon came out again with a dusty box.

"Redwood, 12 1/3 inches. Dragon scales, teeth, as well as a heart string. Try, try!" Mr. Ollivander coaxed.

Kagome felt ridiculous as she waved the wand around.

"No, no, no. I wonder..." Mr. Ollivander said, snatching the wand out of her hand.

"Hmm. Oh! Wrong box. Here, here," Mr. Ollivander said, coming back with another box.

"Again, redwood, 11 inches, though. Dragon heart-string, scales, and teeth." Mr. Ollivander said, handing the wand to Kagome.

Kurama didn't think anything would happen, as it was only a shorter wand.

When Kagome waved it however, blue sparks shot out and danced around her as she giggled.

"Yes, yes. Now for you sir." Mr. Ollivander said to Hiei. Hiei snorted.

"Here, try this. Yew, 13