Soon, Shuxin saw the filthy pub, the Leaky Cauldron. It was indeed filthy and dilapidated.
"Only wizards can see this place; Muggles just see a brick wall," Professor Snape walked straight in, practically by way of explanation to Shuxin.
The noisy pub suddenly fell deathly quiet. Even the bartender did not greet Professor Snape.
Professor Snape: "Keep up."
Professor Snape walked through the pub to the end of a small alley—or rather, not quite an alley, more like a small courtyard.
Professor Snape pointed his wand at a trash barrel in the corner. "Starting from this barrel, count up three bricks, then two bricks to the right, and tap twice with your wand."
A magical gateway swung open before them.
Shuxin: "Professor, when I come back next time, will this barrel still be here? What if whoever cleans up doesn't put it back in the right spot?"
Professor Snape: "When I was a student, this barrel was right here, and not a single thing has changed."
"Don't wizards ever play pranks? Like when the bartender refuses to give out candy?" Shuxin made a small joke.
Professor Snape: "This barrel and this wall both possess powerful magic. They have existed for many years, and I have never heard of anyone being able to move them—perhaps Dumbledore could."
Professor Snape: "Stop letting your mind wander. We are going to Gringotts to collect your assistance fund."
"Oh." Shuxin glanced back at the wall, which had already returned to its original appearance. "Professor, you haven't told me which brick to tap when I want to leave."
Professor Snape: "That white building, the tallest one, is Gringotts. Their masters are a race of goblins. Remember this well: never underestimate a goblin."
"Oh, I understand." Shuxin looked at Gringotts, its snowy-white structure standing out like a crane among chickens.
Inscribed on either side of the doors were words that roughly translated to: These riches are mine, do not cast greedy eyes upon my gold.
"Give him your acceptance letter. The one with your name on it," Professor Snape said, handing the goblin a slip of paper as well.
It must have been some kind of instructions or voucher.
Shuxin stepped up to the counter and handed it to an elderly goblin.
Goblin: "Luna Field, you are a poverty-certified student recognized by Hogwarts, eligible to apply for 20 Galleons each academic year."
The goblin pulled out a pouch that looked utterly filthy. Shuxin took it and counted—there were indeed twenty, earning a look of disdain from the goblin.
"Sir, can I exchange British pounds for Galleons here?" Mary had given her plenty of pounds before she left, and without money, she couldn't take a single step.
"Five pounds for one Galleon, with a maximum exchange of 20 Galleons a year," the goblin looked somewhat displeased. "If you have money, why are you still applying for the assistance fund? Greedy humans."
Shuxin ignored him entirely, counted out 100 pounds, and received another filthy pouch in return. As usual, she counted—twenty coins.
"Miss Field, would you like to open a vault with us?" Thinking that the person in front of him now possessed 40 Galleons, the goblin flashed Shuxin his first smile of the day, though it was hideous beyond words.
Shuxin: "No, thank you, I don't need one. I won't have much left after I finish my shopping. Professor, let's go, we still have a lot of things to buy."
Professor Snape: "We will go to Flourish and Blotts to buy your books first, then go get your wand."
Shuxin: "Professor, does Flourish and Blotts sell secondhand books?"
Professor Snape: "Your money is quite sufficient; there is no need to buy secondhand books." He himself had only bought secondhand books for his first year; after that, the potions he brewed himself were enough to pay for brand-new books.
"I didn't mean it like that, Professor," Shuxin explained. "Professor, you know I come from Hua Guo. Back when I first met Mary, she asked me if I wanted to eat roasted steak, and I couldn't understand a single word. Mary and the others taught me starting from the twenty-six letters."
Shuxin: "Surprising, isn't it? Mary and the others are really wonderful people." So, Dumbledore, you really went too far!
Shuxin: "The books I've always used belonged to Jason, Mary's son. There are lots of little things drawn in the margins—a little cat, a little dog, or childish phrases like 'carrots taste awful.' But I have to admit, those little things are what led me to understand England."
"Let's go, keep up." Professor Snape changed direction.
Secondhand Shop.
Well, the name was simple enough to ensure no one would mistake it, and the level of dilapidation rivaled the Leaky Cauldron.
There were all sorts of things inside: battered wands, unbalanced scales and weights, patched robes, and books.
Secondhand Shop Owner: "Aha, long time no see, respected Potion Master Professor Snape. I've only got secondhand junk here—to think there'd actually be something a Potion Master needs. I'll definitely have an extra drink tonight." The shopkeeper's hair was messy, and his tone carried a hint of sarcasm.
Shuxin: "Professor, could you help me choose? I can't make head or tail of these."
Professor Snape gave Shuxin at least a glare, completely ignoring the shopkeeper.
True to his reputation as a top student, even after all these years, Professor Snape managed to pick out relatively intact books with mostly accurate records—all the textbooks from first year to second year, except for *Magical Drafts and Potions*.
"I'll go back and find my old copy of *Magical Drafts and Potions*, mine is better," Professor Snape said with a trace of pride. They were all used books, but how could anyone else's compare to his?
"Boss, tally up the total," Shuxin said. "Professor, is there a shrinking spell? There are so many, it'll be hard to carry them back."
Secondhand Shop Owner: "That will be 1 Galleon and 8 Sickles, young lady. Are you a first-year student?"
Shuxin pulled out two Galleons directly without replying, a reaction that greatly pleased Professor Snape.
Pocketing the 9 Sickles of change and the books, which had now shrunk small enough to fit into a pocket, the two prepared to buy a wand.
Along the way, they passed Magical Menagerie.
Professor Snape: "Do you want an owl or a cat? We can buy it first and pick it up on our way back."
"Thank you, Professor, but can I not have either? They shed fur." The school had plenty of owls; they could use those for sending letters.
Magical Menagerie Clerk: "How about the young lady buys a toad? Toads have high magic resistance, and you can practice all sorts of charms on them. Won't the young lady come inside and take a look?"
Shuxin and Snape walked straight past without paying the clerk any mind. Recommending a toad to such a cute little girl—was his head full of bouncy balls?
Ollivander's Wand Shop
This shop was small and shabby, the peeling gold letters on the sign barely legible: Ollivander: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC.
Honestly, apart from Gringotts gleaming with gold, everything else was crumbling and worn.
When Shuxin arrived, there was already a young boy inside, accompanied by his mother.
Blonde Woman: "Professor Snape, taking a first-year shopping this year as well? Oh my, what a cute little girl."
Shuxin: "Thank you for the compliment, madam, you are very beautiful as well." The woman was indeed quite striking; even out of direct sunlight, her blonde hair seemed to shimmer, and her delicate features contrasted sharply with the rundown shop.
Hearing his mother speak, the boy in front turned around, too hurried to greet the future professor before Ollivander yanked him back.
Good heavens, it was an absolute disaster. Ever since Shuxin arrived, he had tried no less than ten wands, and every single one caused destruction in the shop—it was a horrific sight.
"I am so very sorry, Terry is a bit particular," the beautiful mother said, looking rather embarrassed.
"Mrs. Boot, the wand chooses the wizard; a particular customer often achieves greatness," Ollivander disagreed.
Ollivander: "Try this one instead, I guarantee it will suit you. Ash, unicorn hair tail, eleven inches long."
Sure enough, this time the boy named Terry Boot broke into a delighted smile. "Yes, thank you, sir."
Ollivander: "That will be 7 Galleons. The wand chooses the wizard, my boy. You'll make an excellent scholar, just like your father."
There was no denying that Ollivander knew how to flatter a customer. "And what is this charming young lady's name?"
"Luna Field, sir." Shuxin nodded to Boot and walked up to the counter.
"Which arm do you use for your wand?" Ollivander picked up a long tape measure stamped with silver markings.
"My right arm, thank you," Shuxin said, extending her right arm.
"Just hold it up," he said, and began taking measurements.
...
"Must you do this, sir?" When the tape measure began measuring the distance between her nostrils, Shuxin couldn't help taking a step back.
Ollivander: "Of course, Miss Field. Every Ollivander wand holds powerful magical substance, which is its very essence. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and dragon heartstrings. No two Ollivander wands are alike, just as there are no two identical unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes."
Ollivander: "Try this one. Hazel wood, dragon heartstring, nine and three-quarter inches."
Shuxin took the wand, feeling a strange surge of power travel up her arm and out through the tip of the wand.
"Crash!" The boxes on the opposite shelf collapsed.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that." Shuxin didn't feel particularly embarrassed; compared to the boy just before her, this was nothing.
Ollivander: "How about this one? Laurel wood, unicorn hair tail, nine and a quarter inches."
This time, the feeling was entirely different. The same surge of power washed over her, but it made Shuxin feel wonderfully comfortable, like drinking iced cola on a scorching summer day.
Ollivander: "You and this wand will be good partners. That will be 7 Galleons."
"Oh, thank you, sir." Though the remark wasn't particularly flattering, Shuxin was quite fond of the wand.
"Your name is Luna too? I heard you say that just now." Seeing that Shuxin had also bought her desired wand, Boot walked over. "Hello, my name is Terry Boot."
"Hello, Mr. Boot. Yes, my name is Luna, Luna Field." Shuxin almost didn't react in time; over the past two days, both Dumbledore and Professor Snape had pretty much exclusively called her Miss Field.
"I know a girl named Luna too. Luna Lovegood," Boot said with a smile. "She's a year younger than us and won't come to Hogwarts until next year. Do you know *The Quibbler*? Her father is the editor-in-chief."
Shuxin: "What a coincidence. I don't know *The Quibbler* yet; I come from the Muggle world. But I'll subscribe to it later—this must be fate."
Shuxin remembered there seemed to be a rather eccentric girl later on; to think she shared the exact same name—how depressing.
Shuxin: "To avoid confusion, you can call me Field, or just call me Shuxin. My family all call me Shuxin. May I call you Terry?"
"Of course you can, cute Miss Field." Mrs. Boot interrupted their conversation. "My dear Terry, say goodbye to your friend, we still have plenty of things to buy."
Seeing Professor Snape's expression growing darker and more forbidding by the second, Mrs. Boot felt obliged to break them up; she was afraid he might hold a grudge against her son later on.
Shuxin also caught the unfriendly glare Professor Snape was shooting her. "Sorry, Professor. See you at school, Terry. Goodbye, Mrs. Boot."
The leaf-blower was deployed once more—time to buy clothes.
Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions
"Buy your clothes here and wait for me inside. I am going to buy your other supplies," Professor Snape's tone lacked even the warmth it had before.
"Alright, Professor," Shuxin nodded obediently. "Professor, can I buy two pairs of protective dragon-hide gloves?"
Professor Snape: "One pair is quite enough."
Shuxin: "I mean... I'd like to take a pair back for Mary. May I, Professor?"
Professor Snape turned and strode off like a walking storm, but Shuxin knew that meant he had agreed.
Shuxin: "Hello, madam. Three plain black work robes, two black work robes with minor decorations for daily wear, one plain black pointed hat, one alternate-style wizard's hat, and one black winter cloak with silver clasps."
"You'd like two extra decorated black work robes and an extra wizard's hat?" Madam Malkin had Shuxin stand on a stool and began pinning the fabric to fit her height.
Shuxin: "Yes, madam. I come from the Muggle world and don't know much about wizarding preferences, so I'm troubling you to help."
Madam Malkin: "Alright, no problem at all. Was that Professor Snape just now? It's rare to see him bring out a first-year student. His classes are very strict, and he might look a bit frightening, but he's actually a very good person. You'll see once you spend more time with him."
Shuxin: "Yes, madam. The professor has been very patient, telling me all about the wizarding world along the way and helping me a great deal. I'm very grateful to him. He's a wonderful professor."
"All done, little cutie, come take a look. These three are the plain ones." Madam Malkin proudly shook out the other two.
Madam Malkin: "I've added subtle embroidered patterns to both of these. Take a look, do you like them?"
Both robes were black, accented with silver embroidery in two different floral patterns that Shuxin couldn't quite identify. The embellishments were simple, featuring brooches in different styles.
"I love them very much, madam. You are so clever with your hands." Shuxin genuinely liked them, and at least she didn't have to look at a goblin's scowl when spending money outside.
Shuxin accepted the hat, which didn't seem all that different from ordinary hats.
Other customers were entering the shop, so Shuxin decided to step outside and wait for Professor Snape. Fortunately, Madam Malkin had kindly shrunk all the clothes down for her.
Still, this highlighted the difference in magical skill: Professor Snape had been able to stack all her books together and shrink them to half the size of a palm, whereas Madam Malkin's clothes were each larger than a palm.
Shuxin stood at the doorway, looking around and taking in Diagon Alley.
It was certainly bustling, with pedestrians coming and going everywhere, each shop thriving on its own trade.
Yet there were virtually no duplicate shops, which indirectly suggested that the wizarding population wasn't actually very large.
Professor Snape returned promptly, not keeping Shuxin waiting long. They passed through the Leaky Cauldron and returned to London.
Ah, Professor Snape had indeed answered her question on the way there: the same barrel, the same count of three up and two across, two taps.
Well, whether you unlocked the door from the inside or the outside, the keyhole was bound to be in the exact same spot.
Shuxin found Mary and Tom at the spot where they had parted ways that morning. Despite Mary's enthusiastic pleas for him to stay, Professor Snape Apparated away, leaving Shuxin with a train ticket before he went.
Shuxin desperately wanted to say: Professor, you still haven't told me how to find Platform Nine and Three-Quarters!
"Shuxin, why did you buy all secondhand books? Was your money tight?" Mary asked in astonishment. "I told you to bring more cash, but you wouldn't listen."
Shuxin: "No, Mary, the money was plenty, and I have loads left over. I bought secondhand books on purpose because they usually have little notes and comments written about the magical world in the margins, just like Jason's books."
"There's one new book here: *A History of Magic Development in the Twentieth Century*," Tom opened the first page. "*Wishing you a pleasant journey into the magical world. Severus Snape.*"
Tom: "Shuxin, was this a gift from Professor Snape this morning? He wishes you a pleasant journey."
Shuxin took the book from Tom's hands and looked at Professor Snape's inscription. She truly was a lucky child.
There were so many things to carry back that the three of them had to make several trips. Shuxin felt numb—if it was this exhausting now, how on earth were they going to haul everything onto the train? This was going to be miserable.
Buying things is a thrill; lugging them all back is a disaster.
"Don't worry, Tom will drive you to the station," Mary comforted her. Today, Mary had been the one doing most of the spending.
Shuxin handed the remaining pounds over to Mary and pulled out her notebook to start keeping accounts.
Ever since Mary mentioned taking Shuxin to school in September, Shuxin had prepared this notebook to record every single expense, big or small.
Meals and lodging weren't included; Mary felt that since Shuxin helped out around the shop—which was the original agreement—and even taught Mary how to cook Chinese food (even if they were just home-cooked dishes), that was enough.
The remaining time before school started was spent studying magical textbooks. Shuxin concentrated on memorizing *One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi* and read through *A History of Magic Development in the Twentieth Century*.
Time flew by. On the very last day of August, an owl delivered a parcel.
It was from Professor Snape. Inside the parcel was a slip of paper: *Platform Nine and Three-Quarters is between platforms nine and ten. There is a solid barrier there, walk straight through it. Severus Snape.*