CHAPTER FIVE
DIAGON ALLEY
Harry woke early the next morning. Although he could tell it was
Daylight, he kept his eyes shut tight.
“It was a dream, he told himself firmly. “I dreamed a giant called
Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a school for wizards. When I open
My eyes I’ll be at home in my cupboard.”
There was suddenly a loud tapping noise.
And there’s Aunt Petunia knocking on the door, Harry thought, his heart
Sinking. But he still didn’t open his eyes. It had been such a good
Dream.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
“All right,” Harry mumbled, “I’m getting up.”
He sat up and Hagrid’s heavy coat fell off him. The hut was full of
Sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed
Sofa, and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper
Held in its beak.
Harry scrambled to his feet, so happy he felt as though a large balloon
Was swelling inside him. He went straight to the window and jerked it
Open. The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who
Didn’t wake up. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to
Attack Hagrid’s coat.
“Don’t do that.”
Harry tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak
Fiercely at him and carried on savaging the coat.
“Hagrid!” said Harry loudly. “There’s an owl
“Pay him,” Hagrid grunted into the sofa.
“What?”
“He wants payin’ fer deliverin’ the paper. Look in the pockets.”
Hagrid’s coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets – bunches of
Keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags…
Finally, Harry pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins.
“Give him
five Knuts,” said Hagrid sleepily.
“Knuts?”
“The little bronze ones.”
Harry counted out five little bronze coins, and the owl held out his leg
So Harry could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then
He flew off through the open window.
Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up, and stretched.
“Best be Off, Harry, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an’ buy
All yer stuff fer school.”
Harry was turning over the wizard coins and looking at them. He had just
Thought of something that made him feel as though the happy balloon
Inside him had got a puncture.
“Um – Hagrid?”
“Mm?” said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots.
“I haven’t got any money – and you heard Uncle Vernon last night… he
Won’t pay for me to go and learn magic.”
“Don’t worry about that,” said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his
Head. “D’yeh think yer parents didn’t leave yeh anything?”
“But if their house was destroyed – “
“They didn’ keep their gold in the house, boy! Nah, first stop fer us is
Gringotts. Wizards’ bank. Have a sausage, they’re not bad cold – an’ I
Wouldn’ say no teh a bit o’ yer birthday cake, neither.”
“Wizards have banks?”
“Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins.”
Harry dropped the bit of sausage he was holding.
“Goblins?”
“Yeah – so yeh’d be mad ter try an’ rob it, I’ll tell yeh that. Never
Mess with goblins, Harry. Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer
Anything yeh want ter keep safe – ‘cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o’
Fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts
Business.” Hagrid drew himself up proudly. “He usually gets me ter do
Important stuff fer him. Fetchin’ you gettin’ things from Gringotts –
Knows he can trust me, see.
“Got everythin’? Come on, then.”
Harry followed Hagrid out onto the rock. The sky was quite clear now and
The sea gleamed in the sunlight.
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