"RIGHT THIS WAY, KIDS," Mr. Sim called.

    "Uhm. . .excuse me—"

    "Pardon me."

    "Hey!"

    "Sorry. . ."

    "C'mon, Daniel, hold my hand."

    The five children, petite to the grown wizards and witches, made huge attempts on weaving their way through.

    Jake wasn't at all against this, traveling to the Alley the long way, unlike his sister and Sunoo, but he wasn't very fond of it. Unfortunately, they had run out of Floo Powder, so they couldn't have traveled through the Network.

    "Is this suppose to be Diagon Alley?" Lo asked with a sour face, "We usually just take the Apparation station to get there back in the Ministry. Why couldn't we have just taken that?!"

    Jake placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. "What is this place anyway, Dad?" Jake asked instead calmly.

    "This is the Leaky Cauldron," The elder man answered jollily, "I wanted you kids to be familiar with what you're gonna be going through for the next years."

    "Is this in Diagon Alley then?" Sunoo asks.

    "No, it isn't," Daniel answered instead, "From what I've read, this is a bar and partly a hotel, for witches and wizards of all kinds to take refuge, for rest and food, I suppose."

    "It's also visible to Muggles, from what I've heard," Jake added.

    "Then why aren't there any?" Sunoo asks.

"You really seem to be clueless," Jungwon commented then explained, "It's visible to Muggles, but it is spelled to not be really visible."

    Sunoo still looked deeply puzzled at Jungwon.

    The latter frowned. "Well. . .to understand better, Muggles can see it, but the bar is spelled not to get their attention. Like how you would order to a waitress, and yet. . .you'd still forget how she looks like," Jungwon explained as best as he can to both Sunoo and Lo (who looked like *pikachu face*).

    "It's quite a famous place," grinned Daniel excitedly.

    "For a very famous place, it's pretty dark and shabby," said Sunoo sarcastically. Jake saw him and Lo look everywhere in the tiny, grubby-looking pub with a hint of disgust.

    Jungwon frowned at him. Daniel sighed heavily. Lo sniggered. And Jake shushed her.

    "Oh. . .then. . .when will we get to the Alley?" Lo asked, looking back to Mr. Sim.

    "You'll just have to follow me," he replied in a hush tone, passing a group of old witches in the corner, drinking sherry.

    Jake continued to follow his dad across the pub and behind him Lo, Jungwon, Sunoo, and Daniel followed — but the buzz of chatter had seemed to stop as different wizards and witches anchored their eyes at Jake and his friends.

    "Why are they staring at us?" Jake heard Lo whisper close to his ear, she shuffled close to him.

    Just as Jake opened his mouth to tell his sister how clueless he was as her—the barman, bald, stout, and white as a ghost, rushed towards him and clasped his hand.
"Aren't you Jake Sim?" whispered the man, as if he could be close to tears.

    Jake's eyes widened at the sudden action but nodded nonetheless. The old man let go in shock and awe, leaving Jake and his friends beyond confused.

    "What's up with that geezer?" Sunoo whispered to Jungwon. The latter shrugged. Daniel looked at them both with disapproval at their rudeness.

    "Aren't those Kim Sunoo and Kim Daniel?" Jake heard the whispers (both Sunoo and Daniel turned their heads in surprise) but he can only catch so few:

    "One of the Chosen Ones, I've heard."

    "Only could be one though, they said."

    "Heard the rest were all spotted around the Alley!"

    "Blimey! That many? All at once?!"

    "I've heard they'd be attending Hogwarts this year for their first year."

    "Of course Hogwarts!"

    Before Jake could catch on a few more, an old witch had suddenly seized Jungwon's hands and shook them tremendously that Jungwon had been shaking.

    "Yang Jungwon! It's an honor to meet you!" exclaimed the old witch in delight

    Jungwon smiled politely, "Um. . .pleasure's all mine, ma'am." However, he retreated his hand awkwardly.

    All of a sudden, Jake had been flanked in all directions by witches and wizards who wanted to shake his hand, magic an image of him, even ask what toothpaste he uses — he swore he saw at least some of them fall off their seats in excitement.

    He had gone out many times before, and there were always people grinning at him or tipping their hats merrily his way, but it never had gone this far. Had this all been some huge joke once you've received a letter to Hogwarts?

    Jake couldn't memorize all the names each wizard told he owned or every cats' that witches shared. He swore that one of the wizards in ridiculous yellow robes kept coming back to shake his hand more.
    He tried to usher his way, searching for Lo, who had only been grasping his sleeve tightly not moments earlier. He had caught sight of her shaggy bedhead hair over shoulders, and he caught her words—She had mumbled to herself, "I exist here too, you know. What celebrities I hang out with. Papa, what's got them so popular?" She pouted indignantly when he only sighed wearily. "I'm their friend! One is my brother! Another's my cousin!"

    Jake's vision of her was blocked when a wizard with the unlikeliest of purple turbans, and twitching nervously, passed by. His eyes followed but he was blinded by another witch asking him to hold her pet rat.

    Fortunately, Mr. Sim finally called out to them over the rabble. "Boys! We should head on to buy your school equipment."

    Wanting nothing more than to escape the crowd, Jake eagerly squeezed through the crowd while they were distracted and he could finally Jungwon, Sunoo, and Daniel all hurrying to him in the same pace.

    Headed through the exit of the pub — Jake, Lo, Jungwon, Sunoo, and Daniel all stood in confusion at the dead end of an old brick wall in the small outside back of the Leaky Cauldron.
    Jake could see at the side of his eye Sunoo clinging desperately unto Daniel's large sleeve while a lone trash bin, spurting with weeds and mold, stood quite near.

    "A brick wall? Uncle, I thought this was suppose to be Diagon Alley?" said Jungwon in confusion, looking up at Jake's father.

    "Maybe we took a wrong turn?" Jake shrugged.

    "There is no wrong turn in magic. You just have. . .to let it unfold," Mr. Sim answered.

    "As much as I love dramatic pauses, wise words and all," Lo said nervously, hopping on her toes, "I think I may need to use the bathroom."

    But Mr. Sim hadn't heard her and was counting the bricks on the wall. He pulled out his wand and lifted it to tap on a few bricks, as if in a specific pattern. Then the bricked blocks rotated and peel away, the mortar and cement losing its will, to form a large opening to a twisted cobbled street.

    "This never gets old," Mr. Sim exhaled easily, sliding his wand back into his coat. "Welcome, children, to Diagon Alley."

    Jake's face lit up in amazement, a spark like fireworks spread throughout. A step in, and hit by different smells. Sweet perfume, desserts, butterbeer, smoking cauldrons, burning wood, potions and brew. Eyes blinded by the brights color hues, on each corner, shop, window, and banners. It was absolutely breathtaking and outstanding.

    Lo seemed to have forgotten about her urging need earlier as Jake and her goggled at each other with glowing grins.

    Magical indeed.

    This hadn't been the first time he had been to Diagon Alley, but he had always joined his older sisters - when they used to shop for their own equipment - on the later part of their trip, and he felt quite giddy inside for finally being able to buy something of his own, for himself.

    Being brought up in the world of magic, you thought you have seen everything, but this was something else entirely, was what Jake thought to himself as Cauldrons of All Sizes shop sign passed his view from overhead. . .but in truth, he actually never held a wand, or at least - one of his own. Or even brew a potion.
    However, there was a time Lo had stuck a load of magical fireworks under their older sister's, Aleksandra, chair and set her off like a rocket when she sat down. . .and Jake did attempt to stop it but he accidentally ignited it when he touched them — he highly doesn't recommend it. It didn't help that Sunoo was all with Lo on the prank that time.
    Their parents think that's where Wendy started getting her naughty habit from, and Jake wasn't really agreeable to the behavior either. . .but personally, he was almost sure that Lo had gotten it from their older sister, Anna; who always loved to ramble about her and her friends' latest prank on Charms lessons and Transfiguration.

    "What's written for required equipment?" Mr. Sim asked.

    Jungwon took his list out and read it out loud; considering all of them will be taken on the same year, their necessary equipments are all the same:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Uniform
First-year students will require:
   1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
   2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
   3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
   4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.

Set Books
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
    The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
  A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
  Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
  A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
  One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
  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

Other Equipment
    1 wand
    1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) 1 set glass or crystal phials
    1 telescope
    1 set brass scales
  Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

    "That's a lot," Lo commented with eyes wide while also reading by Jungwon's shoulder as he shared the same expression as her, and Sunoo also nodded with the same flabbergasted look.

    Jake and Daniel looked at each other and snickered, before their eyes caught on an apothecary's shop, on sale with dog tongues and toad legs for twenty-two sickles — then they gaped back at each other.

    "Can we really buy everything on the list in Diagon Alley, Uncle?" said Jungwon baffled, fastening his pace to Mr. Sim while holding up the long list of equipment; but Jake and Jungwon were already eyeing scrolled parchments of the horoscopes of Saturn, a map of the Moon, and a globe of Mercury.

    "Where would we get that much money, Mr. Sim?" Daniel asked, as everyone continued to walk down the cobbled pathways, packed with witches and wizards of all kinds and age.

    Mr. Sim answered none of them, grinning merrily; as he stopped in his tracks, so did the children behind him. Ahead, intersecting all roads in the middle, was an imposing, sturdy, white marbled structure that towered all of the shops.

    "That's Gringotts Bank, isn't it?" Daniel exhaled in amazement, "They are accounted as the safest place with the highest security system in the world for anything you wanted to hide—! Besides from Hogwarts that is."

    "It is the more logical choice, after all," shrugged Sunoo, "Can't buy the equipments without the money."

    They trekked up the white steps and Jake stared at the tall, bronze, front doors of the tower from behind his Dad.

    "Jake," buzzed Lo urgently in a whisper, shaking his arm lightly, "it's one of the goblins!"

    They tried not to eye it, but standing guard was - indeed - a goblin, clad in a uniform of red and gold (Jake guessed a head or two shorter than him) with long, pointed nose and a grumpy but clever face, and his ears, fingers, and toes just as long as his nose.

    "Go - go - go, move!" hissed Jungwon, prodding Jake at his back, as the goblin sneered at the five of them for staring — they hadn't noticed they had been staring for so long they lagged behind and were pressed against one another while Mr. Sim was already pushing past the second set of silver doors.

    Entering the large building, it was even more grand on the inside. The vast, golden detailed, marble floors, the bright chandeliers that hung in glory to ray down on those below. Barely a speck of dust was visible. As Jake couldn't help but notice from the corner of her eye two young boys, beside a man over eight or nine feet, being led away.

    It wasn't important nor did it lay an impression, just something he couldn't help but notice, as it was tucked to the back of his mind as soon as she looked away.

    Glancing at the goblins, that sat way higher up on long counters and desks, examining moonstones or what could've been stars plucked right out of the sky through eyescopes. Despite their height being incredibly short, they were quite intimidating; it was as if their faces were shaped to make you feel smaller with those glares, the long noses didn't help either, long and pointy at the edge.

    Mr. Sim stood infront of one of those tall desks that were vacant of a client, facing up to the goblin. "Requesting vaults 62, 74, and 89. For Miss Sigrid Sim, Jake Sim, and Yang Jungwon," He said while handing, what seem like, tiny golden keys to the goblin. "Oh, also for Kim Sunoo as with his brother, Kim Daniel," He added.

    The goblin wrinkled in his nose and sneered, leaned way forward on his desk, to leer down on the children, as he eyed to Sunoo and Daniel's way.

    "And does. . .Mister Kim, have their key?" The goblin said sternly, his crooked glasses looking intently towards the children.

    Daniel side-glanced at Sunoo, who was gaping at the goblin. Daniel nudged his brother's arm and Sunoo flinched back to reality; quickly yanking out a key from his pocket and quickly handing it to the goblin.

    The goblin took all keys in his hand, inspecting it closely through the lens of his glasses. "Everything seems to be in order," he said roughly under his breath. He looked back to the group and seemed to disappear from his seat—"Follow me," hearing the same irritated voice just next to them.

    "Oh. . .thought he did magic, turns out he just fell from his chair," Jungwon commented as Jake laughed. They started following the goblin — until Jake stopped when he noticed Lo pause. He looked back.

    "Dad? Aren't you coming?" she asked, looking back.

    Mr. Sim sighed, as a screech owl departed from his shoulder and went screeching out the front doors; baffling people as they dove to the sides to avoid it. "Ministry business. I'll have to go," He shook his head exasperatedly. "I'll see you children later. I'll be the one to buy more Floo Powder, Anna might have some left - so you go home with her after you're finished."

    "Oh, all right, then! We'll be all right! You take care!" Lo cheered as she waved 'goodbye' to their father, and caught up with Jake.

    Running to catch up, she accidentally bumped to someone's shoulder and they dropped to the floor. She looked back and saw she made the person drop their bag, by the sound, a heavy load of their coins.
    She jogged back and took the bag, holding it out with a apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. I could be very clumsy."

    "Oh, that's all right! I'm clumsy too, it was partly my fault for not paying attention to where I was going," The boy with wispy, thick, black hair, who seemed to be their age, apologized too; though he seemed to be an inch shorter or so than Lo.
    Jake also recognised him as one of the boys he noticed earlier.

    Before Lo could say anything else, someone from a distance called out—"Kai! Hurry! We need to pick up our equipments! Hagrid is waiting outside!"

    "Don't need to be so rushed, Soobin! I'm coming!" The boy infront of Arlo replied back, as he looked back at Lo with a sheepish smile. "Sorry, again. Maybe I'll see you around." He waved before scrambling away.

    "Lo!" said Jake, walking up to her and grabbing her arm to signal her that they had to go.

    "Oh, right!" She jumped and they hurried after Jungwon, Sunoo, and Daniel. "Sorry!"

    He didn't reply to her and continued running, but he didn't miss the words she mumbled under her breath, "How strange. . .he almost seemed familiar, they both did."

—————//•//—————

    For the next few hours, the group of friends wandered around, buying the necessary equipment. To be fair, they were able to buy most things, but they seemed to be having trouble finding Ollivander's. It was taking them so long to find it that Lo had gone to find the loo three times already, though Jungwon blamed her for eating too much chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts.

    "They were delicious! And I only ever had any few," she scorned, muttering the last sentence.

    Jungwon spluttered in disbelief at her. "You've had five servings! Didn't you eat breakfast or lunch?"

    "Jungwon, I have two stomachs! You know that! I have a separate stomach for deserts - always!"

    "At this rate, one of them'll burst then!"

    "Sunoo and Daniel wanted to try!" She pointed at her two friends. "And besides, none of you were any different. I feared for my life while we were traveling through the passageways on Gringotts' cart, all of you were so green - I was almost sure I would be showered in your vomits!"

    Jungwon didn't look the least convinced. "Well, good thing you did all the talking, or I would've had to open my mouth, would I?"

    "Can't we rest for even just a bit?" complained Sunoo with a frown, "We've been looking for the wand shop for nearly an hour now."

    Jake sighed and held onto Lo's shoulder, who was starting to stomp ahead - looking very determined to find that wand shop. "Lo, we can take a stop by that store. We won't be able to find that wand shop through this crowd right now," He reasoned, as Lo nodded in agreement.

    "Are you sure you two wouldn't want an extra pair of robes, just in case?" mentioned Daniel suddenly, looking concerned at the two siblings. "Mum told Sunoo and I to buy an extra set just in case either one of us blew up."

    Lo's face suddenly turned solemn. "It's fine, Danny. I'll be getting hand-me-downs from Anna, anyway. Jake's the one who needed more."

    "I've bought myself enough," Jake smiled. "I gotta save for the rest of my list as well. Only got more Knuts than I have of my Galleons left, my Sickles are only enough for - at least - two more Galleons."

    "I can share my pound," offered Jungwon. Jake almost looked horrified of the idea, quickly declining it.

    Several boys their age had faces sticking their faces against the window of QUALITY QUIDDITCH SUPPLIES, that displayed numerous brooms. Jake, who had been raving about his favourite Quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons, with Jungwon on their way here earlier, walked almost immediately to the steps of the shop.

    "Come on!" He beckoned excitedly to his friends, as they were still furrowing at the sign - and Sunoo and Daniel were murmuring to each other about souvenirs to buy while the shop was half a souvenir store - and they followed him in.

    The five of them had split up through the store, Sunoo and Daniel had walked away to one of the trinkets and souvenir red shelf in interest, Jungwon joined them and inspected the objects.

    Lo walked around, feeling herself relaxed. She walked down one of the empty, narrow aisles, in between two red shelves, but heard voices on the next - behind the shelf to her left. They were speaking quietly but there had been many of them that she found herself listening to the conversation. So far, all of them were male—

    "Another year, isn't it?" said a cheery voice.

    "We're Second-years now. Nothing's really changed," deadpanned another.

    "Yeah, but tryouts for Quidditch are allowed for this year now!"

    "You don't even play Quidditch, you're the commentator."

    "I wonder about the First Years this year," said a third voice. "A lot of people are talking on how they have more promise than ours."

    "Isn't your cousin one of the students attending this year?" The second voice from earlier asked.

    "Yeah, she is," an additional voice chimed, "We're both really excited for her enrollment this year! It wasn't really surprising that she got accepted — Well, it was for her, but not me."

    "You must be really close then," a fifth voice exclaimed, the sound of crunched chips and crumpling bag coming after.

    "Is she half-blood?" a sixth voice asked.

    "She's actually a Muggle," said the fourth voice.

    "Then how are you cousins?" said the second voice in surprise. "You're a Half-Blood?! Or is she part-blood?"

    "Why do you keep asking all these questions?"

    "I wouldn't be asking if you weren't getting to the point."

    "Our fathers are step-siblings," grumbled the fourth voice. "There, are you happy?"

    "She must be really smart to be accepted into Hogwarts," said a perplexed seventh voice. "I kinda want to know your cousin now, Seungmin."

    "Slow down, 'Lix," sighed an eight voice.

    "I wonder what she's like. . ." the second voice muttered.

    "Looks like someone is interested," hummed a scratchy, almost husky, voice but it sounded female.

    "I don't even know her," said the second voice in annoyance, a scowl heard in his voice.

    "Wait guys. . ." said the female voice, "there's someone behind that shelf."

    Lo's breath hitched.

    "How do you know that?" said the first voice.

    "She's a bit of a thinker," said the female voice followed by footsteps.

    Lo's eyes widened, she couldn't even see them — how did the girl know she was there? Not even thinking of second thoughts, Lo sprinted back to the front, looking for Jake. Spotting him, she ran to him, using him as a stopper, as both of them almost fell.

    "Yah—! W-What's—did something happen?" He asked concerned while looking down at Lo.

    "I-It's nothing," she breathed as she regained her posture, as with her newly bought supplies. "A-Anyway, what are you looking at?" she asked, trying to change the subject. Then her eyes fell on what he had been marveling at. "Oh, it's just a broo—"

    "What!" spluttered Jake dumbfounded. "That's not just a broom, Lo — it's the Nimbus Two-Thousand!"

    "What about it?" Lo asked, curious. Before Jake could open his mouth to tell her exactly 'what about it'—someone had tapped her shoulder.

    She wheeled around and was met with a pair of large coal eyes behind round, violet glasses under wolfish, black hair pulled on a length above the shoulders, adorned with moonstones, and tawny skin. She was only inches shorter than Lo.

    "Excuse me," the ravenette said.

    Jake furrowed in confusion, but infront of him, Lo noticeably jolted, as she recognized that voice was one of those she heard from behind the shelf earlier.

    "U-Uh. . .yes?" Lo gulped.

    The stranger quickly brought up A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration book. "You dropped this."

    Lo's eyes widened as she quickly rummaged through her bag, to see that particular book gone. She looked back up, flustered, and took back the book. "T-Thank you. . ."

    "No probs." The ravenette shrugged. "Do you normally listen to people talk from behind bookshelves?"

    Embarrassment colored Lo's cheeks. But as soon as she opened her mouth, the wolfish girl exploded into giggles. "I can't help myself listening to others as well. You won't believe the gossips I know. I already know," she said. "You think very fast and loudly, you know that? Anyway, that book. . .You're a freshman at Hogwarts. First-Year!" When Lo nodded, the ravenette grinned, "Cool. Guess that makes me your senior."

    "Yeah, just by a year. Stop flattering yourself, Mack," said another familiar voice to Lo. She recognised it as the first voice. A boy an inch taller than Jake and Arlo neared them; knocking the head of the stranger.

    The new male smiled at Lo, "Sorry that they're bothering you. Mackey's just really excited for the new First Years. C'mon, Mackey! You might lose yourself and start scaring the freshies!" He swung an arm around Mackey. He looked at Jake and Lo. "Hi! I'm Han Jisung! Second year, along with Mac n' Cheese here!"

    "Nice to meet you!" Lo greeted, tense.

    Han looked to Jake then to the broom, "Aaahh. . .The Nimbus Two-Thousand. The fastest broom yet." Then he looked to Jake. "You fly?"

    Jake gave a crooked smile, "Hehe. . .um. . .no?"

    Truth was, during the summers, Jake and his family temporarily live in their old, family summerhome; and he would normally sneak out at night to play with his sisters as they took flying brooms from the back shed — but he had never played any sort of Quidditch despite one of his sisters, Aleksandra, was once a Quidditch popular player at Hogwarts; their Mom reckoned it was still dangerous for them, so it was hard to ever find a time to fly.

    "Oh, well. . .if you ever are interested, you can checkout the tryouts this year," grinned Han. "Mack's trying out with our friends, Chan and Hyunjin, soon. You might find some interest to play — if you're able to stand on a broom during Flying Classes."

    "Now look at the one who is scaring them," said Mackey, rolling their eyes.

    "Uh. . .No! No! It's fine! We appreciate the offers and. . .making your acquaintance," Jake smiled.

    "These First Years are nice," Han smiled warmly, "Ever need something, you might just find one of us in your Houses."

    "You three! Come on!" A distant voice called, as Mackey and Han groaned. "You can bombard the First-Years once the term starts."

    Mackey looked playfully annoyed, rolling their eyes as they strode away. "Shut up, Hyunjin!" But this boy Hyunjin sent a kick at them, sending them towards the door.

    "Come here, Han!" Another voice called–Lo recognised it as the second voice from earlier, who kept taunting 'Seungmin'—as Han jogged to someone who had their arms spread out.

    "Jeez, Minho! Are you a mother or what?" Han chuckled.

    Mackey's head poked back into the shop, grinning at Jake and Lo. "I'll see you two at Hogwarts, yeah? Hopefully start up a little something, would ya?" They waved before their head was shoved out by a group consisting of boys.

    "That was nice," Lo said as she looked to her brother, who smiled and nodded in agreement.

    "Hey! What was all that about?" Jungwon came over, his head tilted. Sunoo and Daniel followed close behind with the same curious expression.

    "Oh! Nothing much, just meeting the Second Years," Lo answered with a grin.

    "Aww! Lucky!" Sunoo whined, the pockets of his jacket noticeably bulky with Holyhead Harpies flags and merchandising.

Jungwon furrowed. He pointed down at it. "Did you pay for that?"

A slow cheshire smile crept up Sunoo's face. "Nooo?"

"Put it back."

    After Sunoo slumped back out of Quality Quidditch Supplies, Lo turned to all of them. "We should probably head out and start finding Ollivander's again. It's half-past-four now, and I'd like to take a tour in SLUG AND JIGGER'S APOTHECARY; their potions seem very interesting. Or maybe that shop we passed by earlier, ZONKO'S," She rambled.

    "I'd like to go to back to FLOREAN FORTESCUE'S ICE CREAM PARLOUR. They have many different flavors. And I mean different," Daniel beamed.

    They continued on their conversations while exiting the store—"You don't even try the beans I give you," said Sunoo, side glancing at his brother with a sour look.

    "We're talking about ice cream here! Not everyone is into candy and beans," Jungwon said, shaking his head at Sunoo.

    "And not everyone is into you," said Sunoo.