| s-301
| An old wooden street sign hanging over a shop selling poisonous candles told him he was in Knockturn Alley. |
| s-302
| This didn't help, as Harry had never heard of such a place. |
| s-303
| He supposed he hadn't spoken clearly enough through his mouthful of ashes back in the Weasleys fire. |
| s-304
| Trying to stay calm, he wondered what to do. |
| s-305
| An aged witch stood in front of him, holding a tray of what looked horribly like whole human fingernails. |
| s-306
| She leered at him, showing mossy teeth. |
| s-307
| Harry backed away. |
| s-308
| I'm just – |
| s-309
| Harry's heart leapt. |
| s-310
| Hagrid seized Harry by the scruff of the neck and pulled him away from the witch, knocking the tray right out of her hands. |
| s-311
| Her shrieks followed them all the way along the twisting alleyway out into bright sunlight. |
| s-312
| Harry saw a familiar, snow-white marble building in the distance: Gringotts Bank. |
| s-313
| Hagrid had steered him right into Diagon Alley. |
| s-314
| Yer a mess! said Hagrid gruffly, brushing soot off Harry so forcefully he nearly knocked him into a barrel of dragon dung outside an apothecary's. |
| s-315
| They're ruinin' the school cabbages. |
| s-316
| They set off together down the street. |
| s-317
| Harry explained all about Dobby and the Dursleys. |
| s-318
| Ruddy Muggles, growled Hagrid. |
| s-319
| Harry looked up and saw Hermione Granger standing at the top of the white flight of steps to Gringotts. |
| s-320
| She ran down to meet them, her bushy brown hair flying behind her. |
| s-321
| Hello, Hagrid |
| s-322
| Oh, it's wonderful to see you two again |
| s-323
| Are you coming into Gringotts, Harry? |
| s-324
| Harry and Hermione looked around: sprinting up the crowded street were Ron, Fred, George, Percy and Mr Weasley. |
| s-325
| He mopped his glistening bald patch. |
| s-326
| Molly's frantic – she's coming now. |
| s-327
| I should ruddy well think not, growled Hagrid. |
| s-328
| Mrs Weasley now came galloping into view, her handbag swinging wildly in one hand, Ginny just clinging onto the other. |
| s-329
| Gasping for breath she pulled a large clothes brush out of her bag and began sweeping off the soot Hagrid hadn't managed to beat away. |
| s-330
| Mr Weasley took Harry's glasses, gave them a tap of his wand and returned them, good as new. |
| s-331
| And he strode away, head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the packed street. |
| s-332
| Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes? Harry asked Ron and Hermione as they climbed the Gringotts steps. |
| s-333
| Oh, I'd love to get Lucius Malfoy for something |
| s-334
| What's that you've got there? |
| s-335
| Oh, you're changing Muggle money. |
| s-336
| Molly, look! |
| s-337
| He pointed excitedly at the tenpound notes in Mr Granger's hand. |
| s-338
| The vaults were reached by means of small, goblin-driven carts that sped along miniature train-tracks through the bank's underground tunnels. |
| s-339
| Harry enjoyed the breakneck journey down to the Weasleys vault, but felt dreadful, far worse than he had in Knockturn Alley, when it was opened. |
| s-340
| There was a very small pile of silver Sickles inside, and just one gold Galleon. |
| s-341
| Mrs Weasley felt right into the corners before sweeping the whole lot into her bag. |
| s-342
| Harry felt even worse when they reached his vault. |
| s-343
| He tried to block the contents from view as he hastily shoved handfuls of coins into a leather bag. |
| s-344
| Back outside on the marble steps, they all separated. |
| s-345
| Percy muttered vaguely about needing a new quill. |
| s-346
| Fred and George had spotted their friend from Hogwarts, Lee Jordan. |
| s-347
| Mrs Weasley and Ginny were going to a second-hand robe shop. Mr Weasley was insisting on taking the Grangers off to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink. |
| s-348
| Harry, Ron and Hermione strolled off along the winding, cobbled street. |
| s-349
| The bag of gold, silver and bronze jangling cheerfully in Harry's pocket was clamouring to be spent, so he bought three large strawberry and peanut-butter ice-creams which they slurped happily as they wandered up the alley, examining the fascinating shop windows. |
| s-350
| A study of Hogwarts prefects and their later careers, Ron read aloud off the back cover. |
| s-351
| An hour later, they headed for Flourish and Blotts. |
| s-352
| They were by no means the only ones making their way to the bookshop. |
| s-353
| As they approached it, they saw to their surprise a large crowd jostling outside the doors, trying to get in. |
| s-354
| The reason for this was proclaimed by a large banner stretched across the upper windows: |
| s-355
| GILDEROY LOCKHART will be signing copies of his autobiography MAGICAL ME today 12:30 to 4:30 pm. |
| s-356
| I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist! |
| s-357
| Harry, Ron, and Hermione squeezed inside. |
| s-358
| A long line wound right to the back of the shop, where Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books. |
| s-359
| They each grabbed a copy of Break with a Banshee, and sneaked up the line to where the rest of the Weasleys were standing with Mr and Mrs Granger. |
| s-360
| She sounded breathless and kept patting her hair. |
| s-361
| Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd. |
| s-362
| The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue which exactly matched his eyes; his pointed wizard's hat was set at a jaunty angle on his wavy hair. |
| s-363
| A short, irritable-looking man was dancing around taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash. |