What Black Friday Is Like in Diagon Alley
Yesterday, the sound of my alarm clock startled me awake, and I rolled over to silence it. As I cracked open my eyes, I saw that it was still dark outside. I rolled out of bed, slid into my slippers, and shuffled to my wardrobe to get ready for the day. I quietly closed my door so I didn’t disturb my family sleeping in the adjoining rooms. It was the day after Thanksgiving. I was overstuffed with food and I wanted nothing more than to be in bed. I headed to the kitchen, wolfed down some toast and orange juice, grabbed my Floo Powder, and stepped into the fireplace to begin my hectic day.
All the stores around me were probably all hustle and bustle, stuffed full of Muggles and witches alike, searching for those perfect holiday presents for their loved ones. As I stepped out of the fireplace into the Leaky Cauldron, I braced myself for what may lie on the other side of that wall. Visions of witches fighting over potion ingredients and knocking over a barrel of eel eyes, wanting the same robe and tearing it in two, and books knocking into people’s heads as they are Summoned from across the room flashed before my eyes. I took out my wand, tapped the brick my aunt told me about, and watched the wall melt away before me. I had heard about Diagon Alley from family members who have traveled abroad. On this Black Friday, I decided to see it for myself. Once the door finally opens, all the stories in the world could not have prepared me for what I saw.
Cloaks of every color, holly wrapped around the light poles, and twinkling lights in every window were all my eyes could see. I merged into the throng of people while trying to take in everything around me and looking for those perfect gifts. I saw a sign outside an ice cream shop teasing new flavors of hot ice cream for the holidays. All around me, I hear people discussing what they think everyone on their holiday list would prefer. As I passed by a robe shop, I heard two witches in a spirited debate over whether someone would prefer periwinkle or rose dust for her new set of robes, each side positive they were correct. Passing by the bookshop, I heard a couple discussing what their daughter was reading recently and what they think she would like to read next. I continued like that until sunlight was fading and my arms were loaded down with packages. As I was getting ready to leave, I turned back and looked one last time at the large crowd of people that was showing no sign of thinning. I made make a mental note to come back here to shop more often. With that, I turned on my heel and headed home.
Thinking back to when I first woke up yesterday morning and the dread of facing an endless crowd of exhausted and stressed out people, I couldn’t be happier to have been proven wrong. After all, Diagon Alley has everything a witch or wizard could need.
