Alleys are mysterious places

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Chapter 6

Not quite the way I remember back-to-school shopping.

Mom took us shopping for shoes and outfits, not robes. We needed rulers, not wands, and we had to have the newest brand of those fancy multi-pocketed notebooks for shoving papers into, not books.

And in an alley? Sounds more fun than a strip mall.

The Weasley boys' joke shop reminds me of when we would wander off into Spencer's at the mall. Don't think I ever spent a dime there, much less a Galleon or a Sickle or a Knut. But it was fun to look around and laugh at the mostly juvenile jokes.

So much for the fun stuff. Nothing makes life in Harry Potter's world more stressful than the appearance of Malfoys. It's such an evil sounding name anyway, and Draco is the most perfectly rude teenager ever. He needs someone to wave a wand at him and zap him with the ShutUpus curse. (I know that's not a real curse but it should be.)

If there is an upside to Draco crashing school-shopping day, it's the opportunity to break out the invisibility cloak. I asked for one for Christmas, but I didn't get one. At least not that I've seen.

So what is Draco up to at that dusty shop down Knockturn Alley? Another mystery it seems. All we know is that an object is involved. And he wasn't too happy with the shopkeeper. But is a Malfoy ever happy? Happiness is not in their full-blood DNA.

For not being a big fan of Ron, I must say he was right about Hermione's lack of spy-craft skills. There ought to be a class at Hogwarts about how not to be Captain Obvious. But that might have put a blemish on Hermione's O.W.L report.

Guess we'll be off to Hogwarts soon. See you there. And don't forget your new robe.