'So the gold one is a galleon and the silver ones are called sickles. This means the wizarding world has its own currency and probably economy system. I need to find out as much as possible about this. The power of each society always lies where the money is.' Harry thought.
Professor McGonagall led Harry upstairs and warned him that the ride wouldn't be very pleasant. Then the bus lurched forward and Harry understood the warning. The chair he had sat down on was thrown back by the rapid acceleration.
"Professor, I have a question. You said the Potters were an old wizarding family. Why was I raised by the Dursleys? Weren't there wizarding relatives that could have taken me in?" Harry asked.
"No, sadly not. Your father James was a single child, born late into the marriage of your grandparents Charlus and Dorea Potter. Your mother Lily was a muggleborn witch, your aunt Petunia's sister. Additionally, there was … a really bad civil war going on during the time you were born. Many people died in the war. Your parents fought against the leader of the dark faction that wanted to rule over magical Britain and thought that people without magical heritage, like your mother, were not worthy to learn magic. He was very powerful and even today people fear saying his name. Things were really bad until he was defeated on Halloween 1981. He and his followers killed so many good people." She said sadly. "All relatives on your father's side that could have got guardianship over you were already dead by that time.
"Your grandparents were killed early in 1979 and your granduncle Mistius Potter also died in 1979 from an illness. So you were given to your mother's sister, thinking she would be able to tell you about everything when you got old enough. From what you told me, she never did that." Professor McGonagall said.
"Yes, that's true. Professor, I wondered. Did my parents really die in a drunken car crash?" Harry asked.
"No, who told you that horrible story? No, I know, those muggles. I knew they were the worst kind of muggles, but to tell such lies about Lily and James." Professor McGonagall exclaimed enraged. "Listen, Mr Potter. Nothing they told you about your parents will probably be true. Your parents didn't die in an accident. They were murdered. Murdered by the dark wizard I told you led the dark side in the civil war. James and Lily are heroes. Never believe anything else." She firmly stated.
Harry was shocked. He had suspected it hadn't been a car crash, but to find out they had been murdered. That was huge.
"What exactly happened?" He asked in a low voice. He needed to know.
"Ah, I had hoped to not tell you that yet, it's not a nice story, but perhaps it's best if you find out sooner rather than later." She said.
The bus came to a stop.
"This is our stop, Mr Potter. Let's postpone the story for after we did our business in Diagon Alley. There is a nice restaurant in a side alley where we can get dinner after we're done. I will tell you everything then. It's too much to squeeze into a few minutes." She said.
"Okay. That's sounds like a plan, Professor." Harry agreed.
.....
Harry and Professor McGonagall departed the bus and Harry looked around. They seemed to be in central London, considering the traffic all around. But where exactly?
"Professor, where in London are we?" He asked.
"This is Charing Cross Road. You have to know the magical world is hidden from the muggle world. Here at Charing Cross Road is the entrance to our main shopping district, Diagon Alley. The gate is a pub, called the Leaky Cauldron, but only magical people can see it, muggles just ignore it, it's the enchantment on the entrance." Professor McGonagall explained.
Harry nodded. Now that he thought about it, he had never before heard or seen anything that would have given him any clues that magic existed. Other than his outbursts that was. He followed Professor McGonagall towards a small pub between a book store and a record shop. He saw that she had been right telling him that muggles ignored the sign for the Leaky Cauldron. She opened the door and led him inside. Harry looked around in the slightly dark room. It was obvious that this pub had been around for a long time. Still it had its own charm. There were a few patrons, drinking and talking with each other.
"Hello, Professor McGonagall. Is it that time of the year already again?" The barman asked.
"Yes, Tom. I will be here a few more times in the coming weeks before school starts again." She answered.
"Well, then, good luck for your start into the wizarding world, my boy." He said friendly, addressing Harry.
"Thank you." Harry answered politely.
Professor McGonagall led him through the pub to a small backyard.
"Now pay attention, Mr Potter. In the future you will have to remember how to open the entrance to Diagon Alley yourself." Professor McGonagall instructed him.