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After descending broken-down escalators to the London Underground and Hagrid getting stuck at the ticket barrier (and after Hagrid complains that the seats were too small and trains too slow), they finally arrive in Central London. Soon, they reach an establishment called the Leaky Cauldron. Harry notices the Muggles' gaze traveling from the record shop on one side to the bookstore on the other side, oblivious to the pub sitting in-between. Harry suspects that only Hagrid and himself can see it.
Upon entering the dark and rather shabby pub, Harry is greeted enthusiastically by its excited patrons, including a man who Harry recognizes as someone who once bowed to him in a shop. Hagrid introduces Harry to [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Professor Quirrell|Quirrell]], the new [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Defence Against the Dark Arts|Defence Against the Dark Arts]] instructor, who appears timid and nervous. Harry and Hagrid finally exit into a small courtyard behind the Leaky Cauldron. While Harry reflects on peoples' reaction to him, Hagrid counts the wall bricks above some trash bins with his umbrella. After he taps one brick three times, a hole appears, growing bigger and bigger, until finally forming an archway. Through it, they enter into [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Places/Diagon Alley|Diagon Alley]], the wizard commerce district.
Harry and Hagrid walk past the many magic shops and down the street to where [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Places/Gringotts|Gringotts]], the Wizardwizard bank, stands. At Gringotts, Hagrid produces the key to the Potters' vault, and a note authorizing him to enter another vault on [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Albus Dumbledore|Dumbledore's]] behalf. After a high-speed cart ride with [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Griphook|Griphook]] the Goblin (making Hagrid queasy), they reach Harry's vault, which is filled with [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Money|wizard money]] (galleons, sickles, and knuts). Hagrid helps Harry draw enough for school supplies and a year's expenses at school, and educates him on the wizard monetary system. After another cart ride, Hagrid removes the only contents inside vault #713, a small grubby parcel. Without explaining what it is, Hagrid asks that Harry notto mentionsay nothing to anyone about seeing him remove this package.
Back on the surface, Harry,Hagrid withhelps Hagrid'sHarry assistance, buysbuy school supplies. In Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions shop, he meets another first-year Hogwarts student, a snobbish boy who babblesbelieves on aboutonly the finer Wizarding families and how only they should be allowed atattend Hogwarts. Before introductions are completed, Harry's robes are ready, and he leaves to buy other supplies:his books, a telescope, and a cauldron, and potion supplies. For his birthday, Hagrid buys him a snowy owl that Harry names [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Hedwig|Hedwig]]. Finally, they stop at [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Ollivander|Ollivander's]] to purchase a wand. Mr Ollivander, who remembers every wand he has ever sold, including the ones to Harry's parents, says Harry will know when he finds the right one. After trying out many wands, Harry picks up one made from holly; sparks flare from its tip—this is Harry's wand. Mr Ollivander tells him it is brother to one otheranother wand. Each wand's core contains one of only two tail-feathers ever donated by a particular [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Phoenix|Phoenix]]. Harry's wand is brother to the one that gave Harryhim his scar.
== Analysis ==
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