Professor McGonagall brought Chen Yu to the backyard of the Leaky Cauldron, where there was a small, walled courtyard, next to which was a dumpster and several dusty, empty wine barrels.
Professor McGonagall tapped a brick on the wall three times with her wand and explained to Chen Yu, "This dumpster will always be here. You need to count up three bricks, then two to the left, and then tap it three times with your wand, and the entrance to Diagon Alley will appear."
As Professor McGonagall withdrew her wand, the bricks she had tapped began to tremble and move, as if a mechanism had been triggered. A small hole suddenly appeared in the middle bricks, and the opening grew larger and larger, forming an archway wide enough for two people to pass through in just a few seconds.
A cobblestone street stretched from their feet into the distance, winding and curving, extending as far as the eye could see.
"Remember what I just said. Next time, you'll be coming to Diagon Alley by yourself."
Following Professor McGonagall through the archway and into Diagon Alley, Chen Yu felt an undeniable thrill as he watched the bustling crowd.
The people coming and going in Diagon Alley were all wizards dressed as wizards.
Chen Yu also saw several humanoid creatures a head shorter than him.
They had dark faces, yellowish-gray skin, large heads, and unusually long hands and feet.
These were the goblins of this world, another intelligent magical race.
Compared to the beautiful, winged, finger-sized goblins in Western fantasy works, the goblins here looked more like gnomes from other Western fantasy stories.
Stepping out of the archway, Chen Yu looked back, and the archway instantly vanished, becoming the solid wall it had been before.
"Professor McGonagall, how will we get back later?" Chen Yu asked.
"The way back is also simple; just tap the bricks in the same way to return."
Chen Yu curiously looked up at the closest shop.
Outside the shop, a stack of cauldrons had a sign hanging above them: "Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver Cauldrons, All Sizes, Self-Stirring, Foldable."
When they arrived at the shop called "Potage's Cauldron Shop," McGonagall looked down at Chen Yu and asked.
"Did you bring your letter?"
"Of course!"
Chen Yu silently willed the Hogwarts Acceptance Letter from his backpack, pretending to pull it from his pocket.
The system-gifted backpack was a 1x1x1 cubic meter space, not very large. Besides the Hogwarts Acceptance Letter, it also contained a bottle of essence of dittany.
Professor McGonagall nodded: "Good, take out the list of required items inside, and I'll take you to buy the necessities!"
Chen Yu took out the second page of the letter from the envelope.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Uniform:
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat for daytime wear (black)
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar material)
4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note: All student clothing must carry name tags.
Textbooks
All students are required to have the following books:
1. The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
2. A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
3. Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
4. A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
5. One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
6. Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
7. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
8. The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
Other Equipment
1. One wand
2. One cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
3. One set of glass or crystal phials
4. One telescope
5. One brass set of scales
Students may bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad. Parents are reminded that first-year students are not allowed to bring their own flying brooms.
"Hogwarts provides a bursary of 100 Galleons per year. We'll go to the general store first to buy some things."
Professor McGonagall was a decisive person; she first pulled Chen Yu to "Potage's" Cauldron Shop and bought a cauldron.
Then she went to a general store and bought an extra-large leather trunk with wheels, a set of glass phials, a telescope, and a brass set of scales.
Next, Professor McGonagall arrived in front of a shop called "Eeylops Owl Emporium" and said to Chen Yu, "Every Little Wizards can bring one pet to Hogwarts. Pets are companions, helpers, and friends who accompany Little Wizards through school. Do you have any particular pet in mind?"
Chen Yu's face showed a thoughtful expression.
Although his character setting said he had owned a cat, he had never had a pet in the real world and had no experience with them.
"I recommend you choose an owl, because they can help you send letters and gifts, making them more practical than other pets."
Professor McGonagall, thinking Chen Yu wasn't very familiar with pets for Little Wizards, recommended a more practical pet.
"No, Professor, you know, I don't think I'm suited to having a pet."
Professor McGonagall, thinking Chen Yu hadn't gotten over the loss of his previous pet, patted his little head to comfort him.
"Since you don't want a pet for now, let's go to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions to buy your school uniform."
Chen Yu thought that if he wanted to send letters, he could just use the public owls at Hogwarts.
A person only gets one pet slot, and Chen Yu didn't want to waste it on an owl.
If possible, Chen Yu would rather have a dragon or a phoenix.
Of course, Chen Yu knew he was dreaming, but since it was a game, who knew, it might come true someday.
Another thirty minutes passed, and they emerged from Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. The trunk now contained three sets of plain work robes, one plain pointed hat for daytime wear, one pair of protective gloves, and one winter cloak.
After leaving Flourish and Blotts, all the textbooks were also purchased.
They bought used textbooks, which were half price.
Chen Yu had no complaints about using second-hand books, especially since these books looked like new.
In the real world, Chen Yu also liked to browse second-hand bookstores, like treasure hunting. He would buy any interesting and cheap second-hand books he found.
However, most of the books he bought ended up sleeping on his bookshelf, rarely getting a chance to be read by Chen Yu.
"The textbooks, uniform, and other equipment are mostly bought. Next, I should take you to buy your wand."
Since everything except the wand was bought, Professor McGonagall took Chen Yu to the wand shop he had once dreamed of - Ollivander's wand Shop.
Ollivander's wand Shop was at the end of Diagon Alley. It was a small, dilapidated shop, with the gold lettering on the door already peeling.
It read: Ollivanders: Makers of Fine wands Since 382 B.C.
Ollivander's wand Shop, from 382 B.C. to 1991, had a history of over two thousand years. Generations of his family had been in the wand-making business, a true millennium-old brand.
It could be said that almost all wizards in Britain had bought their wands at Ollivander's wand Shop.
Entering the wand shop, the tinkling of a bell announced their arrival, notifying the shopkeeper of guests.
The wand shop was small, with one wall stacked high with thousands of cardboard boxes, reaching from the floor to the ceiling, making the already small wand shop feel crowded.
In Chen Yu's opinion, most wizard shops seemed to share this flaw: dim, cramped, outdated, using old-fashioned lighting, and rarely cleaned.
It wouldn't feel out of place to say they had been open since the Middle Ages.
Clicking and creaking sounds echoed above Chen Yu's head. Chen Yu looked up.
A spry, thin old man was slowly descending a ladder, coming to stand before Chen Yu and Professor McGonagall.
"Good morning, Professor McGonagall."
"And, good morning, Hogwarts first-year."
Ollivander said softly.