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Diagon Alley, a place where every year is full of people, young and old.

A family of two adults and two kids, a male and a female, is walking through the streets of the large square, the eleven-year-old girl has a big smile on her face, her eyes wide open with excitement, she's happy that this year she, too, can buy the material she needs to start her first year at Hogwarts, the boy, unlike her, looks rather reckless even if he brings to his face a beautiful, wide and mischievous, smile.

The father holds his daughter by the hand, who looks enthralled at the various shops around her, he is smiling too, the mother, instead, looks at her two kids proudly, holding a hand on the boy's right shoulder.

"If you keep smiling like that, all your teeth will fall out, Elaine," the boy says, addressing the 11-year-old, who, believing her brother's words, immediately removes the smile from her face and replaces it with a frown. The mother lightly hits the boy's head, "Leave your sister alone!" Scolds the woman, the father shakes his head at his son's words and then stands in front of his daughter, bending down to reach her height, he puts his two index fingers on the sides of little Elaine's lips and forms a curve upwards.

"Smile Elaine, don't listen to your brother, he's just jealous that you're prettier than he is," Whispers the father to his daughter, making her laugh and smile again with more happiness than before, the brother on the other hand rolls his eyes and looks at his father with fake pain, "You're wounding me, dad!" He exclaims, placing a hand on his heart.

The whole family laughs and then heads towards Flourish & Blotts, all four with a big smile on their faces.

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Elaine Black walks through the streets of Diagon Alley with a nostalgic look.

                                                                                                                                                    She hasn't visited the place in several years, since her times at Hogwarts. She came every year with her parents and her brother to take the material she needed for a new year. Every time she set foot there her eyes shone, she was always fascinated by the various shops that were located in Diagon Alley, now in her eyes there are only nostalgia, sadness and guilt.

Elaine enters Flourish & Blotts, the Diagon Alley bookshop par excellence, with a confident pace and attracting a few eyes, she approaches a bookshelf to observe the books on display, while waiting for her turn at the counter.

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On her turn she approaches the counter and orders the books of the subject she will teach this year at Hogwarts.

Once finished, she goes outside the shop, as she prepares to return home she comes across a large man with brown, curly, long hair, a thick beard and eyes of the same color. Seeing him, an automatic smile makes its way on Elaine's face.

"Hagrid!" the woman exclaims happily. The big man, hearing his name, looks away from the covered cage in his hand and looks at the woman.

"Gallopin' Gorgons! Elaine Black! How lon'!" The man exclaims, smiling, he observes the woman who has grown a lot since she was only eleven years old and had just begun her first year. The half giant puts a hand on the woman's shoulder and gives her a slight pat.

Elaine smiles at the half-giant, "What are you doing here?" She asks, Hagrid's smile fades slightly thinking about how to tell the woman the reason for her presence in Diagon Alley, "Dumbledore sends me, I'm elpin' little Harry Potter take his things for his firs' year," As the half-giant went on, in Elaine's face, a slight expression of guilt took on more and more space, but Hagrid does not notice, "Do you want to come and meet him?" He asks, unaware of Elaine's change of mood, who at the question stiffens and looks at the man, "Sorry Hagrid, but I'm in a hurry but I'll meet him at Hogwarts..." Says the brunette shaking her head and forcing a smile.

The truth is, Elaine Black is terrified.

Terrified that she'll soon meet young Harry, or that he doesn't even know who she really is and what she did...

Hagrid looks at the woman and nods, "All righ', I'll see yer soon then. I'll wai' for yer for tea someday!" The happy half-giant exclaims, failing to notice that at the mention of his tea the young woman takes on a rather disgusted face, "Of course! See you Hagrid..." Elaine says, bidding him fare well, and then she sets out on the road to go to her house, paying attention not to be followed by anyone.

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The rumble of her shoes tapping on the floor that forms the large main staircase, is the only sound Elaine hears at that moment.

Upon reaching the door of the Great Hall, the woman pauses and closes her eyes. This moment reminds her of her first day at Hogwarts, when she was about to be sorted into the house where she would spend seven years of happy and sad emotions.

After a long sigh, Elaine Black rests her delicate hands on the door handle and pushes it open.

                                                                                                                                                     The Great Hall is almost deserted, the four long tables and the professors' table are still empty.

In front of the professors' table stands a single person, tall with a black witch's hat and an emerald green tunic. The figure, hearing the door open, turns, Elaine seeing the old woman smiles and approaches, the lady smiles back.

                                                                                                                                                "Elaine Black, my dear! You haven't changed at all since the last time." The woman exclaims with a genuine smile, "Professor McGonagall, it's a pleasure to see you again," Greets, Elaine, looking up at the professor.

"How are you, my dear? I know that times have been hard..." The old woman begins with compassion, Elaine, not wanting to get into the topic, smiles, "I managed it... I haven't been in this room for twelve years, nothing has changed since the last time," exclaims the brunette, looking around with nostalgic eyes.

                                                                                                                                                     "Time changes," begins the professor, "But places often don't," ends Elaine, remembering when the professor repeated it to her during her annals at Hogwarts, both are smiling. Professor McGonagall then takes off a pocket watch and observes the time, "The students are coming soon, go and get ready dear, the feast will soon begin," The old witch instructs, putting the clock back in place, Elaine nods and starts towards the door.

"Elaine." calls the teacher, the woman turns and the older witch smiles again, "It's a pleasure to have you back here at Hogwarts." "It's a pleasure to be here again," she replies with a small smile on her face, then without looking back at the teacher, she leaves the Great Hall and heads for her office.

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