Birth of Diagon Alley

40 points.

Part Two:

40 points.

Part Three: optional

20 points.

Diagon Alley is the largest and busiest commercial area for Wizards in Britain. You can find anything you can possibly imagine and desire there. It is said that Gringotts was the first building to be built and then shops began to grow around of it. However, Gringotts was only created in 1474 and Ollivander's shop is supposedly around since 382 B.C. which invalidates that theory according some historians. Personally I believe that Gringotts was indeed the epicenter of Diagon Alley and that it grew so much that it eventually reached where Ollivander's was.

What can be said for sure is that Diagon Alley existed before the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy implemented. In fact, Diagon Alley was very popular with Muggles, who would go there in pursuit of seers to look into their future and potions for their ailments. Making Diagon Alley disappear was therefore very difficult not only physically but also in the minds of the Muggles. It took four generations for the Muggle population surrounding the whereabouts of Diagon Alley to forget it ever existed. Every now and then an old heirloom will surface forcing the Ministry to intervene.

Diagon Alley accounts for more than half of the wealth of the Government and Britain as a nation, without it, the whole Wizarding Economy would crash. For this reason, even though the Mugglle Prime Minister knows of the existence of the Wizarding World he has no idea Diagon Alley exists or where it is to ensure he'd never give into temptation in times of need.

One of my absolute favourite shops in Diagon Alley is Amanuensis Quills. Like most of the shops in Diagon Alley it's a family business and was established in the beginning of the XVII century by the Petrova family who moved from Russia fleeing from their country's dictatorial laws.

If you stop outside Amanuensis Quills the shop window has an array of several very interesting quills and inks. However, it's when you go inside that you get overwhelmed by the thousands of quills stacked in one of the walls. There are quills made of Phoenix feathers, Hippogriffs feathers, Augurey feathers, Eagles, Owls and every other bird one could possible think of. You can even by quick-quill notes. On the opposite wall of the shop there are thousands of ink bottles, from tiny ones to some as big as bowling balls from every color imaginable (even invisible ink).

One of their most expensive items is a set of seven quills in different colors which represent a different strength. The purple one for example, must be used if you’re writing a very important paper, as it will help you to not only to write with no errors but it will empower your words with a sense of importance. It is used for example by the Ministry to write decrees, so that when the people read it, they know that’s an official document and that it must be complied with. The set comes inside a golden engraved rectangular box. The golden embossing on the outside depicted a Phoenix soaring into the sky leaving a trail of fire underneath.

The current owner is called Nikolaus, a man whose surly face hides a very gentle personality. His family made quills way before fleeing to England, which one can clearly tell by the craftsmanship of their products. The shop provides services of sale by Owl and they even accept model drafts to create customized quills according to the buyer's tastes. The shops is every scholar's dream and there's something for everyone.

Extra credit



Sources
http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Amanuensis_Quills
http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Diagon_Alley
http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Gringotts_Wizarding_Bank
My imagination