Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Job Hunting in Diagon Alley
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By the time Eda arrived at Charing Cross Road, the sky was completely dark. This street, filled with bookstores, pubs, and restaurants, was well-known in the Muggle world. Fans of detective stories liked to visit Baker Street, while book lovers often chose Charing Cross Road, especially to visit 84 Charing Cross Road.
Eda, however, had never read *84 Charing Cross Road* and was unaware of the heartwarming and touching story of a friendship spanning twenty years and thousands of miles.
She came here simply because the Leaky Cauldron was located on this street, although its real address was 1 Diagon Alley, the oldest pub in London.
The old sign at the entrance seemed to be telling the passing wizards about its history. It was said that this pub was established in the early 16th century, having weathered many storms and witnessed the ups and downs of the magical world over the centuries.
Its most difficult period was probably during the 19th century when Muggles were planning the area, and the Leaky Cauldron almost got demolished. Wizards spontaneously protected it, allowing the pub to survive in the new plans.
Some said that wizards cast many Obliviate charms to make Muggles overlook the pub's location, leading them to avoid it during planning. Others said that wizards used the Imperius Curse to control the planners, making them leave this spot blank.
But no matter the method, the Leaky Cauldron remained, providing a place for wizards to rest.
Inside the narrow and dimly lit pub, a few patrons were still there, drinking and chatting, not noticing the young witch who had just entered.
The pub's owner, Tom, who was thin, shriveled, and toothless, was standing behind the bar, wiping glasses. Hearing the bell at the door, he looked up.
"I remember you. You came to Diagon Alley with Professor McGonagall when Hogwarts started." Tom looked at Eda and said, "But why are you here at this time?"
The pub was always bustling with people coming and going, so Tom normally wouldn't remember a young witch like Eda. However, since Professor McGonagall had shown her special care, Tom had a slight impression of her.
"School's already out for the holidays," Eda said as she walked up to the bar. "I need a room."
"You should be going home. Your family must be worried," Tom remarked, unaware of Eda's situation. He didn't even know her name.
Eda pulled out a small pouch of money from her pocket and replied, "For some personal reasons, I need to stay here for a while. I'll pay, of course."
"Alright, what kind of room do you need?" Tom didn't press further. After all, the pub was open for business, and there were no rules against underage witches staying at the Leaky Cauldron.
"The cheapest one will do."
Tom took out a ledger from behind the bar and said, "Sign in, then."
"Esmeralda Twist," Eda provided her name for Tom.
"Follow me," Tom said after she had signed in. He stepped out from behind the bar, picked up Eda's suitcase, and led the way.
He guided Eda up a charming wooden staircase to the second floor, leading her down a hallway to the room at the very end.
Tom opened the door to the room, and to Eda's surprise, it was a neat and cozy guest room, a stark contrast to the dim and simple atmosphere downstairs.
The room was small, but the oak furniture was polished to a shine, and the bed looked very comfortable. The thing that pleased Eda the most was the small window that let in some light.
"This is the cheapest room, and I'll throw in breakfast—though it's just jam and bread," Tom said from the doorway.
"Thank you for your generosity. I'm quite satisfied with this."
Tom gave Eda a small bow and then stepped out, closing the door behind him as he left.
After spending a day running around London, Eda was exhausted. She changed into her night clothes, ready to go straight to sleep. She placed her wand under her pillow, ready to grab it in case of any unexpected situation.
Lying in bed, Eda didn't fall asleep right away. She still needed to plan for her holiday. Since she wasn't planning on going to Surrey to stay with Mrs. Mary, she would have to fend for herself.
Staying and eating at the Leaky Cauldron every day would be quite expensive, and Eda couldn't just keep spending without making any money. Otherwise, she was sure she'd end up on the streets. She was already regretting handing over that small bag of Galleons.
Work—she would have to find a job. Tomorrow, she'd check out Diagon Alley and see if she could find something! Eda thought.
The next day, Eda went downstairs early. It was still early, and there weren't many customers in the pub yet. Eda chose a table close to the bar and sat down.
As Eda spread jam on her toasted bread, her mind was occupied with thoughts about how she should approach job hunting in Diagon Alley later.
"Why isn't Dave here?" one of the waitstaff in the pub whispered.
"I heard he's in the hospital. Should we go visit him at St. Mungo's tonight?" another responded.
"What happened? Another spell experiment?"
"Yeah, his experiment failed, causing an explosion..."
"Hope he's okay," the first waiter said.
Most of the spells used in the wizarding world today were passed down from previous generations. If someone could invent a new spell, it would mean instant fame, and even the Order of Merlin might be given to them.
St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries admitted many people like Dave every year, but even more wizards never had their remains found after failed experiments.
Despite the dangers involved in spell experimentation, many wizards were still eager to try their hand at it. Some might have noble intentions of benefiting the wizarding community, but more were driven by the desire for instant fame.
Eda paid little attention to the waitstaff's conversation. It wasn't unusual for wizards to be involved in all sorts of strange experiments; after all, even the gamekeeper at Hogwarts was conducting experiments on magical creatures!
After finishing her bread, Eda walked through the brick wall in the small courtyard to enter Diagon Alley.
Diagon Alley was the most bustling commercial street in the British wizarding world, home to flagship stores of many top magical brands. As more shops opened up, space became increasingly scarce, and property prices soared. Despite this, businesses continued to thrive, making significant profits.
Eda first went to Potage's Cauldron Shop, the first store visible after entering Diagon Alley from the pub. The shop sold cauldrons of various sizes and materials, but it didn't need any more staff, so Eda couldn't find work there.
Undeterred, Eda continued her search, visiting store after store along Diagon Alley. She was determined to find a part-time job.
As a result, a curious sight unfolded in Diagon Alley that day: shoppers constantly spotted a young witch entering and exiting various shops.
"Sir, are you hiring? I can handle potion ingredients and assist with sales..." Eda asked at an apothecary. Despite her knowledge of potions, the shopkeeper declined her request.
At Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, she inquired, "Do you need a waitress? I have work experience..."
"Madam Malkin, are you hiring? I can do anything, and I look good, which could help attract customers..." In Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, Eda tried to persuade Madam Malkin, but she was politely turned away.
She also visited Eeylops Owl Emporium, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, secondhand shops, and stationery stores, but found no job opportunities.
Of all the shopkeepers she encountered, the short and stout Madam Malkin treated Eda the best. Most shop owners either had no plans to hire anyone or preferred to hire an adult witch or wizard. As a thirteen-year-old witch without even an O.W.L.s certificate, Eda found it challenging to secure a job.
After spending an entire day running around Diagon Alley, Eda finally secured a job at Flourish and Blotts. The bookstore's owner was hiring and needed an assistant manager as well as several shop assistants. He was looking for witches and wizards who could help keep things under control during busy times.
Eda didn't aim for the high-paying assistant manager position; she could only work for two months, so no one would want to hire her for such a role. Her goal was to become a shop assistant.
Flourish and Blotts frequently hosted book signings and other temporary events, which often resulted in chaotic scenes. The bookstore owner needed someone to maintain order during these events.
However, Eda couldn't openly use magic, and she was quite young, making this kind of work unsuitable for her. The bookstore owner didn't assign her as a shop assistant but instead put her in charge of handling owl orders.
Flourish and Blotts accepted book orders by post, as well as large bulk orders in advance. Eda's job was to help process these orders along with other employees, although her pay was lower than theirs.
Thankfully, Eda found this job. If Flourish and Blotts hadn't offered her this position, she might have considered visiting Knockturn Alley. If Professor McGonagall knew about this thought, she would probably skin Eda alive.
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