Diagon Alley
Chapter 1
"… Davran, you know Mem has a weak stomach; can't you guys take one of those Muggle plane thingies?"
"Bye mom-"
That was the last Mehmet heard of his mother. His father was still in the privy when Davran, his older brother, decided he didn't have the patience for long-winded farewells and pulled him off to the backyard to Apparate. He didn't even get to say bye to his mother, he realized, remembering his brother's last words.
Davran said bye, took Mehmet's hand and next thing the ten year old knew, the colors swirled violently and melded into one. Then the light was gone and there was only darkness, darkness and that horrible pressure on his chest and his body, but especially his chest, he hadn't even been able to breathe! After that, Mehmet found himself retching his breakfast into a trashcan.
"So much for
menemen." His brother said in a disdainful tone, although Mehmet knew it was only his brother's, umm,
unique, sense of humor.
Mehmet spit the last of the throw up and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. Then he almost retched again after looking at the green mess in the trashcan, but he was able to keep it down.
"Alright, let's go." His brother said as he walked away, not waiting for Mehmet to reply. "You still got your books on you, right Mem?" He asked the wind, seemingly. Mem was the pet name Mehmet's mom referred to him by, he didn't necessarily dislike it, but he didn't like it when his brother used it. Unfortunately, Davran knew.
"Yeah." Mehmet answered in his usual quiet tone. He switched his bag off to one shoulder and looked at his supply list. Most of the book names were already crossed off, Davran had kept all of his books from Hogwarts and passed them on to Mehmet, except for
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi and
Magical Drafts and Potions, which were completely worn out by the time Davran was done with them. Those had been his favorite classes. "There's only those two we need to get… and the clothing"
Mehmet's mom had almost forced Mehmet to use his brother's old robes, but his brother had been taller and lankier at the time, and it was Davran himself who disregarded that possibility. "Mehmet is a Sahin of the Akkadians." He said full of pride as he always did. "He'll go to Hogwarts with new robes even if
I have to pay for them." In the end, he
would have to pay for them, which reminded Mehmet that his older bro really did like him, so he kept walking.
Shopping for robes was nothing if not tedious, and Mehmet didn't know what to think of the old man taking his measurements at Twilfitt and Tatting's, but he put up with it. After only a couple more stops, at Flourish and Blotts and Potage's Cauldron Shop, he had officially crossed out everything in his list.
"Where are we going now?" He asked his brother enthusiastically as he struggled to keep up with him.
"Gringotts"
"Awww…" Mehmet hated banks. Actually he hated everything he considered boring, and he supposed going to the bank applied just as much as buying robes did. "Can we stop there?" He asked pointing at a random sweets shop.
"No."
"How about there?" He asked, now pointing at Ollivander's.
His brother sighed, or maybe it was a groan? "You already have a wand, remember?" He paused for a second, and then his nationalism took over. "A
Turkish wand no less, with a Basilisk Fang core… Mr. Ollivander doesn't even sell those. None of his wands are apt for the likes of us."
"But there's kids." Mehmet whined. "And they're my age, they're probably going to Hogwarts too!"
"Then meet them there."
After a couple tens of yards walked in silence, Mehmet spoke up again. "I heard they lifted the ban on broomsticks."
"So they said."
Mehmet gulped. "I want to buy one."
Davran gave his brother a queer look and then said: "Broomsticks are uncomfortable and expensive." He let the thought sit for a bit, before going on: "It is
preposterous that in this day and age the Magical Ministry still plots to keep Flying Carpets illegal; Muggle artifacts my arse! Those pigs act as if they were unaware that Muggles also use brooms for sweeping floors!"
Understanding that for an end to the conversation, Mehmet almost became quiet then, but then he noticed Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and gasped. "Please, can we go there?" He demanded before his brother crouched down to his level and gave him a firm but controlled slap.
"I said we're going to Gringotts, and you're listening to me unless you
don't want to take that monkey of yours to Hogwarts." His tone of voice was composed, and his didn't look angry, but Mehmet knew not to provoke his brother when he got those eyes…
"Where's Maymun?" He asked as tears welled up in his eyes.
"In my apartment, and he'll stay there unless you do as you are told, got it Mem?" Mehmet nodded; he really didn't like to be called Mem though.
Upon entering Gringotts, Mehmet almost completely forgot the fuss with his brother outside, and was immediately intrigued by the pointy-nosed Goblins in charge of the bank. His brother led him to one of them by the hand and cleared his throat, prompting the Goblin to look towards them.
"Name?" He asked in his rough yet squeaky Goblin voice.
"Davran Sahin. I'm here to open an account for my brother, Mehmet Sahin."
The Goblin looked over from his brother to Mehmet with its cold eyes, clacking his pointy teeth. "Are you the kid's legal guardian?" He asked without shifting his gaze away from Mehmet.
"I am." His brother answered. "Our parents live overseas."
"I see." The Goblin grabbed his quill and began scribbling on a piece of parchment. "Please sign here and have your brother sign there; as his legal guardian, we'll inform you of all of your brother's withdrawals and send his account statements to you instead."
Davran signed first and gave the parchment to Mehmet who signed as well. He then made a withdrawal and received a decently sized pouch that he attached to a belt under his robe and then placed it in an inside pocket of said robe. "Let's go." He told his brother as he walked away on his brisk, long strides.
"Where are we going?" Mehmet asked as he went into a jog to catch up with his brother.
"Quality Quidditch Supplies… I'm getting you a broomstick…"
((OOC: Well, as I mentioned in the SU, Mehmet (and Davran too, actually) are characters that I used on different RPs before.
Davran is actually an Auror (which explains his ability to Apparate intercontinentally), and if you can guess what House he used to be in you get a cookie! :P
I could post a bit more about Mehmet's older brother in the OOC, if you'd like to be more familiar with him…
By the way,
menemen is a pretty delicious-looking traditional Turkish omelette, apparently; it
looks good, so it became Mehmet's favorite breakfast xD))