"Patrolling" Diagon Alley [Hunter]

Inigo was strolling around Diagon Alley, looking for something to do. He'd been brought here to get his school robes ready at Madame Malkin's, and all the measuring and pinning and such was done. Inigo had asked to be allowed to wander around the bookstore for a bit and his foster mother, eager to spend some time with grownups that weren't her husband, allowed him to go off on his own for a bit while she went to a cafe with a good view of the streets, so she could keep an eye out. Of course, Inigo was a crafty young thing, and disappeared into the crowd once he was sure his foster mother was busy ordering some coffee. He did like the bookstore, to be truthful, but he was going to spend plenty of time there hunting down his books for Hogwarts once his guardian was done in the cafe, so he figured he'd use this time to go to other shops, ones that she wouldn't necessarily approve of. The young wizard's mind whirled with possibilities, and his first thought was of course Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, famously owned by the surviving Weasley twin and partly owned by the Harry Potter, a shop whose goods had purportedly been used as tools against the Death Eaters. While most boys his age saw only pranks and the like, Inigo thought that, if he was going to be Batman, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes wasn't the worst place in the world to start building a utility belt.

Of course, he had to get there first, and the crowd which had played to advantage only moments ago was now working against him, grownups who were too consumed in their daily routines jostling the young wizard this way and that, keeping him nigh-trapped in a sea of adults. It seemed that sticking with one's guardian had its upsides, too. Inigo tried to look for an opportunity, but he was also being extra careful, since he was wearing his Batman cape, and he didn't want to tear it. He'd worn it because he wanted to give Madame Malkin an example of how he wanted the hems on his robes done, and he was hoping that the expert seamstress wouldn't mind a request from an eccentric schoolboy.

Was it his imagination or was Diagon Alley more crowded than usual today? Hunter had bumped shoulders and apologised at least four times in the last ten minutes, though each time he was more concerned about a certain furry passenger that was currently snuggled close to his neck and occasionally nibbling gently at the neck of his already worn t-shirt. Good thing I've just got the one rat with me today he thought as he sidestepped an elderly witch in vivid purple robes who appeared to be directing a long-suffering younger relative on the best way to reach the Leaky Cauldron. Hunter wouldn't be going there today either, he thought to himself. Maybe a side trip down Knockturn alley might be quieter. While he didn't go there often and in fact was fairly indifferent to the place, it did have the advantage of a couple of decent pubs that were both cheaper and less crowded than the more popular haunts.

Hunter ducked into an apothecary for a couple of minutes and pretended to study a jar of beetle eyes, just while he decided what to do next. This was his day off, in as much as he had a work schedule, and he needed to get a few things for his flat, not to mention he was almost out of the rats' favourite treats. While others might laugh at his close relationship with the small animals and scoff at the fact they were non-magical, Hunter felt differently. He'd promised the rats there would be treats, and if he came home empty handed they would know, and spend the evening alternately snuffling through the pockets of his jeans for anything edible and sitting on his knee looking tragic and disconsolate. Even if he didn't bother to get anything else, that was the most essential purchase. So he stepped out of the shop, just in time to see a small boy trot past.

There were small boys a plenty in Diagon Alley, and a small boy in a cloak was nothing unusual either, but this cloak caught his eye. Hunter felt a grin spreading across his face as he wondered how a little kid - before Hogwarts hadn't broken up for the summer, so surely this one was underage or only just turned eleven - knew about muggle superheroes. Without further ado his mind was made up. "Hey, Batman! How's it going?" he called after the kid cheerfully.

Inigo grinned, flipped up his cowl and said, "All is well, citizen. Nothing to report. The people of Gotham are safe..."

Of course, he then stopped for a moment, and realized where he was, and what he'd just heard. He lowered his cowl once more and said, "Wait... you know who Batman is. But you're in Diagon Alley. So do you just like to study Muggles, or are you Muggleborn or something? I mean, not that I much care, I'm just curious. Anyway, I'm Inigo. My foster mom says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers, but I figure that if I don't talk to strangers, then I'll never make any friends, right? I know what she meant, obviously, but with this many people around, what're you gonna do? Apparate away with a Traced kid? That wouldn't be very smart. I figure I'm safe enough, so long as I don't follow you into Knockturn Alley or anything silly like that. And don't even think about offering me "free candy". Just sayin'."

Okay, so this was interesting. Hunter had expected a giggle, or a delighted grin, or maybe even for the kid to run off without reacting because he had no idea of the significance of what he was wearing. He definitely hadn't expected this miniature…superhero? It was the man who found himself grinning delightedly, though for a few minutes he was silent. Not because he was lost for words, but because the kid most certainly wasn't. Hunter let him finish speaking, picking up on several interesting snippets that very likely revealed more than Inigo intended. First things first, though.

"Don't worry, kid. If you want candy you'll have to buy it yourself. I'd avoid the cockroach clusters though - even my rats avoid them" he added in a quieter voice. He liked this kid already. Reminded him of himself at that age, already streetwise and knew how to take care of himself. "Yeah, I know Batman. And just to confuse you, I'm pureblood - but I've got a muggle Dad." he winked, letting the little boy think about that for a few minutes before he explained. It was actually quite straightforward when you knew that Jimmy was a muggle but wasn't his real Dad, but he wanted to see how Inigo reacted to that. "But you're right - I love muggles, or at least some muggle things. Films are the best" he said with obvious enthusiasm, though at the same time he was racking his brains for other things the child would have watched. Hunter's preferences were horror films, and he hoped that someone not yet old enough to be at Hogwarts hadn't seen any of those yet! Though now he thought of it…

"So are you starting Hogwarts this year? Is that why you and your foster Mum are in Diagon Alley?" and then almost immediately he had another thought "Wait - you're not lost, are you? I mean, you know where she is, right, and she's okay with you taking a walk on your own?" It wasn't like Hunter to be responsible, but he didn't like the idea of a kid being lost - especially one who apparently didn't have his real mother around any more.

Inigo grinned and said, "Yup. I wanted Madame Malkin to make my robes for school with the hem like the hem of Batman's cape, so I wore it so I could show her. I mean, the rules they sent with the letter didn't specify how the robes had to be hemmed, just that they had to be black. I figure the worst that will happen is one of the professors will transfigure my robes to match everyone else's, and I'll end up with a detention or something. But I figure it's worth a shot, right? Because how cool would it be if they just let me wear them, right?"

The adult seemed to actually be the friendly sort, and Inigo was glad to have found someone who was actually willing to talk Batman and stuff with him. Gran was great and all, but she didn't *get* it, she just knew that he liked super heroes like his Dad had, and she kept the comics coming. Not to mention fresh-baked biscuits when he visited, or when she guilted one of his aunts or uncles into driving her out to see him. She didn't have the health to keep up with the young boy, but on her good days she could take him to a movie, or just spend a day with him at the museum or something, and Inigo relished those days. And Charity, well, she was just the same. She'd nod and smile politely, but she didn't *get* it. There were a lot of Muggle things she didn't get, and the comic books with their static pictures just didn't interest her.

"Movies are good, yeah. I mostly read comic books, since that's mostly what my Muggle Gran sends me, but I've seen a few movies and stuff. Dad really liked that Inigo was apparently a family name on my Mum's side, and we used to watch The Princess Bride a lot once I was old enough to understand. I mostly liked the story, and the fact that there was another Inigo in it," added the young boy, before thinking wistfully, 'Too bad that's not all we share, now.'

He then smiled again and said, "But, yeah, I agree with your rats. There's actually a lot of wizard candies I'm not that fond of. The Chocolate Frogs kind of weird me out with the way they move. It's fun to catch them, sure, but eating something that struggles... I dunno. If it wasn't for the cards, I probably wouldn't buy them. I like collecting the cards, they have some interesting factoids sometimes, and I always like learning new things. And you never know when it might come up on a History of Magic test!"

Finally getting around to the actually important question, Inigo blathered, "But I'm not lost. I'm just... I think stuck is the better word. Or maybe hindered. Bogged down, maybe? I keep trying to go to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, but I can't get through the people. Maybe if I wait a bit, the foot traffic will die down some. And I know how to get back to my foster mum, she's at a cafe not far from Madame Malkin's."

Hunter had no idea how the hem of Batman's cape differed from Hogwarts robes, having had as little interest in fashion at school as he did now. He'd worn robes at school of course, but he couldn't remember whether everyone's had looked the same or whether some kids had been allowed something a bit out of the ordinary. He remembered a girl being told off for charming live butterflies to sit in her hair during class, but that probably wasn't the same thing. "Yeah, maybe you'll get lucky…oh wait" he said, suddenly remembering something "When you're in fourth or fifth year you'll be allowed to go to formal occasions and have dress robes, so you can definitely have the hems any way you like for that". He figured that, even if the boy was told he had to look like everyone else for now, it might make him feel better to know it would only be a few years before he could pick out his own robes.

Especially if Inigo was already this independent. Though Hunter had picked up on something else as well - he'd referred to his dad in the past tense. Foster mum, muggle gran… stuff he used to do…the man felt as though he should say something, acknowledge that he understood, but he didn't know what to say that wouldn't sound either uncaring or worse, patronising. So instead he followed to subject he was interested in. "Oh, cool. I loved comics when I was a kid too, but films were always my thing. Jimmy - that's my Dad - well, he always looked after me and Mum, so that makes him my Dad as far as i'm concerned - used to let me watch stuff with him and his mates, right from when I was little. Princess bride is the one with the giant and the swordfighter, right?" he grinned "You should definitely take muggle studies. You'll get an O, no problem!" That might be a slight exaggeration, but Hunter was in a good mood today.

"Yeah, I prefer muggle jelly beans to Bertie Botts, too. At least you know if you're about to bite into a chilli flavoured one, because it tells you on the box!"  Hunter answered all these questions and had asked a few of his own before they ascertained that the boy wasn't lost. Hunter knew that one. Being on the short side himself he was used to the feeling of needing to fight his way through a crowd. It didn't bother him in the least, particularly with his wand at his side, but he could see how it would feel to someone so young. "The cafe with the fifteen kinds of coffee?" Hunter asked. He knew it well, though he didn't go there himself, preferring strong tea in the morning or beer once the Sun was over the yardarm, as one of Jimmy's friends liked to say.

"Sounds like a plan. There's a Quidditch shop just across the street if you wanted to take a look. I need to have a word with the owner, so if you want to tag along and not get lost in the crowd, that's fine with me, and you'll still be near your foster Mum if she comes looking for you."

Inigo nodded and said, "That sounds like a plan. I've never been fond of Quidditch, personally, but some of the gear can be neat. I guess I just don't see the point of a "team" sport where only one player *really* matters. I mean, I know it's possible to win the game even if you don't catch the Snitch, but that's like a million to one, right? You'd need to get at least sixteen more goals than the other team before you could win without catching the snitch. It's fun to play or to watch in person, don't get me wrong, but I just don't follow any particular team."

He then grinned and answered, "That's the one. It's a good movie, and apparently a lot of Muggles are obsessed with it, especially that Inigo, the swordsman. He does have some great lines in that movie, though. I haven't seen many other movies though, other than kids' cartoons you probably don't want to hear about. I'm not much for them myself, and I'm a kid! I dunno about Muggle Studies, though. Easy O's really aren't my style. I like a challenge, and I like learning new things. At primary school, the teachers have an office pool going on my best friend and I, about how quickly the Sorting Hat is gonna put us into Ravenclaw. I dunno how they're going to find out, though. They don't know I know, though, so maybe I'll send them an owl once I'm in Hogwarts just so they can finish it up, give 'em a nice surprise, eh?"

He then chuckled and admitted, "One of them thinks I'll end up in Slytherin instead. I hope not, but... eh. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world."

"Yeah, I guess..." Hunter said, He'd never thought of Quidditch that way, before. Without a doubt it was his favourite game, particularly given the amount of time he spent watching matches and interviewing players "though I don't think the rest of the players would agree with you! I mean, imagine if the seeker was the only one on the pitch. Sure, they could catch the snitch and win, but the other team's beaters would be attacking them all the time, so they'd have both bludgers to dodge instead of looking for the snitch, and without a keeper, the other team could score as many goals as they liked..." as he spoke, Hunter led his way across the street, interspersing his explanation with many an "excuse me" and "cheers, mate" and trying to stop the little kid from getting trampled by the crowd. Not that Inigo seemed to need much help; he was happily chatting about something else now.

Hunter considered what the boy was saying "So what sort of school is that?" he asked, curious now "I mean, I went to primary school, but it was a muggle school, my mum was the only one who knew I'd be a wizard when I grew up. I didn't know there were schools for underage wizards and witches" he grinned "Sounds cool. Especially already knowing people before you get to Hogwarts. I was seriously scared on the train, didn't know a soul there!" They'd reached the shop and Hunter held the door open, giving Inigo the choice of whether he wanted to follow him inside or just stay and look in the window. The shop itself was less crowded than the street, with a couple of teenagers looking at racing brooms and only three or four adults scattered around.

"Nothing wrong with Slytherin. I had some good mates in there, and I was a Gryffindor, so it's definitely not true what they say about the houses not getting on. Though I remember one time when..." Hunter remembered the tale he was about to tell, which involved his friend's underpants being transfigured into a crab whilst he was wearing them, was probably not appropriate for a ten year old and trailed off as he luckily spotted the owner of the shop and called hello.