Diagon Alley

"Harry wished he had eight more eyes.... There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Harry had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon...."

- Description to Harry Potter's first visit in Diagon Alley

Diagon Alley is a cobbled wizarding alley and shopping area located in London, England behind a pub called the Leaky Cauldron. Inside the alley is an assortment of restaurants, shops, and other sights. All items on the Hogwarts supply list can be bought at Diagon Alley. The alley is completely hidden from the Muggle world which is right outside of its boundaries.

Creation
It is a popular historical theory that the oldest building in Diagon Alley is Gringotts Wizarding Bank and that the other shops grew up around it. However, there is a possibility that Ollivander's Wand Shop is the oldest building, records dating back to the late fourth century B.C.

Harry Potter's 1991 visit
Harry Potter's first visit to Diagon Alley with Rubeus Hagrid marked his re-introduction to the Wizarding world. Hagrid helped Harry shop for his school supplies, and purchased Harry's eleventh birthday present, the Snowy Owl Hedwig, from Eeylops Owl Emporium. Harry also purchased his wand from Ollivanders Wand Shop, and presumably, the other members of Harry's year, including Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, did the same.

Return of the Dark Lord
"The colourful, glittering window displays of spellbooks, potion ingredients, and cauldrons were lost to view, hidden behind the large Ministry of Magic posters that had been pasted over them. Most of these somber purple posters carried blown-up versions of the security advice on the Ministry pamphlets that had been sent out over the summer, but others bore moving black-and-white photographs of Death Eaters known to be on the loose. […] A few windows were boarded up, including those of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. On the other hand, a number of shabby-looking stalls had sprung up along the street."

- Description

In 1996, the return of Voldemort affected the appearance of Diagon Alley dramatically. Wizards and witches no longer felt safe wandering out in public. The once-crowded streets stood virtually empty, the few shoppers staying together in groups; "Wanted" posters with the faces of Death Eaters plastered the fronts of once-bright shops and street stalls popped up, hawking "protective" amulets and charms.

Ollivander's Wand Shop and Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour were closed following the Death Eater attack, in which Mr. Ollivander was kidnapped and Florean Fortescue, was kidnapped and later murdered. Several other shops, like Scribbulus Writing Instruments, appeared to have been boarded up as well.

In comparison, the storefront of Fred and George Weasley's joke shop, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, "hit the eye like a firework display". The windows were full of colourful assortments of goods that "revolved, popped, flashed, bounced, and shrieked." Passers-by seemed to be stunned and transfixed by this.

Location
Diagon Alley is accessible from Muggle London through the Leaky Cauldron, which is on Charing Cross Road, set between a bookshop and a record store. The Muggles who pass by the inn seem to be "quite unconscious" of its existence. Knockturn Alley, a dark artefacts area, is an offshoot of Diagon Alley.

Access
"Welcome, Harry, to Diagon Alley."

- Rubeus Hagrid to Harry Potter during Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley.

The entrance is behind the The Leaky Cauldron in a small, walled courtyard with a trash can. Diagon Alley can be accessed by tapping the correct brick in the wall behind the Leaky Cauldron (from the trash can, three up and two across). The wall goes in a small hole first but forms a large archway. It can also be accessed by Floo powder and Apparition. There may be other entrances as well.

Diagon Alley connects to a second, less reputable shopping district, Knockturn Alley.

Community
Inside the Alley is an assortment of restaurants, shops, and other sights; some even have tables out front with coloured umbrellas. Particularly during the days or weeks before school starts at Hogwarts, the location is packed with witches and wizards, though shops are open year-round as witches and wizards travel to the location for various goods. While the shops include many school-supply locations, there are also many locations important to the wizarding world, such as Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Ollivander's Wand Shop. Diagon Alley is also the location of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, established by Fred and George Weasley shortly after leaving Hogwarts.

Important locations

 * 2nd Hand Brooms: A shop that sells used broomsticks.
 * Amanuensis Quills: A shop in Diagon Alley that sells quills. It is next to Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions shop.
 * Broomstix: A shop that sells broomsticks.
 * Eeylops Owl Emporium: A pet store located in Diagon Alley that sells owls and things that will help owls, like Owl Treats. It sells a variety of breeds, including Screech, Barn, Tawny, Brown, and Snowy.
 * Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour: It was owned and operated by Florean Fortescue, and was located at Diagon Alley.
 * Flourish and Blotts: A popular bookstore in Diagon Alley where most Hogwarts students purchase their schoolbooks.
 * Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop: Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop is located in Diagon Alley. Fred and George, and Lee Jordan stocked up on Dr. Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks
 * Gringotts Wizarding Bank: Gringotts is the only known bank of the wizarding world. It was created by the goblin Gringott. It is located in Diagon Alley and is owned and run by Goblins. In addition to storing money and valuables for wizards, one can go there to exchange Muggle money for wizarding money.
 * Junk shop: sells secondhand items such as broken wands, lopsided scales, etc.
 * The Leaky Cauldron: A popular Wizarding pub in London. It is the entrance to Diagon Alley.
 * Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions: Sometimes simply referred to as Madam Malkin's, it is a shop in Diagon Alley. Students get their Hogwarts school uniforms there, and also dress robes, travelling cloaks, and the like.
 * Madam Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions: Located at 275 Diagon Alley, this store helps witches getting rid of "warts and worse".
 * Magical Menagerie: One of the shops where students buy their pets and supplies.
 * Obscurus Books: Located at 18a Diagon Alley, Obscurus is a Wizarding book publisher. Its range of titles include the popular Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
 * Ollivander's Wand Shop: Ollivander's Wand Shop is the sole wand shop of Diagon Alley. Peeling gold letters over the door of the shop read: Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.. The shop's display consists of a solitary wand laying on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. The shop is tiny, empty except for a single, spindly chair in the corner. Thousands of narrow boxes containing wands are piled right up to the ceiling of the tiny shop, and the whole place has a thin layer of dust about it.
 * Potage's Cauldron Shop: A shop where you can buy cauldrons
 * Quality Quidditch Supplies: A store in Diagon Alley. Its main products are things having to do with Quidditch such as Quaffles, Bludgers, and broomsticks.
 * Scribbulus Writing Instruments: A shop that sells ink and presumably other stationary items (quills, parchment).
 * Secondhand robe shop: A shop that sells secondhand robes.
 * Slug & Jiggers Apothecary: Where students buy their potion ingredients.
 * Sugarplum's Sweets Shop: A shop that sells confections.
 * TerrorTours: Located at 59 Diagon Alley, TerrorTours is presumably a travel agency for wizards and witches.
 * The Ministry Press: A publishing house affiliated to the Ministry of Magic.
 * The Daily Prophet's main office: Presumably where the Daily Prophet newspapers are printed.
 * Twilfitt and Tatting's: Twilfitt and Tatting's is a wizarding clothing shop located in Diagon Alley. Given that it is favoured by elitist pure-blood witch Narcissa Malfoy, it is probably an upmarket shop.
 * Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes: Located at 93 Diagon Alley, it is a joke shop in owned by Fred and George Weasley. It sells practical joke objects, such as Extendable Ears, a Reusable Hangman, and Fred and George's special WonderWitch products, such as love potions and ten-second pimple remover. There is also a section of Muggle magic tricks in honour of their father Arthur. They're not big sellers, but they do fairly well.
 * Whizz Hard Books: Located at 129B Diagon Alley. Whizz Hard Books is a Wizarding book publisher. Its range of titles include the popular Quidditch Through the Ages and Hairy Snout, Human Heart.
 * Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment: A miscellaneous equipment store.
 * Various stalls and peddlers: There are a variety of street peddlers who take up space in between shops out on the main thoroughfare of Diagon Alley. Included are: a flower vendor, a vendor who is selling roasted chestnuts, and a jewellery vendor.

Etymology
The words "Diagon" and "Alley" when pronounced together, produce the word "diagonally" which is most probably the origin of the name "Diagon Alley". When Harry mispronounced the name due to inhaling a mouthful of ash, he landed in a fireplace in nearby Knockturn Alley.

Behind the scenes

 * In the United States, there is a remake of Diagon Alley in Santa Monica, California called Whimsic Alley (which is a play on the word "whimsically"). There are shops that mimic the real Diagon Alley and one can actually purchase things there.
 * In the film version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Hagrid taps a series of bricks to enter Diagon Alley instead of one brick (three up two across).
 * The 2-disc DVD edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets includes an interactive tour of Diagon Alley, including non-interactive interior views of several shops, and an interactive exploration of Flourish and Blotts.
 * As depicted in the films, Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley are strictly pedestrian precincts, as the streets are too narrow to accommodate either vehicular or carriage traffic. Presumably magical means are exercised for stocking the stores, eliminating the need for standard transportation corridors.
 * There is a Lego version which has a release date of 1 January, 2011. It has three main buildings. It includes mini-figures which have appeared in several of the Harry Potter films.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
 * Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4

Notes and references
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