Overview
Diagon Alley can only be accessed from a small courtyard behind the The Leaky Cauldron, a pub on Charing Cross Road which all muggles (non-magic folk) seem to be completely unsconcious of. Against the back wall of the courtyard there is a trash can and when the brick on the wall three up and two across from this trash can is tapped (possibly only with a
wand) the wall will open up into an archway leading into Diagon Alley. The street can also be accessed by using floo network (a travel system involving
teleporting through chimneys) or apparition (the ability to magically teleport from place to place).
Early on in the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone/Sorcerer's Stone story
Rubeus Hagrid takes
Harry Potter to Diagon Alley to purchase his school supplies and Diagon Alley is repeatedly revisited throughout the stories, often before the start of each school year at
Hogwarts. As all of the items on the Hogwarts supply list for each year can be bought in Diagon Alley it is often bustling with students and their parents near the end of the summer months as students prepare for their return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
After the second rise of the
Dark Lord Voldemort in 1996 Diagon Alley changed drastically. Due to wizards and witches fearing the death eaters (the followers of Voldemort) in the streets, Diagon Alley remained largely empty. Street stalls sprung up in the alley claiming to sell amulets and trinkets that could protect people against the death eaters and a large number of "wanted" posters for various death eaters became plastered over the shop fronts. A number of shops closed including Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, Ollivander's and possibly also Scribbulus Writing Instruments among other shops. 1996 did however see the opening of the highly upbeat and light-hearted joke shop Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
Diagon Alley is depicted and mentioned in a number of the Harry Potter games and is one of the main locations in which the player can build in
Lego Creator: Harry Potter.
Shops
Eeylops Owl Emporium
A shop which sells various breeds of owls including Screech, Barn, Tawny, Brown and Snowy.
Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor
A simple ice cream shop owned by Florean Fortescue.
Flourish and Blotts
A well-stocked and popular book store.
Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop
A joke shop of Diagon Alley.
Gringotts Bank
A bank run by
goblins and built upon the street long ago, it was first founded by the goblin Gringott. Beneath the bank is a very extensive mine cart system running between the vaults of the bank, all of which contain the money and valuables of various wizards. The bank is kept highly secure by the magic the goblins have placed upon the vaults and it is even rumoured to be guarded by
dragons. Gringotts will also exchange muggle money for wizard money.
Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occassions
A shop run by Madam Malkin which sells and fits school robes, dress robes and similar garments.
Magical Menagerie
A pet store offering a variety of animals for sale.
Obscurus Books
A book publisher based in Diagon Alley.
Daily Prophet Main Office
The main office of the very highly popular wizarding newspaper, The Daily Prophet.
Ollivander's
A wand shop dating back to 382 B.C. and run by the reputed wand-maker Mr. Ollivander.
Potage's Cauldron Shop
A shop upon the street which sells
cauldrons made of a variety of metals and in a variety of sizes.
Quality Quidditch Supplies
A shop which sells broomsticks and other equipment required to play the magical sport of Quidditch.
Slug & Jiggers Apothecary
A shop which sells a range of
potion ingredients.
Twilfitt and Tatting's
A clothing shop which is likely to be popular among the higher classes.
Weasley's Wizard Wheezes
A popular joke shop run by
Fred and
George Weasley. It sells everything from practical joke items to love potions and even sells some muggle magic tricks.
Whizz Hard Books
A book publisher based in Diagon Alley.
Trivia
- Diagon Alley's name is a play on the word diagonally.
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