Chapter 21: Borgin & Burkes
Chapter 21: Borgin & Burkes
Harry was also startled. Compared to his first visit, Diagon Alley today was much more crowded, practically a sea of people.
"So many people, are they all wizards?" Chris asked.
Moon nodded, "The vast majority are wizards, but it might be because it's the start of the school year, so there are so many people."
"School year?"
Moon didn't rush to answer, looking at the bustling crowd. Since he wasn't in a hurry to shop, he suggested, "Let's go to the coffee shop. Many stores should be very busy now."
The group crossed the crowd and arrived at a coffee shop in the middle of Diagon Alley. Hermione looked amazed all the way, feeling a bunch of questions popping up. Harry wasn't much better; it wasn't this lively when he came last time.
After ordering drinks and some snacks, Chris wanted to pay, but when he saw the gold coins Moon took out, he immediately withdrew his wallet.
"This is Galleons, the wizarding currency," Moon explained. The group sat under a canopy by the street, enjoying their time.
"Mr. Jones, what do you mean by the start of the school year?" Chris eagerly asked.
"The start of the school year at Hogwarts. It's a wizarding school that specifically accepts young wizards of the right age and teaches them how to use their magical abilities."
"Magic school?!" The couple's eyes widened in shock. "So, our daughter will also go there in the future?"
Moon nodded, "Yes, according to the information I've found, almost every young wizard goes there. By the way, how old is your daughter?"
"I'm ten this year," Hermione promptly answered.
"Same as me, so we should be in the same year next year," Harry said, surprised, looking at Hermione.
"Pete, can you take Hermione around?" Moon suggested, noticing the restlessness in the two kids.
"Mom, please?" Hermione looked at her mother. Seeing her hesitating, she added, "You can come with us."
"Martha, go ahead and explore. Little Hermione seems eager," Chris laughed, then turned to his daughter and whispered, "Sorry, girl, your mom and I didn't believe you earlier."
He naturally referred to what happened on Charing Cross Road.
"It's okay, Dad," Hermione said with a happy smile, then pulled her mom away, leaving Harry to lead the way.
"Pete, just stay in Diagon Alley, don't go too far," Moon reminded.
Harry nodded; he wasn't planning to go anywhere near Knockturn Alley, even though it had been more than a month since that incident. He wouldn't go there at all.
After the children left, Moon and Chris talked a lot. Chris, upon hearing that his beloved daughter would go to a distant place for school, initially resisted. However, when Moon explained the consequences if wizards couldn't control their magical power, Chris fell into silence.
"You have a year; no need to worry too much," Moon calmly said.
Chris sighed, holding his forehead. "I don't know... today's news is too overwhelming for me. Maybe when I wake up tomorrow, I'll feel like it's a dream. And as parents, how can we not worry?"
After saying this, Chris suddenly asked, "Mr. Jones, is Pete your child?"
Moon shook his head, "He's a neighbor's kid. He's not doing well, so occasionally, I take him out."
"Oh, okay," Chris felt he should skip this topic.
As for Moon, he diverted his attention, scanning the surroundings. Since a while ago, he felt someone watching him.
Soon, he locked onto someone in the passing crowd. It was a man with bow legs, short and chubby, greasy all over.
The moment Moon met his gaze, the man smiled, revealing a mouth full of yellow teeth. Then, he took out a parchment from his clothes, and on it was a drawing of a figure with a cat's head and a human body.
Confirming that Moon saw it, the man, mingling with the crowd, disappeared on the spot.
Moon's eyes narrowed, a smile playing on his lips. He stood up, straightened his clothes, and said, "Mr. Granger, excuse me for a moment."
"Oh, of course, don't worry," Chris said, extending his hand.
Moon nodded and walked down with the flow of people. In the blink of an eye, Chris couldn't find his trace.
Knockturn Alley, after the explosion more than a month ago, had been restored to its original state under the repair of various personnel.
Now, a figure rushed out from Diagon Alley, striding toward the depths of Knockturn Alley. He looked very flustered but kept looking back when he reached corners.
Mundungus Fletcher watched the crowd behind him, feeling confused. Did he mistake the person? Or maybe that guy didn't follow?
Thinking about it, he turned his head again, running into a figure in front of him.
With a thud, Mundungus felt like he had bumped into an iron plate, even having the illusion that Rubeus Hagrid was blocking his way.
Holding his throbbing nose, Mundungus slowly opened his eyes, only now realizing who was standing in front of him.
It was the man from the coffee shop just now.
Moon patted the nonexistent dust off his chest, looking at the man with a smile that seemed to say, "I'm curious. What do you want by deliberately holding my portrait to attract me here?"
Mundungus quickly scrambled up, increasing the distance between him and Moon. He held the parchment with Moon's image, trying to look proud, and said, "Didn't expect you to really follow. Don't blame me for not warning you. As long as you dare to mess around, your portrait will appear in Auror's office mailbox tomorrow."
Moon looked at him, seeing the weakness behind the seemingly strong smile.
"So, what do you want to convey?" Moon said and suddenly raised his hand!
The next moment, Mundungus's body flew up suddenly, heavily colliding with Moon. He even felt a hand grabbing his throat, making a crackling sound.
This is... the power that wizards should have?!
At this moment, Mundungus felt like his throat was clamped by a vise.
Moon softly whispered, "I'm asking, what is your purpose?"
Saying that, he snatched the parchment away and, after taking a glance, threw it into the air.
Under the sunlight, the parchment quickly corroded, turning into flying ash and disappearing.
Moon loosened his grip slightly, waiting for this guy's next move.
"Cough... I... cough..." Mundungus suddenly felt weak, falling to the ground. He covered his throat with one hand, the other trying to crawl away from Moon.
The two attacks just now had terrified him.
Accustomed to hanging out at the bottom of the magical world, he was completely defenseless against the feeling of imminent death.
"No, sorry, I'm sorry!! Please don't... I didn't mean to provoke you... cough, he told me you're a criminal, asked me to find you in Diagon Alley. So, when I found you... I just wanted to make a deal. Sorry! Please spare me..."
Moon walked slowly towards Mundungus, who retreated in fear.
"Who is 'he'?" Moon asked.
"Borgin & Burkes, you before..." Just as he was about to finish, a green light suddenly flew out, hitting Mundungus. The spell made him stop speaking.
"Tongue-Locking Curse!"
Moon looked to where the curse came from, in the alley between the buildings. A man with a hunchbacked posture stood in the darkness, his wrinkled face shrouded in shadows.
(End of this chapter)