44 Knockturn Alley

Matthew was ready to explore another part of London's magical Shopping District, Knockturn Alley who like the other parts of the Shopping district was named with a pun, Diagon Alley the regular shopping part was named after 'diagonally', Horizont Alley the high-class part of the Shopping district was named after 'horizontally', and last but not least there was the shady part of the district Knockturn Alley which held many shops related to the darker and more illegal side of magic and business, that was also implied by its pun 'Nocturnally' which meant nightly or dark.

Unfortunately, he didn't possess a Floo Network connection at home, since underaged Wizards weren't allowed to possess one, which just shows how Muggleborns were discriminated against in the British Wizarding Society, these were just small things, but there are many of them. They also didn't possess a Fireplace, so this would also be a problem for a floo connection. With his disguise, he also couldn't ask his parents to drive him, since he didn't want to explain why he even was disguised.

Since he didn't learn to apparate, although he wanted to, he couldn't risk splinching since there was no way to restore himself in the worst case. So his only choice was his short-range Portal magic. The distance between his home and Charing Cross Road, where the entrance to Diagon Alley was located, was over 1 Kilometer long. His short-range Portal magic only allowed him to cross around half the distance necessary.

So he would have to open the Portal two times, first, he opened a Portal to a remote small alley where he last year encountered the drug dealer. After he stepped through the blue rotating Hole, he came out behind a big Trash Container. Nobody was luckily inside the Alley. Although he felt confident enough to wipe memories with the Oblivation Charm, since he got enough practice last year, he still didn't want to use it too often on innocent people. Next, he once again formed a blue rotating Portal with his magic, this time it led to a backstreet on Charing Cross Road, where the Leaky Cauldron was located.

The backstreet he chose was right beside the Leaky Cauldron, where the anti-Muggle Charm was still working. So he didn't need to worry about getting spotted by an innocent passerby. Muggleborns and their Parents still wouldn't come shopping, since the Hogwarts Letters weren't delivered and other magical would either apparate into the backroom of the Cauldron or use the Floo Connection. So Matthew arrived at the Leaky Cauldron without getting any unwanted attention about his unusual way of magical transportation.

He entered into the Alley through the Main Entrance of the Cauldron, under the Curios gazes of the Patrons there, they were probably wondering why he used the entrance to the Muggle world instead of one of the Magical ones. But he had no choice in this matter.

Next, he passed through the busy alley, since it was already midday many people were shopping or working here. He walked until he arrived at a corner of the alley where it was crossing with the shady Knockturn alley. It looked like a dark, twisting alleyway just around the corner of the bright and busy Diagon Alley.

The entrance was much gloomier in comparison to the entrance to the normal Part. Knockturn Alley was much barer than Diagon Alley, there weren't as many Witches and Wizards there. Most of them gave off a darker feeling than the inhabitants of Diagon Alley. They behaved fairly suspiciously and many hid their faces behind their hoods.

Matthew also put the hood of his dark Robe over his face and entered the dark alley. At first view, it was a barren alley with many shops, but after taking a closer look at the Displays he spotted many dangerous or strange goods. The Vendors sold things like shrunken heads, poisonous candles, human-looking fingernails, shady-looking trinkets, and medallions. This place was more dedicated to the Dark Arts.

One of the first shops in the dark alley that piqued Matthew's interest was Mr. Mulpepper's Apothecary. Although they also had a Shop right next to Slug & Jiggers Apothecary as direct competition, their selection there couldn't compare with them. Maybe here it was different since they had the chance to sell more ingredients of a questionable nature.

The inside of the shop was quite dark and dirty, it was tended by an ancient-looking Wizard with a wrinkled face and an unhealthy greyish color. There were many things on the shelves. Different blood samples of many magical creatures, eyes in glass containers hopefully only of creatures and not humans, and many more questionable products.

Matthew bought a selection of different potion ingredients which were harder to get by in normal shops. They would be very useful in his experimentation. He also bought some of the blood samples, since he planned to study the different bloodlines of magical creatures. Although he didn't want to use them to enhance himself at the moment. He felt even if he created a Phoenix-Dragon-Basilisk hybrid Bloodline that he could infuse into himself to strengthen himself, there is something more powerful out there. He also is far from a Bottleneck in strengthening himself at the moment. So although preparation and studies wouldn't hurt there was no need at the moment.

On a bottom shelf behind the ancient shopkeeper was a vial with a golden bloodlike fluid inside. But no matter how Matthew tried the Shopkeeper wouldn't sell him anything of it. This Vial may be the reason for the sign on the front of the shop in the Diagon Alley, 'We don't sell Unicorn Blood, don't ask about it.'. Since the content of the Vial suspiciously looked how Unicorn Blood was described in Books. But apparently, the Shopkeeper didn't trust him, so he wouldn't sell him anything of the interesting goods.

Matthew decided he would shop here more often, to acquire more exotic goods in the future. After returning to the dark alley he continued with his exploration. He found many interesting shops that he should check out in the Future. Shops like Dystyl Phaelanges sold many different kinds of Bones, Human and non Human. Unfortunately, he didn't have the tools to study them properly at the moment, and as potion ingredients, they were mostly too hard to be really useful in this form.

Then there were shops like Cobb & Webb's, a shop dedicated to items related to the Dark arts in general, or the Coffin House, a shop with Dark arts materials especially Necromancy. A Topic he had a great interest in but he first needed a proper hideout, to practice stuff like this. Ye Olde Curiosity Shop right next to Cobb & Webbs was also an interesting shop, it sold many curious items related to the Dark arts. Maybe he could find an undiscovered treasure there. But first of all his goal for this Trip was the Shop right next to it, if he had time later he would check it out on his way back.

The main goal of this trip was a shop every Harry Potter fan was familiar with, a shop located at 13B Knockturn Alley by the name of Borgin and Burkes Antique shop. This shop was known to deal with many unusual and ancient wizarding artifacts. Not only artifact but this was also the most likely place where Matthew could find books on topics that weren't available in Hogwarts.

This shop was quite a historic place, behind the dark and gloomy shop front, was a place where even Lord Voldemort worked in the past when he was still known as Tom Riddle, probably the only workplace he ever had, also in the future it would become quite important since it contained many important objects. Among them was the Vanishing Cabinet, a direct entrance to Hogwarts.

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