Borgin and Burkes

Knockturn Alley, as the largest gathering place for dark wizards, managed to persist in Diagon Alley with a certain level of influence. Despite numerous attempts by the Ministry of Magic to encircle and control it, Knockturn Alley remained a haven for the darker aspects of magical commerce. It served as a hub where magical props and precious materials, unavailable in the bright side of Diagon Alley, could be readily obtained. Various items, including magical props crafted from human organs, were openly sold in this clandestine marketplace.

Luke, donned in a black robe, navigated the narrow and dark road leading to Knockturn Alley. The desolate-looking street featured dilapidated houses with crumbling facades. 

An unpleasant smell permeated the air, causing Luke to unconsciously frown. Even with a mask on, the stench reached him. The other wizards wandering the streets showed no surprise at Luke's attire; similar wizards were a common sight in Knockturn Alley, where clandestine deals occurred regularly.

Unlike the diverse shops in Diagon Alley, nearly half of the establishments in Knockturn Alley specialized in selling magical items. Some shops offered materials for curses and potions. Luke recalled that, dear Tom, used to work in this area, possibly in a props business. A shop that could attract someone like Tom to work part-time likely possessed some considerable skills.

As Luke meandered through the dirty streets of Knockturn Alley, he suddenly halted when he reached a sizable shop named Borgin and Burkes. Compared to other establishments, Borgin and Burkes appeared neater on the outside, lacking the typical signs of dilapidation.

"Borgin and Burkes? Sounds familiar." Luke surveyed the intriguing store with his pale blue eyes.

With a creaking sound, the door swung open, and a wizard in a black hood emerged, holding a shrunken skull. After casting a glance at Luke, he swiftly disappeared into a dark corner.

"Guest, care to come in and browse?" A hoarse, gloomy voice called out, capturing Luke's attention. "Ah, and a young wizard. Quite rare."

The speaker was a disheveled wizard with an unsettling sneer, staring intently at Luke. "Mr. Borgin?" Luke tentatively inquired, glancing at the store's name.

"You can call me that," Mr. Borgin responded with a sullen smile. "Of course, you can also call me Caractacus Bork. Interested in perusing our merchandise?"

With a moment's consideration, Luke decided to enter. If his memory served him right, Tom should have worked here. Inside the store, Borgin leaned on the counter, awaiting Luke's request.

"What do you need?" he inquired, turning to reveal a display of peculiar items. On a mat within a glass case lay a withered human hand, a stack of bloodstained cards, and a sluggish glass eyeball. Ferocious masks adorned the walls, human bones lay on counters, and rusted, tine-like instruments hung from the ceiling. The unsettling array of items inside was enough to give a child nightmares, and the place did not exude a sense of seriousness.

"How much was that bottle of love potion just now?" Luke sneered as he looked at Borgin.

"Huh, I didn't expect a young wizard your age would need such a thing. You will definitely become an excellent dark wizard in the future," Borgin remarked jokingly, extending five fingers. "Fifty Galleons!"

Fifty Galleons for a bottle of Ecstasy? Luke's mouth twitched at the unexpectedly steep price.

"Do you have a Polyjuice Potion here?" he inquired further.

"Polyjuice Potion? That thing is very difficult to deal with," Borgin hesitated before stating, "a bottle is one hundred and seventy gold Galleons, and it takes half a month to pick up the goods."

The revelation of the high cost surprised even Luke.

"I have three bottles of Polyjuice Potion here. Do you accept them here?" Luke asked softly.

Borgin, thinking the young wizard was causing trouble, frowned. He didn't believe a little wizard could have potions to sell in Knockturn Alley, except perhaps Severus Snape.

Luke, seemingly nonchalant, waved his sleeves, and three bottles of viscous liquid appeared on the table.

Bo Jin's eyes widened in disbelief. He had witnessed Luke casting spells without a wand—a feat he had never seen in all his years.

"Do you accept these three bottles here?" Luke repeated his question.

Borgin, still in shock, took a moment to recover. He cautiously opened one of the bottles, sniffed the contents, and then poured a bit onto a piece of paper.

After casting a spell with his wand, Borgin verified that it was indeed a compound potion.

"It is indeed a Polyjuice Potion. Three bottles, four hundred gold Galleons!" Borgin declared.

"Deal!" Luke didn't bother negotiating and immediately made the purchase. He placed the heavy bag of gold Galleons on the table and promptly stored it in the alternate space.

Once again, he gestured in front of Borgin.

"Can I see your merchandise?" Luke inquired, eager to explore what else Borgin had to offer.

"Whatever."

Borgin, engrossed in testing the quality of a potion, had no time for conversation.

In the market, there were very few circulating Polyjuice Potion. The process was time-consuming, and the intricate skills required made them challenging to produce without detailed notes or guidance from a teacher. Snape, who didn't visit regularly, remained the sole seller of such potions, coming around perhaps every six months.

Unfazed, Luke ventured further into the store, casting curious glances around.

On one counter lay a white necklace, accompanied by a warning sign.

"Beware: don't touch, has been cursed - has taken the lives of nineteen Muggles."

A cursed necklace?

Intriguing.

After a brief examination, Luke shifted his attention to the other side.

(The king's) withered arm, corroded bones, a cursed thumb...

Most seemed designed to inflict harm.

However, upon reaching the potion ingredients, Luke suddenly felt the back of his hand grow warm.

Swiftly opening his wide sleeves, he revealed the Thunder Scales on the back of his hands emitting a magical blue light, accompanied by tiny electric arcs.

Had the scales returned?

No, the Thunder Scales now covered a larger area.

The scales, which originally reached the wrist, had expanded to encompass half of the forearm.

"What happened?"

Luke mumbled to himself, sensing his magic yearning for something.

"Thunderball, a magical item for storing lightning."

Borgin, having approached, explained to him, "It doesn't do anything other than make you feel numb and relaxed. But if you break the ball, be careful—you might get struck by lightning."

With Borgin's explanation, understanding dawned on Luke's face. His magic craved to absorb these thunderbolts.