Shopping

The next morning, Luke made his way to the Leaky Cauldron following the familiar route. The location wasn't too far from his residence, making the journey quick.

Despite the lingering dizziness in his head, Luke pushed open the somewhat shabby door of the bar. The interior had undergone a Christmas makeover, adorned with streamers and jack-o-lanterns hanging from wooden beams.

As he entered, Luke felt a few curious eyes watching him. It wasn't every day that a child ventured into a place like this alone. Ignoring the glances, he proceeded straight to the wall leading to Diagon Alley.

Extracting his wand, Luke tapped a few times on the bricks as instructed by Snape. The entire wall began to deform continuously, revealing a stone gate.

Upon entering, the snow-covered Diagon Alley unfolded before him. It being the first day of the Christmas break, many wizards were bustling about the streets, donning scarves and sharing smiles. The festive atmosphere was palpable.

Luke, dressed in a black trench coat and Hermione's scarf, tightened around his neck, made his way toward Gringotts. Having invested all the money he withdrew in the Weasley brothers' business, he had limited Galleons on him. Nonetheless, he had plenty in Gringotts.

Under the watchful eyes of the goblins, Luke left Gringotts with two hundred Galleons. Goblins, being inherently fond of saving money, weren't thrilled about someone taking it out. That was simply their nature.

With the Golden Galleons in hand, Luke proceeded to purchase herbal ingredients. Wandering through Diagon Alley, he eventually found Giggs Pharmacy tucked away in a corner.

Upon entering, a noxious smell wafted from the herbal store, prompting him to pinch his nose. The high shelves displayed bottles containing feathers, scales, and teeth—many of them holding precious potion materials.

Luke's eyes lit up at the sight of the materials he needed, all in stock here.

"Good morning, sweet little wizard!" Mrs. Giggs, wearing an apron, greeted the young guest with a smile as she approached. "Do you need any materials? Healing agents, palliative agents—we have everything here!"

As Mrs. Giggs got closer, the unpleasant smell she carried compelled Luke to take a step back.

"Ma'am, here are the materials I need!" Luke pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Mrs. Giggs.

The paper was filled with a dense list of material names, each representing a significant expense if purchased in its entirety.

Mrs. Giggs, the owner of the herbal shop, received the paper with curiosity. As she read through the material names, her surprise grew. Though her potion-making skills were commendable, the complexity of the potions listed indicated a considerable level of expertise.

"Veritaserum, Felicity, Beauty Elixir, Ecstasy..." Mrs. Giggs mumbled, recognizing the challenging nature of each potion.

"Is this what you're refining?" she asked, seeking clarification.

"No, this is for my brother's practice. I just came out to buy it," Luke replied, offering a white lie.

Mrs. Giggs smiled, understanding that the young wizard might not comprehend the specific purposes of these materials. Still, she acknowledged the impressive skills of his brother.

"I can sell you all these materials except for the ones related to the love potion," Mrs. Giggs informed Luke.

Ecstasy material? Luke was momentarily surprised but quickly nodded, knowing that some of the required materials could be found in the Forbidden Forest.

"Then I'll take these, ma'am," Luke said, confirming the purchase.

"Please wait!" Mrs. Giggs fetched a small box and carefully placed the materials inside, using separate containers to prevent any potential reactions.

"Would you like me to schedule an Owl Express delivery for you? It's complimentary," Mrs. Giggs kindly offered.

"No need, ma'am. I'll take it back myself," Luke declined, placing fifty-six gold Galleons in front of Mrs. Giggs.

Leaving the Giggs Pharmacy with the box of materials, Luke found a secluded corner. Confirming there was no one around, he activated the Portkey and utilized Shenwei to store all the materials in a different dimension. His collection of items had now grown into a fully equipped lounge, ready for future potion-makings.

With the herbs secured, it was time to send the gifts to Owl and Fred.

With everything arranged, Luke geared up for his journey to Knockturn Alley.

The entrance to Knockturn Alley, as the Twins had informed him, was situated on a certain street in Diagon Alley.

Following the map Fred had provided, he eventually spotted a narrow passage tucked away in a dark corner.

This region saw fewer wizards, and occasional figures with black hats covering their faces hurriedly made their way towards it, as indicated by the Weasley brothers. Observing this, Luke donned the recently acquired wizard cloak with a hood, concealing his identity, and joined the flow.

Navigating the narrow road, mice scurried on the ground, and an unpleasant odor reminiscent of Mrs. Giggs' pharmacy lingered in the air. On both sides, a few unkempt witches with cold eyes fixed on Luke's figure.

"Little wizard, what are you doing here..."

A hoarse voice suddenly emerged from behind, accompanied by a pair of dry hands reaching for Luke's shoulders.

In response, Luke turned his face to the side, unleashing the power of dragon slayer magic within him. Electric arcs enveloped the black wizard's robes, rendering the dry palms scorched before they could retract.

The lightning unleashed by the Thunder Dragon proved too formidable for ordinary resistance.

"Ah—my my hand!"

The wails resonated in his ears as Luke cast a glance at the elderly woman who had attempted to touch him. A black dagger fell from her other hand, striking the ground with a crisp sound.

"Boring."

Luke shook his head and proceeded calmly into the depths.

The only noticeable change was the transformation of those once cold eyes into expressions of fear.

True to its reputation, Knockturn Alley had presented him with such an encounter right from the start.

.....

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