Chapter 214

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Yeah! Here's the new chapter!

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-Knockturn Alley-

'This is a very colorful and cheerful place, isn't it?' I thought dryly, looking discreetly around.

If the tense, dark, and dangerous atmosphere of the place wasn't a good enough sign to show that the dark arts were dominant here, then maybe the shops and hawkers were.

At every corner or dark alley there was someone trying to sell something, someone laughing eerily, or someone making some gesture to get the attention of others.

Atrocious looking witches were trying and failing to get the attention of the wizards and creatures that wandered down the alley, sometimes making obscene gestures or even displaying their assets in 'seductive' ways.

And I didn't know whether to feel disgusted by the way they looked, or the fact that some men and even women were going to them to... Receive some 'special' treatment.

'I think if I had to choose, I'd rather go to that alley with the suspicious hooded man who is holding a knife and laughing maniacally than go to those witches' I thought, disgust obvious on my face.

I then shook my head to clear my mind of these images, and returning to my cold gaze I continued down the alley, seeing the Borgin and Burkes storefront up ahead.

Arriving in front of the store I opened the door, hearing a high-pitched squawk come from a shelf to the side, and looking at the source of the sound I saw the head of a disfigured vulture looking right at me.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"And I thought the gargoyle in the Headmaster's office was disturbing," I muttered to myself.

"Oh, an esteemed customer" I heard someone say, and turning around I saw a stooping old man with a long nose, he had very little hair on his head, and the ones he had were white and greasy.

"How can I help you? I have a lot of rare items here, and I can sell them to you for a reasonable price," he said, in true definition of a greedy salesman, "Perhaps you would like to see our new Leychier Water shipment, very good for eliminating some... nuisance creatures"

"I'm not interested in your Leychier Water," I said coldly, pacing the store as I purposefully shook out my pocket that held several coins.

With the sound of coins jingling in my pocket, Borgin's eyes narrowed slightly as a small smile appeared on his face.

"So how can this humble man help you? I'm sure we can find something of interest to you here in my shop, my dear sir," he said, much more humbly and respectfully than before, and I resisted the urge to huff at his abrupt personality change.

Without even responding to him, I began to look around disinterestedly, analyzing some items with a critical eye.

In fact, if it wasn't necessary keep my indifferent appearance, I would already be looking at everything excited, since in my little time in the wizarding world I hadn't seen many dark items.

"I heard around here that this was the best shop on Knockturn Alley, Mr. Borgin," I said after I finished looking around, and I saw a satisfied look appear on Borgin's face, "But I have to say, I'm not impressed"

At my cold sentence Borgin only blinked, but I could see his body tense and his emotions churn.

"Oh well, I'm sure there must be something here that you might find interesting," he said sweating, and I just stared at him.

"Show me," I said coldly.

Understanding the meaning of my words Borgin quickly came out from behind his counter and began showing me various items, explaining their functions and prices.

"And this one is a Vanishing Cabinet, once you get into it you can go anywhere you want. It's in mint condition, and it's only costing 600 Galleons" Borgin said, and I just looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Mr. Borgin, you should know that your attempts to deceive me are failures," I said, and then I glared at him as I towered over him, speaking in a dangerous voice, "I know very well what the Vanishing Cabinet are, and I know they're a pair, and without one the other doesn't work... So tell me Mr. Borgin, where's the other cabinet?" I asked.

Borgin now looked at me in a mixture of fear and concern, but he was quick to try to get my good graces back.

"Err... Sorry, I must have forgotten about that detail about them," he said, shifting uncomfortably, "And as for the other cabinet in the pair... Well..." he continued, with a false story coming to his mind, but my look made him rethink his next sentence, "I-I don't know where it is"

"Then it's useless," I spat contemptuously, turning and ignoring the cabinet.

And Borgin, not wanting to lose a valuable wealthy client, soon followed me, trying to bring my attention to other items.

After nearly half an hour of him showing me item after item I turned to him.

"I didn't like anything in your... little shop." I said, saying little shop as if that phrase disgusted me, "But I won't accept having come here just to waste my precious time" I continued.

I then turned around and started picking up some random items, and some that I had actually found interesting, like some books of black magic, a ring that would heat up in the presence of poisons or harmful foods, and a bronze disc that exuded an unknown dark magic.

Grabbing all these items I approached the counter, and Borgin, seeing this, excitedly and with a speed I wouldn't expect from an old man, ran towards me.

"Oh, I see you've picked up some very interesting items my lord. Many of them have been here in the shop for decades, just waiting for the right wizard to come and get them," he said, eyes twinkling as he imagined the amount of gold he would receive from selling these items.

"Cut the bullshit Mr. Borgin, if I wanted to hear that an item was destined to serve me I would have gone to Ollivander." I said gruffly.

"Oh, yes, yes, forgive me" he said bowing his head repeatedly.

Looking at him I huffed, "I'll also want that repellant for Fulgios and the Vanishing Cabinet" I said, "My cabinets at home are already full of things, maybe this one will be useful for storing these items, obviously after a renovation" I continued, not even saving a glance at the cabinet.

"Yes, yes. Absolutely," Borgin said. He then took out his wand and levitated the Vanishing Cabinet to my side, "All these items, the books, the repellent and the cabinet will coast a total of... 1,786 Galleons" he said, almost drooling at the prospect of making so much gold in one day.

"What did I say about trying to deceive me Mr. Borgin?" I said in an eerily calm voice, but my gaze and my leaking magic made Borgin understand that I was far from calm, and it made him unconsciously cower.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about sir. I never thought of deceiv—"

"Don't try to lie to me" I interrupted him, "Some of these items are as good as junk, and most if not all of these books don't have anything interesting beyond a few spells that even first year kids can cast" I said.

"B-but you have to understand that these items have historical value and—" Borgin started to say, but I cut him off again.

"And history is just past, and I don't care about anyone else's past but my own" I said with a frown, "I came here wanting to buy some interesting items, but I only found rubbish, and you think I'm going to spend that much buying them?" I asked with a cold laugh.

"N-No, I..." He started to say, and I just started to stare at him harder, "I-I can lower the prices a little bit, maybe I forgot that some of these items should have gone to the trash a long time ago" he said.

"Gaining some last-minute common sense, Mr. Borgin?" I scoffed, he didn't dare look into my eyes.

"Yes" he chuckled uncomfortably, "How about 1,500 Galleons" he said, but I quickly followed him up with another offer.

"400," I said, and an indignant look appeared on Borgin's face.

"S-Sorry but I can't sell them for such a cheap price" he said, still sweating with fear from my magical pressure, "H-How about 1330?"

I then looked at him for a while.

"600 Galleons" I said.

"1.020?"

"810, and don't force my hand Mr. Borgin, I'm not very patient today," I said, and he seemed to consider the offer for a moment.

"O-Okay," he said subdued, and I snorted contemptuously.

I then put my hand in my pockets and took out a bag with Galleons inside, and looking at the bag the Borgin's eyes widened slightly, as this was a bag exclusively for wealthy Gringotts patrons.

Picking up the bag and turning it over on the counter in front of Borgin, I dropped many Galleons onto it, and Borgin looked at the galleons with barely suppressed euphoria.

When I felt I had spilled the right amount of coins on the counter I put the bag back in my pocket, and Borgin wasted no time before swinging his wand over the large pile of coins, and a golden number appeared above them, showing the number 810.

Seeing that I had given him the right amount of Galleons Borgin nodded in satisfaction, and without waiting for him to say anything I pulled a wand out of my pocket. A wand that was obviously not my Thunderbird feather core wand, as this one had a different appearance and size.

Shaking the wand I saw all the items I had purchased shrink, and then I waved the wand again and all the items levitated into my other pocket.

"My business here is finished," I said after tucking all the shrunken items into my pocket, something that didn't surprise Borgin.

I then flattened my robes to get the excess dust off of me, and with one last look at the store I started to turn away.

"I-I hope you'll come and do more business at my humble shop some other time," Borgin said fearfully, lowering his head respectfully to me as he rubbed his hands together nervously.

"Perhaps," I said coldly, turning around without sparing a second glance at the despicable wizard.

After I left, Borgin stared at my back for a moment, before the squawk of the vulture's head beside the door woke him.

'Hmmm... What a strange and scary man... But a very rich strange and scary man, hehe' Borgin thought, chuckling inwardly, letting greed blind the fear he felt of me a few moments ago, 'Hmm, now that I realize, I never got his name,' he said to himself curiously, but then he shrugged and went back behind the counter, looking gleefully at the galleons on his counter.

End.

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(End AN: Lately I've been interacting more with my dad.

Him telling me about his childhood stories, me explaining to him how to play some video games.

It's nice to have that time to talk with family.)