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Chapter 429: Store No. 7
Chapter 429: Store No. 7
The day before school started, the last traces of the Christmas holiday still lingered, and Diagon Alley was covered in a blanket of white.
This year, Diagon Alley was different from previous years—most shop fronts were adorned with Christmas lights courtesy of Future World. During these days, as soon as dusk fell and the last rays of twilight had not yet faded, these magical lights would come on, illuminating a small patch of ground in front of each store.
Aric and Crimi emerged from the standing castle, each wearing only a light shirt, yet they were unaffected by the cold wind.
Crimi adjusted the knob on her temperature-regulating pendant, tucked it into her pocket, and looked contentedly at the male wizards on the street. She remarked with a sigh, "It's been less than half a year, and Diagon Alley has already changed so much."
Aric nodded in agreement. "Indeed... Do you remember the book signing at the Leaky Cauldron Bookstore on New Year's Day? Rita Skeeter bought two Magic Phonographs and had the Weird Sisters' shadows float outside the bookstore until the event ended. It was like watching a live performance..."
Crimi blinked, recalling the scene. That reporter was incredibly bold, writing about ancient Black family members in her book. Even more audacious was her mention of the Dark Lord.
Some of the descriptions in the book still made her blush when she thought about them:
"...The Dark Lord-like figure possessed an extraordinary charisma that transcended gender. Even the descendants of the ancient and pure Pureblood Families found it hard to resist, willingly kneeling at his feet and devoutly kissing his ankles. Even the slightest chance of dining with this cold and ruthless Dark Lord or receiving the favor of a hand kiss was enough to make the young man in the story risk everything...
The young Pureblood heir would never forget the night the Dark Lord personally summoned his loyal servant. The Dark Lord's long, slender fingers, like charcoal, brushed against his cheek, whispering an irrefutable command: 'My follower, I need you... I need you to do something for me...'
Though not named directly, anyone with a bit of knowledge would guess the identities of the two main characters in the story.
"What's the matter?" Aric asked, noticing Crimi's sudden blush as he curiously observed her.
"N-nothing", Crimi stammered, her face turning red.
...
On a bustling street in central London, two strangers stood in front of a well-decorated shop.
Next to the shop was a stationery store. The shopkeeper, a woman, watched the two strangers without a hint of suspicion. She found the neighboring shop quite peculiar—
She had lived in London for decades but had only heard of the company 'Future World' a few months ago.
'How strange, why would a jewelry store have such a name?' the shopkeeper thought indignantly, 'Isn't the current trend a revival of vintage styles? Could it be a new fashion from Paris?'
There was another oddity. The shop's sign, in the bottom right corner, bore the name 'Store No. 7' in gold lettering. It seemed ridiculous, and even when the store's staff claimed the other branches were located abroad, she remained unconvinced.
As she pondered, she brazenly observed the two men through the glass window. One was young but composed, seemingly a wealthy young man with a lot of experience. The other, a middle-aged man, had a face etched with stories. If she could, she would invite him for a small glass of brandy and listen to his tales of sorrow...
At that moment, Felix and Lupin were completely unaware that they had become the subject of her scrutiny. Their impromptu conversation was coming to an end—
"She's terrified. After the book signing, the Ministry of Magic issued a warrant for Barty Crouch Jr. the next day. Although Fudge is reluctant to admit Voldemort's existence, just the words 'hardcore Dark Lord follower, extremely dangerous' are enough to keep her up at night—especially since Sirius Black has been trying to confront her. Her attempts to skirt the issue won't convince him."
Felix sneered. He had read Rita Skeeter's new book and felt tainted by it, deeming it just punishment for her to be anxious for a few more days.
He told Lupin, "Ignore her for now."
Lupin raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion. "You want her to wait for nearly two months? She'll go mad." That was when the second task of the Triwizard Tournament would begin, and Hogwarts would open its gates to invite some spectators and reporters.
Felix smiled slyly. "Don't forget our journalist friend has a special talent."
Lupin's heart skipped a beat as he quickly asked, "Animagus?"
Felix nodded slightly.
Rita Skeeter had once been an illegal Animagus, but the use of the word 'once' was due to her rectifying the situation by registering with the Ministry of Magic. However, this exposure made her a highly unpopular figure.
Reliable sources reported that during that time, potions to remove beetles sold out.
"Do you want her to help you?" Lupin asked in a low voice, feeling uncomfortable. Although he detested dealing with someone like Rita Skeeter, who treated fabrications as easily as breathing, he couldn't bring himself to watch her walk into a death trap.
Felix glanced at Lupin, reading his thoughts like an open book. After all, Sirius Black had once mentioned that he and James were drawn to Lupin because of the genuine kindness in his heart—no one could refuse such a friend.
Felix reminded him, "You seem to be caught in some moral dilemma, but the fact is, we haven't done anything."
"Yeah", Lupin sighed softly, "It's precisely because we haven't done anything..."
They entered the most unique Store No. 7. Inside, a long corridor stretched out, flanked by elegant glass counters on both sides. The counters were adorned with red, black, and purple velvet, displaying a wide array of intricately crafted gold and silver ornaments, jewelry, and precious stones.
Both the customers and the staff were ordinary people.
A young female clerk noticed Felix and Lupin. Her large eyes lingered on Felix for a moment before she recognized Lupin. Lupin nodded at her, and they walked straight through the long corridor toward a small, inconspicuous door at the back.
A customer was asking a clerk, "Is this a George IV Snuff Box?"
"Madam, this is just a replica. You can see the mark on it", the clerk replied with a polite smile, perhaps trying to impress her boss. Her tone was particularly patient and gentle.
"Every piece of silverware we offer strictly adheres to the pure silver hallmarking system. Additionally, we provide a reference book for customers to check the silver content, origin, date, and more, along with official certification from appraisal institutions..."
Felix and Lupin pushed open the small door. Inside was a narrow room, with a workbench taking up a third of the space. Various common tools were laid out on the workbench.
"Will we be using these?" Felix asked, holding up a pair of tweezers. He didn't really understand how these things were made; he could shape them with magic, especially using the Mind Chamber Magic to cheat.
"Occasionally, some customers request minor adjustments", Lupin explained. "To maintain a low profile, we also purchase silver items through normal channels, with dedicated staff handling this task." He smiled, "In fact, apart from the occasional piece crafted by goblins, this store operates no differently from other gold and silver jewelry shops."
"Felix, I must remind you, the company now employs over 120 people."
Felix looked into Lupin's eyes and, after a second's thought, said, "That's exactly what I expected. You should have noticed by now that only when a certain scale is reached does it become necessary to clearly divide tasks, pool ideas, and achieve economies of scale. With more people, we can focus more resources on a single task and achieve results quickly, like our research on the projection screen."
Felix smiled, "I like this feeling, watching them grow from strangers to familiar colleagues, overcoming the initial awkwardness through simple tasks. Only then, when a major task comes, will they not be caught off guard."
Lupin wore a helpless expression, "Don't let the employees hear you say that. They don't consider their tasks 'simple.'"
"Oh, I misspoke", Felix said dismissively, "They are indeed arduous tasks."
As they emerged from the seventh branch, it was just getting dark. Felix and Lupin parted ways. He was content with everything, especially since his Runic Script book was almost complete, which put him in a very good mood.
He took a rare stroll through the streets of London. People hurried past, and before he knew it, he had turned onto a secluded street. A figure swayed in the dim yellow light.
It was a man with dark hair, a slender frame, sunken cheeks, and hollow eye sockets. His hair was disheveled.
'A homeless person? A drug addict?'
Felix kept a slight distance, but the man approached him. A strong sense of absurdity washed over Felix, 'Surely, this isn't a mugging.' This thought made him stay, curious to see what would happen.
The man was so thin that a breeze could knock him over. He reached into his pocket, and Felix tilted his head, casting a Human Armor Spell on himself, "Do you need a doctor?"
"I do need some 'medicine,'" the man said, licking his yellowed teeth.
He pulled out a folded flyer and handed it to Felix, a strange smile on his face. Then he left to find his next target.
Felix looked at the content of the flyer, feeling utterly bewildered—
'Do you believe in magic? Do you believe in the mysterious? There is an unknown realm in this world, a world entirely different from science. If you often feel dazed and disoriented, waking up without knowing where you are (this part was highlighted)... Friend, you are likely destined to be a part of the hidden world.
Welcome to join us. We will provide thoughtful guidance and fulfill one of your wishes—whether you urgently need to turn your luck around, desperately want to see the true perspective; or suffer from an incurable illness, feeling that life has lost its meaning...'
(End of Chapter)
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