https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-740-Heading-to-Number-12-Grimmauld-Place/13012956/
Chapter 741: Bogworth & Brock Black Magic Shop
Chapter 741: Bogworth & Brock Black Magic Shop
"What did you say?" Fred exclaimed, so excited that he almost jumped up, wondering if Kyle's head had been stepped on by a Moonstruck Beast.
"Such an important thing, how could you... Oh, wait a minute." He paused mid-sentence, suddenly realizing something. "You're not planning to ambush Death Eaters in the castle, are you?"
"You're a true friend, so smart." Kyle smiled, "That's exactly what I had in mind."
"Imagine this," Fred continued, "The ambitious Death Eaters, following Malfoy's suggestion, crawl through the Vanishing Cupboard to Hogwarts, only to find seven or eight professors waiting for them with wands in hand..."
"That would be an incredible sight!" Fred's face turned red with excitement, his enthusiasm reaching its peak.
"Brilliant! This plan is simply amazing!" George panted, as if he could already picture the Death Eaters lining up to deliver warmth.
In their excitement, they huddled together, immediately discussing how to set traps in Hogwarts.
"Tie the Vanishing Cupboard to a flying broomstick and send it high into the sky..."
"Stuff the Vanishing Cupboard into the sewage pipes..."
"Dig a Quidditch field-sized swamp in front of the Vanishing Cupboard..."
Their terrible ideas flowed like a fountain, one after another.
Kyle sat beside them, jotting down their ideas with a shorthand quill.
Ten minutes later, Fred and George gradually calmed down.
"Wait a minute," George suddenly paused and turned to ask, "Kyle, don't you need two Vanishing Cupboards to work? You said you found one, but where's the other one? Is it also in Hogwarts?"
"There's only one in Hogwarts," Kyle replied.
His words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly dousing their enthusiasm.
However, after calming down, they immediately remembered something else Kyle had mentioned.
"The other Vanishing Cupboard isn't in Knockturn Alley, is it?"
Kyle wouldn't have brought up the topic of Knockturn Alley and Malfoy's situation without a reason. Putting the two things together, the truth became obvious.
The other Vanishing Cupboard was indeed in Knockturn Alley, and Malfoy knew about it. If he wanted to carry out his plan, he had to go there.
So that's how it is... Everything made sense now.
"Let's go to Diagon Alley right now!" Fred stood up, ready to leave.
"No need to rush," Kyle waved his hand, signaling them to stay calm.
"The timing doesn't matter. It's not important if it's earlier or later. I just wanted to confirm something this time."
"Confirm what?"
"Of course, to confirm if the cupboard is still there," Kyle said, "Malfoy is unlikely to carry the cupboard around. If it's still there, we can keep an eye on Knockturn Alley and know their exact timing."
"What if Malfoy took the cupboard away?" Fred asked, "It's not difficult. A box with a Seamless Expansion Charm could do it."
"Then it'll be a bit more troublesome. We'll just have to be prepared at all times," Kyle said.
"Do Dad and the others know about this?"
"They should know," Kyle thought for a moment, "I've discussed it with Professor Dumbledore. He has no reason not to tell the other members of the Order of the Phoenix."
"Dad and the others must know!" George suddenly exclaimed, "Remember when they were discussing something, and Alastor suddenly mentioned a 'passage'? And Tonks and Sirius have practically moved to Hogsmeade."
"They know everything but just won't tell us!" George became angrier as he spoke, "They always do this, treating us like kids like Ginny."
"Yeah, we've already graduated, but we still don't get enough trust," Fred echoed, frustrated, "Bill and Charlie can attend meetings, but we can't. We can only eavesdrop from outside!"
"Don't say that," Kyle quickly comforted them, "It's for your safety."
"But we want to help too," Fred sighed, "Kyle, do you know why we haven't resigned yet?"
"Do you find working at the Ministry interesting?" Kyle asked.
"The first two months were indeed like that," Fred said, "But it got boring later on."
"Doing the same repetitive tasks every day, writing reports, wasting time investigating small vendors..."
"And that meager salary, the shop can earn in two days..."
"The reason we haven't resigned is to help Dad share some of the burden."
"And to show Mum that we can actually help."
"But she never seems to notice this."
As he watched the two gradually lose their spirits, Kyle didn't know how to comfort them for a while, and could only say softly, "Are you overthinking this?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you want to take over Charlie's job and be responsible for the security of Number 12 Grimmauld Place?"
"No way," Fred and George shook their heads in unison. Spending a day there would be like receiving a Killing Curse.
"Or go to Hogsmeade?"
The two shook their heads again. What's the difference? Hogsmeade is just a bit bigger.
"That's enough," Kyle said, "If you don't want to do anything, why complain so much? Mrs. Weasley has been taking good care of you, hasn't she?"
Fred and George looked at each other, their earlier stifled and dissatisfied atmosphere instantly vanishing, even with a hint of embarrassment.
"Let me talk to her and ask her to let you take over Tonks and Sirius's duties," Kyle suggested, "Or I can go directly to Dumbledore."
"Never mind..."
"There's no need..."
"We were just joking, why are you taking it seriously!"
...
Ten minutes later, Ron knocked on the door, inviting them to lunch.
Ron eyed the trio suspiciously. "What are you guys talking about in there?"
"Nothing."
"It's none of your business," Fred said. "Mind your own."
"You should focus on taking care of that girl."
"What was her name again... Lavender?"
"Such a pity, so young but with such poor vision, thinking you're... good-looking?"
Ron's face instantly flushed. "You were reading my letter!"
"Don't get the wrong idea, we don't have that kind of hobby." George spoke seriously. "You were talking in your sleep, and quite loudly at that."
"If you don't believe us, you can ask Harry."
"Speaking of which, you didn't memorize that letter, did you?"
Then, they began to recite it with great expression.
"Ron-Ron, why is this vacation so long..."
"Ron-Ron..."
Fred and George seemed to have a talent, as soon as they spoke, Kyle felt a shiver run through him.
And Ron, his face turning red to the point of smoking, shouted, "Enough, both of you, shut up!"
He threw things at them without regard, a candy, a multi-tool, two Sickles... all from Ron's pockets.
But Fred lazily waved his wand, turning them into paper airplanes.
Oh, except for the Sickles, one for him and one for George, just right.
"That's all my pocket money!" Ron shouted in annoyance.
"You threw it yourself."
"We thought you didn't want it."
"It's all your fault!" Ron said angrily. "Just wait until I turn seventeen..."
"I believe you'll stun us with something no one has thought of yet." Fred waved him off. "Let's go, George, Kyle."
They pushed past Ron and headed for the dining room.
Lunch was stewed beef and mashed potatoes. Mrs. Weasley kept serving Cona, as if fearing she wouldn't eat enough.
"You can go back to school with Harry and the others at five in the afternoon." Mrs. Weasley said after lunch, "Before that, you can chat or play in the house."
"No." Kyle shook his head. "We need to buy something in Diagon Alley."
"Diagon Alley?" Mrs. Weasley frowned. "But everyone else is busy right now, I can't let you go alone, it's too dangerous..."
"It's fine, we'll go." Fred stood up immediately. "We have business at the shop anyway, we can take them there."
"You sure?" Mrs. Weasley was still a bit worried, but there didn't seem to be a better choice at the moment.
"Okay, how are you getting there, Apparition?"
"No, by carriage." Kyle said.
"I saw Mr. Malfoy just ten days ago," Kreacher said, laughing at the shop entrance.
"Are you sure it was him?" Kyle asked.
"Kreacher saw clearly, Master Kyle." The house-elf said, "That was Mr. Malfoy."
"That's right."
They arrived outside the shop.
"Malfoy indeed knows there's another Vanishing Cabinet here." Fred said.
"I need to go to Knockturn Alley to confirm if the item is still there." Kyle said.
"No, that's too dangerous." George frowned. "Mom asked us to protect you, so we're going together."
"What protection, you're just interested yourselves." Kyle directly exposed their excuse. "Besides, have you ever seen anyone going to a Dark Magic shop in pairs? It's safer if I go alone."
Kyle glanced at Cona, who was still in the shop, and then transformed his clothes into a large, hooded cloak, ignoring Fred and George's attempts to stop him. With a flash, he arrived at the entrance of Knockturn Alley.
...
Diagon Alley was already much quieter, and this place was even more so. The once bustling stalls selling poisons and various magical artifacts were now gone, having moved elsewhere.
After all, in this dangerous and suspicious time, no one would dare to come here to buy Dark Magic items, risking the attention of the Aurors.
Only near the entrance, there sat a ragged figure, also hooded, hiding their appearance.
As Kyle approached, he faintly smelled a light bloody scent, and his intuition told him this person was dangerous.
Turning back now would be like admitting guilt. Kyle could only pretend to be calm and continue walking, his wand tightly gripped in his sleeve.
As he passed by, the person lifted their head, revealing a pair of eerie brown eyes, accompanied by a faint sound of swallowing saliva.
But fortunately, they didn't seem to be looking for trouble, merely glancing before lowering their head again.
However, Kyle didn't let his guard down. He continued holding his wand, alert, walking towards the largest shop in the middle of the street.
Borgin & Burke's Dark Magic shop. Here, too, there wasn't a single customer. The shopkeeper, Borgin, sat behind the counter, bored and dozing.
Kyle adjusted the hood on his head, making sure it covered his face, perhaps, a hint of curiosity, before entering.
The bell above the shop door rang, waking the person behind the counter.
"Welcome, customer." Borgin said, his voice lacking enthusiasm.
Kyle said nothing, walking past a cabinet filled with skulls and old bottles, and kicking a box blocking his way to the side.
"I must remind you, sir." Borgin said coldly. "Here, touching things comes with a price."
"What's the price?" Kyle scoffed, his voice coarse and rough. "You must be referring to the scare box from earlier... Transfiguration Charm, child's play."
"Oh?" Mr. Bogue's voice finally showed a hint of change. "Please forgive my intrusion, guest, but if there's anything I can assist you with."
Kyle remained silent, merely browsing around the store before stopping at a withered hand.
"How much for this?"
"Two thousand Galleons," Mr. Bogue replied.
"Tsk, the Glorious Hand isn't worth this price." Kyle said indifferently, "I'll take a look elsewhere."
"Forgive my bluntness, but you won't find it anywhere else."
Mr. Bogue remained calm, sitting behind the counter, but his tone quickened, "You're aware of the current situation, and few dare to sell such valuable items. I'm taking a considerable risk, so it's only fair to adjust the price accordingly."
Kyle's footsteps paused, as if in agreement, and he continued browsing the store, disdainfully eyeing the items on the shelves.
"Boil Curse, only effective against Muggles, garbage."
"Corrosive Poison... the worst of the worst..."
"Look at this, an outdated item from a century ago... Is this some kind of antique shop?"
Mr. Bogue's expression darkened, but he couldn't find a reason to react, as the person before him wasn't wrong, just incredibly annoying.
"If you're here to cause trouble, guest..."
"Oh, this one's not bad." At this moment, Kyle stopped and pointed to a corner beside the counter, asking, "How much for that?"
"Cursed Rug..." Mr. Bogue said coldly, "Just one hundred and fifty Galleons, and it's yours."
"No, no, I don't want this trash." Kyle shook his head, "I'm referring to what's under the rug."
It was a cabinet, completely hidden by the rug, with only a corner exposed, as if deliberately concealed.
"What's this?" Mr. Bogue narrowed his eyes.
But at that moment, Kyle flicked his finger, and the rug flew to the side, revealing what was underneath.
Indeed, it was a Vanishing Cabinet, and both its design and the patterns on it were identical to the one at Hogwarts.
"Well, I didn't expect to see such a fine item." Kyle said, "How much? I'll take it."
"Five thousand Galleons," Mr. Bogue demanded.
The price was reasonable for two Vanishing Cabinets, but it was a bit high for just one.
Mr. Bogue intended to make the person before him back down, but he never expected... things seemed a bit off.
"I'll take it." Without a second thought, Kyle took out a box, opened it, and placed it on the counter.
This was the box prepared in advance by the Weasley brothers, filled with gold Galleons.
It was as if a lamp had been lit in the store.
Mr. Bogue was instantly captivated by the mesmerizing golden glow, and the initial caution in his heart dissipated almost instantly.
It wasn't until Kyle approached and opened the Vanishing Cabinet on his own that Mr. Bogue finally snapped out of his trance.
"Wait, guest." Mr. Bogue forced his gaze away from the Galleons, "You can't take it."
"What?" Kyle knocked on the cabinet as if inspecting it, "Is my payment insufficient?"
"Of course not." Mr. Bogue couldn't help but glance at the Galleons again, his throat rolling.
"Then it's fine." Kyle said, "Now it's mine, why can't I take it?"
"It's just too big, a bit inconvenient to carry." Kyle said, then took out his wand and pointed it at the Vanishing Cabinet.
"Oh, wait!" Mr. Bogue lunged and blocked Kyle's path.
It was a wonder he still had such agility.
"What do you mean?" Kyle's voice carried a hint of displeasure, "You're not trying to raise the price, are you?"
"Of course not, guest. Bogue & Brock Black Magic Shop has the best reputation in Knockturn Alley. This Vanishing Cabinet, it's... broken."
"Broken?"
"Yes." Mr. Bogue forcefully tapped the cabinet, "Like this, wait for me to fix it, and then you can come back to get it, how about that?"
"How long will it take?"
"Half a year... no, three months, that's enough."
"Too long..." Kyle shook his head, "Forget it, I can fix it myself."
"No, guest." Mr. Bogue said again, "We can't sell a broken item. That's how it is."
"You're not selling it?" Kyle snapped the box shut.
To be honest, for a moment, Mr. Bogue was tempted. Five thousand Galleons, it could be the biggest deal in a decade.
But thinking about how this cabinet was related to someone's plan, he calmed down.
"Not selling!" Mr. Bogue said firmly, "Of course, to compensate for the guest's wait, I'm willing to offer a great discount. Just three thousand Galleons, how about that?"
Mr. Bogue's mind was racing, and compared to offending that person, the guest before him was insignificant.
Anyway, get the money first, then worry about the rest. As for three months later... if the Death Eaters take the cabinet, what does it have to do with him?
Anyway, once the Galleons enter Bogue & Brock, they won't be returned.
A two-thousand Galleon discount, he didn't believe anyone could resist.
"Just three thousand Galleons? Too cheap." Kyle said softly, "But..."
"Cheap goods are never good, I don't want it."
Mr. Bogue didn't even react, and Kyle had already picked up the box and left the shop.
By the time Mr. Bogue snapped out of it and chased after him, Kyle had already disappeared into the streets, not a trace to be found.
...
(End of Chapter)
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