https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-773-The-Welcome-of-Knockturn-Alley/13013132/
Chapter 772: Changes in Diagon Alley
Chapter 772: Changes in Diagon Alley
As Kyle and Newt left the Black Forest, the sky had already darkened.
Standing under the long-missed moonlight, Newt continued to lament, expressing his regret that Kyle shouldn't have destroyed such a large forest.
"This was the only way I could think of to deter the werewolves," Kyle explained patiently. "Only by demonstrating absolute strength can we make them abandon some of their unrealistic fantasies."
"Didn't Professor Dumbledore also say that hatred shouldn't continue any longer? If werewolves appear on the battlefield this time, this idea will never come true."
"I know what you're saying, but..." Newt sighed.
He, of course, knew that this was the best choice—not having to kill all the werewolves, but also deterring them from interfering in this war. It was a win-win situation, but he still felt a bit sorry.
Such a vast forest could have nurtured so many Treants...
"Forget it," Newt consoled himself, "It wasn't Fiendfyre, and with the unique terrain of the Black Forest, it should recover soon."
Moreover, he quickly thought of another matter. After Kyle used the Expansion Charm, those plants that had expanded several times in size would also need more nutrients. The thicker roots, like a water pump, could drain all the nutrients from the surrounding area.
Even without the Inferno Curse, the plants around that area would probably wither and die over time.
Regardless of whether this was the case or not, at least Newt felt a bit more at ease.
The two continued walking for a while, neither seeming to be in a hurry to return.
"Do you really want to help Mr. Lupin with the Werewolf Bill?" Newt suddenly asked.
"If possible, I don't mind helping a little," Kyle said. "Remus has already proven that even werewolves, when raised in a normal environment, can become just and upright wizards. Since he can do it, there's no reason why other werewolves can't... What they lack is a guiding process."
"You should know this is difficult," Newt said. "The prejudice against werewolves among wizards has a long history and has become almost instinctual. It's not something that can be changed by a single war, even if werewolves firmly stand on our side."
"No one wants their children to be in the same classroom as werewolves. If I'm not mistaken, when Dumbledore allowed that Mr. Lupin to enroll, he must have deliberately concealed his werewolf identity."
"That's right," Kyle nodded. "That's why I said the probability of the Werewolf Bill passing is only one percent."
A hatred that has lasted for hundreds or even thousands of years—how can it be resolved so easily? There must be a long process in between.
Moreover, just a week ago, newspapers frequently reported werewolf attacks on wizards. People had already assumed that werewolves had joined the Death Eaters, so switching sides at this point wouldn't make much difference.
"So..." Newt looked at Kyle, "Are you trying to deceive those werewolves on purpose to keep them stable?"
"Of course not," Kyle said. "If you want to solve the werewolf threat, wouldn't it be quicker to just kill them? In that situation, killing them would have been easier than drinking water. Why bother with such an unnecessary move?"
"Then do you really want to help them?" Newt continued.
"I don't really think so," Kyle turned to look in the direction of the Black Forest. In the distance, he seemed to see the glowing eyes in the forest.
"After all, if you want most people to agree to this Werewolf Bill, the key factor is not Lupin, nor me, nor even the Minister of Magic, but the werewolves themselves. Every action they take directly influences the majority's decision, and this is a significant variable.
"So I won't go out of my way like Remus Lupin, because this might take years, or even a decade, and I don't want to waste all my time on this. But I also don't mind helping him a little within my capabilities."
"Is that so?" Newt said thoughtfully. "Is that what you're thinking?"
"Yes," Kyle nodded. "At least, that's what I'm thinking right now."
"That's very wise," Newt said.
The two arrived at a hill outside the Black Forest.
"What about the werewolf in Knockturn Alley?" Kyle asked.
"What's his personality like?"
"Not good," Kyle replied. "According to what Panther told me, that werewolf is the most similar to Fenrir Greyback. He bites people for fun, even on nights other than the full moon. That's why the Death Eaters assigned him to the more important Knockturn Alley instead of casually throwing him into the Black Forest to await orders."
"So far, in just one month, he has bitten five people—three wizards and two Muggles.
"This is just what Jormann knows, and he has been in the Black Forest for a long time. There might be more that he doesn't know about."
"Hmm... What do you think?" Newt asked after a moment's thought.
"Well, since there's nothing else going on, let's go and take a look," Kyle thought for a moment and said. "If possible, we can also help Lupin a little along the way."
"Then let's do it."
"Newt smiled, seemingly treating himself as a mere accessory, completely forgetting that it was he who brought Kyle to the Black Forest."
...
A few minutes later, London.
Accompanied by a crisp crackling sound, two figures appeared one after the other on a street.
As it was already late, not a soul was on the street, and almost all the shops were closed. Only in the middle of the street, a dilapidated sign flickered with intermittent light, looking as if it had a faulty connection.
Kyle and Newt pushed the door and walked in.
Honestly, he had never seen the Cauldron Ale Pub so deserted; there wasn't a single person inside.
The pub owner, Tom, was listlessly wiping glasses behind the counter. Upon seeing customers, he quickly stood up.
"Oh, Kyle... I didn't recognize you, Newt," Tom said happily. "You must have graduated by now. What would you like to drink? Butterbeer, or perhaps you prefer Firewhiskey?"
"Next time, Tom," Kyle said. "We have other matters to attend to."
Visibly, Tom's expression changed from surprise to disappointment, and he slumped back down behind the counter.
"What happened here? Why is no one around?" Kyle asked curiously.
The news of Voldemort's resurgence wasn't new; even at its peak, people hadn't been afraid to visit the Cauldron Ale Pub.
"You don't know?" Tom looked up, puzzled, and then explained, "Yesterday, the Dark Mark appeared above the Dagornils store in Diagon Alley. Three employees, including the owner, were killed."
Dagornils? Kyle thought for a moment and realized he had no impression of the name, which was normal. With so many shops in Diagon Alley, it was impossible for him to know every owner.
The most important thing now was the news Tom had shared... Death Eaters had targeted Diagon Alley and killed the owner of a shop.
"Was there anything special about Dagornils?" Kyle asked further.
"Nothing special," Tom continued wiping the glasses without looking up. "She was just an ordinary witch. If I had to say something, her Mundane Item Modification Shop did pretty well, and many Muggle-born young witches and wizards frequented it."
"Why did the Death Eaters kill her?"
"I don't know, and they never need a reason," Tom said, looking up again. "If you have nothing else, you should leave soon."
"I will," Kyle said, and then he and Newt headed towards the backyard.
The two entered Diagon Alley through the entrance.
Like the Cauldron Ale Pub, Diagon Alley was equally deserted. The long street was empty, with shops on both sides locked up tight, some even with thick curtains drawn, not a glimmer of light to be seen.
However, one shop stood out in this situation, completely out of place. Not only was it not closed, but all the lights were on, and colorful lanterns spun rapidly at the entrance, making it look like a grand party was underway from a distance.
Kyle didn't even need to look at the sign to know which shop it was. Apart from Fred and George's Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, there wasn't a second shop in Diagon Alley as rebellious as this one.
There were no customers in the shop, and as Kyle pushed the door open, a bell hanging on it rang out with a crisp, pleasant sound.
"Welcome?"
"Oh, Fred, look who's here!" George exclaimed in surprise, leaning over the upstairs railing.
A moment later, Fred also rushed over.
"Kyle, and Mr. Scamander," he said excitedly. "Are you done with your business?"
"Almost," Kyle replied. "We're on our way to Knockturn Alley and just happened to pass by."
"It's our honor," Fred said solemnly.
"What's going on here?" Kyle asked.
"Before that," Fred's face turned serious, and he took out his wand. "Please prove to me that you're the real deal and not a Polyjuice Potion imposter."
"Well..." Kyle thought for a moment. "When you were seven, you tried to trick Mr. Weasley into making an Unbreakable Vow, and he hung you upside down for three hours. And when you were nine, you poured half a can of..."
"Stop!"
"Shut up, don't say it!"
"We know you're the real deal!"
The two quickly stepped forward to stop Kyle from continuing.
This was already quite revealing; after all, the Death Eaters wouldn't know what they had done a decade ago.
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"Can you tell me now? What exactly happened?" Kyle asked again.
"It's just as you see," Fred said. "The Death Eaters want to relive their past glory, making everyone fear them, so they chose to attack Diagon Alley."
"They succeeded," George said, bringing Newt a cup of hot cocoa. "Since yesterday afternoon, we haven't sold a single Knut's product."
"What about mine?" Kyle asked, looking at his cup discontentedly.
"What's yours?"
"The hot cocoa, of course."
"Oh, you mean this."
"George calmly stated, 'This is a special offer for first-time customers. Ten Sickles for a cup, thank you.'"
Kyle raised an eyebrow. "Three broomsticks for eight Sickles?"
"Then go ahead," Fred gestured, dismissing him.
"It's quite dark in here," Kyle remarked, pouting slightly, but still handed over a Galleon. "Here's your change."
"Thank you," George replied cheerfully, accepting the Galleon. "If you add nine Sickles more, you'll get a beef pie. It's a great deal."
"Alright then," Kyle agreed, feeling a bit hungry.
Soon, the pie was brought out, and even Newt had a portion, without being charged.
Kyle took a bite, and the flavor was identical to the pies Mrs. Weasley often made. Clearly, these two were running a shady business.
But Fred and George didn't seem to care; they were thrilled to put the Galleon into the cash box, unconcerned about Kyle's thoughts.
"Great, we're finally open for business today!"
While Kyle and Newt were eating the pie, Fred walked over to close the shop's door and placed an exquisite crystal ball on a nearby shelf.
"This is our new product," George explained. "If someone nearby has ill intentions towards you, the crystal ball will vibrate. So, what are your plans now?"
"I'm going to Knockturn Alley," Kyle said after finishing the pie and taking a sip of hot cocoa. "Remember what I mentioned before? There's a werewolf there, and we need to take care of this problem."
"A werewolf?" Fred frowned. "Is there anything we can do to help?"
"Yes," Kyle replied. "Give me another piece of pie; I'm still hungry."
"Sorry, we can't help with that." George shrugged.
"We only brought two pieces, intending to have them for supper," Fred explained. "If you're not in a hurry, why not head to Grimmauld Place first? Mum would be delighted to see you."
"Forget it; let's discuss it after we deal with the werewolf," Kyle waved his hand. "What about the Order of the Phoenix? Are they taking any action?"
"Yes, we're relocating Harry," Fred whispered. "We plan to extract Harry from Little Hangleton tomorrow."
"How will you do that?" Kyle asked. "It's best not to use the Floo Network. The Death Eaters have attacked the Department of Magical Transportation before, and I worry they might have done something."
"Don't worry; we won't," George assured him. "We're planning to use Apparition."
"Speaking of that, you should be cautious of Pierce Sinkness from the Department of Law Enforcement."
"Sinkness..." Kyle pondered for a moment. "The acting head of the Department of Law Enforcement?"
"Yes, him."
"A couple of days ago, Sinkness wanted to classify Apparition as illegal, claiming it was to protect Harry from the Dark Lord."
"But we all know the Dark Lord doesn't follow the Ministry's laws."
"He's just trying to prevent Harry from leaving."
Kyle nodded in agreement. Indeed, the Ministry's regulations couldn't control the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters.
"Wait, you said 'wanted to.' What does that mean?"
"Because he didn't succeed," Fred smiled. "Amelia Bones, who was attacked by Death Eaters, has woken up and returned to the Ministry from St. Mungo's."
"As the official head of the Department of Law Enforcement, she directly rejected the proposal."
"That's good," Kyle said. "But we can't be complacent; the Death Eaters won't give up so easily."
"Of course, we understand that," George said. "Kingsley is protecting Amelia Bones to prevent another Death Eater attack. As long as she's safe, the Ministry won't make decisions favoring the Death Eaters."
"Well, if there's anything else I can help with, let me know," Kyle said, placing his box on the table.
"Actually, I think we can use this to take Harry away. We can completely disguise ourselves as Muggles selling Polyjuice Potion and take Harry away at the fastest speed possible. Even if the Death Eaters are watching nearby, it'll be hard for them to notice anything."
"That's indeed a good idea," Fred stroked his chin. "Let's discuss it with Dad when we get back."
"But Kyle, we're about to relocate Harry. Are you sure you can make it back in time?" George asked.
"I'll try my best," Kyle replied.
In truth, he wasn't sure when he could resolve the werewolf issue in Knockturn Alley. If it was quick, he might encounter the werewolf right after entering the alley, and it could be resolved within ten minutes.
However, if the werewolf was good at hiding in a place like Knockturn Alley, where all sorts of magical creatures roamed, it might take several days to find it.
"Then let's consider this as a backup plan for now," Fred said.
They put on their coats, and together with Kyle, they left the shop, locking the door behind them.
Unconsciously, Kyle looked up at the massive, glowing sign and the colorful, spinning light bulbs.
"Don't mind them."
"Diagon Alley always needs some vitality."
They both laughed and said, "That's right."
(End of Chapter)
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