Chapter 773: The Welcome of Knockturn Alley
Chapter 773: The Welcome of Knockturn Alley
Knockturn Alley, the favorite haunt of Dark Wizards and wanderers, was a stark contrast to its neighboring Diagon Alley. The air was thick with a peculiar scent, akin to the charred smell of overcooked potions, and the streets were dirty and dilapidated.
Kyle had been here before, but never paid much attention. Now, accompanying Newt in search of a werewolf, he noticed the abundance of shops.
From the entrance to the depths of Knockturn Alley, the number of shops was no less than in Diagon Alley. However, most of them lacked signs, opting instead for random objects hanging at their doors—a dried-up finger, a skull, or something resembling a tree root.
"These are to avoid Ministry inspections," Newt explained, noticing Kyle's confusion. "A dried finger represents general Dark artifacts and stolen goods, while a skull signifies potions, poisons, and items with deadly curses."
"But most of these shops sell fakes or repackaged defective goods. You won't find a single genuine item in the entire alley."
"After all, in Knockturn Alley, trust is the cheapest commodity."
"Won't they get into trouble if someone realizes they've been scammed?" Kyle asked.
He certainly wouldn't let it slide if he bought a fake item.
"They used to, a long time ago," Newt replied. "But those who own shops here usually have unique skills and prized possessions, making it difficult for ordinary wizards to take advantage of them. And the shop owners have formed a tight-knit community. Causing trouble for one is equivalent to causing trouble for all, so even powerful wizards have to follow the rules here."
"What rules?"
"Many, but the most important one is no returns," Newt said. "You must inspect items carefully before purchasing, and there's no backing out once you've paid."
"Oh, I see," Kyle nodded, looking at Newt with a hint of confusion. Newt had always lived in Dorset, so how did he know so much about Knockturn Alley?
"Have you been here before?" Kyle asked.
"A few times," Newt replied, his eyes shifting uncomfortably. "Some things can't be obtained through regular channels, so I had to take my chances here."
Kyle could guess what Newt was hinting at—probably something from his youth.
Having been blacklisted by almost every nation's magical government, Newt had to rely on illegal Portkeys or other unconventional means to travel.
And Knockturn Alley was the place to find such items.
So, technically, Newt was a regular visitor here.
Kyle didn't press the issue, though. He surveyed the surroundings and asked, "But didn't you say almost everything here is fake?"
"Almost, but not everything," Newt cleared his throat. "In fact, I've been scammed numerous times. On average, only one in five items I buy turns out to be genuinely useful."
"That's a pretty low success rate," Kyle remarked, looking around at the shops again.
Suddenly, he spotted a figure fleetingly appearing behind a window. By the time he turned to look, the figure was gone.
"I think we've been spotted," Kyle said.
"We were spotted the moment we arrived," Newt said calmly. "The wizards living here have a unique way of communicating. They knew of our presence from the start."
They continued deeper into Knockturn Alley, where the conditions deteriorated further. Others were present, wrapped in tattered scarves and hoods, some sitting at makeshift stalls on the street corners, while others hurried by.
The crowd wasn't dense, and it was evident that the Death Eater attack on Diagon Alley had impacted business here as well.
Clean and well-dressed, Kyle and Newt stood out like sore thumbs. Though their faces were hidden, their head movements betrayed their scrutiny, and every person on the street seemed to be watching them.
"Are we drawing too much attention?" Kyle asked in a hushed tone. "Should we try to conceal ourselves?"
"It's fine," Newt shook his head. "Knockturn Alley has its own symbols, and every outsider stands out like a Mooncrazed Beast in the Scorpiontail. There's no hiding, not even with an Invisibility Cloak."
"Then how do we find the werewolf?" Kyle frowned slightly.
With every move they made under the watchful eyes of the street dwellers and shopkeepers, it was like walking under a dozen spotlights, making their search incredibly challenging.
"Hmm... People in Knockturn Alley rarely meddle in others' affairs," Newt said calmly. "Especially when it doesn't concern them. At least, that was the case when I was here before."
They continued walking, and the crowd grew denser as they ventured deeper.
Gradually, Kyle became accustomed to the stares, just as Newt had described. Everyone merely watched, unconcerned, and none approached them with questions.
Kyle turned at an intersection, stopping in front of a fork in the road. On the left was a shop with a sign of sharp teeth, the largest establishment in the area despite its dilapidated state.
Newt looked up. "I think we can ask for directions."
Kyle glanced over as well. "Teeth? What is this place?"
Just as he was wondering, two unkempt and filthy wizards emerged from the shop.
"Get out of here, wizard. This isn't a place for you," one of them said, his voice raspy as if squeezed from his throat.
Kyle recognized the voice and the distinctive yellow long fingernails. He immediately realized who they were.
Werewolves...
That's right, Lupin had mentioned that Fenrir Greyback was very selective, only recruiting young and strong werewolves. Those he deemed unsuitable were left to gather in Knockturn Alley.
Kyle approached politely, "No need to worry, I'm just looking for someone."
"This has nothing to do with us," one of the werewolves snapped. "Get out of here!"
"Don't be like that. If you provide information, I'm willing to pay," Kyle said, taking out a handful of Galleons.
"You seem to be running a business here. If you tell me what I want to know, these Galleons are yours."
The werewolves' eyes widened at the sight of the shining Galleons in Kyle's hand.
The werewolf wizard stared at Kyle's clean and tidy clothes and his youthful face, a glint of greed flashing across his eyes.
At the sight of the Galleons, the other werewolves also stirred, forming a circle around Kyle and Newt.
"Let's be clear, this amount isn't enough for information," the werewolf wizard said quickly.
"No problem," Kyle smiled, seemingly unaware of his current situation. "As long as it's reasonable, any amount is fine."
"What do you want to know?"
"A few months ago, an outsider werewolf named Toru, I think that's his name, came to Knockturn Alley. Where is he now?" Kyle asked.
As soon as Kyle finished speaking, the werewolf wizard's expression changed, and he asked in a low voice, "What do you want with him?"
"It's like this," Kyle said calmly. "We just came from the Black Forest, and his friend asked me to deliver a message."
At the mention of the Black Forest, the werewolf's expression grew even more unpleasant.
"What do you mean, wizard? Do you take us for fools?" he glared at Kyle.
At the same time, more werewolf wizards emerged, surrounding Kyle and Newt.
"You shouldn't have said that," Newt said, moving next to Kyle. "The Black Forest is a source of shame for those rejected by stronger werewolves. You've touched a sensitive topic."
"Oh, I see," Kyle said, as if realizing something. "Well, if I apologize, will it make you feel better?"
"Apologize? Sure," the lead werewolf wizard said harshly. "One hundred Galleons, and I'll accept your apology."
"No problem," Kyle readily agreed, taking out a large bag.
"This is exactly one hundred Galleons. Can you tell me now?"
The bag jingled, emitting a crisp and pleasant sound. When Kyle opened the bag, the werewolves around him gasped.
The werewolves had never seen so much money, and the shining gold almost blinded them.
"Well, can you tell me where Toru is now?" Kyle asked again.
"No way," the werewolf snarled, baring his sharp teeth.
"This hundred Galleons is for your apology. If you want information, you must pay another hundred... no, five hundred Galleons!"
"You don't seem sincere," Kyle raised an eyebrow. "Five hundred Galleons? You dare ask for that much?"
"Stop talking!" Another werewolf wizard snarled. "Now it's up to you. Either pay another five hundred Galleons and leave, or we'll find out ourselves. And I can't guarantee what will happen to you."
He stared at Kyle's neck, licking his lips.
It was then that Kyle realized these werewolves weren't as innocent as Lupin had described. They weren't participating in the war not because they didn't want to, but because no one wanted them.
Whether it was Death Eaters or Fenrir Greyback, they all looked down on these werewolves.
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Kyle turned to Newt and asked, "What do we do now? They don't seem sincere at all."
"I don't know either," Newt feigned helplessness, spreading his hands. "It's up to you. Do it your way."
"My way?" Kyle glanced at his wand.
The surrounding werewolf wizards immediately tensed up, some of them also raising their wands.
But the next moment, Kyle lowered his wand and picked up the box he was carrying with his other hand.
Upon seeing this, the werewolf wizards assumed Kyle had compromised and was planning to buy peace with Galleons. They all burst into unpleasant laughter.
"Haha, who knew you were a coward. Hurry up and move, don't..."
"Roar!"
A roar drowned out their words.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a massive fire dragon appeared before them, blocking the entire street.
Norbert gazed at the narrow street ahead, snorted in dissatisfaction, and two flames shot out from his nostrils.
Before anyone could react, the dragon vigorously swung its thick tail, striking the werewolf wizard who had threatened Kyle, sending him flying like a cannonball that smashed through a wall.
Knockturn Alley instantly fell silent. No one doubted the dragon's authenticity anymore.
As the crowd recovered from their shock, the wizards who had gathered to take advantage of the situation turned and fled, vanishing into the dark alleys in the blink of an eye.
The shops also echoed with rustling sounds, soon falling silent as well, perhaps due to the occupants hiding or escaping through other exits.
The werewolf wizards wanted to flee too, but they couldn't. As the dragon's primary targets, they had already exhausted themselves just by standing there.
"Can you tell me now?" Kyle emerged from under Norbert and asked in a deliberate tone, "That werewolf, Toru, where is he?"
Norbert lowered his head in a timely manner, opening his mouth, and a strong sulfuric odor wafted towards them.
The werewolf wizard questioned by Kyle collapsed, his eyes rolling back as he fainted.
Kyle turned to another werewolf, who was in no better state, but since he wasn't directly facing Norbert, he managed to tremblingly raise his hand, pointing behind him at a house.
At that moment, a dark figure suddenly darted out from inside the house, running away without looking back.
Despite the swift movement, Kyle recognized him—the same person he had encountered at Borgin and Burkes while investigating the Vanishing Cabinet.
"What luck," Kyle said with a smile, then extended his hand, ready to have Norbert pursue the figure.
But someone was faster.
Over a dozen spells flew from different directions, some red, some green, like fireworks all landing on Toru.
Toru collapsed on the spot, motionless.
"This is our message," a person emerged from the shadows.
It was the owner of Borgin and Burkes, leaning on a skull-topped cane, standing by a side street, observing the pair.
"It's been a while, Mr. Scamander. I never thought I'd see you in Knockturn Alley."
"You are Herbert Burke's son, am I right?" Newt asked.
"Indeed, I'm surprised you remember me," Old Burke said. "I believe you should also remember the rules of Knockturn Alley. With such a show of force, are you declaring war on us?"
"While the fire dragon is powerful, we are not few in number," he continued.
As he finished, more people emerged from the shops on both sides.
The residents of Knockturn Alley generally minded their own business and didn't concern themselves with others' lives, but the dragon's destructive power was too great. If it were to rampage, at least half the street would be destroyed.
When their own interests were at stake, they couldn't accept it, which was why they collectively took action, eliminating the werewolf who might have become the dragon's target.
"There's no misunderstanding, I have no intention of declaring war," Newt said calmly. "And this fire dragon isn't mine."
Clearly, Old Burke didn't believe him.
After all, who else but Newt Scamander could summon a fully grown fire dragon at will? Did he take them for fools?
However, he didn't mind. He continued to watch Newt and said, "In that case, please leave. Knockturn Alley is not a place for people like you."
Newt didn't rush to respond but turned to Kyle.
Kyle nodded. He could clearly sense the Killing Curse among the spells, and it wasn't just one.
Unless the werewolf wizard was named Torupot, he was as good as dead.
Kyle opened the box, and Norbert whined in dissatisfaction before returning.
Upon seeing the box, Old Burke became even more certain of his guess... The dragon had to have been released by Newt Scamander, and this old fellow still refused to admit it!
"Leave," Old Burke said again. "Knockturn Alley does not welcome you."
"Of course, believe me, if it wasn't necessary, we wouldn't have come here," Kyle said.
"That's the best."
Kyle and Newt retraced their steps, heading towards the entrance of Knockturn Alley. Compared to when they arrived, more people were watching them now.
Kyle appeared calm as he walked ahead, but his hand tightly gripped his wand, not daring to relax for a moment.
Fortunately, the people in Knockturn Alley made no unwise moves, and even when Kyle and Newt returned to the streets of Diagon Alley, no one chose to ambush them from behind.
As Kyle turned to look back at Knockturn Alley once more, the people who had followed them also disappeared, as if they had never been there.
...
(End of Chapter)
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