Chapter 29: Wizard Appliances
“Leaving suddenly before the gathering starts…”
Borgin watched that figure walk away into the distance and couldn’t help muttering under his breath: “Why does it feel like an Auror coming to scout intelligence? During the gathering later, several Auror teams won’t suddenly burst in and catch us all at once, will they?”
According to the current Secrecy Law regulations, misusing Muggle items is a serious crime. If strictly interpreting the legal provisions, all the wizards participating in today’s gathering would have to go to Azkaban.
“Don’t overthink it.” Melvin said to him, “If it really were an Auror scouting, he should try to sneak into the gathering itself, try to identify the organizer’s identity, arrest and interrogate for the list of participants, and capture them one by one according to the list.”
“You’re right…”
Borgin felt he made a lot of sense and was about to nod in agreement when he suddenly froze. He looked at the Hogwarts professor beside him, opened his mouth, but hesitated to speak.
Something felt off.
“Let’s go in.”
“…”
Borgin nodded, his smile somewhat forced.
He had ample reason to believe that Borgin and Burkes’ signboard of several decades was about to be finished.
This was a repair shop with a unique style. The shop’s decoration was elegant and luxurious, in that classical style very much to the taste of Pure-blood Wizards: solid wood furniture with deep paint, staircase railings carved with unrecognizable magical creatures, and the fireplace not just for show—the outer marble somewhat blackened with coal soot.
Standing outside the shop door, there wasn’t much of a feeling, but upon entering, he suddenly discovered the shop’s interior space was much more spacious than expected. There were traces of Undetectable Extension Charm modifications at the walls and ceiling, yet it wasn’t awkward at all—natural and harmonious, sufficient to show the modifying wizard’s exquisite skill.
The repair shop wasn’t just a disguise; it genuinely took on appliance repair business and also bought and sold discarded electronics.
The shop’s shelves and display cases held all sorts of old electronics, with corrugated paper boxes, foam sponge cushions, simple parts, and batteries of various models piled under the staircase.
The gathering process completely didn’t match Melvin’s expectations—no group of mysterious wizards sitting around a round table in a meeting. It was more like Muggle mall sales staff: the shop assistant stood in front of the display case, patiently explaining and introducing to customers, using language wizards could understand, delving into Muggle appliances in an accessible way.
The scene was orderly.
No one checked identities. Melvin entered the shop without obstruction and quietly followed Borgin to the back row.
The gathering attendees were all very well-mannered and even considerately moved aside two steps to give them space. The shop assistant doing the introduction was a somewhat reclusive-looking middle-aged male wizard who only glanced at them once before looking away and continuing his explanation:
“Today we’re introducing three sets of Muggle equipment total, all customized based on your previous requests. First, the professional recording equipment: a multi-track magnetic tape recorder, a Swiss-made 48-track open-reel machine using 1-inch tape. The frequency response fully meets your needs—even a banshee’s voice can be recorded, though without the banshee’s magic, it can’t cause harm, just a bit piercing to the ears. It comes with a mixing console, effects unit, and condenser mic, making vocals sound more natural and reducing electrical noise…”
Melvin listened in a daze.
So advanced beyond imagination—was this still the wizard he knew?
He lowered his voice and asked: “Who customized this?”
“The witch in the black robe in the front row, singer Cetina Warbeck.” Borgin introduced in a voice only the two of them could hear.
His gaze shifted to the front-row customer, a short and plump Black witch closest to the display case, wearing half a Hedwig mask on her face, staring at the microphone with shining eyes.
Cetina Warbeck, the world-famous witch singer.
It was said her musical talent outshone even her magical talent, evident from a very young age. The Warbecks originally planned to send their daughter to drama or music school, but the wizarding world had no such schools. Mrs. Warbeck was extremely disappointed and had no choice but to send her daughter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The school’s Drama Club and choir were established under her influence.
The choir had carried on to this day, developing into the Toad Choir, guided by Professor Flitwick, and occasionally performing at certain grand evening parties.
The Drama Club had disbanded. According to Dumbledore, it was because years ago, when Professor Kettleburn directed the play Good Luck Fountain, he insisted on using fire ash snake eggs as props and nearly burned down the Great Hall…
After graduating, Cetina quickly became famous and a featured singer for the Wizarding Radio Alliance, her songs playing on loop on the station every night.
Until Umbridge was promoted to Director of the Office for the Misuse of Magic, she made the Secrecy Law’s prohibition on misusing Muggle items even stricter. A few years ago, under the pretext of preventing witches and pre-school little wizards from being poisoned by Muggle thoughts, she proposed canceling wizarding radio, and Fudge agreed.
Once the bill passed, wizarding radio broadcasts stopped, and Fudge’s office was flooded with howlers from witches the next day.
The Wizengamot had no choice but to urgently amend the bill, allowing the Wizarding Radio Alliance to continue broadcasting, but radios had to be regulated by the Prohibitions Office, modified by technicians before sale to block Muggle channels, only able to receive wizarding radio.
“She’s making a new album and wants to add a banshee’s high note to the lead single, but her old recording equipment from ten years ago blew out the speakers the moment the banshee started singing, so she came here to customize a new set.”
“A pioneer in the arts scene…”
Melvin started to feel some anticipation.
Next was the second set of equipment.
“High-speed reel-fed offset printing press. As per your requirements, I’ve replaced all components that can be replaced with magic, mainly the automatic paper splicing and hot air drying parts…”
The middle-aged wizard explained carefully and patiently, answering every question without tiring: “The remaining shaftless drive system, ink path mixing, and other units can also be replaced, but due to the extremely high precision requirements, the wizard performing the spell operation afterward must perfectly control the spells. There are only a handful of wizards in the world who can do that.”
Before Melvin could ask, Borgin had already leaned over, voice very low: “They’re from the newspaper office, coming here to customize a color printer. Speaking of which, it’s thanks to your influence.”
“Hm?”
“The newspaper editor saw Muggle books at Flourish and Blotts and was immediately captivated, deciding to introduce color printing to the Daily Prophet.”
“No wonder the Daily Prophet is the best-selling wizarding newspaper.”
Melvin looked at the newspaper wizards but didn’t see the famous ace editor Ms. Rita Skeeter, feeling a bit regretful.
The third set of equipment was unexpected—it was a portable radio that Borgin himself had ordered, the kind with replaceable batteries.
“Those witches at home need this; they have to hear Cetina’s singing while making dinner.”
“I know about this. Back when the Ministry of Magic passed the bill to ban wizarding broadcasts, it was these witches’ letter protests that made the Wizengamot amend the bill to instead set up wizard-exclusive channels, with radios supervised and modified by the Ministry for exclusive sale.”
Melvin saw his excited expression and was puzzled: “But normal magic goods shops sell radios too, right? Why risk coming here?”
“Because Cetina’s songs only play at night. Other times, the witches want to hear something different, fresh, interesting…” Borgin paused, “These radios can also receive Muggle stations.”
“I remember you’re Pure-blood too—shouldn’t you despise this sort of thing?”
“I’m Pure-blood, sure, but I’m also a businessman. Business is business.”
