Chapter 9: Smooth Transaction
【Shattering Charm】
A dark blue light beam burst forth.
Melvin waved his wand, with the wand tip pressing against the spell.
The dark blue light beam struck the center of the transparent light shield condensed by the Iron Armor Charm, emitting a dull metallic impact sound. The spell released to seize the initiative was not strong in power. With a light flick of the wand tip, the Shattering Charm returned along the original path at an even swifter speed.
Melvin felt a slight impact on his wrist.
The Dark Wizard in the Mole Skin Mask dodged in haste, while the other three hurriedly cast spells to surround and attack.
【Stupefy】
【Petrification】
“……”
Melvin effortlessly countered the spells coming from both front and back.
Based on the previous conversation and the four’s casting speed and technique, he quickly judged that the one wearing the Mole Skin Mask was the leader, with strength possibly comparable to a Ministry of Magic Auror, while the others were just at the level of ordinary adult wizards, the kind who got unacceptable grades in Defence Against the Dark Arts at school.
This made Melvin somewhat reflective. Even Dark Wizards graduated from Hogwarts varied in quality.
But dealing with four Dark Wizards in this environment was still somewhat tricky.
Trapped in a narrow alley, attacked from both front and back, without even a cover to shield his body, spells shot straight in, all relying on the Iron Armor Charm to counter them—it was more or less the predicament of one wand against four.
However, wizard duelling was not a turn-based game of you go I go. Extreme environments imposed equal restrictions on both sides. Only by fully utilizing the environment could one gain the advantage, and he happened to be a stage designer—no one understood how to use the environment better than him!
Hidden magic power spread along the brick walls on both sides.
“Boom boom……”
Silent Transfiguration enveloped the brick walls. The walls on both sides began to writhe, with bricks growing rapidly like vines, sealing off the top of the alley in an instant.
In the instant the last wisp of dim daylight was extinguished, the Dark Wizard leader wearing the Mole Skin Mask caught sight of Melvin’s action. He took a withered hand relic from the box, its five fingers half-curled, a candle held in the shriveled palm.
Melvin blew a breath, and the flame suddenly flared up, with a pale white light circle flashing and vanishing.
Shadows swallowed the entire alley, plunging everything into darkness.
The Dark Wizards quickly understood Melvin’s strategy but didn’t know how to counter it or how to stop him.
The alley was only a few feet wide, almost straight, without cover but with space to dodge. Earlier, with clear vision, they could surround and attack Melvin, but now casting spells rashly might lead to them killing each other.
The black curtain enveloped the dark alley and also loomed over the hearts of the four Dark Wizards. The atmosphere grew heavy; they could even hear their companions’ breathing…… or perhaps the enemy’s breathing.
The Dark Wizard leader only felt his throat tighten.
【Lumos】
A wisp of silver light bloomed. One Dark Wizard couldn’t endure the panic and tried to use the Illumination Charm to see the surroundings, but releasing silver light from the wand at this moment meant he couldn’t defend in time. Melvin had been waiting for such an opportunity. Almost the instant the silver light lit up, a silently cast Repelling Charm struck suddenly.
“Bang.”
The spell hit the chest squarely. The Dark Wizard who used the Illumination Charm was blasted away, crashing into the brick wall behind with a thud.
The remaining three Dark Wizards held their breath. Because it was a silent spell, they heard nothing and couldn’t judge what spell it was. They only saw green light flash, and one companion fell silent.
Judging by the spell’s color, it could be a Repelling Charm or possibly some Unforgivable Curse.
“……”
The Dark Wizard leader took a deep breath, raised his wand to maintain the Iron Armor Charm, stared vigilantly into the darkness ahead, and spoke with insufficient confidence: “Mister, we are willing to pay the price for our ignorance and offense, as long as we can obtain your forgiveness.”
“Bang.”
Another thud sounded not far away, and the second companion fell silent.
The Dark Wizard leader swallowed, his throat tightening like a needle. He tried to say something but could only squeeze out stammering sounds.
“M-Mister, we…… you……”
“Click, click, click……”
A faint sound of footsteps echoed in the pitch-black alley, seeming to come from the front, yet also from behind, as if death was slowly approaching.
“Huff…… huff……”
The breathing of the companion beside him was clearly audible, though still relatively steady.
Fine sweat beaded on the Dark Wizard leader’s forehead. Just then, a flash of inspiration struck his mind:
“Mister! Mister! We can provide maps of all wizarding settlements in Britain, and Ireland’s, Belgium’s, Denmark’s…… and! And! There’s a wizarding island in Norway that we can find too!”
“Oh?”
That mister’s voice sounded right by his ear. A wisp of pale candlelight appeared out of thin air, illuminating Melvin’s curious expression: “What price this time?”
The candlelight also lit up the alley, revealing in the blurry, dim corners of vision the unconscious companions lying on the ground, their lives unknown.
The companion he thought had been by his side had long been replaced by the enemy prowling in the darkness.
The Dark Wizard leader’s pupils contracted sharply in horror, his heart nearly stopping. He stood beside Melvin, looked down at his companion, lips moving as if to speak, but no sound came out.
Melvin, however, was quite calm. He picked up the wooden box from the ground and put the Hand of Glory back: “Tell me, what’s the price of your maps?”
The Dark Wizard leader opened his mouth, gritted his teeth: “As long as you’re willing to let me take them away, Mister, the maps are free for you.”
“I don’t do the business of trafficking wizards……”
Melvin shook his head: “How about this—still 12 Galleons, but I need you to mark the land area, population size of these wizarding settlements. If you can also tally the pure-blood to half-blood ratio, housing prices, and per capita income, that would be even better.”
“Ah?”
The Dark Wizard’s mind went blank.
“I can prepay. Have the owl deliver the maps to the Savoy Hotel……”
Melvin approached with his wand, pressing the wand tip against his arm: “But to ensure the transaction goes smoothly, we need to sign a contract.”
A few minutes later, dim daylight once again spilled into the alley.
The Dark Wizard leader wearing the Mole Skin Mask stood at the alley mouth holding his wallet, with his three companions lying at his feet, sleeping soundly. Each had their left sleeve rolled up, revealing a blue stamp on their arm—a one-stroke ouroboros snake.
The figure who left them the stamp had already walked out of the alley.
Melvin recalled the day’s experiences, his steps unceasing.
Though the process had some twists, the deal was successfully closed. Business was all about haggling anyway.
That stamp wasn’t a Dark Mark; it contained only a minor curse, just for show.
At the alley mouth, he looked back.
Dark corners occasionally had shadows darting by, accompanied by rustling sounds—sometimes earless mews, sometimes house-elves transporting wooden boxes. The apothecary closest to the exit in Knockturn Alley had rows of glass jars in the shop window, eyeballs floating up and down in purple potion.
The whole street was like a damp intestine abandoned by Diagon Alley, curled in the crevices of London’s brick walls.
……
Half an hour later, The Leaky Cauldron.
It was the tavern’s busiest time, with male wizards crowding the bar holding beer mugs, eagerly discussing the day’s events in a noisy hubbub that hurt the ears.
Old Tom sat silently in the corner holding the Daily Prophet, pretending to read the newspaper seriously.
Melvin ordered a Butterbeer and, seeing his demeanor, couldn’t help but feel curious: “Old Tom, why aren’t you greeting customers up front? What are you doing hiding here?”
“I’m in deep sorrow.”
“……”
Melvin fell silent. It had been nearly two weeks since he arrived here, but he still wasn’t used to British wizards’ way of chatting.
“Why are you sad?”
“The Daily Prophet.”
“What? Is the newspaper shutting down?”
“Not that……” Old Tom shook his head with the newspaper, “The Daily Prophet’s history is as long as The Leaky Cauldron’s. As long as there are wizards on this land, the newspaper office won’t collapse or cease publication.”
“Then what is it? An obituary for one of your old classmates or friends?”
“No, they don’t run taverns, so they should outlive me.”
“Not a peer’s obituary—maybe an elder in your family? A professor from student days? Or the girl-next-door you had a crush on?” Melvin was particularly interested in the last one.
“Er……”
Old Tom saw the guesses veering increasingly off-track and hurriedly said: “I’m worried because the newspaper clearly published news related to me, yet didn’t mention my name.”
Melvin immediately perked up with interest, took the newspaper and looked. The front-page headline caught his eye—
《Report on Gringotts Unauthorized Entry Incident》
「Regarding the investigation into this afternoon’s Gringotts unauthorized entry incident, which is still ongoing. It is widely believed to be the work of unknown male and female Dark Wizards. Gringotts goblins reiterated today that nothing was stolen. The underground vault searched by the intruders had in fact been emptied earlier that morning. A Gringotts goblin spokesperson stated this afternoon: What exactly was stored in the vault is confidential; please do not interfere.」
Melvin stared at the newspaper, then at Old Tom, pondered briefly, and showed a thoughtful expression.
Old Tom always felt something was off: “Hey, that’s not what I meant! It’s the news on the second page!”
Melvin turned the page.
《The Savior Star Debuts in the Wizarding World! Harry Potter Appears in Diagon Alley to Procure School Supplies》
「London news: This morning, the Savior Star Harry Potter, accompanied by Hogwarts gamekeeper Rubus Hagrid, stepped into Diagon Alley for the first time to procure school supplies. This “Boy Who Lived” who defeated the Dark Lord as an infant formally connected with magical society on his 11th birthday. At 10:15 a.m., a commotion erupted inside The Leaky Cauldron……」
Old Tom sighed, muttering wistfully: “It mentions The Leaky Cauldron, so why not mention that I was the first to recognize the lightning scar on his forehead, the first to shake his hand and congratulate him?”
“Should it also mention Cordli who shook second, and Digo who shook third?”
“How do you know?” Old Tom looked puzzled, “I remember you weren’t in the tavern then?”
“The entire bar was talking about it; my ears got calluses from listening.”
“That was Harry Potter, the boy who defeated the Dark Lord. Hearing his name again, seeing his face—who could hold back the surge of emotion?”
“True, tavern business is much better than usual.”
“Mainly because term is approaching.”
“Yes, term is approaching.”
Melvin sipped his beer, salty-sweet, salty-sweet.
A certain Muggle Studies professor was also onboarding.
Over the next month, the front page continued tracking the Gringotts robbery, but with no results.
The supplement pages featured legendary stories of Harry Potter. Rita Skeeter dug up information on the Potter couple from somewhere, consulted several Dark Magic experts, trying to reconstruct the truth of that night’s events.
The story was full of ups and downs, even suggesting unknown emotional entanglements between the Potter couple and the Dark Lord.
Old Tom sat at the bar, and upon picking up the newspaper, seeing the article that dared not name him directly yet dared to fabricate his story, he inexplicably admired that Skeeter reporter—her courage was admirable.
Melvin resided idly on Charing Cross Road, wandering Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley, seeking potentially useful goods and collecting information of interest.
Patrons rarely mentioned Professor Levent who had once appeared in the newspapers, but students and parents procuring stationery with school supply lists would always recite the name. Melvin could feel his magic power growing slowly as a result.
Though he still hadn’t figured out the principle, that didn’t stop him from benefiting.
……
Late August, morning.
In a room on the second floor of the Savoy Hotel.
“4 ounces for small-format photographs……”
Melvin stared at the Developing Potion and photographs on the table, somewhat troubled.
How small was small-format?
Did different quality Developing Potions use the same amount?
“Whatever, pouring more shouldn’t hurt.”
Melvin gave up agonizing, uncorked the oak stopper, poured the clear Developing Potion into the tray, then immersed the received photographs in the potion. All that remained was patient waiting.
Placing the tray aside to rest, he then picked up the map materials nearby and flipped through page by page.
“Wiltshire’s Theo’s Fort;
“Cornwall’s Tintagel;
“Yorkshire’s Upper Flagley;
“……”
Britain surprisingly had so many wizarding settlements.
These were all small places, not counting major wizarding villages like Hogsmeade and Godric’s Hollow.
Melvin set down the crudely hand-drawn maps and flipped through the accompanying data materials.
A small stack of parchment was all hand-copied, with fairly neat handwriting, no ink blots, but completely unsegmented, let alone organized into charts. He had to extract numbers from long stretches of text, which looked troublesome.
Though the four Dark Wizards were limited in ability, their attitude was proper.
Melvin didn’t take much time to organize the data into tables, laid out in the nearby notebook.
He looked at the data tables, fingers lightly tapping the paper, muttering softly: “Who was it that said Britain has only three thousand wizards? Do they understand the Wizarding World at all?”
Not only were there more wizarding settlements than expected, but the population sizes were larger too. These small places hid hundreds or thousands of wizards each, and including wizards’ family members and relatives, the numbers were even more substantial.
Worthy of an old wizarding nation.
The colors of the photographs immersed in the Developing Potion slightly blurred, edges fuzzy, ragged borders trembling briefly, then the figures on them began to move.
Pedestrians on the street wore strangely styled clothes: Middle Ages robes, steam-era jackets, Victorian dresses. Residents from different eras walked the same street, with shops on both sides also seeming from different times—some signboards new, some old.
「Honeydukes」
「Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop」
「……」
