Homecoming from Hogwarts

It had been a while since Harry had had such a fright!
He had just crouched down and followed Malfoy into the tent. Before he had time to take a look at what Borgin and Burke's, a store specializing in selling dark magic items, had become, he was greeted by Draco's confused look in his gray eyes.

Discovered?

Harry, with his scalp tingling, just squatted at the door in a funny way, not daring to move.

Was it because the wind lifted the invisibility cloak when he rushed in just now, allowing Malfoy to see the clue, or was it due to some other reason?
Harry pursed his lips and looked at him nervously. From the angle of his gaze, he was indeed looking at Malfoy himself.

However, Harry soon realized that he had not been discovered.

Malfoy's gaze was indeed in this direction, but his eyes were focused behind him.
A few seconds of silence seemed like a century.

But fortunately, Malfoy did nothing. His eyelids trembled, and then he turned silently and walked into the store.

call--
Harry gasped subconsciously, but then he came to his senses and quickly covered his mouth.

Glancing behind him, Harry immediately understood what had aroused Malfoy's suspicion.

Because he had inevitably touched the curtain when he broke in just now, the arc of the curtain's swing was obviously a bit too large—
Malfoy was more alert than expected.

Harry felt a chill in his heart and became more cautious.

As always, the store's merchandise looked anything but respectable:

Withered human hands, bloodstained playing cards, human bones of various shapes, and magical instruments that exude an ominous aura.

These things made Harry feel sick.

Mr. Borgin was clearly not as generous as the goblins at Gringotts or most of the shopkeepers in Diagon Alley, and the makeshift tent he used was much narrower than his shop in Knockturn Alley.

The path leading to the counter was filled with the sound of clinking objects, and as someone who had been here with his father more than once, he knew that if you didn't fully understand anything related to the black magic, you shouldn't touch it.

He leaned sideways, walked carefully through the narrow passage, came to the counter, and rang the bell on the counter.

"Ah, isn't this Master Malfoy?"

A hunchbacked man came out from nowhere, stroked his greasy hair with his hands, and then said earnestly,

"You and your father haven't been to my shop for a while. Is he okay?"

A withered head placed on top of the display cabinet emitted a terrifying laugh from time to time. In order to hear it more clearly, Harry held his breath and also approached the counter sideways, then stopped at a safe distance.

"My father is nothing to worry about, Borgin—"

For some reason, Draco's face turned pale as if he was irritated, and he stared at Borgin coldly.

"Of course, I don't mind telling you that he is doing well now. Maybe you have heard some rumors from somewhere, but I want to tell you that they are all lies!"

Something's wrong with Malfoy's dad?

Harry kept this in mind and planned to share the good news with Ron and Hermione later.

"Of course, of course--"

Mr. Borgin smiled modestly.

"No one with a brain would believe it. I have always believed that your father is the one who is most trusted by that person."

Bogin wiped a cold sweat in his heart. When the "little bastard" in front of him had a gloomy face, he actually felt a strong threat from him!

For some reason, Borgin's flattery did not gain Malfoy's trust. Harry, who was standing more than ten feet away, could sense the chill emanating from Malfoy.

"What kind of garbage is that in your hand?"

Draco didn't want to dwell on this topic endlessly, so his eyes naturally fell on the tray in Borgin's hand.

On the wooden shelf inside the glass cover on the tray was a necklace that Harry couldn't describe the style of. It was brass in color, but very dull.

There is no doubt that this thing is dangerous.

Because when Borgin was talking to Malfoy, he never forgot to pay attention to the tray in his hand, as if he was afraid that the necklace would slip off the wooden display stand.

"Oh, you mean this necklace?"

Borgin asked knowingly, his smile as slick as his hair.
"It is not for sale, Master Malfoy." "Not for sale?"

Draco's mouth curled up in mockery.

"why?"

"Because it is too dangerous, Master Malfoy. It would be the easiest thing for someone who possesses this necklace to kill someone. But you know, I don't want to cause too much trouble. If someone dies in its hands, the Ministry will sooner or later find me."

Seeing that Draco had been attracted by the necklace, Borgin's cloudy eyes flashed with pride.

"I spent a lot of money to buy it from a foreign wizard. I plan to put it in the store for display to prove the strength of my old store."

"You mean it can kill people?"

Draco narrowed his eyes.

Harry, under the invisibility cloak, felt a trace of disdain in his heart. Even he could tell that this greasy old man with a hunchback was using rhetoric to push up the price of this thing.

"Oh, with all due respect, Master Malfoy, your question is an insult to this precious work of art!"

Borgin opened his mouth dramatically.
"Even if a strong and young fire dragon encounters it, there is absolutely no chance of survival!"

Draco bent down and carefully examined the necklace inside the glass cover.

It is hard to say whether this thing can take the fire dragon's life, but he can indeed feel a deadly threat from the necklace.

"very good."

Malfoy nodded.

Malfoy wants to kill someone. Who does he want to kill?!

Harry's heart beat faster under the Invisibility Cloak. He pricked up his ears, not daring to miss a single word.

"But since it's not for sale, forget it."

The words that came out of Draco's mouth surprised Harry and Mr. Borgin.

Bogin was prepared for the little bastard to ask about the price, but he didn't expect it to be a bluff!
"Oh, Master Malfoy, actually. Uh, I mean, it's not impossible to negotiate. If the price is right--"

Unexpectedly, little Malfoy played completely unconventionally. Borgin's mouth twitched in embarrassment and he said with a smile.

"Come on, Borgin, put that thing away from me."

Draco seemed to have really lost interest. He no longer looked at the necklace.
"I have something else to ask you."

Borgin, who had failed, put the tray on the counter and asked respectfully,
"I will be at your service, Master Malfoy."

After a moment's hesitation, Malfoy looked at Borgin indifferently.

"Do you have anything here that can be used to open the lock?"

unlock?
Harry's brows furrowed.

"Unlock it?"

This unexpected request surprised Mr. Bogin.
"You mean the keyhole for a door or a safe?"

Bojin was silent,

"It's not that difficult, is it, Master Malfoy? If you want to open a lock and you don't have a key, I suggest you try the Unlocking Charm. The spell is Allah."

"Of course I know the spell to the Unlocking Charm, idiot!"

Malfoy said impatiently.

"But this spell only works on ordinary door locks, and the door I want to open is protected by powerful magic.
In this case, the unlocking charm won't work, right? "

Malfoy glared at Borgin fiercely.

"I need something that can break the magic protecting the door lock without leaving any trace. Do you have any good recommendations?" (End of this chapter)