New York, Bronx, Arthur Avenue.
This was the most Italian-flavored avenue in the U.S., a charming and multifaceted street combining tourism, leisure, and cuisine all in one.
During the day, it bustled with life. Tourists and food connoisseurs flocked in endlessly.
Some were drawn by the captivating scenery, while others came in pursuit of authentic Italian cuisine.
The streets were filled with laughter and chatter. The sounds of conversations and street vendors shouting their wares wove together into a vibrant, thriving scene.
But at night, as shops closed and lights went out...
The once-noisy street gradually grew quiet.
Only the rows of street lamps cast a dim glow, their light seemingly weary, struggling to illuminate the space around them.
The entire street sank into darkness, shrouded in a veil of mystery.
Only the apartment lights from the tall buildings above flickered on one after another, like stars scattered across the sky, bringing some warmth and life to the darkness.
Buildings 6 and 8 on Arthur Avenue were originally tightly connected.
No one knew exactly when, but a small house suddenly appeared on the street.
Its address bore the number Arthur Avenue No. 7 — an abrupt, inexplicable number on an equally unexpected house.
A sign hung clearly on the little house. On it were bold characters: "Hogwarts Potion Shop."
Amid the dim environment, the shop's sign exuded a strange and mysterious aura.
Those who were secretly watching the area all made calls one after another.
"Boss, the potion shop is open."
"Well done. I'm on my way."
"BOSS!"
"Mhm. Got it."
"Sir, the target has appeared."
"I'm coming immediately."
In less than ten minutes, several luxury cars raced to the street.
The screeching of brakes shattered the quiet night, smoke rising from tires grinding against the pavement.
From the cars stepped a group of wealthy and powerful individuals.
"Mr. Carl, didn't expect you to show up too."
A bearded man greeted him enthusiastically.
"Stephen, you sure have sharp ears."
Carl smiled in return, though there was a glint of scrutiny in his eyes.
They hugged like old friends, but each harbored their own intentions.
"You guys sure keep secrets. Didn't even tell me about something this big."
Stephen complained, a hint of displeasure on his face.
"Stephen, even if you're a big shot on Wall Street, your riches came fast and easy — no depth behind it."
Carl's tone seemed to mock the shallow roots of Stephen's wealth.
Stephen's expression darkened, just about to snap back when—
Vrrrmmm~
Vrrrmmm~
The roar of an engine suddenly erupted, the booming noise shaking everyone's eardrums.
A silver Audi R8 sped in from the corner, its body gleaming brilliantly under the streetlights.
The license plate bore the stylish cursive: Tony Stark — eye-catching and unmistakable.
"Great, now the playboy's here too…" someone muttered under their breath.
Tony Stark stepped out of the car with his usual effortless flair, every movement radiating confidence and rebellion.
Walking to the other side, he gently opened the door and bent down like a gentleman.
A tall, blonde woman stepped out of the passenger seat. Her skirt swayed in the breeze, making her look like a movie star walking out of a scene.
"Tony, where are we?" Pepper Potts asked curiously, her beautiful eyes scanning the surroundings.
"Pepper, this place is amazing. It just so happens to be your birthday today, and being with you always brings good luck." Tony Stark beamed with confidence, his eyes full of warmth.
Pepper frowned slightly. "It's my birthday, Tony. I was expecting a Broadway show, not... this place." Her tone carried a hint of complaint.
Tony swiftly put an arm around her waist, the motion smooth and natural.
Pepper tried to wriggle free, her face tinged with a blush.
"There are a lot of people here, give your boss some face," Tony winked playfully. "Don't make me look bad."
It was only then Pepper noticed the crowd around them — and clearly, none of them were ordinary people.
Most of these people were big shots who usually only appeared on TV, which made Pepper even more confused.
"What's going on? What exactly is this place?" Pepper Potts asked again.
"It's a sec," Tony Stark teased, deliberately being mysterious, a sly smile on his face.
Happy Hogan, a heavyset man with a bushy beard, stood nearby. He looked quite intimidating.
He was Tony Stark's bodyguard and chauffeur.
He held a box in his hand, and from the flush on his face, it was clear the contents were quite heavy.
Tony Stark snapped his fingers coolly.
"What are we waiting for?"
Then, with a gentle yet possessive gesture, he wrapped an arm around Pepper's slender waist. Wearing a confident smile, he walked calmly toward the mysterious little shop.
At the same time, the others also began to move.
One man, whose hairline was noticeably receding, had a focused and cautious look in his eyes. He appeared to be giving a tense report through an earpiece.
"Sir, they're all about to enter that magical potion shop."
His voice was low, but the urgency in it couldn't be hidden.
"Follow them in, Phil," came the calm and firm command through the earpiece.
"Understood, sir," Phil Coulson replied quickly. "But we might leave empty-handed tonight."
He frowned slightly, helplessness written all over his face. "Everyone here tonight is worth at least a billion dollars. The funds I brought wouldn't even make a splash."
As he spoke, he shook his head unconsciously.
"Do your best," the voice on the other end said firmly but briefly.
Coulson shrugged and sighed softly. "Okay."
"Hogwarts?" Pepper stared at the shop's sign and asked curiously, "Is that a place name?"
Stark replied with nonchalance, "Who knows."
Then, Pepper's eyes were drawn to the two stone statues at the entrance.
They were carved with such lifelike detail — the expressions of terror and despair on their faces were hauntingly vivid.
You could almost feel the fear and helplessness buried deep in their hearts.
Their struggles were captured with disturbing precision, every detail executed to perfection.
Even the tiny wrinkles in their clothes were clearly visible. It didn't feel like you were looking at cold stone statues, but rather two living souls frozen in time.
They were masterpieces.
However, Pepper didn't feel admiration — instead, she felt deeply unsettled. Her body trembled slightly.
It was as if, for a moment, those statues would spring to life and lunge at her.
"This shop owner must have a twisted sense of aesthetics. Why would anyone put two terrifying statues like this at the door?" Pepper complained, instinctively moving closer to Stark.
Tony didn't have the heart to tell her the truth — he didn't want to scare her.
So he changed the subject.
"Let's go inside and find a seat first."
As he spoke, he gently took her hand and led her into the shop.
The moment they stepped inside, a wave of warmth washed over them like a tide.
Dressed in formalwear, Pepper couldn't help exhaling a puff of cold air. That white mist disappeared instantly into the cozy warmth, and she immediately felt her body thaw out, wrapped in comforting heat.
"Do we have customers?"
A voice echoed from within, and it was impossible to tell whether it belonged to a man or woman. The voice seemed to drift through layers of fog, ethereal and unreal.
"As usual — pick any seat you like."
Behind the counter stood a person wearing a pale mask and dressed in robes completely out of sync with the modern era. They were intently preparing something.
After saying those words, the person paid no further attention to Stark or Pepper and immersed themselves fully in their task.
Stark seemed completely used to this. He calmly took the center seat in the front row, facing the counter, then gently pulled Pepper to sit at his left.
Pepper stared at the mask for a while before she began to feel dizzy. Though she had just looked at it, she couldn't recall what it looked like.
"What a strange mask," she muttered quietly.
But the mask wasn't the only thing bothering her.
That person's bizarre outfit — the robe embroidered with mysterious patterns in a style ancient and unique.
And their indifference toward Stark.
After all, Tony Stark was a world-famous billionaire, arms dealer, and scientist.
To ordinary people, seeing him once would be like a dream. If they could get on his good side, they'd never have to worry about money again.
And yet this strange person completely ignored him, treating him like any other random customer.
Just as she was about to ask Tony about it, more people continued to enter the shop.
So Pepper reluctantly let the thought go for now.
Once the last seat was filled, the shop's door suddenly slammed shut with a loud bang.
Those still waiting outside were mercilessly shut out.
The mysterious figure finally spoke slowly: "Everyone is here. Then let's begin."
Everyone present instinctively turned their attention toward the speaker.