Chapter 76: George Arrives
"Sir, you're absolutely right."Mr. Borgin felt a chill in his heart and quickly bowed, apologizing to Mr. Malfoy.
"In that case, let's continue discussing my list."Mr. Malfoy sounded impatient. "I don't have much time to waste. I have important matters to attend to later."
Despite his words, Malfoy showed no urgency while bargaining. In fact, he was even calmer than Borgin. He idly glanced around the shop's merchandise, thinking that he didn't often get the chance to visit a place like this.
Many of the items intrigued him. He paced back and forth near the cabinet where Harry was hiding, almost making Harry burst out laughing.
Borgin stepped forward again, walked up to the display case, and extended his hand."Deal."
Mr. Malfoy let out a relieved sigh. "Come along, Draco."
Malfoy turned and left. Harry finally loosened his grip on his wand and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.
"Well then, Mr. Borgin, I'll be waiting at home tomorrow for the delivery."After finishing the business, Mr. Malfoy seemed much more relaxed.
With a loud bang, Borgin shut the door and immediately dropped his flattering tone."Old fox… I've heard these items aren't even half of his private collection. Hardly any profit in it…" he muttered irritably before heading into the back room.
Harry stayed perfectly still for a while, making sure Borgin wouldn't return soon. Then he quietly slipped out of the cabinet, passed the counter, and sneaked out of the shop.
Outside, Harry looked around. He was standing in a filthy alley. Both sides of the street were lined with shops dealing in Dark Magic. The one he had just exited—Borgin and Burkes—was the largest on the street.
Across from it stood another large store. Through the glass window, he could see shriveled, terrifying heads. A little further ahead, there was a large cage filled with enormous black spiders. Beside it, two gaunt wizards stood at the doorway, whispering while watching him.
A wave of fear washed over Harry, like a lamb that had wandered into a den of wolves. Clutching his wand tightly, he carefully made his way down the alley.
"Why is Harry here?"
Just as he was about to leave, a figure suddenly appeared at the entrance of Borgin and Burkes—a person dressed in a black robe with a hood.
Beneath the tight robe, strong muscles were faintly visible, along with an overwhelming sense of physical pressure. Under the hood, his face was obscured by a mist-like darkness, making it impossible to see clearly.
The two wizards who had been whispering about Harry immediately turned pale upon seeing this figure. They didn't dare look again, lowering their heads and retreating inside. With a click, the door shut tightly.
If Harry had turned around at that moment, he might have recognized the familiar figure by his build alone. Among those he knew, who else could have such a physique besides George? Though Hagrid was taller and bulkier, George's barrel-like frame was even more striking.
George watched Harry's departing figure. After hesitating for a moment, he chose not to follow.
"This place isn't too dangerous. He can handle himself. Business is more important."
With that thought, George stopped worrying about why Harry was there. He gently pushed open the door of Borgin and Burkes and walked inside.
Ding… ding…
George rang the bell on the counter. As he waited, he glanced around the shop and sneered.
"Nothing but useless trash."
"Mr. George, that's not quite right. Nothing is truly useless. Even trash has its use if placed in the right hands. How could it be called useless?"
Seeing the figure at the counter, Mr. Borgin hurried over, speaking in a smooth and practiced tone.
George said nothing. He simply raised his hand, placed it lightly on the counter, and then withdrew it.
A small pile of gold coins was left behind.
"Oh… what a beautiful shine! This is the most wonderful thing in the world. Whether it's the enchanting glow, the elegant curves, or the crisp sound when they collide—gold coins are the most powerful magic of all."
The moment Borgin saw the coins, he lunged at them like a starving wolf, his eyes nearly popping out.
As he stroked them, he continued flattering,"Mr. George, you're absolutely right. Everything outside is just trash. How could true treasures be displayed for the poor to see? They've grown used to devaluing real gems. What they earn in a lifetime couldn't compare to what slips through your fingers."
Borgin spared no effort in flattering this major client. Compared to others, this man was exceptionally generous. And in the eyes of a merchant, what quality was more valuable than generosity?
If there was one—Borgin was certain—it would be being even more generous.
"If you can give me what I want, I've never been stingy with gold," George said casually, his tone unchanged, completely unmoved by Borgin's performance.
George didn't care how humble the man in front of him acted. This wasn't his first time dealing with him. Running the biggest shop in Knockturn Alley wasn't easy.
Talk of honesty and customer service? Without power, such things were nothing but empty words.
If you took the flattery of Knockturn Alley merchants seriously, or believed their promises—even something as ridiculous as "the customer comes first"—then you were simply waiting to be cheated out of your last coin.
Given the chance, they would pounce like wolves, stripping you clean—belt, bones, and all.
Looking at the human bones displayed in nearby shops, George thought coldly:
"I wonder how many of these once belonged to customers who were swindled out of everything."
Dealing with dark wizards was never easy. If you believed you were clever enough, or wealthy enough to find good deals here, you would likely end up as nothing more than a pile of bones displayed for sale.
George had seen such foolish people before.
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