"Looks like I can't talk you out of it."
Borgin gave a helpless smile.
"No."
Liam returned the smile.
"But there's one problem."
"What?"
"The Ministry confiscated most of my property."
Liam spread his hands.
"At the moment, I only have around six hundred Galleons left."
The statement was surprisingly direct.
Borgin stared at him for a few seconds before laughing.
"You know what?"
The shop owner leaned back in his chair.
"I couldn't sell that book to anyone else even if I wanted to."
His eyes drifted toward the iron box.
"Keeping it here has become more trouble than it's worth."
After a moment of thought, he made a decision.
"You've done business with me for years."
"You've made me a great deal of money."
Borgin pointed at Liam.
"So let's call this an investment."
"What kind of investment?"
"I'll give you the book."
Liam raised an eyebrow.
"Free?"
"Free."
Borgin nodded.
"If you die, I'll consider it a failed investment."
His smile returned.
"But if you survive and successfully unravel its secrets, then remember who helped you."
Liam's expression softened slightly.
That was a substantial favor.
Without waiting for a response, Borgin crouched behind the counter and opened a hidden compartment.
Inside rested a large iron chest radiating an ominous aura.
Even before opening it, the magical contamination was obvious.
"Careful."
Borgin raised his wand.
The lid slowly lifted.
Inside lay a thick black-and-purple book.
The moment it appeared, the surrounding air seemed heavier.
The cover itself radiated malice.
"This is Magick Moste Evile."
Borgin's voice turned serious.
"The seller warned me that touching it directly triggers a lethal curse."
"Only one?"
"At least one."
The shop owner snorted.
"There are probably dozens."
He pointed toward the book.
"Use levitation magic whenever you move it."
"Never touch it directly."
"Turn pages remotely."
"And avoid reading for long periods."
Liam looked intrigued.
"Why?"
"Because some people committed suicide after reading it."
Borgin shrugged.
"Others lost their minds."
"One wizard murdered his companion with the Killing Curse after reading a few chapters."
"Interesting."
Liam's eyes lit up immediately.
Borgin sighed.
That wasn't the reaction normal people had.
Liam wasn't normal.
From the moment he saw the book, his attention focused entirely on the magical structure attached to it.
Three separate curses covered the front cover alone.
One accelerated the failure of internal organs.
The other two appeared to possess magical dissolution properties capable of interfering with a victim's own magic.
None of them matched any curse Liam had previously encountered.
That made the book priceless.
Dangerous.
But priceless.
The principles underlying magic remained consistent regardless of the specific spell.
If he could analyze these curses, he could eventually build defenses against them.
Afterward, all he needed were test subjects.
A few animals would be sufficient.
Apply the counter-curse.
Trigger the original curse.
Compare the results.
The process was simple.
"You look happy."
Borgin noticed the excitement immediately.
"I am."
Liam nodded.
"This is exactly what I was hoping to find."
For the first time that day, Borgin looked genuinely relieved.
Perhaps his gamble would pay off after all.
"I have a feeling you'll figure it out."
"Probably."
Liam wasn't being arrogant.
Merely honest.
"Then I'm satisfied."
Borgin crossed his arms.
"Although I don't have much money right now," Liam continued, "I'd still like to repay you."
The shop owner waved dismissively.
"No need."
"There is."
Liam's tone left no room for argument.
"I'll create something for you."
Borgin paused.
"What?"
"A defensive magical artifact."
Liam considered the idea.
"As long as you wear it, it will protect you from the Killing Curse."
The room went silent.
Borgin stared.
Then stared some more.
Eventually, he pointed at himself.
"Me?"
"Yes."
"You're serious?"
"Of course."
The shop owner's heartbeat accelerated.
A magical artifact capable of defending against the Killing Curse?
In Knockturn Alley?
Such an object wasn't merely valuable.
It was priceless.
Many Dark Wizards would kill for something like that.
"Can that actually be done?" Borgin asked carefully.
"Certainly."
Liam nodded.
"I already possess the relevant magical theory."
The statement wasn't exaggerated.
His own immunity to the Killing Curse relied upon similar principles.
Creating an external version was simply more complicated.
The artifact would require sufficient magical reserves to operate independently.
But it was entirely possible.
Borgin swallowed.
Suddenly, giving away the cursed book felt like the greatest business decision of his life.
"What do you need?"
"A suitable magical focus."
"Something durable."
"Something capable of holding large amounts of magic."
Without hesitation, Borgin removed a pendant hanging around his neck.
The silver ornament carried several protective enchantments.
"Iron Armor Charms."
"Shielding enchantments."
"Various defensive spells."
He placed it on the counter.
"Would this work?"
Liam examined it carefully.
Then nodded.
"Yes."
"This will do."
A smile appeared on Borgin's face.
"When can it be finished?"
"Before Hogwarts starts."
Liam pocketed the pendant.
"But you'll need to remain in your shop for the next two days."
"No problem."
Borgin agreed immediately.
"Anything else you need?"
"Yes."
Liam placed another purse on the counter.
It was the one Lucius Malfoy had given him.
"There should be over a hundred Galleons inside."
"What do you want me to buy?"
"Two hundred guinea pigs."
Borgin blinked.
"Two hundred?"
"Yes."
Liam remained completely serious.
"I also need a magically expanded breeding enclosure."
"Food."
"Water."
"And enough supplies to keep them reproducing."
The shop owner stared.
"You're planning something horrifying, aren't you?"
"Research."
"That's not reassuring."
"It's not supposed to be."
Borgin laughed.
"Fine."
"Consider it done."
Satisfied, Liam picked up the iron chest containing Magick Moste Evile and placed it inside the pocket enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm.
Then he turned and left.
...
A short time later, Liam Apparated back to the abandoned manor.
Without wasting a moment, he began work on Borgin's pendant.
Creating magical artifacts was considerably more complicated than simply casting a spell.
A spell's power depended heavily on the wizard providing the magic.
The same curse cast by different wizards could produce vastly different results.
A weak wizard using the Blasting Curse might create a small wound.
A powerful wizard could reduce an entire body to pieces.
The Killing Curse followed the same principle.
Magic functioned much like ammunition.
The spell itself acted as a weapon.
The wizard's magical reserves supplied the force behind it.
A weak Killing Curse and a powerful Killing Curse were fundamentally different threats.
That was why ordinary Death Eaters couldn't simply point a wand at Albus Dumbledore and expect victory.
The difference in magical power was too great.
Dumbledore's magical defenses were like castle walls.
Most attackers simply lacked enough force to break through.
Liam's approach was different.
He didn't block the Killing Curse.
He dismantled it.
His counter-curse targeted the magical trigger responsible for activating the spell.
Rather than resisting the curse, it prevented the curse from functioning properly in the first place.
That required significantly less magical power.
However, the process still consumed energy.
Therefore, the first step involved creating a magical storage array.
The pendant needed a reservoir capable of storing power.
The second step required a replenishment system.
Whenever the reserve was depleted, the pendant would gradually absorb magic from its wearer and restore itself.
Only then could Liam begin engraving the actual counter-curse.
The workload was substantial.
Finishing everything before Hogwarts started would not be easy.
That was precisely why he had purchased two hundred guinea pigs.
Testing magical defenses was safest when someone else died first.
And unlike many Dark Wizards, Liam preferred his test subjects to be animals rather than people.
As he began carving the first magical array into the pendant, he reflected on Borgin's generosity.
The shop owner wasn't merely a useful merchant.
He was a valuable ally.
Keeping him alive would benefit Liam considerably in the future.
....
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