"Liam, there isn't really anything left here for you, is there?"
Cassandra stood near the doorway of the abandoned manor and looked around.
"Why don't you stay at my house until Hogwarts starts?"
Liam was slightly surprised by the invitation.
Most pure-blood families weren't nearly as open-minded as Cassandra.
In his experience, they tended to resemble Lucius Malfoy—proud, elitist, and dismissive of anyone outside their social circle.
Judging from Cassandra's appearance, manners, and confidence, she clearly came from an influential family.
That alone made accepting her invitation a bad idea.
"Thanks," Liam said politely. "But Hogwarts starts in two days. I think I'd rather spend that time saying goodbye to my old life."
It wasn't entirely a lie.
More importantly, he had no desire to deal with disapproving parents.
Lucius knew enough about Knockturn Alley to understand who Liam was.
Most pure-blood adults wouldn't.
And if Cassandra's parents decided they didn't like him, Liam couldn't exactly teach them a lesson.
They were her family.
Avoiding the situation altogether seemed wiser.
"I see."
To his surprise, Cassandra didn't seem offended.
Instead, she immediately moved on.
"Then after we buy your robes, let's meet at King's Cross in two days and take the Hogwarts Express together."
"Sounds good."
Liam nodded.
Afterward, he Apparated both of them back to Diagon Alley.
The remainder of the afternoon passed quickly.
They purchased robes.
Cauldrons.
Textbooks.
Dragon-hide gloves.
And every other item required by Hogwarts.
Eventually, after agreeing to meet at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, the two parted ways.
...
Once Cassandra was gone, Liam didn't return home.
Instead, he headed straight back toward Knockturn Alley.
The Ministry had confiscated most of his possessions after his arrest.
That included many of the books and materials he used for magical research.
If he intended to continue studying spell theory at Hogwarts, he would need replacements.
And once school started, visiting Knockturn Alley would become much more difficult.
He needed to prepare now.
That was another reason he had declined Cassandra's invitation.
The dark alleyways of Knockturn Alley suited his plans far better than a pure-blood manor.
As he wandered through the district, Liam occasionally felt hostile eyes following him.
He briefly considered purchasing a mask.
Then he abandoned the idea.
A ten-year-old boy shopping alone in Knockturn Alley was already distinctive enough.
Anyone familiar with him would recognize him regardless of whether his face was covered.
The effort would be pointless.
Eventually, he arrived before the largest establishment in the entire district.
Borgin and Burkes.
The most famous shop in Knockturn Alley.
Dark artifacts filled every shelf.
Cursed jewelry.
Forbidden books.
Dangerous magical objects.
If something was illegal, there was a good chance Borgin and Burkes could obtain it.
The store's continued existence spoke volumes.
Opening a business in Knockturn Alley wasn't easy.
Without sufficient influence and strength, a shop would be robbed blind within weeks.
Borgin and Burkes had survived for decades.
That alone proved how powerful its owner truly was.
Liam pushed open the door.
A bell chimed overhead.
Behind the counter sat a thin man with greasy hair hanging around his face.
His fingers continuously combed through the oily strands.
The moment he spotted Liam, a broad smile appeared.
"Look who decided to return."
Borgin's grin was the sort unique to successful businessmen.
Liam wasn't merely a customer.
He was a valuable customer.
Over the years, he had bought numerous rare materials and frequently sold possessions acquired from deceased Dark Wizards.
The relationship between them had always been mutually beneficial.
When Liam was arrested and sent to Azkaban, Borgin had genuinely regretted losing such profitable business.
He certainly hadn't expected to see him again so soon.
"Anything interesting lately?" Liam asked.
His eyes scanned the countless dark artifacts on display.
"There is."
Borgin's smile faded.
"But it's dangerous."
That immediately caught Liam's attention.
The shop owner rose from behind the counter.
He locked the front door.
Then he flipped the sign to indicate the shop was closed.
Only after taking those precautions did he return.
"Do I look afraid of danger?" Liam asked.
"Not particularly."
Borgin snorted.
"Which is exactly why I'm worried."
He sat down.
"You've made me a great deal of money over the years."
His expression turned serious.
"I'd rather not lose one of my best customers."
"Then tell me what it is."
Liam floated upward using a levitation charm and settled comfortably in midair opposite the counter.
"A book."
"What book?"
Borgin hesitated.
Then he answered.
"Magick Moste Evile."
Liam immediately recognized the title.
A legendary Dark Arts text.
"Written by Godelot," Borgin continued. "A wizard believed to have once possessed the Elder Wand."
That made Liam even more interested.
"The book contains his research into wandlore and Dark Magic."
Borgin lowered his voice.
"The problem is that I have no idea what's actually inside."
"Why?"
"Because the book is cursed."
The room grew quiet.
"Very cursed."
Borgin folded his arms.
"Over the years, someone layered so many curses onto it that nobody knows where one ends and another begins."
He leaned forward.
"The Dark Wizard who sold it to me arrived with six companions."
"And?"
"Five of them died."
Liam raised an eyebrow.
"Interesting."
"That's not the word I'd use."
Borgin looked irritated.
"Dangerous is the word."
Liam nodded thoughtfully.
That sounded much more appealing.
"Listen."
Borgin sighed.
"I know exactly why you're interested."
"Do you?"
"You always are."
The shop owner pointed at him.
"Every dangerous magical object in this store eventually catches your attention."
He wasn't wrong.
"If you continue living," Borgin continued, "you'll make both of us very wealthy."
"That's the plan."
"So I'm advising against this."
Liam smiled.
"Noted."
Borgin groaned.
"You aren't listening."
"No."
"I knew it."
The shop owner rubbed his forehead.
"If you don't touch the book, you're practically impossible to kill."
"People keep saying that."
"Because it's true."
Borgin pointed again.
"The Killing Curse doesn't work on you."
"Neither do most of the curses commonly used in Knockturn Alley."
"That only means I understand those spells."
Liam's expression became serious.
"It doesn't mean I understand everything."
Borgin fell silent.
"The curse on that book," Liam continued, "represents unknown magic."
"If it can kill me, then the wizard who created it could have killed me as well."
His silver eyes brightened.
"Which means studying it might reveal something valuable."
Now Borgin understood.
To Liam, danger wasn't merely danger.
It was knowledge.
Every threat represented another piece of magical theory waiting to be analyzed.
"If I can decipher the curses on the book," Liam said, "my understanding of magic will improve dramatically."
The temptation was irresistible.
For Liam Hale, a book written by a former master of the Elder Wand wasn't just a book.
It was treasure.
The risk was worth taking.
After all, his entire life had been built on risk.
Everything he possessed today had been earned while walking the line between life and death.
....
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