Hogwarts: I Am Such a Model Wizard

Chapter 773: Meeting Ceremony in Knockturn Alley

Knockturn Alley is a favorite place for dark wizards and wandering wizards to gather. The streets here are dirty and shabby, and even the air is filled with a strange smell, which is very similar to the burnt smell given off after the potion has dried. , the environment is vastly different from that of Diagon Alley next door.

Kyle has been here before, but he has never observed it carefully. This time he went to look for werewolves with Newt, and he noticed that there were so many shops here.

  Stretching from the entrance to the depths of Knockturn Alley, judging from the number of shops alone, it is no less than that of Diagon Alley next door.

It’s just that most of the shops here don’t have signboards, and some will just hang something at the door. For example, a withered finger, a skull, or something like a tree root.

"These are to cope with the inspection by the Ministry of Magic." Seemingly seeing Kyle's doubts, Newt explained: "Withered fingers represent general dark magic items and stolen dirt, and skeletons represent poison and fatal curses. thing.

“However, most of these shops are fake or repackaged defective products, and even in this half of the street, you can’t find a single genuine product.

“After all, integrity is the cheapest thing in Knockturn Alley.”

 “Won’t the people who were deceived come to trouble them?” Kyle asked.

  Anyway, if he bought a fake, he would definitely not just let it go.

“It happened a long time ago.” Newt said, “But those who can own a shop in Knockturn Alley basically have some special skills and buy the best things. It is difficult for ordinary wizards to take advantage.

"And the shopkeepers here have long been united. If you cause trouble for one person, you will cause trouble for all the shopkeepers. So even powerful wizards have to abide by the rules here."

 “Rules? What rules?”

“A lot, but the most important thing is not to return anything.” Newt said, “You have to think carefully before buying things here, and you can’t regret it after you pay.”

"Oh, that's right." Kyle nodded. He looked at Newt, and he couldn't help but feel a little confused... Didn't Newt always live in Dorset County? Why are you so familiar with Knockturn Alley?

 “Have you been here before?” he asked.

"I've been here a few times." Newt's eyes suddenly became wandering. "There are some things that you can't buy through normal channels. You can only try your luck here."

　Looking at his appearance, Kyle could probably guess what was going on...it was nothing more than something from Newt's youth.

Having been blocked by the Ministry of Magic in almost all countries, if he wanted to go anywhere, he could only do so through illegal portkeys or other irregular means.

 These things can only be found in places like Knockturn Alley.

 So strictly speaking, Newt is a frequent visitor here.

But Kyle didn’t point it out. He looked around and asked, “But didn’t you just say that almost everything here is fake?”

"It's almost, but not all. If there isn't even one genuine item, we won't be able to open here." Newt coughed twice, "In fact, I have been deceived many times, on average, every five times." Only then can I buy a useful genuine product.”

“The probability is really low.” Kyle curled his lips and looked at the surrounding shops again.

At this moment, he suddenly noticed that a figure suddenly flashed behind a certain window and disappeared again when he looked over.

 “We seem to have been discovered,” Kyle said.

"It has been discovered a long time ago." Newt said calmly, "The wizards living here have a special way of contacting them. They have known it since we came in."

The two walked forward for a while and came to the depths of Knockturn Alley.

The environment here is even worse, and there are other people on the road. Most of them wrap themselves tightly in old scarves and hoods, sit on the street corners, set up stalls, or walk in a hurry.

However, these people are not particularly large. It can be seen that after the Death Eaters attacked Diagon Alley, the business here was also greatly affected.

Here, Kyle and Newt, who were neatly dressed, became aliens. Although their faces could not be seen, it was not difficult to tell from the direction of their heads that everyone here was staring at them.

"Are we too high-profile?" Kyle asked in a low voice: "Should we hide ourselves properly?"

"It doesn't matter." Newt shook his head and said, "Knockturn Alley has its own mark. Every outsider here will be as obvious as the Moon-Crazy Beast in Manticore. It can't be hidden at all, even if it's invisible. There’s no use for clothes.”

“Then how should we find the werewolf?” Kyle frowned slightly.

Now their every move is being watched by people, both on the street and in the shops on both sides. It is almost like they are walking forward under a dozen searchlights. It is really difficult to find people in this situation.

"Well...people in Knockturn Alley rarely mind their own business." Newt said calmly, "Especially when this matter has nothing to do with them, at least when I came here."

 The two of them continued to walk forward. The further inside, the more people there were.

At this time, Kyle gradually got used to the looks from around him. Just like Newt said, each of them was just looking at them. It had nothing to do with them, and no one had the intention to step forward and ask.

Kyle turned a corner and stopped in front of a fork in the road. On the left side of the intersection, there was a shop with fangs hanging on it. Although it was also shabby, it could be regarded as the largest shop around.

Newt glanced up. "I thought we could ask for directions."

Kyle also looked over, "Teeth, what kind of store is this?"

Just when he was wondering, two unkempt and dirty wizards came out of it.

"Get out of here, wizard, this is not the place for you." One of them said, his voice hoarse, as if it was squeezed out of his throat.

The familiar voice and the conspicuous long yellow nails made Kyle react immediately.

　Werewolf…

Yes, Lupine said before that Fenrir Greyback had a very high vision. He would only select young and strong werewolves to join, while the old and weak werewolves he didn't like could only gather in Knockturn Alley. .

Thinking of this, Kyle stepped forward and said politely: "Don't get me wrong, I'm here to find someone."

"This has nothing to do with us." One of the werewolves shouted: "Get out of here!"

"Don't say that, if you are willing to provide clues, I can pay." Kyle took out a handful of gold coins.

“You have things hanging at your door, so you must be running some kind of business. In this way, if you tell me what I want to know, these will all be yours.”

Looking at the golden Galleons in Kyle's hand, the werewolf wizard's eyes widened instantly.

He looked at Kyle's clean and tidy clothes and his slightly childish face, and a flash of greed flashed across his face.

At this time, stimulated by the gold coins, other people around them also moved, vaguely surrounding Kyle and Newt.

The werewolf wizard asked quickly: "Let me tell you first, if you want to find out the information, this little money is not enough."

"No problem." Kyle said with a smile, as if he hadn't noticed his current situation, "As long as it's reasonable, it doesn't matter how much money you have."

"What do you want to ask."

"A few months ago, a werewolf from outside came to Knockturn Alley. It should be called...Tolu, that seems to be the name." Kyle said, "Where is he?"

As soon as Kyle finished speaking, the werewolf wizard opposite immediately changed his expression and asked in a deep voice: "What are you doing to him?"

"That's right." Kyle said calmly, "We just came from the Black Forest, and his friend asked me to come over and bring him a few words."

　　Hearing the Black Forest, the werewolf wizard's face turned even darker.

“Wizard, what do you mean, do you think we are all fools?” He stared at Kyle fiercely.

 At the same time, more werewolf wizards came out and surrounded Kyle and Newt.

"You shouldn't say that." Newt walked next to Kyle. "After being abandoned by stronger werewolves, the Black Forest is their shame. You are tearing open their scars."

"That's it." Kyle suddenly realized, and then said: "Well, if I apologize, will you feel better?"

"Apologise? Okay." The leader of the werewolf wizard said viciously, "One hundred galleons, I will accept your apology."

"No problem." Kyle agreed quickly and took out a big bag.

"This is exactly one hundred galleons, can we say that now?" The bag made a crisp and sweet sound when it shook. When Kyle opened the bag, there was a sound of breathing around him.

These werewolf wizards had never seen so much money before, and the golden light almost dazzled their eyes.

“How about it, can you tell me where Toru is now.” Kyle asked again.

 “No.” The werewolf wizard grinned, revealing his sharp teeth.

“This hundred galleons is your apology. If you want to get the news, you must pay another hundred... no, five hundred galleons!”

"It seems you are not sincere." Kyle raised his eyebrows, "Five hundred galleons, how dare you ask for it!"

"Stop talking nonsense!" Another werewolf wizard roared: "It's not up to you now. Either you take out another five hundred galleons and get out, or we find it ourselves! But by then, I don't know what will happen to you. I guarantee it.”

 He stared at Kyle's neck and couldn't help but lick his lips.

It was also at this time that Kyle realized that the werewolves here were not as innocent as Lupine said. The reason why they did not participate in the war was not because they did not want to, but because no one wanted them.

 Neither the Death Eaters nor Fenrir Greyback looked down upon them.

Kyle turned to look at Newt aside and asked, "What should I do now? They don't seem to be sincere."

"I don't know either." Newt pretended to be helpless and spread his hands, "Just do it your own way."

 “My own way?” Kyle glanced at the wand in his hand.

The surrounding werewolf wizards immediately became nervous. Some of them also raised their wands, while others hunched over, exposing the fangs in their mouths, ready to pounce on Kyle at any time.

Just the next second, Kyle put down his wand and picked up the box he was holding in his other hand.

Seeing this, the werewolf wizards thought it was Kyle who had compromised and was ready to buy peace with Gallon, and they all let out harsh laughter.

"Hoho, I didn't expect you to be a coward. Move quickly, don't..."

"Roar!"

A roar drowned out their subsequent words.

 At some point, a huge fire dragon suddenly appeared in front of them.

 The fire dragon spread its wings, almost covering the entire street.

Norbert looked at the narrow street in front of him, snorted with some dissatisfaction, and blew out two flames from his nose.

Then, before anyone could react, he swung his thick tail and slapped the werewolf wizard who had threatened Kyle just now, sending him flying straight away and smashing through a wall like a cannonball.

 The entire Knockturn Alley fell silent instantly. Now, no one doubted the authenticity of the fire dragon anymore.

After everyone recovered from the shock, the wizard who had gathered around to take advantage of the situation turned around and ran away, disappearing into the dark streets in the blink of an eye.

 There were also rustling sounds in the surrounding shops, and soon there was no movement. I don't know if he hid or ran away from another exit.

The werewolf wizards also wanted to run, but they couldn't. As the main target of the fire dragon, they had already expended all their energy just standing there.

“Can you tell me now?” Kyle stepped out from under Norbert and asked word by word: “Where is the werewolf, Tolu!”

Norbert also lowered his head in time and opened his mouth. A strong smell of sulfur hit his face.

The werewolf wizard collapsed when he asked him about it, rolled his eyes and fainted.

Kyle looked at the other werewolf again. Although the other were not much better, because he was not facing Norbert, he could still raise his hand tremblingly and point to the house behind him.

At this time, a black shadow suddenly jumped out from the door and ran away without looking back.

Although he moved very quickly, Kyle could still clearly see his appearance. He was the man he met at the door of Borgin-Bock when he went to investigate the disappearing cabinet.

 “What good luck.” Kyle said with a smile, and then he stretched out his hand, ready for Norbert to chase.

 But there is someone faster than him.

More than a dozen magic spells flew from different directions, some were red and some were green, and they all fell on Tolu like fireworks.

That Tolu fell to the ground on the spot and became motionless.

 “This is our meeting ceremony.” A man came out of the shadows.

 is the shopkeeper of Borgin-Bock. He is leaning on a skull crutch and standing beside a path looking at the two people.

“Long time no see, Mr. Scamander, I didn’t expect to see you again in Knockturn Alley.”

"Are you Herbert Burke's son?" Newt asked.

“That’s right, I’m glad you still remember me.” Old Bojin said, “I think you should still remember the rules of Knockturn Alley. Do you want to start a war with us by raising troops like this?

“Although the fire dragon is very powerful, there are also many of us.”

As soon as he finished speaking, more people came out of the shops on both sides.

Although the people in Knockturn Alley never mind their own business and don't care about the lives of other people, the fire dragon is so destructive that if it really moves, it will destroy at least half of the street.

 When it concerns their own interests, they cannot accept it, so they will take action collectively to take the lead in getting rid of the werewolf who may become the target of the fire dragon.

"Don't get me wrong, I have no intention of starting a war." Newt said calmly, "And this fire dragon is not mine."

 Obviously, old Borgin didn't believe it.

 After all, who else but Newt Scamander can summon an adult fire dragon anytime and anywhere? Do you really think he is stupid?

However, he didn't pay attention. He just looked at Newt and said, "In that case, please leave. Knockturn Alley is not a place for people like you."

Newt didn’t rush to answer, but looked at Kyle.

Kyle nodded. He could clearly feel that there was a killing curse in the curse just now, and there were more than one.

 Unless that werewolf wizard is named Torubot, he is dead.

Kyle opened the box, and Norbert whimpered with dissatisfaction, but went back anyway.

 When he saw the box, Old Borgin was even more sure of his guess... The one who set off the fire dragon was definitely Newt Scamander, and this old guy still didn't admit it!

 “Leave.” Old Borgin said again: “You are not welcome in Knockturn Alley.”

"Of course, believe me, we wouldn't be here if we didn't have to," Kyle said.

 “It’s the best.”

 Kyle and Newt walked back the way they came, heading towards the entrance of Knockturn Alley. There were more people watching them this time than when they came.

Kyle seemed to be walking in front calmly, but his hand was holding the wand tightly and he did not dare to relax for a moment.

 Fortunately, the people in Knockturn Alley did not do anything unwise, and no one chose to attack them from behind until Kyle and Newt stood on the streets of Diagon Alley again.

When Kyle turned to look towards Knockturn Alley again, all the people who had followed them had disappeared, as if they had never appeared.

 …

 (End of this chapter)