[88] Falling Together

"Harry, watch out."

"Ron, you stepped on my foot."

"Hall, you're about to fall out."

The three huddled together under Harry's Invisibility Cloak, carefully making their way through the Leaky Cauldron.

Tom, the owner, frowned when he heard the door to Diagon Alley open. "Did someone go through? Maybe I just didn't see them."

They entered Diagon Alley smoothly, then quickly removed the cloak and breathed a sigh of relief.

Hall compressed their luggage into storage bags.

"Hall, if I hadn't stopped you, the boss would have found out!" Ron proudly tossed his head.

"That's because you kept stepping on my feet!" Hall pointed to his faded black shoes, gritting his teeth.

Ron looked down and realised it was true. He scratched his head sheepishly.

"Hall, what's our next move?" Harry looked at the empty Diagon Alley, feeling apprehensive. The alley was eerily quiet, most shops closed.

"We'll go over there." Hall pointed to a secluded alley in the distance. A name was posted at the entrance. Ron paled. Harry saw it for the first time.

"Knockturn Alley?"

"Are you sure Pigwidgeon and Hedwig can find their way?" Ron wasn't sure — Pig was still so small.

Hall walked ahead, somewhat exasperated. "Ron, they're owls. I think they'll find their way even if we get lost."

"Well —" Ron wrinkled his nose. "Hopefully they'll get there before us."

"That's not necessarily true." Hall chuckled.

They reached Knockturn Alley. The alley was narrow and dark, with many wizards in black cloaks lying or sitting on the ground. They saw Hall and his friends at the entrance and approached, their faces filled with covetous smiles, gaping mouths revealing yellowed teeth.

"Kids, this isn't a place for you~"

"But since you're here, stay and play with us~"

The dark wizards blocked the path, but due to the unspoken rules of Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley, they dared not step out of the entrance.

Harry and Ron hid behind Hall, clutching his clothes.

"Hall, let's go back." Harry swallowed hard. Their gazes felt like they wanted to tear them apart.

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"Hall, let's go get Dad's car." Ron's teeth chattered. He knew more about the wizarding world than Harry — he knew what these dark wizards were capable of. They could skin and dismember living people to make potions. Ron felt like a piece of meat on a chopping block.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here." Hall's voice was cold. He frowned at the group. This alley only had one path; he had to walk through it to get to Borgin and Burkes. And time was of the essence — he didn't want to miss the opening feast.

Hall had come to Knockturn Alley because of the Vanishing Cabinet in Borgin and Burkes. The cabinets came in fixed pairs, allowing immediate travel from one location to another — no distance limit. He'd checked the one at school; it worked. Luckily, Nick hadn't let Peeves destroy it.

Hall and his friends could reach the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts simply by using the Vanishing Cabinet in Borgin and Burkes. He'd planned to use it discreetly, perfectly concealing the other end. But that was clearly impossible now. He'd underestimated the curiosity of the dark wizards.

The existence of the Vanishing Cabinet needed to be kept secret. But Hall could simply seal it off once he arrived at Hogwarts. That way, even if people knew of its existence, they couldn't get past it.

But first — he had no time to waste on these people.

Without hesitation, he released thirty percent of his magical power. A powerful pressure instantly enveloped the space before him. The dark wizards all knelt with a thud, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. Cold sweat poured down like fountains, soaking their filthy black robes.

"Make way." Hall frowned. They were kneeling everywhere, blocking the narrow path.

Hearing his words, they trembled and scrambled aside. Several collapsed, crawling to the side on their hands and knees.

"Let's go." Hall led the stunned Harry and Ron inside.

Ron was incredibly curious. "Hall! What did you do? Why did they all kneel?"

Harry noticed the dark wizards didn't dare raise their heads. As Hall passed, they lowered them further, as if wishing they could bury them in the stone slabs.

"Harry? What are you daydreaming about?" Ron had spoken several times with no response.

"What did you say?" Harry looked at him, puzzled.

"I said — don't you feel like kings?" Ron struck a cocky pose, swaggering.

Harry laughed heartily.

A crisp ding-a-ling sounded as a door opened. Hall interrupted their banter. "We're here."

He looked at them with a mixture of helplessness and indulgence.

It was a dark shop. The windows were covered by black curtains, giving it an air of mystery. A sign above the door read "Borgin and Burkes — 13B Knockturn Alley."

The three entered.

The shop was spacious and dimly lit. Hall was curious, but to maintain composure, he kept a stern expression until the door closed.

The creaking door made the already gloomy shop even more eerie.

"Hall —"

"Hall —"

Ron and Harry, voices trembling, each grabbed one of Hall's hands.

The shop was covered in dust, clearly neglected. The only light came from a few oil lamps. The closed door blocked all sunlight. The temperature plummeted.

Harry swallowed hard, turning to survey his surroundings. He tensed, gripping Hall's arm tightly.

Hall followed his gaze.

It was a glass box. Inside, on a cushion, lay a withered human hand, a stack of bloodstained playing cards, and a lifeless glass eyeball.

Ron noticed the horrifying object. His face turned ashen. He dared not look directly, desperately craning his neck toward the ceiling — then saw a grotesque, twisted mask hanging on the wall, staring down with malevolent eyes. Fear nearly made him scream.

He gripped Hall's arm with all his might.

Hall's gaze followed — the wall was covered with strange objects: various skeletons, some animal, some human, and rusty, tooth-like tools.

At that moment, a pair of round eyes appeared behind the three, staring intently, sending chills down their spines.

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