Chapter 288: Knockturn Alley
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the cobblestone streets of Diagon Alley turned a deep amber-gray, the last traces of daylight glinting off the shop windows before fading entirely.
Most of the wizards who had been bustling about moments ago were already heading home, leaving behind a quieter, emptier street.
Penelope's golden curls shimmered faintly in the dim light, her fair cheeks touched with a soft blush. Kate, meanwhile, was practically bouncing at Alexander's side, tugging impatiently at his hand.
"Alexander, can we just go back already?" she whined, hopping on her toes. "At this rate, Penelope will still be staring at that creepy book even after midnight."
Alexander chuckled quietly. He knew Kate's energy never lasted long when there wasn't food or excitement involved.
But Penelope, ever the scholar, was walking behind them with dreamy fascination — still half lost in the strange tome she'd found earlier.
"No," Alexander replied mildly. "Don't you think it's rare to see Diagon Alley like this? So empty, so quiet."
Kate pouted, crossing her arms. "Hmph. You always say that before something weird happens."
She wasn't entirely wrong.
Diagon Alley was the largest and most prosperous trading hub in the wizarding world — yet unlike Muggle marketplaces, it wasn't filled with light after dark.
As night fell, most of the shops shut their doors early, leaving only the Leaky Cauldron glowing faintly in the distance.
And everyone knew why.
At night, Knockturn Alley came alive.
That shadowed neighbor of Diagon Alley opened its arms to the world's darker wizards — smugglers, potion dealers, collectors of cursed relics. But recently, things had… changed.
Ever since Alexander had quietly "cleaned up" the place a few months ago, Knockturn Alley had transformed from a den of murderers into something closer to a massive underground market.
The truly dangerous dark wizards — the ones who killed for fun — had vanished without a trace.
The more "moderate" criminals had fallen under the control of Borgin and Burke, who now monopolized everything from cursed antiques to counterfeit alchemy goods.
These days, Knockturn Alley resembled a black-market flea fair more than a den of evil.
Ironically, Minister Fudge had taken full credit for this transformation. He even dared to parade through Knockturn Alley at night with his entourage, boasting about his "clean-up efforts."
That ended when he was found wandering outside London the next morning — completely naked.
Since then, the Ministry of Magic's efficiency had mysteriously improved during his absence.
When Fudge returned, humiliated but unshaken, he attempted to order Knockturn Alley's closure… and was promptly ignored.
The pure-blood families, who made fortunes from its trade, would never allow that.
And yet Fudge, in his endless delusion, thought all of it was Dumbledore's doing.
"Dumbledore's influence must be stopped!" he'd declared to Umbridge, his so-called chief advisor.
They had then begun plotting how to discredit the headmaster — again.
Alexander could only sigh when he learned of it.
"Honestly," he murmured, half amused, half exasperated. "I almost feel bad for them. Voldemort's teaching at Hogwarts now… they're playing with fire."
But another thought crept into his mind — one more practical.
After Fudge's repeated disappearances, many in the Ministry had realized things ran better without him.
Perhaps, Alexander mused, the Minister's luck would finally run out — or, knowing Fudge, maybe his good luck would help him step down before things turned fatal.
"Either way," Alexander thought with a faint smile, "it'd be hilarious."
He knew where it had all begun — with his quiet purging of Knockturn Alley.
That was why Diagon Alley, once unsafe after sunset, now felt almost peaceful.
Not many ventured out this late, but those who did could finally walk without fear.
As the three of them made their way past shuttered shops, the air grew colder. Their presence charms shimmered faintly around them — a subtle magic that kept them unnoticed.
"Alright," Penelope said at last, closing her book. "I've seen enough. We can head back now."
Kate glanced toward the dark alley curiously. "Still… I never thought Knockturn Alley would be this lively at night."
She hesitated. Part of her wanted to go home, but another part burned with curiosity.
Penelope caught her expression and sighed, smiling faintly. "Want to take a look around before we go?"
Kate nodded immediately.
Alexander could only shake his head in quiet amusement. "Fine," he said. "Just stay close."
And so, the three of them slipped from the edge of Diagon Alley into the forbidden Knockturn Alley — a place most Hogwarts students were strictly told to avoid.
By day, it was a grim street lined with eerie shops — displays of shrunken heads, cages of enormous black spiders, candles that burned green with poison, and what looked disturbingly like piles of human fingernails.
But by night, the grotesque displays became nearly invisible under a veil of lanternlight and magic.
Instead, makeshift stalls lined the ground, glittering faintly under the moon. The air smelled faintly of smoke, spice, and old parchment.
To their surprise, there were no cursed relics or overtly dark objects. Instead, Knockturn Alley looked like an exotic market of rare magical materials.
Huge jars of shimmering potions glowed softly in the dark — emerald acromantula venom, the glowing blood of unicorns, thunderbird feathers crackling faintly with static.
Nearby, the preserved claw of a mountain troll rested beside a bottle of phoenix ash.
"Wow…" Kate breathed, eyes wide. "It's like a potion-maker's paradise."
On the other side of the street, a small stall caught her attention — filled with wands.
They weren't ordinary. Some shimmered with violet mist; others burned faintly with inner flame or gleamed like polished metal. One, pure white, had ghostly birds swirling around its length.
Kate grabbed Alexander's arm excitedly. He gave her a tiny nod, and their concealment charm dissolved, revealing them as three cloaked figures.
The old wizard behind the stall looked up at once, his tone a mix of arrogance and unease.
"Look here, young man! My newest masterpieces — Dreamwalker Poplar, Duel-Master Red Oak, Soul-Messenger Silver Basswood, and the Extraordinary Laurel White Ash!"
Kate's eyes sparkled as she whispered telepathically into Alexander's mind, her voice nearly squealing with excitement:
"Ahhh, they're so cool! I don't care if they're cursed — I want one even if it's just for Transfiguration practice!"
Alexander only smiled, shaking his head.
This was exactly why traveling with Kate was never boring.
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