Inside, Ms. Primpernelle was in high spirits. Since the lifting of martial law in Diagon Alley, her business had bounced back, even exceeding pre-lockdown levels. Hearing the bell over the door, she turned with a welcoming smile, expecting another customer ready to splurge. However, the sight of a figure cloaked so heavily gave her pause.
This wasn't entirely unusual—she had seen plenty of witches botch potion experiments and come seeking remedies for all sorts of disfigurements. Her shop's motto, proudly displayed above the counter, was 'No flaw too big, no face beyond help!' With her practiced sales pitch on the tip of her tongue, she greeted the visitor.
"Welcome, dear lady! You've come to the right place. No matter how troublesome the issue, our potions can help—" She froze mid-sentence as the cloaked figure lowered his hood, revealing not a troubled witch but a young, strikingly handsome wizard.
The sudden revelation left her momentarily at a loss. Was this a young man seeking a gift for someone else? Or perhaps a victim of a potion mishap? After all, she'd once dealt with a witch who accidentally gave herself a cat face. But before she could recover and decide how to address him, the wizard spoke first. "Hello," Alex said with a polite smile. "I'm here to pick out a gift for an elder in my family. Do you have any recommendations?"
Ms. Primpernelle quickly composed herself, her professional instincts kicking in. "Ah, I see! What a thoughtful young man you are. Is this gift to address wrinkles, brighten the complexion, or simply enhance their beauty?" she asked, her tone suddenly warm and ingratiating.
Alex didn't miss a beat. "My aunt has been feeling run down lately. She's had a lot on her plate, and it's starting to show. I thought something to help her feel refreshed might be nice."
Ms. Primpernelle's face lit up. "Oh, then I have just the thing! Our shop's signature Moonlit Veil Tonic is perfect for this. Apply it morning and night, and it tightens the skin, delays aging, and restores a radiant complexion. It's our best-seller!" She led Alex to a display case, picked up a beautifully packaged bottle, and applied a small amount to the back of her hand. As she spread it, the potion visibly smoothed and firmed her skin.
Alex took the bottle, uncorked it, and discreetly sniffed. His brow furrowed ever so slightly—it smelled like a diluted version of the beauty potion he'd once brewed himself to make extra money. While effective, it was relatively simple to prepare and inexpensive in terms of ingredients. The only real cost came from its lengthy production time. He glanced at the price tag: two Galleons per bottle. 'A real racket,' he thought, marveling at the markup. 'Half of this is diluted. No wonder women's products are such a goldmine.'
Still, he maintained a pleasant expression. "I'll take a bottle. Please wrap it up for me." Ms. Primpernelle beamed at his easy agreement and swiftly packaged the potion, clearly delighted with the sale. As she worked, Alex adopted a casual tone. "By the way," he said, glancing toward the wall that separated the pharmacy from the adjacent house, "do you happen to know who owns the place next door? My family's considering opening a shop in Diagon Alley, and that location seems decent. But it doesn't look like it's being used for anything." Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs novᴇlfire.net
Ms. Primpernelle stiffened slightly at the question but quickly masked her reaction with a smile. "Oh, opening a shop, are you? What kind of business would it be?"
Alex, noticing her hesitation, reassured her. "An alchemy props store. Diagon Alley doesn't have many options for that, apart from the odd boutique that focuses on Quidditch supplies."
She visibly relaxed. "Ah, I see. That wouldn't compete with my business, then." Lowering her voice slightly, she added, "But if you're eyeing the house next door, I'm afraid you might run into some trouble."
"Oh? Why's that?" Alex pressed, feigning casual curiosity.
"It's been ages since a merchant lived in that house, and no one really knows who owns it anymore. The owner's identity has always been a mystery," Ms. Primpernelle said, pausing as if trying to recall something. "But recently, I've noticed Julia Malfoy going in and out of there. Oh, wait, I mean Julia Travers. I always forget she married into the Travers family. Maybe you could ask them for more details."
'Travers.' Hearing that name, Alex's thoughts clicked into place. 'So it's you again. Seems like trouble really does love company,' he mused with a hint of sarcasm, though he kept his expression neutral.
Ms. Primpernelle noticed his silence and carried on, undeterred. "If you're thinking of opening an alchemy shop, let me give you some advice: don't. Those fiddly alchemy items never sell well here in the UK, and when they break, good luck fixing them. Isn't that stuff more of an Egyptian specialty anyway? There used to be an alchemy shop in Diagon Alley, but it didn't last long. They went bankrupt pretty quickly. If your family really wants to invest, why not open a bar? Tom's pub is packed every day. You can't go wrong with that kind of business."
Alex gave her a polite smile, paid for the potion, and left without looking back, ignoring her overly friendly farewell. Outside, he examined the potion bottle in his hand. The contents were subpar, but the bottle itself was surprisingly nice. 'At least the container's worth keeping. I'll empty this junk out and use it for something else when I get back.'
After tucking the bottle away, Alex made his way to the Owl Post Office. He wrote a quick note to Augusta, letting her know he'd be staying at the Leaky Cauldron for the night to "catch up with Tom" and that she didn't need to wait up. He also asked her to have her reply to him promptly.
With that taken care of, Alex donned his cloak and took up a discreet position in a narrow alley across from the mysterious house. His gaze fixed on the building, quiet and seemingly empty.
"If my guess is right, the Travers family is shielding Yaxley," Alex muttered under his breath. "The real question is, how do I catch all of them at once? The Aurors from the Ministry won't barge in. They're either tied up by bureaucratic red tape or under pressure from the Travers' influence. No way they'd risk storming the place and coming up empty-handed—it'd be a political mess. And this is Diagon Alley. If a fight breaks out, civilians could get hurt. No, I need to figure out exactly what's inside before making a move."
Alex tilted his head thoughtfully. "First, some reconnaissance."
He lifted the edge of his cloak, and a dark raven emerged, wings spread wide as it flew toward the house. "Blood magic hasn't been a total waste of time," Alex murmured, closing one eye. Through the raven's shared vision, the house came into view. "At least I managed to develop the shared-vision spell. Too bad the range is only 100 meters. Still, it'll do for now."