Next Wednesday, Diagon Alley, in front of Gringotts' towering white building
Amid the bustling crowds, Silas and Hermione appeared at the agreed meeting place on time. Hermione was already holding several new books wrapped in brown paper, obviously not from Lockhart's series. Silas, meanwhile, had his hands in his pockets and was idly watching the goblins bustling in and out of the bank.
Before long, a familiar figure came running over in a hurry. The distinctive lightning-bolt scar on his forehead stood out beneath the sunlight—it was Harry Potter.
"Silas! Hermione!" Harry panted as he reached them, his face showing both lingering fright and the excitement of discovering some enormous secret.
"Harry? What happened? Why are you in such a rush?" Hermione asked worriedly.
Harry took a deep breath, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously, "I have something to tell you! A huge discovery! I was just... in Knockturn Alley!"
"Knockturn Alley?!" Hermione cried. "Harry! How could you go to a place like that? It's full of Dark Wizards and dangerous objects!"
Harry hurriedly waved his hands. "I didn't mean to! It was an accident! I'll explain later! The important thing is, in Borgin and Burke's shop in Knockturn Alley, I saw... I saw a portrait of the wizard Voldemort possessed last school year! It was hanging on the shop wall! I recognized him at once! It was definitely him!"
Silas's previously indifferent gaze instantly sharpened as he looked at Harry. "Borgin and Burke's? Are you sure it was that wizard's portrait?"
"Absolutely!" Harry nodded hard. "That face, and Voldemort's shadow on the back of his head—I'll never forget them for the rest of my life! And I also saw Malfoy and his father in that shop. They were acting all sneaky. I have no idea what they were doing."