Diagon Alley Big Shopping

That night, George's consciousness returned once more to his Marvel body. Another day of sweat-drenched training had passed, and nothing particularly special had happened.

But his instincts told him the prison break would probably happen sometime soon.

Because he discovered that the Mutant Children had gotten their hands on a comic book called Extraordinary X-Men.

The truth was, even now, he still had not figured out the history of this universe.

This universe had the X-Men, and it also had comics related to the X-Men, which meant mutants should once have been fairly famous. Then why bother with the Super Soldier Program? Why was there still Captain America?

He would have to wait until he escaped this experimental base, then look up the history, before he could understand what was really going on.

Harry Potter world, early morning.

When George went to fetch the Daily Prophet from the mailbox at the shop entrance, he found an extra letter there.

"It's finally here."

On the pale yellow envelope, written in emerald-green ink, were the words: Mr. George, Merton's Potions Shop, Knockturn Alley.

That was right. This was the reissued acceptance letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Although he knew that since Scrimgeour and Tonks had both said so, there could be no mistake, when he truly held the acceptance letter in his hands, his heart still could not calm down for a long while.

That was Hogwarts, a real Magic School, and he would soon be able to go there and learn all kinds of wondrous magic.

Magic. Who could refuse wondrous magic?

"Then let the shopping spree begin!"

After finishing breakfast as quickly as possible, George took the list of books and equipment included in the envelope and strode out of Merton's Potions Shop in high spirits.

Only, the moment he stepped outside, his good mood was ruined by an eyesore of a fellow.

"Well, if it isn't little Dora. I hear you've been accepted back into Hogwarts. Off to buy school supplies, are you?"

An old wizard with a hunched back and greasy hair stood at the entrance of the shop opposite, greeting George with a sinister look in his eyes.

"Good morning, Mr. Borgin. I was just about to buy the Magic Books for school.

Also, I've changed my name to George now."

George felt disgusted inside, but on the surface, he still replied very politely.

This old wizard's identity was far from simple. He could be said to be the oldest and most experienced Dark Wizard in all of Knockturn Alley. The antique shop he ran, Borgin and Burkes, was the largest Magic Shop in Knockturn Alley.

Its business scope was very broad. It sold and bought back items imbued with Dark Magic or other dangerous objects, and it provided secret appraisal services for rare and ancient magical creations.

When Voldemort was young, he had once been a clerk at this black-hearted antique shop. It was also through the complicated connections of this antique shop that he found and created two Horcruxes.

The old wizard Borgin was currently the person George was most worried about. If this fellow gave up on making a move against him, then among all of Knockturn Alley, there should be no Dark Wizard left who would still covet the Potions Shop he had inherited.

"What a good child. I noticed that Auror young lady seemed to have lunch at your place yesterday?"

Borgin smiled, though the smile was rather chilling.

George smiled as well, but his smile was much brighter.

"That's right. Sister Tonks really likes my cooking. She said next time she'll bring her colleagues and Uncle Scrimgeour over for a free meal too."

"That will be hard work for you."

Borgin narrowed his eyes slightly.

George shook his head and said with an innocent face, "Not hard at all. I like cooking very much. How about next time they come, I make a little more, and you come over too, Mr. Borgin, to taste my cooking?"

"Er, that won't be necessary."

Borgin's expression stiffened. Then he turned and went back into his pitch-black shop.

Only after seeing Borgin leave did George mutter to himself inwardly, "You dare set your sights on me? Sooner or later, I'll take your shop and kill you, you old bastard."

Having restored his mood, he set off again and entered Diagon Alley.

Compared with the cramped gloom of Knockturn Alley, Diagon Alley was much brighter and more spacious. Everywhere were normal wizards bringing their children to shop, and shop assistants hawking all kinds of goods.

"Dragon liver, sixteen Sickles an ounce—"

"Cauldrons! Copper, brass, pewter, silver cauldrons! All sizes available, self-stirring and collapsible too!"

"Tawny Owls, Screech Owls, Grass Owls, Brown Owls, Snowy Owls! We have every pet you could want!"

"Nimbus 2001, the fastest broomstick in flight! You deserve it!"

Strolling through the bustling Diagon Alley, George did not feel reluctant to spend money. Basically, he bought the best tools available.

Although they said poor students had more tools, he still felt that good tools led to greater efficiency. Since he had money, why save it?

"A complete set of uniforms, cauldron, telescope, phials, scales, wand... Only books left. Oh, and a pet."

Two hours later, George pushed a cart full of all kinds of school supplies while calculating what he still had not bought from the list.

In truth, buying the other things had not taken much time. Even the wand had been bought quickly. He tried a few, found the one that felt most comfortable in his hand, and bought it.

The main delay had been the process of buying the uniforms, which required taking measurements and wasted some time.

"Eeylops Owl Emporium. Perfect. Then I'll buy an owl."

Seeing the owl shop by the street, George thought for a moment, then pushed his cart inside.

There were many pets a young wizard could choose from, but he felt the most useful one was still an owl, because owls in the wizarding world were different from ordinary owls.

Aside from being smarter, magical owls in the wizarding world came with tracking magic. No matter where the recipient was, they could find them, unless the recipient had used some related shielding magic.

Besides delivering letters, they could also deliver all kinds of things, and they were far stronger than normal owls. Carrying ten or twenty pounds was no problem at all.

He was a pragmatist. Since he was going to buy a pet, naturally he had to buy one that was useful. Otherwise, he might as well not buy one at all. He had no energy to raise a pet.

"Welcome to Eeylops Owl Emporium, sir. What kind of owl would you like?"

Seeing George enter, a shop assistant quickly came forward to greet him.

"That one!"

After sweeping his gaze around the whole shop, he quickly found the owl he wanted.

Following George's finger, the shop assistant's eyes immediately filled with surprise.

"Are you sure you want that one?"

"I'm sure."

George nodded firmly.

The shop assistant hesitated, but still explained, "I should remind you, that one is ten times more expensive than a normal owl. It costs one hundred Galleons."

The owl George was pointing at was not an ordinary-sized owl, but a large Eagle Owl that was already nearly a meter tall just standing there.

Normally, only adult wizards with certain special hobbies or who wanted one for research would spend money on such a large owl. He had never seen a young wizard buy one as a pet.

For one thing, it was too expensive. For another, even if they had the money, parents would not feel at ease. An owl that large was not exactly safe.