ꜱᴇʀᴘᴇɴᴛɪɴᴇ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ | ᴛᴏᴍɪᴏɴᴇ

The Dark Lord's Heir, ch. 4

Ginny, Ron, and George wandered Diagon Alley. Frequently, they passed Death Eaters with whom they were forced to exchange the required praises. Neville and Hannah had given them a small purse full of coin that lightened with each shop they stopped in. Parcels were stacked in the boys' arms until their faces disappeared behind them. Food, ribbon, fabric for clothes, extra napkins and wine goblets.... Ginny read down the shopping list, crossing each item off one by one.

"Come on, Gin. My arms are killing me," said George. His voice was strained under the weight of his burden.

"Almost done! Let's make one last stop at Gambol and Japes for some luminous balloons."

Ron and George cheered up at that. They followed their sister, already discussing which joke products they were going to buy.

Like the Leaky Cauldron, Gambol and Japes joke shop was covered in propaganda posters. Some corners of the parchment were curled up and quivering in the cool breeze. The Weasleys eagerly headed inside. However, the sight they were met with made them freeze in the doorway.

The endless shelves of colorful products--dungbombs, stink pellets, Dr. Filibusters fireworks--all of it was gone. Even the shelves along the walls were empty, save for stacks of black cloaks and parchment. At the center of the shop were five long tables, all of them filled with Death Eaters. Twenty or so. The second the Weasleys stepped inside, all twenty pairs fell on them.

One could have heard a quill drop.

"Oi! What're you doing in here! It's Death Eaters only!" shouted a blonde wizard, who would've been handsome if it wasn't for his sallow skin and the dark circles under his eyes. He approached the trio and placed a hand on his heart. Ginny was the only one who returned praises since the boys' arms were full.

"S-sorry," said Ginny with her eyes as round as acid pops. "We thought this was the joke shop."

"It WAS the joke shop," the blonde Death Eater replied impatiently. "It's a Death Eaters barracks now. All towns are required to have one. How else are we supposed to keep you all in line?"

George spoke out behind the stack of parcels. "Then what happened to the managers? Gambol and Japes?"

"Early retirement," he replied with a shrug and wide grin.

That earned him a few mischievous chuckles from his comrades.

"Let's get out of here," whispered Ron.

"Listen to your mate." The blonde Death Eater placed his hands on hips, pushing back his cloak to expose the wand in his pocket.

Without another word, the Weasleys rushed out the door, Death Eaters laughter following them.

"You think they recognized us?" Ron asked in a shaky voice once the door was shut all the way.

"They would have said something, wouldn't they?" said Ginny. "They must be new recruits."

"Maybe we should go back and tell the others. Just in case."

"Yeah, all right."

The younger two turned to leave but George stayed where he was, staring at the front of the shop.

"Was that there before?" he asked.

Ginny stopped. "Was what there before?"

"That." George jerked his head at the shop.

Ron and Ginny returned to his side and looked. They saw the shop covered in its usual propaganda, only now there was a large red symbol painted on the door, right over a poster with Voldemort's face. The symbol was a bit crude, as though quickly placed, but simple enough to make out: a wand pointing upward, wrapped in thorns, with a rose blooming from its tip. Below it was the number 1235.