Chaos Rising |BOOK 2| Harry Potter x PJO |Alexandra Marine|

NICO DI ANGELO

We momentarily had an unimpeded view out of the window as Molly and Ginny moved. Draco Malfoy was hurrying up the street alone. As he passed Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, he glanced over his shoulder. Seconds later, he moved beyond the scope of the window.

"Wonder where his mummy is?" said Harry, frowning.

"Given her the slip by the looks of it," said Ron.

"Why, though?" said Hermione.

I turned around- and the three had vanished. I cursed.

"What happened- where's Harry?" Will asked, in panic.

"They probably slipped under that Invisibility Cloak of theirs-" I said angrily. "We need to find Draco Malfoy."

Jason, Will and I squeezed ourselves out the door.

"He was going in that direction," Jason murmured as quietly as possible, so that the humming Hagrid would not hear us. "C'mon..."

We just had enough time to see three pairs of feet sliding into Knockturn Alley.

"Quick, or we'll lose him," said Will.

Knockturn Alley, the side street devoted to the Dark Arts, looked completely deserted. None of the shops seemed to have any customers at all.

"Borgin and Burkes," I came to a stop.

"They sell all sorts of sinister objects, man," Jason whispered. We sneaked next to the hiding kids.

"What are you doing here?" Will whispered.

Hermione almost screamed.

"It's just you!" Ron said urgently, holding up an Extendable Ear.

"What are you doing?"

"Shh!" Harry said, frowning.

"-Perhaps this will make you more confident," Malfoy was saying.

He moved toward Borgin and was blocked from view by the cabinet.

"Tell anyone," said Malfoy, "and there will be retribution. You know Fenrir Greyback? He's a family friend. He'll be dropping in from time to time to make sure you're giving the problem your full attention."

"There will be no need for--"

"I'll decide that," said Malfoy. "Well, I'd better be off. And don't forget to keep that one safe, I'll need it."

"Perhaps you'd like to take it now?"

"No, of course I wouldn't, you stupid, little man, how would I look carrying that down the street? Just don't sell it."

"Of course not... sir," Borgin bowed.

"Not a word to anyone, Borgin, and that includes my mother, understand?"

"Naturally, naturally," murmured Borgin, bowing again.

We tumbled over to the side of the shop as Malfoy made his way out. Inside the shop, Borgin remained frozen; his unctuous smile had vanished; he looked worried.

"What was that about?" whispered Ron, reeling in the Extendable Ears.

"Dunno," said Harry, thinking hard. "He wants something mended... and he wants to reserve something in there... Could you see what he pointed at when he said 'that one'?"

"No, he was behind that cabinet--"

***

"You two stay here," whispered Hermione.

"What are you--?"

But Hermione had already ducked out from under the cloak. She checked her hair in the reflection in the glass, then marched into the shop, setting the bell tinkling again. Ron hastily fed the Extendable Ears back under the door and passed one of the strings to Harry.