Chapter 7: A Shopping Spree in Diagon Alley

Chapter 7: A Shopping Spree in Diagon Alley

That night, George's consciousness returned to his original body in the Marvel world. Another day of grueling training passed without anything particularly noteworthy happening.

However, his intuition told him that the escape might happen very soon.

He noticed that the group of mutant children now had a comic book in their hands, titled *The Uncanny X-Men*.

To this day, he still hadn't fully figured out the historical context of this universe.

The fact that this universe had the X-Men, and even X-Men-related comics, suggested that mutants must have been quite prominent at some point. So why was there still a Super Soldier Program? And why did Captain America exist?

These were questions he would need to investigate once he escaped the experimental base and looked into the history.

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**Harry Potter World, Morning**

While retrieving the Daily Prophet from the mailbox outside the shop, George found an additional letter.

"Finally."

The pale yellow envelope was addressed in emerald-green ink: *To Mr. George, Merton's Potion Shop, Knockturn Alley*.

This was the reissued admission letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Although Scrimgeour and Tonks had assured him it would come, holding the letter in his hands still filled him with an indescribable sense of excitement.

This was Hogwarts, a real magical school, and he was about to go there to learn all sorts of incredible magic.

Magic—who could resist the allure of magic?

"Time for a shopping spree!"

After quickly finishing breakfast, George grabbed the list of required books and equipment included in the envelope and strode confidently out of Merton's Potion Shop.

However, his good mood was quickly ruined by an unwelcome sight.

"Well, if it isn't little Dora. I heard you've been re-admitted to Hogwarts. Off to buy your school supplies?"

A hunched, greasy-haired old wizard stood at the entrance of the shop across the street, his eyes gleaming with a sinister light as he greeted George.

"Good morning, Mr. Borgin. Yes, I'm off to buy my schoolbooks.

And by the way, I go by George now."

George felt a pang of discomfort but maintained a polite demeanor.

This old wizard was no ordinary figure. He was one of the most seasoned dark wizards in Knockturn Alley, running Borgin and Burkes, the largest magical antiques shop in the area.

The shop dealt in a wide range of dark and dangerous magical artifacts, offering secret appraisals for rare and ancient magical items.

A young Voldemort had once worked in this very shop, and it was through the shop's connections that he had found and created two of his Horcruxes.

Old Borgin was currently George's biggest concern. If this man decided to leave him alone, it was unlikely any other dark wizard in Knockturn Alley would dare to target his inherited potion shop.

"Such a well-behaved child. I noticed that Auror had lunch at your place yesterday?"

Borgin smiled, though his smile was anything but comforting.

George, on the other hand, smiled brightly.

"Yes, Tonks really enjoyed my cooking. She even said she'd bring her colleagues and Mr. Scrimgeour over for a meal next time."

"That must be quite a burden for you."

Borgin's eyes narrowed slightly.

George shook his head, feigning innocence.

"Not at all. I love cooking. How about I make extra next time and invite you to join us, Mr. Borgin?"

"Uh... no, thank you."

Borgin's expression stiffened, and he quickly retreated into his dark shop.

As Borgin disappeared, George muttered under his breath:

"Try to mess with me, and I'll take your shop and end you, you old creep."

Shaking off the encounter, George set off into Diagon Alley.

Compared to the narrow, shadowy streets of Knockturn Alley, Diagon Alley was bright and bustling, filled with normal wizards shopping with their children and vendors hawking their wares.

"Dragon liver, sixteen Sickles an ounce!"

"Cauldrons—copper, brass, pewter, silver—all sizes available! Self-stirring and collapsible models in stock!"

"Eagle owls, screech owls, barn owls, tawny owls, snowy owls—we've got every kind of owl you could want!"

"Nimbus 2001—the fastest broomstick on the market! You won't regret it!"

As George wandered through the lively alley, he didn't hold back on spending, opting for the best tools and supplies.

While some might say that poor students rely on fancy tools, George believed that good equipment led to better efficiency. Since he had the money, there was no need to skimp.

"Uniforms, cauldron, telescope, phials, scales, wand... all that's left are the books and a pet."

Two hours later, George pushed a cart loaded with school supplies while mentally checking off the items on his list.

Most of the shopping hadn't taken long, and even the wand purchase had been quick. After trying a few, he settled on the one that felt most comfortable.

The only delay had been getting measured for his uniforms.

"Eeylops Owl Emporium... perfect. Let's get an owl."

Spotting the owl shop, George thought for a moment before pushing his cart inside.

While young wizards could choose from a variety of pets, George believed that owls were the most practical. After all, magical owls were far superior to ordinary ones.

Magical owls were not only smarter but also had built-in tracking spells, allowing them to find recipients no matter where they were—unless the recipient used specific shielding spells.

Besides delivering letters, they could also carry packages, and their strength far exceeded that of normal owls, easily handling loads of ten to twenty pounds.

As a pragmatist, George wanted a pet that was useful. If it wasn't practical, he'd rather not have one at all. He didn't have the time or energy to care for a pet.

"Welcome to Eeylops Owl Emporium! What kind of owl are you looking for, sir?"

A shop assistant quickly approached as George entered.

"That one!"

After a quick glance around the shop, George pointed to the owl that had caught his eye.

Following his finger, the assistant's eyes widened in surprise.

"Are you sure about that one?"

"Absolutely."

George nodded firmly.

The assistant hesitated before explaining:

"I should warn you, that one costs ten times the price of a normal owl—100 Galleons."

The owl George had pointed to wasn't an ordinary-sized owl. It was a massive eagle owl, standing nearly a meter tall.

Usually, only adult wizards with particular hobbies or research interests would buy such a large owl. The assistant had never seen a young wizard choose one as a pet.

Not only was it expensive, but most parents wouldn't feel comfortable letting their child handle such a large and potentially dangerous creature.

(End of Chapter)