Draco closed in on Boggin, shielded by the big cupboard.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione hurried to one side to keep him out of sight, but they could see only Boggin, whose face was full of terror.
'Tell anyone, 'said Malfoy icily,' and you'll be in for it. You know Fenrir Greyback?
He's a friend of the family, and he'll drop in from time to time to see if you're concentrating on the problem. '
'There's no need---- '
'That's for me to decide. '
'Well, I'm off, 'said Malfoy. Don't forget to take good care of that thing for me, I shall need it. '
'Don't you want to take it now? '
'No, of course not, you stupid runt. What would I do to walk down the street with it? Just don't sell it. "
'Of course not... sir. '
Boggin bowed low, as Harry had seen him do to Lucius Malfoy.
'Not a word of it to anyone, Boggin, not even my mother. Do you understand? '
'Of course, of course. '
Muttered Boggin, bowing again.
Then the bell over the door jingled, and Malfoy strode out of the shop with a triumphant air.
He brushed past Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who felt the cloak flapping against their knees again.
Inside the shop Boggin was still frozen, his false smile gone, and he looked worried.
'What the devil's all about? '
Whispered Ron, pulling back the string of his retractable ear.
'I don't know, 'said Harry.
Harry said, trying to think. "He's got something to fix... and he wants the shop to keep something for him..."
Did you see what he was referring to when he said 'that thing'? "
'No, he was blocked by the cupboard---- '
'You two stay put. '
'What do you think---- '
But Hermione had already slipped out from under the cloak.
She looked at her hair in the glass, and strode back into the shop. The bell jingled again.
Ron hastily shoved his retractable ear back under the door, and handed Harry a piece of string.
'It's a dreadful day, isn't it? '
Hermione said pleasantly to Boykin, who glanced at her suspiciously, but made no reply.
Hermione hummed merrily as she wandered among the jumble of merchandise displayed in the shop.
"Is this necklace for sale?"
She stopped in front of a glass cabinet and asked.
"If you pay 1500 Garen, I'll sell it."
"Oh, well, no, I don't have that kind of money."
Hermione said as she continued to walk forward.
"Then … what about this cute … um … skeleton?"
"Sixteen Garen."
"Then it can be sold?
Is it … is it for someone else? "
Boykin narrowed his eyes at her. Harry had a bad feeling. Boykin knew exactly what Hermione was up to.
It seemed that Hermione had also realized that she had been exposed. She suddenly threw caution to the wind.
"It's like this — erm — the boy who just came in, Draco Malfoy, is a friend of mine. I want to give him a birthday present, but if he has already pre-ordered something, of course I don't want to buy him the same thing, so … erm …"
It seemed to Harry that the story was a very bad one, and Boggin evidently thought so too.
"Get out."
He shouted sternly, "Get out!"
Hermione did not wait for him to say it a second time before she hurried out. Boggin chased her all the way to the door.
The bell rang again, and Boggin slammed the door behind her, hanging up a 'closed' sign.
Then, the old shopkeeper turned around.
There was no one behind him, but now there was a figure behind him.
This figure stood in front of the counter, fiddling with the skull that Hermione had just examined, and grinning.
"How is it, sir? How is my student? "
The shopkeeper was stunned, but quickly reacted. He grinned obsequiously, far less stern than before.
"Sir's student, of course, must be very good. This young lady's adaptability is really …"
"Come on, I'm not here to listen to your flattery." Chown shook his head and sighed. "How's the thing?"
"This cabinet can be fixed, but to break through the Hogwarts' defense is really … Anyway, it won't be easy, unless the Hogwarts release their defense."
"Releasing the defense is impossible, that would cause too much commotion, and I'm afraid there will be some trouble. As for how to break through the Hogwarts' defense, that's your problem. I see that the Malfoys have quite a lot of confidence in you.
So what? You don't have confidence when it comes to me? "
"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."
Under Jon's sudden release of pressure, the shopkeeper, who had often toiled in the black market, could not help but feel a little nervous. Cold sweat trickled down the back of his neck.
"Logically speaking, fixing this kind of thing should be my specialty, but the magic involved in the Vanishing Cabinet is all profound magic. With my current level, it is indeed a little difficult. However, if you are willing to help …"
He wanted to continue, but Jon gave him a look, and he immediately stopped talking.
"Sometimes, asking you to do something is giving you face. You can't afford to offend me or Voldemort, so you can only listen to what we say.
Let's not talk about other things, I remember that you were the one who told Voldemort about my grandmother. "
"Uh … You, you've wronged me. I've never said anything about Madam Yang before.
Don't even mention telling that person. "
"You are well-informed. When my people found you, they should have told you about my background, but they know very little. My grandmother is Madam Yang, but my surname is Smith."
"…"
Someone in the shop started sweating even harder.
Fortunately, he also knew that Jon did not come here to seek revenge, but to ask him to do something. Besides, revenge would not come to him.
But who knew if this person in front of him would vent his anger on him?
Just before Malfoy came, this person had already predicted this would happen, and brought his people to give him a warning.
After doing business for so long, he knew what should be done, what should not be done, who could be offended, and who could not be offended.
Whether it was this person in front of him or Dumbledore, they were both people he could not afford to offend.
He also could not afford to offend Voldemort.
But obviously, this side was stronger, and most importantly, Jon had room for negotiation, but Voldemort … Who would dare to negotiate with him?
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