blogombal Chapter 215 The Desolate Diagon Alley
Chapter 215 The Desolate Diagon Alley
After breakfast, our group went to the teleportation fireplace.
"Is Oliver going back to the team today?" We were all standing together, and Oliver standing out a bit by carrying his luggage.
“Yes, I’m going back to the team for training today,” Oliver explained to us.
"Then you go first, we'll wait and go to Diagon Alley, be careful." We all stepped aside to let Oliver leave first.
"Well then, everyone, I'll be leaving now. Come back and play again next time." Oliver grabbed a handful of Floo Powder, gave the address of the Quidditch team he had joined, set it ablaze, and left.
"Let's go then, to Diagon Alley to buy books." We all lined up to get our Floo Powder.
“Ayers, then I won’t go. Just bring me some ink and a notebook.” For Percy, who had already graduated, there didn’t seem to be anything he needed to buy in Diagon Alley.
"Okay, then wait for us to come back." I saw that everyone else had left, and I was the last one left.
I pulled Percy close, wrapped my arms around his slender waist, and kissed his lips.
We savored each other's lips for a moment, and then we parted.
"Wait for me to come home," I whispered to him with a smile.
“Okay,” Percy said, her cheeks slightly flushed.
After saying that, I picked up a handful of Floo Powder and left my villa.
When I stepped out of the fireplace in Diagon Alley, everyone was waiting for me; none of them really wanted to leave the main street.
Diagon Alley, once a bustling and magical commercial street, is now shrouded in a desolate shadow.
The shops on both sides of the street were deserted, and the goods in the shop windows were covered with a thick layer of dust, as if they had been forgotten by people.
The once bustling streets are now deserted, with only a few pedestrians hurrying by, their heads down and their steps heavy, as if they are carrying the weight of the entire world on their shoulders.
A heavy, oppressive atmosphere filled the air, making people feel depressed and uneasy.
The Death Eaters' fireworks display at the Quidditch World Cup left a terrifying impression on people's minds. That display was not only a provocation against the magical world, but also a profound blow to people's spirits.
People began to doubt the Ministry of Magic's capabilities, and were filled with fear and uncertainty about the future.
In this atmosphere, business at Diagon Alley plummeted.
The shop owners watched helplessly as their shops grew increasingly deserted, but there was nothing they could do.
They didn't know how to attract customers, nor how to deal with this sudden crisis.
Some small shops have even closed down, displaying "For Rent" or "For Sale" signs.
The streets were piled high with garbage, and no one was cleaning it up.
When the wind blows, the trash flies everywhere, further adding to the sense of desolation here.
The graffiti and stains on the walls are increasing, making it feel like the place has lost its former vitality.
At the end of Diagon Alley, there is a small shop called "The Leaky Cauldron".
This bar, once one of the liveliest places in the wizarding world, is now deserted.
Tom, the bar owner, sat behind the counter, gazing at the empty bar, his heart filled with helplessness and worry.
I was reminded of Diagon Alley, a place that was once full of life and energy, bustling with people and filled with laughter.
But now, this place has become so desolate, as if the end of the world has come.
"Wait, did we come to the wrong place?" Ron looked incredulous. Was this still the bustling Diagon Alley they had visited last year?
"The changes here are too drastic," Hermione said, frowning.
“It must be because of that big bad guy. Do you remember what happened at the Quidditch World Cup?” Harry said.
I remained silent. This time, Riddle was truly wronged. He hadn't even returned to England yet; it was just his group of Death Eater lunatics who did it. Now, the blame has been placed entirely on him.
"Should we still go shopping now?" Fred asked.
“Let’s go, what’s there to be afraid of? I’m still here.” I stepped forward first and led the group to Flourish and Blotts Bookstore.
We were all in different grades, and we each bought the books we needed according to the school supplies list that was sent to us.
"Sigh~ Diagon Alley doesn't feel as cheerful and lively as it used to be. It looks so dark." Fred, who loved to play around, looked out the window at the street where people were hurrying by.
"It's okay, you'll be back to normal soon, it's just this semester." I ruffled Fred's hair.
“I hope so,” George said, standing next to me.
"Have you all bought the books?" Cedric asked, looking at the three of us standing by the window.
"Everything is ready. Our textbooks are all the same, so we just need to pack three sets together. I've already given the errand boy at the bookstore the other things we need to buy. He said he'll bring them to us, and we can just wait for him to come back here." I don't think I'm in the mood to go shopping in Diagon Alley now. There are hardly any people around, and many shops are already closed.
“Senior Ayers, don’t you need to ask us what else we need first?” Ron asked curiously.
“Ronnie, you don’t understand,” Fred said, resting his elbow on Ron’s shoulder.
“When Ayers buys you things, they always know exactly what you’ll need,” George said, patting his brother’s other shoulder.
"Can you two stop supporting me while I stand? I'm not like Senior Ayers who can support your weight." Ron was barely standing, looking like he was about to collapse.
"Is Senior Ayers really that amazing? He even knows what else we need." Harry was also somewhat incredulous.
“Generally speaking, he can be quite attentive to every detail. You didn’t tell him what you needed to buy, did you? See if the clerk comes back with the things you need,” George explained to Harry and the others.
I had just mentioned the shop assistant when I saw him walking back from the main entrance.
"Mr. Hall, these are the things you just asked me to buy. This is the remaining silver coins." The shop assistant handed me a storage bag and was about to return the remaining money to me.
"Here, this is your errand fee. You don't need to give it to me." I gave the remaining silver coins directly to the shop assistant as a tip.
"Thank you, Mr. Hall." The shop assistant was also surprised by my generosity.
When the shop assistant saw that I didn't need him to run any more errands, he went back to his work station to pack up the books.
"Let's go back to my place first and then divide the things. I guess you guys aren't planning on visiting Diagon Alley like this anymore." I stuffed everything the delivery guy handed me into my portable backpack.
"Let's go, there's nothing left to see in Diagon Alley these days." Our group walked out of Flourish and Blotts again.
Fortunately, we encountered nothing on our return trip, and everyone was safely teleported back to my villa.
"What happened to you guys? Why are you back so soon?" Percy asked curiously when he saw that we had returned so quickly.
"Don't even mention it. Diagon Alley is like the end of the world now. It doesn't have the lively atmosphere it used to have." Fred lay listlessly on the sofa in the lobby, completely lacking energy.
“Yes, people are rushing by as if someone is chasing them.” George also lay down on the other sofa.
"It's all because of that symbol from the Quidditch World Cup. Now people are too scared to go out," Harry said indignantly.
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. How about I take you to a nearby lake for fishing and a picnic?" I rubbed my temples, not wanting to hear any more about Riddle.
"Great idea!" Fred immediately perked up again.
"Why haven't we seen any lakes around here?" George and Fred had already walked around the area on their first day, but they hadn't seen any lakes.
"Since the lake is quite a distance from my villa, we've made up our minds, so let's pack some clothes and go camping tonight." Luckily, there are some nice camping spots near my villa, and that lake is really a lot of fun.
"Then you guys have fun. Today is my last day of vacation. I might have to go to work tomorrow, so I won't be going." Percy's vacation is coming to an end, and he probably won't be able to go camping with us.
“It’s a bit of a shame that Percy can’t come along, but we still have holidays later, so we can make plans to go together then,” Cedric said with a smile.
“Yes, Percy, you can come with us again next time,” Harry added.
"Oh right, I forgot to tell you, I also invited someone to come and visit." I received the letter when I was still living in the humble abode, saying that he also wanted to visit my home.
So we arranged for him to come over two days from now, which is today.
You guys go pack your things first. Percy and I will leave for a bit, and we'll take the last person with us. We'll meet here in an hour.
"Okay." Hearing that they could go camping, everyone happily went to pack their things.
After seeing them all disperse and leave, I took Percy's hand and left, going to a reception room on the first floor and locking the door.
I slowly walked up to him, gently wrapped my arms around his slender waist, and looked deeply into his eyes.
"When are you leaving?" I asked, my voice filled with tenderness and affection.
"I might need to leave soon, I've already packed my things." Percy wrapped his arms around my waist.
I lowered my head and gently kissed his lips.
His body trembled slightly, and then he hugged me tightly.
Our lips were pressed tightly together, our breaths mingling.
My tongue gently pried open his lips and entered his mouth.
His mouth was filled with a sweet taste, which I found intoxicating.
Our bodies were pressed tightly together, our heartbeats mingling.
My hand gently stroked his hair, and his body trembled slightly.
Our kisses grew more intense, and our breathing became more rapid.
Our bodies were pressed tightly together, as if we were about to become one.
I don't know how much time passed before our kissing gradually stopped.
We gazed into each other's eyes, our hearts filled with happiness and contentment.
"I love you," I said again, my voice filled with determination and deep affection.
"I love you too. Remember to think of me after I leave." Percy was genuinely a little reluctant to part with her.
"Be careful, things aren't very safe outside right now. If anything happens, remember to come find me immediately." I took his hands and kissed them.
“Okay, I will definitely be careful, and you all should be careful too,” Percy replied earnestly.
“Let’s go, I’ll help you with your luggage, and I’ll walk you back to your humble abode.” I took his hand and we walked together toward his room.
The other people we're trying to woo actually know that Percy and I need some time alone to say goodbye, and they'll avoid being around us.
Arriving at Percy's room on the top floor, we took his packed luggage and slowly walked to the fireplace.
I don't plan to use 'Apparition'. I want to spend a second together, so I'll slowly consume that second and walk with Percy to the fireplace.
"Alright, it's not like we'll never see each other again." Percy took the suitcase from my hand, smiled, picked up a handful of Floo Powder, and walked into the fireplace.
"You don't need to come to my house anymore. I'll write to you again when I have my next holiday and ask you out," Percy said in his final farewell.
"Okay, remember to contact me if you can't make up your mind about anything." I smiled and watched him leave.
“Alright, ‘The Burrow’.” As Percy scattered Floo Powder on the ground, a green flame ignited, and Percy’s figure disappeared into the fireplace.
Seeing that Percy had disappeared, I didn't leave. The young master who had agreed to come to my house should be arriving around this time.
As a green flame appeared, a platinum-haired young master dressed in a suit appeared here.
“Ayers, excuse me, this is a little gift my mother asked me to bring you.” Draco came out of the fireplace, and I gave him a ‘clean-up’ as I did so.
"Welcome, Mrs. Malfoy, you're very kind."
He hugged Draco and accepted the gift he offered.
"Your house is really nice." As Ayers accepted the gift he brought, he curiously looked around.
"It's alright, but of course it can't compare to Malfoy Manor." I led him towards the assembly hall, which was also where guests were received.
"That's already pretty good. By the way, didn't you say in your letter that you also invited other guests? Why haven't I seen them?" Draco doesn't know who I invited yet. If he knew it was Harry and his group, I don't know if they would have come.
"They'll be here shortly. Would you like to sit down, have something to eat, and rest for a bit?" I asked Butler Chen to bring over some food and tea.