The bell on the shop door rang, waking the person behind the counter.
"Welcome, guest," Borgin said, his voice lacking enthusiasm.
Kael didn't speak, he walked through a cabinet filled with skulls and old bottles, and casually kicked a box blocking his way to the side.
"I must remind you, sir," Borgin said coldly, "Here, there's a price to pay for touching things carelessly."
"A price?" Kael sneered similarly, speaking in a hoarse voice, "You wouldn't mean that scare box just now... Transformation curse, child's play."
"Oh?" Borgin's voice finally had a different tone. "Forgive my presumption, guest, is there something I can help you with?"
Kael didn't speak again, just wandered around the shop, finally stopping at a withered hand.
"How much for this?"
"Two thousand Galleons," Borgin said.
"Tsk, the Hand of Glory isn't worth that much," Kael said lightly, "I might as well look elsewhere."
"Excuse my bluntness, but you won't find it elsewhere."
Borgin remained calm behind the counter, but his tone now spoke more rapidly, "You should know the current situation; not many dare sell such good items now, I'm taking a big risk, so naturally, the price has to be raised a bit appropriately."
Kael's steps paused, as if acknowledging, and he continued to wander and look disdainfully at the items on the shelves.
"Blood Boiling Curse, only effective on Muggles, trash."
"Corrosive Poison... trash among trash..."
"Look at this, an obsolete product from a hundred years ago... Is this some kind of junkyard?"
Borgin's face grew more unpleasant, but he couldn't find a reason to counteract, as this person wasn't wrong, just speaking too rudely.
"Guest, if you're here to pick a fight, I..."
"Oh, this is pretty good." At this moment, Kael stopped, pointing to a corner near the counter and asked, "How much is that?"
"Cursed Tapestry..." Borgin said coldly, "Just one hundred fifty Galleons and you can take it away."
"No, no, no, I don't want that kind of garbage." Kael shook his head, "I'm talking about the item under the tapestry."
It was a cabinet, tightly covered by the tapestry, revealing only a corner, as if deliberately hidden by someone.
"What?" Borgin squinted.
At this point, Kael's finger moved, the tapestry flew aside, revealing the item underneath.
Indeed, it was a Vanishing Cabinet, and both its style and patterns were identical to the one at Hogwarts.
"Whoa, didn't expect to see such a fine item." Kael said, "How much, I'll take it."
"Five thousand Galleons." Borgin said with a lion's appetite.
If there were two Vanishing Cabinets, this price would be fair, but for only one, it was a bit steep.
Borgin intended to make this person retreat, but unexpectedly... things seemed a bit off.
"I'll take it." Without thinking, Kael directly took out a box, opened it, and placed it on the counter.
It was something Kael and the Weasley Brothers had prepared in advance, all filled with Galleons.
As if adding an oil lamp to the store.
Borgin was instantly entranced by the alluring golden glow, and his original wariness almost immediately faded.
Until Kael stepped forward and opened the Vanishing Cabinet himself, Borgin finally snapped back to reality.
"Wait a moment, guest," Borgin reluctantly tore his gaze from the Galleons, "You can't take it."
"Why?" Kael was tapping inside the cabinet, as if checking something, "Is the money I gave not enough?"
"Of course not." Borgin couldn't help but glance at the Galleons again, his throat moved a little.
"Then there's no problem," Kael said, "Now it's mine, why can't I take it away."
"It's just too large, inconvenient to carry." With that, Kael took out his wand and pointed it at the Vanishing Cabinet.
"Oh, wait!" Borgin lunged forward, blocking Kael.
It was impressive he still had such agility.
"What does this mean?" Kael's voice bore a hint of displeasure, "You wouldn't want to suddenly raise the price."
"Of course not, guest, Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley has the best reputation, it's just this Vanishing Cabinet, it, it's broken."
"Broken?"
"Indeed." Borgin forcefully pat the cabinet, "How about you let me fix it, guest, then come back for it?"
"How long?"
"Half a year... no, three months, three months will be enough."
"Too long..." Kael shook his head, "Forget it, I can fix it myself."
With that, Kael reached out again.
"No, guest." Borgin said again, "We can't sell broken items, that's the rule."
"Really won't sell?" Kael snapped the box of Galleons shut.
Honestly, there was a moment Borgin was tempted, that was five thousand Galleons, the biggest deal in ten years.
But remembering this cabinet was connected to someone's plan, he calmed down.
"Won't sell!" Borgin said firmly, "Of course, to compensate for guest's wait, I'm willing to offer a great discount, only three thousand Galleons, how about it."
Borgin calculated loudly, compared to offending that person, this one didn't matter.
Either way, first get the money, as for three months later... if the cabinet gets taken by the Death Eaters, what's it to him?
Any Galleon that came into Borgin and Burkes never left.
A discount of two thousand Galleons, he couldn't believe anyone would refuse.
"Only three thousand Galleons? Quite cheap." Kael spoke softly, "However..."
"Cheap things aren't good, I don't want it."
Borgin didn't even react before Kael had already picked up the box and walked out of the shop.
By the time he caught up outside, Kael had already disappeared into the street, not a shadow in sight.
...