In the Harry Potter Without Harry Potter

Chapter 63: Diagon Alley

Clean streets with clear windows, but perhaps because it was late in the evening, there were not many visitors.

It has been a year since he entered Hogwarts, but this is the first time Jon came to Diagon Alley, and unlike in the original book, this is not a place that welcomes muggle-born wizards at all, he is not eligible to buy new textbooks, school robes and wands here, and even to enter the alley, he has to sneak in with a completely non-existent identity.

So when he walked on the cobblestone road his mood was not much relaxed, and he constantly remained half a shoulder behind Dumbledore, arriving unhurriedly at the door of a potions store.

Dumbledore pushed open the door into the potion store with Jon, the store owner who seemed to be checking his books looked up at them and spoke in a not-so-enthusiastic tone.

"It's almost time for us to close down two customers, if you need anything you can tell me what you need straight off, and I will recommend the right potion for you."

Dumbledore did not speak out immediately, his eyes were not on the shopkeeper or any vial of potion on the shelves, instead, he stared at a boy huddled in the corner with a rag and struggling to wipe the shelves as soon as he entered the store.

The boy looked about the same age as Jon, with short chestnut hair, wearing a hemp robe, which is dirty and oversized as a whole and does not seem to fit him very well.

The shopkeeper also obviously noticed Dumbledore's gaze, and he frowned slightly before turning to the boy and calling out.

"Smith."

The boy named Smith stopped his hand movements and turned his head timidly to look at the three adults.

"Ai, Mr Elmo."

"No need for you to work here, go back to the cellar first, do not disturb the mood of the customers here."

Smith weakly agreed, then lowered his head like a mouse trying very hard to hide its presence while being watched by everyone, and walked quickly out of the potion store.

"Now you might be in the mood to state your needs, gentlemen?" Elmo looked at Dumbledore and the men.

He looked like he was driving the boy away in disgust, but Jon could sense that he was acting more like a protector.

Dumbledore blinked and looked at him with a smile on his face as he asked.

"We don't want any potion, may I ask if you have a tear of the phoenix in your store?"

Elmo's expression suddenly changed, he looked deeply at Dumbledore and replied in a soft voice.

"It is a rare commodity, customer, we normally won't put it on the shelves."

Dumbledore walked towards the inner room of the store with Jon in tow, all the while saying.

"Then let's see what's beyond this shelf."

Elmo did not stop them from entering the inner room without being invited, rather he moved carefully to the front of the store to see if there are any suspicious persons outside, and then completely closed and locked the door.

After doing all this, he also walked quickly into the inner room, where Dumbledore and Jon have removed the effect of transfiguration magic, revealing their original appearance.

"Mr Dumbledore, I thought it would take a while for you to come over."

This potion store owner named Elmo is obviously a person placed in Diagon Alley by the Order of the Phoenix, even if the Ministry of Magic usually monitors strictly, they can't supervise every part of the entire British magical community.

It is not difficult for them to hide their own people in a street with a lot of traffic like Diagon Alley, as long as the Order of the Phoenix wants to do it, after all, there is no shortage of purebloods and half-bloods among the members of the Order of the Phoenix who have solid backgrounds to be traced.

Dumbledore shook his head and said.

"It is better to let Jon get more familiar with the life of the boy he will be living as for the next year for some more time, while we have time, as there is still more than a month left before school starts."

Elmo's gaze at this time turned to Jon, who was standing next to Dumbledore, and with an emotional expression on his face, he walked forward and extended a hand.

"Pete Elmo. I was surprised when I heard from Dumbledore that you are really just a child who has only been exposed to magic for just a year, but I believe in his vision, you must have a unique strength, he will not let a child sacrifice his year of life for nothing."

Jon also extended his own hand and shook Elmo's.

"My name is Jon Green, Mr Elmo, and I'm going to be under your care here for the next month or so."

"Don't be in a hurry to say the word care yet." Elmo said with a bitter smile, "after the official start of the plan, in order to ensure your safety, I will clear my mind of all memories of you and this plan, then I will treat you as the real Smith, so I would treat you how I would normally treat him afterwards, so there is nothing to take care of."

Dumbledore patted his shoulder: "Let me have a few more words with Jon alone, you go ahead and take care of the boy, Pete."

Elmo nodded, and then he left the inner room and walked toward the cellar where Smith is.

After only the two of them were left in the room, Dumbledore looked at Jon with a serious expression.

"Now you still have a chance to back out, Jon, if you think this thing is too dangerous, I can still take you back to the wagon, I will look for other ways to get that thing in the castle afterwards. Do not feel afraid or embarrassed to speak, after entering that castle you have to rely on your own, I have no way to give you more help."

However, there is not much tension on Jon's face, and he even showed a smile.

"No one is more suitable than me professor, I actually did hesitate at first, but then I thought about it seriously; professor saved me from being taken away by that school, the school taught me magic, taught me knowledge, and you have been protecting our safety, so it does not justify if only you guys pay, and I just have to sit back and enjoy it. I believe no student on the wagon will back down if their help will be needed by the school. Besides, there is something in that castle that the teacher wanted me to get before, and this is just the right opportunity to do so."

Dumbledore looked at Jon's serious face, he smiled calmly, while reaching up his glasses and rubbing his eyes, which were somewhat watery.

"In the end, I'm too old to hear these things from a student. Well, then there are a few key things I have to remind you of once more at last."

He said with a serious face.

"After you consume the polyjuice potion, it can last a maximum of 12 hrs, the potion I prepared for you is a one-month supply. After that you have to find a way to brew it yourself, Lily told me that you have completely mastered the specific brewing process, as for how to get to the potion ingredients after arriving at that castle, at that time someone will take the initiative to contact you."

"As for the 'admission pact' magic on the muggle students, I will cast an almost identical magic sign on your body, so that you can mask the detection of the people in that castle, you don't have to worry too much about other things, that pact is just a constraint used to inflict taming education, it doesn't mean that if you sign it you will simply obey. Later, Elmo will also give you a record of the character and habits of the boy you will play, I believe you will read it with great care without me reminding you."

"The last and final thing." Dumbledore handed a crimson feather to Jon, "whether you end up getting that thing or not, as long as you feel like you are in danger of being exposed and discovered, be sure to squeeze this feather, no matter where you are, Fawkes will bring you back."

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