Just Another Chat Group

Leaving any heavily fortified facility is usually an endeavor worth a movie. At the very least a series of books that turn into a TV deal. 

That is how these things usually go. The heavily fortified location I want to leave on the other hand is a school. Sure this place can be locked down as a fortress but right now it's a school. So there is nothing that is really stopping me from leaving. Other than a reprimand from the staff and I only have a month till the end of term. So it's not exactly a concern.

So I could walk out these doors and hike a couple of miles until I could apparate to where I wanted to. If I could apparate that is. Learning to teleport is obviously on my list but I have not had the time to do so. You had to be a certain age to learn and I have not reached that age yet. I could wing it but why would I do so when I had other options?

The Floo for example. A safe and easy way of traveling vast amounts of distances. It is the go to travel method of most magical citizens. Sure if you want to go somewhere really far you need to get a Portkey but for regular travel Floo is the way to go. Apparition covers the same vein in the travel department but not everyone can. It's a skill that takes time to practice and why bother when the Floo is there? A perfect example that on average most people are rather lazy.

Regardless the Floo is my best option and there is one in Hogwarts. Of course, the ones I am aware of are located in areas I am not allowed in. So maybe there is a possibility of that prison break out movie. It would take courage, cunning, and a fair bit of luck but I could break into those areas and escape. Or I could just go to Hogsmead and use the Floo there. 

Risk danger and maybe even being subjected to detainment or just leaving. I think everyone knows what choice I made. So I just left Hogwarts using the secret passage that leads to the shrieking shack. Sure Dumbledore might be aware that I was leaving but he can't just keep me here against my will. 

Hell, he might not even be watching me as he will have to quell the chaos I left behind. It's not a large window but it is one I can take advantage of. Not that the consequences of people knowing I left are serious. So here I am in the spooky shack that Lupin uses when he is having his time of the month.

I can see why it's rumored to be haunted. Sure the unlucky quadruplets started the rumor but everyone accepted it. The place is torn to shreds. Furniture completely destroyed and a draft from literally everywhere. The claw marks that litter the place send rather spooky signals. People should really be thinking of werewolves instead of ghosts. The thing is with Dumbeldore near by no one would think a werewolf would settle here.

The populace should really think for themselves instead of trusting the old goat fucker. Sadly thinking for themselves is not a trait the magical population likes to establish. So they ignore the blatant signs of the werewolf because of Dumbledore. 

I wonder how they would react to knowing he willingly allowed a werewolf to nest here. Better yet how they would react to him allowing it near their children. I could deal a rather vicious political blow to him and ruin Lupin's life. If I was still in the Dark Lord's camp I would do it. Sadly I am leaning towards the light side so I can't ruin the mutt's day.

Still shitty shack aside this makes a good hideout. Not that I would set up here as it was already claimed by the Fantastic Four. Which is giving me ideas. I know they are going to pop up here eventually so trapping it is an option. I could do it for shits and giggles but I'll save this ambush plan for mugging Potter.

Plans for later. Leaving the general area now. The shack is a fair bit away from Hogmeads which only accelerated the haunting rumors. It is not the several mile hike I would have to take to escape the wards so go me.

So I found my self in the little village rather quickly. There are only a couple people going about their daily lives. It is currently not the weekend so the student body is back in the castle. So no one really bothered me other than wondering why a student was here. While they are adults they have no authority over me so they ignore me.

There was really not a lot to see here. Several stores that sold things that would interest students. A cafe and two taverns cause drinking is something all societies do. A general store that the villagers flocked to. The prices there are a rip off but it's close. They could instead Floo to Diagon but then they would have to deal with the Floo.

While it is a safe way of traveling it is rather disorienting. Not something people want to experience when they can get the same goods for a higher price. Only those who really pinched their pennies bothered to go to Diagon. 

Which meant the Floo station had a rather short line. Again some people gave me looks but seeing my confident demeanor ignored me. If you look like you belong only those who have a stake in it would care.

I paid the fee. Gathered the powder and threw it on the fire. It changed from a warm yellow to an eerie green. I wonder if it's a choice to have it green. For obvious reasons the color green is frowned upon. Unless you are a part of the Dark faction in which case no one cares. Still, the color is rather off putting for a mode of transportation.

"Diagon Alley." I spoke in a clear and slow tone. Why in god's name did we as a society decide the name of this place had to be a pun. I mean come on I get it har har funny funny. The thing is people mispronouncing a common shopping center is a daily occurrence. Something everyone has at least done once. We still insist on the fucking name even with all those accidents. Truly we are a peak society.

I step into the now blazing flame. I can't lie a part of me is fearful of this even knowing it is safe. The part of me that has lived all his life in a magical place silenced it but it was still there. The primal instincts of the ape scream fire bad no touch. 

As I merged into the flame I felt myself flung at outrageous speeds. Thrown through a far too tight slide while spinning. I have become the Beyblade. I do not like it. I wanted to see my surroundings but I was spinning far too fast to discern anything. Not to mention the sights made me want to hurl. So I closed my eyes. Sadly for my hearing, I was not capable of turning it off. So I had to deal with the deafening sounds that merged into one big noise.

I had to deal with all of that for what felt like ages but I knew it was mere moments. I popped out of the fireplace and found myself in Diagon. It was only my quick reflexes that saved me from falling face first. My nose has been broken far too many times already. 

I moved away quickly so as to not collide with someone coming out. I did throw a glare at the fire place. I had to learn to apparate I don't care if it does carry the risk of bodily harm. I refuse to have to use that thing. That and teleporting is fucking cool so learning to apparate is now a priority. I supposed I could deafen myself with a charm but the spinning would still feel awful.

I know I am going to have to use it at least one more time. So I am trying to figure out solutions to that chaos. I could knock myself out but then I would be thrown out and passed out. Pain or discomfort that is the question. As I pondered that I looked around Diagon.

In comparison to Hogmeads Diagon was busy. I know the magical population is low but seeing the crowd in front of me pulls that into question. Countless bodies travel to and fro as they stop at shops. It reminds me of Tokyo and the controlled crowds. 

I suppose it is a question of location as opposed to population. Diagon is literally the shopping center for magical Britain. So everyone comes here. For both business and pleasure. Not to mention the daily needs people take care of here. It's rather strange for such a segregated community as everyone shops here. Sure the Dark faction controls Knockturn but for daily necessities, Diagon was the place to be. It's not even that large of a place so I guess that's why it looked so cramped.

I don't really have that much business here. I have a fair amount of coin with my sacks of knuts but nothing I really needed desperately. I could convert them into Galleons at Gringotts. I could even sell my jewels. If I wanted to be ripped off that is.

Goblins are the kings of lowballing. They will literally fight you tooth and nail for a better deal for them. Sure they can do literally anything for the right price but they are the ones setting the price. I could spend days fighting for the right price and I would only end up with the proper worth of the items. Unless I wanted to spend months of time negotiating with them. They could certainly pay the most but you have to fight for it.

So I was better off trading my gems and jewelry elsewhere. I am not Harry Potter who instantly has the Goblins suck his dick because he was nice one time. I am certainly envious of those fanfiction protagonists. Not for the Goblin dick sucking I imagine it's a lot of teeth. No, I am jealous because they can steam roll canon with sheer OP nonsense. I have my gifts but I am not there just yet.

Speaking of OP nonsense there is an item I want here. Well, not here I would have to travel to Knockturn. It's also going to cost me a lot of my loot but the price is well worth it. So I took a couple of turns and ended up in the dreaded Knockturn.

The Alley seemed to have sucked all the sunlight away. Which again I get but come on do we really have to be this cliche? Our society is really fucking strange. Every one and any one looked sketchy here. Even if they were only standing around talking. There was a Hag that gave me a toothless smile but I ignored it. I was rather familiar with this place. I was rather fascinated with the Dark side of the Force for a long while. So I knew exactly where to go.

Borgin's. The place sold just about anything if you knew how to ask for it. Of course, the price increased vastly from other reputable sources. Sometimes you need a human skull no questions asked and here is where you went.

The shop in question appeared spooky as all shops in Knocktun did. Nothing clearly illegal on the shelves but some did toe the line. Not a place I would want to be caught in by Lily but other than that it was fine. Even if the shrunken shriveled heads were disgusting to look at. Not that I objected to selling severed heads but these were clearly for decorative purposes.

Borgin was a thin hunched man with oily black hair that he slicked back. It was like looking at an older sick version of myself. I really had to work on my image. The oily hair is just not going to work out for me.

"Mr.Snape should I expect Mr.Malfoy to coming soon." His slimy voice bothered me. I don't know if his voice was slimy because he was a salesman or because he looked like a creature of some sort.

"Not today Borgin, I'm in need of your services." I spoke out blandly I knew what he was about. I don't need to be friendly.

"You do?" He looked surprised which I expected.

"My stock can be rather pricey." He gave me a slick smile.

"I can afford it." I then dropped some of the most expensive jewelry I found on the counter.

"Well, would you look at that? I suppose you can." He was giving them a greedy look as he looked through the selection.

"So what do you want." Let no one deny when money was involved Borgins delivered.

"I need an invisibility cloak." I could buy the vanishing cabinet but I don't need it right now. Not to mention I knew it was going to stay here for a long while. The cloak on the other hand I can swap with The Death Cloack. It irks me that I am spending so much just so I can swap it. Still, I knew it was going to be well worth the price.

Borgins gave the jewelry a measured look before giving me that slick smile again.

"I'm afraid those can get rather pricey. Even this won't cover it." Borgin said smiling all the time. Which I knew to be bullshit even a fresh cloak would not be that expensive. You just had to have the proper channels to buy one. Channels that I did not have access to sadly. So I had to put up with this slimeball.

"I don't need a fresh one, just a year will do." I spoke out slowly so he would not be able to twist my words. If I said I needed a used one he would get me one that expired tomorrow. I don't have the political weight to frighten him so I have to be careful. As long as I specified we would be square as not giving me exactly what I asked for would be bad. If only because I would tell Lucius.

"I suppose this would be enough." Borkins said in a rather sour tone. As if he did not make a massive profit on this. He could use that jewelry to buy three fresh cloaks. I'm the one being taken advantage of but he looked like someone kicked his puppy.

Still business was business so he walked away from the counter and brought a cloak from the back. I did not expect he would have exactly what I needed immediately. I thought it was going to take a couple of days for him to get me what I needed.

He must have read the look on my face as he dropped the cloak on the counter.

"A lucky coincidence. Someone just sold me a cloak that had about 9 months left. Not quite a year but this should work right?" Borgins gave me a toothy smile at that. This son of a bitch is still lowballing me. Still, nine months is more than enough time. So I'll take the low ball for now but I will have my vengeance Borgin.

"Fine." I snarled out and picked up the cloak. Turning around and leaving the shop,

"Pleasure doing business with you Mr.Snape do come again." I don't have to turn around to see that slimy smile to know he is doing it. Vengeance will be mine just not today. 

Still, it's not too bad it's just my greedy nature sore about losing out on loot. I now have an Invisibility cloak that I can trade into The Death Cloak. Hell, I can even use the thing until I swap it. It would certainly make robbing the blood bank easier. Even if I already could turn invisible. So I put on the cloak and left Diagon through the Leaky Cauldron. Muggle London here I come.