Alex enters the store, takes a quick look at his [Destiny Watch], and decides not to waste any time. He speaks to the elderly owner in a forceful voice: “I need twenty—no, just give me every single last one of your chickens, already clean and ready to eat… I mean, ready to cook, of course. I don’t want to prepare them myself! Also give me every single fruit you have available, along with your entire grain reserves! I’m taking every last bit you have. Oh, and I need quite a few barrels of alcohol—whatever you’ve got. Not the too expensive stuff, though, okay? Maybe just give me a few bottles of your good stuff along with the cheaper stuff… that should be all. Let me think for a minute.”


    “Please don’t take everything; I need to make a living! I can only afford to lose a little!” the store owner pleads.


    “Huh?! Are you stupid? I’m not looking to rob you, but to buy, obviously! Do I look scary or something?” Alex questions the shopkeeper, looking confused.


    “Yes… your spider looks ready to kill and eat me. I’m kinda scared! It’s even drooling,” the owner says, obviously frightened.


    “Anyway, I’m buying all this stuff. Get it ready and start with the chickens, okay?” Alex clarifies. Soon, the elderly shopkeeper calls out to a few workers who prepare everything Alex ordered.


    While Jewel munches on a fresh chicken—her Ruby Teeth allowing her to eat the food like most other animals, without needing to soften up her prey like other spiders do—Alex begins to bag everything the workers bring to him.


    Alex thinks with a smile, unable to even slightly scold Jewel, despite knowing he probably should. He’s willing to spoil her just a little.


    With his inventory packed to the brim with a huge amount of food and his purse a few hundred Galleons lighter, Alex leaves the store and quickly hurries toward Knockturn Alley.


    Alex quickly walks toward Knockturn Alley by simply following a bunch of suspicious-looking wizards dressed all in black and wearing masks.


    It only takes him a few minutes to enter the small, shady back alley directly connected to Diagon Alley, commonly known as Knockturn Alley.


    Alex enters it and immediately hates how tight the alley is. Some parts barely allow a few people to squeeze past each other.


    He spots a bunch of shady characters—thieves, robbers, kidnappers. Alex doesn’t really care what crimes they’re committing; he just doesn’t want them close.


    He decides to use Ren and confidently walks along the alley. Everyone with bad intentions now goes out of their way to avoid him.


    Alex spots another shady man, looking dirty and sketchy. He grabs a bunch of Sickles and approaches the man, immediately pressing him against the wall, his head even crashing against it.


    “Don’t say a word. See these shiny Sickles? I’ll give them to you. You’ll now walk toward the betting shop next to Cobb & Webb’s without saying a word. After we arrive, I’ll give you these coins. No problem—we both win. If you understand, then move, and hurry up! Also, no word to anyone.”


    The man looks confused but greedily stares at the coins in Alex’s hand. Deciding he’s got nothing to lose, he quietly and swiftly walks toward the betting shop. It takes just three minutes to arrive, and Alex casually drops the coins on the ground next to him.


    The unwitting tour guide instantly kneels down, picks them up with a huge smile, and quickly walks away.


    Alex takes out a small pouch and places a bunch of Knuts, Sickles, and even a few Galleons inside. He then hands the bag to Jewel. Sёarch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jewel uses her legs to skillfully create a chain out of web, which easily carries the small pouch filled with coins. She wears it happily around her neck, looking a bit silly with her silver crown and pouch necklace.


    Alex is shocked. Jewel answers immediately and even names the correct amount.


    Alex enters the seedy, old-looking betting shop, which resembles more of a wooden shack than a real building.


    Immediately, three or four shady, overall poor and worn-out-looking wizards stare at him. They give him a deep look, but after seeing Alex’s confident expression and Jewel on his head, they decide to ignore him, unable to get a solid read on him.


    Alex approaches the counter and sees a young witch, probably no older than 20, standing behind it.


    “Hello there miss, you sure as hell don’t look like an old and nasty witch to me. I take it you just work here?” Alex questions her with a smile.


    “Hello, you must be new. Nobody dares to speak that way about the owner. Better be careful she doesn’t hea—” she says but stops as she turns around and sees an older-looking witch wearing a pitch-black robe, her grey hair mostly covered by a hood. The witch stares at Alex with a hostile look.


    “I guess that would be me. Give me one reason why I shouldn’t kick you out,” she declares boldly.


    “Well, that was the description given to me. Of course, I wouldn’t tell you who called you that—that would be very unethical. On a completely unrelated matter, I’m here to pay off Hagrid’s debts,” Alex says, dropping the small pouch filled with Hagrid’s debts on the counter.


    “Heh, well, I’ll take back my words. I rather like you! Direct and with a sense of humor. Next time, I’ll leave a little present in that giant’s drink—he’ll be surprised,” she says before looking at Alex again with a serious face. “Anything else you want? You seem to be new around here.”


    “I’ll order your best drink if you tell me who the so-called old snake named Morris is,” Alex says, trying to bribe and charm his way toward a quick resolution of his annoying task.


    The owner immediately smiles and calls out to the others: “Our new guest is throwing a round—come get a drink. Morris, you as well. He’s got some business with you.”


    “Who said I’m paying for everyone? Anyway, how much does your most expensive drink cost?” Alex asks the younger barmaid he initially spoke to.


    “Don’t worry. Do we look like a place for a refined audience? Just a few Sickles—relax,” she says.


    Alex throws a couple of Galleons on the counter and says, “I’ll pay until that runs dry,” causing the other guests to cheer loudly.


    Alex then looks around until he spots Morris at the counter, as the owner points towards him with a smile. He stands up, sits directly next to him, and says, “Morris, right? Consider that drink as a nice way of me greeting you. I’m here to collect Hagrid’s bet. Can you pay up? I’m a busy guy!”


    “Screw off! I’m not giving that to him. He cheated!” Morris says, looking away.


    “Excuse me, owner, how much would it cost to completely renovate this bar?”


    “Just a few Galleons. Why are you asking?” she responds with a curious face, not understanding what Alex is getting at, as she hands him a glass of his own, filled with some sort of liquor.


    “Good to know. So, I won’t have to pay too much after I beat you up and totally wreck this place,” Alex says with a smile.


    He then forcefully pulls Morris’s glass out of his hand and pours the contents over his head, activating Ren.


    Alex calmly threatens, “Now, Morris, or whatever your name is, give me the fucking Niffler food, or I’ll stuff this empty glass into your mouth, making it so large that a fucking Niffler can fit inside and hide his gold there. I’ll give you three seconds. One, two…”


    Alex lifts the glass and shatters it on the counter, grabbing a few glass shards.


    “Thr—” Alex tries to say, but the panicked Morris immediately screams, “Stop! I’m sorry. Here, you can have it.”


    Alex grabs a small bag of supposed Niffler food that Morris takes out of his coat, opens it, and discovers it’s some sort of powder with a nutty smell.


    “If this isn’t the real thing, I’ll fucking promise you, you’ll regret this day for the rest of your life,” Alex says with a smile, looking slightly crazed.


    Alex talks a little longer with the owner and the young barmaid, asking about various shops, including the White Wyvern pub, where he’s intending to meet Lucius Malfoy later.


    Just a bit more informed about how things work around here, Alex plans to leave.


    “Anyway, thanks for the drink,” he says while emptying his glass in one go, feeling his throat burn. He doesn’t detect any depth of flavor at all, honestly hating the drink. “Though it tasted like shit!”


    “Pfft, get out. If you can’t appreciate what I offer, you’re not welcome here,” the old owner laughs and jokes as she returns to the back of the shop.