Ten minutes later, Xing Ze changed into a set of clothes from the shop owner's youngest son.
"It makes me look like a country fool."
"That's right, well - it's not enough." John looked around, then grabbed a handful of mud from the ground and smeared it on Xing Ze's pants and shirt, "It looks much better now."
John clapped his hands and said: "Let's go now, boy, remember what I just said..."
"Don't stare at people, and don't talk to strangers. Watch out for kids, because they steal, and watch out for old people, because they steal too. John, I'm not a kid anymore."
John shrugged his shoulders and said: "Hell, stop calling me John, it's a fucking ugly name. Call me J, or Big Dog."
Although Knockturn Alley is right next to Diagon Alley, the two are completely different. If I had to use a metaphor, they are like two strangers.
Maybe Diagon Alley punched his brother when he was in his mother's womb, which caused the two to eventually part ways, but who knows? Two streets next to each other can present completely different social forms. This is also the case in the world.
Rare.
Humid, dark and dilapidated, this place reminded Xing Ze of many past events. He smelled the mixed stench of alcohol, inferior perfume and unknown potions permeating the air.
Local residents gather together in twos and threes. They lower their heads, whisper, and secretly look at you when you are not paying attention.
Children run by on the street from time to time, but they are not playing, but trying to see if they can put their hands into your pockets. Old people are more direct. They will approach you with a staggering step, and then jump on you.
Most outsiders wear black hooded robes, move furtively, and look in a hurry. Unless they want to buy something, they rarely stay in one place for too long.
Along the way, Xing Ze drove away two beggars, three children, and a vendor selling magic medicine. He claimed that his medicine powder was ground from the horns of horned camel beasts and could aphrodisiac.
But he was quickly chased away by John, "Damn you liar." John spat at the hawker's back, "I tried the powder, it smells like smelly socks, and it has no effect at all."
Xing Ze looked at J, as if he were seeing a fish returning to the sea. Whether it was the smell on his body or his bad and neurotic personality, he was exactly the same as Knockturn Alley.
"Where are we going?"
"Have a drink." John pointed in a direction, "It's right in front."
"You may have some misunderstanding, J. I don't have much time."
John made a face, "I know, I know, go on and tell me about those two Aurors, what are they called, David and Danny?"
"Alvin and Sage."
"Yes, I remembered it. Look, tell me more, and then give me a glass of wine to sober up. Maybe I can remember more things."
They walked into a pub without a sign. John asked the bartender for a glass of bourbon and pointed out to Xing Ze to pay.
"What about you, stranger? What do you want?" the bartender asked Xing Ze. He was not tall but very strong, and his exposed arms were covered with thick hair.
"A glass of soda water." Xing Ze said.
The bartender chuckled a few times, turned to John and asked, "Who is this silly boy?"
"Uh-" John looked at Xing Ze and thought for a moment, "My nephew."
"Fuck you, big dog." The bartender took out a glass and pointed at the whiskey. "Do people like you have relatives? Or are you strangers?"
"Don't pay attention to him, Donnie." John drank the wine in one gulp and reached out to knock on the bar. "My brother wants him to experience life with me."
Donnie poured another finger of whiskey, "Stop talking nonsense, J, you said he went to a brothel with you to experience life, I do believe it."
Xing Ze didn't pay attention to the conversation between the bartender and John. He turned around and leaned against the bar counter to observe the entire bar. He saw a child selling candy.
The child was also looking at him, and the two looked at each other for a while, and then the child ran out of the back door. He had to return his attention to John and the bartender.
He saw John take out a Galleons from his pocket and put it on the table. Before entering the bar, the Galleons still belonged to him, and he was convinced that Two Fingers of Whiskey wouldn't cost that much.
"Tell me, Donnie, something interesting has happened recently." John pushed the galleons towards the bartender, "Or some interesting person has come."
"You know, J," the bar expertly slid the gold coin into his palm, "this place is hopeless."
John's expression changed, but he quickly returned to his original appearance, "Has the price increased, Donnie?"
"No, it's just that you made a scene in my brother's bar last night. Do you remember?"
John glanced at Xing Ze guiltily and begged the bartender with an innocent face: "Donnie, hey, man, do you have to choose this time?"
"You know the rules, J. If you break something, you have to pay for it."
"How much?"
"What did you say?" Donnie turned to look at Xing Ze.
Xing Ze turned around and faced Donnie, "He broke the things, plus information consulting fees."
Donnie was hesitant, he glanced at John, who showed a playful smile.
"Total..."
"Hey." Xing Ze interrupted the bartender, who narrowed his eyes and stared at him, "Don't play tricks on me, my uncle knows the price."
Donny shuddered for some reason, took a deep breath, and reported the number.
Xing Ze gave him a few Galleons and two more Coxi, "My soda hasn't been served yet."
…
They couldn't ask anything from Donnie. He talked about a lot of things that happened recently, most of which were trivial things, but there were some that were worth noting, such as the Oil Gang hacking several people to death in the street, and a prostitute being found dead.
Not far from the old Avery house...
Of course, every bartender has some breaking news. Donnie said that in the past six months, more and more people have disappeared in Knockturn Alley, first homeless people and the elderly, then children and out-of-towners.
"Damn, we spent a lot of money in vain." After walking out of the bar, John began to complain, "There are more missing people, damn, why didn't that bitch say that the number of deaths has increased. Every day, this place looks like shit.
There will be a few fewer people, but there will still be a steady influx of people. Fuck the squibs, illegitimate children, and criminals who were abandoned by the big families..."
After discovering that Xing Ze was not listening to him, but scribbling in his notes, John laughed disdainfully, and he mocked: "You are wasting your time, a foreigner, you disappeared in Knockturn Alley
Not many people can be recovered. With luck, you might find them in the Thames."
"This is investigating a case, not catching rabbits." Xing Ze put away his notes, "Be patient, uncle."