Chapter 4: The Key
When his vision cleared, his classroom had been replaced by Diagon Alley. He narrowed his eyes. What he was seeing wasn't possible. There was no apparating within Hogwarts grounds, and he had not stepped out of a fireplace to get here. He was not even inside a building. Something was horribly wrong about all of this. The normally bustling street felt malevolent somehow, and was mostly abandoned except for the odd few who were hurrying to reach their destinations. The sky was overcast and threatening rain. He was about to apparate back to the gates of Hogwarts when a snippet of conversation caught his attention. A woman was questioned in regards to today's date, and her response was July 2nd. Surely they were mistaken. That was four months ago, and although he owned a timeturner, he did not have it on him at the moment. A familiar voice caught his attention and his head snapped towards the source of it. Two figures were striding down the other side of the street, heading towards Knockturn Alley.
"I told you not to bother me in public, Wormtail! I do not wish to be seen with you." A woman, the taller of the two, hissed. They were both dressed in dark, hooded cloaks that made it difficult for Severus to see their faces. He had no doubt, though, that it was Bellatrix hidden beneath that cloak, and he only knew one person who went by the name Wormtail.
"But, Mistress, you told me to tell you immediately when there was any news of the temple." Wormtail objects, scurrying after her.
Severus waited until they had passed him before casting a disillusionment charm on himself and crossing the street to trail after them. He was close enough to hear them, but far enough back that they wouldn't notice him.
Bellatrix shushed Wormtail. "Keep your voice down before I silence you permanently. We cannot discuss this here." She led Wormtail down into Knockturn Alley and Severus slipped through the door behind them when they entered Borgin and Burkes. Two others in identical cloaks seemed to be waiting for them there. Severus slid behind a large cabinet. He couldn't see them without peeking around it, but he could still hear them. "Now, Wormtail, tell us. What news have you about the temple?" Bellatrix asks impatiently.
"Rumor has it that the temple has chosen a new home. It is no longer in Bulgaria." Wormtail says excitedly. He seemed to pause for dramatic effect and Severus rolled his eyes.
Bellatrix wasn't having any of it either. "Well? Where is it?" She snaps at him.
"There are whispers of it relocating somewhere within the mountains of Scotland." Wormtail says gleefully.
"Hogwarts," Bellatrix hisses in disgust. "Of course it would choose that place in search of someone 'worthy'."
Severus frowned. A temple that moved on its own in search of someone worthy? Worthy of what exactly? The deatheaters fell silent as Mr. Borgin emerged from the back. Severus peeked around the corner at him against his better judgment. He was carrying a small, dark blue velvet box. "I believe I have found what you have been searching for." He greets them. They had obviously been in here before.
"Show me," Bellatrix demands gleefully.
"This had better be worth it, Bellatrix." One of the other deatheaters threatened.
"Or what? You'll Crucio me?" Bellatrix giggles as Mr. Borgin opened the box for her. He could see her shoulders stiffen as she reached out a hand. "The Key of Talisvita."
Mr. Borgin snapped the lid shut before she could touch it. "There is a price for everything, Mrs. Lestrange, and this was quite difficult to get my hands on."
"How much?" Bellatrix demands. Severus could tell by her tone of voice that she wasn't leaving here without it, even if she had to kill him for it.
"I will take no less than one hundred galleons for it." He answers firmly.
"You will take fifty galleons, eleven sickles, two knuts, and the gratitude you will feel when I walk out of here without killing you." Bellatrix counters sweetly.
Borgin swallowed hard. He didn't want to hand the box over for that little, but he knew Bellatrix was serious. He nodded reluctantly. "That will be agreeable, Mrs. Lestrange."
Bellatrix tossed a small sack of coins on the counter. The other two deatheaters did as well, and Borgin handed Bellatrix the box. She opened it again, this time taking out a long silver chain. A large black key hung from the other end of it, embellished with a white rose that seemed to be made from anandalite, considering the prism of colors it created even in the dim light of this room.
"We are so close." Bellatrix whispered, and Severus shuddered. He had never seen her that serious before. Whatever it was she was after, he couldn't let her have it. If she wanted it that badly, Severus could only imagine the amount of damage it would wreck on the wizarding world.
If that was the key she used to steal from the temple, all he had to do was take it from her. Bellatrix exited the shop with her box, and the three others followed close behind. Severus was about to step out of his corner, but ended up stumbling forward instead, clutching his head when the ringing in his ears started again. No. He wasn't ready.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Dumbledore's bitch." Borgin smirked ar him. He was cross from his transaction with Bellatrix and he looked at Severus as though someone had just given him a punching bag. His spell must have fallen. From him somehow. Before he could raise his wand to defend himself, his vision clouded over and he vanished from knockturn alley.
