I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 4 – Return to Knockturn Alley

It was cool and overcast when Harry and Ron appeared in the designated Apparition square in Diagon Alley the next afternoon. They quickly moved into the Alley itself to make room for other arrivals.

The two Aurors enjoyed their slow walk towards Knockturn Alley, stopping to admire the latest broom in the Broomstix window and dashing into Eeylops Owl Emporium when Ron remembered that he needed more treats for Pigwidgeon. Harry made a similar run into Whizz Hard Books when his eye was caught by a tiny snitch being circled by similarly miniature brooms from which were hanging a new book by the retired Pride of Portree seeker. The book, Snitching: Truths as Seen from a Broom promised revelations that would help any player improve their game alongside juicy gossip. Harry knew Ginny would want to read it. He shrunk his purchase as they left the bookstore. He made another dash into Slug & Jiggers to buy some Invigoration Draught.

Harry and Ron passed Selena's Sumptuous Selections, a new restaurant they had heard about but which neither had tried yet, and entered Knockturn Alley where they felt the temperature drop by several degrees as the gloom got deeper. "Right cheery, mate. So where do we start?" Ron asked as he made sure his wand was still within easy reach.

Harry looked around. Although he heard a low buzz of conversation that indicated people were around, it was as if they had melted into the walls of the buildings. Only a few people were in sight, and they were trying hard not to be seen staring at the Aurors: a man with a thin scraggly beard was leaning against a wall; a short, stout woman with her mouth set in a grim line; and someone tall in a cape with the hood pulled up and shadowing their face.

Harry shrugged. "Maybe approach the old man first? If that's his regular perch then he might know what happened." However, as Harry and Ron started in his direction, the wizard Apparated away. When the two looked around, the other two figures had disappeared as well, though the feeling of being watched remained. "Do you get the feeling we're not welcomed here?"

"Nah, what gave you that idea, mate?" Ron replied sarcastically. "Well, let's chase down one of the shop owners. They can't disappear on us."

"There's a likely one to know – Madam Godrun's Fortunes for Sale. Shall we?"

Harry was expecting something similar to Trelawney's classroom, crowded with tables and lamps covered with red scarves. Instead, only one round table sat off to the side and the room was bright compared to the gloom outside. What was similar was the sickly smell of too much incense. It was warm enough inside for the two to unbutton their robes.

Harry was so busy looking around at the shelves lining the walls and their collection of crystal balls, teacups, cards, feathers, and bones that he was startled when someone spoke up. "I've been expecting you."

The witch who had spoken wore a robe of an unremarkable color with a pattern that faded into the wallpaper behind her. She was idly shuffling a deck of cards and had a pipe on the table before her.

Ron was equally startled but quickly recovered. "Hello, ma'am. I'm Auror Weasley and this is Auror Potter. We're here …"

"I know why you're here," the witch interrupted. "You want to know about the recent attack here in the Alley. Sit."

"Yes, umm, Madam Godrun?" acknowledged Harry. The witch tilted her head so Harry assumed he was right. "We're really hoping you can help us identify the attackers."

The fortuneteller continued to shuffle the cards. The she fanned the deck with one hand and held it out to them. "Each of you pick one." When they hesitated, she picked up her pipe with her other hand and took a deep puff. "I thought you wanted answers."

Harry and Ron looked at each other before each picking a card. Ron turned his over first. On it was a picture of an eagle perched atop a bronze bell. The eagle flapped its wings as if about to take off. The card rose slightly off the table but settle down again when the eagle stopped to preen its feathers. "So much for that. I was a Gryffindor, not a Ravenclaw," Ron said.

Harry kicked him under the table but Madam Godrun seem unperturbed. "I tell the future, not the past," she said calmly. "You will be joining one with wisdom."

Ron turned red. "Well, um, someday I hope, but not soon!"

The fortuneteller stared at him for a moment before turning to Harry. "Your card?"

Harry reluctantly turned it over. On it was a runespoor with each of the three mouths open, tongues flicking in and out.

The fortuneteller tapped the card. Instantly, the three heads focused on her finger. "You need to be careful for the next three months. Troubling danger threatens."

"That's nothing new," Harry scoffed, but he felt uneasy.

The witch took the cards back and puffed her pipe. "Take it as you will. You were the ones who entered my shop seeking answers."

"And after three months?"

The witch looked at him speculatively. "Maybe the immediate threat passes, or maybe you die. If you want to know more, pay me the two galleons each for the first readings."

"We didn't ask you for our fortune!" Ron sputtered.

"As I recall, you indicated you wanted something. I gave you a reading and now you owe me the money. Two galleons. Each." She pointed to a sign behind the table that Harry would have sworn was not there when they walked in.

"Fine, but you haven't answered our question," said Harry as he dug in his pocket for some change. Ron did the same.

Madam Godrun stood up and motioned for the others to do so as well. "I see the future, not the past, so I can't help you in your search."

The door banged behind them as they left the shop. Harry turned to Ron. "Well, that was a waste of time."

"I think we got taken, mate," Ron agreed.

"I dunno, that seems more accurate than any the predictions we made for Trelawney's homework," Harry sniggered before abruptly stopping. He'd seen something that reminded him of a terrible sight in the Forbidden Forest when he was a First Year. "Ron," he whispered urgently. "Look down a couple of shops. Do you see the two figures in cloaks bending over something? What do you think they're up to?"

Ron followed Harry's line of sight. He grabbed the handle of his wand but kept it in its sheath. "I see them, mate. They look pretty small – maybe goblins or dwarves?"

"Let's see if they're up to anything."

The two Aurors had only gone a halfway when the cloaked figures heard them and twirled around. They briefly saw two young faces before the children rose up and scampered down the alley, their giggles fading as the disappeared around a corner. When Harry and Ron got to where the children had been they saw an abandoned gobstones set; a foul-smelling goo was still trickling out of the largest marble.

Harry dropped his arms to his side. "Sorry about that, Ron. I guess I'm a bit jumpy for some reason."

"No problems, mate. I thought they looked suspicious too." Ron used his wand to gather the gobstones together, cast a Reparo on the ones that had been smashed, and piled them against the building. "Hopefully the kids will find them when they come back. I hope no one steals them in the meantime."

"Me, too." Harry brushed his hair back and pointed to the shop across the street. "Let's try Basil's Betting Barn next. Maybe our luck will turn."

A loud whirring bell chimed as they opened the door. As they stepped inside the sound of the bell was drowned out by a cacophony of beeps, clangs, honks and whistles, with an occasional moan mixed in. Their direct way forward was blocked by a table upon which sat multiple three foot tall contraptions, the colors of which the Chudley Cannons and Tutshill Tornadoes quidditch teams would be proud of. The flashing lights dazzled their eyes and it took them a moment to see floating feathered arrows pointing invitingly to various coin slots. Looking around the table, they saw the entire room was a panoply of rotating balls, rings in the shape of an ouroboros the size of a child, and pyramids that flipped over and over. The riot of colors almost physically hurt their eyes.

Harry and Ron were so busy taking it all it that they were startled when they heard a voice behind them. "Ah, my first customers of the afternoon. And what game of fortune interests you two fine gentlewizards on this wonderful day?"

Turning, they saw a tall, slender man wearing a cloak of everchanging swirling numbers.

"Good afternoon, sir. Actually, we're just here to ask a few questions about the incidents here in Knockturn Alley over the summer," Harry replied. "Do you have a few minutes?"

The man's welcoming smile turned crafty as he looked around his establishment. "Are you now? Well, right this way. I've something that will help you." He rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

The wizard led them to a large floor vase holding something that looked like a dead tree trunk. To their surprise, it began to grow branches that reached to the ceiling. Abruptly, all but three of branches disappeared. Where the branches touched the ceiling, three circles of vivid violet appeared. "There you go, gentlewizards. The answers you seek."

"Um, we ask the tree?" asked Ron bemused.

The wizard chuckled. "Well, of course you need to pay first. Just insert your galleon into the hole in the trunk."

Harry shrugged and pulled out a galleon. He'd seen stranger things than talking trees.

As he held out his hand, an adorable squirrel appeared at the hole and grabbed the money in its mouth before disappearing back into the hole again. The tangled branches abruptly disappeared so that all that was left was the trunk. A few seconds later, it began to grow again, the branches interweaving and swirling until they reached the ceiling. As before, all but three of the branches disappeared, this time creating circles of dazzling yellow, luminescent blue, and brilliant green. The squirrel peaked out from the hole again, its sad, large, round eyes begging to be fed with another galleon.

"Ach, sorry, my out-of-luck gentlewizards. It looks like no answers for you. Unless you'd like to take another chance? It's only a galleon to feed the squirrel, after all," he added quickly.

Mesmerized, Harry reached deeply into his pocket feeling for coins, but Ron grabbed his right arm. "Not a ruddy chance," the redhead answered. "C'mon, mate."

"What was that all about?" Harry whispered furiously once they were back on the street. "If he just wanted more bribe money, I was willing to pay it."

"No. You were about to get dragged into a game called Sapsucker Feed. My dad mentioned it awhile back but I'd forgotten about it until now. It's a nasty import from America. Gamblers are attracted by the swirling colors. The squirrel has a mild Compassion Charm on it that makes you want to keep feeding it. Gamblers feed the squirrel hoping to win big and play until they're out of money. They win just enough times to keep them going."

Harry shuddered. "I just thought the squirrel was really cute."

Ron chuckled. "Yeah, and it seems the more you play the more the charm affects you. Dad said Sapsucker Feed should be banned, but apparently there's enough people profiting off of it to make getting it declared illegal impossible. They argue that since players know the charm is on the squirrel that they are entering into the risk voluntarily."

"I didn't know!" Harry sputtered. "We need report it!"

Ron shook his head. "Won't work. When I saw the squirrel come out, I looked at the base of the tree. A sign appeared warning that a mild Compassion Charm was in play. Player dutifully warned, and game is legal."

"Well, thanks for stopping me from making a fool of myself."

"Or a pauper out of you!" Ron teased. Looking around, Ron noticed a lanky wizard down the street leaning seemingly casually against a storefront. Turning serious, he poked his friend. "See there, mate? I don't get a good feeling about this."

Harry grabbed the handle of his wand. "Let's see if he has anything to say to us," he said grimly.

Before the two friends could go more than a few feet, a witch in a long cloak appeared from inside the shop and joined the wizard. She kissed him. They could be heard gently laughing as they turned their backs on the two Aurors and walked nonchalantly down the alley.

Harry shook his hands to release some of his adrenaline. "We're just jumping at shadows," he said in disgust.

"Remember where we are, though. Constant vigilance, and all that," Ron replied.

Harry laughed. "You have to yell it out, Ron!" he joked. "Look – there's McHavelock's Wizarding Headgear. That sounds like a nice, normal type store."

Ron gave a slight ironic bow. "Works for me. After you, oh junior detective."

Rolling his eyes, Harry opened the door. To his relief, the store was as normal inside as it appeared from the outside. Shelves lined the walls full of hats. One wall had witches' hats of a variety of designs. Some had tall points, others were squat; some had tassels of a variety of sizes or other features at the peak while others were plain; and some had brims that could hide the face completely, while others were mere cones. They came in a rainbow of colors. A few were had literal rainbows on them, with water gently dribbling off; the ones that were of a solid color even when fluorescent seemed Puritan next to the ones displaying twinkling stars and moons going through phases, animals including fire-breathing dragons, or just swirling patterns that entranced the eye.

The other walls were lined with a variety of other types of headgear. Turbans had several rows, as did scarves. Derbies sat next to the furry busbies and Robin Hood's bycocket shared a shelf with a Pilgrim's capotain. Harry saw a lone coonskin cap peaking out from behind a couple of deerstalkers. He could see wizards buying a top hat but wondered how big the market was for pith helmets. Given that there was only one of the latter, he assumed not too big.

"May I help you?" A wizard with a natty peach basket hat stepped up to them, his eyes briefly flitting to Harry's scar.

Harry took his eyes off of the pears and dirigible plums on the man's head. "We're actually here to help you. We're tracking down the gang that is causing havoc in the streets here and need to know if you have any information which could be helpful."

The wizard shook his head, causing a green apple to roll off the hat and splatter on the floor. Harry and Ron tensed slightly when the wizard took out his wand, but the shopkeeper merely pointed his wand to the mess on the ground and Vanished it before slipping the wand back into his sleeve. "I've already been … well, I guess 'asked' is the legal term since obviously you Aurors only interrogate people once you've taken them in. No. I did not see any Death Eaters. I carefully lock up and ward my business before sundown."

Ron nodded. "Right smart of you. But we're not looking for Death Eaters today, unless they're the ones that caused the trouble last week."

The wizard sniffed, causing a grape to fall from a bunch on his hat. He deftly caught it and popped it in his mouth. "Of course not. Oh, I need to remember me manners. Would you like some?" He reached up and plucked a few more grapes.

"Uh, no thank you," replied Harry politely. Even Ron was not inclined to accept the offer.

"You don't know what you're missing." The shop owner shrugged. "I can't help you. I suggest you check the shop right across the street. They're the ones who keep an eye on things, if you know what I mean."

Harry exchanged a glance with Ron. "We'll do that then. Thank you for your time."

It had begun to rain when they re-entered the alley. The few people in the street were hurrying along with their hoods tightly drawn up, ignoring the two Aurors. The two cast a waterproof charm on themselves as they crossed the alleyway. "Well, fourth time's the charm, as Mum would say," Ron said optimistically.

"Fourth … must be a wizarding thing. But I'm not looking forward to asking." Harry was staring into the dirty windows of the shop they were about to enter. The display of shrunken heads advertised the store's wares. He took a deep breath and the two entered Noggin and Bonce.

The walls of the narrow store were lined with more shrunken heads. Harry had the uncomfortable feeling of a multitude of eyes following them as they walked in. When he gazed at any specific head, however, he found its eyes were turned away from him. Similarly, he would have sworn he heard the sibilant whispering of a legion of voices, but when he looked closely at any one, its mouth was crudely sewn shut. He jumped when a high-pitched voice spoke up from behind him. "What're are ye interested in t'day? I jus' received a new shipmen' of fine quality heads fer ye t' look at. Ri' t'is way."

The Aurors were unsure if the woman who greeted them was a witch or a hag. She was plagued with numerous warts and when she spoke, her parted chapped lips revealed a mouthful of snaggleteeth. However, her long, shiny hair was meticulously woven into neat coils and her manicured fingernails were covered with intricate, moving designs. Her piercing blue eyes looked at them warily. A boy slightly younger than the two Aurors stood protectively on one side of her; a girl maybe a year younger, stood nearby. If their mother was half hag, it was obvious the children took after the wizarding half. Both stared at them as if daring Harry and Ron to say anything about her appearance.

"Ma'am," Ron started, then stopped for a moment when the boy scoffed at Ron's attempt at politeness as if he thought the Auror was making fun of his mother. "I'm Ron Weasley and this is Harry Potter."

"Ye don' say," the witch responded dryly. Her eye traveled from Harry's scar down to his neck, following the curse burn.

Harry cleared his throat. "We're here to get information on the attack that occurred outside your door recently."

The witch barely moved. "Ye don' say," she repeated. "I've already talked w' t' Aurors. I saw not'in', and neit'er did my …" she looked around the shop, "…wares. I pull down t' shutters at night, but even if I didn't, t'ey have terrible night vision." The girl reached out to cuff the back of one of the shrunken heads that seemed to be holding in laughter. Harry could have sworn the head glared at the girl in response.

Harry decided to try to establish some sort of rapport with the children, hoping it would make them more willing to help. "Did you just graduate from Hogwarts? What an upset last spring, eh, with Ravenclaw winning the cup!"

The boy shrugged. "Wouldn't know about that. I was supposed to get me OWLs three years ago but things weren't pleasant none so I took me sis and left. Don't need more than that anyway."

"Headmaster Snape didn't protect you? I would have thought Slytherins at least would have been safe," Ron mused.

"Slytherins? We were Badgers," replied the girl. "Why did ya think we were Snakes?"

Ron's face turned red in embarrassment. He cleared his throat and turned back to the woman. "Are you sure you didn't see anything, ma'am? Anything you can tell us may be of help."

"An' why do ye t'ink I would know more today t'an last week? Have you even talked to anyone in Di'gon Alley?" She crossed her arms. They could see her wand tucked up her sleeve, within easy reach.

"Diagon … umm, no. Why should we?" Harry asked.

The witch sniffed. "Jus' as I t'ought. No, we canna' help ye. If ye don' wish to purchase anyt'ing, please leave. Havin' Aurors in my place tends to hurt me business."

"We'll be off then. But if you do think of anything, please contact me." Harry held out a piece of parchment. "Just write a note on this sheet and I'll get the message."

The witch took the parchment but Harry and Ron heard the casting of Incendio behind them as they left the store.

The rain had gotten heavier. No one else could be seen in the street. Ron cast another Impervius over the two of them and rubbed the back of his neck. "We're not having much luck, mate."

"Yeah. Maybe if we had gotten here before the first group of Aurors, but they seem to have seriously alienated everyone here. No one wants to cooperate." Harry kicked at a loose cobblestone, startling a crow which flew off with a loud caw. "Well, let's try Nematodes 'n More since we're right here."

The crossed the same small side alley where Harry had been attacked and walked into the store.

Harry was unsurprised to find the store dim. The floor was of hard packed clay. On his left, half of the many muggle-looking aquarium tanks were full of water while the other half were packed with what looked like a variety of soils. He suspected that the grotesque wriggling creatures within had been subjected to an Engorgio spell. If they were used in potions, he hoped it wasn't for one he ever took.

On his right were more tanks. These had larger worm-like creatures. At the far end of the shop was one much larger tank. In it, two adders were curled up at opposite ends.

When no one appeared, Harry walked to the back of the shop. Hello, he said quietly in Parseltongue.

Instantly, the two heads rose up. You can speak to us! the one on the right hissed.

I can, replied Harry. How are you?

Tell the feeder I want my own place to live! the adder on the left hissed. Hsstr takes all the warm rocks and leaves me to die of the cold!

Hskh forgets to say that she takes all the best mice for herself and leaves me just the ones that taste poisoned.

He's just too lazy to hunt.

She thinks she can get away with things because she's bigger!

By this time both heads were weaving back and forth. Harry looked up when Ron clapped his shoulder. "Looks like you got them right riled up, mate!"

"I think they're just happy to have someone new to complain to," snorted Harry.

"Can you really understand them or are you just pretending?" Harry and Ron whirled around to see a short, stout witch with a grass snake curled around her neck, disappearing under her hair.

"I'm a Parselmouth. I'm Harry Potter, and this is my friend and colleague Ron Weasley."

"If you're telling the truth, ask them why there's been no eggs yet," the witch demanded.

Harry shrugged and turned back to the adders. He cleared his throat to catch their attention. The snakes stopped their arguing and focused on him. Why haven't you created little ones yet?

He laughed at the almost simultaneous response.

With him? With her?

He turned to the witch. "It looks like a simple case of them not liking each other."

The witch looked blank. "But they're both adders."

"Do you necessarily like everyone just because they're wizards?"

The witch let the grass snake glide down her arm to her fingers where it began to weave in and out. "My poor children, I never thought of that." She turned to Harry. "Tell them I'll bring in two new adders so they each can have a different mate."

"You might want to get a new tank for one of the pairs. I don't think these two will ever live together peaceably."

"Of course. Tell them that too."

When Harry was done, the two adders bobbed their heads up and down in a gesture even Ron could interpret.

The witch smiled at the two adders. "It's good to see them active." She pointed her wand and Accio'd two small, immobile balls of fur from an open door to the right. "There you go, my sweethearts," she crooned.

See, look at her, grabbing the biggest!

What did I tell you? Always complaining!

As the adders hissed their complaints, the witch turned to Harry. "I've always wanted only the best for my beauties. I thought warm rocks and plump mice would be enough. I thank you for your help. Now what can I do for you in return?"

Harry turned reluctantly from the tank. "We're here to look into the incident that happened recently." He gestured to his face. "I'm trying to find out who got me."

The witch's friendly demeanor vanished. Sensing her sudden tension, the grass snake slithered back up her arm and burrowed under her long hair.

"As I've told those that came before you, I did not see any Death Eaters."

"But did you see wizards who were not Death Eaters?"

"And why should I tell you if I did? If they weren't Death Eaters, then why should I betray them and cause them to end up in Azkaban for a petty crime?" She put her hands on her hips.

"Petty crime?" interjected Ron. "They were casting curses up and down this alley!"

The witch turned her attention to Ron. "And how many wards were broken? How many of those not involved in the fight were hurt?"

Harry cleared his throat, and the witch deflated. She put her arms down and shook her head.

"I'm sorry. That was a foolish thing to say, especially after you just helped me out. But I stand by what I said. These young ones are being provoked by the Diagon Alley types and are only responding. Why should I help you catch them when you'll only treat them as hardened criminals?"

The Aurors were confused. "You're the second person that mentioned Diagon Alley. What does anyone from there have to do with anything here?"

The witch gave them a gimlet eye. "We've reported them in the past. Some kids from Diagon Alley come here thinking they can cause mayhem simply because of who we are. It's only natural for some of our kids get upset and respond in kind since the Aurors don't come until after damage is already done, and sometimes not even then."

Ron's face turned red. "But we are responding! That's why we were here last month."

The witch snorted. "Yes, and when you catch one of ours you act like our kids are Death Eaters. You don't chase after the others back into Diagon Alley in order to hold them accountable. Instead, you Aurors go after the youths who live here. After the first time one of ours was taken away and sentenced to Azkaban just for defending his Da's store, we learned not to trust any of you to do the right thing."

Harry and Ron gulped and stared back. "By chance, do you have any idea who the Diagon Alley kids are?"

The grass snake, deciding it was safe, came back out of hiding. Harry held out his arm and the snake slithered onto it.

The witch looked fondly at her pet and shrugged. "No idea. But I can tell they're definitely not from here. Too … well dressed."

Harry gave the grass snake a long caress and held up his arm to the witch so it could return to her.

"Look, you've raised some good points. I promise I'll look into any outsiders instigating trouble. In the meantime, can you identify the locals who were fighting here last month? I give you my word they won't be treated as Death Eaters," Harry pleaded. "I just need to find out which curse hit me so I can be cured. They can also help me understand the problems here in Knockturn Alley. I'll listen."

The witch snorted. "You think I trust your easy promises? Even if you made a wizard's oath, you'd have to add to the best of your ability, and I don't know what that ability is. Sorry, I didn't see anything. I do thank you for your help with my lovies, but you should be off now."

Back outside, Harry and Ron returned to the side alley where they had been the previous month. The rain had let up since they had entered the store and people could be seen exiting from stores up and down the alley. "Let's take a closer look at those doors where my attacker must have come from." Harry said. It was getting dark as the two walked to the end. Harry cast a revealing spell. "Yep, I can see it now. There's a spell hiding doors on either side of the side alley here." He winced as he unconsciously rubbed his left arm. "What a painful way to learn a lesson in properly securing a stakeout location."

Ron's gaze went from one side of the small alley to the other. "Do you think the hag's two kids have anything to do with the attack?" Ron asked.

"Maybe," Harry replied. "But if they do, and the last witch was right, do you want them to be treated as Death Eaters?"

Ron chewed his bottom lip. "They don't deserve that. They need help before they turn into hardened criminals, though."

Harry leaned against the wall, ironically very near where he had collapsed. "But first we have to definitely identify the attackers. I'm really feeling knackered, Ron. Do you mind if we sit for a bit?" He pulled out the Invigoration Draught he'd purchased and took a sip. He shuddered at the taste but was able to stand up again.

Ron eyed him. "Yeah, it's been a long day. I don't really trust the food at any of the restaurants here in Knockturn Alley – or their clientele. How about if we head out to Diagon Alley and have dinner at Selena's while we figure out our next step."

Please let me know if you had as much fun reading this chapter as I did writing it.