Not long after Alex's shop reopened, it caught the attention of a woman strolling through Diagon Alley. She was striking, her sharp gaze framed by a slim, tailored cloak that hinted at both practicality and authority. Her movements carried the poise of someone accustomed to discipline and action, likely an Auror from the Ministry of Magic. As she passed, a familiar voice called out. "Linnea! It's been ages! That signature potion you bought last time, worked wonders, didn't it?"
Turning her head, Linnea Chang saw the shop's neighbor, Ms. Primpurnell, perched outside her own storefront, adjusting the signage of her beauty apothecary. Linnea offered a polite nod. "Hello, Ms. Primpurnell. Yes, the potion worked well, the acne from all those late-night shifts disappeared completely."
"Then why haven't you stopped by again?" Ms. Primpurnell clucked her tongue in mock disapproval. "I've just launched a new product, top-tier whitening, and it even helps with fatigue! Honestly, Linnea, your dark circles are only getting worse with all that overwork at the Ministry."
Linnea hesitated. The offer was tempting, but something else had already captured her attention. "I'll come by soon," she assured, but her gaze remained fixed on the shop next door. "But first, what's the deal with this place? I came by a few days ago, and it wasn't even open."
At that, Ms. Primpurnell's expression turned secretive. She leaned in conspiratorially, lowering her voice as if sharing a juicy bit of gossip. "Oh, that one? The alchemy shop? It's run by some rich kid, probably just doing it for fun. I actually knew the original owner. He asked me about the business before buying the shop, but next thing I know, he up and sells it!" She huffed before continuing, clearly enjoying the storytelling. "And the new owner? Kept to himself for years. Barely saw him. Had this big, annoying dog, too. Kept talking about wanting to open an alchemy store but never actually did anything. Then, boom!, the place suddenly opened out of nowhere half a month ago."
Linnea listened quietly, her expression unreadable. Primpurnell, emboldened by an attentive audience, went on. "But let me tell you, if you're opening a store, you need actual products to sell! And this guy? Pfft. Had only a handful of sad-looking trinkets, all priced so high it was laughable. The shop was barely open a day before it shut down again! Probably realized he's not cut out for business." She punctuated the statement with a dramatic wave of her hand, like a seasoned market vendor swapping gossip at a food stall.
But instead of agreement, Linnea frowned. She knew this shop. More importantly, she knew the owner, Alex Wilson. Far from being some clueless amateur, he was a Wizard hero and a Ministry equipment supplier. She had seen his alchemy products firsthand during their field demonstrations, and several of them had impressed her enough that she had intended to buy some. But every time she came by, the store had been closed. Something didn't add up. Her eyes drifted back to the storefront, scanning it carefully. "Wait," she said slowly, "you're telling me this place shut down?"
Primpurnell nodded vigorously.
Linnea, however, simply lifted an eyebrow and gestured toward the shop's interior. "Then how do you explain that?"
Primpurnell turned, following her gaze, and nearly fell off the step in shock. Her jaw practically hit the cobblestones. The alchemy shop, which she had dismissed as lifeless and failing, was now glowing like a festival tent. Through the large display window, dozens of gorgeous, shimmering objects sat neatly arranged, each one reflecting a play of light and enchantment. Suspended above, luminescent birds made of pure light flitted about, their wings leaving faint glowing trails in the air. Inside, floating orbs drifted gracefully, bobbing up and down like dancing fireflies.
It was radiant. Alive. A stark contrast to the barren store she remembered. Primpurnell's face twisted in disbelief. "M-Merlin's beard! This, this wasn't here before! I swear!" She whipped around to face Linnea, flustered and defensive. "You have to believe me! A few days ago, it was completely different!"
Linnea merely shrugged, her lips twitching in amusement. "Maybe you should pay more attention to your own neighbors," she said lightly. "The way this place is lit up, you'd have to be blind not to notice."
Primpurnell spluttered, looking between Linnea and the storefront, as if hoping for some divine explanation. But Linnea had already lost interest in the conversation. Without another word, she stepped past the beauty shop owner and walked straight into Alex's alchemy store.
As soon as Linnea pushed open the shop door, a swallow made of soft, milky-white light fluttered toward her. Startled, she instinctively leaned back, eyes widening in surprise. "Welcome!" Vivian greeted her with a bright smile, striding over with a playful tilt of her head. She cupped her hands around her mouth dramatically. "Hey there, gorgeous! What brings you in today?"
Before Linnea could respond, it was not her but Alex and Fang, who were seated at the counter, who reacted first. The moment they heard Vivian's overenthusiastic greeting, they both shuddered involuntarily. That was way too much. "Uh… I'm just looking around," Linnea replied hesitantly, eyeing Vivian warily as she stepped closer.
"Of course, take your time!" Vivian chirped. "Today is the grand opening of Wilson's Arcane Alchemica , and all magic and alchemy items are on sale, 9.5% off!" She sounded like a seasoned saleswoman, rattling off the promotion effortlessly. Then, with a graceful step, she moved aside to give Linnea a clear view of the store.
Now that she had a moment, Linnea took in her surroundings properly. Right in front of her stood several prominent display cases filled with beautifully crafted objects, phonographs, clocks, lamps, all neatly arranged under the shop's warm lighting, which made them gleam enticingly. One particular lamp in the shape of a griffin caught her eye. It was continuously spitting out tiny birds of light, like the ones floating around the ceiling.
Near the phonograph, faint magical runes shimmered along its edges, hinting at hidden enchantments. The soft, melodious music playing from it was accompanied by tiny, glowing animals that danced across the vinyl record, running in circles as if they were alive.
To her left, a row of vertical glass cabinets displayed an assortment of jewelry, pendants, bracelets, belts, brooches, all resting on velvet slopes. Linnea quickly noticed that the accessories were grouped by style: some were cute and whimsical, others sleek and professional, and a few exuded pure luxury.
On her right, various smaller enchanted items were neatly arranged, gloves, pocket watches, music boxes, and elegant timepieces.
Beyond the standing cabinets at the front, she could see even more lamps, gramophones, and humanoid training dummies in different designs. One peculiar table caught her attention; it had an odd structure, with a neatly stacked array of squares on top.
'Something felt… off.' Linnea frowned, suddenly realizing what was bothering her. "Wait, hold on a second." She turned to Vivian, confused. "Isn't this supposed to be a Magical equipment store? Why is everything here so… fancy?" She had come specifically to purchase protective gloves and humanoid targets after witnessing Alex's demonstration. The equipment had seemed practical, sturdy, perfect for Auror work. But now, looking around, she couldn't spot a single piece of magical gear.