how it feels to be alive {tom riddle}

twenty-three: borgin

BORGIN

As Tom (looking very unlike Tom due to the Polyjuice Potion) and Lucia walked out of Flourish and Blotts, the breeze sweeping through the alley caused Lucia's hair to become askew.

"Is Knockturn Alley still around?" Tom asked casually, seeing as it had been a quite significant place for him before he had travelled into the future.

"It is, dodgy as though. Why am I not surprised you had business there." Lucia chuckled.

"Is Borgin and Bourke's still down there?" He added, brushing his hands through his now light brown hair and grimacing when he felt the different texture.

"Yes actually, was it always that creepy?" Lucia exclaimed.

"Quite." Tom smirked, "Can we go have a look?"

"Sure, I mean it's not really my crowd, but I'm up for it." Lucia said, taming her hair that was flying over her face due to the wind.

They walked down the dark alley, shops concerned with the Dark Arts lining its edges.

The light was considerably dimmer, and the joyful chatter that could be heard up Diagon Alley was replaced with the occasional sound of an unfamiliar animal or the sneer of someone beckoning people to buy their stolen goods.

A set of shrunken heads was lined at shop front, beside them an arrangement of poisonous candles.

"Hasn't changed much, that's for sure." Tom chuckled, observing the items on display.

"I'm not surprised, from the cobwebs on that candle I'd say it hasn't been moved since the forties." Lucia joked, turning away to see the sign for Borgin and Bourkes. "Do you want to go in now?"

Tom nodded, and they walked towards the ebony wooden door. A surprisingly high-pitched bell rung delicately as they entered the silent ambience of the store.

Dark magic had a certain feel to it, a corruption that made the air feel almost heavy. From the moment they'd stepped foot inside, Lucia could feel the years of dark magic that had soaked into its walls.

It was dizzying.

Tom seemed relatively unphased, running his slender fingers along a shelf containing a selection of sinister looking crystals with sharply jagged edges.

"Can I help you two?" An eerie masculine voice sneered from across the store.

"We're just looking." Tom answered coldly.

"What are two kids like you doing down Knockturn Alley? Are you sure you haven't lost your way?" He laughed heinously, eyeing them both with judgement.

Lucia rolled her eyes, but continued looking.

"I should think you'd show more respect to your customers, Mr Borgin." Tom leered menacingly, "Considering the objects you stock in here could prove rather... troublesome should the Ministry come around."

Borgin visibly retracted his taunting exterior, muttering something about ringing a bell if they needed anything before retreating back behind the counter.

Tom didn't look nearly as intimidating as usual in his different form. The height, darkness of his features and piercing eyes created a rather frightening sight when he appeared resentful in anyway. However, the softer, lighter and shorter appearance of the man he had transformed into didn't fit his personality, and was not even remotely close to the level of intimidation Tom Riddle was capable of.

He laughed to himself at the reaction he'd ensued. Lucia thought maybe he really was a bit of a sadist at heart, but supposed that a lifetime of people breaking you down might condition you to do it to other people.