Chapter 11
Still, a thirteen year-old living alone anywhere was dangerous. He knew wizards were more laissez faire about danger and children in general, but alone, in Knockturn?
They arrived at a three story apartment building and, giving the passphrase, “couture”—Snape rolled his eyes—they were able to enter the magical walkup directly to Pansy’s second floor flat. They knocked on the door.
The door opened and they both stared in utter astonishment at a house elf.
“Pipsy, who is it?”
“Pipsy is not knowing, ma’am.”
“Ginny Weasley and Professor Snape,” Ginny said.
“Ginny Weasley and Professor Snape,” the house elf repeated loudly back into the room. There was the sound of running footsteps and Pansy opened the door. She paled at the sight of Professor Snape.
“Hi. Umm… come in.”
They entered. Ginny wasn’t an expert on interior design, but Pansy’s apartment seemed incredibly nice. There was brand new wood flooring, odd stationary art on the walls, and plush furniture. Snape raised an eyebrow.
“Is that… Jackson Pollock?” he said.
“Yes!” Pansy said, seeming delighted that he recognised it. “Hermione assured me he is one of the best muggle artists.”
“Hermione…” Professor Snape said slowly, looking completely nonplussed.
“Yes, we’ve already been through Muggle London. Her mother helped me pick out furniture.”
Ginny was fairly sure Snape might be having a stroke.
“Pipsy, can you bring tea?”
They sat and Ginny looked around with interest.
“Pansy, how did you get a house elf?” she finally asked.
Pansy smirked.
“Well, after our trip with my sister, I realised that I still hadn’t been burned out of the family. So I called Pipsy and asked her if she would like to be freed and change ownership. We talked about it for a while and she agreed.”
“Well… that is reassuring. How are you faring in Knockturn Ms. Parkinson?”
“Oh! It’s wonderful. The bookshop here is fantastic.”
Snape again looked confused.
“Bookshop…”
“Yes. Would you like to see my collection so far?”
Ginny nodded. They entered a small room with a single bookshelf.
“I plan to add more and make it a small library, but for now this is it.”
“These are… advanced for your age.”
Pansy shrugged. Snape, who suddenly seemed to become slightly tense, turned to them.
“If you are comfortable, Ms. Weasley, I will leave you both and come collect you when your wand is ready. I will cast some minor warding charms on you that will alert me if anything goes wrong.”
“Yes, sir.”
He cast silently, nodded to both of them and left.
“New wand?”
“After what happened, my wand doesn’t work for me that well anymore. She pulled it out and showed Pansy.”
“New materials?” Pansy asked in a surprisingly swottish way. Ginny grinned.
“Yew or Cherry and Basilisk Horn.”
Pansy stared at her.
“You’re serious?”
“Yup.”
“Fits you,” Pansy finally said. “So, what’s new?”
Ginny slumped and Pansy guided her to a chair.
“My family is horrible. My parents basically hate me for being in Slytherin.”
“How bad is it?”
“Bad. My mother silenced me the other day.”
Pansy raised an eyebrow.
“She’s never used magic on me before.”
“Sorry… You know you can always stay here. There’s another bedroom… my trust vault wasn’t exactly light on galleons. I’d take care of everything.”
Ginny smiled at her wanly.
“Thanks… I might take you up on that if it doesn’t get better. It seems like there’s nothing I can do, unless I agree to switch houses.”
Pansy scoffed.
“Exactly. I like Slytherin.”
“And if you switch to Gryffindor, they’ll either hold it over you or pretend it didn’t happen.”
“They’ll definitely hold it over me. I’d much rather force the issue,” Ginny said.
“Okay, want the grand tour?”
“Of your apartment?”
“Of Knockturn.”
Ginny grinned.
Knockturn was incredible. All manner of dark creatures had taken up residence in the alley and Ginny watched with fascination as they aggressively peddled wares—the jar of fingernails was particularly fascinating and gross—and went about their business.
For the most part, they were left alone. Pansy walked confidently down the street and explained each of the stores to Ginny. There was Borgin and Burkes, a store for dark objects; The Rookery, a vampire run inn; Gladys’ Wands & Staves, a very shoddy wandshop—according to Pansy; and on and on.
Pansy explained that beyond Knockturn were something called the Empty Alleys. They were actually dangerous and Pansy admitted she hadn’t been down there.
They went to Ink & Ichor and Ginny watched with interest and Pansy practically lit up. She hadn’t ever struck Ginny as bookish, but that image quickly changed as Pansy ran Ginny through her wish list—mostly books on ritual magic and poisons. Ginny reminded herself not to get on Pansy’s bad side.
Ginny was equally surprised by the cost of the books. She’d expected Knockturn to be cheaper, but some of the books here sold for hundreds of galleons—a sum that was so farcical to her that this might as well have been a museum.