Chapter 288: The Fraudster's Bazaar (Part I)
It is inevitable that there will always be darkness on the back side of the light, and in the middle is the gray area between the legal and the illegal, which is also almost impossible to eliminate.
There is always a delicate balance between the three.
For example, the trade in magical items in the United Kingdom is almost entirely concentrated in two places, Diagon Alley and Tumbledown Alley, the former sells magical items that are allowed by wizarding laws, and the latter is playing some edge balls, wandering between legal and illegal.
The two alleys were even so close together that it was believed that the Ministry of Magic would be able to clear the underground market if only a little effort was willing to do so, but they chose to turn a blind eye instead.
And now Malfoy and Fleur are going to a similar destination.
"I think you're the tour guide now. Fleur sat in a seat on the subway and looked at Malfoy in a helpless tone.
She wanted to do the friendship of the landlord, but she didn't expect Malfoy to look more familiar than her, and after solving the two people who were tracking, she quickly rushed to the destination, and in the process, she shook into a subway station and stepped on a subway.
There aren't so many passengers on the subway that there are still many vacant seats.
It's a country of good thinkers, and you can see a lot of passengers in their seats reading esoteric and difficult philosophical books with relish, and the French have always liked to think.
Of course, this is also often criticized by some foreigners, criticizing them for liking fantasy and laziness, and not wanting to do practical things.
"I really didn't expect the current Floo network to become so troublesome. Fleur sat in her seat and complained, as a wizard this was the most common means of travel, and it was now strictly regulated.
Whether it is the purchase of Floo powder or the use of Floo website points, identity verification is now required.
It seems that Voldemort's intimidation is even greater than expected, and the panic has spread to the wizarding world in France.
Of course, this restriction can only affect the wizarding world, and in fact, it is not of much use except to add a little trouble to the wizard's travel.
"Is it your first time on the subway?" Malfoy asked coldly, looking at Fleur.
He could see that Fleur was looking around unconsciously, looking very uncomfortable, and there was a little curiosity in her eyes.
"Well, so what. Fleur stammered for a moment, then admitted that it wasn't a shame either.
Wizards' attitudes towards Muggle vehicles were often both curious and rejected.
The Weasleys were the real outliers, perhaps because of his work, which gave them an enlightened mind.
"By the way, how did we get straight to Paris? I remember if we were going from England to France, we would have to cross the Strait of La Manche first?" Fleur's eyes suddenly lit up, remembering the charm of "Muggle technology" that Malfoy had just told her.
"Did they master magic too?"
"Of course not, the Ministries of Magic would have been in a mess long ago, and in short, the Muggles had dug a tunnel and paved it with railroads for the trains to travel, just like the subway we are on now. Malfoy gestured out the window.
"As for the train just now, it is running in a tunnel under the sea. Malfoy continued to explain.
An elegant French female voice suddenly sounded from inside the carriage, interrupting Malfoy's words:
"Line 9 stops the Champs-Élysées to ..... Please take care of your belongings. ”
Malfoy sensed that Fleur's body trembled imperceptibly
His face, which was normally ruddy just now, suddenly turned a little pale.
It's close to her home.
She had recently proposed to Malfoy the famous sights of Provence, just to avoid coming here, and she was a little afraid that she would not be able to control her emotions.
But I still didn't expect that this was the destination of this trip to France.
At this time, they had already left the subway station, and the two of them walked slowly on the street side by side.
"Homesick?" Malfoy sensed the girl's mood.
"I don't deny it. Fleur brushed her waterfall hair behind her, then looked at the light gray granite road at her feet, and remembered the past.
She is very familiar with every plant and tree here, and this is where she grew up.
She sniffed, her nasal cavity a little blocked and seemed to choke a little, remembering her mother's reaction in the auditorium at the time, which made her very uncomfortable, she didn't see Gabrielle's shadow at the time, she guessed that her sister was too short, but even if she didn't.
Fleur also knew that her sister must be worried about herself.
She just tried not to think about it these days, because she would be afraid of shaking herself.
The earnest look of the old man in the Forbidden Forest came to her mind.
And Malfoy's deepest secrets.
"I'm sorry, Dad, Mom, Sister. Fleur said to herself.
"Let's go. At this time, she took a deep breath and adjusted her mood.
Malfoy nodded, looking in his eyes, not saying anything more.
The Champs-Élysées, often considered the most beautiful street in France, is a must-see for almost all tourists.
They are now located in the eastern section of the avenue, and they want to be more crowded than the western part of the commercial center. It is more secluded and tranquil, the sidewalks are wider than expected, there are two rows of verdant plane trees on the left and right, the street garden is sandwiched between thousands of trees, and the sound of the Seine is not far away, and the breeze blowing through the lawn brings a refreshing coolness.
The grey-black street lamps were not lit at this time, the simple wooden benches added a different elegance and solemnity to the streets, and the occasional newsstand also added a touch of humanity to the place, and a wandering artist playing the accordion reveled in his music, not caring whether passers-by stopped or not.
"I want to buy a book I don't know the name of?, do you have any more?" said Malfoy, pausing in front of a nondescript newsstand, and then walked straight over and asked.
"What's that?" Fleur followed Malfoy's footsteps and stopped, a little dazed.
How do you buy a book whose name you don't even know?
In the newsstand was an old reclining rattan chair, next to a row of tall mahogany bookcases, a thin old man leaning on the chair, with white hair, snorting the pipe in his hand, swallowing the clouds and spitting smoke, intoxicated, a black cat lazily lying on his shoulder, as if also asleep.
Sensing that there was a guest, the black cat was awakened, opened its emerald eyes, and jumped off the old man's shoulder.