307 Time to take *******

The trio continue to escape into the alley, the tight dark street becoming more populated by weird looking wizards and witches, they eventually stop in the middle of the street and survey the area around them... Dark, dank and smelling of death are the only descriptions that come to mind. Reima feels various eyes watching them, not only from the street but from the various stores around them... He can almost feel the dark magic emanating from some of the stores, he notices a few old women eyeing up Nerissa and glares at them, his Cat-like eyes causing them to shrink away as his killing intent pressures them.

\"Hags?\" he mutters under his breath, realising this must be Knockturn Alley... Why magical Britain hasn't come together and burned this place to the ground yet beats him, but he assumes it must be the darker noble families advocating for it's \"Usefulness\" while ignoring the fact that actual dark creatures are lurking closer to regular people on the main street.

Reima \"I'm not sure whether I prefer the reporters or the people in this street...\" he mutters to Ciri and Nerissa.

Ciri \"I think I'd rather be here than surrounded by reporters...\" she says seriously.

Nerissa nods, at her side. \"Flashes.\"

Suddenly Reima hears something, his ears perk up as he concentrates on the sound... It sounds like sniffling? From a young boy or a teenage girl...

Reima \"Alright Scooby Gang, looks as if we've found ourselves another mystery to solve.\" he says sarcastically while starting to head in the sounds direction, which just happens to be deeper into the Alley.

Nerissa \"Scooby?\"

Ciri \"Gang?\" they ask, confused at the reference.

Reima shrugs, \"Ignore it, I think someone may have kidnapped a kid around here...\" his words immediately causing Ciri to become serious. While they are temporarily out of sight Nerissa jumps into her arms while transforming into a Rabbit.

Ciri \"If we're getting into a fight could you give me my sword?\" she asks.

Reima shakes his head, \"No but you can have this.\" he says while passing her staff over, thinking that she should be keeping it on her at all points from now on. She shouldn't be making him hold it \"Because it's annoying\", that kind of mentally could easily cause them problems.

She grasps the staff in her right hand while holding Snuffles to her chest with her left.

It doesn't take long for them to actually find the area in which the voices are coming from, not that he's closer Reima can tell there are way more than one or two people, more like 20 or 30... This is one big operation and makes him slightly more frantic to deal with the perpetrators.

The location itself lies down a long Alley way that splits off from the main street of Knockturn Alley, at the end stands what looks like an armoured door with an eye slit that's currently covered.

Approaching the door Reima knocks on it a couple times, no one answers... He knocks again and nothing happens. He tries the \"Alohomora\" unlocking charm but it does nothing. In the end he continues to bang on the door for five to ten minutes, causing what sound like an angry man to open the eye slit and starts speaking to them in a quiet but stern tone. \"If you keep up that racket I'll flay you alive, now piss off!\"

Reima \"I've been knocking because I want entry.\" he says as the man begins to close the slit.

The man laughs, \"You think you can just knock randomly to gain access? Do we look like fools, no. If you want to buy groceries go elsewhere.\" he says while continuing to close the slit.

Reima frowns and casts Axii at the man who seems to try and resist but ends up giving in to his overpowered Sign. \"You will open the door and tell me what this place is.\" he states to the man.

The door opens and a fat man stands before them, wearing dark robes with a bald head, scars littering his face like a warzone. He seems to tremble momentarily before speaking, \"Welcome to the Auction. We have products that'll interest everyone, today in particular will most likely please you.\" he says, someone keeping much of the information confidential. It seems as if he has some skill in Occlumency.

Ciri \"Who do you work for\" she asks, attempting to cut to the point.

The mans eyes widen at her, he begins to choke out ,\"L-l-l-l-ARGHH!\" he shouts as his throat explodes into a shower of blood, revealing his spine to the trio.

Reima sighs, \"Of course they'll be protecting their identity...\" He looks at Ciri, we should have started off with the easy questions.

Ciri shrugs, \"Good riddance to rubbish.\" the Rabbit in her arms flicking it's tongue out at some of the blood on her clothes.

Reima \"Well, not much we can do but progress now... Keep your guard up and follow closely behind me, do as I say, I may be able to survive a few traps but you'll surely die if you get hit.\" he says and receives a nod from Ciri and Snuffles... He doesn't comment on the almost comedic sight and starts searching the man for anything interesting, bag of gold, a single glove, wand and guest list?

He checks it but sees that all the names are blank, or more likely covered by some kind of enchantment. He'd try to remove it with his anti-magic flames but it'd most likely burn the paper with it. He scratches his head and decides to just bite the bullet and go inside the dirty looking secret hideout.

Spoiler title : Time to take Auction...