Borgin and Burkes
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Borgin and Burkes is a shop located at 13B[1], Knockturn Alley. It sells objects of dark magic and other dangerous magical artifacts, including the Hand of Glory, an assortment of human bones, a hangman's rope, a cursed necklace, and an array of leering masks that line the walls.[2]
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[edit] History
[edit] Early History
Established in 1863[3] , by Messrs. Caractacus Burke and Borgin, Borgin and Burkes offers "confidential valuation service for unusual and ancient wizarding artifacts, such as may have been inherited by the best wizarding families"[4].
[edit] Recent History
[edit] 1926
When, Merope Gaunt eloped with Tom Riddle Sr., probably in late 1925 or early 1926. Tom abandoned her and their unborn son a short while later, leaving Merope alone and destitute. Her only possession of worth was a heavy golden locket engraved with a serpentine 'S' that was once the property of Salazar Slytherin, her direct ancestor. Mr Burke was a shrewd businessman, but not exactly a kind human being. According to Hepzibah Smith, Burke purchased the necklace from Merope for "a pittance"; meaning he bought the necklace sometime in 1926, before Voldemort's birth, for a little bit of nothing. Burke admitted to purchasing the necklace for a mere ten Galleons, taking advantage of Merope's ignorance and desperation. Sometime later, Burke sold the necklace to Hepzibah Smith. She paid "an arm and a leg for it", claiming that she could not let a "real treasure" like that pass. Burke turned a tidy profit on the necklace at Merope's expense, but he could not have imagined the importance of that particular heirloom or how it would impact his business years later. [HP6]
[edit] 1945
Roughly eighteen years after purchasing Slytherin's locket, Burke hired the son of the woman he had basically taken it from. Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort, started working at Borgin and Burkes directly after graduating from Hogwarts in 1945. A handsome and charismatic young man, it was his job to persuade people to part with their wizardly artifacts, something he was very good at doing. It was Lord Voldemort who went to visit Hepzibah Smith, charming her with his pleasant demeanor and good looks. She trusted him enough to show him Slytherin's locket, the locket that should have rightfully been his. Soon after seeing this locket, Voldemort killed Hepzibah, framing Smith's house-elf Hokey for the murder and taking the locket. Once the locket was in his possession, Voldemort quit his job at Borgin and Burkes and disappeared, taking it and a cup once owned by Helga Hufflepuff with him.
[edit] 1992
On occasion, Mr. Borgin would purchase items of interest from others; Lucius Malfoy has on numerous occasions sold things to Mr. Borgin to avoid trouble before a Ministry raid on his mansion. In 1992, just before starting his second year at Hogwarts, Harry finds himself in the shop, after accidentally exiting the Floo Network one stop beyond his intended destination of Diagon Alley. When Mr. Malfoy entered the shop to sell "some poisons", Harry hid in a Vanishing Cabinet (coincidentally, the same cabinet Death Eaters would use to enter Hogwarts in 1997). Upon seeing Tom Riddle's Diary, Borgin wanted to buy it because of its "magical qualities". Malfoy, however refrained from selling it.[HP2]
[edit] 1996-1997
Draco Malfoy visited this shop again in early August of 1996 to force Borgin to help him repair a broken Vanishing Cabinet, the duplicate of which was in the store. Draco also bought the Hand of Glory and a cursed opal necklace When Draco left, Borgin was visibly shaken. The Vanishing Cabinet Draco wanted to repair was located at Hogwarts Castle. A group of Death Eaters used the Vanishing Cabinet at Borgin and Burkes to enter Hogwarts Castle at the end of the same school year.[HP6]
[edit] Known employees
- Mr. Borgin (owner)
- Caractacus Burke (owner)
- Tom Marvolo Riddle (assistant, collector of the items sold at the shop)
[edit] Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
