Borgin and Burkes

Borgin and Burkes
Location information
Location	13B, Knockturn Alley, Diagon Alley, London, England, Great Britain
Owner(s)	Mr Borgin Caractacus Burke
Permanent residents	Mr Borgin Caractacus Burke
Affiliation	Dark Arts Tom Riddle Death Eaters

"All he could tell was that he was standing in the stone fireplace of what looked like a large, dimly lit wizard's shop — but nothing in here was ever likely to be on a Hogwarts school list. A glass case nearby held a withered hand on a cushion, a blood-stained pack of cards, and a staring glass eye. Evil-looking masks stared down from the walls, an assortment of human bones lay upon the counter, and rusty, spiked instruments hung from the ceiling. Even worse, the dark, narrow street Harry could see through the dusty shop window was definitely not Diagon Alley."

— Harry's first experience in Borgin and Burkes

Borgin and Burkes was an antique shop located at 13B, Knockturn Alley, owned by Mr Borgin and Mr Burke, who were known to deal with unusual and ancient magical artefacts. It had a shady reputation due to the fact that it was frequented by those with sinister intents, whom were considered dodgy, as well as the greedy and money-minded nature of its founders.

At some point, Borgin and Burkes was used to carry out otherwise shady business and to sell objects of Dark Magic and other dangerous magical items. These items included: the Hand of Glory, an assortment of human bones, a bloodstained pack of cards, a staring glass eye, spiked instruments, a hangman's rope, a cursed necklace, and an array of evil-looking masks that lined the walls.

Description

Some way down Knockturn Alley at number 13B lay Borgin and Burkes, the most notorious of the alley's shops, which specialised in "objects with unusual and powerful properties", and particularly items that were both "unusual and ancient". Many of the wizarding communities' children were instructed by their parents not to venture inside. Molly Weasley banned her twin sons Fred and George from setting even one foot down Knockturn Alley, due to the dangers present.

The inside of Borgin and Burkes

The shop was quite large, dusty, and dimly lit, with a large stone fireplace, and was known to be frequented by families like the Malfoys. Its proprietors, Mr Borgin and Caractacus Burke, were smooth talkers known to buy magical objects for much less than they were actually worth, and sell them for far more. One dangerous item that the shop carries was the Opal Necklace, that was once on display in the front window. This necklace had a read the label, "Do not Touch! Cursed. Has claimed the lives of nineteen Muggle owners to date."

History

Early history

Established in 1863 by Messrs. Caractacus Burke and Borgin, the shop offers "confidential valuation service for unusual and ancient wizarding artefacts, such as may have been inherited by the best wizarding families".

Recent history

1875

In 1875, the store had been receiving shipments at night, raising enough suspicions from the Auror Office that they had kept watch.

1926

"Yes, we acquired it in curious circumstances. It was brought in by a young witch just before Christmas, oh, many years ago now. She said she needed the gold badly, well, that much was obvious. Covered in rags and pretty far along ... going to have a baby, see. She said the locket had been Slytherin's. Well, we hear that sort of story all the time, 'Oh this was Merlin's, this was, his favourite teapot,' but when I looked at it, it had his mark all right, and a few simple spells were enough to tell me the truth. Of course, that made it near enough priceless. She didn't seem to have any idea how much it was worth. Happy to get ten Galleons for it. Best bargain we ever made!"

— Caractacus Burke on his encounter with Merope Gaunt

Borgin in his shop

When Merope Gaunt eloped with Tom Riddle Snr, 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', which 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 very small amount of money or something equally as worthless. 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.

1945

Roughly eighteen years after purchasing Slytherin's locket, Burke, without realising it, hired the son of the woman he had bought it from. Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort, started working at Borgin and Burkes directly after graduating from Hogwarts in 1945. Riddle, who graduated Hogwarts with flying colours, had surprised others with his career choice. Promising witches and wizards with similar standing as Riddle had often been a catch to the Ministry of Magic, so Riddle's choice to make application to such a disreputable establishment in Knockturn Alley was seen as odd.

Many of Tom's former teachers were surprised and disappointed at his choice of career at the shop, believing it was a waste of his exceptional talents. What they failed to unearth was that Tom was using the shop's connections to the Dark Arts to further his independent studies in the branch. A handsome and charismatic young man, it was his job to persuade people to part with their wizardly artefacts. Riddle did a very good job at carrying out this intent.

1955-1961

"However, Voldemort was no mere assistant. Polite and handsome and clever, he was soon given particular jobs of the type that only exist in a place like Borgin and Burkes, which specialises, as you know, Harry, in objects with unusual and powerful properties. Voldemort was sent to persuade people to part with their treasures for sale by the partners, and he was, by all accounts, unusually gifted at doing this."

— Tom Riddle during his time at Borgin and Burkes

Tom Riddle visiting Hepzibah Smith, while working for Borgin and Burkes

Sometime between 1955 and 1961. Lord Voldemort was sent to visit Hepzibah Smith, charming her with his pleasant demeanour 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, Riddle disappeared from wizard life completely, taking it and a cup once owned by Helga Hufflepuff with him. Riddle also left Caractacus Burke perplexed, as he failed to show up to work from then on. A previously responsible employee, Riddle abruptly deserted his position in Borgin & Burkes without giving due notice of resignation to his superiors.

1988–1989 school year

Verucca Buckthorn-Snyde stopping Jacob's sibling from entering Burgin and Burkes

During this school year, Jacob's sibling and one of their friends attempted to enter Borgin and Burkes, but Verucca Buckthorn-Snyde stopped and accosted them, demanding they hand something over (like blood) and cursing their companion with the Slug-vomiting Charm when they refused. She duelled Jacob's sibling and was defeated by them, who was rescued by Patricia Rakepick immediately afterwards after other Dark wizards surrounded them.

1992-1997

Ron Weasley: "Where did you come out?"

Harry Potter: "Knockturn Alley."

Weasley twins: "Excellent!"

— Harry's Floo mishap landing him in Borgin and Burkes

Harry Potter in Knockturn Alley inside Borgin and Burkes

On occasion, Mr Borgin would purchase items of interest from others; Lucius Malfoy had 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 found himself in the shop, after accidentally exiting the Floo Network one stop beyond his intended destination of Diagon Alley.

Lucius Malfoy selling poisons in Borgin and Burkes

When Mr Malfoy entered the shop to sell "some poisons", Harry hid in a Crushing Cabinet. Upon seeing Tom Riddle's Diary, Borgin wanted to buy it because of its "magical qualities". Malfoy, however refrained from selling it, having other plans for it. He planned to use it in an attempt to discredit Arthur Weasley after he conducted raids on his manor home.

Death Eaters inside Borgin and Burkes in 1996

Draco Malfoy visited this shop again in early August of 1996 to force Borgin to help him repair a broken Vanishing Cabinet, the partner of which was in the shop. Draco also bought the Hand of Glory and a cursed Opal Necklace. When Draco left, Borgin was visibly shaken, though when Hermione Granger entered minutes later with a poor attempt to investigate Draco's doings, Borgin angrily expelled her from the store.

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.

2010s

During the Calamity which affected the wizarding world in the late 2010s, volunteer members of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force were able to make visits to Borgin and Burkes through the use of various Portkeys in order to collect Wrackspurts scattered throughout the shop. A Calamity Investigator working for the task force also visited Borgin and Burkes and learned from the shop's proprietors that the Calamity had taken the majority of the dark artefacts sold at the shop, leaving its shelves nearly empty. Knowing that the artefacts' loss meant that they couldn't be sold to dark wizards, the Calamity Investigator joked to themselves that the Calamity might not have been a complete disaster.

Junior Unspeakable Regina Rowle later "found" several portraits of Lord Voldemort in a back room at Borgin and Burkes and asked the same Calamity Investigator to transport them to safety, forcing them to undergo a thoroughly uncomfortable conversation with one of the portraits.

Known employees

• Mr Borgin (owner)
• Caractacus Burke (owner)
• Tom Riddle (former shop assistant, collector of items to be sold at the shop)

Items for sale

A bloodstained pack of cards A long coil of hangman’s rope A staring glass eye An assortment of human bones Evil-looking masks

Hand of Glory Rusty, spiked instruments Opal Necklace Skulls Vanishing Cabinet

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)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game) (NDS version only)
• Pottermore
• Wizarding World (Mentioned only)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World
• LEGO Harry Potter (Mentioned only)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• LEGO Harry Potter
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley
• Harry Potter: The Character Vault (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: The Wand Collection (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened (Mentioned in History of Magic classes)
• Hogwarts Legacy (Mentioned only)
• The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac