章 324: 0323 Revenge?

Rita Skeeter was furious, slamming the door shut as she left.

Bryan just shook his head lightly and proceeded to his desk, where he resumed composing the reply he had been forced to interrupt.

Rita Skeeter, standing in front of the door, had a pale face and was panting.

"Damn Watson. No one has ever dared to do this—intercept my reports, destroy my things!"

Rita's eyes, filled with malice, fixed on the door as she plotted her next move.

"There must be something shady going on, right? Oh, of course, that's a given. These influential figures are all cut from the same cloth. It's never easy to uncover the truth, and Watson is so mysterious, no one knows what he has been doing in the two or three years since he left Hogwarts. There's something fishy here."

Before visiting today, Rita Skeeter had investigated Bryan Watson, who suddenly appeared in the public eye, but the results of the investigation were not very satisfactory.

All the information she could find was about Bryan Watson before he graduated from Hogwarts. After graduation, until last year when he was hired by the Hogwarts Board of Governors to search for the Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets, Bryan Watson seemed to have completely disappeared from the wizarding world, and there was no information available.

Bryan neither chose to work in the Ministry of Magic nor held any positions in the famous companies in the wizarding world, and he had cut off all contact with his former classmates.

There remained only one plausible possibility: Bryan Watson had returned to the Muggle world and ceased all interaction with the wizarding community.

But was that possible? For a wizard of great power to leave the wizarding world and mingle with Muggles was as inconceivable as a centaur leaving the forest to make a living in Diagon Alley.

And how did he establish connections with those influential figures?

There was only one possibility, he had hidden his identity and had been secretly working for those decadent pure-blood families, and corrupt politicians who were just figureheads.

A gleam of satisfaction flashed in Rita's eyes as she believed she had discovered the truth of the matter.

But she lacked crucial evidence now.

Rita was not one of those clueless rookie journalists. She knew what kind of report could attract the public's attention. It wouldn't be enough to rely on rumors; there had to be some truth in the lies to make it difficult for people to distinguish between truth and falsehood!

Rita's eyes sparkled with a mischievous light as she remembered the pile of letters on the desk in the room.

"You will soon pay the price."

After making up her mind, Rita's expression became cheerful. She disdainfully glanced at the door, then turned and walked away with an arrogant stride.

If a few harsh words were enough to make Bryan tremble in fear and live in constant anxiety, he likely wouldn't have slept a wink over the years. Rita's visit was just a minor incident he soon put out of mind.

Perhaps because the letters had been cleared out, the desk in the room looked much neater. Glancing at the clock on the wall, where the hour and minute hands were frozen, Bryan stretched and yawned, closing the magic book in front of him.

Late February, in the middle of the night, the gentle breeze wafting between the tall buildings was already mixed with the rich scent of spring.

Standing on the balcony, looking out, the quiet city was still brightly lit, and even the clear moonlight from the bright moon melted into the murky glow.

Perhaps it was because he had been preoccupied with many things recently, his head would intermittently feel swollen, and when the discomfort disappeared, deep fatigue would follow.

A wizard with extraordinary magical power should have an abundance of energy that ordinary people could not reach. This phenomenon was unusual, indicating that there was some problem with his body, and the problem had already begun to show its severity.

"I'm getting old."

Bryan chuckled self-deprecatingly, then turned and walked into the room, closing the glass door and lying down on the bed, closing his eyes to rest. However, from the slight twitching of his eyebrows, it could be seen that he was probably enduring something.

The last light in the hotel building finally went out, and on top of a pine tree in the courtyard below, a chubby beetle, not commonly seen at this time of year, took off with a flutter of its wings, flying swiftly towards the room that had just gone dark.

The beetle perched on the top of the glass railing, and when it saw that the room's occupant had already laid down through the gap in the curtains, the buzzing sound of its trembling wings revealed its joyful mood.

It behaved patiently, not attempting to break into the room immediately, but instead pretended to crawl up and down the glass panel like a normal beetle, feigning interest in the mosquito carcasses stuck to the glass railing.

There was still no sign of any disturbance in the room. After twenty minutes, the beetle could no longer contain itself and landed on the balcony floor. Taking aim at the gap between the sliding door and the floor, it charged forward, trying to squeeze into the room through the crack!

Boom!

In an instant, a burst of firework-like flames dazzled, and the thunderous explosion caused the nearby rooms to tremble with a rattling sound. The rooms, previously dark, lit up one after another, and people panicked and ran around, screams filling the air. People on the Third or Fourth floors were shouting that there had been a gas explosion!

Looking at the completely shattered glass door and the reinforced glass railing, as well as Rita Skeeter, with half her body hanging hundreds of feet in the air, her golden hair and cheeks charred black, her mouth spewing black smoke as she fainted, Bryan raised an eyebrow and revealed a strange smile.

...

*Scenebreak*

...

In the aftermath of the earth-shattering announcement by the British Ministry of Magic that the notorious Sirius Black had been successfully detained and taken into custody, a veritable tidal wave of reporters descended upon the Ministry's entrance hall, swarming in from across the European continent and even the far reaches of the Americas.

These bold journalists were utterly determined to uncover every miniscule detail surrounding Black's capture, as well as the unfathomable means by which he had managed to plot his escape from the Azkaban prison in the first place. With an insatiable hunger for information, they relentlessly attempted to approach and interrogate every single employee of the British Ministry who dared to pass through the crowded lobby.

However, the specifics of this highly sensitive matter remained shrouded in an impenetrable veil of secrecy within the uppermost echelons of the Ministry, and apart from the select few Aurors who had been entrusted with the responsibility of guarding the captured Sirius Black, as well as the privileged department heads involved in the operation, the vast majority of Ministry workers remained utterly oblivious to the greater facts of the unfolding saga.

Even the sociable Mr. Weasley, a man who could typically rely upon a network of well-placed friends spanning various ministerial departments to keep him up-to-date of the latest developments, found himself at an utter loss to understand the seemingly inexplicable surge in efficiency that had gripped the typically overstaffed and lethargic British Ministry in recent days.

Then, in a moment that would permanently etch itself into the collective consciousness of the wizarding world, Barty Crouch Sr., an esteemed member of the Wizengamot and the head of the International Magical Cooperation Department, dropped a bombshell with a grim expression that left everyone stunned. The Ministry, already wobbling on the brink of overcrowding, exploded into utter pandemonium as reporters from the most renowned newspapers across Europe and the Americas promptly abandoned their current assignments and embarked upon a frenzied exodus towards London, desperate to be among the first to break this momentous story.

Unable to force their way into the Ministry's overstuffed confines, these legions of journalists instead converged upon the surrounding streets, effectively blockading the entrance to the British Ministry of Magic in their relentless pursuit of answers. The commotion they generated was so huge, that even the journalists from several prominent Muggle newspapers, bewildered by the inexplicable gathering of oddly-attired foreigners upon an otherwise unremarkable street, hurried to the scene in the hopes of unraveling the mystery.

Norrus used a stern gaze to drive away the reporters seeking information about the foolish Sirius Black, as well as the former "hero" Peter Pettigrew, who had been awarded the First Class Order of Merlin by the International Confederation of Wizards, only to have that unceremoniously stripped from him a mere three hours after Crouch's shocking announcement of his seeming resurrection from the grave.

"Ah, Norrus, thank you--"

With a flash of emerald fire in the fireplace, a sweating Mr. Weasley stumbled out, nearly falling to the ground, but Norrus supported him with his tall frame.

"Hello, Arthur," Norrus acknowledged with a curt nod, his expression etched in unyielding coldness.

"It seems the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office has been exceptionally busy these past few days?"

"Perhaps," Mr. Weasley replied weakly, too utterly drained to even consider complaining about the upheaval wrought by the flood of foreign journalists. He mustered a feeble smile and asked, "These newcomers aren't quite accustomed to our rules. By the way, are you heading out for work?"

"No—" Norrus said in an emotionless tone, "I'm off duty."

With that, he lowered his head and stepped into the roaring flames of the fireplace, disappearing from sight in an emerald blaze.

'Off duty?!' Mr. Weasley mused enviously, casting a mournful glance at his watch, which proclaimed the hour to be 10:30 AM.

'Why, oh why, had I never tried applying for the Department of Mysteries all those years ago?'

<-Diagon Alley->

Norrus Deman emerged from the public fireplace, neatly brushing the soot from his garments before casting a wary, scrutinizing gaze about his surroundings to ensure he had not been followed. Satisfied with the absence of any potential pursuers, he set off at a brisk pace towards a secluded alleyway situated not far to the west of the magnificent white Gringotts building, whose towering presence could be discerned from virtually any vantage point within Diagon Alley.

However, Norrus's destination was not the wizarding bank, but rather an obscure yet infamous alley that lay in its foreboding shadow – the dreaded Knockturn Alley.

As he slipped through the narrow passage, the very sky above seemed to darken ominously, the air growing thick with a faint yet oppressive sense of malice. Yet, rather than recoiling from this sinister atmosphere, Norrus instead visibly relaxed, his demeanor akin to a fish finally returning to the familiar embrace of the sea after enduring hours under the merciless glare of the sun.

After confirming that no one was spying on him, Norrus flipped his wrist, and a black traveling cloak draped over his forearm.

Putting on the cloak and donning his mask, Norrus let out a heavy sigh and relaxed. The cold and emotionless face hidden behind the mask became somewhat cheerful. For Norrus, raised from a young age to embrace the ancient traditions of the Unspeakables, the modern wizarding lifestyle held no comforts whatsoever. It was the filthy, dangerous underground world that brought him true joy and contentment.

If it weren't for his mentor's insistence that he take over the position of the Unspeakable, and the fact that working in the Department of Mysteries did offer some conveniences, he would never have associated with those wizards who had forsaken their honor.

The underground world, which had hardly changed for hundreds of years, obviously wouldn't undergo any unexpected changes in the few weeks he had been away. Everything remained the same, chaotic yet orderly.

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章 325: 0324 The Trade

On the far side of the Commission wall, two wizards were engaged in a lively skirmish, the powerful gusts of their clashing spells extinguishing scores of the suspended torches that hovered in midair, their flickering flames snuffed out in an instant. Those few souls brave or foolish enough to venture near this impromptu battlefield swiftly altered their trajectories, giving the trouble spot a wide spot. Norrus glanced at it and noticed that Kakus Fawley was hiding behind a tall mission board, looking helpless.

After a moment's thought, Norrus decided not to approach Kakus for information.

Instead, he turned sharply to his right, following the winding course of a stone staircase that appeared to have been painstakingly carved into the very fabric of the wall itself. He came to a halt upon a raised platform, standing before a crude fireplace that had been embedded into the rock face.

The fireplaces of the underground world functioned quite differently from their above-ground counterparts, more akin to Portkeys capable of magically transporting one to various locations.

Norus retrieved a scrap of parchment from his pocket, noting the fireplace number he should use and the coordinates of its exit point. Kakus had sent this via owl - on the other side awaited the wizard who had accepted his commission.

While wall fireplaces were typically used for emergency transportation, few wizards used them to locate transaction sites. But Norrus found nothing unusual about this, as the item he was about to trade was sensitive and massive, and appearing suddenly in the underground world without caution might attract the attention of the Aurors stationed here.

Thinking of the Aurors, Norrus's mouth twisted into a grin.

Not to mention the embarrassment Rufus Scrimgeour, as the head of the Auror Office, had faced at the highly publicized press conference over the past two weeks.

Despite being the Head of the Auror Office, he had made no progress or achievements in the recent series of events. For some time now, Scrimgeour had been wearing a gloomy expression that never seemed to dissipate.

After configuring the string of characters above the fireplace's mantle, the dim hearth erupted with an eerie emerald blaze. Norus inhaled deeply, pocketing his wand from Ollivander's and instead retrieving a staff tipped with a crystalline orb.

The situation on the other side of the fireplace was uncertain, and he had to remain vigilant.

Whoosh!

A menacing torrent of flame erupted from the ground, and countless illusory shadows flashed before his eyes. But in an instant, the scene before him froze.

Norrus found himself situated amid a cluster of towering, cloud-piercing peaks, surrounded on all sides by a tapestry of lush, rolling mountainsides. He stood upon a tiny islet composed of weathered yellow rock, no more than a hundred feet in diameter, surrounded by the glassy surface of a crystal-clear alpine lake whose mirrorlike waters perfectly reflected the low-slung blanket of clouds that cloaked the heavens.

'Where is this place?'

The thought flashed through Norrus's mind, and the scene before him seemed familiar, but for a moment, he couldn't remember where he had seen it. However, at that moment, a loud rumbling came from several peaks away, making him understand his approximate location.

The thunderous roar of the Hogwarts Express echoed between the towering mountains. The mist expelled by the train's engine dissipated quickly in the howling mountain wind, but the heavy rumbling of the train's body rolling on the tracks lingered between the steep mountains.

"This place… isn't far from Hogwarts."

Norrus murmured softly, his eyes tensing—'could this be a trap? Dumbledore, that troublesome old man, was at Hogwarts. Who would be foolish enough to choose this place for a transaction?'

Just as he hesitated and contemplated whether to run, the ground and the lake suddenly trembled violently. A deep and powerful magic surged from the bottomless lake, staining this bright world with darkness.

In the sky above, the white clouds floating above the mountaintops seemed to be drenched in a large pot of ink, instantly turning dark. Within the heavy leaden clouds, ominous lightning flickered!

Crack!

A dazzling thunderbolt struck the turbulent lake, and this seemed to be a signal. Following that, dozens, of terrifying lightning bolts struck one after another. For a while, the vast lake was filled with countless flickering electric lights.

The sight before him turned Norrus's complexion pale, and he gasped in shock, so stunned that he even forgot to escape using apparition!

At this moment, a huge vortex appeared in front of him, and he immediately realized that there was a colossal creature hidden in the lake, and now, this creature was about to reveal its true form.

What kind of thing could cause such terrifying changes in nature and celestial phenomena?

Fear filled Norrus's mind as he stared fixedly at the gradually clear black shadow. Unconsciously, a hint of anticipation appeared in his eyes.

Snap!

When this colossal skeleton, towering sixty feet high, appeared in the world, Norrus opened his mouth in a daze and couldn't maintain his standing posture. With a thud, he knelt on the ground!

Under the gloomy clouds and above the dark waters, a gigantic skeleton resembling an ancient titan stood imposingly in the middle of the lake. Each polished, gleaming thick white bone was entwined with tendril-like bolts of lightning, while two enormous eye sockets atop the skull blazed with dark green flames that harbored an evil necromantic power. This profound display shook Norrus Deman who was well-versed in such matters to his core-- tears streamed down his face as every cell in his body trembled with excitement!

Ages ago, in ancient times long faded into obscurity, the very fabric of the magical environment saturating the Earth underwent a sudden, drastic change for unknown reasons. The once incredibly powerful and dominant entities that had formerly rivaled even the mightiest of 'Ancient' wizards began to perish, one after another, until their very existence was erased from the annals of history entirely.

This catastrophic decline directly triggered the steady erosion and regression of the formerly prestigious lineage of necromancers, mages who dealt with the controlling of undead creatures. The crucial factor underlying their gradual demise was the lack of mighty undead beings from which they derived their power.

Just think about it, the remaining necromancers now have fallen to the point where they can't even obtain fresh bones and components from "weak" creatures like dragons to fuel their spells and rituals. If this continues, the extinction of their school of magic was almost certain.

Norrus could never have dreamed that in his lifetime, he would encounter such a mighty titan giant skeleton that had already been refined by dark magic.

"It seems—" As Norrus lay prostrate on the ground, offering a thousand thanks for this divine gift, an old, hoarse voice, tinged with a hint of laughter, suddenly came from above, "It seems like you're quite fond of my little pet, Thanatos."

Startled by the sudden voice, Norrus trembled for a moment. But after regaining his composure, he immediately jumped up and looked around, finally finding the source of the voice above the giant skeleton's skull.

"Golden Viper?" Norrus breathed in stunned disbelief upon recognizing the distinctive magical vortex swirling around the figure, as well as the trademark insignia marked upon his collar.

"You haven't… Oh, you've been out of sight for a while, and everyone thought you—cough, I mean, it's been a long time, Viper!" he corrected himself hastily.

"Many people want me dead, but no one has succeeded."

Bryan chuckled coldly as he floated down from the top of the skeleton, landing in front of Thanatos.

The two were not strangers, having collaborated more than once. Seeing that it was Viper, Thanatos let go of his fear of being trapped. Although Viper was ruthless, he generally played by the rules unless provoked first.

"It seems that not many people in the underworld dare to trouble you..."

Thanatos casually agreed. His attention was focused on the earth-shattering creature in front of him. He stared eagerly at the giant skeleton that Bryan had brought from Avalon Island, drooling from the corner of his mouth.

"Where did you get this big guy?"

"From an ancient ruin..."

Viper said, noticing the gleam in Thanatos' eyes. He added,

"Don't bother, Thanatos, that place has now collapsed. This bony frame caused me some trouble, so considering it might be worth some money, I brought it out of there—"

Glancing at the drooling Thanatos, Viper tilted his head and chuckled.

"I heard from Kakus that you're seeking a new commanding undead. How about it, does it meet your requirements?"

"Of course, I'm willing to spend all my fortune to buy it!"

Thanatos blurted out, but then immediately realized that this was not the attitude for negotiating. After coughing twice, he cautiously glanced at Viper and said sheepishly,

"What I mean is, I'm willing to spend my entire fortune if it's in perfect condition, but you see—"

Thanatos pointed to the gruesome crack on the right leg bone of the skeleton.

"That must have been caused during your fight with it. You were able to suppress such a powerful undead creature, Viper, no wonder you don't care about doing such things under Dumbledore's nose… Ahem, I mean, it's flawed, isn't it? The price should be discounted."

"You have no right to bargain with me, Thanatos—"

Bryan said without hesitation.

It was destined to be an unequal trade. The undead giant in Bryan's hands was one of a kind, and you probably couldn't find a second one in the entire world. To a necromancer like Thanatos, whose strength largely depended on commanding undead, this skeleton was irresistibly attractive.

"I, I understand"

Thanatos said bitterly, silently reaching into his storage pouch and rummaging through its contents,

"I just hope, after all, we are friends, aren't we? Viper, friendship is more precious than gold."

If it weren't for his current identity as Golden Viper, Bryan would have been laughing at Thanatos's pitiful demeanor. This man's character in the Ministry of Magic was not like this at all; it seemed he was always disguising himself.

Norrus began transferring various items related to his necromancer heritage from the expanded interior of his pouch. What remained were all the galleons he had painstakingly accumulated over the years, in addition to several valuable alchemical tools and apparatuses.

"Is this all?" Bryan inquired, a hint of displeasure tingeing his words as he took extended bag and appraised its contents, gauging the substantial weight in his palm.

If he were to be objectively honest, the sum of galleons Norrus gave represented quite a considerable fortune by most conventions. However, when compared to the utterly priceless, irreplaceable skeletal remains of the primordial titan giant, it was an almost insignificant sum. Thanatos himself was well aware of this, and he was afraid that Viper would suddenly change his mind and refuse to sell the skeleton to him. So, he didn't dare to make any clever arguments and simply said through gritted teeth,

"I'm willing to help you in a task, Viper. Whatever it is, as long as you're willing to give me this skeleton."

A glimmer of light flashed in Bryan's eyes as he sarcastically remarked with disdain,

"You should be aware of the gap in strength between us, Thanatos; you can't offer me any help."

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