Capítulo 13: CH: 13 No Choice
The magic surged within his body, akin to a sudden storm descending upon a calm sea.
Anton swiftly controlled his emotions, prepared to unleash the spell at any moment. He pressed his lips together and leaped off the oak chair, calmly gazing at the goblin.
The two locked eyes for a moment.
A slight smile formed on Anton's lips. "I extend greetings on behalf of Teacher Alex Fiennes."
Whether the old wizard and the goblin were enemies or not, it was evident that the goblin had associated Anton with the old wizard. Denying his apprenticeship now would only reveal his vulnerability.
In a place like this, the weak are destined to be cursed.
The goblin Pedro burst into a hearty laughter, pointing his thick fingers at Lupin, who sat beside him. "If I'm not mistaken, this person must have been subjected to your teacher's Cruciatus curse."
Anton observed Pedro's actions cautiously, maintaining a polite smile on his face, but his eyes betrayed a coldness. "Perhaps he was attacked by other wizards."
"No, no, no," the goblin retorted, wagging his finger. "Every creature has its distinct scent. As a master of the Cruciatus curse, Fiennes's curse is quite different from that of other wizards."
He playfully glanced at Anton. "He brought the wizard who was attacked by your teacher and brought him to me. Little guy, you're in a tough spot."
Anton pursed his lips, his heart in turmoil. He cast a complex and conflicted gaze at Lupin, letting out a sigh. "I can't help it, he's my uncle, he's my uncle!"
Emotionally overwhelmed, tears welled up in his eyes.
It was a tangled web of unending familial love and loyalty to his teacher, a burden too heavy for this poor child to bear.
It's so difficult!
"Tsk tsk tsk," the goblin exclaimed, unable to find the right words. "I admire your innocence, young wizard. You haven't been completely tainted by the darkness of the bad wizards."
Unbeknownst to the goblin, Mr. Rosier, standing behind them, observed the two with keen interest, his eyes sharp enough to pierce through their hearts. This elegant middle-aged man subtly made a face at Anton.
Quite intriguing!
The stark contrast instantly reminded Anton of Mr. Bean, nearly causing him to burst into laughter.
Suppressing his amusement, Anton lifted his head, holding back tears, and spoke in a hoarse voice. "Mr. Pedro."
Suddenly, he lowered his head, his expression resolute as he locked eyes with the goblin. "For the sake of my uncle, I am willing to do anything!"
The goblin positioned himself in front of Lupin, rolling his eyes and allowing his fingers to emit a faint blue glow as he placed them on Lupin's head.
"This is not good."
The goblin retrieved a beautiful box from the nearby shelf, extracting a cigar to share with Mr. Rosier, and lighting one for himself.
The cigar appeared like a toothpick against the backdrop of his thick fingers.
Thick smoke billowed forth as the goblin tucked his hand into the pocket of his suit trousers. "This treatment is incredibly challenging, and you may have to pay a hefty price for it."
He can be cured!
He desires a cure!
Anton instantly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a sense of relaxation wash over him. "How much will it cost?"
"Money?" The goblin Pedro seemed to find something amusing and burst into laughter, joined by Rosier.
Anton blinked, perplexed. "Is there a problem?"
In his recollection, the school's nurse at Hogwarts possessed the ability to effortlessly heal any number of injuries.
This request is asking for the impossible!
Anton immediately reached a conclusion.
He must have overplayed his role earlier, leading the goblin to believe that he had resolved the matter for himself. With little experience in such schemes, he could only reflect on the situation and gradually accumulate knowledge.
The goblin shook his head. "You've grown accustomed to casually witnessing your teacher unleash the Cruciatus Curse, and you believe it to be normal?"
Anton nodded in agreement.
However, the primary reason for his belief was not solely due to the old wizard's ability to cast spells at will, but rather his own experiences. He had endured numerous Cruciatus Curses, with the worst outcome being a mere loss of consciousness.
"The Cruciatus Curse is one of the three Unforgivable Curses, you know?"
The goblin gazed at Anton, nodding as he sneered, revealing his thick beige teeth. "No, you don't understand!"
"There are numerous curses that are more ferocious than the Cruciatus. They are more vicious, inflict deeper wounds, and possess greater power. In my centuries of existence, I have encountered only a few."
"But none of those spells fall under the classification of unforgivable curses."
An Dong swiftly recollected the novels and videos he had consumed in his previous life. "Is it because there is no counter-curse?"
Snapped!
"Exactly!" Fairy Pedro snapped his fingers.
"There is no counter-curse, meaning that once a person is targeted by an Unforgivable Curse, there is no way to recover through magic, let alone find a cure."
He exhaled another puff of smoke and continued eloquently, "The Three Unforgivable Curses are simply the most malevolent spells ever devised by your human wizards."
"There is no remedy for an assault on the soul." He sneered, his eyes gleaming. "Do you know why human wizards reign supreme in this world?"
"Because they invented the Unforgivable Curse, which eradicated all intelligent creatures that refused to submit."
"Ancient goblins excel in crafting intricate alchemical items. They have conquered time, creating time converters. They have conquered space, constructing vanishing cabinets. They have achieved mastery in numerous domains."
Pedro shrugged, puffing on his cigar, wearing a helpless expression.
"So humans conquered the goblins with the Unforgivable Curse."
"Now the goblins only know how to refine gold coins."
"The most absurd part is this." Pedro sneered, "Human wizards killed all intelligent creatures, and when they found no more enemies, they started killing each other."
"Their magic was disrupted because of this. Later wizards had to resort to using wands, which they previously disliked, and learned weakened magic spells."
"The wisdom of ancient wizards is now reduced to a few words in books, and much of their magic has vanished into the depths of history."
"Only the Unforgivable Curse, used to kill one another, has been well-preserved."
Pedro proclaimed, "This is the Unforgivable Curse, because it cannot be cured, it is unforgivable."
"You haven't been to St. Mungo's Hospital. It's filled with patients injured by the Unforgivable Curse, and none of them have been cured and discharged."
Anton understood. The Unforgivable Curse was perhaps akin to a high-caliber firearm. When fired, it left a bowl-sized hole in the body.
But he merely observed him with cold eyes.
After listening to the goblin's final words, he simply replied, "But you can heal. Can you please tell me directly what you need me to do?"
He definitely did not want to end up in the clutches of this goblin again, just like he had followed Fiennes.
If the goblin demanded too much, he would surely cast a spell and make a quick escape.
"It's simple." The goblin snapped her fingers once more, and the sound of metal tapping against the wall resonated. Countless gears and mechanical mechanisms swiftly transformed, eventually producing a bottle the size of a human pinky, which flew out from the contraption.
"Put this in your teacher's food." He held the glass bottle between his fingers, and the liquid inside appeared to be plain boiled water.
Anton firmly refused, "No, I cannot betray my teacher!"
The goblin sneered, "You can only choose between your teacher or your uncle. Believe me, there is no one else in this world who can take care of him like I can."
Anton remained silent, his mind finally fully grasping the information. Neville's parents, who had been driven to madness by the Cruciatus Curse, were members of the Order of the Phoenix. If the wizard doctor at Hogwarts could truly heal them, why hadn't they done so? It didn't make sense.
Feeling torn, he looked at the goblin with bloodshot eyes and clenched his teeth. "He is my beloved teacher!"
The goblin chuckled, "You don't have a choice."
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