*POV Ministry workers*
Carter was a burly man with stoic features around 40 years old, while Harper was a bit younger around 35 with short dark hair, dark eyes and thin lips. His face is a depiction of the word "serious". Both of men were tall people around 180 cm.
They were employees in the very special division of the Ministry of Magic called "Improper Use of Magic Office". Their small duo was responsible for catching underage young wizards who do magic in London and its outskirts.
Their work was simple. Most of the cases were about impulsive kids who under influence of a strong emotion used magic. What's left were accidents or unlucky coincidences(e.g. older mages cast spells in vicinity of the younger wizard).
But month ago, they for the first time faced something unsolvable. There was a magic signal from London outskirts. However, after heading there, they were unable to track culprit. All they found were 3 knocked out thugs. After asking some questions from them that trio was obliviated.
Questioning didn't bring any results, except finding out what these 3 men were doing in that alley. Case was closed with next conclusion: "Adult wizard decided to involve himself into muggle business and help out a woman in distress. Young wizard with the "Trace" was close by during that activity which led to trace activating and signaling out."
But horror started around a week later. They received a notification about "Trace" activation, but upon arriving they found out that signal came from a robbery site. The only information they got was about a kid in grey cloths and mask.
There was no apparent magic usage, so the "Stature of Secrecy" was unbroken, however they were unable to find culprit and later they found out that he or she knocked few of the guards into the walls and escaped through a smokescreen. These two things made them remember an earlier case where they were unable to find culprit as well.
Since then such signal started appearing every two-to-three days and that led these 2 normal workers to the brink of madness. Running around only to find nothing but a cold trail. After all they were not detectives meant to look for criminals, but employees meant to look after kids and send them notices about inappropriate usage of magic.
Now, month later since the shop robbery, both were backed up against a wall. They need to file a monthly report in 3 days, while having more than 7 unresolved cases, with no knowledge about a culprit.
'What should we do?' was the only thought on their minds currently.
*Knock**Knock*
The moment 2 men heard hurried knocks on the door, they looked at each other as if hoping the other is waiting for somebody to visit them, but no.
Door has opened and another young man has walked in the room
'Not again, please'
"There was a magic signal in London." Newcomer informed them and after that left directly.
"We have no choice then. We need a Legilimens." Carter said.
"We don't even have a suspect list. Who we are going to use it on?"
"We apparate to the signal's location and directly apprehend any suspicious looking person. Later, we can obliviate them. We have no other options left."
"But still, apparating directly to the place is dangerous and …" ]
Harper was interrupted.
"You don't get it, aren't you? We have more than 8 unsolved cases that are connected to each other. If somebody in the ministry finds out, that we still don't have any suspects – losing our job will be a lightest of punishment.
These cases can potentially lead to the biggest breach of "Stature of secrecy" in last 50 years! Muggles all around the city have already started asking questions about break-ins and robberies in that district!" Carter was screaming by the end of his speech.
After 10 seconds of inner struggle Harper came to a decision.
"I understand. Do we have a clear location?"
"We do. Let's go!"
Two of them stood up, took out their wands and apparated.
*In the meantime, Magnus*
Month passed since I stole the money from that jewelry shop. Since then, I researched the gang I've robbed the first time and got information on their other spots of money/valuables launder. After that sneaking in and sneaking out was as easy as pie.
After first shop, there were no alarms in safes or money were kept outside of them. But from another perspective safe in jewelry shop was the richest. Shame those reaches were mostly in the form of jewelry and precious metals.
Plus finding money now was even easier. After first break-in I deleted 2 saves. First one was the one I made before entering the forest and second before trials. So, I had 3 free save slots. I used 2 of them per robbery, but after safe return I was deleting them.
I made one before going on a robbery and second one while inside a place where I need to find money. And that's where the trick came in.
"Empowered Concentrated Accio Money"
I use spell wandless, so I have to speak it out loud and gesture for 10 seconds but results worth it. Money burst to my hands from all hidden places. Then I carefully check where they came from and memorize the places. Then I return to save I just made. If I didn't memorize all caches with money, I cast it again.
Then I do so in all the rooms, I consider worthy of check. Because I am returning to the moment in time, both body(brain's condition to be precise ) and energy to channel are in the same condition.
However, due to repeated spell casting that goes on for 10 seconds I become tired of doing this again and again. It feels like a true grinding or better to be said "Quick Save abusing" but as long as it brings results, I will persevere.
Then I collect all the money, from places memorized. Put them into inventory and sneak out. Reach home and continue with my usual routine. To make sure, the family I live with don't notice strangeness, I come every day at the same time. I started doing so after I returned from the first robbery.
That day I returned around one and a half hour later than usual, so I decided to say that I walk in a park located 40 minutes running from my work, where I rest after running and meditate. This way a have usual routine that naturally made come later. Although, I must admit that rest in a park sounded somewhat unexpected and unnatural, but at least it's better than coming later only on days of robbery. Plus, I did appear in park and was meditating there.
And by meditating, I mean training spells from personal spellbook inside a virtual training ground. This way I can increase my magic chanting and magic gesturing, albeit very slowly. Unfortunately, magic channeling can't be improved this way, because I am not channeling magic with my physical body. Better than nothing.
Anyway, I decided that today will be my last robbery. Mostly, because it was the last target from the information, I gathered about the gangsters and secondly because I got more than enough money to buy all necessities for a second year.
I got to the small bakery and put on all required equipment. Reached it's backdoor and used Alohomora on the door. As soon as door unlocked and opened a little 5 men tried to run out of the door.
Apparently, it was another ambush. Because I strike at specific time and only objects belonging to one gang, they figured it out and started putting more people as guards on back doors in that time. But it was fruitless so far and will remain so.
'Fumos'
Then I started seeking out targets and…
'Concentrated Flipendo'
10, maximum 15 seconds and enemies were knocked out after kissing walls.
I entered the shop and started acting in accordance to my usual strategy. But I was in the process of memorizing where money came from, from behind my back I heard:
"Young wizard, drop your wand and state your name! You are under arrest for underage magic and possible breach of "Stature of Secrecy"."
'Okay… WAIT! Not okay. Return to last save!'
After I returned to a minute before that, I run to a backdoor just in time to see 2 man apparating right into the alley with that bakery. It took them some time to discover the scene with knocked out people and rush here. I dashed out of the room through the opened window leading to the opposite side of the house. Then I started running. But I have underestimated these wizards. Maybe sound of me running or something else but it tipped me of in my general direction so I needed to escape.
However, no matter how trained my body was, they were adults so height advantage was still valid for movement, especially running.
'Hm... It won't work. I need to run the moment I return. Let's do it again. Return to the last save.'
*Progress*
『 Alchemy 27 | Sneak 23 ➔ 25 』
『 Speech 23 | Studying 29 | Wand Making 26 』
『 Herbology 24 | Magic Channeling 27 』
『 Magic Chanting 22 ➔ 23 | Magic Gesturing 22 ➔ 23 』
『 Magic Theory 32 | Astronomy 22 』
『 Riding Expertise 21 | Crafting 21 』
『 Playing Games 17 | Enchanting 17 』
『 Cooking 19 ➔ 23 | Training 18 ➔ 22 』