The place known as The Dragons of Albion was livelier than usual. The missions were eye-catching, and though they were quickly taken, the flow of people didn't stop. Some visitors stayed after witnessing the spectacle, while others arrived drawn by rumors spreading around; however, there were no missions left.
Tonks showed up shortly after, looking slightly disheveled, with the air of someone who had just woken up and a slightly awkward gait. Her presence drew the attention of those present, especially those who already knew her. Her appearance sparked some murmurs and chuckles, but she seemed too focused on reaching her post, likely intending to nap on the counter.
"Well, looks like someone had a rough night," one of the patrons quipped, loud enough for her to hear.
Without breaking stride, Tonks headed for her counter. Far from ignoring the comment, she responded with a carefree attitude and a slightly mocking smile.
"Excuse my appearance," she said, raising her hand and flipping him off. "Last night, my man took me like the bitch I am, filled me with more milk than you could ever produce in your whole life, even if you turned into a cow." With that, she continued her walk to her seat.
Once seated, she sighed in relief, slumping onto the table as if she was on the verge of falling asleep. I couldn't help but laugh at the scene, while the patron who had made the comment looked visibly annoyed by her response, and others around him laughed at his expense. For other bosses, something like this might be considered highly unprofessional, but I didn't care. Tonks is, after all, my Tonks, and nothing matters more than her.
It's true that ever since we returned from those two years in Troy, she's changed a lot. Situations like this no longer faze her, and she answers sharp remarks with witty comebacks without fear of the consequences. Her confidence has grown to the point where any trace of shame or timidity is completely gone—though, to be fair, she was never particularly reserved to begin with.
Our private life has also become something of public knowledge thanks to her. After those years of orgies and other craziness, she talks about our sex life openly. For instance, I caught her sharing details with a group of witches who had approached her for a chat. Tonks, despite being tired, seemed to enjoy recounting stories with complete frankness. I even think I saw her lift her tunic to show the poor state of her pussy due to excessive sex, provoking envious glances from her listeners, which occasionally shifted toward me as well.
Other customers also tried to chat with me, asking about the missions, the business, life in general, and even what my "secret" was to leave Tonks in such a state. However, I didn't have much time for socializing. During her 'break,' I had to handle a significant portion of the work alongside the new staff.
All in all, the business was a success, and the atmosphere was livelier than ever—though not as hectic as at first, thanks in part to the new additions to the team.
...
The day after we installed the mission board, the business had a much busier morning than usual. Rumors had spread quickly, and many people wanted to try out this new attraction. However, the number of missions was limited, and within two hours of opening, there were no more left. Those who arrived later were disappointed and asked for more missions to be added. While I would've liked to offer more, I didn't have enough crystal coins to fund them.
This pattern continued for several days—some calmer than others—but the influx of clients kept growing as word spread about the chance to earn money through missions. I even began noticing the presence of non-human beings during off-peak hours: goblins, half-goblins, half-giants like Hagrid, and even a half-vampire.
They all seemed hesitant as they entered, as if unsure whether this place would be different from others. The other customers eyed them with disdain, but I made sure to treat them with the same courtesy as anyone else, which clearly eased the tension in the room. Non-humans aren't welcomed in many places, and I wanted them to feel that my establishment was one where they could be accepted without prejudice. This effort paid off, as they began returning, finding in my place one of the few that treated them with the same respect and dignity as others.
Not everyone was happy about this. Some of my other clients decided to stop coming altogether. But I didn't care. I wanted my business to be inclusive, even as I ensured order was maintained. Any conflict that crossed the line was dealt with swiftly, sometimes decisively. While this also drove away another segment of the clientele, the rules I established for this place were a priority for me.
The business was experiencing constant ups and downs. Adding to the challenges was another problem: the Ministry of Magic. As Amelia had warned me, their inspectors started showing up multiple times, trying to find some error or violation. But I was well-prepared. Thanks to Amelia, all my paperwork was in order, and with some advice from Moody, I was ready to face any tricks or schemes they might try against me.
So, there wasn't much they could do. I was a nuisance to the Ministry. My business was thriving and full of potential, and they wanted a piece of it, especially since the establishment was run by someone relatively unknown in the circles of power. Without significant backers, they thought it would be easy to push me aside and seize control of the business to reap the profits. However, they never managed to achieve anything concrete—until now, shortly after I installed the mission board.
Today, several Aurors entered the business, led by a man I didn't recognize but whose attitude reminded me too much of the arrogant aristocrats or pompous leaders I'd encountered before. They entered the establishment with an air of arrogance that immediately annoyed me, though I didn't plan to initiate a conflict… yet.
"Tenebrius Akaichi?" the leader of the Aurors shouted in the middle of the shop, drawing the attention of everyone present.
"Here," I replied, raising my hand with an irritated tone at how he addressed me.
"Tenebrius Akaichi, you are accused of the illegal use of Portkeys," he declared, pulling out a scroll and presenting it to me.
"I see," I nodded.
"So, you confess?" he said sternly.
"No, I just said I understand the accusation. I'm innocent," I replied calmly.
"Even so, you'll have to come with us," he insisted, visibly annoyed.
"I'm sorry, but that won't be possible," I replied.
"Are you resisting arrest?" he said, snapping his fingers and motioning toward me, as the Aurors behind him gripped their wands tightly.
"Yes and no. You see, what you're attempting here is an illegal arrest or something like that," I said without emotion.
"Arrest him!" the leader shouted, not noticing that the Aurors behind him showed signs of doubt and even fear. Not all of them knew me personally, but many had heard of me. Moody was famous for scolding and humiliating rookies, often using me or Tonks as examples of proper conduct.
"I don't think you want to do that," I said, holding my wand and tapping it lightly against my palm.
My demeanor seemed to irritate him even more, as if he took it as an insult… which, to some extent, was true.
"Stupefy!" he shouted, pulling out his wand and casting a spell in my direction.
"Protego," I murmured, moving my wand with precise motion. An invisible shield materialized in front of me, deflecting his spell as I gave him a chilling smile.
The four Aurors behind him grew nervous, quickly raising their wands, ready to attack me as well. But they didn't get the chance, as a flash of light struck among them, causing an explosion that sent them flying in all directions. I glanced toward the counter, where Tonks stood with her wand extended, wearing a cold and determined expression—the same one she had during battles.
The place descended into chaos, with customers scrambling to escape. However, those four Aurors weren't the only ones who had come; there were more outside, colliding with the people trying to flee. I also noticed that the leader, the one who attacked me first, had disappeared using Apparition.
Without paying him much attention, I flicked my wand toward a table, levitating it and hurling it toward the entrance, where the new Aurors were preparing to enter. One of them quickly raised a shield, blocking the table's impact, but Tonks aimed at the ground beneath their feet, transforming it into a muddy swamp. Watching the Aurors lose their footing, I pointed my wand and cast:
"Hōs aris patássei bíē."
A massive and powerful wave of force shot out from my wand, slamming into the Aurors. Without a stable shield, the impact sent them flying out of the shop. It was a spell I had learned in Troy, designed to break down massive gates of walled cities, much stronger than a Flipendo or Depulso.
The Aurors who fell outside were in bad shape, some with broken bones from the impact, while those still inside were taken down by Tonks. She wasn't killing them, though perhaps she came close. I had to remind her that we weren't at war anymore to prevent her from going too far. They tried to get back up and fight, but our reactions were faster. Soon, they were bound, knocked out, or incapacitated, and one by one, we tossed them out of the shop.
The customers still in the store were terrified, except for some non-human patrons who seemed thrilled by what they had witnessed. I ignored the fleeing customers as I walked toward the exit to survey the aftermath, followed by Tonks and a pair of werewolf women who had drawn their wands and stuck close behind me. They weren't particularly combative, but I had given them and their people a chance to live with dignity, unlike the inhumane treatment they received elsewhere. Though they disliked fighting, they would stand by my side if necessary to protect their home and future.
Outside, we saw the Aurors sprawled on the ground; some groaned in pain while others tried to crawl toward their wands. The scene was pitiful but unavoidable. Passersby looked on with a mix of curiosity and fear, pointing at me and the Aurors, which began drawing the attention of the entire area. However, the murmurs stopped abruptly when several figures suddenly appeared, materializing via Apparition around my business. They were more Aurors, all with their wands trained on me. Among them, I saw the man who had escaped earlier; evidently, he had returned with reinforcements.
The man shouted something, and all the Aurors present fired their spells at me without hesitation, ignoring their fallen comrades.
"Protego Totalum!" Swiftly—perhaps even faster than they attacked—I raised a barrier around the front of my business. An instant later, Tonks reinforced the spell, joined by the werewolves who knew how to cast it.
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