Thanks to Bryan's quick response and timely tracking, coupled with the fact that the two wizards who hastily left the old mansion didn't put much effort into concealing their traces, Bryan seized the opportunity and saw some crucial information.
The Druids and Voldemort had become allies.
This was no longer in doubt. The priestess had made an extremely unwise choice. In the twisted psyche of a dark wizard like Voldemort, there was no concept such as allies. To him, the world was starkly divided into two categories: those foolish enough to stand against him, destined to be crushed beneath his heel, and those who would serve him, willingly or otherwise. There was no middle ground, no room for equals or true allies in Voldemort's vision of domination.
Bryan's mind drifted back to the brief time he had spent in Cliodna's company. Though their interaction had lasted only a few days, it had been enough for Bryan to form a solid impression of the priestess. She was many things - powerful, enigmatic, and at times inscrutable - but a fool she was not. Her intelligence and cunning were evident in her every calculated action.
This made her decision all the more baffling and concerning. Due to Dumbledore's relentless efforts to contain the growing threat, Voldemort's reign of terror had primarily affected the British wizarding community at its peak. While other European magical societies had been spared the brunt of his malice, stories of his cruelty and the atrocities committed in his name had spread far and wide.
It was inconceivable that Cliodna, with her vast network of followers could be ignorant of Voldemort's true nature. The Dark Lord's reputation as a ruthless, power-hungry tyrant was well-established. Yet, despite all this, she had chosen to ally herself with him.
Bryan's sharp mind began piecing together the puzzle, drawing connections between seemingly disparate events. After departing from the Isle of Avalon, Cliodna had swiftly made her way to Albania. This was no coincidence - Albania had long been rumored to be Voldemort's hiding place. It was clear now that Cliodna's journey had been purposeful, seeking to establish contact with the Dark Lord.
Thinking back to what happened in the temple at the end of their journey to Avalon, the strange behavior of the Caduceus, and the shock and bewilderment Cliodna had shown at the time...
The source of Cliodna's irrational behavior was becoming clearer.
Then there was that unfortunate female employee from the Ministry of Magic. Now, Bryan knew her name was Bertha Jorkins.
Voldemort had interrogated Bertha Jorkins, so what exactly had he heard from this female employee's mouth?
Needless to say, the Triwizard Tournament must have been leaked. Although this event was still in the confidential stage, that was only for the general public of the wizarding world. Those with some status and position knew the basic situation. When Bryan was in Paris participating in the specific implementation of this event, many people in the British wizarding world had written to him, asking if they could help advertise products from their alchemy factories during the tournament.
But beyond this widely-anticipated event, what other crucial information had Bertha provided?
At this point, Bryan had no way of knowing. Everyone has countless secrets in their hearts. What did this ordinary female employee of the Ministry of Magic know, and was this information valuable to Voldemort?
In the scene he had just reconstructed, Voldemort and Cliodna's conversation had also mentioned Harry...
Using that boy... no weaknesses...
Bathed in moonlight, Bryan shook his head slightly. Dumbledore, that old fellow, really had thought of everything...
Voldemort probably wanted to use the Triwizard Tournament to involve Harry, which meant that Harry would definitely have to participate in the event.
Bryan had been involved in formulating many of the rules for the tournament. For safety reasons, they had clearly stipulated the age of the champions participating in the event selection, and Harry didn't meet the requirements. So, he was planning to...
Voldemort and Cliodna must have guessed that their conflict had attracted the attention of Muggles, so after hurriedly cleaning up here, this time, they had left by Apparition. Moreover, to prevent being located, they must have cast some defensive spells on themselves, which had rendered the snake scale in Bryan's possession ineffective.
With measured steps, Bryan glided out of the room where he had made his startling discoveries. Rather than leaving the mansion entirely, he soared to a room on the second floor, one featuring an open terrace that offered a wide view of the surrounding landscape.
Standing there, bathed in the soft radiance of moonlight, Bryan's gaze swept across the boundless wilderness stretched out before him. The night sky above was a tapestry of twinkling stars, their eternal light a stark contrast to the darkness that threatened to engulf the wizarding world. In this moment of quiet contemplation, Bryan's mind worked furiously, weighing options and considering the best course of action.
Indeed, Dumbledore hoped that he could remain restrained about what would happen in the coming year. He wanted to let Voldemort expose himself from the darkness, even at the cost of putting Harry at some risk. He hoped Bryan could remain restrained, standing by idly.
The night wind suddenly gusted, and the glow in Bryan's eyes became as deep as the night sky.
Standing by idly was one thing, but allowing events to spiral beyond his control was quite another. Everything must remain within his sight, within his sphere of control. Next...
Screech!
His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a sharp, distinctive screech that cut through the howling wind. Bryan's body tensed, his hand instinctively moving towards his wand. But he quickly recognized this sound. It was the call of Kakus Fawley's owl.
Unfolding the letter, there was only one sentence written:
"Dear Mr. Watson,
The situation is urgent. Please set out for London immediately upon receiving this letter to meet me in person.
Yours faithfully,
Kakus Fawley"
An hour later, Bryan returned to London and met Kakus Fawley in Diagon Alley.
This fellow wasn't even staying in the underground world, but was squatting at the entrance of Knockturn Alley, anxiously pacing back and forth. Bryan had known this guy for quite a few years, but he had never seen him in such a panicked state.
"Kakus—" Bryan called out, his voice low and cautious.
Bryan was now a well-known celebrity in the wizarding world. Wherever he went, he would always attract people's attention, so he had to disguise himself with a cloak from afar. Hearing the call, Kakus Fawley was stunned for a moment, but when he noticed the golden strange snake on the caller's collar, his face, full of anxiety, suddenly lit up with joy.
The entrance to Knockturn Alley was near Gringotts. Although it was nighttime, the place was still bustling with people coming and going.
Kakus, his forehead now glistening with nervous sweat, grabbed Bryan's arm with surprising strength. Without a word, he pulled them both deeper into the Knockturn Alley. They moved swiftly, dodging around others until they found themselves in a secluded alleyway, far from prying eyes and curious ears.
Once satisfied with their isolation, Kakus turned to Bryan, his eyes wild with a mixture of fear and urgency. "Would you mind removing your disguise completely, Mr. Viper?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
It seemed that there was indeed something urgent; otherwise, Kakus wouldn't have the guts to make such a request. While thinking this, Bryan pulled back his hood and dispelled the magical disguise concealing his face.
As the magical vortex dissipated, revealing Bryan's familiar face, Kakus let out a long, shuddering sigh of relief. The tension in his body seemed to ease slightly, but his next words were spoken through gritted teeth, showing the stress still coursing through him.
"Don't tell me you have nothing to do with what happened at the Soul Eater's Den, Mr. Watson!"
The accusation, veiled thinly as a question, caught Bryan off guard. His eyes narrowed, a hint of toughness entering his voice as he responded, "You called me back in such a hurry just to question whether I killed those scums?"
Kakus faded at Bryan's tone, realizing his misstep. "Oh, of-of course not because of that," he stammered, his words tumbling out in a rush. "Well, there's an urgent matter!" He paused, struggling to catch his breath before continuing, "I've just found out about it myself, and after thinking it through, I'm afraid only you can solve it. It's an urgent matter, please allow me to cut to the chase—"
Once again, Kakus glanced around nervously, ensuring their privacy. Then, under Bryan's stern and expectant gaze, he said urgently.
"It's like this, Mr. Watson. Half a month ago, Lucius Malfoy approached me, which surprised me greatly. We all know that Lucius Malfoy is desperate to convince certain influential circles that he has completely severed ties with his notorious past. In recent years, he's been meticulously avoiding any dealings with people of my... particular set of skills and connections."
Fawley's reputation as a broker was built on discretion and reliability. The fact that he was now breaking his own strict code of conduct by disclosing a client's identity and the nature of their business spoke volumes about the direness of the situation. This breach of professional ethics would undoubtedly damage his standing in certain circles, but Kakus seemed to not care about such consequences at this moment.
"I immediately sensed something was amiss with this unexpected approach," Kakus continued, his voice low and urgent. "My instincts were screaming that this was no ordinary commission. So, I took a calculated risk and made some... 'creative' adjustments to the contract. These modifications allowed me to circumvent certain limitations that would normally be in place for such tasks."
Bryan listened intently, his mind already racing ahead, considering the implications of what Kakus was revealing.
"For instance," Kakus explained, "I was able to discreetly inquire about Malfoy's true intentions behind issuing the contract. And now, I am able to disclose details of the commissioned task to you. Malfoy, not being one of us 'insiders' in the true sense, failed to notice my little... insurance policy."
"What exactly did he do?" Bryan's brow furrowed deeply.
Kakus took a deep breath, "Lucius provided me with an obscene amount of galleons - more gold than I've seen in one place in all my years in this business. My task was to recruit individuals possessing exceptional skills, people capable of executing orders faithfully and without question."
He paused, swallowing hard before continuing, "But here's the truly alarming part, Mr. Watson. Malfoy kept the true nature of the task hidden from these recruits until just yesterday afternoon. He gathered everyone in a secret location - a house owned by the Malfoy family that's not on any official records. And then... then he revealed his true intentions."
Kakus's voice dropped even lower, forcing Bryan to lean in close to hear his next words. "He wants them to disguise themselves as Death Eaters, Mr. Watson. And not just for show. Their mission... their mission is to carry out a full-scale terrorist attack at the Quidditch World Cup."
"Mr. Watson," Kakus continued, his voice trembling, "there are a hundred thousand wizards from all over the world there! Men, women, children - all gathered in one place."
A chill ran down Bryan's spine and he shouted sternly, "When does the World Cup match start?"
"It's—" Kakus's face turned ashen, and he said tremblingly, "Right now."
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