"Ah!" Rita Skeeter screamed, realizing only now that Murphy might indeed be a dark wizard as she saw him holding a wand.
Terrified, she ran towards the door, only to find it firmly sealed by a locking curse.
"What are you going to do?!" Skeeter panicked, barely remembering to draw her own wand.
Murphy appeared unconcerned with the stick in her hand.
He continued to sit at the table, even taking a sip of the red tea beside him.
"Why don't you turn yourself into a beetle and slip through the door crack?" Murphy put down the tea cup, expressionless, and looked at Skeeter. "You can do that, can't you?"
Rita Skeeter was shocked. "What do you mean?"
"Guess what would happen if I revealed your secret? Would you still get so many exclusive scoops?"
"Your reports have offended many. If they knew you obtained information this way, do you think they would send you to Azkaban?"
"How... how did you know?"
Murphy didn't answer but said, "From today onwards, if I see even a word in your articles slandering me, that quick-quotes quill will be your example."
"You... are you threatening me?!"
Murphy shook his head. "What are you talking about, Ms. Skeeter? I am a good person. How could I threaten anyone?"
Rita Skeeter was still in shock. After a while, she gauged the seriousness of Murphy's threat and sadly realized he might be serious and capable of following through.
A dark wizard! This guy was undoubtedly a thorough dark wizard! His actions of burning her quick-quotes quill and notebook without blinking proved he was ruthless and decisive.
She dared call Murphy a dark wizard, but once she realized he truly was one, she immediately backed down.
Although Rita Skeeter was bold in writing those things, she always picked on the weak. Confronting a dark wizard?
What a joke! Did she have a death wish? Rita Skeeter, aspiring to reach the pinnacle of the wizarding news world, wouldn't dream of doing something that reckless!
Seeing her silence, Murphy knew she had learned her lesson. He stood up, "By the way, I have good news for you. I've invested in the Daily Prophet. From now on, I'll be one of your bosses."
"I'll double your salary. But from now on, you write what I tell you to. If you dare disobey my orders..."
Murphy didn't finish his sentence, but Rita Skeeter understood. She nodded palely, "I... I understand."
"Good."
Murphy said, taking out another notebook and quill. "From now on, work with these."
"Now, come with me. I've got a big scoop for you."
...
Second floor underground, Ministry of Magic.
Auror Office.
The interrogation of Alexis Wood had been going on for ten minutes.
Surprisingly, he was incredibly stubborn.
Apart from admitting his identity and his employment relationship with Murphy, he was almost silent, keeping his lips sealed.
"What do we do, boss?" an Auror anxiously asked Kingsley. "Murphy Darkholme might arrive any moment. Without evidence, we'll have to release him."
Kingsley frowned deeply. "Are you sure he's Alexis Wood?"
"Peppered saw him, we have his photo, and the Thief's Downfall didn't affect him, so he didn't drink Polyjuice Potion. Unless he's a Metamorphmagus."
"Boss, let's use Legilimency!" another Auror suggested. "We're running out of time. We'll find some clues with Legilimency, and he won't be able to keep silent!"
Using Legilimency for interrogation required approval, and even among Aurors, few were proficient in it. Misuse could cause mental harm to the suspect. Therefore, evidence obtained through Legilimency was usually inadmissible in court, and Aurors seldom resorted to it immediately.
But obviously, it was a critical moment. Kingsley hesitated no longer. "Do it!"
An Auror immediately used Legilimency on Alexis Wood, but after a while, he frowned. "Something's wrong. He might know Occlumency! I can barely read anything useful!"
"Boss!" another Auror rushed in. "Murphy has brought a reporter, and they're heading this way!"
"Blimey!" an Auror cursed. "Why is this guy so tough? If we can't get evidence and the reporters catch us detaining people without cause, we're in trouble!"
"Boss, should we release him for now?" another Auror tentatively asked.
"Release my foot!" an older Auror snapped angrily. "Release him? Forget about Basque and Frank's revenge? Boy, if you die on a mission outside, I won't shed a tear!"
"Enough!"
Kingsley clenched his teeth, suddenly grabbing Alexis Wood's collar. "Look at me! Boy, look at me!"
"You think you're loyal! But you're helping a devil! He's already injured two Aurors! He's unscrupulous for his own desires! Think about those he's hurt, their families! Doesn't your conscience hurt?!"
"I... I don't remember... I don't know..."
Alexis struggled, suddenly holding his head. "I can't tell, I can't... I mustn't... he's a devil, I can't tell... I mustn't..."
"Coward!" Kingsley couldn't help but punch Alexis in the face. "Look at me, Alexis! I know you're a filial son! You send money to your mother every month, I know you have a conscience!"
"But he's committing crimes! He's putting us all, the entire wizarding world, in danger! Selling potions to Muggles for his own gain! Have you thought about the consequences? What if Muggles discover our existence?"
"We'll die in droves! More than during the Witch Hunts! His Muggle money is earned at the risk of sending all wizards to the gallows!"
"When you send those Galleons to your mother, did you ever think they'll be stained with wizard blood?!"
Alexis looked at him blankly. "What are you saying? I... what have I done? I... I can't tell, right, I mustn't tell... Don't force me..."
"You!"
Kingsley clenched his fists in despair, suddenly pushing Alexis away, and turned to another Auror. "Stop Murphy, give him Veritaserum! Quick!"