Hogsmeade Village
Verucca, her dress bloodied and almost completely destroyed, arrived at a house and knocked on the door in a different, specific rhythm. A few moments later, the door was opened and she didn't hesitate to enter.
"Where have you been, Verucca?" Just as the red-haired woman with the green eyes was about to ask, she saw the sorry state of her old friend. "What in Merlin's name happened to you?"
The woman quickly approached and checked Verucca for injuries, and to her relief, there were no obvious wounds on her body, except for a large amount of blood that she assumed belonged to someone else. She walked over to a chair by the fireplace.
Walking over to a chair by the fireplace, Verucca sat down wearily and replied in a weak, exhausted tone. "I've been discovered by Dumbledore, Patricia."
Patricia Rakepick, a famous Curse-Breaker from Gringotts Bank, wore a horrified expression as she listened to her friend's words. She couldn't help but feel a shiver run down her skin.
"How did you escape?" Patricia asked in a frankly skeptical tone, discreetly drawing her wand; in her eyes, there was no way Verucca could escape Dumbledore's clutches.
Verucca looked at the wand in her friend's hand and didn't blame Patricia for being cautious. She was also surprised that she had escaped before; it was normal for Patricia to be skeptical of her for managing to escape from Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard in the world.
"Although I was arrested by Dumbledore, it was Asterion Black who tortured me, the boy is very inexperienced, I had my little wand hidden in my hair and managed to escape when Dumbledore called him to talk." Verucca practically leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes as she answered, she body and mind completely exhausted.
Asterion's torture was both physical and psychological, letting her fall to the bottom of the abyss of sheer terror and then pulling her up, giving her a little relief and hope.
But that relief and hope would soon turn back into sheer terror and pain. He repeated this cycle over and over again, and several times she almost died in the process, but she was healed by the Phoenix Tears.
But the Phoenix Tears didn't cure her mental exhaustion and damage, she was sure that her inner self was completely terrified at the thought of meeting that monster again, but her hatred for Asterion overcame any trauma and fear she possessed at the moment.
Patricia lowered her wand to listen to her words, she couldn't help but look at Verucca pitifully, she was sure that things hadn't been as easy as her friend had said.
Suddenly, a male voice with a strong oriental accent was heard in the house.
"Have we been discovered?" Verucca opened his eyes and saw a man in his thirties. His features told him he was from an Oriental region, China, Korea, or Japan. He had black hair and very dark brown eyes, almost black. He was wearing a white robe, which had earned him the nickname "White Robe Witch" in the wizarding community.
"Probably not, Kazuhiro-san, otherwise, with the coldness and cruelty of Albus Dumbledore and Asterion Black, we'd be imprisoned and tortured by now." Patricia commented, sitting down next to her friend and letting out a heavy sigh of worry.
Besides her, Verucca and Kazuhiro-san were the three R representatives in England, only the three of them would know how to communicate, so the chance of exposure was almost nil.
Kazuhiro Shiratori, a dark wizard, member of R and graduate of the Japanese Mahoutokoro School, nodded.
"I sent a message to my old Sensei Nakamura, now the Japanese Minister of Magic, and he said that everything was normal at Hogwarts, there was no sign that anything big was about to happen. Apparently, Dumbledore-Sama and Asterion-Sama haven't spread the news that you've been arrested." Kazuhiro spoke as he sat down across from the two women, his voice carrying a strong accent from his homeland, but respect was evident when he mentioned the two Special Grade wizards.
"I'll make a call to the chief." Patricia spoke, got up from her chair and went to her room, returning with a hand mirror in one hand.
She whispered a few words and the mirror began to glow brightly. Soon after, the image of a dark-skinned man wearing an elegant red suit appeared in the mirror.
He was the head of the R organization in England, the immediate boss of all three present in this small house.
"Pilgrim." All three stood and greeted the man with respect. He was one of the few Semi-Special Grades of the organization, of course they had to show respect.
"Do you three have anything important to report?" The pilgrim asked, raising an eyebrow at the sight of the three of them together. His voice was serious and dignified.
Verucca began to answer what she knew, and each time she spoke, the man's face grew darker.
When Verucca finished speaking, she saw that their leader had a pale face and a rare expression of fear that surprised everyone, including Patricia and Kazuhiro; what could a Semi-Special wizard be afraid of?
"Albus Dumbledore and Asterion Black." The pilgrim spoke, watching the two shadows in the corner of the room, he could see them even if he was blind!
"It seems that this organization doesn't just operate on English soil, but all over the world." When Verucca heard the voice, a chill ran through her body, her face went pale and a terror rose in her heart, paralyzing her with fear. She would never forget that voice, it was the same voice as the monster that had been torturing her for hours!
Verucca was too scared to move, but not Patricia and Kazuhiro, and when they both turned around, what they saw finally made them understand why their leader was showing an expression of fear.
"Even the Japanese Minister of Magic is involved, I must say I underestimated this organization called R." Dumbledore commented, looking at Kazuhiro. He and Asterion had listened to the entire conversation, including the involvement of the Japanese Minister of Magic, one of the Seven Special Grade Wizards participating in the International Tournament of Witchcraft and Wizardry!
Dumbledore had really underestimated the scope of this organization; he hadn't expected someone so important to conspire with an illegal organization.
He dared say that this organization had already reached global proportions, involving countless countries around the world in a vast web of smuggled alchemical items, ancient relics, and forbidden magical tomes from centuries past. He suspected that many interesting people were involved in this illegal organization.
It could be said that it was quite a powerful organization, even in Dumbledore's eyes.
Asterion looked at the leader called Pilgrim and smiled coldly. "At last we meet, little mouse. Now that you're out of hiding, you've finally lost the nerve to plot against me."
Asterion spoke in a sarcastic tone as he saw the veiled fear on the face of the man in the mirror. He despised these people who only had the courage to conspire against him from the shadows.
Pilgrim's face didn't change at all at his words, the man calmed down and regained his former confident demeanor. "We are much greater than you think, Asterion Black! Even if it's just you and Dumbledore, you won't be able to destroy an organization with over a thousand years of history!"
Asterion and Dumbledore looked at the pilgrim curiously. Those words were truly arrogant and proud, especially to be said in front of them.
"You overestimate your existence, little mouse, even though you are protected by a network of interests around the world. I'm sure your leaders could sacrifice you to appease our wrath." Asterion's lips curved into a cold, sadistic smile as he said this, the drastic change in his face caused by her words making him feel very pleased.
He didn't like people being arrogant in front of him, especially when they were infinitely weaker than him!
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Next Chapter Second Volume: 173 - Conspiracies and Secrets (3), 174 - Conspiracies and Secrets (4), 175 - Conspiracies and Secrets (5), 176 - Conspiracies and Secrets (6), 177 - Conspiracies and Secrets (7), Chapter 178 - Decision and two wives (1), Chapter 179 - Decision and two wives (2), Chapter 180 - The Old King of Camelot (1), Chapter 181 - The Old King of Camelot (2), Chapter 182 - The Old King of Camelot (3), Chapter 183 - Second Trial of the International Tournament of Witchcraft and Wizardry (1), Chapter 184 - Second Trial of the International Tournament of Witchcraft and Wizardry (2), Chapter 185 - Second Trial of the International Tournament of Witchcraft and Wizardry (3), Chapter 186 - Second Trial of the International Tournament of Witchcraft and Wizardry (4), Chapter 187 - Second Test of the International Tournament of Witchcraft and Wizardry (5).