Tewell sized up the bartender with a hint of amusement.
Tall and thin, his long hair and beard were both grayish-white, and his deep blue eyes carried a sense of indifference.
If Tewell didn't know the plot, he would never have associated him with Albus Dumbledore, the renowned headmaster of Hogwarts.
Yes, this was Albus's younger brother, Aberforth Dumbledore.
While his brother was the foremost white wizard, the famous headmaster of Hogwarts, Aberforth was the owner of a rundown bar in a small village.
It seemed that Tewell's scrutiny had annoyed the bartender, and Aberforth impatiently repeated his question, "What'll it be? Butterbeer or Firewhisky? Or are you staying the night?"
"Just a bottle of butterbeer," Tewell replied casually, quickly finding an empty table conveniently located neither too close nor too far from Quirrell.
Quirrell also ordered a bottle of butterbeer and was engrossed in drinking it.
Compared to other bars, this one was relatively quiet, with Hagrid playing cards on one side, making quite a commotion as he discussed magical creatures with others.
However, when Tewell saw the bottle of butterbeer brought to him, he immediately lost his desire to take a sip.
The grime on it was greasier than Professor Snape's hair and more nauseating than the garlic smell on Quirrell.
It must have been deliberate on Aberforth's part, just to retaliate for Tewell's earlier impoliteness.
Both brothers were becoming more childish as they grew older! Tewell shook his head slightly. As for that bottle of beer, he'd pass. Sitting at the bar, Tewell didn't intentionally observe Quirrell's actions but, like him, listened in on the conversations of those around him.
"They say someone broke into Gringotts Bank, and even managed to escape."
"You're behind the times. That someone not only broke into Gringotts but also emptied it out. The goblins are scratching their heads about how to make up for their losses."
"In my opinion, Gringotts orchestrated the whole thing, secretly pocketing the assets of their depositors and claiming they were stolen by someone else!"
Tewell's face, hidden under his hood, twitched slightly.
What was I expecting?
Probably the same as Quirrell, whose shoulders slumped, clearly impatient, his hand resting on the table as if ready to leave.
At that moment, Hagrid suddenly spoke up, causing Quirrell to quickly settle back down. "Well, you haven't seen a three-headed dog.
I raised one for a year, starting from one this small," he gestured with his hand, "and it grew as tall as the ceiling.
The only trouble is, three heads tend to argue." Just that one sentence from Hagrid was enough to calm Quirrell down, who now listened attentively to Hagrid's conversation.
However, Hagrid only briefly mentioned the three-headed dog, and the rest of the conversation was about his love for dragons, leaving Quirrell somewhat disappointed.
But this also revealed Tewell's understanding of Quirrell's purpose tonight.
So, he's still worrying about the three-headed dog.
A slight smile curved Tewell's lips as he picked up his untouched beer and quietly sat down beside Hagrid.
This action wasn't conspicuous; there had always been people coming and going around Hagrid as they played cards.
After sitting quietly for a while, Tewell suddenly spoke up.
"I also have a three-headed dog, a big one. They're wild and difficult to train. I don't know how you managed to tame yours. If I didn't know their weaknesses, I'd probably have been bitten to death by now."
With a topic to discuss, Hagrid's enthusiasm was piqued.
Not many were willing to talk about magical creatures with him, given his different perspective on these creatures.
"It's quite simple. Three-headed dogs like to eat cooked meat, but they don't mind raw meat either. If you feed them raw meat regularly and then give them cooked meat during training, they'll obediently follow your commands during training."
Hagrid enthusiastically shared a lot more, but Tewell didn't catch the rest. He only needed to know one thing— the bait was set.
Ever since he brought up the topic of the three-headed dog, Tewell had sensed a subtle gaze watching him.
No need to guess, only Quirrell could have been watching for so long.
After expressing his gratitude to Hagrid, Tewell hastily left the bar, pretending to be a wizard who had just learned a new trick and was eager to get home to train his three-headed dog. However, after leaving the bar, his pace slowed slightly as he walked slowly towards the village entrance, strolling along the deserted streets. Chilo, also patient, trailed behind him, seemingly unbothered by Tewell's attempts at misdirection.
Standing at the village entrance, Tewell grew impatient, performing a clumsy Disapparition gesture. Sure enough, Chilo quickly emerged from the shadows.
"Friend, don't leave just yet," his voice carried a hint of cheerfulness, aiming to ease Tewell's guard. "Can we have a chat?"
"Who are you?" Tewell feigned surprise, taking two steps back. "I need to get home quickly, so I won't chat with you."
"Don't be hasty, my friend," Chilo pulled out a small pouch, its contents jingling crisply. "Just answer a simple question for me, and you'll receive twenty Galleons. It's quite simple."
Tewell chuckled wryly. Bribing Hagrid with dragon eggs left him with only twenty Galleons to offer. Besides, he wasn't planning on revealing anything directly.
Pretending to be enticed by the Galleons, Tewell paused before saying, "What do you want to know? I can't guarantee I know anything too difficult."
"It's simple, just tell me what the weak point of a three-headed dog is," Chilo tantalizingly shook the pouch of money.
Tewell crossed his arms, mockingly replying, "That's not an easy question. I doubt you've been sitting in the bar all this time without finding the answer."
Chilo grew visibly irritated; Tewell's demeanor clearly challenged him. "Don't get cocky, I can always ask the big guy!"
"Well, then go ahead and ask," Tewell waved dismissively at Chilo. "I'll be back next week. You can come find me if you still haven't figured out the answer by then."
Before Chilo could respond, Tewell vanished in a flash, leaving behind his previous clumsy demeanor.
Chilo suddenly realized he had been played! That fearful demeanor just now was intentional, meant to deceive him into lowering his guard!
"You've been careless," a low voice emanated from Chilo's hood.
Chilo immediately clasped his hands in front of him, respectfully saying, "Master, it's my fault. That person is not as simple as he seems on the surface."
"I mean, you've been targeted from the moment you stepped into the bar!"
The voice of Voldemort became harsh, causing Chilo to tremble with fear.
"I... I don't understand what you mean, my master."
"That man has been observing you since he entered the bar, aware of your every move, you fool!"
Voldemort also felt immense anger because this was something he had just realized.
He, the great Dark Lord, had been tricked by a cunning individual!
"Make sure to come back next week. Tear the soul out of this man and let me see what's inside!"