"You dare—"
Many stories' endings can be predicted from their beginnings. The sudden, angry howl that echoed through the eerie underground world was as sharp as a werewolf's cry at the sight of a full moon.
"Toy with—"
Three seconds after taking the Confusing Concoction, the old wizard slammed his hand on the table. The dense boils and sores on his bald head quickly turned from red to purple, then from purple to black. They then began to boil like a potion nearing completion. The fleshy protrusions on his face also became excited, writhing and growing rapidly, eager to separate from the old wizard's face.
"Great—"
The old wizard, seething with anger, raised a short, stout wand topped with a gemstone high above his head, seemingly preparing to cast a vicious curse on the one who had deceived him.
Unfortunately, he seemed to forget that in his current state, he could no longer control his violent, evil magic. The act of casting a spell further exacerbated the chaotic and uncontrolled nature of his magic. He was like a wax figure placed over a flame, melting quickly from the top down.
In the blink of an eye, the once-living person had turned into a pool of black, slimy liquid on the ground!
"Sorry, great... what?"
The thin, bamboo-like wizard who had been trading with the old man sneered strangely. He quickly pocketed the piece of mithril on the table, then walked over to the pool of liquid and examined it. He pulled out the old wizard's wand and carefully inspected the red gemstone on its tip by the light of the floating torches.
Even through the black cloth, Amorsta could sense the thin wizard's smugness.
Noticing Amorsta's gaze, the thin wizard turned his head, his expression hostile. Thinking Amorsta intended to double-cross him, he issued a low threat:
"In this place, greed and excessive curiosity can cost you your life at any moment. Golden Viper, don't think tearing apart a few big dogs will make everyone fear you—"
Amorsta sneered, lowering his head to stare at the pool of liquid. After a moment, a raspy, aged voice emerged from under his hood:
"Thank you for the warning, Mr. Deceiver, but you seem to forget that aside from greed and curiosity, carelessness is also very deadly."
"What?"
In the instant the thin wizard was stunned, a black shadow with crimson eyes emerged from the pool of liquid. The shadow, like the Grim Reaper, floated in mid-air, emitting a chilling scream directed at the thin wizard:
"Embrace death with me, you despicable person!"
The apparition exceeded the thin wizard's comprehension. Without a thought of resistance, he turned to flee. Unfortunately, every inch of the underground world was bound by anti-Disapparition spells, and the nearest fireplace was at least half a mile away.
Before the thin wizard could even reach the low wall, the Grim Reaper-like shadow had already caught up with him, swooping down from the air. It opened its blood-filled mouth and swallowed the thin wizard along with his scream in an instant!
The sickening sound of chewing, akin to nails on a chalkboard, filled the air. Blood mixed with bits of bone and brain matter splattered onto the ground, the stench so strong it made Amorsta wrinkle his nose in disgust.
The old wizard's Grim Reaper form was just his final struggle, unable to persist in this world for long.
After avenging himself, the shadow quickly began to fade. Before disappearing completely, it turned to stare at Amorsta with intense resentment, its raspy voice filled with bitterness:
"You knew that concoction was fake, but you didn't warn me!"
"Why blame others for your own stupidity?" Amorsta said coldly. "Before I get interested in your current form, you'd better disappear quickly. Otherwise, I don't mind keeping you in a glass jar for decades before sending you to hell."
Unable to argue, the shadow sighed reluctantly, took one last longing look around, and then vanished, stepping into death.
Some nearby people had noticed the commotion, but none seemed surprised or wanted to approach and inquire about what had happened. As the thin wizard had said, excessive curiosity in this lawless place could cost one their life.
A sliver of light flashed in the dark air as Amorsta summoned the piece of mithril from the pool of blood and flesh, cleaned it, and calmly pocketed it, feeling particularly pleased.
After a crisp snap of fingers, a golden magical flame ignited on the pus of the old wizard and the shattered flesh of the thin wizard, burning away the filth in mere seconds and erasing the last traces of their existence from the world.
If you take someone's belongings, you should also help take care of their aftermath. This is called a sense of public morality.
"It seems I missed quite a show, Mr. Golden Viper?"
Amorsta turned his head toward the source of the voice. A middle-aged wizard with blonde hair, black eyes, and a friendly appearance stood under the tall notice board, smiling at him.
"Perhaps you were lucky enough to avoid some trouble."
Amorsta nodded in acknowledgement, his tone indifferent.
The newcomer was named Carcus Fawley, a moderately well-known broker in the underground world, hailing from the Fawley family, one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight.
The Fawley family once enjoyed great fame in the wizarding world. At the height of their power, the family head even served as Minister for Magic, making them one of the undeniably powerful families.
Unfortunately, the then-Minister Hector Fawley lacked strategic vision beyond immediate reality. He ignored Albus Dumbledore's warnings and misjudged the potential harm that the then-rising Dark Lord, Gellert Grindelwald, could bring to Britain and the entire European wizarding world. Consequently, he was ousted by angry wizards.
The Fawley family, without the protection of power, suffered greatly and gradually faded from the British wizarding world.
For two or three generations, the fallen Fawley family sought ways to return to the centre stage, trying various methods but always failing. At the end of every path stood an insurmountable figure of the current era.
Albus Dumbledore never specifically targeted the declining Fawley family, but people in the wizarding world did not forget that it was Hector's disregard for Dumbledore's warnings that led to the heavy casualties Britain's wizarding community suffered in the fight against Grindelwald.
Fifty years have passed, and the anger towards the Fawley family has gradually faded. But Albus Dumbledore is still alive!
The current leaders of the Ministry of Magic always treat the centenarian at Hogwarts with utmost caution. They see no need to risk angering the greatest wizard of the age over a family long relegated to the annals of history.
Ultimately, the Fawley family, out of options, decided to embrace the shadows.
They sent one of their few capable younger members, willing to risk exposure and retaliation to operate in the underground world, striving to accumulate wealth and connections, and silently waiting for an opportunity to return to the light.