After a night's rest at home, Ethan went to Knockturn Alley the next day.
Ethan's parents were away on business trips but had promised to be home before Christmas, and now there was no one to restrain him. He didn't know if it was because of the holiday, but it seemed like these dark wizards were out to improve their performance, just like the thieves in China who were particularly rampant before the Chinese New Year.
He had just entered Knockturn Alley, and before he had time to find an empty place to start shadow stealth, he was targeted. It seems like it was his turn to make some extra money!
So Ethan started to walk toward a side road, deliberately distancing himself from the crowd and leading it to a sparsely populated area.
Soon, he came to an empty alley, and just as he entered the corner, one of the pursuers couldn't wait!
"Crucio!"
A gloomy and hoarse voice sounded from behind Ethan, but before the spell could hit him, a colorful figure rushed out from under Ethan's cloak at an extreme speed and intercepted the Unforgivable Curse.
The creature, still in motion, slashed the wizard's hand, causing blood to gush out. The wizard watched his wrist and wand fly into the air.
It was only then that he realized what had happened.
"Ah!"
A shrill scream echoed, marking his belated realization.
"Swooping Evil!"
The man, who was hanging ten meters behind the wizard and responsible for keeping watch, retreated in fear upon seeing the attacker clearly.
An adult Swooping Evil cannot be subdued by just one or two wizards. It is small and fast, has high magic resistance, and is poisonous. Many wizards would rather face a fire dragon than a Swooping Evil.
Moreover, this creature feeds on brains and is considered a very evil magical animal of the XXXXX type.
Ethan, however, was uncertain if he was dealing with an adult. When he first raised him, he was not an adult. Ethan didn't know how old one must be to be considered an adult, or how long it would take to become one.
But after consuming energy cubes for such a long time, plus the fire dragon brain, Swooping Evil's size and physical fitness were greater than the standard data recorded in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Although a normal Swooping Evil is also powerful, it can't sever limbs with its wings. Ethan's bone spurs were sharper, allowing him to break bones easily.
"I surrender!"
The wizard put away his wand and raised his hands in surrender.
He had no chance to escape in front of the Swooping Evil. Rather than fighting to the death, he would rather humbly ask for his life.
Ethan looked at this scene speechlessly. This guy must be from next door!
He surrendered so skillfully!
"Bruno, kill him. What's the point of surrendering?"
"He is a minor wizard relying on the Swooping Evil. Killing him might resolve the crisis of the Swooping Evil."
The wizard with the broken hand looked at his companion with a pained expression. He didn't expect his teammate to be so cowardly. It's no wonder he came from a certain country.
"You know nothing!"
Bruno glanced at his companion and turned to look in Ethan's direction. "I really surrender. You can do whatever you want."
"Bruno, you..."
The wizard with the broken hand immediately cursed, his tone filled with bitterness.
The only ray of life was abandoned by his teammates. He was now doomed. With his hand broken and wand lost, he had completely lost the ability to resist. Having used the Unforgivable Curse on the opponent, there was no way out.
As the green light in his eyes grew stronger, he looked at his teammates with resentment. He would never find such a partner again, even if he died!
The surrendered man on the other side was also panicking. He knew exactly what the green light meant.
He immediately performed a skilled roll, trying to avoid the incoming killing curse.
Just when he thought he had evaded the attack, he realized that the green light was not aimed at him, but at the companion he had met just last week.
That's right, they had just met in the pub last week. They didn't have much friendship, merely planned to work together and would decide whether to continue cooperating or separate based on this encounter.
He hadn't heard any spells or seen the little wizard take out his wand.
What was going on? Was there someone hiding on the side?
"What country are you from?"
Ethan was ready to determine his value.
The three fools he collected from Knockturn Alley last time seemed useless.
"I am a Muggle-born from France."
The man was stunned, not understanding why he was being asked, but he answered honestly.
Sure enough, he was from France. No wonder he surrendered so skillfully.
"Tell me, what can you do? What's valuable about you?"
As he said this, Ethan cast a levitation spell and pulled the pocket of the corpse that was dealt with by the Swooping Evil over.
The corpse was left to the Swooping Evil and Lethifold to deal with. One ate the brain and the other the corpse. They got along quite well.
"I know how to make potions. I can brew most of them, and the quality is absolutely up to standard."
Bruno confessed honestly, fearing he would end up like his teammates.
Fortunately, he had surrendered instinctively and hadn't listened to his foolish teammate. Otherwise, he would have met the same fate.
Not to mention the unexpected guests, even if there were ten more pets, they would likely just be enough to eat.
Bruno didn't know what education was like in Great Britain. He was surprised that young wizards carried Swooping Evils.
"What potions do you know?"
Knowing how to make potions was not enough.
Generally, Hogwarts graduates who passed the N.E.W.T. exams, or the advanced wizard exams, were proficient in potion-making and could brew common potions.
There weren't many such people, but quite a few.
"Polyjuice Potion, Joy Potion, Relaxant, Wolfsbane Potion, Hallucinogen, Love Potion..."
"Do you know how to make Felix Felixis?"
He had listed dozens of potions, some valuable like the Compound Potion, Wolfsbane Potion, and Love Potion, which were difficult and time-consuming to brew.
But he didn't have "Liquid Luck", which was said to bring good luck and ensure success in everything.
"N…o!"
Bruno shook his head, struggling. His teacher never taught him the formula for that potion.
"However, I know another potion formula. It is a magic enhancement potion!"
"Oh, tell me!"
The magic enhancement potion, related to magic power, was unfamiliar to Ethan. He had never seen this potion in the book of powerful potions.
"Well, my teacher was Willard Buniel, the former potions professor at Beauxbatons. When he resigned, he took me and two other students as his apprentices. While teaching us potion knowledge, we also researched new potions together."
"This magic enhancement potion was the result of nearly ten years of research, but after he succeeded, he couldn't tolerate us.
When he was about to kill us, we three counter-killed him.
Now we have all escaped from France. I came to Great Britain, while they went to the United States and Northern Europe."
"Although I remember the formula, I was mainly responsible for recording the data and never actually operated it."
Bruno gritted his teeth and confessed everything.
He had come to Knockturn Alley to open a potion business but lacked gold galleons, so he tried to make some money. He had just found a temporary partner, and the first target was Ethan, which led to this misfortune.
Alright, it is sufficient. The Imperius Curse was cast, and Ethan controlled him directly.
Then he collected the Swooping Evil and Lethifold that had dealt with the corpses and prepared to go to the base of the three fools.
Although the two sides had no contact during this period, Ethan could locate them using the Devil Mark. He knew one of them was at this base, but didn't know who.
Arriving at the door, he triggered the ghost mark and asked him to open it.
"Boss, you're here!"
Dennis ran down to open the door, his face showing humility.
After taking Bruno into the room, Ethan began to ask about their recent activities.
They learned that their organization, Thres, had revived. Of course, they didn't dare to be as arrogant as before and chose to keep a low profile.
As for the Lethifold, Swooping Evils, and gold galleons taken by Ethan, the higher-ups didn't investigate. More than half of the small teams in the region had problems, making it pointless to investigate.
They were now using the human skin masks given by the organization to move secretly outside.
This human skin mask can record three faces.
It is not as complete as the Polyjuice Potion's transformation but is more convenient.
After all, the Polyjuice Potion lasts only one hour and requires continuous drinking to maintain its effect.
"What goods are here recently?"
"Fire crabs, bowtruckles, billywigs, fox charmers, and a fire dragon egg."
Dennis explained everything clearly. As Ethan was now the boss, organizational matters were in the back.
"What about the fire dragon egg?"
Ethan remembered that their organization would only transport magical animals of the XXXXX level to the country after someone wanted to buy them.
The Fly family had shown interest in the Swooping Evil, so it was transported here. However, the price was not agreed upon, and Lethifold was placed in Great Britain to try their luck, as wizards here were wealthier.
Perhaps they would be interested in such dangerous but rare goods.
"This is the buyer Don found at the Hog's Head. Last month, a wizard privately offered a high price for a dragon egg, regardless of type."
"Is that wizard wearing a purple scarf and smelling of garlic?"
The Hog's Head and dragon eggs reminded Ethan of Hagrid, but Hagrid didn't buy the dragon egg. Quirrell gave it to him to trick him into dealing with the three-headed dog.
"I don't know if he wore a scarf, but Don said he smelled strongly of garlic."
It's Quirrell, that bastard.
"What kind of dragon egg is this? How much do you want for it?"
"Hesperidian black dragon egg, 8,000 gold galleons."
Isn't it a Norwegian Ridgeback?
How did it become a Hesperidian Black Dragon?
Is this the butterfly effect caused by my arrival and contact with this group of losers?
"You still dare to go to the Hesperidian Islands?"
Didn't you fail there last time? Why are you so bold?
"Last time the buyer wanted an adult dragon. This time it's a dragon egg. We have a deal with the dragon trainer inside. There are at least three dragon eggs in a nest. As long as they can distract the dragon, they can take out the eggs. We will give them 3,000 gold galleons."
Ethan understood, this was the classical case of betrayal by an insider.
Many companies in the Muggle world have similar internal issues. It's not uncommon in the wizarding world.
"When are you going to trade?"
"On the third day after Christmas, outside Hogsmeade!"
"I'll go with you then!"
"Bruno, you stay here and make the magic potion."
As he said this, Ethan placed the Devil Mark on him so he couldn't escape.
"Boss, I don't have the ingredients for the potion now."
Bruno quickly adapted and followed Dennis to learn.
The Imperius Curse had made him think more clearly. It was not normal to cast the Imperius Curse silently and without a wand, so it was only this little wizard from the beginning.
After realizing this, he followed his instincts.
"What materials are needed?"
"Fire ash, knotgrass, water from the Lethe River, Thunderbird feathers, Occamy eggshells, two-horned beast(graphorn) horn powder, and Antipodean Opolaye egg. That much is needed to make eight pints of potion, and the final simmering time is three months."
Bruno answered with difficulty. Just these materials would cost more than a thousand gold galleons. His teacher had family support and sold magic potions from time to time, which was enough to support his research.
"I will prepare the materials for you, but I don't want to hear bad results."
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