"Nordham Cottage!"
The precise name came out of Ethan's mouth in a clear and distinct voice. With the appearance of a flame, Ethan disappeared directly from the fireplace.
It felt somewhat similar to being Apparated by Professor McGonagall last time, though this time it was more like being compressed and washed away through a pipe. However, it was better than Apparition.
When his vision was restored, Ethan found himself in an empty wooden cottage. Aside from the fireplace where Ethan appeared, there was only a set of tables and chairs, and nothing else.
Soon, there was a sound in the fireplace again, and Dennis, Berkeley, and Don arrived one after another.
They had all come from merchants who specialized in the teleportation business in Knockturn Alley. In Great Britain, they could reach cottages they had set up in various places using Floo powder. [Ethan and the others were teleported to the outskirts of Hogsmeade Village].
For the outside world, the charges varied depending on the country, and door keys were also used.
After leaving the cottage, Ethan instructed the others:
"Dennis, you can proceed with the trade as usual later."
"Got it, boss!"
Dennis then took the two and the dragon egg to the agreed trading location.
Ethan drank a bottle of Polyjuice Potion and transformed into a sturdy middle-aged white man with black hair, blue eyes, and a height of 1.9 meters, trailing about 500 meters behind the others.
This Polyjuice Potion was made using the hair of an ordinary Muggle, an American who had come to travel.
After all, even if Ethan covered his face, his body size would still give him away, making it obvious he was either a dwarf or a minor.
When the three arrived, Quirrell had been waiting for them.
As soon as he saw them, Quirrell hurriedly asked:
"Where's the dragon egg? Did you bring it?"
Quirrell still wore a purple scarf tightly wrapped around the back of his head, and the smell of garlic on him was as strong as ever. However, he no longer stuttered when speaking.
In order to complete Voldemort's task, Quirrell had poured all his savings into this dragon egg.
The dragon egg was crucial to acquiring the Philosopher's Stone. If he succeeded, he would gain everything, including power, wealth, and honor.
Though Quirrell regretted going to the Albanian forest for training, which had turned him into a shadow of his former self, he was too deeply entangled to turn back now. He could only cling to the promises Voldemort had made.
He had no way back.
"Of course. In the magical animal trade, although we charge high prices, we also value integrity, don't we?"
"Don, open the box so he can see it!"
Dennis calmly looked at Quirrell, just as he had during previous transactions, without revealing any flaws.
The reason why the Thres organization had grown so big was because of honest transactions.
It's just that they have a new boss now, and the rules are no longer decided by the three of them.
As Don opened the box in his arms, Quirrell hurried over, being extra cautious. This was his entire fortune. As for trusting Thres's reputation? That wasn't his concern. He couldn't afford any loss.
Inside was a large, shiny black egg, several times smaller than an ostrich egg.
"You can't touch it!"
Just as Quirrell was about to reach for it, Don stepped back and dodged.
"How do I know if this is a dead egg or something else?"
Quirrell naturally disagreed. He wasn't an expert on magical animals, so he couldn't judge its state just by looking at it.
"If you run away with a portkey, how can we get our payment?"
"This is the rule. You can't touch the goods before you pay."
Dennis stepped between the two of them, blocking Quirrell's further actions.
"I am Quirinus Quirrell, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts!"
"I guarantee with my identity as a Hogwarts professor that I will honor the deal."
Quirrell raised his identity. In this world, Hogwarts was a respected institution, and its professors commanded respect.
And he truly didn't intend to default on the deal.
Although he had initially considered saving money by using the Imperius Curse, he realized it could only control one person at a time and would likely be discovered if he used it now.
There were three people on the opposite side, and if a conflict arose, the dragon egg might be destroyed, so he had to abandon that idea.
"If it were any other professor, that would be fine, but a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor? Didn't you know I graduated from Hogwarts? Which professor could teach for a full year without any problems?"
"Either they were sent to Azkaban by the end of the year, or they died or were disabled!"
"Besides, do you think that with our identities, we could go to Hogwarts or the Ministry of Magic to collect your debts?"
"If you're not sincere about making this deal, then we'll cancel it."
Dennis's spit sprayed onto Quirrell's face as he mocked the mention of a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
Who doesn't know that this position is cursed?
And with their shady identities, they couldn't openly collect debts by going to Hogwarts. Were they dissatisfied with not being arrested and sent to Azkaban last time?
"..."
Quirrell hesitated. What the other party said made sense, and he couldn't refute it, but wasn't he afraid of being deceived?
During this period, Quirrell had studied information about dragon eggs. From its appearance, this indeed looked like a Hesperidian Black Dragon egg.
But that was only its appearance.
"Pay up, and we'll leave after confirmation. Don't worry about it."
Seeing that Quirrell was about to be persuaded, Dennis once again played the good cop.
"Agree with him!"
Seeing Quirrell's hesitation, Voldemort immediately woke up from his worries.
Dragon eggs are contraband and not easy to come by with Quirrell's connections. He had encountered a rare opportunity this time, but who knows how long he would have to wait for the next one.
The semester was already halfway through, and he didn't have much time left. If he didn't quickly find out how Hagrid controlled the three-headed dog, what would happen when the Philosopher's Stone was returned to Nicolas Flamel?
Since Nicolas Flamel developed the Philosopher's Stone, there has never been a shortage of people seeking him, whether for wealth or longevity, but they just couldn't locate him. They only knew he was in France, and Voldemort himself wasn't confident in finding him.
And Quirrell's body could barely support him anymore, so it wasn't easy to find the next fool to manipulate.
"Understood, master!"
Quirrell agreed with tears in his eyes. It's really not your money, so you don't feel sorry, right?
"Wait until I confirm before leaving!"
Quirrell reminded again after reluctantly taking out a dragon leather bag with a Traceless Expansion Charm cast on it.
This was the legacy left by his parents, plus his salary for many years! He even sold his home to raise the money. "Don't worry, trust our reputation."
Dennis looked at Berkeley on the side, signaling him to take the purse.
At Voldemort's request, Quirrell obediently handed over the bag without further protest.
After handing the purse to Berkeley, he stepped aside and watched.
Berkeley poured out all the gold Galleons in the dragon leather bag and began to count them using magic. "No problem, eight thousand gold Galleons!"
After counting, Berkeley nodded to the two people beside him. "Five minutes, after you confirm, we will leave!"
As he said that, Don handed the dragon egg to Quirrell.
Quirrell immediately began to examine it, feeling its weight and holding it up to the light.
"Enough, idiot, it's real. Let's go!"
"Yes, master!"
Quirrell quickly responded.
As he turned around, Dennis activated the Devil mark on his body, signaling to Ethan that the transaction was complete.
Then the three of them fled the scene as quickly as possible, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire.
"Quirinus Quirrell!"
"Who?"
On the way back to Hogwarts, Quirrell suddenly heard someone calling his name from behind. He immediately turned around cautiously, watching his surroundings. ....
"Incendio!"
In an instant, the entire path was covered with orange-red flames, rushing toward Quirrell.
"Protego!"
Quirrell reacted quickly, immediately drawing his wand and quickly casting a protection spell.
At this moment, he had only one thought: he was being robbed.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to encounter such a situation just after the transaction.
These poachers really deserve to die. Even when I was the Dark Lord, I didn't choose to rob my fellow poachers. How dare they rob me?
I still believed in your reputation, damn it!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The violent roars continued, and the orange-red flames left a mess. The first blue barrier was torn to pieces in just a moment.
The second barrier stood firm under Quirrell's continuous supply of magic power.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Quirrell's counterattack came very quickly, and the flames had not completely dissipated before they were struck.
In this dark green light, which was faster than usual, Ethan felt a sense of despair in his heart. Is this what it feels like to be targeted by killing spell?
Bang!
A stone wall rose up, intercepting the dark green light, but it was also blown to pieces.
The use of Transfiguration transformed a small stone on the ground into a stone wall that could just cover a human figure.
Looking at Quirrell, who was intact and could fight back, Ethan realized his true level.
It could be said that he was a genius of Ravenclaw who once received twelve O grades, and he had the confidence to dare to experience adventures all over the world.
It's just that his performance in the past period made Ethan look down on him.
"If you leave now, I will pretend that nothing happened!"
Quirrell held the box in one hand and raised his wand in the other, suggesting this to Ethan.
After a simple fight, Quirrell found that this wasn't something that could be settled quickly or that his opponent's strength was inferior to his own.
Carrying Voldemort on his back was already impacting him significantly, and he had to protect the dragon egg, so he really didn't want to fight.
"Okay!"
"But before leaving, give the box to me, Avada Kedavra"
"Mobilliarbus!"
Quirrell, who was always alert, wasn't easy to sneak up on. He wasn't as good at Transfiguration as Ethan, and he wasn't sure he could end the before his attacker's helpers arrived.
But when it came to spells, Quirrell was quite confident.
A large tree on the right was immediately pulled by a huge force, almost breaking in half and blocking Quirrell, successfully stopping Ethan's attack.
But before Quirrell could fight back, his heart suddenly twitched, and his body spasmed uncontrollably as he fell down. It hurt, it hurt a lot, and there wasn't a part of his body that didn't hurt.
Quirrell naturally understood what had happened. He was hit by the Cruciatus Curse!
As for how he was hit, Quirrell couldn't figure it out, and there was no way to do so. After all, the pain was overwhelming.
Looking at Quirrell, who had fallen to the ground, Ethan waved his wand, and the box containing the dragon egg flew over.
On the surface, it seemed like the Killing Curse, but in reality, the Cruciatus Curse hidden within was the true attack. As for why the Imperius Curse wasn't used—well, with Voldemort behind his head, it would have been a miracle if the Imperius Curse had worked.
With Professor Flitwick's experience in casting spells, plus Ethan's proficiency with the Unforgivable Curses, he could cast spells silently and without a wand, making the release quite fast.
"Useless thing, give me your body!"
Voldemort on the back of his head finally couldn't help it. The dragon egg was taken away, and Quirrell was in such a state. If Quirrell died, Voldemort would be left with only a remnant soul. What else could he do?
Quirrell was desperate not to surrender his body to Voldemort. Carrying Voldemort was already draining his vitality, and if he allowed Voldemort to take full control, the rate at which his life force would be consumed would be unstoppable, like a river flooding uncontrollably.
"Hurry up!"
Seeing that Quirrell didn't respond, Voldemort began to urge him.
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