It was clear that the guy who got released must have known well in advance that today was his release day. He had managed to suppress his excitement and kept it from everyone.
The wizarding world wasn't exactly large, but it wasn't small either. If that guy decided to stay low, it would be nearly impossible to run into him again.
William didn't lose much; only about a dozen Galleons. But the rest of the inmates collectively lost nearly 300 Galleons.
Even though Galleons didn't have the same buying power inside the prison, they were still valuable currency. Most people didn't bother hiding them carefully. No one had expected the newly released inmate to sweep everything up in one go.
Everyone sat down angrily, their good moods from the day's outdoor time completely ruined. As the group stewed in silence, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from outside the cell.
The door creaked open, and a short, stout man with a scruffy beard and a ragged coat was shoved inside by the enforcers.
"A new neighbor!"
The enforcer announced in a cheerful tone, as though he were delivering fantastic news.
The cell door slammed shut. The once-dour prisoners sprang to their feet, their gloom lifting instantly.
Though not entirely accurate, it was fair to say that at least half the prison population were scum; and some, inevitably, had slipped through the cracks.
Nine-Fingers immediately pushed to the front, eager as ever. Just yesterday, the cell boss had promised him a bed switch, so he was especially motivated.
"A newbie? What did you do?"
"I helped the Ministry move some cheap cauldrons," the newcomer squatted obediently, offering no resistance.
The group chuckled darkly. The big guy whistled at William.
"William me boy, looks like you've got a colleague!"
William responded with a middle finger.
"Wait! I know you; Mundungus Fletcher!" Nine-Fingers snarled viciously, "It's you! Last time you crossed the line, you almost got your leg broken!"
"Hmm?"
The big guy tilted his head, his previously friendly expression turning icy. He had lost the most Galleons today, and conmen were currently at the top of his hate list.
Before long, a rag used for cleaning the toilet was shoved into Mundungus's mouth.
"Bite down tight. If you make a sound, you'll spend the night with your head in the toilet!" Nine-Fingers whispered the warning softly into Mundungus's ear as he stuffed the rag in.
What followed was half an hour of relentless punching and kicking. When one person got tired, another would take over.
By the time the third person took their turn, Mundungus, who had been curled up, taking the hits quietly, suddenly scrambled to his feet and lunged at William.
During the beating, he had figured out who held the most authority in the cell and decided to gamble on the boy's sense of compassion.
William initially thought the man had taken a severe beating and was looking to assert dominance over someone he could handle. He was about to sidestep and grab a weapon when the man suddenly stopped a distance away and began kowtowing frantically.
This made William hesitate. He hadn't been in this world for long. After telling a few stories and cracking some dirty jokes, he had been accepted by the group without needing to assert dominance. Seeing someone behave like this made him feel uneasy.
As he wavered, a strange sound echoed in his mind.
[The seventh magical creature has acknowledged you. Chest is being drawn.]
A floating, transparent box appeared before William. A wooden chest with iron locks opened, revealing three translucent, pale cards. Each card displayed an image of the man in front of him.
- [Cowardly Escape Mundungus (R)]: During a mission to transfer Harry Potter, Mundungus abandoned his teammates, leading to a critical failure.
Skill: Escape Route – Destroy this card to perform an unblockable Apparition escape.
- [Thieving Mundungus (R)]: After a teammate's death, Mundungus broke into their home and stole their belongings.
Skill: Thief's Aid – Destroy this card to have a high chance of disabling a mechanism. Success depends on the complexity of the mechanism.
[Negligent Mundungus (R)]: During a mission, Mundungus abandoned his objective to buy smuggled goods, causing a major accident.
Skill: Distraction – Destroy this card to make the target recall something important, likely abandoning their current task. Success depends on the target's strength.
William instinctively chose the escape card, which guaranteed success. Only after making his choice did he realize something was off.
Why was there suddenly a system?
Just gaining access to magic had been a thrilling surprise, one he deemed worth enduring a year in Azkaban. He had planned to use the time to practice magic and explore the wizarding world once released. But now, there was a cheat system?
Oh well. If he could accept time and space travel, why not a system? It was here now, after all.
Ignoring the system, William turned his attention back to the man in front of him.
***
The man had short, bow-legged limbs, long, messy ginger hair, and bloodshot eyes that looked pleadingly at William, desperate for help. He appeared utterly pitiful. A minute ago, William might have advocated for a light punishment and let it go.
As for spending the night near the toilet? William wouldn't have intervened; Nine-Fingers was eagerly waiting for that.
But now? After seeing those cards, William had one thought about this guy; Is there a single decent thing this man has done?
Desertion, looting a dead teammate's house, neglecting duties; people like him were the sort William would avoid even on a rainy day. What if lightning struck and missed its mark?
After a brief pause, William spoke.
Mundungus's eyes lit up with hope. The others, especially Nine-Fingers, also turned their attention to William, fearing he might go soft and cost them the chance to punish the man.
"Alright, that's enough. You've hit him enough," William said with a smile.
Gratitude filled Mundungus's eyes.
"Everyone deserves a chance to reform. Beating him all the time gets boring. Sure, he tried to scam us, but he didn't succeed, right?"
The cell boss raised an eyebrow, sensing that letting William continue wasn't a good idea. But before he could intervene, William's tone shifted.
"In the Muggle world, there's this thing called confession. Nine-Fingers, you'll play the role of a priest. Make sure he repents thoroughly. Let's aim for three hundred sins."
Three hundred?!
Everyone burst into laughter. Even counting childhood pranks, it was impossible to come up with that many!
Nine-Fingers eagerly stepped forward, adopting a serious pose. "Come on, confess. We'll forgive you, but you have to be sincere. If you keep quiet, it means you still plan to scam us. Don't blame us if you miss your chance to repent."
A few bored inmates gathered around, claiming they would help keep count.
For a while, the entire cell was filled with laughter and joy.