Upon hearing the elder wizard's question, the cloaked wizard hunter fell silent for a moment. Finally, he slowly shook his head and spoke:
"I don't know. It could be anyone—perhaps even him."
As he said this, he gestured toward the bald wizard, who immediately protested loudly, insisting the matter had nothing to do with him.
Seeing their reactions, the elder wizard realized he could extract no further information from them. With a thoughtful nod, he asked one last question:
"Is there anything else you'd like to say? If not, you may set off on your journey together. At least you'll have company on the road."
The bald wizard immediately began to struggle, exclaiming:
"I refuse! I truly didn't know he was the new leader of the Pureblood Party! I swear I didn't know! Please, I'll do anything for you! I can even join the Pureblood Party—I'm quite skilled! I'm far more valuable alive than dead!"
The elder wizard stared coldly at the pleading bald wizard, his face expressionless as he replied:
"Your only value now is to remind the wizarding world of our name."
With that, the elder wizard nodded toward Auston Greengrass. Understanding the signal, Auston raised his wand and aimed it at the bald wizard.
"Avada Kedavra!"
A flash of green light illuminated the room, and the bald wizard, leaning back in his chair, turned pale and fell silent forever.
The elder wizard then turned his attention to the cloaked wizard hunter, who lifted his head, surveyed the room, and said nothing before shaking his head.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Another green light flashed, and yet another fracture appeared in the cobblestone ground of Knockturn Alley. Moments later, wizards of the Pureblood Party emerged from underground. Compared to their arrival, however, there was now a suitcase in Auston Greengrass's hand.
Meanwhile, similar events unfolded across other parts of Britain.
The group of American wizard hunters, having narrowly escaped from Dumbledore, had hastily banded together before scattering across the country.
This dispersion provided the Pureblood Party with the perfect opportunity to hunt them down one by one.
Unlike the two who had hidden in Knockturn Alley, the other wizard hunters fared far worse.
It took little effort for the Pureblood Party to track down these smugglers, subjecting them to brutal interrogation.
By midnight, all Purists involved in the operation had returned to the old meeting house.
The members sat in their previous positions, though now, several suitcases of varying styles adorned the once-empty table.
Seeing that everyone had returned safely, Abernathy, seated at the head of the table, smiled in satisfaction and said:
"Well done. It seems your skills haven't dulled after all these years."
The group began recounting their individual operations, sharing the information they had extracted from their targets. However, their findings offered little more than what Auston Greengrass and his team had already uncovered.
When the reports concluded, Abernathy's smile gradually faded, replaced by a furrowed brow.
Sensing his change in demeanor, the group exchanged puzzled glances.
After a moment of silence, Abernathy spoke slowly:
"So, none of you obtained any information about Thomas Vole, the former head of the British Auror Office?"
The members looked at one another, eventually shaking their heads.
Abernathy rose from his seat, pacing the room as he spoke thoughtfully:
"According to our young master's letter, Rufus Scrimgeour, the current head of the Auror Office, inadvertently revealed that Vole's death might also be connected to wizard hunters. If Scrimgeour's information is accurate, there are two possibilities."
His piercing gaze swept across the room as he continued:
"First, the two groups of wizard hunters have no connection and completely separate objectives.
"Second, they are unaware of each other's existence, yet share the same target—our young master."
"If it's the first scenario, so be it. But if it's the second, it means there's at least one more group of wizard hunters lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike!"
Abernathy's analysis sent the room into a frenzy of murmurs and debates.
Despite their lengthy discussions, they failed to uncover any valuable insights from their existing information. Abernathy finally waved his hand to calm the group and said:
"Enough for now. I'll find a way to send this information to our young master to warn him.
"Gentlemen, let me remind you: with our young master now at Hogwarts, the Grindelwald family is poised to return to the wizarding world. It's time for us to make the magical community remember us once more. Proceed with your tasks immediately—for the greater good!"
After the meeting, the other Purists Disapparated one by one. Abernathy, however, asked Auston Greengrass to stay behind.
Under the cover of night, the two Apparated to a grimy London street with a few dilapidated buildings, a pub, and a graffiti-covered wall. They entered a battered red telephone booth—a gateway to the British Ministry of Magic.
They placed the suitcases into the booth before leaving.
"Where are we headed now?"
Once they were away from the Ministry, Auston couldn't help but ask. The day's events had been unlike anything in his previous life. Amid the upheaval, he found himself exhilarated by the change.
Eager for his next mission, Auston's anticipation was evident.
Abernathy smiled approvingly and replied casually:
"Patience, Auston. The night is young. First, we'll have a drink. Then we'll find someone—a journalist. As far as I know, they tend to work late, and we must respect their profession."
Confused, Auston asked:
"A journalist? Are you planning to publish something?"
"Not me—our young master," Abernathy replied coolly.
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