Hogwarts: Dumbledore reigned over the wizarding world.

Chapter 277 Pureblood Conspiracy

The mysterious man fell silent.

But the underlying anxiety did not diminish.

He felt that his companions had underestimated him; Vaughn Weasley's strength lay in more than just memory magic.

That horrible guy played some pretty good political maneuvering earlier this year, using a dose of wolfsbane to trick Fudge and unite the werewolves under his command.

Would such a person truly be unable to receive news simply because the castle is sealed off? Would they truly allow the North American werewolves to run rampant?

That's a big question mark!

only----

He sighed inwardly. Things had come to this point, and the separatists represented by John Mill were indeed the best opportunity they had found in the past year to get their hands on C.

Even if there are doubts, it's impossible to stop it.

"I hope everything goes well—"

he thinks.

"Hope everything goes well!"

As John Mill walked out of Knockdown Lane, he was also thinking.

However, unlike the mysterious Mr.'s doubts and subtle unease, he was quite confident that things would go smoothly.

The source of their confidence is the werewolf wizards who, over the past month or so, have been forced to gather under his command, either spontaneously or passively, by expressing their emotions during the marches and experiencing firsthand the malice of those conservative English wizards on the streets.

In their fear, they accepted the idea he instilled in them: that North American werewolves must fight in order to survive in England.

The bottom level is firmly under control.

The situation was similar at the top. Alexander and Taylor were dead, and in terms of prestige, only Bruges and François could rival him in the ranks.

Needless to say, Bruges, who had three children when he was still a wizard and had not contracted wolf disease, wanted to leave England more than anyone else, preferably to return to his hometown of Florida.

François — it's hard to say.

But this guy is very ambitious. Once I've negotiated a price with the forces represented by the mysterious Mr. and have secured tangible benefits, I can consider talking to him.

He shouldn't mind being a traitor if the price is right!

John Mill went over his chips again, feeling slightly relieved. So much so that when he returned to his residence, Settlement C in the suburbs, from central London where Diagon Alley is located, he greeted François.

Good evening, Joseph.

Joseph François, who was in a hurry, stopped when he heard him call out: "Good evening, John. Is there anything about the parade? I saw Anna and the others were back a while ago."

"Haha, nothing much. I just didn't want to be all alone, so I went to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink—where are you headed?"

John Mill noticed that some werewolves were jogging over, dressed, seemingly to join François.

"Helping someone wipe their butt."

Joseph François looked grim. "Little Barnal has been staying in the Forbidden Forest these past few days, and his werewolves have been left unattended. Today they got into a fight with a group of Irish Muggles. To make matters worse, those Irishmen are from the mob, and the fight was so fierce that it alerted the Muggle police. Matthew wants me to gather some men and bring them back. The full moon is in a few days, and we can't leave them out there."

Ah, this is indeed a very tricky matter.

Considering the upcoming negotiations with François, John Mill asked with concern, "How do you plan to get him out?"

Neither the police nor the gangsters are easy to talk to!

François looked helpless: "I have no clue either. I'll do my best—if we really can't bring them back, at least we have to find a way to get the potion to them. Luckily, Mr. Vaughn Weasley has developed a new version of the Wolfsbane Potion, which is said to be able to suppress our Full Moon Transformation—"

John Mill felt a sudden dizziness.

It was as if a thunderbolt exploded in his ears, the huge roar making his entire brain tremble.

He blinked. "What did you say? Suppress the full moon transformation?"

François, who had been interrupted, paused for a moment, then said excitedly, "Uh, yes, you probably don't know yet, Mr. Weasley has developed a second version of the Wolfsbane Potion. Just as he promised, this version will allow us to maintain our human form even during the full moon—he's working step by step to cure the wolfification disease—"

John Mill was no longer interested in hearing what François said next.

He felt an overwhelming sense of dread engulf him.

Damn!

What a coincidence!

He had just reached an agreement with the mysterious men, and he knew that if he waited just a few more days, he could realize the "sugar daddy's" plan, make C the target of everyone's hatred, and free himself from C and regain his freedom.

Why, why was a second version of the wolfsbane medicine released?

John Mill has always been clear about why he was able to instigate the North American werewolves.

Having left their homes to come to England, they could not see where the future lay—the slogans that bound them to the cause, such as returning home and reuniting with their families, were not their true thoughts, but rather a consolation for the unattainable ultimate goal.

Like those Muggles who fail in their struggles in big cities, their longing for their hometown and relatives stems from the disappointments in their lives and the need for a harbor to lick their wounds.

Aside from a few mentally unstable lunatics, all werewolves actually share a common goal:

Cures lupus!

To become human again, instead of spending the rest of their lives as a monster.

In other words, the fundamental desire of werewolves is actually to regain their human identity and return to the human community, but all werewolves know that this goal is impossible.

But now—

"Second Edition of Wolfsbane Potion —"

After hastily dismissing François, John Mill stood outside the resettlement site, his heart filled with fear and rage.

Although on the ship to England, Vaughn Weasley had announced to all the werewolves that he had plans to develop a second version of the wolfsbane potion.

But no one expected that he would develop it so quickly!

And the effect is so powerful.

Suppressing the full moon transformation —

How could there be such a disgusting potion? How could Vaughn Weasley develop such a vile potion?

John Mill paced anxiously and frantically. Having spent so much time with the lower-class werewolves, he was well aware of their yearning to regain their human identities.

Putting aside the werewolf virus that is invisible to the naked eye, isn't the biggest difference between werewolves and humans the uncontrollable transformation into wolf form that is Full Moon?

This is also the basic basis for wizards to distinguish, discriminate against, and resist werewolves.

However, this basis has now been eliminated by the potion. If a person can go out of the house like a normal human on the night of the full moon, go to a bar to drink, go for a walk in the park, and meet with friends, then what is the difference between him and a human?

John Mill didn't know how the wizards would view it, but he knew how the werewolves would react!

They will rekindle their hope of returning to their human identity!

Those damned, short-sighted scum will see a so-called bright future again!

How awful!

Today was supposed to be such a good day. He had successfully reached an agreement with the backers, and the negotiations were just around the corner. He was about to make a huge profit by asking for an exorbitant amount, and he could also take advantage of the situation to fulfill the backers' demands, tear apart C, and get a share of the pie. He was in a great mood, humming a little tune and preparing to brag to his subordinates.

As a result, before even entering the door, I was met with a sudden and harsh rebuke.

John Mill stopped, looked up, and gazed at the myriad lights shining from the Muggle apartment building in the resettlement area.

His face gradually turned ashen.

Although there had been no word of news about the drug's development before today, the second version of the wolfsbane drug must be real, and it has most likely already completed the testing phase, otherwise François would not have mentioned it so casually.

Meanwhile, the potion is related to all werewolves, and it is estimated that the news that the second version of the wolf poison potion can suppress the full moon transformation will soon spread throughout C.

That's the worst part; he couldn't guarantee that his men, whom he'd manipulated, would still be willing to follow him after hearing about the second version of the wolfsbane potion.

While ambition and greed certainly played a part in my ability to win them over, the main reason was that I took advantage of their pessimism about the future.

If things become "bright" again in the future, how many people will still be willing to listen to them?

To put it bluntly, just over three months ago we were complete strangers who had only met briefly, with little to no emotional foundation, let alone loyalty.

"We can't go back now." John Mill gritted his teeth, his expression shifting. He couldn't rely on his subordinates; he had no choice but to go back to his patrons.

Whether or not to continue with the plan is up to them to decide!

and----

John Mill's eyes darkened. He knew his recent actions would be exposed sooner or later, and he needed to find his patrons to plan for his future.

Since you gentlemen are so wealthy, it wouldn't be too much to ask for some hush money, or a few thousand or tens of thousands of Galleons as a reward.

Having made up his mind, John Mill didn't glance at the resettlement site again. He turned and went to the crossroads, raising his wand to summon the Knight Bus—

The fireplace connects to the Floo Network, and every wizard's passage is recorded. During his time in England, he has come to realize how powerful C's "infiltration" of the Ministry of Magic is, backed by Wizengamor. Apart from Cornelius Fudge's direct line of the Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters, the other departments are practically riddled with holes.

When the North American werewolves first started their parade, the Ministry of Magic did intervene. They shut down the public fireplaces near the werewolf settlements and issued an order prohibiting the North American werewolves from using the Floo Network.

But John Mill experienced firsthand that during that time, officials from the FlooNet Authority helped them get things done through back channels. After Fudge went bankrupt, the FlooNet Authority stopped trying to cover it up and openly supported the parade, claiming that the Authority would not interfere with the transportation needs of any legitimate wizarding citizens.

Are werewolves legal in North America?

Who can say for sure? The Ministry of Magic doesn't have an immigration bureau, nor does it have any immigration restriction law. If the law doesn't prohibit it, then it's permissible.

However, the werewolf registration bill jointly issued by Wizengamo and C at the beginning of the year stipulates that registered werewolves are citizens of the wizarding world.

In short, those officials were clearly in cahoots with Vaughn Weasley, and John Mill was not comfortable with their tracking his whereabouts.

John Mill, who had been waiting anxiously on the Knight Bus all the way back to the Leaky Cauldron, rushed into Knockturn Alley almost without delay.

As night falls, Knockturn Alley becomes even more dangerous than during the day. There are dark wizards who hide and act furtively during the day, witches who like to keep all sorts of strange and ferocious magical creatures, witches who are always on the guard of the Aurors, and some demi-human species that have intelligence but no human sense of morality.

Under the cover of darkness, their true nature was exposed.

They moved through the dark, damp alleys of Knockturn Alley, discussing their wicked business in hurried tones. One goblin, chained and leading a string of slaves—humans, Veela, and even his fellow goblins—was loudly haggling with several dark wizards whose faces were obscured.

There were also witches (not witches, but another name for she-devil) covered in pustules and reeking of swampy decay, accompanied by giant servants with dimwits, who peddled their strange potions to passing witches and wizards.

For Galleons, they were even willing to sell giant servants, constantly boasting about how wonderful their companions were.

John Mill remained on edge the entire way from Knockturn Alley to Boking-Bock; he would never have come to this run-down place at night if it weren't for an emergency.

It's all the fault of those "sugar daddies" who are like rats in the gutter.

Those bastards were extremely wary of Vaughn Weasley. Their main reason for choosing Knockturn Alley was that it was outside the Auror's control, and their choice of Borgin-Bock was because it was one of the few shops equipped with an anti-Apparition Charm.

The Anti-Apparition Charm evolved from ancient magic and requires a large amount of precious materials to maintain the ritual. Other shops are not as wealthy as Borgin-Bock, nor do they have that need.

If it weren't for the Anti-Apparition Spell, he could have Apparated there directly.

We arrived at Bokin-Bock without any major incident.

Mr. Bokin was still running the shop, and he still ignored him.

John Mill had no time to consider the old shopkeeper's preferences. He rushed to the counter and said in a deep voice, "Mr. Bogin, please inform those distinguished gentlemen as soon as possible. I have urgent news to report."

Mr. Borgin, his large, wrinkled hands cradling the withered palm of a lit candle, examined it slowly for a while before, amidst John Mill's flushed face, saying in a slick tone, "What could be so important that Vaughn Weasley has discovered you're a traitor?"

John Mill's jaw tightened: "No, but it's almost there. You'd better inform them quickly, otherwise, if I'm discovered, you won't escape either."

Faced with the almost explicit threat, Mr. Bokin scoffed: "Trying to scare me? I'm just an old, blind shopkeeper who knows nothing and has done nothing wrong. My only mistake was renting out the basement to customers. What they do is none of my business. What reason does that—noble red-haired gentleman—have to make things difficult for me?"

That cunning old man!

John Mill cursed under his breath, then pursed his lips, suppressing his frustration and anxiety, and waited for Mr. Borkin to slowly finish wiping the withered arm before leading him down to the basement.

It was no longer as dark as it had been a few hours earlier; braziers were lit all around, and the flickering flames made everything clearly visible to John Mill.

This appears to be a storage room, with only a cabinet that looks like a cupboard placed in the very center.

That's all.

As if sensing John Mill's confusion, Mr. Borkin, with his back to him, hunched over and hobbled to the cabinet. He gently opened the door, tapping inside with his wand as he spoke, "This thing is called the Vanishing Cabinet. It was a treasure invented long, long ago by ancient alchemists to travel between two places. Unfortunately, just a few years after its creation, that old witch Ignatius Wildsmith invented Floo Powder, and the treasure has been gathering dust ever since. What a pity."

"Fortunately, it was invented at the wrong time. It successfully evaded the later Apparition Revolution, so much so that the previous Anti-Apparition Charms were completely ineffective against it. I finally managed to get one, and it has helped me a lot over the years. Many clients who need to conduct secret negotiations or deal with missing persons are very satisfied with it, hehehe."

Mr. Bokin gave a dry laugh and pitched to John Mill, "Guest, I suggest you buy our monthly subscription service. That way, whenever you need it, you can just find a way to come here and use it immediately. It's not expensive, only 10 Galleons per month."

"...

'

John Mill looked very unhappy; he suspected the old man was mocking him.

"Sorry, I don't need it."

"Oh, is the guest short of cash? No problem, Borgin-Bock offers exchange of equivalents or mortgage services, but there's a 20% commission fee —"

"I have no money, could you please hurry, Mr. Bokin?"

Mr. Borgin was not happy that he had not made a deal, but he did not make excuses. Instead, he maintained his business reputation, tapped the wand a few more times, withdrew it, and waved it with unpredictable movements while chanting a spell that John Mill could not understand at all.

He quickly returned to John Mill's side: "The message has been delivered."

John Mill waited a while, staring at the unresponsive cabinet, then turned and glared at Mr. Bogin: "When will they reply?"

Mr. Bokin replied calmly, "That depends on luck."

"—It depends on luck?"

"Yes, guest, there's a reason why the Vanishing Cabinet disappeared from the historical stage. It's not only because its travel costs couldn't compete with the Floo Network, but also because it was very unstable. Only between two Vanishing Cabinets can a stable teleportation channel be established. If there's no Vanishing Cabinet on the other side, then the teleported item has a chance of appearing anywhere."

".————"

That damned profiteer!

John Mill's face turned green, but he was also amazed by the courage of those "big spenders." Those guys were so afraid of Vaughn Weasley that they were willing to try even such a scoundrel.

Noticing his surprised expression, Mr. Bokin immediately understood his thoughts and smiled, "Oh, those guests you met these past few days, they all have a treasure with similar functions. We managed to connect the two treasures, so it's safe."

It turned out to be the case.

John Mill was somewhat relieved, but that didn't change Mr. Bokin's impression of him as a shrewd businessman—the other party had just been trying to sell him this so-called disappearing cabinet service.

But what treasures do I have to establish a stable teleportation channel?

What a rip-off!

After waiting a few more minutes, just as John Mill's patience was about to run out, the cabinet door, which had been silent all along, suddenly slammed shut.

"Aha!" Bokin laughed happily, "Looks like nothing unexpected happened—although that possibility is very small—"

"Okay, sir, at the request of several other guests, I cannot let you see them."

As he spoke, he waved his wand, and a cold, unsettling magical wave spread out. The flickering braziers on the surrounding walls suddenly seemed to have their energy drained or their light stolen by something, and gradually went out.

In the blink of an eye, the room was dark again.

Pitch blackness enveloped him, and John Mill was somewhat speechless. He subconsciously asked, "We are all your guests, so why are they making an extra request of you to not let me see their faces?"

"Because they purchased the service, sir."

"----How much?"

Mr. Bokin's tone was sincere and cheerful: "150 Galleons. Of course, I have contracts with those customers. As an honest businessman, I generally do not violate the requests of customers who have purchased services."

What is the general situation?

What makes it special?

Even though it wasn't the right time for idle chatter, waiting was still waiting, and John Mill couldn't suppress his curiosity.

Hearing his question, Mr. Bogin's dry voice remained very sincere: "Unusual situation means you can add a fee to cover their services. This price is usually twice the original service price, 300 Galleons. Oh, and there's a 33% service charge, rounded up, totaling 400 Galleons!"

"————"

John Mill wanted to swear.

But then, a creaking sound came from the darkness as the cabinet door was pushed open.

Darkness deprives us of sight, yet forces us to enhance our sensory perception.

John Mill heard the sound of the cabinet door opening, followed by the rustling of soft fabric against the cabinet and the sound of footsteps.

During the long silence, the sound was repeated five times.

Then, those people who crawled out of the cabinet used some kind of magic. The magical fluctuations pushed the air, turning into a pervasive breeze that swept across the entire underground storage room.

It must be some kind of detection magic, used to detect if there are any ambushes or traps nearby.

How cautious!

John Mill didn't want to provoke his patrons, so he didn't make any move, letting the magic sweep over his body, checking him and the entire storage room several times before stopping.

Then, he heard the hoarse, deep voice of the mysterious man who had been communicating with him from the other side of the cabinet: "Mr. Mil, Mr. Borkin said you have an emergency. What is it?"

The mysterious man's tone was very unpleasant.

John Mill understood their doubts and annoyance. After all, they had just met a few hours earlier and had a bit of an unpleasantness. It was normal for them to be unhappy that they wanted to meet again so soon, given their personalities.

Moreover, the situation has changed now, and he is no longer as fearless as before. He quickly revealed the information he had learned.

When he mentioned that Vaughn Weasley had completed the second version of the Wolfsbane Potion, and that the potion's effect was to suppress werewolves' full moon transformation.

He could clearly hear heavy breathing coming from the other end.