Phut--
In the dead of night, when all sounds are hushed, a crisp and abrupt sound of "phut" echoed on the empty street. The tiny dust particles floating in the air were disturbed and aimlessly wandered. The cold moonlight illuminated a sudden shadow that appeared here, casting a fierce outline on the dustless ground.
The rusty signpost at the side of the road, inscribed with "Baldry-Bapbton Village", told the viper that he had not run the wrong place.
After passing by the telephone booth and the bus waiting shed, a narrow yet straight street stretched out into the distance towards the village.
On both sides of the street, rows of houses with a consistent style were neatly arranged. Perhaps due to the desolate quiet of the night, a thin mist hovered over each standalone house, transforming shapes with the encouragement of the gentle breeze in the open field. This brought an eerie atmosphere to the otherwise tranquil and peaceful village.
Gū gū——
The midnight chimes of the church startled a few crows resting on the cross atop its roof. They flapped their wings and hurriedly plunged into the depthless night.
Dap, dap, dap—
The vast dark clouds above seemed to harmonize with the sound of the footsteps, and the clear moonlight gradually became more subtle. As the earth was enveloped by an even deeper darkness, Jin Po's steps came to a halt at the end of the street. In front of a clean little stone house nestled in a garden.
Gazing at the unassuming house, Jin Po's mouth, hidden behind the dark vortex of his melancholic magic, curled into a faint, cold smile.
A few hours ago, Amost was still in the busiest commercial streets of London, drinking tea with the director of the Magic Law Execution Authority and the editor-in-chief of the Prophet Daily, but a few hours later, Amost had crossed more than half of England to reach this unknown village. The purpose was to obtain a copy of Lita Skitter's report.
Out of good will, Amelia offered to talk to Lita Skitter and postpone the publication of her article.
Such matters are a regular occurrence for the Ministry of Magic. Whenever there is a report that threatens the authority of the Ministry, these senior officials of the Ministry will use their influence and connections to prevent the article from being published. Otherwise, once public opinion is mobilized, there's no room for turning back.
Amost believed that Amelia had the ability to handle this problem, but he did not casually throw it out, instead, he proposed to solve it himself.
Maintaining mystery is the best way to command respect. Although they are currently in a partnership, Amost also needs to occasionally demonstrate his abilities to Bone, hence he proposed to handle this matter himself.
But from the reactions of the two after hearing that, they probably thought they were about to eliminate Lita Skitter.
Of course, before this article with no real significance is released, eliminating Lita Skitter or negotiating with her is still a reliable method. However, he disdains doing so, as Lita Skitter doesn't have the weight.
The most important reason he is here tonight is to prove to Bone that he has the capability to handle things.
"Hmm, as I thought..."
Jin Po stood at the entrance of the garden, but did not take another step forward. Instead, he gazed at the small garden with various drought-resistant precious flowers and the two-story small house made of stones in front of him, smiling softly and murmuring, "Hmm, as I thought..." After thinking for a moment, his right hand holding a wand emerged from under his black traveling cloak.
Shoo--
The viper's wrist flickered rapidly, and a blue, silk-like light band emerged from the tip of the wand, winding and twisting in the air before bursting forth.
The silk-like band, as it catches the wind and swells, forms a circle that envelops the house like a green python. At the other end of the band, Jin Po's wand is still attached.
Boom!
In an instant, lightning and thunder roared from the clear sky.
In an instant, a brilliant light flashed around the ordinary stone house. The ground suddenly glowed brightly, and a huge magical array appeared on the flat ground, encompassing the garden and Jin Po himself. The white light emanating from the array had an ominous black halo, accompanied by an indistinct howling.
A wisp of ghostly, shadow-like figures emerged from those dark auras, gaping with terrifying rows of serrated teeth and lunging ferociously at the intruder.
At the same time, on the ground of the small garden full of flowers, numerous miniature magical arrays appeared abruptly, and countless pre-set protective incantations were shot towards Jin Po like a storm.
"Hmm, such a grand welcome ceremony, I feel honored..."
Facing the magical trap that could flatten any fortress as imposing as Gryffindor House in a blink, Amost handled it with ease. A milky shield, unbreakable, appeared instantly, enveloping his body.
A constant stream of spells was eroding Amost's standing ground inch by inch, yet he floated in mid-air, bracing against the brightly shining magical barrier, like a rock in the midst of a stormy sea, steadfast amidst the fierce winds and rain.
As the lights in the stone house one by one came on, Amost could even hear hurried footsteps and the sound of breaking light fixtures.
Just as he was about to speak, the deep color of the house at the other end of the light band suddenly became faint. The house built with stones twisted and writhed under the effect of space magic, as if it had come to life.
Like the ancestral home of the Black family, this ancient mansion in front also had a similar defensive mechanism. Once a wizard tries to intrude, it would leave normal space and hide within the chaotic currents of indeterminate space. Ordinary wizards encountering such defensive magic would surely fail in their attempt, but unfortunately, he had encountered Jin Po.
The countless defensive spells detonated brilliantly on Jin Po's protective barrier, making it shimmer and sparkle. At the same time, the unbreakable barrier finally began to tremble, but Amost did not withdraw the spell, increasing defense. The blue silk-like light band emerging from his wand's tip bound the stone house tightly and kept it in place, denying it any chance of escape.
"Get out from the fireplace!"
In the deafening, continuous roar, a desperate scream echoed from the room.
"I don't know who the person coming is, but we definitely can't handle him!"
"Where to, my dear?"
Another shattered, weeping female voice came from the room, and a younger, determined girl's voice also resonated at the same time.
"I'm not going anywhere, Dad. I want to be with you!"
"Do as I say, Beatrice!"
The man before shouted,
"Go to the Hog's Head Inn in Hogsmeade. The innkeeper knows Dumbledore well. Tell him about our attack, and he'll pass the message on to Dumbledore. Hurry, Beatrice! Dumbledore has promised me that he will step in when we're in danger!"
The two women inside seemed to have submitted. Jin Po could see the unique green light of the Dust Speck Floating Charms burning in the living room on the ground floor through the dark window. They had tried to leave through the Floo Network.
Boom, boom!
But, after the next two explosions, the mother and daughter, along with the embers and stones, flew out together and struck against the opposite wall in the living room.
Their attempt to escape through the Floo Network had failed, of course. Since Jin Po had sealed off this house, how could he leave such a obvious loophole? Whether it was the Floo Network, door keys, or Dimensional Shift, they all essentially utilized spatial magic. The blue light band encircling the stone house had already isolated it from external space.
The people inside the stone house seemed to have given up hope. They were hugging each other and crying in their final farewells.
Even Jin Po felt a bit shameless. After all, he had come seeking help. Making a joke was okay, but now he had scared them so much—
"Cough cough--"
The slightly innocent cough drowned out the roar of thunder and precisely echoed into the house, freezing the faces of the mournful family. Then came an old voice, uttering a familiar sentence that twisted the man's features in an 'ugly' manner.
"Don't you welcome an old friend visiting, Karkus?"
(Chapter complete)
