"Honored guest! The venom from your Acromantulas is of exceptionally high quality. It is nothing like the inactive venom forcibly extracted after killing the spiders."
Mr. Borgin wore a miserable expression. "But I really don't have any more left! Not even a drop!"
Through Legilimency and the Imperius Curse, Dylan could clearly sense Mr. Borgin's panic.
He knew the man had misunderstood his intentions.
Dylan chuckled lightly. "Are you not giving me a bag? Or do you expect me to hand over my own enchanted pouch? I have a lot of Acromantula corpses, you know."
Mr. Borgin was stunned for a moment, but then his wrinkled face relaxed slightly. "Oh, oh! Of course, a bag! I have some!"
He hurriedly rummaged under the counter for a while before pulling out a large leather bag and three rough-textured satchels.
"These are the biggest ones I have. Just take as many as you can fit in them…"
Dylan's black robes draped over them. When he pulled his hand back, the bags had already become noticeably full.
"Perfect," Dylan nodded in satisfaction.
At last, he wouldn't have to cram so many spider corpses into his system inventory.
And on top of that, he had earned over four times the value of the venom in Galleons. He was quite pleased.
Casually, Dylan also took the money pouch Mr. Borgin had originally used to store the Galleons.
Mr. Borgin hesitated for a moment but could only force a smile. He dared not protest.
"You did well. If I have more business in the future, I'll come find you again."
Dylan's deep voice rang out.
What?
Mr. Borgin was stunned again.
There's going to be a next time??
I hope the Aurors arrest you already!
This evil sorcerer belongs in Azkaban!
He took forty thousand Galleons from me, and it still isn't enough?!
Even though the purity of the Acromantula venom he brought was absurdly high—practically unheard of on the market—so much so that if he worked his connections in the black market, he wouldn't end up completely bankrupt…
—He was still at a loss!
A huge loss!
And now this devil wanted to do business with him again?
Mr. Borgin cursed in his heart but dared not let a single hint of disrespect show on his face. In fact, he was afraid to even continue thinking such thoughts.
—Because he feared Dylan was skilled in Legilimency as well.
Even if Dylan didn't use the Imperius Curse on him, all it would take was a simple Legilimens spell. If Dylan read his thoughts, wouldn't the Imperius Curse be the next thing he cast?
"You seem unhappy?"
Dylan's words made Mr. Borgin's body go stiff.
You little… You took so much money from me, and now you plan to come back for more—and you expect me to be happy about it??
"Of course not! Being able to do business with a distinguished guest like you is an absolute honor for old Borgin! A great honor!"
Mr. Borgin forced a smile. "I'll be right here, awaiting your next visit! Anytime you come, I'll be here, always!"
Dylan nodded approvingly. "Good. Don't worry, there will definitely be a next time."
"…."
Mr. Borgin kept up his strained smile, clenching his teeth. "That would be my greatest honor."
After this errand, Dylan had earned a clean forty thousand Galleons—equivalent to two hundred thousand pounds. He was very pleased.
Leisurely, he walked toward the exit. Seeing that Dylan was leaving, Mr. Borgin quickly ran up to open the door for him.
"Take care! Have a safe journey!"
Dylan glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.
This old rat.
If I really did take my time leaving, wouldn't he be a little unhappy about it?
Stepping outside, Dylan couldn't help but sigh.
Turns out, robbery really is the fastest way to make money.
"No, wait. This was a legitimate business transaction. How could this be considered robbery? Who did I rob? Who was robbed by me? This was clearly a mutually agreed-upon deal!"
Dylan walked down the narrow, dimly lit Knockturn Alley, feeling lighter than air. His black cloak billowed behind him in the wind, much like Professor Snape's.
The rundown shops on both sides had unknowingly shut their doors and windows tightly. From within, faint, unintelligible whispers could be heard.
*Swish!*
Suddenly, the space in front of him cracked like shattered glass, forming irregular fissures.
Then, the light distorted, and space warped.
A group of Aurors Apparated in, each clad in their distinctive long robes. The moment they appeared, one of them pointed at Dylan and shouted:
"It's you—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Dylan's eyes—calm and deep beneath his mask—lifted slightly.
The Auror met Dylan's gaze and immediately froze.
In that instant—
Dylan neither spoke a spell nor waved his wand.
Yet—
*Whoosh!*
An invisible Imperius Curse shot forth silently, striking the Auror dead-on.
The man's eyes instantly glazed over, his body stiffening.
The other Aurors were taken aback. "What's wrong with you?"
Just as they spoke, the bewitched Auror slowly raised his wand—not at Dylan, but at his own teammate.
"Bat-Bogey Hex!"
"Hey! What are you doing?!"
The Aurors erupted into chaos.
"It's a spell! What did you do to him?!" One Auror snapped at Dylan.
"This… This looks like the Imperius Curse!" Another's face turned deathly pale.
"What? The Imperius Curse?!"
"Impossible! He only lifted his eyes! He didn't even say the incantation!"
The Aurors were visibly shaken.
Even the Dark Lord himself had to chant spells and wave his wand when using the Unforgivable Curses!
How could *he* do this?
Was he even more terrifying than the Dark Lord himself??
Dylan glanced at the Auror who had cast the Bat-Bogey Hex and shook his head slightly.
"Pathetic."
Judging by their skill, Dylan had already gauged the general strength of these Aurors.
—Utterly mediocre.
Painfully weak, even.
"Honestly, Professor McGonagall's enchanted suits of armor are stronger than these guys. No wonder Voldemort wiped out the Ministry so easily."
Casually, he raised his wand. "Imperius Curse!"
Several streaks of dark magic burst from the tip of his wand.
More Aurors were instantly bewitched.
—Naturally, since Dylan operated under an alias in public, he didn't use his usual transparent wand effects when casting spells.
"I never expected these guys to be even easier to control than Beta, who's still just a hatchling."
The Aurors under Dylan's control all wore blank, lifeless expressions, yet they raised their wands without hesitation and began attacking their own teammates.
Another wave of Aurors was forced to brandish their wands in retaliation.
For a moment, spells crisscrossed like cannon fire, shooting wildly in all directions.
Knockturn Alley was nearly consumed by the glow of magic, filled with agonized screams and furious roars.
Meanwhile, Dylan slowly lowered his wand, stepping calmly through the storm of spells as he leisurely made his way toward Diagon Alley.
**"Incendio!"**
A blazing flame, radiating scorching heat, hurtled toward Dylan's back.
Yet, he paid it no mind.
**"Impedimenta!"**
A silver spell shot from the opposite direction, colliding violently with the fireball.
Behind Dylan, sparks erupted, accompanied by an ear-piercing shriek, illuminating the surroundings like daylight.
**"Colloportus!"**
**"Diffindo!"**
Dylan seemed entirely detached from the battle, indifferent to the chaos erupting behind him. His steps remained steady as he moved farther and farther from the battlefield.
Then, a deep yet penetrating voice drifted through the air, echoing with an eerie presence.
*"I am the Fool, and I am Karthas. Speak my true name, and before I personally end your lives, I shall grant you one act of mercy."*
As Dylan's figure gradually vanished into the crowd, Knockturn Alley briefly fell into silence—only to be shattered once more by the Aurors' relentless clashes.
The surrounding Dark Wizards, who had initially been too paralyzed by Dylan's Cruciatus Curse to move, had assumed that once the Aurors arrived, this audacious wizard would be subdued and subjected to the harshest punishments.
But when the Aurors finally arrived, Dylan's masterful use of the Imperius Curse turned them against one another. This spectacle began to shift the mindset of the observing Dark Wizards.
Some cast looks of admiration.
*"To control such a large group of Aurors so effortlessly… By Voldemort! Is he toying with a bunch of puppets?"*
A young Dark Wizard with a limp gazed toward Dylan's departing figure, his eyes alight with fervor, his breathing quickened.
Once, he had roamed freely, using his magic to torment Muggles, holding nothing but contempt for the self-righteous Aurors.
But after the fall of *that* Dark Lord, he had been reduced to living like a rat, hiding in the shadows.
These damn Aurors strutted around as if they owned the world! And he… he didn't even dare to speak out!
Yet now… someone had finally punished them!
Dylan's blatant domination of the Aurors, treating them as mere playthings, ignited something in the hearts of many Dark Wizards present.
Once, they had sneered in the sunlight, celebrating in the wake of Voldemort's reign.
Now, they cowered in fear, terrified that even the slightest misstep would lead to their capture.
Living without dignity, like pests no one cared about.
Some had tried to resist. But none were *him*.
Anyone who dared to fight back simply… disappeared.
(⊥Latest⊥novel⊥first⊥released⊥at⊥Six⊥9⊥⊥Books⊥⊥Bar⊥⊥!)
But now… someone had humiliated the Aurors and walked away unscathed!
Could it be… that the era of Dark Wizards was returning?
*"The Fool… The Fool… The Fool!"*
The young Dark Wizard with a limp, his gaunt face ablaze with passion, clenched a stale piece of bread, biting into it as he muttered the name over and over.
And it wasn't just him—every Dark Wizard who had witnessed the Aurors turn against one another began murmuring in unison.
Their voices held a reverence, as if they were chanting the name of another long-lost figure.
Meanwhile, the Fool—Dylan—had already shed his black robe, removed his mask, and taken off his height-enhancing insoles.
He had once again become an ordinary second-year student.
Dylan stepped into the familiar pet shop in Diagon Alley, where a faint scent of licorice mixed with the musky odor of animal fur greeted him.
Before long, however, the fragrance of air fresheners overpowered the scent.
He purchased several fresh meat strips before heading back out onto the bustling street.
His next stop was Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.
The shop was warm, carrying the faint scent of fabric dye that gently wafted into Dylan's nose.
Elegant wizard robes of all styles hung neatly on display. Under the glow of enchanted chandeliers, the silk and satin robes shimmered faintly, drawing the eye.
Madam Malkin was tidying up a shelf when she glanced up and spotted Dylan. Her eyes lit up instantly, and a bright smile spread across her face.
*"Ah, Mr. Dylan! You must be on break by now, yes?"*
She greeted him warmly before quickly stepping around the counter, approaching him with small, eager steps.
*"Yes, Madam Malkin. The holiday just started, so I came straight here,"* Dylan replied with a polite smile.
Madam Malkin's grin widened. *"And how did the robes you custom-ordered last time fit?"*
Business was good for her shop in Diagon Alley—after all, it was conveniently close to Hogwarts.
Though she wasn't the school's exclusive supplier, nor was her shop the only one selling robes in Diagon Alley, most first-years, assured by Dumbledore's recommendation, ended up purchasing their uniforms from her.
However, young wizards like Dylan—who frequently custom-ordered large quantities of robes—were rare.
In fact, Dylan could be considered one of her best customers.
Naturally, this meant Madam Malkin treated him with even more enthusiasm.
After all, she was just a simple businesswoman in Diagon Alley—an ordinary member of the British wizarding community.
*"So, what brings you here this time? Looking to add a few more robes to your collection? Or do you have something special in mind?"*
Madam Malkin began introducing her latest stock with excitement. *"I just got in some rare fabrics—there's one that offers mild spell resistance, and another that changes color with your mood! Perfect as a stylish accessory."*
*"Of course, it's not quite as prestigious as Twilfitt & Tattings, but it's far more affordable. Plus, these robes are both stylish and practical. Would you be interested?"*
As she spoke, something suddenly came to mind. She hurriedly turned and retrieved a thick catalog from behind the counter.
*"Even though Hogwarts robes follow a standard design, you might want something different for home use—or maybe a special occasion? I have plenty of unique designs right here!"*
Dylan cleared his throat, not letting Madam Malkin fuss over him for too long.
Whatever fabric or style he wanted, he could easily modify it using the system's enhancement feature.
—However, since each modification cost 100 Galleons, for simple designs and styles, it was actually more practical to have Madam Malkin make them directly.
So, Dylan gave her a smile. "I'm here to order ten more robes—I've grown a bit taller. My old robes still fit, but I'd prefer some looser ones."
"Ten?" Madam Malkin's smile became even warmer. "Wonderful, wonderful! All the same style? Or would you like some different robes for wearing at home—something nicer than just school uniforms?"
Dylan thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, let's add ten more in different styles."
"Fantastic! Just tell me your preferences, and I'll take note of them."
Madam Malkin pulled out her notebook and swiftly began jotting down Dylan's requests.
After taking his measurements, she nodded in approval.
"You really have grown quite a bit! You're going to be a handsome young man in the future."
Dylan smirked. "Are you saying I'm not handsome now?"
"(υυ)..." Madam Malkin froze slightly before bursting into laughter. "You are handsome now, but you'll be even more so in the future!"
"I'll take that as a compliment."
After ordering twenty custom robes, Dylan bid Madam Malkin farewell.
"Time to get some potion ingredients."
He made his way to buy supplies, and on the way back, he passed by Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.
The colorful sign swayed gently in the breeze, and the enticing scent of cream wafted out, making Dylan stop in his tracks.
"Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor..."
The owner actually had quite a few appearances in the original book, especially given his extensive knowledge of medieval history.
"Maybe I should say hello."
Dylan pushed open the door.
A crisp bell chime rang out.
The shop had a warm and cozy decor, with neatly arranged colorful tables and chairs. The display case was packed with ice cream in various colors and flavors.
"Oh, a young wizard? Good afternoon, kiddo. Are you here alone?"
Dylan nodded.
Fortescue chuckled. "Welcome! What flavor would you like?"
Dylan scanned the options. "I'll have a chocolate raspberry sundae, please."
"Excellent choice! Coming right up."
With practiced ease, Fortescue prepared the sundae, placed a small spoon in it, and handed it to Dylan.
"Go on, give it a try. Lots of Hogwarts students buy ice cream here."
By now, Dylan had already changed into his Hogwarts robes.
—It helped him avoid unnecessary trouble.
"Which year are you in, kiddo?"
Fortescue seemed like a naturally chatty person. Seeing Dylan sit down at a nearby table, he leaned on the counter and asked.
"First year, sir. I'll be starting my second year soon."
"Oh? A first-year?"
Fortescue seemed intrigued. "Then do you know a student named Hawkw-wood?"
Dylan raised an eyebrow. "Sir, that's me. I'm Dylan Hawkwood."
A flicker of surprise crossed Fortescue's round face. "You're Hawkwood?"
Then he burst into laughter. "Apologies for being so forward. Over Christmas, quite a few young wizards came by for ice cream, and your name came up in our conversations."
"People eat ice cream even in winter?"
Fortescue chuckled. "Tastes good, doesn't it?"
Dylan scooped up a spoonful, took a bite, and nodded slightly. "It's really delicious."
Hearing the compliment, Fortescue's grin widened.
"I heard your name from those kids. They said your grades and performance at school are outstanding, and every professor speaks highly of you."
"I haven't seen such a talented young wizard in a long time. I was hoping I'd get to meet you someday—didn't expect it to be this soon!"
Dylan blinked. "You just wanted to see if they were exaggerating about me, didn't you?"
"Hahahahahaha!"
(End of Chapter)