Forced By OAA To Be His Sucessor.

Leo's awkward irritation was palpable as he vanished, his outburst lingering in the air like an unresolved mystery.

His reaction—akin to someone getting salt thrown in their eyes—left the Aurors and Eugenia Jenkins momentarily frozen, their hands halting in the process of attending to the unconscious Dumbledore.

A heavy silence settled over the room.

They all stood still, staring at the empty space where Leo had stood just moments ago.

For a few tense seconds, no one spoke.

Until—

"Let's attend to Headmaster Dumbledore."

The gruff and commanding voice of Alastor "Future Mad-Eye" Moody shattered the silence.

He stepped forward, scanning Dumbledore's motionless form.

A flicker of genuine concern flashed across his young face.

The thought that the most powerful white wizard of their time might meet his end in some shabby corner of Knockturn Alley unsettled him deeply.

This wasn't just a personal loss.

It was a potential catastrophe.

The wizarding world was already in turmoil.

Dark wizards were growing bolder.

Rumours of a self-proclaimed Dark Lord gaining followers were becoming more than whispers.

If Dumbledore were to die here, now— It would send shockwaves through the entire community.

It would be a disaster.

And worst of all— It would shatter his dream.

A simple dream... A peaceful life,... A wealthy marriage,... A beautiful wife,...

'Dumbledore, you better not die.'

With absolute sincerity, Moody bent down and began assessing Dumbledore's condition,

Sigh—

"Let's take him to St. Mungo's Hospital,"

one of the Aurors suggested, stepping forward to assist.

Moody hesitated for a moment.

St. Mungo's was the best medical facility in the wizarding world.

But then—he remembered something.

A casual remark from Dumbledore said over a cup of tea:

"I've always preferred being treated at Hogwarts, Alastor. There's something… comfortable about it."

Moody exhaled and shook his head.

"No… He prefers Madam Pomfrey's treatment. We're taking him to Hogwarts."

His voice left no room for argument.

Jenkins rolled her eyes.

"Fine, then. Get moving. Looks like he suffered from a backlash of some sort."

Moody gave a curt nod and, with the help of another Auror, lifted Dumbledore.

Swish—

With a sharp crack, the trio Apparated, vanishing from the dimly lit alley.

They reappeared at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, just outside the Hogwarts Anti-Apparition Zone.

It was dark, the towering trees casting long shadows under the moonlight.

A faint hoot of an owl echoed in the distance.

They barely took a step when they spotted a massive figure approaching from the direction of Hogsmeade.

A half-giant, towering and broad, carrying an enormous sack slung over his shoulder.

It was Rubeus Hagrid.

Cauldron & Charm Apothecary...

Arriving at Cauldron & Charm, Leo immediately made his way to the restroom inside his office—a restricted area accessible only to staff.

The moment he entered, he turned on the tap and began splashing cold water onto his face, trying to shake off the unsettling images that haunted his mind.

Drip. Drip.

Water trickled down his face as he looked at his reflection in the mirror.

His eyes were still filled with irritation and disbelief.

Then—

Click.

The door opened.

"Leo, are you all right?"

Eileen stepped inside, her expression filled with genuine concern.

Earlier...

The Potion Workshop was completely soundproof, a feature designed to prevent distractions while she brewed potions or studied formulas.

At the moment, she had been excited—eager to show Leo the lesser version of the Beautification Potion she had successfully brewed using the formula he had given her earlier.

Even though the potion wasn't perfect, a success was still a success.

After numerous failed attempts, she had finally achieved a viable result—and all she wanted was Leo's praise.

But—

Instead of finding Leo when she exited the workshop— She saw Professor Filius Flitwick, a severely injured Veela, and several unconscious men tied up on the floor.

Her jaw dropped.

'Merlin's beard… why now?!'

Her golden moment was ruined.

Gritting her teeth, Eileen kicked one of the unconscious men out of pure frustration.

'Damn it! I worked so hard on that potion! And now this mess?!'

After getting the full story from Flitwick, she sighed in exasperation—confirming her gut feeling that something big had happened.

Then, Leo returned— But not with the centaur he had left to retrieve.

Instead—

He came back alone, moving urgently, his hands covering his eyes— And rushed straight into his office without a word.

Now, standing before him in the restroom, Eileen felt a wave of panic rise in her chest.

"Leo…?"

she called again, stepping closer.

Leo didn't answer.

He simply stared at his reflection, his face twisting into an expression of pure disgust.

'Damn old man…'

He clenched his fists.

'Why the hell did you have to remember your intimate moments with your boyfriend while looking at me?!'

Leo had never expected this.

When Dumbledore had attempted to use Legilimency on him—only to suffer a severe backlash—Leo had somehow ended up seeing a fragment of the old man's memories.

And what he saw…

Two young teens— One with dark auburn hair.

The other with spiky platinum-blond hair.

Laughing. Flirting.

Playing couple's games in various positions on a double king-sized bed.

It had completely caught him off guard.

Leo had seen a lot of things in life.

But this?!

This was not one of them.

And now, no matter how hard he tried— He. Could. Not. Unsee. It.

Leo's silence only made Eileen more worried.

"Leo… what happened? We should go to St. Mungo's—"

She reached out, intending to check for any injuries.

But before she could touch him—

Sigh~

Leo exhaled deeply, forcing himself to calm down.

He turned to Eileen and, in a reassuring voice, said:

"I'm fine, Eileen. Don't worry."

Her brows furrowed.

"You don't look fine—"

But before she could argue further—

Zip—

Leo vanished in a flash of blue lightning, leaving behind nothing but a faint trace of electrical arcs.

Eileen stood there, staring at the empty space where he had just been.

"...That idiot," she muttered under her breath, crossing her arms.

Leo moved swiftly, flashing back and forth between locations, retrieving the remaining magical creatures from the auction house.

Among them—

Three centaurs—two in critical condition, one barely injured (the same one who had helped Fleur escape).

Five nifflers, all well-trained.

One swooping evil, its wings severely damaged.

By the time he had secured them all, the room was behind the Red Door.

As for the other animals, such as owls, cats, bats, rats, and toads—

After some negotiations with Eugenia Jenkins regarding their ownership, Leo succeeded in legally claiming them.

Now, after completing all necessary procedures, the Aurors would ensure that the animals were delivered safely to wherever Leo wanted them to be.

With his task finally complete, Leo stood in the middle of his now-crowded apothecary.

He glanced at the rescued creatures.

Then at Eileen, who still looked slightly annoyed at his abrupt departure earlier.

Then—

He sighed again.

"Well… this day has been a mess."

After using several healing potions, all the rescued creatures began recovering—their conditions improving significantly.

With a bit of conversation and assurance, Leo arranged their accommodation in the forest that came with his system-provided mansion.

[ Ding... ]

[ Task 2 → Collect your first Fantastic Beast. ]

[ Description: The Thunderbird rewarded by the system does not count. The Host must capture one through his own effort.

Status: Completed ✅

Task Reward: Licensed Pet Store x1Owls x30Rats x45Cats x35Puffskeins x25. ]

[ Reward being issued... ]

[ Reward: Owls x30, Rats x45, Cats x35, Puffskeins x25 stored in System Storage. ]

[ Host, regarding the Licensed Pet Store, I can direct you there whenever you're ready. ]

Seeing the task completion screen, Leo's lips curled into a satisfied smirk.

After handing over the poachers to the Aurors, Filius bid farewell, taking the Muggles with him.

Since he still had his duties as a guide for young wizards, he couldn't stay any longer.

With the situation now calm, Leo briefly discussed their plans for the future with the three centaurs.

Unlike the Veelas, who had already accepted Leo's offer to stay in the forest, the centaurs hadn't decided yet.

Meanwhile, as for—

The Swooping Evil (whose wings were severely damaged),

The Cold-Water Mermaid, and

The Nifflers (who were greedily eyeing the Galleons on the cashier's table)—

Leo intended to bring them with him.

The Swooping Evil had high regenerative abilities, meaning after a few weeks of rest and proper meals, its wings would heal naturally.

The Cold-Water Mermaid could thrive in a large lake located in the forest near his mansion.

The Nifflers… well, they were Nifflers.

He needed to keep an eye on them before they robbed him blind.

After some discussion, the Centaurs revealed that they were originally from the Forbidden Forest and requested Leo to escort them back to their tribe.

Just as Leo was about to agree—

"Leo, wait."

Eileen stepped forward.

"I'll take them there."

Leo blinked, taken aback by her sudden offer.

Seeing his hesitation, Eileen folded her arms and gave him a pointed look—the kind that screamed:

"Don't even think about saying no."

Sigh~

Leo rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Alright,"

he relented.

"But be careful."

Seeing his defeated sigh, Eileen smiled triumphantly before grabbing the Centaurs' arms and Apparating in two separate trips—escorting them back to their tribe in the Forbidden Forest.

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(Author's POV)

(A/N): I hope you guys enjoying the story. 

Thanks for reading the chapter!

Please give a review and power stone!!!