"Harry Potter and the Shadows of Merlin"

As expected, suspicion had begun to arise. With this in mind, Daina said to Mr. Borgin:

"Mr. Borgin, I'm counting on you for that batch of alchemical items I ordered. Remember, I only want goods from legitimate channels—don't mix in any of those messy dark magic items."

Mr. Borgin was briefly taken aback, but when he saw the Auror walk in, he quickly recovered and replied with a smile:

"Of course, no problem at all. It's rare to see a customer as generous and straightforward as Mr. Dentis. I won't let you down. Once the 'goods' arrive, I'll contact you immediately—this is a two-way mirror. Please keep it safe. If it starts heating up, it means I'm trying to reach you."

Daina nodded, pocketed the mirror, and then placed another thousand Galleons on the counter. He turned slightly to ensure the Auror entering the shop could clearly see the glittering pile of gold.

Sure enough, the Auror's gaze was involuntarily drawn to the Galleons.

"Very good. This is the deposit. I trust Mr. Borgin won't disappoint me."

"Of course, sir."

Daina turned to leave, then walked up to the Auror and greeted him enthusiastically.

"Mr. Auror! We meet again! Merlin above—are all English Aurors this dedicated to their duties?"

The Auror, seemingly convinced by Daina's performance, replied:

"Actually, it's just that there was a major incident here in the past few days, so we've been stationed nearby."

"A major incident? If it's not classified, could you share a bit? That way, I won't be short on stories when bragging to my friends."

"It's not confidential. A few days ago, a dark wizard went on a killing spree in Knockturn Alley. Over a dozen people died—since the fall of the Dark Lord, there hasn't been such a horrific case involving so many wizard deaths."

"Oh, that's terrifying!" Daina exclaimed, slipping five Galleons into the Auror's hand. "I must get out of here quickly. If possible, could Mr. Auror escort me out of Knockturn Alley?"

The Auror's face lit up in delight.

"Of course. Protecting the public is our duty!"

Mr. Borgin watched Daina leave with the Auror at his side, an odd and unreadable expression on his face…

Sally Evert had been feeling unusually uneasy for the past couple of days. He closed his bakery early and returned to the lodging quarters in the back. Sally lived in a Muggle neighborhood. As a minor member of one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight families, his current lifestyle was a rather pitiful fall from grace.

He had been disowned by his family long ago—for being a Squib.

Sally made himself a cup of black tea and slumped into his sofa. He was nearly forty, still unmarried. Witches scorned him, and Muggle women thought he was eccentric.

"When will these days end…" Sally sighed.

He closed his eyes and began reminiscing about Anna Evert. What a wonderful woman she had been—struggling to raise a child alone. But why wouldn't she accept him? Just because he was a Squib?

Tap, tap, tap…

A sound came from the window. He looked out and saw an owl perched on his windowsill.

Someone's sending me a letter?

He opened the window and let the owl in.

"Hey, hey! Don't come inside. I've got no snacks for you. Just hand over the letter and go!"

But instead of delivering a letter, the owl transformed mid-air into a man in a purple robe and landed gracefully on the floor.

Sally recoiled in horror, stumbling backward and falling beneath the coffee table.

"Who—who are you?!"

The purple-robed man sneered and pointed his wand.

"Crucio!"

Agony instantly flooded Sally's body. But more than pain, confusion reigned—who was this person? Why attack him without even a question? If it was a robbery, wouldn't threats come first?

The Cruciatus Curse went on for nearly ten minutes. Sally's screams rang out nonstop. When it finally ended, he lay gasping like someone pulled from a lake, soaked in sweat, barely conscious.

"You… what do you want…"

Before he could finish the sentence:

"Imperio!"

The Imperius Curse took hold. Sally's body froze, his eyes went vacant.

The purple-robed man was Daina.

He had learned that Sally Evert had played a direct role in the destruction of his family—and worse, had even started the entire sequence of events.

Sally Evert was Daina's great-uncle. Daina knew everything about him: a Squib, disgraced, banished, living in a Muggle neighborhood where Ministry patrols were rare.

The Imperius Curse would make Sally utterly obedient. Under its control, every answer would be the truth—painfully honest.

"Tell me. Why did you send that letter to Olypious Evert to harm Anna's family?"

"John Flint found me. Said if I helped him get the tapestry from Anna's house, he'd give me fifty Galleons. I figured if either Anna or her son got sent to Azkaban, the remaining one wouldn't be able to keep the tapestry."

"You betrayed your sister-in-law for fifty Galleons?"

"She's not my sister-in-law. I've long been cast out of the family."

"You even proposed to her—how can you say there were no old feelings?"

"She rejected me. Why should I remember anything? Besides, I only saw her a few times before I was expelled."

Daina breathed deeply to calm himself.

"Where does John Flint live? Do you know?"

"No. He vanished after that day."

"Do you know what deal Olypious Evert made with which Ministry official?"

"I don't. But Donna Evert must know."

"Later, you returned to Anna's house. Was it to retrieve the tapestry?"

"Yes."

"How were you so sure you'd succeed? You knew 'Mad-Eye' Moody lived nearby."

"Anna had gone to the Ministry for days, trying to get her son out of Azkaban. That stupid woman even handed over all their money—but did she ever think the Ministry official would let her expose his dirty secrets? In the end, she didn't save her son and instead worsened her illness. Flint and I got word immediately and went to her home. She was dying. What resistance could she offer? I'm a Squib, sure, but Flint's a real wizard. Subduing a dying woman took no effort. Moody didn't notice."

Daina could see it—his mother lying on her sickbed, powerless, watching as strangers stole the tapestry.

His pupils darkened, tinged with red—like blood rising beneath a calm green lake.

"When you took the tapestry, what was her condition?"

"She couldn't even stand. Speaking drained her."

"And then you left?"

"Not quite. I asked John Flint for the reward, but he mocked me for being a Squib and refused to pay. I was furious. I felt cheated—after doing all the planning, I got nothing. So after he left… I took Anna."

Daina felt like he had been struck in the head.

He imagined his mother, utterly defenseless, stolen away by the man who once claimed to love her.

His eyes turned fully blood-red—burning like rubies—and magical energy erupted from his body.

He lifted the Imperius Curse and revealed his identity.

"Sally Evert. Look at me. See who I am."

Sally, just regaining his senses, looked up.

"Daina…"

His face turned pale. He remembered everything he had said while under the curse.

"Daina, I—I didn't mean to! It—it was John Flint! And that woman Donna—yes, she forced me! I was—I was forced!"

Daina's scarlet eyes glowed with cold fury.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The green beam burst forth, thick as a barrel. No ordinary Killing Curse would have such power.

"Heh… All three Unforgivable Curses in one night," Daina murmured to himself, as tears of blood streamed down his cheeks. "Guess I've earned my trip to Azkaban."

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