Harry Potter : This Progress Too Much

Following Dennis' instructions, David arrived at the group's most valuable and only remaining asset.

A small brown suitcase sat before him, appearing no different from an ordinary Muggle suitcase.

David gave a silent nod.

Dennis and the others obeyed immediately, opening the suitcase and stepping inside, dragging Kipling's lifeless body with them.

After ensuring everything was clear, David followed.

A World Inside a Suitcase

The interior was massive.

If measured in football fields, it covered an area roughly the size of three full fields.

Despite its size, the place was run-down.

A small pond sat in one corner, alongside a few large iron cages. A square stone house stood to one side, but beyond that, the ground was mostly mud and dirt.

Dennis led the way toward the stone house.

Upon entering, David's expression immediately darkened.

Inside, countless small creatures resembling mice scurried about. They weren't particularly large, but each had a tumor-like growth on its back that resembled a sea anemone.

The sight was deeply unsettling.

And there were hundreds of them.

David instantly recognized what they were.

According to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, this was a Murtra Rat—a native British magical creature.

The Murtra Rat

Their magical classification: XX (harmless or tamable).

Despite their repulsive appearance, the tumors on their backs held significant magical value.

Once preserved and consumed, they granted temporary resistance to curses and bad luck.

The Ministry of Magic categorized magical creatures into five levels:

X – Annoying but harmless

XX – Harmless or easy to tame

XXX – Requires capable wizards to handle

XXXX – Dangerous, requiring specialized knowledge

XXXXX – Lethal, impossible to domesticate (Newt Scamander: "Utter nonsense!")

David frowned.

"Why keep so many Murtra Rats?"

While their tumors had some value, the market price was low due to their rapid reproduction rate.

There were so many in the wild that they weren't worth much.

Dennis shrugged. "Simple. The tumors make money, but the rats don't survive once they're removed. So, we use them as food for other creatures."

David's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"Efficient."

Murtra Rats were omnivores, easy to breed, and once harvested, their remains could be used as live feed.

A perfect system.

A Strange Prisoner

Leaving the stone house, David surveyed the Murtra Rat farm.

Among the large iron cages, one stood out.

Unlike the others, it was completely enclosed in a strange, plastic-like material.

Inside, a dark, formless mass lay crumpled on the floor, resembling a pile of discarded rags.

David raised an eyebrow. "What is that?"

Dennis hesitated. "That's a Voldemort."

David blinked. "What?"

Dennis sighed. "Not that Voldemort."

David remained silent.

"There's a magical creature named Voldemort?"

Seeing his confusion, Dennis quickly explained.

This creature was in poor condition. They had yet to find a suitable buyer, and since no one here knew the Patronus Charm, they couldn't safely interact with it.

As a result, they had kept it locked away, starving.

Even though David was curious, he wasn't foolish enough to open the cage.

Without a Patronus, even he wouldn't take the risk.

The Winged Demon

Dennis led David to another cage.

Inside, a creature with shimmering blue-green wings sat motionless.

"This is a Winged Demon," Dennis explained.

David nodded.

He was familiar with this creature.

It was a strange hybrid—resembling a mix between a bat and a butterfly.

It had an eerie beauty, but its venom was highly dangerous.

Its saliva could erase memories if diluted correctly.

Before their recent troubles, the Fly family had been interested in purchasing it, but negotiations had fallen through.

David's gaze softened.

This young Winged Demon was not yet an adult.

"Perhaps it can still be tamed."

The Ministry of Magic classified it as XXXXX—untamable.

But David wasn't one to blindly trust Ministry classifications.

He smirked. "Bring me food for it."

Dennis obeyed immediately.

Returning to the Murtra Rat farm, he summoned several rats with a Levitation Charm, swiftly removing their tumors with a clean slicing spell.

His movements were practiced—quick and efficient.

After preparing over ten rats, Dennis carried them over.

Holding them by the tails, he grimaced in disgust and began tossing them into the Winged Demon's cage.

The creature reacted instantly.

It lunged, snatching a Murtra Rat with its razor-sharp claws.

Without hesitation, it bit into the rat's skull and began sucking out its brain.

Within seconds, it discarded the empty corpse and turned its glowing red eyes toward the next rat.

David watched intently.

"It eats fast."

As he continued feeding it, a thought crossed his mind.

The Secret of Its Capture

David turned to Dennis. "The Winged Demon can shrink itself into a shelled egg, right? So how does this cage hold it?"

Dennis nodded. "It's not the cage—it's the collar around its neck. The collar suppresses its magic, preventing it from shape-shifting."

David considered this carefully.

With the right methods, the Winged Demon could be controlled.

If he managed to tame it, it would be a powerful asset.

His curiosity grew.

"What other surprises does this place hold?"

But as Dennis led him further, he quickly lost interest.

The remaining cages were all empty.

Dennis explained that they had once housed various small magical creatures—Billywigs, Moon Beasts, and Evil Birds.

However, during their time hiding in Knockturn Alley, they had sold off the smaller creatures for quick money.

Larger, rarer magical creatures were harder to sell, but there was always a market for cheaper creatures.

David glanced back at the Winged Demon.

"I wonder how useful you'll be."

A dangerous grin crossed his face.

This world of shadows was turning out to be far more interesting than he expected.