After finishing the chicken drumsticks stewed by Lys, Senna looked at Noah and Lys, who both wore expressions as if they had swallowed a grasshopper. She mocked them briefly before heading off to change her clothes. She was exhausted and ready to sleep.
Noah glanced at Lys, then at the magical chains on his legs.
"I'm really happy, Lys," he said seriously.
Noah felt he should let his little star, who always stood up for him, know his true thoughts. "I didn't stay to eat because I'm just not used to it."
Lys, who was using household magic to clean the kitchen with her back to Noah, heard his words. The acknowledgment of her support filled her heart with joy.
The next day, officials from the Ministry of Magic came to take Lys away. Lys showed no objection.
However, with such a major handle on the Thomas family, did they really think she was stupid enough to maintain appearances and walk away quietly?
Lys thought to herself. After all, she had snuck into Knockturn Alley in the middle of the night.
Not to mention, there was also Senior Malfoy. Last night, she had sent a note to Malfoy Manor while in the alley.
Sure enough, before the two wizards could finish reading the regulations on "Unauthorized Use of Magic by Students" and "Damage to Others' Property through Unauthorized Magic," an owl swooped down and landed on one of their shoulders with a letter.
The plump wizard opened the letter and gave his colleague a nudge with his elbow after a quick glance.
After reading the note, the two wizards changed their tone.
"Given that Miss Stalys Black is a first-time offender and had obtained the school board's signed permission before using magic, this will only result in a verbal warning," the plump wizard said, doffing his hat in a polite gesture. "Apologies for the disturbance. Have a good day. Goodbye~!"
Watching the staff Disapparate, Lys sighed. She had said since her fifth year that the Ministry of Magic had long been infiltrated by these pure-blood aristocrats.
They even had the audacity to claim in the Daily Prophet that the Ministry did not support conflict and would uphold the rights of every individual and family.
Incompetent at everything except for being the best at muddling through.
Lys calmly returned to her corner and resumed reading.
Before the end of the Christmas holidays, an unexpected visitor disrupted Lys's study plans.
A massive shadow blocked the best midday sunlight at the door, halting the reaction of the alchemy component Lys was working on. The component trembled twice before emitting a puff of black smoke and crumbling into powder.
Lys shook her hand and sighed. Great, another few dozen Galleons gone.
She glanced outside with gritted teeth and found...
"Hagrid! The term is about to start. Why are you leaving the school?"
It was well known that Hagrid rarely left the school due to the inconvenience, unless it was something urgent.
"Lys, I don't know what to do or who to turn to for help. Could you... help me?" Hagrid asked hesitantly.
Lys looked at the big man before her. "What kind of help? Can't the professors at school help?"
Hagrid's expression turned awkward, and his gaze shifted evasively. "It's about the little creatures, Lys. My friend found poachers in a forest, and two little ones that wandered out of the Forbidden Forest are missing."
Got it. He didn't want the professors to know he was secretly raising dangerous creatures at Hogwarts.
Lys weighed the situation and realized Hagrid wouldn't even fit through her glass door. She led him to a secluded street corner instead.
"Is there anything I can help with?"
"Lys, their trading spot is in Knockturn Alley! You once said you had a shop there and knew the place like the back of your hand. Is that true?"
Lys nodded. She wasn't lying; nowadays, she was bolder in Knockturn Alley with a mask on than she was at home.
Hagrid hesitated repeatedly, even considering giving up on asking Lys for help, but she stopped him.
She knew Hagrid was worried about her safety, but Lys wasn't helping for free. "Before the holidays, I saw a giant spider in the Forbidden Forest. Its venom—your friend Aragog should be able to get some, right?"
Lys held up her fingers. "Fifty ounces (about 1.5 liters) of venom, delivered in installments. Deal?"
Hagrid looked a bit stunned, and Lys thought he might think she was asking for too much. "Hagrid, I'm going with you to the black market in Knockturn Alley to intercept goods. This request isn't unreasonable!"
Hagrid eventually nodded but repeatedly insisted that Lys should step aside and act as if she didn't know him once they arrived. He told her to stay back during any fights and prioritize her safety.
He mentioned that his friend would have an enlarged suitcase to handle the creatures.
But who would have thought that this time, the trading event required invitations? Hagrid's large frame was far too conspicuous to get in. In the end, Lys donned her lily mask and accompanied Hagrid's friend into the venue.
Once inside, Lys distanced herself from the man. Standing on a high platform, she surveyed the structure. It was evident that the space had been magically expanded. The massive stands formed a fragmented ring around the central open area.
Space expansion without a permit was illegal, but in Knockturn Alley, laws were meaningless...
Looking at the dark crowd below, Lys realized that her escapades last holiday were nothing compared to this. This was the real deal.
Due to the venue's unique nature, anti-Apparition, anti-Invisibility, and anti-Confundus Charms had been cast. Everyone present wore masks and cloaks.
Lys spotted a familiar figure and sidled up to him. "Senior, planning to buy something?"
The luxurious mask adorned with a large diamond tilted slightly, signaling no such intention. He glanced at Lys, who wore a lily mask, and asked, "What brings you here?"
Lys adjusted her coat and joked, "The Thomas family is up to something new. Thought I'd give them a little surprise."
She had overheard that the Thomas family, deeply rooted in the wizarding materials industry, relied heavily on smuggling for their major profits. This time, they had somehow crossed paths with Hagrid.
Hearing the sharp intake of breath from behind the mask, Lys explained, "Just kidding. It's a coincidence. This time, I'm just a supporting role, helping someone out. Senior, make sure to leave early."
Lys was satisfied with Senior Malfoy's reaction. She needed to solidify her importance in his eyes. Otherwise, he'd exploit her like a house-elf in a goblin factory. The orders for alchemical items had been increasing lately.
Though coincidental, this was a great opportunity.
Thomas was just unlucky to encounter Hagrid's fierce protectiveness over his little creatures.
And to run into Lys, who had become obsessed with improving her combat skills after being challenged by that mysterious "M.K."
Not to mention Hagrid's friend, who, though unassuming, didn't seem like an ordinary person.
The auction soon began. Lys observed the composed figure seated on the other side before quietly sitting down herself.
The auction adopted a bidding format: one minute to bid, after which the curtain over the item would automatically fall. The pace was swift. Sometimes Lys was still contemplating the uses of a creature's corpse when someone had already placed a bid.
After the warm-up items, the cages began to hold live specimens, sold in pairs. Rare creatures were often bundled with less valuable or flawed ones.
When the second set of items was displayed, Lys started to move forward. Hagrid's friend, carrying the suitcase, also stepped forward.
"Not yet. What are you doing?"
"What am I doing?" Lys took a deep breath. "When are we making our move?"
She traced the lily engraving on her mask, her eyes fixed on the iron cage before her.
Inside was the Hippogriff she had rescued in her third year, the same one that had roamed the Forbidden Forest with her for years.
The lily was gone, and now the little creatures were gone too?
If she couldn't hold onto anything, what was the point of all her efforts to grow stronger?!
How would they escape later?
Lys scanned the surroundings, formulating a plan.
She glanced at the man across from her. "How will you escape?"
He indicated that she needn't worry about him, as he had his own methods. He only asked that when the animals were gathered, Lys create a significant distraction. "Just make sure you can get away safely. The big guy seems very reluctant for you to get involved."
Lys nodded. "I'll wait for your signal. Hurry up—I have a feeling that with this pace, who knows what's coming next..." She didn't finish her sentence.
The final two items turned out to be two crying infants.
"Veela cubs! Today's grand finale magical creatures! Premium alchemical materials! Bidding limited to two minutes! Extremely rare goods, don't miss out!"
Lys exchanged a shocked look with the man, both filled with disbelief. As sentient beings, Veela in France were considered almost equal to wizards in status. This...
The wizard across from her signaled that they would act as soon as the bidding ended.
Lys looked around and climbed to the highest point of the stands. She licked her molars.
What spell could attract everyone's attention and intimidate them, without revealing the caster immediately?
It had to be something terrifying enough to make an impact...
Fumbling with the array of charms in her pocket, Lys made a decision.
She needed to make it smaller, less intense. If it got out of control, Knockturn Alley would be no more.
But before protecting Knockturn Alley, she had to protect herself first.
Next time she helped Hagrid, she'd definitely gather more information. Hagrid was too unreliable. He had initially told her to act as a bystander, but now she was the main player. Seriously...
As the final curtain fell, Lys ignited a flame.
Dark and rapidly spreading.
Unmatched in its devouring frenzy, consuming everything in its path. Even without a dazzling appearance, it quickly drew the attention of most people present.
"Fiendfyre! Run!"
Capable of burning everything—magic, even souls. Everyone here, whether minor nobles or decorated wizards, valued their lives too much to stay.
The goods? They'd only paid deposits—forget them!
The more powerful wizards, unwilling to expose themselves in such a semi-clandestine venue, also chose to flee.
Lys crouched in an inconspicuous corner, gripping her wand tightly to control the fire's spread.
She regretted it. Fiendfyre was too domineering, leaving her barely able to breathe.
Hagrid's friend wasn't faring well either. He quickly secured cages into his suitcase but struggled with the Veela infants, facing fierce resistance from several wizards. Despite his considerable skill, he was clearly overwhelmed.
The Thomas family's men tried to salvage their assets, search for the arsonist, and protect their auction items simultaneously.
The Thomas family had anticipated potential disruptions, given the questionable origins of this batch of goods.
But the venue's anti-Apparition measures and numerous restrictions had already made many attendees uneasy. If they suddenly started wand checks, many wouldn't have come.
The auction manager clutched the ledger and lists, desperately directing his men to attack the man with the suitcase. "If we lose the goods, we'll be nothing but wandering wizards—damn it, ouch!"
Lys loosened her control over the flames in the manager's direction. Like a tiger unleashed, the black fire surged toward him, spewing silvery-gray sparks.
This was far more ferocious than the Fiendfyre suppressed on Hogwarts' lawn.
Assessing the situation, Lys shouted, "Run! It's getting out of control!"
The remaining wizards, hearing this, abandoned thoughts of goods or wandering wizardry. Survival was paramount.
Hagrid's friend hastened his actions, securing the two infants at the last moment.
He shouted at Lys, "Are you insane?!"
From his demeanor, he genuinely believed Lys had lost her mind.
Lys ignored him, pulling out a set of amber-thin carved arrays from her pocket and fanning them out.
In her haste, Lys had grabbed a messy assortment of items.
"Help me cast the Finite Incantatem! Hurry, or I'll really lose it."
Lys pressed her blackthorn wand into the ground, straining to control the flames, while her willow wand levitated the arrays into the air.
Dropping to one knee, she drove her wand into the ground. "Finite Incantatem!"
The wizard beside her quickly followed suit, planting his wand into the ground. "Finite Incantatem!"
The floating arrays activated under Lys's last bit of control.
Silver beams linked together, slowly enveloping the flames. For some reason, Lys suddenly raised her wand, summoning a shadowy figure of black fire around the circular stands to deceive those observing from outside.
With Lys's magic no longer suppressing it, the fire on the ground erupted wildly. Silvery-gray sparks scattered like a beast's spittle, eager to consume everything.
Lys pulled a small vial from her pocket—a Christmas gift from Snape—and downed it in one gulp.
The foul taste made her eyes water. "Ugh."
But she held on, kicking the veiny, suitcase-clutching wizard beside her. "Run now, hurry!"
Ignoring his reaction, she placed her blackthorn wand against her palm, gripping it tightly and pulling hard. The wand's notches immediately cut into her hand, staining it with fresh blood. Lys smeared it on herself.
She had gone too far... but if she had gone too far, why not push it further? If not now, when? Wait until she was on the brink of death next time?
Without strength, madness would only lead to a quicker, more miserable death.
Now, let's see if she could seize this opportunity to carve out something different!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
The story isn't over...
🤔 Want to know what happens next to the characters?
🤫 Eager to explore the untold secrets of this world?
✍️ Ready to read more of my wildest stories?
✨patreon.com/DarkGolds