The leaks about the Veylorn family had shaken the magical world. Ancient secrets, forbidden rituals, and hidden prophecies now circulated in whispers across Europe. Cassian Veylorn, sitting in the grand halls of the Veylorn ancestral estate, slammed his fist against a carved ebony table.
"How dare someone expose us!" he growled. His piercing eyes scanned the enchanted mirrors in the room, all of which reflected his network of informants reporting nothing but panic. "This reeks of Voldemort's followers… but it's too precise. Someone is orchestrating this!"
Cassian's mind raced. His first instinct was to investigate the leaks directly, but the magical signatures had been carefully disguised. Each scroll, letter, and report appeared to originate from scattered remnants of Voldemort's network—a perfect red herring.
He called an emergency council of his family's remaining members:
Seraphine Veylorn, a master of mind enchantments.
Alaric Veylorn, expert in curse-breaking and protective wards.
Lysandra Veylorn, historian and secret keeper of the family's darkest rituals.
"Someone knows every secret of this family," Cassian said sharply. "They know about the soul-binding, the prophecies, even the forbidden resurrection rituals. If this spreads further, the family loses everything—our influence, our fear, our legacy."
Seraphine tilted her head. "It feels like… someone from outside our sphere of influence, father. Voldemort has been dead—or at least incapacitated. The precision here is unnatural. Too much planning."
Cassian narrowed his eyes. "Then this isn't Voldemort. This is… someone clever. Someone patient. Someone who understands strategy… and magic."
Meanwhile, in the Valvas mansion, Roy observed the magical detection networks he had laid across Europe. Every move Cassian made was visible—his paranoia, his hasty summons, even his initial investigations.
Roy smirked. "He thinks it's Voldemort's remnants… poor boy doesn't even realize he's chasing shadows."
Back at the Veylorn estate, Cassian devised a counter-strategy:
Pinpoint the source of the leaks using ancient tracking wards.
Mobilize loyal agents across Europe to intercept information before it spreads further.
Create a false narrative that frames external enemies, misleading both the magical world and potential traitors within the family.
Cassian's first strike was sending agents to Hogwarts and the surrounding magical territories, investigating any potential moles. He even sent subtle magical probes to the Valvas family network, but all were subtly redirected by Roy's protective enchantments. Every agent Cassian deployed unknowingly walked into carefully orchestrated illusions—traps that appeared real but revealed nothing.
Meanwhile, Roy prepared a psychological layer to his trap. Using magical illusions and rumor control, he let the leaks reach exactly where Cassian would expect them, encouraging overconfidence. Every decision Cassian made in response to the leaks played right into Roy's hands.
At Valvas mansion, Roy gathered his inner circle—Venelana, Narcissa, Nagini, Bela, and Rowen Ravenclaw—and explained the next stage.
"He thinks he knows the source, but every move he makes only confirms our narrative. He believes he's in control. That's when he will make mistakes. And when he does…" Roy let the sentence hang, his dark eyes glinting with strategy.
Rowen Ravenclaw leaned forward. "How long until he realizes?"
Roy smiled faintly. "That's the beauty of it—he never will. By the time he suspects, it'll be too late. Every path leads him to us, without him ever knowing it."
Across Europe, Cassian Veylorn's frustration grew. His agents returned empty-handed, his wards failed, and every countermeasure he enacted seemed neutralized before it could take effect. The Veylorn heir, normally brilliant and ruthless, began to make mistakes under pressure, revealing subtle magical signatures and leaving traces Roy could track.
Roy, sipping tea in the Valvas library, whispered to himself, "Patience… Cassian. The game has just begun, and every move you make only tightens the noose."
Outside, the storm clouds of strategy and shadow magic gathered—two brilliant minds on a collision course. One seeking control of a dark legacy, the other quietly orchestrating from behind the veil of misdirection. The hunt for the true mastermind behind Voldemort's manipulations had entered its deadliest phase yet.