Late at night, in a two-story building somewhere in Knockturn Alley, more than ten wizards had gathered.
They stood positioned around the room in what looked like a chaotic arrangement, yet each one covered a specific direction.
If an enemy attacked, they could react instantly.
In the center of the room, a young man sat on a sofa.
He crossed one leg over the other, dressed in a silver-white suit. Black hair. Black eyes.
On his chest was an unusual crest.
Its main body was shaped like a shield. On the upper left and right corners sat a five-pointed star. In the center of each star was a mountain-shaped sigil.
At the bottom lay a short sword. On either side of the shield stood two rearing greyhounds. Below the shield hung a ribbon bearing a line of French:
[Toujours pur — Always pure]
Everyone in the wizarding world knew what this emblem meant.
It belonged to the Black Family, the most prestigious and wealthy pure-blood family in wizarding Britain.
And the young man on the sofa was the family's only surviving sixth-generation heir— the current head of the Black Family:
Karmit Black.
Karmit lightly sipped his tea.
"Bilair, is Belinda still not back?"
A wizard stepped forward and knelt on one knee. "My lord, judging by the time, she should arrive shortly."
Karmit nodded.
About ten minutes later, a wizard by the window spoke up, "My lord, Belinda has returned."
Karmit waved his hand.
The wizard moved to the door, opened it, and moments later a female witch entered, dragging a male wizard behind her.
She tossed him onto the floor and knelt before Karmit.
"My lord, I've brought him."
Karmit looked at the man on the ground. The wizard stared back in terror, scrambling forward until he reached Karmit's feet.
"M-my lord, merciful master, please forgive me! Give me one more chance!"
Karmit's voice was calm, almost gentle.
"Ulysses, I trusted you. Truly, I did. I even placed the Black Family's first magical-creature-materials shop under your management."
Those words, spoken in that soft tone, made the room's temperature feel like it plummeted.
Everyone here understood their master well— the calmer he sounded, the angrier he was.
Karmit lifted his foot and pressed it onto Ulysses' head. "And yet you betrayed that trust. You broke my heart, Ulysses Cecil."
Ulysses trembled uncontrollably.
"I—I'm sorry, my lord! They took my family! I had no choice, I truly had no choice!"
Karmit spoke mildly. "Once, I even considered you part of my family. Bilair."
Bilair immediately opened the adjacent bedroom door.
Ulysses' eyes widened.
Inside the room were his wife, his son, and his elderly mother—bound and gagged, terrified.
Ulysses dropped to the floor, bowing repeatedly and frantically. "My lord, please! Please spare them! It's all my fault, not theirs!"
Karmit looked down at him. "Then tell me, Ulysses—who ordered you to do this?"
Ulysses didn't hesitate. "Yaxley! It was Yaxley! I know the old man—he came to me himself! He took my family—I couldn't do anything else! Please, my lord, spare me!"
Karmit moved his foot away.
Ulysses, seeing hope, crawled forward and used his sleeve to polish Karmit's shoes.
Karmit smiled faintly. "I've always liked people who value their family."
Ulysses' eyes lit up. "Yes, my lord, I cherish mine greatly!"
Karmit's smile deepened.
"But I treated you as family too. And you… didn't value me."
He stretched out his hand. Belinda immediately presented him her wand with both hands.
Karmit took it and gently tapped Ulysses' throat.
Ulysses froze.
"M-my lord—"
"For all the years you served me, Ulysses," Karmit said softly, "I'll send you off myself. Don't worry—you won't be lonely. I'll send your family to accompany you.
After all, you value them so much."
Ulysses' eyes widened in horror.
He didn't even have the chance to speak. A sickly dark-green flash erupted from Karmit's wand.
The curse struck him instantly; life left him in an instant. He collapsed with a dull thud.
Belinda stepped forward and retrieved her wand.
Karmit said, "Give them a quick end.
Ulysses worked with you for years. He made mistakes, but I believe their deaths are enough to cleanse his sins."
Belinda bowed. "Yes, my lord. You are truly merciful."
Karmit smiled, snapped his fingers, and vanished.
After he left, a cold gleam flashed in Belinda's eyes.
"Come, Bilair. Let's give Ulysses' family a proper farewell. Our lord is merciful—but for traitors like these? We don't have to be."
Bilair smirked. "Naturally, my lady. As you wish."
Soon, the house filled with agonized screams, mixed with the sound of the Cruciatus Curse being cast again and again.
None of the other wizards reacted—they were used to it. Some even looked eager to join in.
.....
The next morning, as the first light touched Grimmauld Place No. 12, Karmit woke in his bed.
On his nightstand sat a warm glass of milk and the latest issue of the Daily Prophet.
He leaned back, unfolded the newspaper, and immediately saw the bold headline on the front page:
[Yesterday, a house in Knockturn Alley was found ablaze. By the time Aurors arrived, the building had been entirely consumed.
Four bodies were recovered. The cause of the fire was determined to be Fiendfyre.
The Ministry has classified it as a Dark Wizard attack and has launched an investigation]
Karmit tossed the paper aside with disdain.
The Ministry, like all law enforcements—always showing up after everything was over.
Utterly useless. Complete waste of space.