https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1357-Assisting-from-the-Sidelines/12528321/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1359-That-s-Right-It-s-a-Conspiracy/12528323/
Chapter 1358: A Duel of Life and Death
Chapter 1358: A Duel of Life and Death
Initially, Yaxley had intended to transform Hogsmeade into the most popular black market in all of Europe. It wasn't just about the money; it was also about aiding the Dark Lord in recruiting lawless witches and wizards from across the continent, expanding their forces, and solidifying his own power.
However, things didn't go exactly as planned.
Hogsmeade did become a renowned black market in Europe, attracting many ruthless individuals. But Yaxley overlooked something crucial—most of the Death Eaters who joined the Dark Lord's ranks were primarily motivated by their desire to make more money.
Voldemort's reputation might temporarily cow this group of vicious individuals, but when it came to their personal gain, even the Dark Lord's influence had its limits.
Conflict was inevitable from that moment on.
The sudden eruption of tensions was purely due to someone secretly stirring up trouble and exacerbating the discord between the two sides.
The Death Eaters were not as weak as they had been made out to be, but if all the casualties were actors, it would naturally give the foreign Dark Wizards the impression that the Death Eaters were a bunch of incompetents.
If they were worthless, then naturally, they had no right to bully others or control this place.
The black market, with its reverence for free trade, smoothly embraced this newfound freedom, and it was just as everyone had hoped for. No one wanted to share the money in their pockets with others.
Those who had tasted the sweet fruit of free trade were naturally reluctant to give up Hogsmeade as a black market, and they were certainly not willing to relinquish this place where they could make a hefty profit.
Ironically, since Hogsmeade had thrown off the control of the Death Eaters, law and order had improved, and it had even become the most popular place in all of Europe.
Contrary to Yaxley's expectations, it had not descended into chaos due to the absence of the Death Eaters. Instead, Hogsmeade now resembled a trading district like Diagon Alley more than a black market.
If not for the prohibited items displayed in the shops and stalls, one might not even realize this was a black market.
After all, Dark Wizards were not madmen; they were educated individuals. Their involvement in the black market was primarily driven by financial gain, and Hogsmeade was undoubtedly an ideal location for that. It would be challenging for them to find another place in Europe that offered the same level of comfort as Hogsmeade. The Dark Wizards who came here to trade would even voluntarily maintain the environment, and unwritten rules gradually formed.
This harmonious scene was undoubtedly a huge mockery of the Death Eaters, stamping them with a mark of incompetence. During the time when the Death Eaters controlled Hogsmeade, there would always be a few unpleasant conflicts each day.
However, this peaceful scene was destined to be short-lived.
This was Hogsmeade, the Death Eaters' turf. How could the Death Eaters, who had been tyrannizing Britain, tolerate having such a juicy piece of territory beyond their control?
Of course, none of this had anything to do with Thorfinn Rowle. He didn't even bother to think about such matters.
Rowle recorded the name of the Dark Wizard who had come to order a defensive cloak in his ledger. After tearing off the receipt and handing it to the customer, he knocked on the blackboard next to him and said in a slowed-down tone to the foreigner who wasn't proficient in English, "A one-Galleon deposit, pick-up in two days, and you're allowed to back out during this time."
"OK, OK."
The black wizard gave him an OK sign, left a Galleon, and took the receipt before leaving.
Holding the half-receipt in his hand, Rowle felt that this world was truly wonderful. Defensive items against Dark Magic were selling extremely well among Dark Wizards.
It was quite ironic when you thought about it—did Dark Wizards need protection from Dark Magic more than anyone else?
A sharp alarm pierced through Rowle's thoughts, snapping him out of his daydream of getting rich. As he walked to the window and looked outside, he noticed that everyone had come out of their houses, and the once-bustling street had fallen into temporary chaos.
However, the chaos was quickly subdued because no one dared to joke around with alarms unless they wanted to die.
So, when the alarm suddenly rang out, it meant only one thing—the Death Eaters had returned.
"Look over there! It's a Dementor!"
Someone shouted, drawing everyone's attention to the entrance of Hogsmeade, where a large mass of dark clouds was approaching.
After a brief commotion, the village quickly settled into a tense calm.
The return of the Death Eaters, accompanied by Dementors, was something they had anticipated.
Days earlier, rumors had spread in Hogsmeade that the Death Eaters would not give up their control of the black market and would come back with Dementors.
The Dark Wizards temporarily residing in Hogsmeade for business even held a short gathering to discuss this matter.
Although they were a loose group with differing intentions, no one wanted to directly confront the Death Eaters. Unfortunately, the Death Eaters' recent display of incompetence left them no choice.
With their numbers exceeding those of the Death Eaters and their collective strength being greater, no one was willing to relinquish their interests in Hogsmeade and the favorable environment it provided.
As long as they didn't panic and flee, how could they lose?
They would naturally win, and they certainly didn't mind teaching those bullies who loved to flaunt Voldemort's name a lesson.
Who didn't enjoy beating a defeated opponent?
As for Voldemort himself...
This famous second-generation Dark Lord was not as well-known in Europe as Dumbledore. Most witches and wizards had, at best, heard his name, and some didn't even recognize it, so naturally, they weren't afraid of him.
"Anyone who knows the Patronus Charm, cast it and drive away those Dementors!"
Someone shouted, and three Dark Wizards who knew the Patronus Charm stepped forward and began to summon their Patronuses to counter the Dementors.
To be honest, most Dark Wizards weren't afraid of Dementors, but having them around was still uncomfortable, especially when they were being used by their enemies.
However, faced with a large number of Dementors pressing forward, the three Patronuses were clearly insufficient to drive them away completely.
The Dementors swirled above Hogsmeade, a chill settling over the entire village. Frost formed on the windowpanes.
Sensing the threat to their lives, some wizards chose to Disapparate, but Dementors alone couldn't scare them into submission, nor could they make them give up this lucrative opportunity.
Several more silver lights shot out from various parts of the village, joining the battle against the Dementors.
This was quite normal, as it was a group of strangers, and it was only natural to hold back at first.
It was quite rare for Dark Wizards to know how to cast a Patronus.
Not only did they not need the Patronus Charm to protect themselves, but some Dark Wizards also believed that casting the Patronus Charm carried the risk of backfiring.
...
Outside Hogsmeade, Yaxley, who was leading the Death Eaters, wore a grim expression. He never expected Dark Wizards to use the Patronus Charm, and there seemed to be more than one of them.
Could this be a trap?
For a moment, Yaxley even suspected that he had walked into an ambush.
Unable to resort to his usual tactics, Yaxley found himself in a difficult position. Without the Dementors to aid them, it would be challenging for the Death Eaters to subdue the dark wizards of Hogsmeade Village in a short amount of time.
Yaxley wanted to retreat temporarily, but the current situation didn't allow him to back down easily. "We must make these outsiders understand who this place belongs to," he said. "If they want to engage in the dark arts and trade with dark wizards, they must abide by our rules."
After giving a final rousing speech, Yaxley led his group towards the entrance of Hogsmeade Village, regretting that he hadn't brought giants and werewolves with him.
"This place does not welcome any troublemakers," he declared.
"And this place does not welcome you, cowards!" A line of fire ignited in front of Yaxley, blocking the Death Eaters' path.
"This is the Dark Lord's territory," Yaxley asserted, invoking Voldemort's name.
"Don't try to intimidate us with the Dark Lord. No one here is easily frightened," came the bold reply.
"How dare you..." A sharp voice rang out from within the ranks of the Death Eaters.
"This place does not welcome any troublemakers," a voice challenged. "A wizard's duel to the death will decide the ownership of this place?"
From within the group of dark wizards, a figure leaped forward. It was Boschwal, taunting the Death Eaters. "Do you dare accept the challenge, you little pups?"
This was the solution they had discussed. Rather than a chaotic brawl with the dark wizards, this method would better serve their interests.
If he won, each person in Hogsmeade Village would owe him two Galleons. It was a chance to earn a hefty sum of over a thousand Galleons in one go.
The others wouldn't lose out either. For just two Galleons, not only would they resolve the issue, but they would also get to witness an exciting duel. It was a win-win situation.
Most importantly, they had confidence in Boschwal. He was a fearless hunter who dared to take on the Acromantula, and he had even placed highly in the Dueling Tournament. There was no way he could lose to this group of incompetents.
Yaxley's expression darkened. While he desperately wanted to take on the challenger himself, the whole situation was just too absurd.
"It seems you're afraid," Boschwal goaded. "Do you really think you can drive us away with those Dementors? Or is there a little pup hiding among you, ready to cast the Killing Curse on me from the shadows?"
"You think this is some sort of game..." Yaxley began.
"We are all dark wizards here, and this is how we settle things," Boschwal interrupted, unfazed by the hostile glares of the Death Eaters. "Unless you want an all-out war, but I see you have fewer numbers than we do. Who gave you the courage to challenge us?"
"Fine, a duel it is," Yaxley said through gritted teeth.
"A duel to the death," Boschwal corrected. "Of course, if you're too scared, I don't mind taking on a few more of you."
"Fine. You may each have two assistants," Yaxley conceded, though he felt that there was something amiss with this so-called duel to the death. Nonetheless, he preferred this to an all-out clash, so after feigning hesitation, he agreed.
Yaxley turned away from Boschwal and addressed the Death Eaters behind him. "Who will step forward?"
He looked towards Snape, but the latter showed no intention of volunteering.
"Whoever defeats them will receive a reward of one thousand Galleons each," Yaxley offered, hoping to entice someone to take up the challenge.
As expected, the mention of a hefty reward stirred the crowd, and several Death Eaters stepped forward eagerly.
"You, you, and you," Yaxley selected three individuals, one of whom was a reasonably skilled Death Eater, while the other two were his trusted henchmen.
"Boschwal, take care of those worthless fools," Yaxley ordered.
The hundreds of dark wizards clearly divided into two groups, forming a semi-circular arena around the two parties involved in the duel.
"Since you proposed the duel, if anyone breaks the rules of a wizard's duel, we will all join forces to take them down," Boschwal declared, addressing both sides.
"Now, get ready!" Yaxley placed his wand at his throat and shouted, "On the count of three, one—two—three—"
The duel commenced.
Boschwal swiftly raised his wand above his shoulder and, as soon as Yaxley finished counting, he unleashed a blast towards the blond, bulky figure opposite him, not even giving him a chance to complete the Avada Kedavra curse.
A loud explosion reverberated through the air.
A jet of green light shot from Boschwal's wand, and before the opponent could finish casting the Killing Curse, they were blown away by the force of the spell.
Two more consecutive blasts followed, and the bulky figure collapsed to the ground, their fate unknown.
"Boschwal! Boschwal!"
Cheers and applause erupted throughout Hogsmeade as they witnessed Boschwal's swift and decisive victory.
"You idiots!" Boschwal taunted. "Do all British wizards just stand there and let their opponents finish casting Avada Kedavra? This is how it's done!"
In the next moment, a flash of green light engulfed the fallen Death Eater.
"You..." Yaxley stared at Boschwal, his eyes widening with rage. He desperately wanted to raise his wand and cast the Killing Curse on his opponent.
"This is a duel to the death, not a child's game," Boschwal said with a cruel smile. "Now, he's definitely dead. Who's next?"
Yaxley turned to Snape, but the latter shook his head, his intentions unclear.
It wasn't that Snape was reluctant to fight; it was just that there was something familiar about the way the duel had unfolded.
Indeed, Snape recognized it. It reminded him of Albert Anderson.
That man's silent magic was astonishingly fast.
Could it be that this challenger was Anderson in disguise?
As expected, the remaining two assistants were no match for Boschwal either. Despite their initial wariness, the gap between their skills was evident, and they were easily defeated within a few exchanges, their defeat as effortless as squashing a mouse.
"You have lost," Boschwal spat on the ground. "There's no way a bunch of trash like you can beat me. Go and get the Dark Lord himself if you want to try again."
"You will pay for this," Yaxley snarled, seething with anger as he turned and stormed off with the rest of the Death Eaters.
"See, those so-called Death Eaters are nothing but cowards!" Boschwal shouted to the crowd of dark wizards. "They will never take away our black market, our freedom, or the gold in our pockets! Let those fools go to hell!"
He raised a bag filled with Galleons and shouted, "Tonight, the drinks are on me! Let's celebrate this great victory!"
"Boschwal! Boschwal! Boschwal!"
The village of Hogsmeade echoed with triumphant cheers.
(End of Chapter)
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