Chapter 348: No Easy Task When Dealing with Magical Creatures
Chapter 348: No Easy Task When Dealing with Magical Creatures
Oak Barrel Pub.
The most popular spot near the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary, always bustling with customers whenever its doors are open.
Dragon handlers often visit during their breaks, ordering a glass of Dragonfire Whisky or Amaretto Honey Wine to unwind.
Besides them, there are other patrons as well.
It's like the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, where all sorts of people gather... tourists drawn by the fame, hooded figures with obscured faces, and even old witches who look like villains straight out of a story...
And among them, there are non-human beings too.
For instance, at the far right end of the bar counter sits a fairy with a tattered backpack, claiming to be a wandering merchant but known for swindling and cheating others.
Not far from them, there's also a centaur from an unknown tribe, offering fortune-telling services to wizards.
"Hiccup!"
The door of the Oak Barrel Pub suddenly opens from the outside, catching the attention of some patrons who turn to glance.
A frail-looking male wizard enters, wearing glasses and resembling a typical office clerk from the Ministry of Magic, tasked with writing reports all day.
Probably just another curious tourist...
After all, the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary is quite famous, attracting numerous visitors each year.
The regulars don't pay much attention, continuing their drinking and boasting, though a few familiar customers occasionally whisper, suspecting that the shrewd Old Brown will make a small fortune by selling counterfeit alcohol.
However, no one bothers to warn the tourists... They don't really care as long as they themselves are drinking the genuine stuff.
The male wizard doesn't linger after entering the pub. He doesn't go to the bar counter to order a drink either but heads straight to a table in the corner.
At the table sit two individuals: a burly man with a thick beard and a robust build, and another wearing a black robe with his entire face hidden beneath a large hood.
"Roy failed," the bespectacled wizard says as he sits down and pours himself a glass of Dragonfire Whisky from the bottle on the table. "Twelve people, including Roy himself, who managed to escape by betraying his companions. The others were all disarmed and taken away by the Romanian Ministry's Aurors just now."
"I told you he wouldn't succeed..." The hooded wizard swirls the brandy in his glass. "But that fool just wouldn't listen."
"But I heard their plan, and it seemed foolproof." The burly man across from him finishes his drink and frowns. "The end of the fight is when the dragon handlers are at their most exhausted, and in that state, they're almost incapable of Apparition. It's the moment when their mobility is at its lowest.
Twelve people, one acting as a decoy to draw attention, while the others attack from different directions... Those dragon handlers wouldn't have a chance to react.
Even if they can't Apparition with the dragon eggs, they're using the best brooms. They shouldn't have been caught so easily."
"The dragon handlers not being able to Apparition doesn't mean others can't either. Have you forgotten about the invited guests?"
"Or do you think they're all weak scholars?"
"Don't be ridiculous," the hooded wizard chuckles. "Dealing with magical creatures isn't like visiting a Muggle zoo... Those who lack strength have long perished in unknown forests, and the ones who remain, the renowned ones, are hardly easy to deal with.
That old lady from North America once had a record of killing a giant.
And Newt Scamander is even more impressive. In his youth, he even confronted Grindelwald multiple times and has lived to the present... In the wizarding world, very few can claim such an achievement."
"But that was over sixty years ago, wasn't it?" The bespectacled wizard casually replies. "He's old now."
"Dumbledore is old too," the hooded wizard sneers. "Why don't you go challenge him? You might even become famous overnight.
The bespectacled wizard was choked and sprayed a mouthful of liquor onto the burly man's face.
"Philvin, you..."
"Sorry, Larry."
The bespectacled wizard, also known as Philvin, quickly apologized and turned to the other side, saying helplessly, "Please, don't say such scary things. Challenging Dumbledore? I'm not ready to die yet..."
"Since you know, you should understand that a wizard's strength doesn't diminish with age."
The hooded wizard glanced at him, "And there's also a young one... Chris.
Twelve years ago, just a few years after graduating from Hogwarts, on a full moon night, he single-handedly defeated two transformed werewolves and made them flee.
Five years ago, he also captured a Peruvian Vipertooth dragon that had gone mad due to the influence of dark magic. Remember, it was captured alive, not killed.
Do you think Roy and his group are more formidable than transformed werewolves, or more difficult to deal with than a mad Peruvian Vipertooth dragon?"
"..."
Philvin and the burly man, Larry, fell silent.
If that idiot Roy had such strength, he wouldn't have needed to betray his companions to escape.
"What should we do then?"
Larry asked, "Should we wait until they leave before taking action... They can't stay here forever, right?"
"Take action? What action?"
"But you said..."
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"I'll remind you one last time, Larry," the hooded wizard raised his head, revealing a familiar face.
He said coldly, "We're just here for a vacation. If you accidentally slip up or make a low-level mistake, I won't mind leaving you here forever to keep company with those dragon eggs."
"I, I understand..." The burly man immediately closed his mouth.
The atmosphere became tense.
Philvin quickly tried to ease the tension and comforted him, "The reserve is obviously well-prepared, and Roy's group is the best example. If you don't want to end up like them, just listen to Oren and enjoy the show."
Then he turned and changed the subject, "And you, Oren, I wanted to ask you earlier, why are you still wearing a hood in the pub? Do you think you're not noticeable enough?"
"Just in case."
Oren removed his hood, "There's a dragon keeper named Charlie who knows me, and it would be troublesome if he saw me.
I still have things to do, and I don't have time to deal with those hyena-like Aurors and Hit Wizards."
"Haha... Aren't you his professor? Why are you afraid of your own students?"
Philvin smiled and joked, "But every time I mention this, I find it incredible.
To avoid the Ministry of Magic's carpet search, you actually went to Hogwarts and became a Dark Arts Defense professor for a year, and even managed to escape after being discovered. You're quite something."
"I've always been lucky."
Oren stood up, "Let's go, I'm going back to sleep. The liquor is good, buy two bottles to take with you later."
"Alright."
Philvin shrugged and took the empty bottle to the bar, saying to the old wizard wiping the glasses, "This, two more bottles, please."
"Dragonfire Whisky?" The old wizard looked up, "Thirty Galleons per bottle."
"So expensive?" Philvin hesitated as he reached for his money.
"I've been selling Dragonfire Whisky for fifty years, and the price has always been the same. If you don't believe me, you can ask others; they'll all say the same."
The old wizard said, "But if you buy two bottles, I can give you a discount."
"How much?"
"Fifty-nine Galleons and ten Knuts."
What kind of discount is this, 99% off? Philvin was speechless but still took out sixty Galleons.
"Two bottles, please."
It's not about the nine Knut discount, but the liquor is indeed delicious, and he quite likes it.
...
Thanks to Troopers1770, Hai Ziyu, and Xiaodao for their support!
(End of Chapter)
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