Chapter 431: The Wizengamot's Banquet

Chapter 431: The Wizengamot's Banquet

The fireplace roared with a hearty blaze, warming the room to a cozy temperature.

Vold tossed a few pine logs into the fireplace, poked it twice with the fire tongs, and then nestled into the sofa, engrossed in his book.

After helping Morault with video editing and teaching him how to use it, Vold's treatment had quietly improved significantly. Drey not only provided him with a suite with a fireplace but also had numerous magical books delivered.

The only downside was that most of the books were in German, and some were even written in ancient scripts.

Vold hadn't learned German, so he requested a dictionary and struggled to read and understand the text.

Fortunately, English and German shared common roots in the distant past, and their scripts had similarities, with some words being identical. This made it less daunting than learning an entirely new language.

When Morault had some free time, he would visit Vold. Sometimes he would help translate the German books into English, and other times he would teach Vold about German writing and reading. Whenever Vold misread a word, Morault would burst into laughter, clutching his stomach, leaving Vold to wonder what amusing thoughts had crossed his mind.

The book in Vold's hand documented some famous ancient German witchcraft incidents, including events that were mistakenly believed to be witchcraft but were actually Muggle persecutions.

In Britain, or at Hogwarts, such books were rarely seen, and most were likely hidden away, forbidden to students for reading or access. Vold had seen a few in the Black family's old mansion, but not many.

However, at Grindelwald's place, he didn't mind young wizards learning about the dark history.

For instance, in the 16th century, the Archbishop at the time ordered the purge of witches, Protestants, and Jews. In Trier, hundreds of people from 22 villages were burned alive, many of them local officials, judges, and members of parliament, and even priests were not spared.

The author, a survivor of the witch-hunt, wrote in the conclusion of his record:

"The Weber family was the only true wizarding family to perish in this incident. When their neighbors knocked on their door, they might have thought it was an invitation for a drink, as usual, but instead, they were met with sharp axes."

"After Weber's death, his wife and two children under the age of ten also met the same fate. More tragically, the neighbors who initiated the attack received no benefit from their betrayal but were suspected of being possessed by the devil and sentenced to immediate death."

"From the capital to the countryside, from Trier to Saxony, from officials to shepherds, regardless of status or location, anyone suspected of being a wizard faced the death penalty."

"They were hanged, burned, drawn and quartered, dismembered, and even blown up... People used every torture they could imagine against their own kind. Even if there was only one wizard among a thousand, or none at all, they still carried out this massacre with determination."

"They showed no concern for mistakenly killing their own kind, or perhaps this was one of their intentions."

"The execution scenes were cruel and terrifying, yet the spectators cheered and applauded, laughing as if they had forgotten they might be the next victims. This collective madness filled me with fear, as if everyone had turned into devils, and the world had become a terrifying hell."

"The Forgetfulness Charm didn't always work, and Muggles with hidden magical abilities, like Silent Ones, could see through the disguise of magic."

"I dared not use magic anymore. I burned all my magical books and hid my wand deep in the basement, barely escaping this round of purges. But when will the next one come?"

"The Schmidt family has been out of contact for over two months now, and I don't know if they're still alive. This evening, I unknowingly fixed a broken wheel with wandless magic. I wonder if Miller next door saw it; I sense something odd in the way he looks at me."

"Perhaps hiding among Muggles isn't a wise choice. The only way to truly protect ourselves is to stay away from them entirely, even living underground like ancient wizards, to avoid repeating such tragedies."

"Living away from society would undoubtedly be inconvenient, but compared to the fear of waiting for the executioner's blade, a good night's sleep was more appealing.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Vold put down his book, raised his voice, saying, "Come in!" He added a few more logs to the fireplace.

The room was already warm, but the chilling content he had just read left him feeling cold.

"Hey, Vold!"

As expected, Morault entered, smiling, "You're reading again! They're all back, and there's a banquet in the hall. Come on, let's join the fun!"

"A banquet?" Vold shook his head. "I won't go."

"I know you don't want to reveal your identity, but don't worry, I've got it covered!"

Morault placed a bottle of Compound Potion on the small table next to Vold, saying, "Go and join them. Otherwise, I'll worry that you'll turn silly from staying in your room all day! And Mr. Grindelwald hasn't said anything about keeping you captive.

Vold gazed at the bottle of Compound Potion, his heart stirring with interest. He had little interest in the banquet, but he desperately needed to get out and stretch his legs, especially after reading that terrifying historical account, which was scarier than any horror story. Vold felt an urgent need to dispel the chill with some festive cheer.

He put down his book, picked up the potion, and took a whiff before downing it in one go.

...

A few minutes later, Morault was walking through the corridor with a young wizard who had brown hair and pale skin.

"How do you like this guy I picked for you? He's quite handsome, isn't he?" Morault said, "From now on, I'll call you Braun!"

"Braun?" the young wizard asked.

"Yes, you were 'Gray' before, but now you're 'Brown'. It's to prevent you from accidentally forgetting your own name."

They walked through the foyer and entered the banquet hall.

Unlike the bright and colorful Great Hall at Hogwarts, this castle's hall seemed to be gray as well, with dim lighting and swirling mist.

Around the hall were long tables that could seat over a dozen people, laden with food and drinks. By the fireplace, a few people were playing instruments like guitars and accordions while chatting and singing.

Most of the guests were eating and drinking, some were strolling with drinks in hand, some were puffing on long pipes or cigarettes, and a group of about a dozen people were dancing in the center, surrounded by onlookers and cheerleaders.

Vold had expected Grindelwald's banquet to be solemn, elegant, and polite, but it turned out to be quite similar to the atmosphere of a regular pub.

"Feel free to eat, sing, or even invite a pretty girl to dance!" Morault said, leaning against the wall next to Vold. "Today, you can even have a couple of strong drinks if you like. I'll make sure you get back safely! Do as you please, my dear friend, and share in the victory!"

His voice was a bit loud, and a brown-haired girl passing by with a tray overheard him. She glanced at Vold and smiled, revealing two cute dimples and small tiger-like teeth.

Vold picked up a glass of red wine nearby but had no intention of drinking it. He walked to the fireplace, found a stool, and sat down against the wall to listen to the singers.

"The magical wind blows through the quiet town, shattering dreams with the ancient clock's chimes... Under the old oak tree, wizards and elves dance together. Centaurs guide the way as brave young men embark on a journey of discovery... A thousand-year-old story is passed down, and an ancient promise guards the land..."

"What promise does this song refer to?" Vold casually asked the person next to him.

"Who knows? It's over a thousand years old," Morault shrugged.

"Over a thousand years?" Vold asked.

"The song is probably from Merlin's era," a female witch next to them said with a hint of sadness. "I've heard that back then, all races could live under the sun, and wizards were highly respected."

"There's no need to yearn for the past, Mary," another person clinked their cup with hers and said, "We're creating a new era!"

"That's why I'm following Mr. Grindelwald!" a bearded wizard exclaimed. "I'm tired of hiding and running!"

"But recently, those guys have strengthened their defenses. They know someone is hunting them, and more of them are getting injured," Mary said with concern.

"Muggle weapons are indeed terrifying, but our young men lack training," an older man added. "Mumbi, your Ironclad Charm is always a beat too slow. Last time, you even got shot in the leg!"

"That was an ambush! An ambush!" Mumbi protested angrily. "Could you have blocked a bullet shot from behind?"

"I haven't been injured, and isn't that the best proof?" the other man shook his head and boasted.

Many people chuckled and comforted Mumbi, "Don't worry, scars are a man's badge of honor! Or you can apply more Scar-Removal Potion?"

"At least you only had your leg broken. That idiot Nuber was killed!" someone else added.

"Casualties are inevitable when fighting enemies."

Drey suddenly appeared and said, "I was looking for you, Antoine. What about the person you were supposed to look after? Why isn't he in the room?"

Morault patted Vold's shoulder and said, "Here he is! Hey, usually, there's no problem, but I finally brought him down for a drink, and now you're interrupting us."

He complained casually.

(End of Chapter 169)

"I don't really enjoy drinking."

Vold set down his half-drunk glass of red wine and stood up, asking, "Is something wrong?"

As everyone around them looked on curiously, Drey said, "It's a matter concerning... weapons."

He was careful not to mention Vold's name or even the word "alchemy."

Even though they all knew that Vold didn't want to reveal his real name or true appearance and still wanted to return to his old life, they didn't expose him. Instead, they actively helped to conceal his identity.

This respect and understanding even gave Vold the illusion that he had become a part of their group.

The two of them weaved through the crowded hall, and Drey casually pushed away a few drunkards along the way. A group of young people gathered, laughing and cheering loudly for their recent victory.

In contrast, Drey, with his perpetually cold expression, seemed like an oddity, and even Vold appeared more at ease in this environment than he did.

Behind them, Morault lagged a step behind, downing the wine in his cup before hurrying to catch up.

Stepping out of the hall, Morault took a deep breath of the cool outside air, shaking his head. Suddenly, he thought of something.

"Mr. Grindelwald didn't attend the banquet... Is he injured or unwell?" Morault asked.

Drey gave him a cold look and said, "That's not your concern, Antoine."

But Morault wasn't deterred by his cold demeanor and persisted, "What are you looking for Vold for?"

"It's none of your business," Drey replied. "You can go back to drinking."

"No, if you've been assigned to watch over him, then I'm his temporary guardian!" Morault insisted. "How can I just stand by if you're causing trouble for my people?"

Drey shot him a cold look, noticing that Vold was also staring at him. After a moment's thought, he finally decided to reveal a part of the truth.

"Tonight's operation faced a counterattack beyond our expectations..."

...

Apart from the first day, Vold hadn't participated in the Wugui Party's attacks, but he helped Morault edit videos daily, so he had a general idea of what they were up to, and he knew more than most of the participants.

After the island that birthed the Silent One was flattened and its leader committed suicide, the Ministry of Magic considered the matter closed. However, the escaped Grindelwald disagreed.

He personally led a group to capture the leader's subordinates, family, and friends, reading their memories one by one until they finally discovered the base where Vold was taken to attack that day.

Using the same method, they located the second, third, and fourth bases, attacking a total of five bases before temporarily ceasing their operations.

During these attacks, the Wugui Party even encountered werewolves and vampires, dark creatures that ordinary wizards feared, but they had little resistance against Grindelwald.

In recent days, it seemed like the Wugui Party had calmed down, but in reality, their activities had become more covert, and their targets had shifted to individuals of significant status.

Celebrities, politicians, tycoons, renowned judges, university professors... Many familiar faces to Vold were members of the organization.

Standing by the bedroom window, Vold had seen familiar faces dragged into the castle like dead dogs, their once dignified appearances now contorted with fear.

These individuals had not only provided a wealth of intelligence but also contributed substantial wealth, which was one of the reasons for the Wugui Party's recent enthusiasm.

They had also changed their method of killing, no longer openly declaring it as an act of magic. Instead, after extracting all the information, they used the Soul-Drain Spell to manipulate their victims into committing suicide.

Whether it was soul extraction or the Soul-Drain Spell, neither left any traces on the bodies. Even with magic, it was challenging to accurately detect the use of the Soul-Drain Spell.

As a result, apart from the organization's participants, who were aware of the mass disappearance of their members, others viewed these incidents as isolated events, attributing them to the immense pressure of modern society without any further questions.

Originally, these operations targeting a handful of Muggles weren't particularly dangerous, and the challenges mainly stemmed from avoiding others' gazes, modern surveillance technology, and accurately locating the targets.

However, during an operation that night, the Wugui Party faced an unexpected failure.

Following Drey, Vold walked through several corridors and descended multiple flights of stairs until they reached a spacious basement where Grindelwald stood.

At the same time, Vold noticed seven or eight bodies lying on the cold, black stone floor, and Grindelwald was covering their terrified faces with white cloths.

"Sir," Drey said, "Vold Grey has arrived."

At that moment, Vold's attention was drawn to something in Wolvillet's hand.

It was a small crystal vial, shimmering with a delicate golden light.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end