Hogwarts: The Exemplary Wizard I Am Chapter 704: The Business of Capturing Dementors and the Surrendering of the Soul - Novel Cool

Chapter 704: The Business of Capturing Dementors and the Surrendering of the Soul

Chapter 704: The Business of Capturing Dementors and the Surrendering of the Soul

Cornwall...

"Summoner Guard!"

A silver goose flew by, startling a Dementor into a panicked retreat. But before it could fly far, it collided with a thin stream of flames.

The flames were not particularly hot, or perhaps due to their small size, the Dementor felt nothing until it was too late.

By the time it realized, the flames had already wrapped around it like a rope.

In the blink of an eye, the Dementor was reduced to ashes.

Kyle released the Illusion Charm and waved his wand, causing the flames on the Dementor to automatically gather into a ball and fly back to the tip of a wooden stick he held, where it burned steadily.

"This is really good..." Cedric looked at the torch in Kyle's hand with envy, "As agreed, next time it's your turn to chase away the Dementors, and I'll use the Eternal Flame."

"No problem." Kyle tossed the torch to him, "Be careful, don't burn yourself. This thing may not be as terrifying as the Fiery Blast Spell, but it's still a magical flame. I don't want to visit you at St. Mungo's."

"You're underestimating me," Cedric said irritably, holding the torch, "Even if I'm not as skilled in spellcasting as you, it doesn't mean I can't control fire."

Kyle shrugged, saying nothing.

Just then, an owl flew over their heads.

Kyle took out a Sickle and waved it, and the owl immediately flew over, carrying a stack of newspapers from a bag tied to its leg.

"Thanks, two copies will do." Kyle tossed the Sickle into the bag, "Keep the change."

The Daily Prophet had a fixed owl for delivering newspapers to specific individuals, but there were also situations like this.

Owls would fly with a bag of newspapers towards places with wizards. If a wizard needed one, they could simply wave five Nats, and the owl would fly over.

However, Kyle didn't have any small-denomination coins on hand, so he used a Sickle instead.

"What a coincidence," Cedric exclaimed, "We actually encountered a newspaper delivery owl!"

"What's so surprising about that..." Kyle unfolded the newspaper, "Cornwall has a higher concentration of wizards, so it's normal to see newspaper delivery owls."

"That's true," Cedric walked over, "Is there any news in the paper?"

"Indeed..." Kyle spread out the newspaper and pointed to a large headline on the front page.

[The Ministry of Magic Offers a High Bounty for Dementors]

"Recently, both wizards and Muggles have been plagued by Dementors, and these monsters are seriously affecting everyone's lives.

"Yesterday, a just-minded wizard visited the Ministry of Magic and shared his thoughts. He believes that during this special period, all wizards should unite and fight against the menace of Dementors.

"Of course, this is a dangerous task, so he has prepared a generous reward for every wizard who contributes to peace."

[Wizards who capture Dementors alive and deliver them to the Ministry of Magic will receive a reward of two hundred Galleons per Dementor.]

[Wizards who bring in a Dementor's black hood will be rewarded with one hundred Galleons.]

[After killing a Dementor with magical flames, a black ash remains. Two ounces of this ash can be exchanged for one hundred Galleons.]

"Note: The Ministry of Magic encourages wizards to act within their capabilities.

"If anyone is found to have caused damage to the environment, buildings, or personnel while dealing with Dementors, they will be deducted a penalty of twenty to two hundred Galleons, depending on the severity of the damage.

"If magical flames are uncontrolled, in addition to losing all rewards, there will be an additional fine of one hundred Galleons and a one-year imprisonment in Azkaban."

"The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, stated that we are here to solve problems, not create them. Therefore, it is crucial to act within one's capabilities, and it is best to notify the Ministry of Magic first. The Aurors will arrive as soon as possible."

...

"A bounty on Dementors?" Cedric looked at the newspaper in disbelief, "I never thought the ashes would be so valuable, two ounces for one hundred Galleons! You're going to be rich!"

He still remembered that Kyle had quite a bit of ash in that bottle, and even if only half of it remained, it could still fetch a considerable amount of Galleons.

"What are you thinking..." Kyle gave Cedric a disdainful look, "We are employees of the Ministry of Magic, and this is our job. It's too vulgar to talk about money."

Cedric stood there, speechless and choking on his words...

"Wait... Are you serious?"

Coming from Kyle, he didn't believe it for a hundred times... It was too fake.

Based on his understanding of Kyle, he would definitely find someone outside the Ministry, like Remus Lupin or the Weasley Mother, to exchange the ashes for Galleons.

That was what Kyle should do.

"Alright."

Under Cedric's equally disdainful gaze, Kyle helplessly spread his hands, "In fact, the sponsor of this event is Sirius. We can't use the Eternal Flame he gave us and then turn around to make money from him. That would be a bit too shameless."

"No wonder..." Cedric nodded in realization, and even Kyle felt a bit embarrassed, as this was indeed a questionable act.

"But is this really okay?" Cedric frowned. "What if they bring fake items? After all, black cloaks are so common, and those ashes don't seem too hard to replicate."

"These items are worth at least one hundred Galleons each. There will definitely be people tempted by them. What if someone brings a fake and insists that it's from a Dementor? Will you still pay them?"

"Of course not," Kyle waved his wand, and a black tattered cloak appeared before them—the one left behind after they killed the first Dementor, which Kyle had kept.

"As for how the Ministry checks the authenticity of items... you'll know as soon as you touch it."

Cedric tentatively touched the cloak and quickly withdrew his hand. "Ouch, it's so cold!" he exclaimed, feeling an icy chill spreading from his fingertips as if he had dipped them in ice water.

"Now you know," Kyle said with a smile. "Anything left behind by a Dementor, even ashes burned by magical flames, will always be freezing cold.

"This is unique to Dementors. Even if you try to replicate it with magic, you can't make it exactly the same... at least not in a short time."

Cedric still had some concerns. "Even so, checking for fakes will waste a lot of time, won't it?"

"It won't waste any time at all," Kyle assured him, waving his hand. "There will be a team of Beaters specifically tasked with capturing those who try to be clever... By the way, do you remember those Dementors kept in the Ministry?"

Cedric nodded.

Some Dementors would surrender to the Aurors, and in such cases, the Aurors would not kill them but instead bring them back to the Ministry.

Although Dementors indeed caused a lot of trouble, everyone had to admit that they were the best guards.

It was also because of the Dementors' presence that Azkaban became a place that struck fear into the hearts of all wizards. Almost every wizard who had been there would reform as quickly as possible to avoid a second visit.

In this regard, the Dementors' contribution to the Ministry was significant.

"This is the second part of the plan," Kyle continued. "Those Dementors are temporarily housed in a room, like a mini-Azkaban.

Those who try to be clever will be sent there, and the fee is one hundred Galleons per day... unless they're willing to buy back their fake items at an equivalent price."

After hearing Kyle's words, Cedric's eyes widened, and he stood there speechless with his mouth agape.

"But... I didn't see this in the newspaper," he said, flipping through it again, checking every corner, but there was nothing.

"The place where you collect the Galleons will notify them," Kyle said calmly. "It's a chance for them, but if they still don't learn their lesson, then it's their own fault."

"You came up with this idea, didn't you?" Cedric said with certainty.

"I just made a suggestion, that's all," Kyle smiled. "The wizards in Knockturn Alley are quite wealthy, and it's time for them to contribute something."

"Knockturn Alley?" Cedric pondered for a moment before understanding Kyle's meaning.

Knockturn Alley was always filled with counterfeit goods. There, you could find snake blood mixed with sulfur sold as dragon blood or white sap pretending to be Phoenix tears, and so on. It was one of the unique characteristics of Knockturn Alley.

If there were people who would definitely try to pass off fakes, it would undoubtedly be those from Knockturn Alley.

Cedric's mouth twitched. He hadn't expected Kyle to have his eyes on those people.

"Do you want them to pay to bail themselves out?"

"Five thousand Galleons is not a small amount, but when you divide it, it's not enough for everything," Kyle explained with a smile. "The Auror Office and the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures won't participate in the bounty, but they did receive a portion of the extra activity funds as a bonus... which leaves only three thousand Galleons for the bounty.

"Not counting the ones captured alive, one hundred Galleons for each one killed... If we can't get thirty people for this operation, we'll have to think of another plan.

"Those people in Knockturn Alley have made a lot of money through their scams. It's time for them to give back to the wizarding community."

"Aren't you afraid they'll hold a grudge against you?" Cedric couldn't help but ask. "Those wizards aren't exactly kind-hearted."

This work is organized by Liu Jiu Book Bar.

"Grudge? What does that have to do with me?" Kyle said earnestly. "Fudge made the decision, the Daily Prophet published the news, and the Beaters made the arrests... What does that have to do with me? I'm just a regular little wizard working hard to solve the Dementor problem."

After a moment of silence, Cedric silently gave Kyle a thumbs up. "No wonder you've been reluctant to go back these past few days. I didn't expect it was because of this."

"Don't say that," Kyle laughed. "I just want to solve the Dementor problem as soon as possible."

"Alright, you're the boss.

Cedric didn't argue either.

After folding up the newspaper, the two continued their search, heading towards the next location on their list.

This address was obtained from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, but since it had been a few days, it wasn't entirely accurate. Sometimes, by the time Kyle and Cedric arrived, the Dementors had either been dealt with by the Aurors or had already moved on, making their trip a waste of time.

However, they didn't have a better option at the moment, and having a target was much better than wandering aimlessly.

...

Perhaps due to the bounty, they encountered fewer Dementors in the following days, and some had even been claimed by others before they arrived, making it awkward for Kyle and Cedric to compete for them.

After following the address, the two arrived at a secluded area.

"Are you sure there's a Dementor here?" Kyle surveyed the surroundings.

The place was filled with garbage, and despite it being broad daylight, not a single person was in sight. Only a scrawny stray cat could be seen along the riverbank, rummaging through the weeds in search of discarded fish and chips packaging, desperately hoping to find some leftover food.

A Dementor coming to a place like this would likely go hungry...

"I don't know either," Cedric said, glancing down at the booklet in his hand, "But the address is correct, a Muggle reported seeing a flying black ghost here, and the Beater confirmed it was a Dementor."

"This Dementor is quite interesting," Kyle said, carefully examining the situation from atop his broom, "Do you think it's still here?"

"Yes," Cedric affirmed, pointing towards a large abandoned chimney, "It's right there."

Following Cedric's finger, Kyle indeed spotted a Dementor hiding in the gap at the bottom of the chimney.

It had to be said that the Seeker's eyesight was truly remarkable, as the gap was only missing three bricks, yet Cedric managed to spot the Dementor hiding within.

The two immediately flew down, and Kyle dispelled his Illusion Charm, then drew his wand, preparing to use the Patronus Charm to drive it out.

But before he could act, the Dementor flew out of its hiding spot.

The surrounding temperature dropped instantly, and the stray cats seemed startled, scattering with frightened meows.

"Get ready to strike."

Kyle raised his wand, and Cedric took out the Eternal Flame.

However, at that moment, Kyle heard a hoarse voice...

"Wizard... I surrender..."

It was undoubtedly the voice of a Dementor, one Kyle had heard before, leaving no room for error.

But... surrender? Kyle and Cedric exchanged glances.

It wasn't uncommon for Dementors to surrender upon encountering them, as the Ministry of Magic had obtained many in this manner. However, it was a first for both of them.

For a moment, neither knew what to do.

"Kyle, should we still attack?" Cedric asked, holding a torch.

"Let's wait a bit."

Kyle flew over and landed not far from the Dementor, still tightly gripping his wand.

As he got closer, he noticed something peculiar about this Dementor's cloak.

Most of it was tattered, but a small portion was intact, though the color was off, as if it had been hastily patched with random fabric.

Do Dementors mend their clothes?

Kyle found it odd, feeling a sense of familiarity, but unable to pinpoint the source.

"Wizard... I know you... I'm willing to go with you..." the Dementor repeated.

"Do you know me?" Kyle furrowed his brows, "Could it be from Hogwarts?"

In their fourth year, the Ministry had sent Dementors into the school in their search for the escaped Sirius Black. Aside from that, Kyle couldn't recall encountering them anywhere else.

"Yes," the Dementor nodded slightly, eyeing Kyle's wand and instinctively taking two steps back, pressing itself against the chimney.

"I didn't... attack..." it continued.

Kyle believed these words, as they had just checked the surroundings, and the nearest person was three miles away in a nearby alley. Even if the Dementor wanted to attack Muggles, it wouldn't find any targets.

Of course, other possibilities couldn't be ruled out, as for Dementors, three miles was not a significant distance.

"Since you've decided to surrender, come in..." Kyle took out a box, opened it, and placed it on the ground.

This was a recent creation, a Traceless Extension Charm trunk he had made, intending to give it to Harry as a gift. The space inside was comparable to a broom closet, not large but sufficient to hold numerous items.

"No tricks!" Kyle warned.

As soon as he finished speaking, the Dementor, without hesitation, dove into the box, even sticking out a hand to close the lid.

The box shook continuously, as if urging Kyle to lock it.

This...

To be honest, neither Kyle nor Cedric had witnessed such a scene before.

Surrendering Dementors were not uncommon, but they had never heard of one acting so decisively, as if it had been eagerly awaiting this moment.

(End of Chapter)

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