Chapter 916: Do You Know the Mess You've Caused?
Chapter 916: Do You Know the Mess You've Caused?
"Misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding!" Rolf immediately raised his hands in surrender as soon as he saw the Aurors, shouting loudly.
Ivan shot him an exasperated look but didn't say much. They still needed the cooperation of the French Ministry of Magic to investigate Grindelwald, and it wasn't wise to antagonize them now.
However, their good attitude didn't seem to have much effect. The Aurors clearly meant business, and their leader, Captain Bruno, barely contained his rage as he bellowed.
"Do you know the mess you've caused? In this city, at least tens of thousands of Muggles saw you flying on a Thunderbird in the sky! Some even took pictures and sent them to their friends and family. Because of your reckless actions, the Ministry of Magic had to dispatch hundreds of Aurors to clean up the mess!"
Rolf shuddered at Bruno's roar, but being an experienced individual, he wasn't intimidated. Instead, he gave a nervous smile and said, "Please calm down, Captain Bruno. The situation has completely taken us by surprise..."
"Do you mean to say you were chasing the Thunderbird as part of your duty, and accidentally ended up over Paris?" Bruno interrupted Rolf with a cold laugh.
That excuse wasn't very convincing. According to the reports he had received, two Wizards had been riding the Thunderbird arrogantly in circles over Paris. The Thunderbird's docile behavior now suggested it wasn't untrained.
Just as Bruno was about to signal the Aurors to arrest the two for questioning, Ivan suddenly spoke up. "Gellert Grindelwald... you've been searching for him, and hunting down his followers, right?"
When Ivan saw the Deathly Hallows symbol in the inn, he had suspected as much. After encountering Grindelwald, he was now certain.
Bruno visibly froze, the words on the tip of his tongue swallowed. He stared hard at the two, then asked fiercely, "What do you know? And where did you get this information?"
"Captain Bruno, the reason we suddenly appeared in Paris and caused such a commotion is entirely Grindelwald's doing!" Rolf shrugged and proceeded to recount the events from last night to this morning.
However, when it came to their entry into Nicolas Flamel's tomb, Ivan took over the narrative, deliberately omitting the part where he and Grindelwald had fought over the Resurrection Stone.
Rolf, of course, could tell that Ivan was holding back, but he wisely chose not to expose it. Compared to the French Ministry of Magic, he was far more afraid of the young but terrifyingly powerful warlock before him.
Despite their story, Bruno remained unconvinced. It sounded like an incredible adventure tale.
"You accidentally discovered Grindelwald's presence while chasing the Thunderbird, then broke into Nicolas Flamel's tomb and had a fierce battle with him, managing to escape just before the entire space collapsed?" Bruno looked at Ivan and Rolf, his voice filled with skepticism.
How could two inexperienced youngsters stand against a legendary Dark Wizard like Grindelwald?
He even suspected that Ivan and Rolf had stumbled upon the Spatial Node near the town, brought the newly tamed Thunderbird along, and sneaked in to steal the treasures inside. They must have triggered a magical trap while opening the coffin, which transported them to the skies above Paris.
This was more in line with what he had seen...
Bruno's distrust was written all over his face, and Rolf felt utterly helpless. Knowing his words carried little weight, he turned to Ivan, hoping the mysterious warlock would have a better approach.
"Captain Bruno, if you have doubts, you can certainly try it yourself..." Ivan replied with a detached tone.
"Try? How exactly do I try?" Bruno narrowed his eyes, asking curiously.
"Of course... with a wand!" Ivan replied with a cold smile.
...
"Here’s what happened, Minister of Magic..."
Five minutes later, in the French Ministry of Magic headquarters, Bruno massaged his still-sore chest and reported with a weak voice.
So, you fourteen Aurors couldn't even hold out for a minute against a minor child? The French Minister shot Bruno a harsh glance, clearly thinking that the Ministry's Aurors had become too complacent and had forgotten how to fight!
Bruno opened his mouth, feeling a surge of resentment but having no outlet for it. It wasn't that they were lazy in training; it was that the boy's power was simply too overwhelming.
During the battle, every spell they cast was effortlessly countered and reflected back by Ivan. Bruno suspected that even if ten more Aurors had joined, the outcome would have been the same.
After giving Bruno a stern look, the French Minister turned to Ivan and Rolf with a gentle expression.
"Mr. Scamander... and Mr. Hals, you both did an excellent job. I, on behalf of the entire French Wizarding World, thank you for your assistance. Once the Aurors I've sent capture those four Death Eaters and verify your contributions, you will receive the appropriate rewards."
"Rewards are unnecessary. I just want to know how you plan to handle Master Coffin", Ivan said indifferently. He didn't think they could offer anything particularly valuable.
On the contrary, their amiable attitude made him feel somewhat uneasy...
Noticing Ivan's use of the term "Master" for Nicolas Flamel, the French Minister frowned and emphasized, "Nicolas Flamel is France's most distinguished Alchemical Master, a six-hundred-year-old legend and the pride of France. His coffin should be buried with the highest honors in the French National Cemetery!"
Ivan nodded. This arrangement seemed reasonable. He had originally planned to bring both coffins back to Britain for burial, but he thought Nicolas Flamel would prefer to be laid to rest in his homeland.
As they were talking, an Auror entered the room and whispered something into the French Minister's ear. The Minister's smile immediately vanished, and he fixed his gaze on Ivan and the others, pondering before speaking.
"The people I sent did not find the four Death Eaters you mentioned in the woods."
"That's impossible! They had no wands and were injured; they couldn't have broken free from the binding magic I placed on them!" Rolf exclaimed urgently.
Ivan was also surprised but maintained a calm expression. "It seems your team was a step too slow. Grindelwald must have rescued them in advance."
(End of Chapter)
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