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Chapter 920: Resurrection Stone
Chapter 920: Resurrection Stone
Ivan stroked his chin. There weren't many people who could make him feel danger…
But then again, he had just fused with the Thunderbird's blood, making his perception of threats much stronger than before. So, his previous experiences couldn't really be used for comparison.
"Aires, huh?" Pierce mused for a moment before speaking. "I've heard of him! He's quite famous in France. Not only did he graduate with top marks from Beauxbatons, but he also became the Head of the Department of Mysteries before the age of thirty!"
"According to the intelligence reports, Aires was the one who discovered the activities of Grindelwald's followers. He recently exposed several traitors within the French Ministry of Magic and is now in charge of interrogating the prisoners. He's highly trusted by the Minister of Magic…" Pierce continued, his words flowing seamlessly.
"It seems France has its share of capable individuals." Ivan raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. But upon reflection, it made sense that a large country like France would have a few outstanding geniuses.
"What do we do next? Do you plan to stay in France?" Pierce asked.
"No, let's return to Britain!" Ivan shook his head. He had just taken the Resurrection Stone from Grindelwald and needed to be wary of any retaliation.
Moreover, the recent battle had made Ivan acutely aware of Grindelwald's strength. He needed to quickly craft a suitable wand and figure out the secrets of the Deathly Hallows.
Perhaps the Tale of the Three Brothers wasn't just a legend. Otherwise, it wouldn't explain why the Invisibility Cloak seemed to have even greater power in Grindelwald's hands.
"By the way, Pierce, have the Minister of Magic send someone to keep an eye on this place. I have a bad feeling." Ivan warned solemnly.
Pierce readily agreed.
Meanwhile, in the Minister of Magic's office, the French Minister, whose face had been thoroughly humiliated by Ivan and his companions, was in a rage, venting his frustration on his subordinates.
For over a month, they had dispatched hundreds of Aurors to search for Grindelwald, yet they had failed to discover his plan to infiltrate Nicolas Flamel's Tomb and steal its treasures. It was a disgrace!
If not for the two foreign wizards who inadvertently disrupted Grindelwald's plans, he might have achieved his goal and left France without them even realizing it…
The Minister's furious shouting lasted for over an hour. When the Aurors finally emerged from the office, they all wore grim expressions. They had been given a strict order: to root out every Death Eater in French territory within two weeks.
As the crowd gradually dispersed, Aires returned to the Common Room. Just as he was about to enter, he suddenly sensed something and looked down the empty corridor, speaking aloud.
"Come out, Alison. I've told you before that you shouldn't come to see me alone unless it's something important… Your current identity should have no connection to me…"
As he spoke, the figure of a witch materialized in the quiet hallway.
"Don't worry, Master. Most of the Ministry's Aurors have been dispatched to Paris to deal with the Muggles. The others won't notice us here." The Auror replied confidently, then hesitated for a moment before asking another question.
"I just don't understand why you stopped me from going after Ivan Hals. That was clearly a good opportunity. We could have incited a conflict between Ivan Hals and the French Ministry of Magic, and then cleaned up the mess once they were both weakened. We could have reclaimed the treasure in the process."
Alison was genuinely frustrated that Ivan Hals had been allowed to leave. They had invested so much time and effort to obtain the Resurrection Stone, only to have it snatched away by their rival.
"You overestimate the Minister of Magic, Alison. With people from North America and Britain involved, any conflict would likely be smoothed over. You might even expose yourself, which would severely undermine our plans." Aires spoke calmly and methodically.
Most importantly, he couldn't gauge Ivan Hals's true strength. Without a solid plan, he had no guarantee of keeping Ivan Hals in one place. If Ivan Hals managed to escape, all his preparations in France over the past few months would be for nothing.
"Why don't you simply use the Imperius Curse to control the Minister of Magic and make him do your bidding? Wouldn't that be more convenient?" Alison asked, puzzled.
"The Imperius Curse isn't as powerful as you think. The Minister of Magic is constantly under the watchful eyes of many. If I had used the Imperius Curse, it would have been exposed during the confrontation with Ivan Hals." Aires patiently explained, then added a cautionary note.
"Besides, we need to maintain an unsuspicious identity to approach the object smoothly."
Alison nodded, her agitation subsiding.
Seeing that the witch understood, Aires continued. "In fact, this isn't a complete loss. Ivan Hals has caused quite a disturbance in Paris, involving tens of thousands of Muggles. It won't be easy to calm things down."
"If more chaos ensues, the International Confederation of Wizards will likely be forced to convene a meeting, inviting representatives from various countries. They will almost certainly bring the 'Key' with them."
"This is a one-time opportunity, and we must not expose ourselves before then."
"So, for now, the Resurrection Stone can stay with Ivan Hals. We can retrieve it later." Aires said firmly.
...
A week passed quickly. After returning from France, Ivan enjoyed a few days of peace at home. The expected retaliation from Grindelwald never came, as if the Dark Wizard had given up on the object.
This left Ivan puzzled. Grindelwald had gone to great lengths to reach France and break into Nicolas Flamel's tomb to obtain the item, which should have been of great importance.
Ivan had even prepared for a potential duel with Grindelwald in Britain, spending the week studying new wand techniques and practicing his newly acquired abilities. But it felt like he was punching into a cloud; Grindelwald seemed to have vanished without a trace.
Fortunately, this was not entirely a bad thing. After a few days at home, confirming that Grindelwald wouldn't be a problem in the near future, Ivan set out for Diagon Alley to meet Britain's master wandmaker, Ollivander.
(End of Chapter)
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