We'll Use the Imagination Monster to Defeat the Imagination Monster!
High risk often represents high gain, and Rosier was well aware of this.
What's more, he had seen Ivan's strength, potential, and wisdom. This was a profitable business, and he would never make the same mistake again!
"With these things, let's go back…"
Unaware of old Rosier's thoughts, Ivan's heart went out to the vanished Galleons, and he ordered the wizards who had followed him to empty the shop and return to Borgin and Burkes.
Before leaving, Ivan left a few people to guard the damaged tables and chairs while he repaired them.
This secret underground chamber was very large, had all kinds of facilities, and was very secretive. It was very suitable as a backup base!
It was dark by the time Ivan returned to Borgin and Burkes with his team.
In high spirits, Ivan gave a speech outside the shop, honouring those who had fought bravely in battle.
Every wizard who took part in the battle was delighted, and not just because they had won a great victory and none of them had died.
More importantly, Ivan gave them a bonus to celebrate their victory, and those who were injured in the battle were given extra money.
No matter how much Ivan cared about the cost, there was no ambiguity about it. They had risked their lives to win this battle, so they deserved a reward!
After Ivan's speech and the dispersing of the crowd, Fran hurried over and handed Ivan a list of names and a thick booklet.
"Sir Harls, this is the list of prisoners of war, and we found a ledger in the treasurer's office!" said Flan.
Ivan nodded and took the two items, glancing at the list of names before looking at the ledger.
It recorded the names and general information of the prisoners as well as the enemies killed in battle.
Apart from a few pure-bloods, there were a total of twenty-nine guards at the Wizarding Market and the Chamber of Secrets. Eleven of them were dead, and the rest had either been captured or simply surrendered…
"Why did you arrest so many people?" Ivan asked, turning to look at Fran.
Despite his desire to cut down on the killing, he understood that death was inevitable in a battle that fierce, and that it should not have resulted in the capture of most of the enemy.
"Except for the Regulators, the other guards were hired at the last minute at the Wizarding Market and had little loyalty to the Notts.
"When we fought our way in, some of the guards threw down their wands and surrendered when they saw that we were outnumbered and had no intention of resisting…" Flun explained.
Ivan's mouth twitched. He had been wondering how he had managed to break into the Wizarding Market so easily with a group of untrained wizards. Not a single one of them had died, because the enemy was worse…
"Sir Harls, what should we do with these prisoners? They seem to want to join us…" Fran asked hesitantly.
Ivan hesitated, preparing to use the Memory Charm to erase the recent memories of these people and release them.
After all, he did not need so many people, and it would not be good for him to kill all of them. He could not stay in prison to freeload!
Ivan, however, quickly dismissed the idea. Most of the prisoners were Dark Wizards from Knockturn Alley, and the Noether family did not necessarily go through the same selection process as Alicia.
This meant that there might be a vicious mob among them, and if they were released, they would disturb the peace of Knockturn Alley, and he would have to govern them.
"Keep them in custody for now. Send someone to watch them and make sure they don't get away. Interrogate them one by one. I need to know everything about them. Use the Veritaserum if you have to!" Ivan said to Fran.
He decided that if he checked, there would be no need for the thugs to live, and the others would decide whether or not to release them.
"By the way, those pure-bloods, remember to find somewhere else to hold them, especially Nott. He needs to be kept alone, understand?" Ivan added, suddenly remembering Rosier Senior's suggestion.
"Yes, Sir Harls!" Flun bowed slightly.
"Keep the prisoners under lock and key, and then get Doggett here. I've got something to ask him!" Yvonne said, waving her hand to dismiss him.
Flan nodded, asked a few things for attention, and then left as she was told.
Ivan put down the list and went into the inner room of Borgin and Burkes, where he sat by the stove and checked the wizarding market ledgers.
"A profit of 700,000 Galleons a year?" Ivan looked at the ledger and wondered if there was an extra zero.
No matter how one looked at it, the Wizarding Market did not seem like it could make that much money.
Knockturn Alley was too poor to get so much money!
However, when Ivan took a closer look, he discovered that the Wizarding Market's real profit was in smuggling and buying and selling all kinds of contraband!
It covers the entire European wizarding community!
"No wonder they make so much money…it's all this business!" Ivan muttered to himself.
He also found that the account book was incomplete, and that many of the money was not written down directly, most likely in the form of more serious black income.