Chapter 63: Different Level Of Depravity... Minister Eugenia Jenkins...

After asking Filius to watch over the unconscious poachers who had been struck by the lightning from Leo's finger, Leo turned his attention to the one poacher still standing.

The man had agreed to lead him to their base in exchange for being spared the same fate as his colleagues.

The Black sisters, led by Bellatrix, followed along.

They had nothing else to do at the moment, and returning home only meant facing the cold, stony faces of their uncle and aunt—along with their parents, who would no doubt be busy grovelling to protect their place in the Black family hierarchy.

After walking for some time, they arrived at an intersection near Gringotts Bank, where another alleyway branched off from the bustling main street.

Unlike the warm, colourful atmosphere of Diagon Alley, this new alley was dark, cold, and crowded with suspicious figures lurking in the shadows.

Leo raised an eyebrow as he recognized it.

"Isn't this the entrance to Knockturn Alley?"

he asked, his voice laced with curiosity.

The poacher flinched at the question, his nerves getting the better of him.

"O-Our shop is located in Knockturn Alley,"

he admitted hurriedly, clearly afraid of angering Leo.

Leo's frown deepened as he stared at the entrance to the notorious alleyway.

"Didn't you say you were running a legal business?"

The poacher looked genuinely offended by the accusation.

Sigh~

"We are… but we can't afford a shop in Diagon Alley,"

he muttered, his voice heavy with frustration.

His gaze drifted toward Gringotts Bank, where two goblins stood guard at the entrance, clad in red and gold armour.

Slumping his shoulders in a defeated sigh, he looked away.

Leo remained silent this time.

He didn't ask any further questions—at least, not yet.

Knockturn Alley...

As they stepped into Knockturn Alley, Leo immediately felt the shift in atmosphere.

The warm, lively energy of Diagon Alley was replaced with something colder, something unnatural.

Despite the clear morning sky above, the alley seemed cloaked in perpetual shadow.

Twisted, crooked buildings leaned into each other, blocking out most of the natural light.

Flickering lanterns cast eerie shadows against the damp cobblestone streets, where whispers echoed in the darkness.

The air was thick with a musty scent, laced with the lingering traces of dark magic.

The uneven ground beneath Leo's feet felt unsettling as if the very earth rejected outsiders.

The alley was filled with wizards—some walking, some chatting in hushed tones.

But as soon as their group entered, conversations ceased.

A wave of silence rippled through the street as dozens of pairs of eyes turned toward them.

Some wizards observed them with blank, unreadable expressions.

Others, however, did not bother hiding their stares—especially those directed at Leo.

A particular group of crooked-nosed old witches eyed him greedily, licking their lips with twisted smiles.

Shiver~

A cold shiver ran down Leo's spine.

For some reason, their lecherous gazes made his face turn slightly green.

"____"

Suddenly, he felt someone grasp his hand.

Instinctively, he turned his head—only to find Bellatrix holding onto his right hand.

She wasn't looking at him, though.

Her narrowed eyes were fixed on the onlookers, sending them a silent but deadly warning.

Fufu~

"It seems Bella has fallen hard, Cissy. But what can I say? I might just steal him for myself,"

Andromeda teased with a chuckle, reaching over to take Leo's left hand.

"____"

"N-No, Andy… It's… not like that!"

Bellatrix stammered, her face turning crimson as she struggled to deny the claim.

"Andy, what are you doing? Why are you pulling him?"

Snapping out of her embarrassment, Bellatrix noticed the smirk on Andromeda's lips.

Her eyebrow twitched in irritation as her teasing older sister continued to tug at Leo, smirking mischievously.

Before long, the two sisters had begun bickering, drawing more attention as they followed the poacher deeper into the alley.

"Andy, Bella, calm down,"

Narcissa finally sighed, trying to pacify them.

"We're still in Knockturn Alley. Everyone is staring at us."

Chuckle~

Leo watched the scene unfold with an amused expression, one brow raised in interest.

Despite the vastly different paths these sisters would eventually take, this moment gave him a glimpse into their true bond—something he had never fully grasped from books or movies in his past life.

"This place is the complete opposite of Diagon Alley,"

Leo murmured as his eyes wandered over the strange shops lining the street.

Many storefronts displayed various cursed objects, their ominous energy practically radiating through the glass.

Chuckle~

"Of course,"

Andromeda rolled her eyes playfully.

"This is the hub of dark wizards, after all. You can find all sorts of things here—the kind the Ministry would rather pretend don't exist."

Though the three sisters had distinct personalities—Bellatrix with her cold and fierce demeanour, Andromeda with her casual confidence, and Narcissa with her refined elegance—Andromeda couldn't help but enjoy teasing her eldest sister.

After all, Bellatrix had always been ruthless toward outsiders, especially men who tried to woo her at noble gatherings.

Seeing her act like a protective hen over Leo?

It was simply too entertaining to ignore.

Watching Leo effortlessly deal with the poachers had left quite an impression on the Black sisters.

Especially Andromeda.

She had always been drawn to strong men, and Leo fit that description perfectly.

Nod~

Leo nodded to himself in understanding.

Knockturn Alley was infamous for its dealings in Dark Arts-related goods—cursed objects, illegal potions, and forbidden magical artefacts.

The most notorious shop, Borgin and Burkes, specialises in rare and dangerous items.

Other vendors lined the alley, selling shrunken heads, cursed jewellery, and illicit magical ingredients.

It was a treasure trove for Dark Wizards, underground potion makers, and those willing to trade morality for power.

After walking for several minutes, the poacher finally stopped in front of an old, decrepit shop that looked like it could collapse at any moment.

There was no signboard, no name—just a battered wooden door barely hanging onto its hinges.

Twitch~

"We've arrived,"

the poacher muttered.

His expression twisted with barely concealed jealousy as he turned to look at Leo—who was still chatting leisurely with the Black sisters.

Bellatrix and Andromeda, two heirs of the ancient and noble Black family, were fighting for his attention. 

Meanwhile, Leo seemed completely unfazed, smiling as he entertained their antics.

The poacher's lips twitched.

His blood boiled.

'Why? Why?! Merlin, life is so unfair!'

It was unthinkable.

Two of the most sought-after pureblood witches in Britain, bickering over a man—and that man wasn't him.

All he could do was scream internally, tasting bitter jealousy on his tongue.

Creak~

The old door groaned as it swung open.

A thick, black sheet hung in the entryway, preventing outsiders from seeing what lay within.

As they stepped inside, Leo and the Black sisters were greeted by the sight of cages—hundreds of them—stacked haphazardly around the room.

Inside, various creatures shifted restlessly.

Owls, rats, cats, ravens, bats, chameleons… even a few magical species that were difficult to find in Diagon Alley's regular pet shops.

At first glance, it looked like a normal—if rundown—magical pet shop.

But the poacher didn't stop.

He walked deeper into the store, leading them toward the back, where an imposing red iron door loomed.

"____"

"____"

"____"

Leo and the sisters followed in silence, their gazes sweeping over their surroundings.

Despite its outward appearance, something about this place felt off.

And they were about to find out why.

Click~

The poacher hesitated for a moment, then unlatched the iron door.

Growl~ AHHH~

Roar~ Clank~

The moment the door creaked open, a suffocating stench flooded their senses.

It was a mixture of blood, sweat, filth, and fear.

Low, guttural growls echoed from the darkness beyond, followed by muffled screams and the sound of iron chains grinding together.

Leo's frown deepened.

"Lumos!"

A soft glow burst from the tip of his wand, pushing back the shadows.

As the dim light spread through the room, the source of the sounds—and the smell—came into view.

And the sight before him made his eyes widen in shock.

The room was massive—far larger than the shop above suggested.

Cages lined the walls, packed so tightly together that there was barely space to walk between them.

But these weren't ordinary creatures.

Inside the iron-barred cages were rare and magical beings, all shackled with enchanted restraints covered in intricate runes designed to suppress their magic.

Leo's stomach churned.

A Centaur.

A Cold-Water Mermaid, struggling weakly in a magically sealed water tank.

A Swooping Evil, its wings crushed and bound.

A few Nifflers, their small, twitching noses sniffing desperately for an escape.

And then, Leo's gaze fell upon the most horrifying sight of all.

A row of cages, containing twenty-five pureblood Veela—their silver hair dim, their usually enchanting glow dulled by malnourishment.

Among them, in a separate, smaller cage, sat a half-blood Veela girl—barely fifteen years old.

Her wide, terrified eyes locked onto Leo's as she clutched her knees, trembling.

Frown~

Leo's grip on his wand tightened.

A slow, burning anger coiled in his chest.

Without a word, he shoved the poacher forward, stepping inside as the Black sisters followed closely behind, their expressions darkening at the sight.

They had all known Knockturn Alley was home to twisted dealings.

But this?

This was a different level of depravity.

And someone was going to pay for it.

The weight of the iron shackles was unbearable, each movement seeming like a monumental effort for the magical creatures bound within them.

The metal chains rattled ominously with every twitch or step, dragging on the floor with a sickening grind.

As Leo and the Black sisters entered, the atmosphere in the room shifted dramatically.

The magical creatures, who had been enduring the most horrific treatments, turned their wary eyes toward them.

Fear, dread, and a glimmer of hope filled the room all at once.

But none were more terrified than the Veela.

They instinctively shrank back, their bright eyes filled with terror. They knew exactly what their fate would be if they were sold.

They had heard the whispers: a future as sex slaves, objects to be used and discarded by wizards seeking to satisfy their darkest desires.

Some had even been bred like animals to perpetuate their cursed lineage.

"As I promised, I..."

Boom~

Before the poacher could finish his sentence, a powerful punch from Leo sent him flying across the room.

His body slammed against the stone wall with a sickening crack.

The poacher's skull split open on impact, and he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

"____"

A stunned silence hung in the air.

The poacher's body lay motionless as the creatures in the room watched in disbelief.

The room, heavy with tension, suddenly felt strangely empty—like a vacuum where fear had once been.

Cough~ cough~

Leo broke the silence with a deliberate cough, his voice steady but laced with determination.

"Don't worry... You're all safe now. I've met a Veela who escaped from here before, and I'm here to save you."

His words were simple, but they carried the weight of his resolve.

He was here for them—not as a threat, but as a rescuer.

Gradually, the creatures began to calm.

The Veela, the Centaur, and even the Cold-Water Mermaid relaxed, their fear slowly ebbing away as they processed his words.

Leo's reputation for kindness and courage preceded him, and his promise to free them seemed genuine.

Without hesitation, Leo began working alongside the Black sisters.

They went to each cage, taking down the magical restraints one by one.

The chains were tough—reinforced with protective runes—but Leo's steady hand and the sisters' powerful magic tore through them like they were nothing.

The Veela were the first to step out of their cages, their silvery skin dull from exhaustion but still shimmering with an ethereal glow.

They shared uncertain looks, their previous terror still in their eyes.

But as Leo and the sisters continued their work, they began to trust that their freedom was within reach.

Meanwhile, in the Minister of Magic's office, the air was thick with tension.

Eugenia Jenkins, the youngest-ever Minister of Magic, sat at the head of the table, a frown etched deep into her features.

Around her were the highest-ranking officials of the Ministry, including Albus Dumbledore, whose presence brought a certain gravity to the room.

They were discussing the rising threat of Dark Wizards—particularly those who followed the man calling himself the Second Dark Lord, a new terror who had been rallying support among the pureblood families.

Though Dumbledore had reassured the public through the Daily Prophet that the wizarding world was still safe, the growing number of Death Eaters was a concern.

In the face of this new threat, the Ministry was at a loss on how to act.

A typical Ministry response was to push for more legislation, but against this new Dark Lord—Voldermorte, the so-called heir to the Dark Lord—what could they truly do?

The one thing that kept public panic at bay was the Morningstar family, whose ancient line and influence carried weight.

The rumours that the current Lord of the Morningstar family had already engaged in conflict with these Death Eaters lent them a sense of security.

If the Morningstar family was involved, they would stand against the Dark Lord and his followers.

But for Minister Eugenia Jenkins, this only added more pressure.

She had ascended to the Ministry's highest office against great odds, and now this new threat was undermining her authority.

The pureblood families were calling for her resignation, whispering that she was too weak to protect the Wizarding World from the rising darkness.

Jenkins stared down at her papers, deep in thought.

What measures could she take? Could she act decisively enough to restore control before it was too late?

Suddenly, an Auror entered the room, moving quickly toward the Minister.

He whispered urgently into her ear, his expression tense.

Eugenia's face went pale as she listened, and then a glimmer of recognition sparked in her eyes.

Her lips curved into a sly smile, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

When the Auror finished, Eugenia straightened up, her demeanour shifting dramatically.

"I've just found something that will solve all our problems,"

she murmured under her breath, her grin widening.

Whatever it was, she believed it would give her the leverage she needed.

A dangerous idea had formed in her mind—one that would send ripples through the Ministry and perhaps, even change the course of the coming conflict.

Her mind raced with possibilities.

She could feel the tide shifting, but whether it would tip in her favour or against her was still uncertain.

The next move would have to be hers, and it needed to be perfect.

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(Author's POV)

(A/N): I hope you guys enjoying the story.

Thanks for reading the chapter!

Please give a review and power stone!!!