Chapter 186: Unwelcome Visitors

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Magic can conjure fire, water, and lightning, but these are merely simulations of the elements. Even though they possess the same properties as their real-world counterparts, they are not truly the same. Wizards are not gods—no matter how powerful their magic becomes, they cannot create life.

"Clear Water" is a summoning spell. The jet of water from a wand's tip isn't a magical transformation; rather, it draws from nearby resources. If there is underground water, it will be drawn up; if there are rivers or lakes nearby, it will pull from those. If nothing is available, skilled wizards can extract moisture from the air. However, a less skilled wizard might end up producing a yellowish stream from their wand instead.

Sirius was now facing a similar problem. The place where he was hiding was far from any magical communities. The area was full of Muggle factories. Under the cruel exploitation of greedy capitalists, they had no hesitation in polluting the environment for the sake of profits, resulting in contaminated groundwater. People living in this area had a far higher rate of cancer than other places.

The sweet air of America was tainted with nitrogen oxide or hydrogen sulfide. Capitalists never cared about the lives of ordinary people.

As a wizard, Sirius was, of course, also beyond the realm of concern. In fact, the people here likely wished for his death. The magical world's bounty on his head had turned him into a prey that everyone eyed hungrily. The reward was a staggering 100,000 Galleons. If the bounty hadn't specified that he needed to be captured alive, Sirius wasn't sure he would be able to escape the pack of bloodhounds pursuing him.

Among them was a particularly strange magical creature, capable of tracking Sirius' trail through unknown means. As news of their pursuit spread, more and more hunters joined the chase.

The magical world has many wondrous things, and there are countless ways to track someone. Even though a wizard can use Apparition, it doesn't guarantee complete safety. Right now, Sirius' only chance of escape was to cross the Rocky Mountains and reach the magical kingdom of Mayapan on the other side of the continent. Only there would he have a chance to leave North America and use a long-distance portkey to return to England.

His Animagus form had already been exposed in the last encounter. Transforming into a black dog allowed Sirius to move at lightning speed, evading the anti-Apparition wards. Taking advantage of the sudden transformation to catch his pursuers off guard, he had managed to slip out of their encirclement. Now, he was less than five hundred kilometers from the Rocky Mountains.

With just three or four more Apparitions, he could reach his destination. The further the distance, the harder Apparition becomes. Given his current state, even a hundred kilometers would be difficult. Still, even when he reached the Rocky Mountains, he could be ambushed, and he was already feeling faint from hunger. His body needed nourishment urgently.

"Damn those bastards."

Sirius crawled out of the hole where he had been hiding. The place had once been a wild boar's abandoned nest, still carrying the remnants of a foul odor.

"The Lance of Longinus was never in my hands! If it were, I'd show you how I'd kill you all!"

After muttering a few more curses, Sirius disappeared, blending into the night. He made his way to a nearby Muggle factory. Even the ruthless capitalists had to give their workers a holiday on Christmas Eve. Sensing the faint scent of food in the air, Sirius stealthily approached a house from which laughter could be heard.

"Sorry."

Sirius muttered under his breath, before casting a Muggle-Repelling Charm.

The previously bustling house fell silent, as if someone had pressed the mute button. Muggles, their minds filled with the thought "I have something important to do," immediately sprang to their feet, hurrying out the door without any clear destination.

A weary man unlocked the door, then walked over to a messy table. He dug into the food that had been left behind by the previous occupants, devouring the turkey, which was dry and tough at first but tasted like a delicacy to him. The rich, oily flavors filled his mouth, bringing a moment of pleasure.

Sirius knew his time was running out. Every time he cast a spell, it seemed to reveal his location to his trackers. He had learned through his escapes that he had no more than fifteen minutes before they closed in on him. Even without casting any magic, he couldn't stay in one place for more than two hours. The methods of his pursuers were unlike anything he had ever encountered.

After indulging in a feast for a while, Sirius didn't forget to head to the bathroom to wash off the dust, dirt, and even blood stains that had accumulated on his body. Two months of constant running had left him mentally exhausted. Honestly, he somewhat regretted getting involved in that mess.

"But what's the point of thinking about it now?"

After stuffing a few bottles of beer, a drink, and a large, unopened loaf of bread into his bag, he muttered to himself as he glanced at the sky. "Tomorrow, I'll rush through. If I don't leave soon, I might not be able to escape at all."

A large black dog, roughly the size of a bear, appeared and quickly grabbed the bag with the food. His dark fur blended seamlessly with the night sky, making him nearly invisible even to wizards flying on brooms searching above.

He ran a little farther, planning to rest for a while. Once he'd gotten some sleep, he'd cross the mountains and leave this damn country behind.

"Sorry, Harry. I didn't manage to send you a Christmas gift. I was going to surprise you, but, well..."

In a hidden corner, the massive black dog curled up, hoping to catch up on some rest. An hour and a half of sleep might restore a little of his energy. He had to keep changing his position to buy himself enough time to rest; this was his last chance.

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After enjoying a lovely Christmas dinner, Harry woke up to find a mountain of gifts. The majority of them were chocolates from his older classmates, most of which contained an aphrodisiac that would leave anyone struggling to walk. Of course, if Harry ate them, it would be the girls who wouldn't be able to keep their legs together. Harry knew, with his beastly physique, that no one would dare be bold in front of him without some demonic blood running through their veins.

This made Harry hesitant whenever he thought about dating. What if he accidentally ruined someone? He couldn't afford that kind of responsibility.

After purifying the chocolates with a burst of holy fire, Harry grabbed his black dragon-skin bag and left his room. He'd already spoken to the Dursleys the day before, letting them know he was heading out for a trip during the Christmas holiday. But to avoid worrying them, he didn't tell them his real destination. He wasn't out there tomb raiding or... robbing... or stealing land—no, he was going to rescue Sirius Black. After all, Sirius was no less valuable than Snape's golden leg. Sirius didn't have much, only money, and Harry's war effort was burning through funds. He couldn't just keep squeezing Snape for everything, right?

However, Harry still hadn't figured out exactly how to rescue Sirius. The information Grindelwald gave him indicated that Sirius was somewhere near the Rocky Mountains, and among the group hunting him, there were agents planted by Grindelwald himself.

"I'll head to the rendezvous first," Harry decided.

Entering an empty alley, Harry's figure flickered and disappeared, only to reappear in a place where the salty, fishy ocean breeze hit him instantly. Ahead lay the endless expanse of the Atlantic Ocean—an area he had once ventured to on a ship.

"Smuggling, huh? I wonder if the Ministry's Aurors will kill me on sight?"

"Or... will they be the ones I kill instead?"

"Heh heh heh, this is going to be fun."

(End of Chapter)