68: Nolan von Draugr? You Better Not Mess with Him

"Well now, little wizard," the lead Auror drawled, scratching his head impatiently. "I don't care if you're a dark wizard or something else entirely, but you can't seriously think you can take on all five of us alone. Don't fight back—just drop your wand, stand still, and come quietly to the Ministry."

"Ahhh…" Nolan sighed.

A flash of red light streaked across the space between them.

The Auror flew backwards with a thunderous crash, slamming into the wall. "Aurors," Nolan muttered, brushing nonexistent dust off his sleeve. "Thickheaded fools who don't seem to understand English. I said—don't point your wand at me."

"You bastard! Dark wizard!" another Auror roared, whipping his wand forward. Sparks crackled in the air, but Nolan was faster. His spinning kick—meant for the hooded woman earlier—finally found its mark, connecting with the man's chest.

Crack! Half the Auror's ribs snapped instantly. He crashed into the wall, and the rest of his ribs shattered on impact. The Auror slumped down, struggling to breathe, unable to form a single word.

The female Auror's eyes widened in horror. For the first time, she no longer doubted that the boy in front of her could wield the Unforgivable Curses.

"Luca… we need backup!" she stammered.

"Don't be ridiculous, Fi! He's just one kid!" Luca barked, his pride bruised by the humiliating display of trained Aurors crumpling at the hands of a small figure. Furious, he raised his wand, but Nolan's wand struck first—hard—jabbing straight into Luca's face.

Rip! The wand peeled the flesh clean off his cheek.

"There was someone else who pointed their wand at me earlier this year," Nolan said quietly, his voice cold and distant. "She even tried the Cruciatus Curse on me… Her family doesn't exist in the wizarding world anymore."

Behind him, the fourth Auror seized the moment to cast a Stunning Spell. Nolan didn't turn. He simply lifted his hand—snap!—and crushed the spell mid-air as if it were nothing more than brittle glass.

"No one," Nolan said, his eyes narrowing. "No one points their wand at me. Not even Dumbledore. And you? You're nothing."

With a flash of light from his wand, Luca crumpled to the ground as if struck by an iron hammer.

Fi's trembling fingers gripped her wand as she desperately signaled for reinforcements. She had never witnessed such raw power. The boy had shattered a fully formed Stunning Spell with his bare hand—something that shouldn't have been possible.

"This… this isn't right," she whispered in disbelief. "Stupefy doesn't just… break."

Nolan watched her for a moment, then sighed.

"There are one hundred and seventy Aurors in the United Kingdom," Nolan said softly, taking a step forward. "I don't know what the Ministry teaches you all these days, but not a single one of you can cast a proper Shield Charm before I knock you out."

He was now facing the fourth Auror, who frantically hurled curse after curse at him. Nolan moved fluidly, his wand flicking with precision, deflecting each spell with a sharp crack, as if swatting away annoying insects.

With leisurely steps, Nolan advanced toward him, eventually stopping inches away.

Tilting his head, Nolan looked up at the man and squinted.

"Why are you so tall?" Nolan asked casually.

"You little brat—don't think the Ministry will let you off for this!" the Auror spat.

Nolan frowned in distaste. "Your mouth needs work."

With a swift kick, he struck the Auror's knee, forcing him to collapse onto the ground. Nolan followed up immediately, driving his foot into the man's chest and knocking him flat.

The next moment, Nolan slapped him across the face.

Smack!

"Calling me a brat? Who do you think you are?" Nolan's voice remained eerily calm as he delivered another backhand.

Smack!

"An Auror?"

Smack!

"You think that means something?"

The slaps echoed through the air—sharp and relentless.

"N-no… stop…" Fi's voice trembled as her legs buckled beneath her.

She had been an Auror for only two years, still unaccustomed to the brutal realities of hunting dark wizards. She had never encountered anything like this.

"And you…"

Nolan straightened, watching the Auror slump unconscious to the ground, his face swollen and bloodied. Slowly, his crimson eyes shifted to Fi.

"You pointed your wand at me too."

"P-please…" Fi stammered, trembling. "We—we were just doing our job! Pointing wands is protocol! We weren't going to attack you, I swear! We just… wanted you to come quietly!"

"I don't care." Nolan advanced, one step at a time.

Fi instinctively stepped back, her grip on her wand loosening as fear clouded her thoughts.

"I came to Diagon Alley on Dumbledore's orders," Nolan said calmly, voice as smooth as silk but sharp enough to cut. "While I was here, I was attacked by two dark wizards and a female magical creature. They used Unforgivable Curses on me. I disabled two of them. The third was within my grasp—victory just moments away. And then… the great Aurors arrived."

He stopped in front of her.

Even at his modest height of 5 feet, Nolan still had to tilt his head back to meet Fi's eyes.

"You let them escape," Nolan murmured. "And then you pointed your wands at me."

Fi's back hit the cold stone wall. Her breath quickened, but she couldn't will herself to raise her wand.

"Alright, alright! That's enough, Mr. Von Draugr!"

At last, Dumbledore and Fudge arrived, robes fluttering as they rushed onto the scene.

Fudge had been enjoying his afternoon tea when the distress call came through from the Aurors. He had been about to dispatch a ten-man squad to reinforce them, but Dumbledore intercepted him before he could.

Upon learning the 'threat' was Nolan—and that the Aurors had attacked him unprovoked—Fudge nearly choked on his scone.

"No," Nolan replied without turning, his voice soft but resolute. Both Dumbledore and Fudge recognized the weight those words carried. A warning.

"Dumbledore, I agreed to help you. That was me extending goodwill to the wizarding world. I thought perhaps the Von Draugr family and wizards could come to an understanding."

Fudge visibly paled. He waved his hands, stepping forward hastily.

"Mr. Von Draugr, on behalf of the Ministry, I apologize," Fudge said, his round face glistening with sweat. "But surely you understand! Any Auror, faced with such a scene, would react similarly. After all, you were at the scene of the crime… and the suspicion—well, it was reasonable."

"Suspicion?" Nolan echoed, tilting his head slightly. The word seemed to amuse him.

He lazily raised his wand.

"Accio wand."

With a faint whoosh, the wand belonging to the skewered, arrow-riddled wizard flew into Nolan's hand.

Nolan now held two wands, twirling them thoughtfully in his fingers. Then, with a flick of his own unicorn wand, he whispered:

"Prior Incantato."

The air shimmered.

The ghostly echo of the Cruciatus Curse crackled before their eyes—the dark wizard's unmistakable curse lashing out at Nolan.

Dumbledore and Fudge exchanged heavy glances as the memory faded into nothingness.

Nolan chuckled softly, his gaze flickering between the two men.

"Well?" he said, the corners of his lips curling into a smirk. "There's your beloved Unforgivable Curse. Found it at last, haven't you? Difficult task, I imagine. For your exceptionally talented Aurors."

Fudge's pudgy face twitched, but he had no response.

The wand fell silent in Nolan's grip.

Nolan slowly turned back to Fi, who still trembled against the wall, paralyzed by the weight of his gaze.

His lips parted, revealing elongated canines. Sharp, pearly fangs glinted in the light.

Fi's eyes widened with dread.

Nolan's head dipped forward—straight for her neck.

"Wait!"

Fudge's panicked cry echoed across the alley.

"You can't! She's one of our Aurors!"

Dumbledore exhaled softly, lifting a hand to still Fudge's frantic protests.

"You won't stop him, Cornelius," Dumbledore said quietly, peering over his half-moon spectacles. His eyes shimmered with an unspoken understanding. "As Mr. Von Draugr stated… showing hostility to a pureblood vampire carries consequences."