Her expression became vacant for a moment, and then she picked up the walking stick beside her and hobbled into the shop.
The shelves inside were cluttered with all manner of strange materials.
Dried organs, bleached skeletons...
The entire place was filled with a peculiar smell.
The old witch walked to the counter and pulled on a ring embedded in the floorboards, revealing a pitch-black hole.
A long staircase stretched downward.
Lighting an oil lamp, she slowly descended.
After waiting a while, Wade saw the old witch emerge again, carrying a suitcase.
"There are five of the finest Abraxans in here..."
Five minutes later, Wade walked out of the shop with the suitcase and disappeared into the crowds of Knockturn Alley.
The old witch settled back into her rocking chair. After a while, she came to her senses.
"Hm? Did a customer come by just now? To buy Abraxans? No... we haven't acquired any Abraxans lately. I must've dozed off and been dreaming..."
Muttering to herself, she took out her pipe again and lit the unknown leaves packed inside, completely unaware of what had just transpired.
...
Carrying the suitcase containing the Abraxans, Wade Apparated out of Knockturn Alley.
As for how much his shopping trip had cost?
What? Since when did people pay for things in a place like Knockturn Alley?
Finding a secluded location, Wade entered the suitcase and proceeded to tame the five Abraxans.
With Nightmare Magic and his affinity for magical creatures, taming Abraxans was absurdly easy.
Afterward, Wade changed his appearance once again and returned to Diagon Alley to purchase a luxurious carriage without any magical creatures attached.
Since he wasn't buying any magical creatures, the lavish carriage cost him less than a hundred Galleons.
As for the simple paperwork required for the purchase...
Wade had merely handed the owner a blank sheet of parchment.
Yet in the shopkeeper's eyes, that blank parchment became an official Ministry document bearing the Ministry's seal.
Such was the usefulness of Nightmare Magic.
Had Wade not considered himself a good person, he could have simply taken the carriage without paying, and the owner would never have noticed, just like the old witch in Knockturn Alley.
Thinking about it, only someone with principles like Wade would still have any need for Galleons after mastering Nightmare Magic.
Still, principles were only one aspect of it.
Nightmare Magic was powerful, but overusing it would eventually leave traces and flaws behind, and that was something Wade had no desire to see.
...
At precisely two o'clock in the afternoon, Tom arrived at the entrance to Diagon Alley.
And then he saw a carriage so luxurious that it was almost absurd.
Especially the five Abraxans pulling it.
Tom had only ever seen such beautiful magical creatures in Newt's new book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
The five Abraxans before him were exceptionally tall and magnificent. Their coats were pure white, without a single blemish, and they looked extraordinarily valuable.
Every wizard who passed by couldn't help but stop and admire the carriage.
Tom, however, merely glanced at it before stepping aside.
No matter how splendid the carriage was, it had nothing to do with him. It probably belonged to some wealthy and extravagant pure-blood wizard.
His task now was simply to wait for Wade and begin his miserable "workday."
Suddenly, Tom heard someone calling to him from nearby.
"Tom, come over here. Don't stand over there. The boss has already been waiting for you inside."
Tom turned around hesitantly and saw a familiar wizard stepping out of the carriage and taking a seat at the driver's position.
"Andrews?" Tom cried out in surprise.
Andrews inclined his head slightly.
"Tom, the boss is asking you to get in."
"The boss? Wade? This carriage belongs to Wade?" Tom fired off three questions in rapid succession.
Andrews scratched his head. Tom's expression was exactly the same as his own had been earlier.
After finding a house and settling everyone in that morning, he had received a letter from Wade asking him to meet him in Diagon Alley.
And then he had seen this luxurious carriage...
The task Wade had given him was simply to drive it.
Andrews had seen Abraxans before, but these magical creatures were normally fierce and ill-tempered. This was the first time he had ever encountered such docile Abraxans.
He had no idea where Wade had obtained them.
Abraxans were remarkable creatures. Once properly trained, they could even take their master to his destination without anyone needing to drive them.
Wade had probably summoned him here simply to add a bit of grandeur.
Still, he hadn't asked any questions.
He was already accustomed to the extraordinary nature of his employer.
It took Tom quite some time to recover from his shock.
Opening the carriage door, Andrews revealed the luxurious interior.
Through the doorway, Tom could see the lavish furnishings.
Even the carpet covering the floor looked as though it had been made from the fur of some expensive creature.
For the first time, Tom hesitated.
This...
Wouldn't it be a bit improper to step on it directly?
What if he got it dirty?
"Are you coming in or not? What are you standing there for?" Wade's voice came from inside the carriage.
Hearing this, Tom almost wanted to slap himself.
Damn it, why was he worrying about taking care of Wade's belongings?
Step on it!
Step on it hard!
Tom immediately straightened his back and strode inside.
Wade was reclining comfortably on an exceedingly luxurious sofa, while the house-elf Toby stood respectfully at his side.
Smiling, Wade said, "Why are you being so cautious? Were you afraid of dirtying the carpet? We're wizards, Tom. No matter how filthy you make it, Toby only needs a snap of his fingers to clean everything."
Tom's pale cheeks immediately turned red.
"I wasn't! I was just curious where you found a carriage like this..."
Wade sighed.
"Don't even ask. It took quite a bit of effort. That's what happens when I don't have enough capable people working under me. Otherwise, something as trivial as finding a carriage should've been handled with a single order. Tom, you really need to grow up quickly and help share my burdens."
Tom frowned at him.
"When did you pick up all these bad habits?"
"Wasn't it you who said that a Dark Lord needs style? There's nothing impressive about doing everything personally." Wade elegantly sipped a glass of juice. Anyone unaware of the truth might have thought he was enjoying some fine wine.
"No, I definitely never said that."
"But that's what you meant. Anyway, put on something more presentable."
Wade waved his hand, and Toby approached with a tray in hand.
Looking at the clothes on the tray, Tom suddenly understood why Wade had become so concerned with appearances.
"You're finally going to use your family's name to pressure those pure-bloods?" Tom asked excitedly.
__
o(*￣▽￣*)ブSupport and read 12 Chapters ahead of WN at-
Patreon/Captain69