So using the Imperius Curse makes it hard to get truly loyal subordinates. They may look for ways around its limits and sabotage you, because someone under it still retains their own mind.
"Half-blood giants… Why is it always half-blood giants?" Leonard frowned slightly, his gaze flicking toward Fleur without thinking.
He remembered that the headmistress of Beauxbatons was also a half-blood giant, and she was a lot sharper than Hagrid.
Half-blood giants were physically formidable. Besides their sheer strength, they also had powerful resistance to drugs and toxins. The small amount of Acromantula venom on the dagger wouldn't be nearly enough.
Moen had tried to hide the Third Senator's half-giant identity because he was afraid Leonard would realize the dosage was insufficient and switch to another method of assassination.
And Leonard really didn't have a better option. He still carried plenty of Acromantula venom, but he couldn't exactly pour it down the man's throat.
He couldn't load more onto the dagger either. If it couldn't kill, then the assassination was pointless.
Capture him alive?
Leonard had no intention of taking this so-called Third Senator alive.
From Moen's information, Leonard now understood the setup the four of them had used against Lehende Delacour.
A ten-minute Anti-Apparition spell, and that Third Senator had broken through it as if it were nothing.
Leonard had no way of stopping someone like that.
So what now? Give up?
Leonard hesitated. If he couldn't be sure of keeping the target in place, it was probably better not to get involved.
With that thought, he turned to Fleur.
"Miss Delacour, I'm sorry. I probably can't save your father. In a moment, I'll write to the Ministry of Magic and ask them to come help search for him."
He started to leave.
"Wait…" Fleur instinctively stopped him. She had a strong feeling the only person who could save her parents right now was the boy in front of her.
If they waited to notify the Ministry, her parents would already be gone, taken who knew where.
"Please, save my parents," Fleur begged.
Leonard spread his hands helplessly. "As you can see, I'm just a student without a wand. You want me to go up against the third-in-command of a secret organization. That's giving me way too much credit, isn't it?"
"If… if you don't go save them, then I'll…" Fleur panicked and instinctively tried to threaten him with what she had seen him do—using an Unforgivable Curse.
But the moment she met Leonard's steady, unchanging eyes, a chill ran through her and she stopped in time.
"And you'll what?" Leonard asked evenly, still calm.
Eyes were supposed to be windows to the soul. Yet whether Leonard smiled or spoke coldly, his gaze never changed.
He truly didn't care that he'd killed someone, didn't care that he'd used an Unforgivable Curse. Even when he was sending someone off to murder another person, there wasn't the slightest ripple in his eyes.
Fleur's instincts screamed that if she threatened him, the outcome would be nothing like what she wanted.
"I… I… I'll cry," Fleur blurted, and her eyes immediately reddened. A mist gathered over her emerald irises, and she looked ready to break down on the spot.
That threw Leonard completely off. Watching her on the verge of tears, he said miserably, "Hey, that's not fair. I really can't save them."
Tears slid down Fleur's lashes. She didn't sob, but the tears fell like strings of beads.
She held her little sister and cried silently. Quiet crying was far more wrenching than loud wailing. Tears soaked her cheeks, and with her dust-stained dress, her delicate features and pitiful expression made her look even more fragile, the kind that could spark anyone's protective instincts.
Unfortunately, the person she was facing was Leonard, who looked utterly unmoved. With the bluntness of a straight-faced pragmatist, he said, "Crying won't help. You can't just ask someone to risk their life on nothing but words. That's not how it works."
It was the first time Fleur had met someone so indifferent to her looks. Usually, she could charm people into helping with a single sentence. And crying like this was basically her strongest move.
Yet he still didn't care.
Does this guy not like women or something?
Fleur fumed to herself.
Too bad she had just pushed herself to the limit hypnotizing Daniel, the first man who came after them. Her magic was overdrawn, and she couldn't use her talent now, or she would have tried to charm him directly.
"Alright, come with me. I'll hand you over to the Ministry of Magic, and they should be able to keep you safe."
Leonard turned and started walking away without looking back.
Moen, still under the Imperius Curse, stood there clutching the dagger, at a loss. Fleur saw Leonard really was leaving and panicked so badly she even forgot to cry.
Her tears really did come and go on command. That acting was something else.
Then she remembered what Leonard had just said and blurted out, "If you can save my parents, I'll reward you!"
Wasn't he saying it was insulting to ask someone to risk their life for empty promises? Fine, then she'd pay him.
Fleur was almost impressed with herself.
"Oh?" Leonard stopped, a hint of interest finally appearing. "And what are you offering?"
"Galleons!" Fleur said.
Galleons were universally useful, and the Delacour family had money. Paying a reward was no problem.
"Galleons? Not interested." Leonard shook his head.
He had plenty. Back when he and Midgard had robbed Gringotts, the trunk expanded with an Undetectable Extension Charm had been stuffed full.
Midgard had only taken a small portion to build up her werewolves, and she still hadn't even spent all of that.
Leonard's share was even larger, and he barely touched it. He didn't need Galleons.
"Then… my parents know a master wandmaker…"
"I know one too," Leonard said lazily. "I'm his assistant."
Fleur opened her mouth, then shut it again.
Her family had some connections with that French wandmaker, but they weren't in any position to introduce anyone's assistant.
"Anything else worth mentioning?" Leonard asked. "If not, let's go. If you keep stalling, I'm leaving you right here."
"Wait…" Fleur fidgeted, cheeks flushing. "If you're willing to help save my parents… I… I…"
"What is it? Say it already," Leonard urged.
"I'm willing… I'm willing to be your girlfriend," Fleur whispered, blushing as she said it.