Indor grabbed Hogfa's robes. The weak flames in the tavern fireplace crackled. Shadows danced on the walls in eerie patterns. Standstill.
Finally, Indor let go. His voice was heavy with disappointment.
"Fine. Leave then. I'll pretend I never knew you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Hogfa narrowed his eyes.
"You only care about yourself. Do you even know what's happening out there—"
"Don't pin this on me." Hogfa's tone hardened. "Ask any student with half a brain—they'd say the same thing. And if you really want into the school, why not find some upperclassman? Didn't you say you had former partners—"
"Dead! All dead!" Indor waved his hand irritably.
"You're the only Hogwarts student I know. The others are gone."
Hogfa flinched.
"You're that unlucky?"
"Look, will you help me see Dippet or not? Give me a straight answer." Indor paced the room.
"No." Hogfa sat cross-legged on the bed. "I just came to see a friend."
He began meditating to restore his magic.
Hogfa knew better than anyone how strict Hogwarts was in this era. Newt Scamander, Rubeus Hagrid—excellent students who got no special treatment. They'd been expelled for breaking school rules.
Indor tugged his ears in frustration, groaned, and flopped onto the bed. Buried his face in the pillow. "You're so selfish!"
"Mm-hmm. I'm a Ravenclaw."
Ravenclaw... The goblin seemed to remember something. Laughed bitterly.
Then sat up. "Fine, fine. Rest up quick. Get back to school before dark. I'll find another way to see Dippet."
Leaving Hogsmeade still required invisibility. With Milarepa's meditation method, Hogfa's magic recovered quickly.
The Disillusionment Charm drained magic alarmingly fast.
His reserves lasted maybe half an hour.
Hogfa had never depleted his magic completely. Didn't know how long recovery would take.
He could only keep cycling his breathing.
Indor didn't disturb him. Lay on the bed. Time ticked by.
Outside, the sky darkened. Hogsmeade's streets emptied. Pedestrians thinned. Students had long since returned to Hogwarts.
But Hogfa still hadn't woken.
Suddenly, Indor's long ears perked up. He'd heard something. Immediately transformed back, hurried to the curtain, and peered through a small gap at the dark night outside.
Dropped the curtain. Looked at Hogfa. Expression grew anxious as he paced the room.
Then, wisps of smoke began to rise. From nowhere, it gradually spread through Hogsmeade's streets.
Slowly seeped into Hogfa's room.
Indor's face changed. He couldn't wait any longer.
Rushed to the bed. Shook Hogfa's shoulders hard.
"Wake up! Wake up, Hogfa!"
Hogfa woke from his meditation, annoyed. "What?"
Indor looked panicked. "I didn't tell you—a team of German dark wizards is tracking me. I think they're already nearby."
Hogfa's eyes went wide. "Dark wizards in Hogsmeade? Are you kidding? Aren't they afraid of—"
White smoke drifted through the window crack. Hogfa smelled faint burning. The goblin clamped a hand over Hogfa's mouth and nose, expression terrified. "Don't breathe yet. Water, quick!"
Tore two strips of bedsheet. Thrust them at Hogfa.
Hogfa's face was grim. Drew his wand. Tapped it.
"Aguamenti."
Clear water gushed from the wand. Indor soaked the cloth strips and tied them over both their faces.
"How many?" Hogfa asked quietly.
Indor pulled Hogfa to the window. Cracked the curtain open.
"Three."
Kept his voice low. "This fog is from a Nundu's poison glands. Causes fatal nerve damage. A little bit could drop the whole village. The only weakness is water."
His words made Hogfa's heart race.
Outside, night had fallen completely.
The dark town had sunk into eerie silence.
He looked out the window. Fog rose from below, spreading upward. Three extremely tall figures moved slowly through the mist. They wore pointed black hoods and carried old-fashioned lanterns.
Two streets ahead of the Three Broomsticks.
A flash of light exploded. Owls screeched and fled. The post office was blasted apart by a spell. Debris flew everywhere.
German: "Er ist hier." (He's here.)
German: "Sucht ihn getrennt!" (Split up and search!)
Strange words drifted through the fog. The voices were cold, mechanical. Like robots issuing coded commands.
Hogfa had no idea what they were saying. But he knew one thing: this was very bad.
The residents showed no reaction. No sound came from downstairs in the tavern.
On the street, the three figures separated. One walked slowly toward the Three Broomsticks. The other two went different directions.
Indor whispered in Hogfa's ear. "Schmidt Rottluff. Dangerous dark wizard wanted by the British Ministry. One of Grindelwald's top assistants. Especially skilled with magical creatures. Whatever you do, don't breathe in this smoke directly."
Before Hogfa could respond—
A hooded man stood in front of the Three Broomsticks. Raised his lantern. Inspected the area.
Pressed against the window, Hogfa saw a large red swastika tattooed on the man's arm.
Hogfa's face was expressionless. Inside, he was panicking.
Indor, that disaster magnet, had led these people here.
Dark wizards were no joke. You didn't call yourself a dark wizard without serious skills.
These three had taken out all of Hogsmeade without lifting a finger. Their power was way beyond what a first-year student and a con artist goblin could handle.
"Got any ideas?" Indor asked anxiously.
"Can't you Apparate out?" Hogfa whispered.
"No. Apparition creates too obvious a magical signature. All three would sense it." Indor kept his voice low. "I came by boat. Didn't dare Apparate. They'd follow the magical trace. Once they find you, you can't escape either."
"What the hell did you do?!" Hogfa grabbed the goblin's collar through gritted teeth. "Did you do this on purpose?!"
"On purpose?" The goblin headbutted him back. "On purpose?? Deliberately con Gringotts, deliberately get chased by German wizards—why would I be that stupid! Your brain must be broken. The whole world's about to explode and you're saying I deliber—"
"Enough! Shut up!"
Hogfa rubbed his temples. Glanced at the tall man outside getting closer. His head felt like it would split open.
Bit his lip. "We can't just stay here. We need to leave. Now."
"Where?" Indor asked.
"The secret passage is at Honeydukes. We have to get to Honeydukes."