When the Weasley twins left, Harry knew trouble was coming.
He didn't need a notification to tell him that.
Still, one blinked into view anyway:
[Warning: Reputation Alert]
Information about Harry Potter may spread to connected NPC factions.
Source: "Weasley Family – Order of the Phoenix (Low Influence Tier)"
Risk Level: Moderate
Harry dismissed it immediately.
He already expected that.
He'd overheard Mrs. Figg once — the Weasleys were part of the same old network his parents had once been in. The Order. If word reached them that he was alive and working at a hotel in Knockturn Alley… it was only a matter of time before the Order of the Phoenix members appeared at his door asking uncomfortable questions.
But that wasn't the problem today.
The real problem came as a far quieter notification:
[Quest Triggered: "The Missing Veela"]
Type: Urgent Side Quest
Objective: Locate Leora, the missing receptionist of Zeus Hotel.
Status: Active
Reward: ??? | Reputation Increase with Staff | New Skill Unlock
Leora was gone.
She'd left that morning to collect her new set of dresses from Diagon Alley — bright silks from Madam Malkin's that she'd been saving up for since joining Harry's staff. She was supposed to be back by noon. By sunset, there was still no sign of her.
Her partner at the counter, Seraphine, was trembling when she told Harry.
They weren't just Veela. They were survivors.
They had escaped from a French nobleman — a so-called wizard of standing, who had used forbidden charms to enslave them for years. The sisters had killed him to earn their freedom and fled France under assumed names. Harry had taken them in without hesitation.
Now, one of them had vanished again.
Harry sat at the top floor of Zeus Hotel — his office disguised as a maintenance room — his gloved hands steepled before him. The magical wards hummed faintly across the walls. Sam stood near the window, his expression grim.
"So," Sam said finally, "we're certain she didn't just… run?"
Harry shook his head. "Leora wouldn't leave Seraphine. And she had no reason to run. She might be vain, but she's loyal."
[Objective Updated: Gather Information – Leora's Last Known Location]
Seraphine entered the room, her eyes blazing with controlled fury. Even in grief, her Veela beauty was almost painful to look at. "She was last seen near the main junction of Diagon Alley," she said. "At the dress shop. A goblin courier saw her walk toward the side alley near the apothecary — then nothing."
Harry stood up slowly, his mind already forming a plan.
"Then that's where I start."
He opened his inventory and equipped his Dementor cloak — its dark folds shimmered as it fused over his clothing. His wand floated to his hand.
[New Quest Sub-Objective: Investigate Diagon Alley]
Bonus Condition: Avoid Ministry Detection
Sam crossed his arms. "You're planning to go alone again?"
Harry's eyes glowed faintly beneath the shadow of his hood. "If someone took her, they'll be expecting Aurors. Not me."
The air around him shimmered, and shadows swallowed his figure as he activated Shadow Veil.
Seraphine stepped forward, her voice trembling but fierce. "Bring her back, Lord Blackfyre."
Harry paused at the doorway, the cloak rippling like smoke.
"Don't worry," he said quietly. "I owe her that much."
[Quest "The Missing Veela" – Active]
Difficulty: High
Time Limit: Unknown
And with that, Harry vanished into the night — heading straight toward Diagon Alley, where whispers of dark markets and hidden alleys carried far older dangers than anyone dared to admit.
Harry arrived at Diagon Alley just after dusk.
The lamps were lit, the chatter soft and warm — but beneath the noise, there was tension.
His Dementor Cloak flowed around him, consuming all light that touched it. He walked like a shadow among crowds, silent and cold. Even though no one could see his face, they could feel him — that strange, dreadful aura that made even the boldest wizard step aside without knowing why.
[Passive Skill Activated: Aura of Fear – Rank B]
Nearby NPC morale: –35%
He began asking questions.
His voice — when he chose to use it — was not his own. He made it serpentine, sibilant, like a whisper sliding down a spine. Each word was calm but cold, and that alone made grown men stutter.
Leora was not hard to track.
A Veela left traces — beauty too vivid to forget. Within an hour, every shopkeeper, every street guard, every street vendor had the same answer.
She had left Diagon Alley through the southern arch — the one leading to Knockturn Alley.
Harry's stomach tightened.
[Clue Discovered: "Leora's Last Direction", Knockturn Alley]
But it was the who that told him this which made the air feel heavier.
A young woman in an auror's dark blue coat approached him, wand at her side, badge faintly glowing with enchantment. Her expression was firm but not unfriendly.
"Sir," she said, stepping closer. "You're the third person asking about that Veela. Mind telling me why?"
Harry studied her — the poise, the sharp eyes, the steady grip on her wand. Cassandra Vale, she introduced herself, an auror trainee.
"She worked for me," Harry said, his voice layered with that quiet, reptilian hiss. "At my hotel."
Her eyes flicked in suspicion. "Your hotel?"
"Yes," Harry replied simply. "Zeus Hotel at Knockturn Alley. If you want to confirm, you can visit. You'll find she's registered there under her real name."
Cassandra blinked, clearly processing that piece of information. "A hotel in Knockturn Alley," she repeated, half-disbelieving. "That's… a new one."
Then her expression shifted to something more cautious. "Listen, you might want to know — the Auror Office received a tip about an auction. Illegal, high-profile, happening in about a week. Creatures, cursed objects, even people. Veela are on the list."
[Quest Update: "The Missing Veela"
Stage 2 – Lead Acquired]
New Objective: Investigate the Underground Auction.
Harry's expression didn't change, but his pulse hardened. "You think she was taken for it?"
Cassandra nodded grimly. "That's our suspicion. There's a trafficking ring operating between Knockturn and Calais. They've been snatching magical beings off the streets for months now. But we're moving in soon — quietly."
"Quietly?" Harry asked softly. "You mean you're going to wait until the auction happens."
Her silence was answer enough.
Harry turned to leave, the cloak already starting to fade him into the night.
Cassandra frowned. "Wait. What are you planning to do?"
Harry's reply was quiet, cold, and deliberate. "If they took her, I'm not waiting for a Ministry meeting."
Before Cassandra could respond, Harry's shadow melted into the alley — gone, leaving behind only a whisper in the cold air.
Cassandra Vale stood there for a long time, her hand tightening around her wand. "Zeus Hotel, Knockturn Alley," she murmured. "Whoever you are,… I hope you know what you're walking into."
No one ever touched a Veela unless they had power, numbers, and protection.
That much, Harry knew.
So whoever had taken Leora wasn't some petty kidnapper — they were professionals.
He returned to Knockturn Alley that night, the street was alive with its usual corruption — whispers, smoke, and the sound of unseen footsteps — but he ignored it all, heading straight to where Cassandra's lead pointed.
[Location: South Knockturn – Abandoned Alley]
[Quest Objective: Search for Evidence of Leora's Trail]
The air here was stale and heavy with the scent of sulfur. It was a place where hags usually gathered, but tonight, the alley was empty. That alone told him everything — something had scared them off.
Harry's Observe skill flared to life. A faint shimmer passed across his eyes.
[Observation Successful]
Item Found: "Burnt Veela Feather (Epic – Bound)"
Description: A feather from Leora's true form. Contains faint magical residue.
Secondary Evidence: Scorch Marks detected on east wall – cause: Veela Fireburst.
He crouched, brushing a gloved finger over the soot on the cobblestone.
She had transformed — meaning she'd fought back. Hard.
His jaw tightened.
"Good girl," he murmured quietly.
But there was no blood. No body.
That meant she was alive — or at least taken alive.
[Clue Discovered: Leora Resisted Capture]
[Optional Objective Unlocked: Track Veela Signature using the feather]
He pocketed the feather into a magically sealed vial, then straightened, glancing up at the flickering lamplight that barely reached this part of the alley.
The next step was obvious.
If anyone in Knockturn knew about black-market movements — it was Borgin & Burkes.
The bell over the door gave a faint metallic ring when he entered the antique-laden shop. Dust floated like ghosts through the air. Behind the counter, Mr. Borgin himself looked up — a pale, wiry man with eyes like greedy beetles.
"Ah," Borgin croaked, leaning forward, his grin just shy of respectful. "The cloaked one returns. Looking for something… special tonight, my lord?"
"I'm looking for information," he said in that cold, serpentine tone that seemed to chill the very wood around them.
Borgin's eyes flickered to the feather — then widened slightly. Recognition. Fear.
He licked his lips nervously.
"That's… Veela plumage. And a powerful one. Not from around here."
Harry placed the burnt feather on the counter, his voice low and cold.
"A Veela was taken. Near Diagon Alley. You hear anything?"
Borgin's eyes flickered toward the feather — fear, greed, and calculation all crossing his face at once. "Veela… powerful creatures, very rare these days. But no, no, I haven't heard anything about—"
The counter cracked sharply as Harry's wand struck the wood.
"Try again."
The air shimmered faintly — his Aura of Fear flaring around him like invisible fire.
[Skill Activated: Intimidation – Rank B]
Target: Borgin
Resistance: 17% → 0%
Status: Terrified
Borgin swallowed hard, his eyes darting to the back room as though looking for escape.
"I—I sold something," he stammered. "To Walden McNair. You know the man?"
Harry's voice deepened, serpentine and quiet. "Ministry executioner."
Borgin nodded rapidly. "Aye, that's him. Came in here right before the Veela went missing. Bought a full set of magic-restricting cuffs — goblin-crafted, silver-runed, resistant to transformation charms. Said it was for work. But it didn't sound like official business to me."
Harry's eyes narrowed. "What kind of work?"
"I didn't ask," Borgin said quickly, hands raised. "But I heard he's part of some secret organization. Not officially, of course, but—well, half the purebloods are one way or another."
[Clue Discovered: Walden McNair – Potential Trafficker]
[Quest Updated: The Missing Veela – Stage 3]
"Do you know where to find him?"
Borgin hesitated. "He keeps a private estate on the edge of Wiltshire. Not far from the old Avery Manor ruins. I can give you a map, but… you didn't hear it from me."
Harry leaned closer. "You're right. I didn't."
[New Objective: Infiltrate McNair Manor]
[Optional Goal: Find the location of Midnight Auction]
[Warning: Target is Ministry-affiliated – High Political Risk]
[Estimated Difficuty: Extreme]
Harry tightened his grip on the vial containing Leora's feather.
"Y–You're not with the Ministry, are you?" Borgin asked, voice trembling.
Harry stopped in the doorway. "No," he said without looking back. "I'm worse."
The Dementor cloak swallowed the lamplight as he stepped into the rain-slick streets once more.
If they thought they could sell one of his people, they were about to learn what kind of monster Knockturn Alley had birthed.
The fireplace at the end of the room burst into emerald flames.
Cassandra Vale stepped out, brushing soot from her dark auror robes.
"Hello, Susan. Is the meeting already started?"
The young witch at the desk — Susan Bones — smirked, quill tapping against her parchment. "Started fifteen minutes ago."
Cassandra froze. "Shit."
She sprinted down the corridor, boots clacking on polished stone, and yanked open the far door.
Inside the private chamber sat Amelia Bones, her aunt and Auror commander, flanked by Alastor Moody, John Dawlish, and two other senior aurors — Marcus Dreadfield and Cynthia Grey, both field veterans who'd seen too much to still be impressed by rank.
"Auror trainee Cassandra Vale," Amelia said sharply without rising. "You already knew when this meeting was to begin, and yet you're late. Do you have any idea how rare it is for a trainee to be included in an internal trafficking investigation?"
Her tone could have cut glass.
Before Cassandra could open her mouth, Moody rumbled, "Easy, Amelia. Maybe she found something new — isn't that right, Vale?"
Cassandra gave him a sideways glare. Moody's grin was wicked, half-taunt, half-pride. John Dawlish hid a chuckle behind her hand; she'd been on the receiving end of Amelia's tongue too many times to judge.
Amelia adjusted her monocle, eyes narrowing. "This meeting is being held here and not at the Ministry," she began, "because half the people in the Ministry are either paid off or protected by the same purebloods running this trafficking ring. Magical Creature smuggling is being treated like a 'pet trade' by the upper circles. That ends here."
She spread several files across the table — moving photographs of chained centaurs, bound house-elves, and lifeless merfolk drifting in crates.
"Many of the names funding these networks sit in the Wizengamot. So we move quietly, outside official channels."
Her gaze fixed back on Cassandra. "Now, tell us what you've got."
Cassandra took a breath. "Another Veela's gone missing. Her name's Leora. But we're not the only ones looking for her or the Midnight Auction anymore."
The room went still.
Moody's scar twitched. "Explain."
"I ran into someone in Diagon Alley," Cassandra said, sliding a folded parchment onto the table — her notes, written in her hurried scrawl. "Calls himself Lord Blackfyre. He said the missing Veela worked for him at a place called the Zeus Hotel in Knockturn Alley."
Marcus frowned. "A hotel? In Knockturn Alley?"
"That's what I said," Cassandra replied. "But it's real — I checked the registry. It's legally licensed under private ownership seal."
Cassandra hesitated. "He was cloaked. Voice… wasn't natural. Magical distortion — serpentine tone. But he wasn't hostile. He was looking for his missing Veela, same as us. Only difference — he doesn't plan to wait for Ministry authorization."
Amelia's expression tightened. "Wonderful. Another vigilante."
Moody grunted. "Could be useful. If he's got resources in Knockturn, he might reach places we can't. Long as he doesn't get himself killed."
Cynthia nodded in agreement. "Or blow our cover. The operation for the Midnight Auction is already fragile. If some rogue wizard starts hunting on his own, it could force the traffickers underground."
Amelia exhaled slowly. "Then we monitor him."
She tapped the table twice with her wand; a glowing sigil of the Blackfyre Seal — shimmered above the parchment Cassandra brought.
Moody leaned back in his chair, pipe glowing faintly blue. "Careful, lass," he muttered to Cassandra. "If he's who I think he is, he's not just another vigilante. Men like that don't hunt for justice — they hunt for vengeance."
Cassandra straightened. "Then I'll find out which one he is."