Dana stepped out of 26 and a Half Baker Street, exhaling slowly.
Although he hadn't obtained a complete answer, the lead on Barty Crouch was already a significant gain. On top of that, he had unexpectedly acquired the Ashwinder Gang under Wang Wenhui's command.
The Christmas holidays were far too short.
Once the summer break arrived, he would have ample time to train his new subordinates. With a reliable network of operatives, he would gain the confidence to enact his revenge.
After all, even the Dark Lord had required Death Eaters—a ruler without followers was nothing more than a lone wanderer.
As Dana contemplated his next moves, an owl suddenly swooped down from the sky, gracefully landing on the telephone booth beside him.
"Hoo!"
[Don't just stand there, kid—stick out your hand and take the letter already!]
Dana blinked.
Did I just… understand an owl?
A moment later, he remembered—Merlin's Cambion bloodline had unlocked part of his second-stage abilities, one of which was the ability to listen to and understand living creatures.
He extended his arm, and the owl fluttered down, perching comfortably on his forearm.
"Hoo!"
[Not bad! Strong grip—oh, wait a second, aren't you supposed to be a little wizard? You look way too grown up for this… Did I deliver this to the wrong person?]
Dana smirked slightly.
"Hoo!"
[No, no, the soul signature matches! Ah—so you're just a rascal! Anyway, hurry up and take the letter—I've got eggs about to hatch at home! No time to waste!]
Dana removed the letter tied to the owl's leg.
"Hoo!"
[Alright, my job here is done! Later, kid!]
The owl flapped its wings, taking off swiftly. A burst of wind, carrying the faint, musty scent of feathers, brushed against Dana's face.
He straightened his bangs and turned his attention to the letter.
"To: Dana Emrys,
26 and a Half Baker Street, London.
From: The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, Ministry of Magic."
Dana tore it open and read:
Mr. Dana Emrys,
We have detected that you used magic at Foster Farm, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, on the morning of December 26th.
You have violated the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery. However, as no Muggles witnessed the incident and the magical impact was minimal, this offense will not be pursued.
Nonetheless, this violation has been recorded.
Be advised: If you are found using magic outside of school again, legal action will be taken. You will be summoned for a formal trial before the Wizengamot, and appropriate disciplinary measures will be enforced.
Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office,
Ministry of Magic.
Dana's frown deepened.
Damn it… I forgot about the Trace.
The Trace—a powerful detection spell placed on underage wizards to monitor magical activity outside of Hogwarts.
The only reason he hadn't been caught earlier was that every time he cast spells, he had been in places like Knockturn Alley, where plenty of adult wizards were present. That made it impossible for the Ministry to determine whether it was him or an of-age wizard performing the magic.
If he had been detected in an isolated area, he would have been summoned before the Wizengamot immediately.
As for the time he had killed Sally Avery… that had been before his Hogwarts enrollment—meaning, at the time, he hadn't been marked with the Trace yet.
Dana sighed.
This was bad news.
If he wanted to take action in the future, every spell cast outside Hogwarts would leave a traceable record at the Ministry of Magic.
Although he planned to target other wizards, not Muggles, and therefore wouldn't immediately be charged, he would still be leaving breadcrumbs for a clever Auror to follow.
I need to be more careful.
With that thought, he hailed a taxi and headed toward 48 Charing Cross Road—to the Leaky Cauldron.
There, inside the Leaky Cauldron's bathroom, he activated Spandim Gate, stepping into a portal and emerging at 5 Livingston, his childhood home.
The sight of the house brought a familiar, aching pain.
Every inch of the place was steeped in memories of his mother—her laughter, her warmth, the life they once had.
Dana clenched his fists.
There's no time for sentimentality.
With a deep breath, he restored his original appearance and set off towards a familiar part of town—he needed to see Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody.
"Little Dana? You're back?"
Moody's grizzled, scarred face peered at him from the doorway.
Dana nodded.
"Hello, sir. I wanted to stay at my house over the holidays, so I came back."
Moody's magical eye whirred, scanning Dana from head to toe.
"Hmm… I'm sorry about your mother… But tell me, what do you need?"
Dana hesitated, then spoke carefully.
"Sir, underage wizards aren't allowed to use magic outside school, but… my house is in bad shape. I wanted to clean it up, and I was hoping… you could cast a few cleaning charms for me?"
Moody gave a short grunt.
"Of course."
The old Auror took a few steps forward, then abruptly stopped and turned back to face Dana.
His magical eye swiveled, locking onto him.
"Tell me, lad… That arm of yours, the one you broke when you fell at six years old—is it still bothering you?"
Dana's expression remained neutral.
"Sir, you must be mistaken. I never broke my arm—I wasn't the type to run around and get injured as a child."
Moody narrowed his eyes but said nothing.
This was a test.
A veteran Auror like Moody never trusted anything at face value. Even though his magical eye could see through most disguises, he was still in the habit of testing people's memories to confirm their identity.
Dana, of course, was well accustomed to this behavior.
If anything, Moody's paranoia would work to his advantage.
With Moody's help, the house was soon repaired, cleaned, and restored to a livable state.
Dana gave a respectful nod.
"Thank you, sir."
Moody studied him for a moment.
"Tell me, lad… How's Hogwarts treating you?"
Dana forced a small smile.
"The professors have all been very kind."
Moody grunted.
"Only the professors? Hmph. So you are having a rough time."
Of course, Moody already knew the answer—he had been keeping tabs on Dana through the Order of the Phoenix.
The old Auror sighed.
"Listen, kid. Your mother was a good woman. I hope you grow up to be like her."
Dana stiffened slightly.
Like his mother?
A woman trampled underfoot by society, used, discarded, and forgotten?
He would never allow himself to end up like that.
Still, he smiled politely.
"Of course, sir. I will make my mother proud."
Moody nodded approvingly and limped away.
Dana's eyes flickered.
With Moody believing he was staying home, he had just secured his alibi.
From now on, as long as he returned here daily, Moody would unknowingly serve as his perfect cover.
Thank you, Ministry of Magic, for reminding me to be cautious.
Now, he had one more task—
Get a second wand.
His current wand, which had been used for the Imperius Curse, Obliviation, and other illegal spells, would remain as Darke Dentis's wand.
His new wand would be Dana Emrys's.
That night, once the Leaky Cauldron had gone quiet, Dana stepped through a portal—returning to Diagon Alley.
End of the Chapter.
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