"About Claremont," Alex said firmly, "I want you to hold off.
Don't make a move. We can't afford to alert them. He's already under close surveillance, my surveillance, even if you haven't noticed."
Andre raised a brow, clearly unimpressed. "You want us to do nothing? Not even basic tailing? And you're sure your so-called 'close surveillance' is reliable?"
He gave Alex a skeptical once-over, eyes lingering on his still-youthful face. The boy barely had stubble, let alone years of fieldwork under his belt.
Alex didn't flinch. "No," he said, shaking his head with confidence.
"I've been following him myself. I've already found the breeding ground he's tied to. But it's heavily protected, and I'm still working out how to get in without raising suspicion. That's the mission, get inside, find what we need, and get out clean."
Andre considered that for a moment, then gave a slow nod. "Alright… that makes more sense. But if you've already found the place, why not go all in?
We've got the gear, your anti-apparition field generators, for one. With the right team, we could hit them fast and hard. No one would escape."
Alex gave a tight, frustrated sigh. "It's not that simple. You're right about the apparition, normal escape routes won't work inside the park. I've confirmed that.
But they've got some other method, something we haven't figured out yet, that lets them get in and out despite the wards."
He glanced around the room, letting his eyes land on each person as he spoke. "Do you even know how many people are stationed at that park?"
One of the nearby agents leaned in, curious. "How many, exactly?"
Alex didn't hesitate. "At least two hundred and twenty. And over a hundred of them are confirmed wizards.
We're not just talking about handlers and guards, we're talking trained, armed spellcasters, some of them ex-Aurors or worse. Are you honestly suggesting we throw in a handful of Law Enforcement officers and try to take that place by force?"
His tone was dead serious, and the room grew quiet. Andre gave him a sideways smirk, the kind that suggested he didn't like being outmaneuvered, but couldn't argue with the logic.
When Andre heard that there were over 200 people involved, his eyes practically popped out of his head. "What? More than 200? How is that even possible?" he exclaimed.
Alex just chuckled at Andre's shock. "It's not impossible. I've seen the info myself, and I can even show you video evidence. Maybe you'll recognize someone," he said.
But Andre wasn't convinced. "That sounds way too exaggerated. It's just a breeding zone. You could run the whole thing with a few dozen wizards, do you really need that many stationed there?" Despite his doubts, Andre noticed the serious look on Alex's face and realized this might be true. Still, he couldn't help but question it.
Alex, meanwhile, was quietly thinking to himself. He knew it sounded far-fetched, but he wanted to come up with a reason that would convince Andre to back the plan. If he just said most of these people were civilian wizards, Andre might get scared and hesitate.
Alex didn't want the director to get cold feet once they were already involved. So, to make sure Andre fully committed, he decided to accuse those wizards in the park of some wrongdoing, dragging Andre into the mess with him.
After a moment of thought, Alex put on a serious expression. "It's not surprising," he said. "I've noticed the wizards in the park are really well organized. I suspect that besides breeding magical creatures, the Silver Wands are also training an army of wizards there." Of course, he told himself, this was just a suspicion.
He figured this was the best excuse, partly true, since there were definitely signs of training going on in the place. Most of it looked like vocational training, mostly focused on handling Fantastic Beasts.
But having a training ground and a group of well-prepared wizards? That was enough for Alex to raise some eyebrows. To address the legal concerns about the wizards in the park, Alex had already come up with several possible solutions.
But Alex misjudged the weight the phrase "wizard army" carried for someone like Andre. When Andre heard it, his expression immediately turned grave. "Wizard army? You mean they're training troops like Grindelwald did back then?"
If this was true, the Silver Wand case wasn't just a simple criminal or political issue, it threatened the fate of the entire wizarding world. When Grindelwald launched his revolution, everyone remembered how fierce the battles were, especially because of the Saints under his command.
Even when Aurors from multiple countries joined forces, these well-trained wizard soldiers were incredibly tough opponents. Their fighting spirit was stronger than many Aurors because they truly believed in their cause.
Their belief in what was right and just was something they were willing to dedicate their lives to. That's why, even after all these years, so many wizards still fear the Saints and Grindelwald's legacy.
The Sir Merlin Bloc would be especially alarmed to learn that a reorganized and strengthened Saint remnant has appeared in Germany. Andre was seriously considering whether to call for help from the International Confederation of Wizards because if the other side really was training a wizard army, his law enforcement department alone wouldn't be able to handle it.
"If that's true, this is a grave matter. We have to report this to the International Confederation and the Sir Merlin Bloc immediately and organize an international task force to crush them before they grow stronger!" Andre's eyes sharpened as he pressed Alex for answers.
"Actually, it's not quite that bad," Alex said, surprised by Andre's intensity. Realizing he might be overreacting, he quickly added, "I already have a complete plan to take out their base with minimal losses. It's better to assess the situation fully after we've dismantled this base."
Andre looked at Alex, surprised by his confidence. Even if nearly half of the more than 200 people gathered were not wizards, this wouldn't be an easy task. "You're sure about this?"
"Absolutely," Alex nodded. "The operation plan is ready; now we just need to finish some intelligence gathering."
"Blindly attacking will only lead to more casualties," Alex explained. "I've also learned that the Silver Wand isn't just limited to this base in Germany. I'm still investigating the area.
For now, our best move is to keep a low profile and let them continue their lives as usual. I need about a week to prepare, and I promise I can handle the operation smoothly."
Listening to Alex, Andre realized he had been a bit impatient. Despite Alex's young appearance, his skills were impressive, he had gathered so much intelligence in just a few days, which made Andre trust him even more.
"Alright, I'll follow your lead. I'll stay put. Do you need my help?" Andre asked.