To aid the investigation, the usually low-profile Silver Wands started showing up at various wizard gatherings, catching the attention of many, and even making headlines in the newspapers.
Andre pushed hard to launch an investigation and make arrests, but Pete rejected these proposals for various reasons.
Although Golden Snidget always appeared calm whenever he visited headquarters, Alex could sense his growing irritation.
The missing magical creatures remained unaccounted for, which even disrupted the Ministry of Magic's division process.
What worried them most was the unseen enemy lurking in the shadows, with no telling when the next attack might come.
Add to that the different agendas among the warding in the club, and it was astonishing anyone could stay calm.
Far to the north, in Finnmark County, Norway, the northernmost tip of continental Europe, lies Durmstrang School of Magic.
Established at least as far back as 1294, Durmstrang is one of Europe's oldest and most prestigious magic schools, standing alongside Hogwarts and Beauxbatons in reputation.
But unlike the others, Durmstrang's Nordic wizarding community is known for widespread discrimination against Muggle-borns, and the school refuses to admit them.
It's also infamous for its emphasis on the Dark Arts in its curriculum.
Near Durmstrang, there's a wizarding village much like Hogsmeade.
That night, in a quiet corner of the Xuerong Bar where wizards gathered, a figure cloaked in black robes sat waiting.
The other wizards nearby didn't find him suspicious; to them, someone like that was either a black market dealer or a wizard whose face had been ruined by a potion gone wrong.
Nothing unusual.
Soon, another wizard in black robes joined him and quietly said,
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Master."
"It doesn't matter, I just arrived anyway," the wizard said, lifting his hood slightly to reveal Alex's youthful face beneath the cloak.
"But I dressed like this to keep my identity hidden. You're the vice-principal of Durmstrang; is it really necessary to be so secretive?"
"Master, you don't understand," the wizard sitting across from Alex replied, raising his head.
It was Karkaroff, though even now he refused to fully remove his hood.
"The Death Eaters have been unusually active in Northern Europe lately, regrouping for some unknown reason. If they find out I'm here at Durmstrang, it could cause serious trouble."
"These guys want to tear me apart, so I have no choice but to stay hidden."
Karkaroff, still sporting a scruffy beard, might not look intimidating, but his courage was undeniable.
Alex pursed his lips, thinking how little the man had changed over the years, still the same as ever.
But Alex understood the danger Karkaroff spoke of.
Augurey had been summoning the Death Eaters, gathering them all for some Nordic mission.
"Have you gathered all the information I asked for?" Alex cut straight to the point, uninterested in small talk.
"Don't worry. I've checked everything thoroughly," Karkaroff replied, swallowing nervously as he met Alex's gaze.
Despite the years apart, he still felt a strange respect, and a bit of fear, for the young man before him.
After all, he had witnessed Alex's ruthless side firsthand: how he drove Yaxley mad with torture, executed Torquil without anyone noticing, and forced the Travers family into exile.
Yet this little devil, who seemed so wicked in Karkaroff's eyes, had not only avoided punishment but had been honored by the British Ministry of Magic as a Wizard Hero.
Now an adult, Alex's Wilson's Arcane Alchemica had even made a name in Northern Europe, with its products considered luxury goods.
It was clear just how wealthy Alex had become.
"Let's get down to business," Alex said, noticing Karkaroff's discomfort.
"It shouldn't be too hard for you to gather intel on the Nordic officials and the Pure Land Society."
"Yes, Master," Karkaroff replied, adjusting his words slightly before whispering,
"In Northern Europe, there are four countries, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland, but each has only a small wizarding population. Because their cultures are quite similar, they don't operate completely separate Ministries of Magic. Although there are technically four Ministries, they all function as one unified organization."
"Even the Ministry's headquarters share the same address. While some departments have offices in different countries, most of their work is managed centrally. There's only one Minister of Magic for the entire Nordic region, not one for each country. The official title is the Minister of Magic of the Nordic Union."
"It's a bit more complicated. The Pure Land Society is kind of like the British Death Eaters in nature. The big difference is that they don't have a Dark Lord to unite everyone under one leader. However, most wizards there share similar beliefs, especially a strong sense of pure-blood supremacy, which gives the Society a lot of support."
He paused briefly, the mention of the Dark Lord still weighing on him despite that time being behind them.
"The Pure Land Society is more of a family alliance than a formal organization," he continued.
"Every member belongs to the union, and each pure-blood family holds influence over their own territories. They usually keep to themselves and don't interfere with one another. They only act together when there's a common enemy or shared interest, and then they operate under the name of the Pure Land Society."
"Because of this, local wizards often don't really recognize the Pure Land Society's authority. Even if some families are part of the Society, their areas of control are usually far from where the locals live, so they rarely interact."
"When we talk about the Pure Land Society, we usually refer to specific families. For example, here in Norway, the biggest pure-blood family is the Jacobsen family," Karkaroff added.
"Many of these families have seats on the Wizengamot Council of the Nordic Ministry of Magic. So, the Ministry is very aware of the Pure Land Society's existence. You could say they're closely intertwined, like two sides of the same coin."
Karkaroff explained that, because of certain local factors, the Pure Land Society in Northern Europe isn't as extreme as the British Death Eaters.
However, he quickly clarified that this mainly applied to the local people.
The Pure Land Society there tends to be fairly disciplined when dealing with local wizards and even cooperates with the Ministry of Magic in various ways.
Since there are very few Muggles in Northern Europe, as long as these Muggles don't come into contact with the Pure Land Society, they generally won't be targeted or harassed.
But when it comes to outsiders and non-pure-blood wizards, the Pure Land Society's reputation is far less friendly.
The members are deeply xenophobic and harbor a strong hatred for Muggle-born wizards.
If they discover any, they don't hesitate to fight against them.
Muggle-borns who come into Northern Europe often face harsh treatment; they may be beaten, expelled, or even tortured to death.