The arrival of the Fire Dragon in the center of the battlefield disrupted everyone's rhythm.
Among the flying spells, some inevitably hit the Fire Dragon hovering in the air, but contrary to what people imagined, it did not react with rage. It merely shook its body as if feeling slightly uncomfortable, occasionally coughing out crimson Dragon Flame.
This was abnormal because the temperament of creatures like Fire Dragons was anything but mild.
Even if a spell was only like a tickle to them, they would typically retaliate with a Dragon Flame of their own, a fair exchange. But for some reason, this Fire Dragon did not retaliate, and the answer seemed rather obvious since the silhouette standing on its back made no attempt to hide.
Everyone unanimously ceased their attacks, and an intangible aura of pressure began to spread...
"Chuck? Or Baldr?"
Finally, after a silence broken only by the sound of the wind, someone stepped forward—a man dressed in a deep purple buttoned robe took several steps to the edge of the pit, frowning slightly as he gazed at the figure on the Fire Dragon.
As the leader of this group of Poachers, the man naturally knew the entire plan for tonight:
First, two people would carry a fake Dragon Egg onto the stage to lure the Fire Dragon out of the circus, and then it would be up to them to block any pursuers. Such a simple plan might seem overly crude, but the man knew it was quite reliable.
Having mingled in the Scottish Highlands for years without being captured by the Ministry of Magic, he was well aware of Toby Drake's current predicament.
With his protective umbrella overthrown, the newly appointed individuals don't take kindly to Werewolves but still want a piece of the pie—the best option for Drake would be to leave the British Isles immediately. The British Ministry of Magic's reach couldn't possibly extend to the other side of the English Channel.
And with the capabilities of their Starry Sky Circus, successfully negotiating with the French Ministry of Magic was only a matter of time.
But as everyone knows, besides the fate they share with streetlamps, capitalists have another common trait.
They are all terrifyingly greedy.
The Christmas show in Edinburgh had been booked since mid-year, and Drake didn't want to give up those easily attainable Golden Galleons, which presented an opportunity for the man.
If he exposed the Fire Dragon in a Muggle City, the Ministry of Magic wouldn't be able to focus on capturing them; erasing the memories of the Muggles would become the top priority. By that time, the world would be open for him to explore, unlike Drake, who foolishly clung to small, short-term profits even when on the brink of disaster.
As for whether this plan would violate the Statute of Secrecy?
Heh, the charges he already carried were enough to land him in Azkaban with Dementors for eight centuries—it's like lice on a person used to them.
But now, his plan seemed to encounter some surprise because he distinctly remembered sending two people to steal the Fire Dragon. Never mind that there was only one person riding the Fire Dragon's head now; the biggest problem was—could a fake Dragon Egg have such an effect?
His original plan was for the two individuals to carry the Dragon Egg on Broomsticks, then let the Fire Dragon fly after them.
What on earth had happened below...
Just as he expected, the silhouette made no response to his call. Watching the robe gently swaying in the night breeze, the man's heart sank.
...
To be honest, William was also quite confused at the moment.
Just three minutes ago, he was discussing with Mundungus on how to take over this circus, or at the very least, take over these animals in the circus. Of course, not because their materials were valuable, but because of the awareness of an animal protector... fine, it's actually because they were indeed valuable.
Especially when he heard that a Thunderbird had newly arrived here.
Wow, that's a Thunderbird! If I can't maintain a Phoenix, can't I at least have a substitute?
Moreover, it's said that Thunderbirds are closely related to Phoenixes, though whether there's reproductive isolation between them is unknown. He ought to check the Thunderbird's gender and consider taking it back to see if it could date the headmaster's—you know, maybe Dumbledore also wouldn't want his pet to end its life in solitude?
Now, taking over isn't troublesome, but how to do so painlessly is the issue. As a group-type organization, Toby Drake was the absolute decision-maker here. Anyone else stepping in wouldn't be respected—William couldn't possibly just step out and beat every one of them, could he?
That would be too much of a time wastage.
He still needed to return to Hogwarts to help "Guide" Mrs. Loris with her health, as the old cat's chronic ailment wasn't easy to handle.
Polyjuice Potion? Imperio? Could be a solution...
But William's final plan was to bring all the valuable items home, as the Room of Requirement lacked no space. Not just a mere Thunderbird; even an air force formation of eight hundred Thunderbirds would be no issue.
Moreover, he had researched the Room of Requirement's space but could never touch upon its core or truth—he suspected this was related to his "permissions" within Hogwarts Castle, yet before he could begin experimenting after becoming a Professor, he was thrown back to his fifth-year self.
...Ah, it's the 1265th day of wanting to be headmaster.
But before he put any of his plans into action, such as extracting the specific locations of those Magical Creatures from the now-normal Toby Drake, a distress call from Kabuda whisked him away directly into the presence of a Fire Dragon. Before he could completely win it over with his charisma...
The roof got blown off...
Things were getting more magical. The startled Fire Dragon nervously flapped its wings, flying into mid-air, and William conveniently took a seat on its head, trying to soothe it. His extraordinarily high Animal Affinity helped calm the slightly uneasy Little Fire Dragon.
So, in the end, the scene turned into him riding the Fire Dragon, facing off against two groups—William wasn't particularly keen on this, but he did need time to figure out the current situation. Naturally, the man who had just spoken and caught everyone's attention also drew William's notice...
Seriously, has this group's taste in fashion not improved in a hundred years?
Seeing the purple buttoned robe the man wore, William almost instantly recognized the emblem pinned to his chest—Poacher, truly an old friend.
When William discovered that the Ashwinder Party hadn't resurged in a hundred years, he even felt a bit frustrated. Normally, where else could he find such an opponent he didn't need to hold back with during fights? The appearance of these "old acquaintances" amused him as he thoughtfully touched his jaw—
Thus, under everyone's watchful eyes, the silhouette squatted and patted the Fire Dragon's head beneath him.
"Roar—"
Fiery Dragon Flames swept across the ground.