The Butcher of Hogsmeade

Faced with the Pewter brothers' horrified stares, Shen Hou patiently explained, "Sending me to Hogsmeade to create the impression that I'm seeking refuge is just the first step, right? Sirius's plan is to lure the Death Eaters here and catch a big fish in Hogsmeade."

"That's true, but..."

"But I can't make it too obvious." Shen Hou quickly interrupted Gideon. He didn't want one-sided persuasion to turn into a debate between the two sides. "The outside world thinks I'm here to seek refuge, so I should act like I'm seeking refuge. I can't be seeking refuge on one hand and being openly active on the other. That would only arouse suspicion. But I also have to actively expose my weaknesses in terms of security. Otherwise, if the Death Eaters can't find an opportunity, they might not come at all, or they might lie in wait for a long time, and we'll be at a disadvantage."

"But what does this have to do with the Pig's Head Bar?" Gideon's thoughts were unconsciously diverted. He was no longer thinking about not causing trouble for the Pig's Head Bar, but rather why he should cause trouble for the Pig's Head Bar. Subconsciously, he had changed from a "must-have" option to an "optional" option.

Suppressing his inner elation, Shen Hou continued to refine his excuse: "The Hog's Head Bar would be the most credible reason, allowing me to legitimately expose a security breach without arousing suspicion. Many people saw me get beaten up at the Hog's Head Bar; they all know I have a grudge against the bar owner. Now, this enemy of mine has returned with the Ministry of Magic's administrative order to crack down on the black market, and the Hog's Head Bar happens to be a semi-public underground black market. You see, a young man who has suddenly gained power, finding an opportunity to settle a score—isn't that only natural?"

Gideon was speechless. He subconsciously felt that this was wrong, but he couldn't find a reason to object. He turned to ask his brother to speak up for him, but found that Fabian was excited and eager to see what would happen.

"This wasn't mentioned when the plan was made. Should we discuss it with Professor Dumbledore and the others first..." Gideon still intended to try and change things up.

"That's right. When we were making the plan, we only said to act according to circumstances. First, send me to Hogsmeade to create public opinion. Then we can discuss how to expose our flaws later. The problem is, we have a ready-made excuse. It would seem natural to do it right away, driven by our youthful impetuosity. If we wait a while before going, it would seem very deliberate and would easily arouse suspicion."

Shen Hou spoke with great conviction, clearly making unfounded accusations, yet he spoke with such righteous indignation and seriousness, while someone nearby chimed in, eager to stir up trouble.

"Shen is right, and we do have the Ministry of Magic's order. We can't just come to Hogsmeade and do nothing, can we? He's the one who's been running the black market so brazenly. Even if it's just for show, we have to go to the Hog's Head."

Shen Hou, pleased with his "support," headed straight for the Pig's Head Bar. Gideon, pulling his brother back, whispered reprimandingly, "What are you doing? Giving Aberforth trouble? Are you crazy?"

"It's not a big deal, it's fun! That old guy's always stern and cursing, and if you go in and buy him a drink, it's like you owe him money. Now we finally have a chance to joke around with him..." Fabian grinned mischievously. "Let me tell you, maybe Sirius thought the same thing. Do you think he thought of the Hog's Head when he came up with his plan? Come on, everyone knows where the most worthwhile black market to investigate in Hogsmeade is."

After finishing speaking, Fabian impatiently shook off his brother's hand and strode after Shen Hou. Gideon had no choice but to catch up quickly. He finally managed to stop Shen Hou just before they reached the Pig's Head Bar. After much persuasion and insistence, Gideon reluctantly agreed to lead the "investigation work" after they entered the bar.

"Don't say a word once you're inside. I'll handle everything." Gideon was still giving a stern warning right before pushing the door open, because he seriously lacked trust in the two behind him. Fabian was a "troublemaker" he had known since birth, while the other, a former Muggle, was gradually showing his restless nature as he became more familiar with the magical world, and was getting more and more in sync with Fabian.

The Hogshead Bar remained dark and filthy, and the patrons inside were still hiding their heads and tails. Five or six out of seven or eight people covered their faces with masks or hoods; some even wore werewolf hoods, unafraid of being ganged up on by the Hogsmeade villagers if they went outside, after all, the "werewolf tide" had only just passed a month ago.

Upon entering, amidst a multitude of gazes—some surprised, some guilty, some disgruntled—Giddyon was about to greet the bar owner when he heard Fabian's voice behind him: "Aurors, temporary search. Keep your hands on the table. Don't let me see any fidgeting, and especially don't let me see any wands..."

The shouting was louder than ever before, making Gidden feel like dying. Damn it, how could he be so naive? He knew he couldn't trust this kid from the moment he was born, but after more than thirty years, he still hadn't learned his lesson.

"Get out!" The bar owner shouted angrily from behind the bar, his hair shaking with rage.

Since Fabian had already started the operation, how could Shen Hou not seize the opportunity to follow suit? He immediately raised his hand, opened a roll of parchment, and held it up to show everyone. Regardless of whether people could see it clearly in the dim light, his shouting was no less loud than Fabian's: "An administrative order issued by the Minister of Magic's office authorizes us to conduct temporary searches of any suspicious locations that may be part of the black market. Everyone must cooperate, otherwise it will be considered as resisting law enforcement."

"Alright, no need for greetings." Gideon shook his head and sighed inwardly at the bar owner's look.

"Want to confirm?" Shen Hou leaned in close, waving the administrative order document in his hand towards the bar counter, his expression and tone almost provocative. "Or rather, do you want to object?"

"You...it's you?" The bar owner quickly recognized Shen Hou's identity. After all, it was rare even in the magical world for a stranger to roll out of his fireplace without going through the Floo Net, so he naturally left a deep impression.

The old man's face darkened further; if he still couldn't see that the young man was planning to take revenge, then his nearly 100 years of life would have been wasted.

The bar owner's gaze was so fierce it looked like he wanted to devour someone, but the problem was that the administrative order was real, and he couldn't and wouldn't resist it.

Aside from the Mysterious Man and the Death Eaters, no one dares to challenge the Ministry of Magic's authority to its face. Whether they are petty thieves or smugglers, what they do in secret is another matter, but when they encounter Ministry of Magic law enforcement officers, their first reaction is always to run away.

Sure enough, once it was confirmed that the bar owner did not intend to defy the Ministry of Magic's executive order, some of the patrons immediately prepared to flee.

There were two people sitting at the same table, one wearing a wide hood and the other with his face wrapped in a white cloth like a mummy. They were sitting at the table closest to the door. When the "enforcement trio" pushed the door open, their reaction was the most nervous and guilty.

As the Auror drew ever closer and the search was about to begin, the two finally couldn't hold back any longer. The hooded one pulled a wand from his sleeve, and a curse flew toward Gideon. "The Mummy," on the other hand, focused his attention on Shen Hou, raising his hand so that the tip of his wand almost pierced Shen Hou's eye.

There was a crisp "snap" sound, as if the tip of the cane had pierced something.