Harry Potter and the Candy Factory

Fire… rampant, all-consuming fire, everywhere.

The desolate night sky had been scorched into a bizarre orange hue by the raging flames.

The once bustling Blind Pig bar was now utterly silent, save for the crackling of old, worm-eaten wood as it burned fiercely.

A wall of fire, more than two meters high, erupted from the entrance of the Blind Pig bar, swallowing everything in its roaring advance.

All the thugs who had been lying in wait were now silent, sprawled on the ground with expressions of either ferocious rage or stark terror.

Faced with overwhelming power, when all resistance proved futile, these villains, who prided themselves on being hunters, were no different from their prey… They, too, would cry out of fear, kneel and beg for mercy, curl into a ball, and tremble like leaves.

And Charlie was in the very heart of the inferno.

He twirled his wand, manipulating everything with the aid of its shimmering light. His posture was ramrod straight, the hot wind carrying embers that made the hem of his trench coat flutter in the air with a rustling sound.

At that moment, Charlie truly seemed like a conductor, his wand the baton, and the flames the orchestra, composing a breathtaking and immersive symphony.

Fields, barely clinging to life, was jolted awake by the cracking of the wood.

Blood blurred his vision, making everything appear hazy.

He didn't know what had happened while he was unconscious, but he understood that the Blind Pig bar, which held all his ambition and dreams, had become a piece of history soon to be forgotten, just like his ancestor…

“Why…?”

Fields struggled, using his hands to prop himself up, and crawled towards the elegant yet demonic man in the distance.

He looked up, his eyes filled with doubt, resentment, and a sense of dread.

Charlie paused in his movements, his raised wand halting in mid-air.

He lowered his gaze to the pathetic figure at his feet, pondered for a moment, and then softly offered his answer.

“Because I want to…”

Then, as if afraid that Fields wouldn't understand, he thoughtfully added,

“Just like my little friend Dabu… You could chop off his leg for fun, even almost take his young life.”

Charlie paused, seemingly noticing the undisguised bewilderment in Fields' eyes, and continued,

“Perhaps in your eyes, possessing greater power means you can treat him however you like, according to your whims… To treat his life as something you own, even denying him the chance to eke out an existence, which he should regard as a gift.”

“So, now that you face an even greater power… it’s only fair that the roles are reversed.”

With those words, tinged with a hint of emotion, Charlie said no more.

“Alright, die in peace.”

He gently raised his wand, beckoning the flames to transform into several fiery hounds, which pounced on Fields, tearing into his small body without mercy.

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

Outside the inferno, when the Aurors arrived, accompanied by several “crackling” sounds, they were immediately stunned by the unprecedented scene before them.

It was vastly different from what they had imagined…

They had expected a scene of a dozen or so wizards engaged in a fierce battle, but upon arriving, they found only one person standing there.

The scorching heat distorted the air, creating a natural barrier between the outside and the inside.

Although they could vaguely see the tall, dark figure in the firelight, his face was unusually blurred, as if shrouded in mist.

“Damn it, stop him!!”

The first to react was Tust, the veteran Auror.

His brow furrowed into a knot, and with a sharp shout, he expertly flicked his wand.

Almost without hesitation, a Disarming Charm, as thick as a baby's arm and glowing with a bright red light, shot from the tip of his wand, aiming directly at the wand in Charlie's hand.

Charlie glanced sideways at the belated arrivals, raising an eyebrow without much surprise… After all, with such a large scene, if no Aurors came, then the American magical world would be truly beyond saving.

The original Fields at his feet had already been “torn” into an unrecognizable shape by the fiery hounds, reduced to a pile of charred remains.

He stopped paying attention to him, and looking at the Disarming Charm that was hurtling towards him, Charlie's expression remained unchanged, and he slightly flicked the wrist holding his wand.

With a “boom!”, just as Charlie was about to be hit, an even more powerful Disarming Charm erupted from the tip of his wand, easily neutralizing the incoming attack.

“Let me tell you a secret…”

Charlie turned directly to face the Aurors who had rushed to the scene, his tone relaxed, even with a hint of banter.

“Next time, it’s best not to let your target notice you before you wave your wand.”

“…”

Ignoring Charlie's playful words, Tust made no further move after his Disarming Charm was so easily deflected.

He was no fool. From the way the other party had blocked his spell, all the Aurors present could see a lot.

Very strong… really very strong.

The same thought arose in everyone's mind…

For a moment, even though they had just arrived at the scene, all the Aurors' hearts sank, and the scene fell silent again.

The guy standing in the sea of fire, controlling everything, was not someone that ordinary Aurors could deal with hastily.

Even with preparation, it would be a fierce battle.

And now… the outcome seemed self-evident.

“You have violated the relevant laws established by the Magical Congress! Involved in serious crimes! Put down your wand immediately and accept arrest, or you will be responsible for the consequences!”

Just as all the Aurors were gripping their wands tightly, unsure whether to act, Serra, who was at the rear, broke the terrifying silence.

She strode forward, standing at the front. Her gaze was sharp and bright, without any impurities, as she looked directly at Charlie in the fire and resolutely raised her wand.

Her forceful and firm voice rang out, as if naturally possessing a power to inspire, even though the Aurors understood that the other party would not really drop his weapon and surrender, it still eased their sinking hearts.

Even Charlie was a bit surprised… His gaze followed the direction of the sound, landing on the girl who looked obviously young.

After a pause of one or two seconds, he shook his head helplessly.

“Sorry, even though you say that, I still can't surrender…”

As he spoke, as if deliberately, the wand in his hand emitted a violent tremor, finally pointing directly at Serra Stewart…

“Serra, step back!!!!!”

Tust's pupils shrank, as if anticipating some terrifying result, and while shouting loudly, he stretched out his hand and grabbed her arm, trying to pull her back.

However, this stubborn little girl's feet were like tree roots, firmly planted in place, and no matter how Tust pulled, she wouldn't budge an inch.

Her gaze remained fearless, like a knight, unwavering.

Facing the wand pointed at her, Serra responded with the same posture.

“Come on… a wizard's duel, just like at Ilvermorny…”

Gu 𪡀

Her mouth continued to mutter to herself.

The tip of Serra's wand began to flicker with a red light, and accompanied by her extraordinary willpower constantly injected into it, that faint red began to become more and more intense and dazzling.

“Interesting…”

Charlie laughed and gently shook his own wand.

The wand with the inferior troll hair core also flickered with light, but unlike ordinary wands, at this moment, it was not only the tip that lit up, but the entire wand body, faintly revealing light from the inside through several cracks.

“Crack”

Charlie heard a soft sound…

It was the sound made by this wand. Moreover, as Charlie's magic power continued to be injected, the sound became more frequent and obvious.

“Tsk…”

He looked down at the ugly wand that seemed to have swelled up like it had been soaked, and a few traces of regret couldn't help but appear in his eyes.

“Okay, it looks like I can't continue…” he said to himself.

Looking at the opposite side, the magic power gathered at the tip of that little girl's wand had already reached a level that even he couldn't help but look at with new eyes.

“Serra, is it?” In Charlie's mind, the name that Tust had just said flashed by.

Finally, it seemed that the little girl's magic power had reached the limit of what she could do.

“—Expelliarmus!”

The loud voice shouted from her mouth, and the extremely rich magic power also emerged instantly as her voice fell.

The surging disarming spell, like a red tide, swept past quickly, illuminating everything around it, and even the noisy burning flames were instantly extinguished into nothingness.

The red light in front shone brightly, and Charlie's wand, which was originally pointed at the opponent, suddenly changed direction and pointed at the ground.

“Protego Diabolica!” he whispered.

Black flames rose up, and almost the moment they were released, they absorbed all the surrounding flames, using them for their own use, and turned into a ring-shaped fire curtain to completely cover Charlie's figure.

“Crack!!!!”

And at the moment when the magic power completely poured out, the tearing, ear-piercing sound became extremely clear.

The wand exploded in Charlie's hand, turning into two halves, emitting wisps of smoke, completely scrapped…

“Boom!!!!!”

The terrifying disarming spell still failed to break through the black fire curtain, even if it was completely worn down, it didn't make it even a bit thinner, let alone hurt Charlie inside.

“Okay, anyway, the matter is done.”

He curled his lips, threw the useless wand on the ground casually, and wiped his hands in disgust.

Charlie skillfully snapped his fingers.

“Snap!”

The Fire Shield Charm had not yet dissipated, but he had already disappeared.

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

The next morning, inside the Major Crimes Investigation Division office of the Woolworth Building.

With a “Bang!”, Tust's palm slammed heavily on the desk, staring at Serra Stewart, who was shrinking her neck like a wilted quail, with unprecedented anger.

“A dozen Galleons a month! What are you risking your life for!?!?!?!?”

He roared loudly, his voice almost penetrating the wooden door of the office, scaring the passing staff outside.

Serra shrank her neck even more, and could only open her mouth and mutter a few words in a low voice to defend herself.

Of course, the sound could only be heard by herself.

“What do you want me to say to you!?”

Tust breathed heavily through his nose and continued to scold.

“Do you know!?” You almost died there!!! If that guy had been a little more insane! If he hadn't used that defensive magic, but cast Avada Kedavra… you would be gone!!!!”

“Not really, right?” Serra grinned, smiling ingratiatingly.

“Not really?”

Tust also laughed, but he was laughing out of extreme anger.

He yanked open the drawer of his desk and took out a transparent evidence bag from it.

What was placed inside was the wand that Charlie had casually thrown on the scene, broken into two pieces.

“This is the wand that guy used at the time—troll hair core, hornbeam material.”

As he spoke, Tust slammed it heavily on the table.

“A person who can cast that kind of spell with this kind of inferior product… if the other party wants to, we will all be left there!!!!!”

As Tust spoke, his eyes couldn't help but tremble, as if even he himself felt lingering fear for the sudden incident last night.

… … … …

“Sigh…”

After a scolding, Tust finally vented all the anger in his heart.

He pinched his throbbing temples, and his voice softened a lot.

“Don't let this kind of thing happen again… This is the Major Crimes Investigation Division, not a place for you to be a hero alone.”

“I know…” Serra replied weakly, and after she finished speaking, it was unknown whether she had really listened.

“Then what about that guy?”

Her shoulders slowly relaxed, and she changed the subject to ask.

“Since he's so strong… are we still going to catch him?”

“Definitely…”

Tust's voice carried a bit of complexity as he replied.

“After all, the matter is too serious, and the people above are already going crazy, demanding that we must catch him…”

As he spoke, a hint of mockery appeared on Tust's face.

Naturally, he wouldn't tell Serra that the owner of the Blind Pig Bar, Fildes, would distribute money to several councilors above every month…

Now that the financial path is broken, a group of angry councilors naturally want to give that ignorant guy a taste of their power.