Ch. 1522Research amid a Hail of Bullets

Vizet led the Hit Wizards into the Appaloosa Family manor, where an armed group ambushed them with bullets and spells. Protected by Vizet’s Magical Energy Field, he revealed he had devised a spell to drive away bullets and prepared to test it.

  • Paul Smith noticed the manor’s Mahogany Door had been replaced and protected by magic, but Vizet silently opened it.
  • The group found people waiting inside the living room, who unleashed a barrage of bullets and spells at them.
  • Vizet’s Magical Energy Field shielded the group from the attack, leaving Paul Smith and the other Hit Wizards unharmed.
  • Vizet explained that he had used the attack to study firearm firepower and had researched a spell to drive away bullets.
  • As the attackers paused to observe the situation, Vizet stepped toward the ruined mansion and greeted them.

Ch. 1523It Was Still Working Hours

Vizet demonstrated Averte Telum to Paul Smith and the others, showing how it could protect them and send bullets back at their attackers. As the Dark Wizards and their allies lay defeated, Paul reminded everyone that they were still on duty.

  • Vizet cast Averte Telum, creating a golden protective field that bounced incoming bullets away.
  • Vizet cast the spell again and sent the bullets flying back along their original paths, destroying gun barrels and injuring the gunmen.
  • Vizet explained that the magic moved with its caster and relied on survival instinct to endure and fear to divert attacks.
  • The Muggle family members discovered that the Dark Wizards beside them had been petrified and realized their defeat had been inevitable.
  • Will, Jerry, and Jimmy tried to pronounce Averte Telum until Paul Smith reminded them to focus on their duties.

Ch. 1524The Sudden Rocket

Vizet’s Magic Golden Light stopped a rocket attack until a strange liquid corroded an opening, but the rocket still failed to harm the group. Afterward, Vizet and Paul Smith suspected the liquid and the rocket’s probe might involve goblin craft, leaving their origin to be investigated.

  • A rocket streaked toward Paul Smith and the others, and a glowing liquid from its probe corroded part of Vizet’s Magic Golden Light.
  • The rocket passed through the opening but seemed unable to intersect with Brian, who fell and screamed before realizing he was unharmed.
  • The Muggles watched the rocket’s strange failure, and one of them said he wanted to learn magic.
  • Vizet summoned four rockets from the entrance hall and identified a droplet of the corrosive liquid for Paul Smith to examine.
  • Paul Smith suspected goblins had supplied the liquid and probe, apologized for demanding their execution, and thanked Vizet for saving him.

Ch. 1525In Any Case, He Was Very Confident

After Vizet subdued the Gambino Family’s Dark Wizards and Muggle members, Paul Smith and the Hit Wizards began securing the captives and preparing to interrogate them. The Muggle family members, having witnessed Vizet’s magic, feared the power of wizards and wondered how formidable Albus Dumbledore must be.

  • Paul Smith recognized a captured Dark Wizard as a Haitian smuggler and former target who had joined the Gambino Family.
  • Paul Smith confirmed that New York Mafia families had recruited Dark Wizards after the Paris Region Incident, while Will and Jimmy complained about their increased workload and reliance on potions.
  • Paul Smith and the Hit Wizards found that their Universal Counter-Curses could not free the Dark Wizards because Vizet controlled them.
  • Paul Smith ordered the Hit Wizards to search the captives and gather them near the ruined entrance hall before Vizet lifted his spells for interrogation.
  • The Muggle family members recalled seeing Vizet’s magic stop bullets and a rocket, and feared how powerful Albus Dumbledore might be.

Ch. 1526Bring the Guests "Back"

Vizet used Ancient Magic to summon the people who had fired rockets at the manor back to Paul Smith and the Hit Wizards. The interrogation revealed that the rockets came from a Goblin source and that an equipment specialist called the Engineer, apparently named William, was at the hideout.

  • Vizet finished recording his ideas for improving his bullet-deflecting magic while Paul Smith and the others gathered the searched family members.
  • Vizet cast an Improved Summoning Charm and dragged more than a dozen fleeing attackers back to the manor.
  • Paul Smith and the Hit Wizards restrained the returned attackers with the Full Body-Bind Curse, and Vizet assured the gathered families that no one could escape.
  • Paul Smith began questioning the captives after Vizet lifted the magic binding the Dark Wizards.
  • The captives identified the Engineer as the source of their rockets, said Goblins had provided them, and named William as the Engineer before the investigators pieced together a broader network of relationships.

Ch. 1527Where Is the Person Giving the Orders

The Hit Wizards pieced together clues about the attack and concluded that a missing commander had likely escaped before the hidden sentries acted. They looked for Vizet, hoping his magic could help identify the person giving orders.

  • Jimmy, Brian, Will, and Jerry compared their findings and noted that the five New York Muggle Mafias were involved, but their members would not reveal who was in charge.
  • Paul Smith argued that the hidden sentries’ delayed attack suggested the overall commander had been inside the mansion and fled before giving them orders.
  • Jimmy reasoned that the commander had waited to ensure his own escape before ordering the sentries to attack, though the group could not confirm the theory.
  • Will suggested asking Vizet to use his magic, but the Hit Wizards realized he was missing and asked Paul where he might have gone.

Ch. 1528Joseph Bonanno's Safe House

Joseph Bonanno ordered his people to destroy the safe house and escaped with Mrs. Appaloosa and Roz using a Chocolate Frog card as a Portkey. In Gringotts’ Thief-Proof Waterfall chamber, Mrs. Appaloosa realized the moving figure on Roz’s card was someone she recognized, and she clutched her son as he asked who it was.

  • Joseph Bonanno learned that a sixth attacker had stopped his men and ordered Profa to blow up their location in ten seconds.
  • Joseph Bonanno made Mrs. Appaloosa and Roz Appaloosa take hold of a parchment so they could escape with him.
  • Mrs. Appaloosa and Roz arrived at Joseph Bonanno’s furnished safe house, where Roz vomited from the Portkey journey.
  • Roz showed his mother a moving Chocolate Frog card, and Mrs. Appaloosa recognized the figure despite the Thief-Proof Waterfall’s magic-disrupting effect.
  • Roz asked who the figure was, and Mrs. Appaloosa froze and held him tighter.

Ch. 1529I Thought You'd Actually Welcome Me!

Mrs. Appaloosa hid the Chocolate Frog card and promised Roz Appaloosa they would keep it secret while Joseph Bonanno and Profa took shelter in a Goblin-magic Safe House. Vizet arrived and defeated both men, leaving Joseph Bonanno and Profa floating helplessly before him.

  • Mrs. Appaloosa gave Roz Appaloosa the Chocolate Frog card to hide and made him promise not to tell anyone.
  • Joseph Bonanno decided to stay in the Safe House until the danger at the Magical Congress passed and ordered Profa to check on the survivors.
  • Profa failed to contact any of the hidden sentries, and Joseph Bonanno blamed the Goblins for misleading him.
  • Vizet appeared in the Safe House, and Profa shot at him.
  • Vizet turned Joseph Bonanno's bullet back on him, wounded him and Profa, then used his Wand to make both men float.

Ch. 1530Joseph Bonanno's Overture

Vizet restrained Profa and Joseph Bonanno, then questioned Bonanno about an ambush at the old factory. Bonanno denied involvement and tried to win Vizet over, but Vizet ended by asking what he knew about the Magical World and magic.

  • Vizet held Profa and Joseph Bonanno suspended in the air, and Profa's pain eased whenever he stayed quiet.
  • Joseph Bonanno asked Vizet's name and offered to clear up their misunderstanding, while Mrs. Appaloosa feared Vizet might accept his overture.
  • Vizet asked Joseph Bonanno whether his men had carried out the ambush at the old factory.
  • Joseph Bonanno denied knowing about the ambush and suggested someone had framed him.
  • Vizet asked Joseph Bonanno how much he knew about the Magical World and magic.

Ch. 1531Methods for Resisting "Veritaserum" and "Legilimency"

Vizet questioned Joseph Bonanno about Veritaserum and Legilimency, then revealed that a Magic Contract could resist them. Joseph realized Vizet had never trusted him and erupted in fury, while Mrs. Appaloosa was relieved that Vizet had not been deceived.

  • Joseph Bonanno claimed he revered magic and wanted to work with Vizet, while Mrs. Appaloosa watched uneasily.
  • Vizet asked Joseph about Veritaserum and Legilimency, and Joseph offered to undergo either test to prove his honesty.
  • Vizet told Joseph that Aurors could not use those methods because magic such as Occlumency could resist them.
  • Vizet revealed that a Magic Contract was another way to resist Veritaserum and Legilimency, making Joseph realize Vizet had suspected him all along.
  • Joseph cursed Vizet in anger, and Mrs. Appaloosa relaxed after seeing that Vizet had not been fooled.

Ch. 1532Your Performance Was Truly Masterful

Vizet questioned Mrs. Appaloosa about Joseph Bonanno’s schemes and the Goblins’ Magic Contract while keeping Bonanno restrained and silenced. After Mrs. Appaloosa revealed what she knew, Vizet exposed Bonanno’s performance as an attempt to mislead them and identified Legilimency as the means by which he learned the truth.

  • Vizet restored Joseph Bonanno’s damaged handgun and held it against his forehead while asking whether Goblins had supplied the Magic Contract.
  • Mrs. Appaloosa confirmed that Goblins had provided Bonanno with the contract and began explaining his plan, while Bonanno tried to interrupt her.
  • Vizet silenced Bonanno, and Mrs. Appaloosa revealed that Remus Lupin had been the target, that Bonanno worked with Mafia members, and that Goblins helped build the Safe House with a Thief-Proof Waterfall.
  • Mrs. Appaloosa described Bonanno’s plan for the old factory district and finished sharing the secrets she knew.
  • Vizet suggested that Bonanno should feel at ease after hearing her testimony, then called his behavior a performance and revealed that he had used Legilimency.

Ch. 1533Simple Hatred

Vizet questioned Joseph Bonanno and discovered that Bonanno hated wizards because magic had disrupted his hallucinogen business. Vizet used Bonanno’s reactions to test his deductions about the Magic Contract and the Fidelius Charm, ending by asking whether Bonanno would trust an inanimate object.

  • Vizet praised Joseph Bonanno’s performance and used Legilimency to see through his apparent sincerity.
  • Joseph Bonanno admitted he hated wizards because pain-relieving magic threatened his hallucinogen sales.
  • Mrs. Appaloosa slapped Joseph Bonanno twice after he insulted wizards and boasted about suing them.
  • Vizet explained that he was using Bonanno’s thoughts to test his theories about the Magic Contract and asked whether Bonanno believed in the Fidelius Charm.
  • Joseph Bonanno closed his eyes and refused to respond, so Vizet asked whether he would trust a cold, lifeless object.

Ch. 1534Didn't Want to Know? Then Forget It

Vizet confronted Joseph Bonanno with his deductions about the Magic Contract and explained how Bonanno had exposed his thoughts. The chapter left Bonanno terrified as Vizet threatened to curse him.

  • Joseph Bonanno worried that his reactions had confirmed Vizet's deduction about the Magic Contract.
  • Vizet revealed that he could cast Legilimency without eye contact and told Bonanno he had noticed flaws in his behavior.
  • Vizet cast a Silencing Charm, pressed his Wand to Bonanno's temple, and described a curse that could target people who took a particular professorship.
  • Joseph Bonanno realized Vizet was threatening to curse him and screamed that the authorities would discover it.
  • Vizet said the curse would be difficult to detect and that his friends in the Magical Congress could protect him, leaving Bonanno shaking with fear.

Ch. 1535A Preview of Tonight

Vizet confronted Joseph Bonanno, explaining that his curse would target members of Bonanno’s organization and those who had benefited from it. He began casting “Consensus” Magic on Bonanno, discovering that many people held grievances against him.

  • Vizet told Joseph Bonanno that people could avoid the curse by leaving his organization, while Bonanno and those who benefited from his power would face the consequences.
  • Vizet revealed that he was the person Bonanno had once dismissed as being pushed to the front of the stage, and said he was preparing for something important that night.
  • Vizet raised his Wand and said he would extract Bonanno’s memories after completing a magical experiment.
  • Bonanno collapsed, begged Vizet for mercy, and eventually muttered that he wanted to die.
  • Vizet began casting “Consensus” Magic and sensed that many people had complaints about Bonanno.

Ch. 1536Just a Job—He Still Wanted to Stay Alive

Profa tried to figure out how to survive after Joseph Bonanno was taken down, but Vizet’s Legilimency made clear that he could not hide anything. Vizet told Profa they were heading to the next stop and that his current predicament was the result of his own choices.

  • Profa reasoned that his loyalty to Joseph Bonanno had only been about the money and considered offering Vizet secrets in exchange for protection.
  • Profa realized Vizet might be using Legilimency to uncover Joseph Bonanno’s secrets and gave up on trying to conceal anything.
  • When Vizet approached, Profa panicked and insisted he had kept his eyes shut, then offered to let Mrs. Appaloosa confirm it.
  • Vizet used Legilimency on Profa, who sensed his consciousness blur and recalled Joseph Bonanno’s failed attempts to deceive the Wizard.
  • Vizet said they were going to the next stop and told Profa that his situation was the result of his choices, and Profa weakly agreed.

Ch. 1537Can He Join the Magical Congress and Become an Auror?

Vizet respected Mrs. Appaloosa’s decision to have her memories erased before she returned to her family manor. Meanwhile, Paul Smith and the other Aurors finished their work at Appaloosa Manor and debated whether to wait for Vizet or report back to the Magical Congress.

  • Mrs. Appaloosa asked Vizet to erase her memories so she would not accidentally reveal information during questioning by Aurors, and Vizet agreed to respect her choice.
  • At Appaloosa Manor, Paul Smith and the others searched for Vizet but found no trace of him.
  • Will, Jimmy, Jerry, and Brian discussed the captured Dark Wizards and joked about keeping part of a bonus for drinks before sending the rest to Vizet.
  • Brian asked whether Vizet might join the Magical Congress as an Auror, but Paul Smith said there was no chance.
  • Jimmy and Will guessed that Vizet had gone to pursue the real culprit, while Jerry asked whether they should wait for him or return to report in.

Ch. 1538The Magic Contract Still in Effect

Vizet returned with Joseph Bonanno and explained why Bonanno and his subordinates could not be interrogated under their Magic Contract. He revealed that the contract was centered on weapon power rather than human behavior, leaving Paul Smith and the others to consider how that could help them.

  • Paul Smith and the four Hit Wizards decided to delay returning to duty and planned to notify the Magical Congress about their discovery.
  • Vizet returned with Joseph Bonanno and two others, identifying Bonanno as the instigator behind both incidents.
  • Will confirmed that the restrained family members remained bound by the Magic Contract, and Vizet said Bonanno was protected by it as well.
  • Vizet learned that the weapons were still at the site and explained that the Magic Contract was centered on weapon power, not human behavior.

Ch. 1539The Secret of the Goblin Magic Contract

Vizet explained that Joseph Bonanno’s goblin Magic Contract remained valid because the weapons supplied for the failed mission had not been proven ineffective. The group realized they needed to destroy the weapons to break the contract, leaving Jimmy eager to secure a confession and arrest Bonanno.

  • Vizet explained that goblins regard crafted items as belonging to their makers, even when buyers pay for them.
  • Mrs. Appaloosa realized the goblins had called her a thief because they believed her family’s heirlooms rightfully belonged to the goblins.
  • Vizet reasoned that the failed mission did not invalidate Bonanno’s Magic Contract because its weapons would remain evidence and had not been proven ineffective.
  • Paul Smith realized Bonanno had exploited the weapons’ status as evidence to keep the contract in force.
  • Vizet said destroying the weapons would break the Magic Contract, and Jimmy eagerly looked forward to getting a confession and arresting Bonanno.

Ch. 1540We're Professionals!

Vizet offered to destroy the weapons without damaging them, and Paul Smith formally appointed him a Special Consultant to handle the evidence. After the Hit Wizards discovered that Vizet had been hiding his identity with a Confundus Charm, they returned to work, and Vizet began cutting apart the weapons.

  • Jerry explained that the weapons had to remain intact for the Muggles to examine, so Blasting Curses could not be used.
  • Vizet offered to destroy the weapons, and Paul Smith formally requested that he serve as a Special Consultant, with the Hit Wizards recording the process.
  • Paul Smith revealed that the consultant was Vizet Lovegood, and Vizet explained that he had concealed his identity with a Confundus Charm.
  • The Hit Wizards reacted with surprise and anger, then agreed to resume their duties after Vizet urged them to finish the case.
  • Vizet cast a Cutting Curse on the weapons, producing a faint, continuous rustling sound.

Ch. 1541It Was Already Somewhat Hard to Understand

Vizet used a precise Cutting Curse and other magic to shrink a mountain of weapons into a briefcase, giving Paul Smith evidence to break Joseph Bonanno’s Magic Contract and continue interrogating suspects. Paul Smith and the others brought the bound suspects back to the Magical Congress, where their arrival stunned the employees.

  • Vizet cut the weapons into uniform cubes, assembled them into a giant cube, and shrank it into a briefcase for Paul Smith.
  • Paul Smith ordered the four Hit Wizards to interrogate the suspects again, and Engineer said Mr. Bonanno had ordered the weapons modified to fight wizards.
  • The freed family members and Dark Wizard family members identified Joseph Bonanno, while Vizet repaired the damaged mansion with Reparo.
  • Paul Smith and the Hit Wizards escorted more than a dozen bound, battered suspects into the Magical Congress hall.
  • The employees stared at the suspects and wondered where they had come from and why some seemed to be Muggles.
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