The door was opened by a boy of about 10 years old, who showed no surprise at Vincent was wearing Mithril Robe.
"Who are you?"
Vincent Wayne.
The boy was clearly taken aback, and looked nervously towards the door.
Vincent stepped into the mansion. "Is Mr. Helmut Schmidt here?"
"Grandpa's here." The boy closed the door. "Wait a moment, I'll call him down."
Like most Pure-blood Wizard families, every decoration in the Schmidt Family mansion exudes a powerful magical aura.
Vincent stood in front of a gorgeous shop window, seemingly very interested in the trinkets inside.
"These are all items that our ancestors used."
Vincent turned around and saw a lean old wizard standing on the stairs leading to the second floor.
He had a full head of silver hair and looked extremely weak, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.
Good evening, Mr. Helmut Schmidt.
Helmut slowly descended the stairs, leaning on his cane. "Good evening, heir to Grindelwald."
Vincent frowned slightly.
These Wizards' Purity Party members all see him as Grindelwald's successor; idealists are really persistent.
"Mr. Schmidt, Grindelwald is just my teacher, I am not his successor."
Helmut seemed somewhat displeased. "So, Mr. Vincent Wayne, what exactly is the purpose of your visit here?"
Vincent looked directly into his weathered eyes and said, "I invite you to join my Succession Society."
"The Succession Society?" Helmut laughed loudly. "What's that? A student club?"
Vincent glanced casually out the window. "Mr. Schmidt, how many years has it been since you last saw the outside world? I mean the Muggle world."
Helmut's displeasure was palpable. "Mr. Wayne, you are Muggle-born wizard, but aren't you underestimating magic?"
This was a sense of superiority stemming from Pure-blood Wizard, Vincent was all too familiar with.
He walked toward the window. "Mr. Schmidt, do you know what I did before I came here?"
Helmut frowned, a strange sense of foreboding rising within him.
"I caused a little trouble for the wizards sent by the German Ministry of Magic to monitor you, and I came in through the front door. Why do you think that is?"
"You..." Helmut's face showed fear, "You actually dared to frame me!?"
Standing by the window Vincent turned and smiled at him. "I don't want to waste time trying to convince you one by one, Mr. Schmidt. You have two choices now: either join my Succession Society or be imprisoned in Erkstag by the German Ministry of Magic."
Helmut could see an indescribable confidence in his smile.
Threatened by someone, and by a boy under 20, Helmut suddenly realized that he was getting old.
"Okay, I'll join your Succession Society."
"A wise choice." Vincent walked up to him, his face contorted wildly. "Next, I'll take your place. With such a commotion, the German Ministry of Magic will lock me up in Erkstag immediately."
Helmut's pupils contracted instantly, as if he had seen something extremely astonishing. "You... your Transfiguration has actually reached this level."
Vincent, whose face was covered by his, made a series of cracking sounds as his bones broke. "Is this strange?"
Vincent's teacher was Grindelwald, whom he had once followed at all costs; it would be strange if he didn't have that level of Transfiguration.
"What is your purpose? Once you step into Erkstag, you will never be able to breathe fresh air again."
Unlike the British Wizarding World, the Germany British Wizarding World had more than one prison specifically for imprisoning wizard criminals, with Erkstag being the highest-level wizard prison among them.
Vincent, now completely transformed into Helmut, removed the Flamel Ring from his hand. "I told you, I don't want to waste time trying to convince you one by one."
"Knock knock—" A knocking sound suddenly rang out on the door.
Vincent reached out and handed over the Flamel Ring. "Isn't Erkstag imprisoning a lot of Wizards' Purity Party members? If I can successfully escape with them, I won't have to prove anything to you or them anymore."
Helmut said with a solemn expression, "Young man, do you know what Erkstag is? It's a dark and hopeless hell."
Vincent lightly shook the ring, gesturing for him to accept it. "Hell? Newt Scamander Mr. Scamander managed to escape it when he was young. Mr. Schmidt, aren't you underestimating me?"
"Knock knock knock—" The knocking outside became more urgent.
Helmut took the ring, his expression unusually complicated. "What if you fail?"
Vincent smiled slightly. "Take your family to Viktor and give him the ring. I know you have a way."
"Bang bang bang—" The knocking outside turned into banging on the door.
Helmut nodded solemnly, "I understand."
The knocking grew louder and louder, Vincent only slowly opened the door after he went upstairs.
Five angry-looking wizards stood outside and rudely entered the mansion to surround Vincent.
"Helmut Schmidt, you just sneaked out, didn't you!"
"Of course," Vincent readily admitted. "Do you enjoy the little troubles I cause you?"
A tall wizard grabbed him by the collar forcefully. "Schmidt! What the hell are you up to!"
Vincent grabbed the other man's wrist. "It's nothing. I'm getting old and just want to find a suitable place to retire and visit some old friends."
The wizard frowned; his wrist, which had been gripped, was suddenly pried open.
"Can't the German Ministry of Magic grant me this small wish?"
The five wizards were on high alert and drew their wands, pointing them at Vincent.
"A visit? Schmidt! You're the one who orchestrated the Fiendfyre in the Black Forest!"
Vincent patted the crumpled collar lightly. "I did it."
He stretched out his hands, his eyes full of provocation. "What? Are the charges not enough?"
Helmut has lived honestly and lawlessly here for half a century, actually dares to challenge the authority of the German Ministry of Magic. This old guy must be crazy.
The tall wizard pulled a pair of silver handcuffs from his pocket. "Schmidt, I'll grant your wish!"
With a "click, "Vincent's hands were cuffed.
His reaction surprised the five wizards; he looked at the silver handcuffs binding his hands with curiosity.
"Schmidt, I advise you to save your breath. These handcuffs were specially made for your Wizards' Purity Party. Once your hands are bound by them, even Grindelwald will be unable to use magic."
Vincent smiled at the tall wizard. "I see."
The handcuffs themselves are not special; their ability to prevent wizards from using magic relies entirely on a complex set of Magical Runes engraved inside their hollow interior.
To enhance its effect, it also contains a very small amount of Mithril, which even someone as powerful as Grindelwald probably wouldn't be able to unravel in a short time.
But Vincent is Alchemists, and not just any ordinary Alchemists.