Double-cross

A crackling sound rang out without warning on the path leading to Hogsmeade, and a cloaked man appeared out of nowhere. After looking around, he reached into his pocket, took out a mechanical pocket watch, glanced at the time, and then walked along the path shrouded in twilight.

By the time the Cloaked Man entered Hogsmeade, it was completely dark, and lights were flashing in the windows of the shops lining the streets. He walked along the main street for a few minutes before turning onto a side street, where a commotion was taking place from the Hog's Head Pub not far away.

The Hog's Head Pub becomes even more lively at night, attracting many wizards living in the gray area to try their luck. It's not uncommon to encounter smugglers, Potions dealers, or vendors selling other contraband in the bar, and there are even wizards who make robbery a side job.

The bar owner can introduce you to suitable sellers or buyers for anything you need; selling drinks and running a hotel have become his side businesses.

As the Cloaked Man approached the entrance of the Hog's Head Inn, he was greeted by a lively atmosphere mingled with the scent of ale. He looked up at the bar counter, searching for the dragon egg smuggler with whom he had made the appointment.

The Cloaked Man didn't see the person he was supposed to meet at the counter; the other person was late.

"Has that person arrived?" The Cloaked Man sat down at the counter and asked the bar owner, who was wiping glasses with a rag. The guy who smuggled dragon eggs was the seller the bar owner had introduced to him.

"Jack hasn't arrived yet, please wait a moment." The bar owner glanced at the man in front of him, who was bundled up tightly, and asked casually, "What would you like to drink?"

"Whiskey," the Cloaked Man said hoarsely.

Actually, the Cloaked Man didn't want to conduct the transaction in the Hog's Head Pub and was prepared to choose a better place himself, but Mr. Jack insisted on completing the transaction there, so he didn't object anymore.

"He's late!" The Cloaked Man's temper was getting a little bad. He didn't care what was wrong with the damned smuggler, but he was concerned about whether he could get the dragon egg today.

Shortly after, a middle-aged man with thinning hair hurriedly turned into the Hog's Head Pub, greeting others as he walked through the noisy crowd.

"Jack, what good stuff have you gotten your hands on this time?"

Most of the wizards who frequent this place for drinks know this smuggling enthusiast, and some even greet him with a smile.

"Sorry, I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long!" the man codenamed Jack said to the bar owner, his gaze never leaving the cloaked man next to him.

"Where is what I asked for?" the Cloaked Man asked, feigning impatience.

"These are your goods."

Jack opened the leather suitcase in his hand, revealing the contents inside: a dragon egg.

"I went through a lot of trouble to get this, and not a single Galleon will be missing as agreed." Jack closed the suitcase again and rubbed his fingers together to indicate that it was time for the transaction.

"Here!"

The Cloaked Man untied his purse and casually tossed it to the other man. "Not a single penny is missing, but you'll have to pay for this whiskey. It's your fault for wasting so much of my time."

"Oh damn, well, this whiskey is on me, for Galleon's sake." Jack's face practically lit up with a smile as he took the heavy purse of money.

He also handed his suitcase to the Cloaked Man in front of him, letting the man check the authenticity of the goods inside.

The Cloaked Man took the leather case and examined the dragon egg inside again.

"This is a very rare Norwegian Ridgeback. You definitely won't regret it," Jack said to the buyer while inspecting the Galleon. "You just need to put it over a fire and the egg will hatch on its own. After it hatches, you'll need to feed it a barrel of brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour."

At this point, Jack paused abruptly, "However, I need to warn you in advance that these things are very difficult to tame, and they are quite dangerous."

"Do you have any other questions?" Jack asked the big spender in front of him after counting the Galleon.

"No." The Cloaked Man closed the suitcase.

"Then... the transaction is complete."

Jack took a few Galleon out of his purse and placed them on the bar owner's counter as a referral fee.

"Do you know who that mysterious guy is?" Jack asked, watching the Cloaked Man's departing figure.

"I don't know." The bar owner casually swept Galleon into the wooden cash box next to the counter. "He seems to be a middleman, but the price you quoted is a bit high."

"Not much, it's a mutually agreeable deal." Jack glanced at the bar owner, finished his Butterbeer, and muttered, "Forget it, I'd better disappear for a while!"

Jack, who made a fortune of Galleon by smuggling dragon eggs, was very satisfied with the deal. The only downside was that he was being watched.

He noticed that many greedy eyes were staring at him from the surrounding area.

This is the downside of trading at the Hog's Head Pub: once you earn too Galleon, you're likely to attract the attention of some greedy guys.

As for the advantages, it means you don't have to worry about being directly betrayed or robbed.

In Hog's Head Pub, everyone tries to remain restrained. The rule here is to resolve issues outside. Although it's a fragile place with no guarantee of security, everyone still silently abides by this rule. Nobody wants to be robbed during a transaction.

To obtain a dragon egg, one would naturally need to spend a large sum of Galleon.

Jack undoubtedly made a fortune, becoming a prime target for many. Robbing people on the road is also a side job for many wizards living in the gray area.

After Jack hurriedly left the Hog's Head Pub, several greedy-looking wizards immediately got up and followed him.

A series of crackling sounds rang out outside Hog's Head Pub.

Half an hour later, Jack finally managed to use Apparition to shake off the tail following him.

"A bunch of trash, you think you can rob me?" Jack spat on the ground disdainfully, just as he was about to leave. A spell shot out from behind him without warning, striking Jack's back. Just as he was about to stagger and fall, he saw a somewhat familiar figure raising a wand and aiming it at him.

"It's... you!"

Jack's face was full of resentment and anger. He never expected that the buyer would double-cross him. After uttering his last words through gritted teeth, he collapsed.

The Cloaked Man emerged from the shadows, staring expressionlessly at the fallen man before him. He pulled the wand from the man's hand and pointed it at the unconscious Mr. Jack on the ground.

The next moment, an ominous green light appeared in the darkness.

After retrieving his Galleon from Jack's corpse, the Cloaked Man used Transfiguration Spell to turn the body into a stone, then dug Deep Pit and buried the stone inside.

As for the opponent's wand, it was destroyed and burned to ashes, leaving no evidence whatsoever.

"What an idiot, he didn't even notice that his money pouch was under Tracking Charm."

The bright moonlight fell upon the Cloaked Man, whose face trembled slightly beneath the cloak. The Polyjuice Potion was gradually wearing off, and the Cloaked Man's original appearance returned. If the students of Hogwarts were here, they would surely recognize their Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor at a glance.

Quirrell stomped twice on the spot where Mr. Jack's body was buried, then turned and disappeared.