Protection Fee

In Anduin's eyes, the match had turned into a Slytherin Seeker wandering all over the pitch, trying to distract the opposing players but refusing to catch the Golden Snitch. Several times, the Snitch had flown right in front of his face, and he'd ignored it completely. The Gryffindor players, meanwhile, were afraid that attacking again would make the match drag on even longer, so they huddled in front of their goal and defended. The remaining Slytherin players attacked while they pressed forward, trying to break the deadlock.

Anduin curled his lip. The match probably wouldn't end anytime soon, and he had no intention of wasting his time there. He told Vivian he was leaving, then walked off the pitch alone.

From the stands in the distance, Travers spotted Anduin leaving and gave a sinister grin. He leaned over and whispered a few words to Randall Rosier beside him, then the two of them left the stands and followed.

Anduin, walking ahead, soon noticed the movement behind him. These kids had no idea how to tail someone. They weren't even trying to hide it.

Seeing this, Anduin knew Travers was looking for trouble. If someone was asking to get hurt, he'd be happy to oblige. After a moment's thought, he changed direction. Instead of heading toward Hogwarts Castle, he made for the Owlery.

When Travers and Rosier saw Anduin turn, they didn't give it much thought. They just sneered and hurried after him.

When Anduin reached the Owlery, he didn't go inside. Instead, he walked around it and headed behind the building. Travers guessed that Anduin had spotted them and was trying to run, so he grabbed Rosier and quickened their pace.

But when they rounded the back of the Owlery, they found Anduin leaning against the wall, watching them as if he'd been waiting.

Seeing that Anduin had stopped running, Travers strode forward with a sneer. "You filthy Mudblood. Why don't you run—"

Before he could finish, a spell shot toward him and sent him crashing to the ground. He passed out on the spot. Seeing Anduin attack without a word, Rosier fumbled for his wand in a panic.

Anduin curled his lip at Rosier's flailing. They'd come looking for trouble without even drawing their wands? How amateurish. And these two thought they could bully people?

Anduin didn't attack Rosier right away. Instead, he calmly walked toward him.

At last, Rosier managed to pull out his wand. He gripped it tightly in both hands and yelled at Anduin in a panic. "Y-you, don't come any closer! If you, if you do, I'll—"

Looking at Rosier's pathetic state, Anduin felt even more contempt. "What will you do if I come closer? Are you going to kill yourself?"

Anduin's words only made Rosier more nervous. He thought Anduin was going to kill him. Had Anduin lured them to this secluded corner to silence them? Tense with fear, Rosier squeezed his eyes shut, clutched his wand in both hands, and let out a cry as he fired a spell.

The spell's aim was absurdly bad. It missed Anduin by several paces, though its power did impress him a little.

"Oh? So nervousness and fear can increase Spell Power?" Anduin stroked his chin thoughtfully, then glanced at Rosier, who was still yelling. "Stop shouting. You could scream your lungs out, and no one would come to save you."

But after hearing that, Rosier didn't quiet down. He only screamed louder, his wand firing spells wildly. Every one of them flew past Anduin.

The shouting was starting to annoy Anduin. He flicked his wand and disarmed Rosier, then strode over and kicked him to the ground. Planting his right foot on Rosier's chest, he bent down and pointed his wand at Rosier's throat. "Do you want to die?"

Rosier ached all over from the kick, and with Anduin standing on his chest, he could barely breathe. He could only beg loudly, "Don't kill me! Please! It was all Travers. It's all his fault, none of this is my fault. He's the one who dragged me here!"

Anduin let out a long breath, feeling rather exasperated. Why were these Pure-bloods so impossible to reason with? Was it because inbreeding had made them all stupid?

"Shut up. I said shut up. I won't say it again." Anduin's icy stare made Rosier shudder. Rosier swallowed and finally stopped babbling, breaking into a fit of coughing instead. He'd probably screamed himself hoarse, and Anduin was still standing on his chest.

Anduin lifted his foot from Rosier's chest and crouched beside him. "Are you scared?"

Rosier caught his breath and rasped, "I-I am!"

Anduin asked again, "Will you still dare to come after me?"

Rosier hurriedly replied, "N-no! I'll stay far away from you from now on. I'll warn Travers not to bother you, either."

"Heh. No need for that. If he wants to come looking for trouble, go ahead and egg him on. Don't hold back on my account," Anduin said with a smile.

Rosier thought Anduin was being sarcastic, and hurriedly replied, "N-no, I won't! I'll keep him far away from you."

Seeing that the boy was thoroughly frightened, Anduin reached out and pulled Rosier to his feet. Rosier's legs buckled, and he nearly sat back down. Anduin hauled him upright, then brushed the dust off his clothes with a smile. "I mean it. If that guy wants to come after me, you don't have to stop him. Though, if you're willing, you can give me a heads-up."

Now Rosier understood what Anduin meant. He wanted him to be an informant. But if he refused, he had no idea what Anduin might do to him. Seeing Anduin's gaze grow more menacing, he could only say, "I-I guess so. But if anyone finds out, I'm finished."

"Don't worry. If you do as I say, I'll protect you. Rosier, have you ever heard of a Protection fee?" Anduin smiled at him, looking as if he'd just spotted a pretty girl.

Rosier had never heard the term before, and asked nervously, "A Protection fee? What does that mean?"

Anduin smiled as he explained, "You give me ten Galleons every month, and I'll keep you safe!"

Rosier shuddered. Wasn't this just extortion dressed up as a Protection fee? Anduin wanted him to be an informant and was going to charge him for it, too? Was there no justice in the world? But although Anduin was smiling at him, the hand gripping his arm was digging painfully into his flesh. Rosier could only ask apprehensively, "But what if I don't have that much money? What happens if I can't pay?"