Protection Fee

In Anduin's eyes, the match devolved into Slytherin's Seeker flitting around the field, attempting to distract the opposing players but making no move to catch the Golden Snitch. Several times, the Golden Snitch flew right in front of his face, yet he remained oblivious. The Gryffindor players, fearing the match would drag on indefinitely if they continued to attack, retreated to defend their goal posts. The remaining Slytherin players attacked while simultaneously targeting the opposing players, trying to break the stalemate.

Anduin pursed his lips. This match wouldn't end anytime soon, and he didn't want to waste his time here. He said a word to Vivian beside him and left the field alone.

In the distant stands, Travers noticed Anduin leaving and flashed a sinister smile. He whispered a few words to Rosier beside him, and the two also left the stadium.

Anduin, walking ahead, quickly sensed the movement behind him. These brats' tracking skills were nonexistent, practically blatant.

Seeing this, Anduin knew Travers was looking for trouble. Since someone was courting death, he would oblige. After a moment's thought, he changed direction, not heading towards Hogwarts Castle but instead diverting towards the Owlery.

Travers and Rosier saw Anduin change course and, without thinking much of it, sneered and quickened their pace to follow.

When they saw Anduin approach the Owlery but not enter, instead circling around to its rear, Travers guessed that the guy had discovered them and was trying to escape. He pulled Rosier along and hurried after him.

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

Seeing that Anduin was no longer running, Travers walked forward with a cold laugh and said, "You filthy Mudblood, why aren't you running..."

Before he could finish, a spell flew out, hitting Travers squarely and sending him flying. He was knocked unconscious. Rosier, seeing Anduin attack without a word, fumbled to draw his wand.

Anduin glanced at Rosier's flustered state and pursed his lips. Coming to cause trouble and not even drawing your wand? How amateurish. And they had the nerve to try bullying?

Anduin didn't attack Rosier immediately. Instead, he walked forward calmly.

Meanwhile, Rosier finally drew his wand. Gripping it tightly, he shouted nervously at Anduin, "You, don't come any closer! If you, if you come any closer, I, I'll..."

Anduin looked at Rosier's pathetic state with even more disdain. "What will you do if I come closer? Are you planning to kill yourself if I come closer?"

Rosier became even more nervous at Anduin's words, thinking Anduin was planning to kill him. Had he lured them to this deserted spot to silence them? Under the stress, Rosier squeezed his eyes shut, gripped his wand, and yelled, firing a spell.

However, the spell's accuracy was abysmal, missing Anduin by several feet. Yet, the spell's power made Anduin raise an eyebrow.

"Oh? It seems tension and fear can also increase a spell's power?" Anduin mused, stroking his chin. He then glanced at the shouting Rosier and said to him, "Stop shouting. Even if you shout until your throat is raw, no one will come to save you."

But instead of quieting down, Rosier shouted even louder, wildly firing spells from his wand. All of them flew erratically past Anduin.

Annoyed by the guy's shouting, Anduin waved his wand, disarming Rosier. He then walked forward and kicked Rosier to the ground. Placing his right foot on Rosier's chest, he leaned down, pointing his wand at the other's throat, and said coldly, "Do you want to die?"

Rosier cried out in pain from the kick and struggled to breathe under Anduin's foot. He begged, "Don't kill me! No, it's all Travers, it's all his doing. It has nothing to do with me. He just dragged me along!"

Anduin let out a long breath, feeling somewhat exasperated. Why were these pure-blood families so difficult to communicate with? Had generations of inbreeding made them all stupid?

"Shut up. I told you to shut up. I don't want to say it again." Anduin's cold gaze made Rosier's skin crawl. He swallowed and finally stopped babbling, instead erupting into a fit of coughing, likely from shouting so much his throat was raw, and with his chest still pinned down.

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

Rosier caught his breath and replied hoarsely, "Scared, I'm scared!"

Anduin asked again, "Will you dare to provoke me again in the future?"

Rosier, not daring to answer yes, quickly said, "No, I won't dare. I'll stay far away from you from now on. I'll also warn Travers not to provoke you."

"Heh, no need for that. If he wants to cause trouble, just egg him on. Don't be polite with me," Anduin said with a smile.

Rosier thought Anduin was being sarcastic and quickly replied, "No, I won't dare. I'll drag him far away from you in the future."

Seeing that the guy was thoroughly terrified, Anduin reached out and pulled Rosier up. As Rosier stood, his legs buckled, and he started to fall. Anduin pulled him up firmly, then helped dust him off, smiling. "I'm serious. If this guy wants to cause trouble in the future, you don't need to stop him. But if you're willing, you can let me know in advance."

Rosier understood Anduin's intention. He wanted him to be an informant. But if he refused now, who knew what Anduin would do to him? Seeing Anduin's increasingly unfriendly gaze, he could only say, "Th-this, okay, fine. But if I'm found out, I'm finished."

"Don't worry, if you behave, I'll protect you. Rosier, have you ever heard of 'protection fees'?" Anduin asked Rosier with a smile, as if looking at a beautiful woman.

Rosier heard the unfamiliar term and, not understanding, nervously asked, "Protection fee? What does that mean?"

Anduin explained with a smile, "It means you give me ten Galleons every month, and I'll be responsible for your safety!"

Rosier shivered all over. This was extortion! They called it a protection fee, and he had to pay to be an informant? Was there any justice? But seeing Anduin's smile, while the hand supporting him was still pinching him tightly, he hesitantly asked, "But what if I don't have that much money? What if I can't afford it?"