Mundungus Captured
August 2nd, evening.
The hottest day of summer was finally coming to an end, and the square houses Privet Drive were shrouded in a drowsy silence.
As usual since the summer holidays, Harry lay flat on the flowerbed outside 4 Privet Drive, hidden behind a large clump of hydrangeas, secretly listening to the Muggle news playing on the television in the living room. He thought this would keep him away from everyone's attention—and it must be said, he did avoid the Dursleys' annoying stares, but little did he know that he was actually under Mundungus's surveillance the whole time.
"The strike by Spain baggage handlers has entered its second week, leaving large numbers of vacationers stranded at airports—" The news anchor's voice calmly recounted the dull news on television.
Harry, standing in the flowerbed outside, felt a weight lifted from his heart. If something had really happened, it would have been headline news; death and disaster were far more important than vacationers stranded at the airport.
Just as he was about to get up and leave, a loud, echoing explosion, like a gunshot, shattered the drowsy silence.
A scream, a curse, and the sound of shattering porcelain echoed from the Dursley family's living room. Harry, seemingly waiting for this signal, jumped to his feet, simultaneously drawing a thin wooden wand from his jeans pocket like a sword—but before he could fully straighten up, his head slammed into the Dursley family' open window. The loud bang startled Aunt Petunia, who screamed even louder.
He had barely managed to stand up straight when Mr. Dursley reached out from the window and grabbed him by the throat. Just as Harry was about to suffocate, a surge of magic within him suddenly shook Mr. Dursley's hands off him. Before Mr. Dursley could curse, he turned and ran across the lawn in front of the door, over the garden wall, and escaped into the street.
"That's the sound of Apparition..." Harry murmured. He was very familiar with the sound, because Dobby always made that sound when he disappeared into thin air. "Who could it be?"
On the same day, in Knockturn Alley, a hidden and dimly lit alley.
With a crackling sound, Mundungus Fletcher's furtive figure appeared.
The alleyway seemed even more eerie in the darkness. A foul, damp air permeated the narrow stone path, and the faint magical light flickered on the dilapidated signs, like the whispers of ghosts. Mundungus hunched his shoulders, wrapped his tattered cloak tighter around his neck, and quietly slipped through a half-open wooden door into a run-down mansion.
The room was filled with old, worn magical artifacts, and scattered in the corner were more than a dozen crucibles, some ancient but still showing signs of exquisite craftsmanship. He rubbed his hands together, a greedy smile spreading across his face, "These are all good stuff. It was worth abandoning my important duty of guarding Harry to sneak out here."
The seller opposite him stood quietly, his hood obscuring most of his face, revealing only a pale chin. He didn't speak, but slowly raised his hand, gesturing for Mundungus to inspect the goods.
Mundungus licked his lips and was about to reach for the crucible when suddenly the seller smiled and lifted his hood.
"Night Cat"—the newly crowned underground ruler of Knockturn Alley —stood prominently before him.
Mundungus's smile froze on his face instantly.
As a seasoned veteran of Knockturn Alley, Mundungus had certainly heard of Night Cat —a legendary figure in Knockturn Alley. No one knew where she came from, only that she suddenly appeared in Knockturn Alley at a young age, displaying formidable strength and mastery of various secret magic spells.
With her formidable strength and ruthless methods, she built a gang within a month and established a firm foothold in Knockturn Alley through one brutal battle after another. She successfully deterred all those with ill intentions who coveted her power and became a force to be reckoned with in Knockturn Alley.
It is said that not long ago, another faction in Knockturn Alley, the "Werewolf Tribe," voiced their dissent against their leader Fenrir Greyback. As a result, some Werewolf broke away from Fenrir and joined Night Cat's faction, making Night Cat the strongest force in Knockturn Alley. Night Cat are even showing signs of becoming the "Queen of the Underworld" in Knockturn Alley.
"Where is Hebor?" Mundungus asked anxiously. Hebor was a smuggler he had been working with for many years, and the two had a deep foundation of trust. This crucible transaction was arranged by Hebor at a time and place that had been agreed upon in advance.
Night Cat revealed a cold smile and said softly, "Hebor has already submitted to me and is now one of my capable subordinates. I'm here to trade with you in his place. Is there a problem?"
"N-no, I was just curious, just asking casually..." Although he said that, the shrewd old man Mundungus was already on guard—no joke, the overlord who could be called the "Queen of the Underworld" in Knockturn Alley, a place that devours people without spitting out the bones, was not someone who was easy to deal with. It was not impossible for him to be double-crossed if he was unlucky, but he didn't have much money on him.
At that moment, the surrounding air seemed to suddenly turn cold, and a bone-chilling coldness spread from all directions. He subconsciously took a step back, only to hear a slow but chilling footstep behind him.
From the shadowy corner, a beautiful woman dressed in a magnificent blood-red robe slowly emerged. Her skin was so pale it seemed devoid of any color, her eyes were bloodshot, and a cruel smile curled at the corner of her mouth.
"The Vampire Prince... Bathory."
Mundungus's heart raced, his hands trembled slightly, and he turned sharply to run away, only to bump into a terrifying figure—an old woman with a hunched back and a pale, ashen face stood in the doorway, holding an iron hook stained with dark blood, a sinister smile playing on her lips.
"Hag Annis..."
Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, all in one look!
This was an elaborate trap, and he became the prey trapped within it.
Mundungus instinctively reached for his wand, only to find himself unknowingly cursed, his body completely unresponsive, unable to move even a finger. His bloodshot eyes widened in terror as he realized his shadow was strangely intertwined with Bathory's.
The secret technique of Vampire royalty— Shadow Binding Technique!
A pale, ghostly arm suddenly shot out and grabbed his wrist with lightning speed— Bathory's eyes gleamed with bloodlust. She twisted it forcefully, and with a "crack," Mundungus let out a painful scream as his wrist was twisted at an odd angle, appearing to be broken.
The Hag Annis let out a piercing giggle, extended her sharp-nailed hand, grabbed Mundungus's chin, forcing him to look up, and said coldly, "Look me in the eyes..."