The Puppet Family Head

After Nymphadora left, Skylar sat there alone, lost in thought for a while.

He misjudged Walpurgis's power, but fortunately, the Alchemy Tournament served as a wake-up call, and it was time for him to send out more people to investigate whether Walpurgis had any other ally.

Moreover, Voldemort has already begun secretly recruiting within the Ministry of Magic. Ludo Bagman is known to have become Death Eaters, but it is unknown whether anyone else in the Ministry of Magic has joined Voldemort's ranks. This is something that must be carefully guarded against.

He greeted the maids, changed into his outer robes, and then vanished in Apparition.

Hogsmeade Village, the Miraculous Alchymia.

Skylar kissed Phoebe's pretty face and belatedly wished her a "Merry Christmas." Although Phoebe was a little unhappy about not being able to spend Christmas with Skylar, all of that quickly melted away under Skylar's sweet words.

Skylar wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, feeling a little uneasy as he thought about the five girlfriends he was going to meet later, whom he had neglected at Hogwarts during Christmas.

Inside the Chamber of Secrets beneath the Miraculous Alchymia, the long-absent Gulie Pisgood and Vinia Pierre Sworth appeared.

At the end of last semester, the two of them, under the arrangement of Skylar and Amelia, entered the Ministry of Magic's archives for an internship and were ordered by Skylar to collect information about Cliff City. Presumably, their appearance at this moment must mean they have made an important discovery.

Skylar sat quietly in the high-backed chair, his hands resting on his chin, listening intently to the two men's reports.

Gulie spoke first, "Skylar, as you instructed, we have conducted investigations in the Ministry of Ministry of Magic's archives for several months and have finally uncovered crucial information about Cliff City."

Skylar slightly raised his eyes, his gaze sharp, his tone calm yet carrying a hint of pressure. "Speak!"

Vinia nodded slightly, opened the document in her hand, and said clearly, "According to our investigation, the Cliff City is located on the summit of a mountain in Bhutan. Its exact location is unknown and not recorded in any documents."

She paused, then continued, "The only way to enter the Cliff City is to first pass through an unnamed wizard village at its foot, and then climb the Heavenly Ladder from there to find the final entrance."

"The nameless wizard village?" Skylar repeated softly, a thoughtful look on his face. An ancient wizard village, yet it doesn't even have a name, clearly not wanting to have much contact with the outside world.

Gulie continued, explaining, "Yes, it's a village inhabited solely by wizards. It has no name, is isolated from the world, and its inhabitants have lived there for generations. Few outsiders know of its existence. Its entrance is protected by powerful magic, making it impossible to reach directly using Apparition or Floo Powder. The only passage is through a special Portkey."

Skylar's gaze darkened slightly, his index finger slowly sliding across the back of his hand, his tone unchanged. "What kind of Portkey?"

He secretly thought to himself that this place required a specific Portkey to enter, indicating that its security was extremely tight, similar to Azkaban and the Magic Garden.

Vinia took a deep breath and replied firmly, "As far as we know, its shape resembles the Prayer Wheel of XZ. To activate it, it must be turned in a specific way and triggered with the correct magic. Once successful, the holder will be sent to the nameless wizard village."

Skylar's fingers paused, he nodded slightly, and asked in a low voice, "The Prayer Wheel... Do you have any information about it?"

Gulie calmly replied, "These Portkey are extremely rare. We searched through all the records in Great Britain and found only two."

"Two pieces? Where are they?" Skylar raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as a knife.

Vinia slowly uttered two names: "One is in Dumbledore's possession, and the other is held by the Ministry of Magic."

Upon hearing this, Skylar raised an eyebrow slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips, and a hint of interest flashed in his eyes. "The Ministry of Magic?"

Gulie nodded slightly, lowering his voice even further. "Yes, the Portkey to the Ministry of Magic is kept deep within the Department of Mysteries and is under tight security."

Skylar's gaze was deep and his voice calm as still water. "You've done a good job. This intelligence explains why Walpurgis targeted the Department of Mysteries."

"You mean..."

"You must have heard about it when you were interning at the Ministry of Magic. In just a few months, the Department of Mysteries has had two cases of illegal intrusion—" Skylar said in a deep voice.

He continued, "Sturgis Podmore was probably a member of the Order of the Phoenix, controlled by Walpurgis with Imperius Curse, attempting to infiltrate the Department of Mysteries, but ultimately failed, was arrested, and sentenced to six months in Azkaban."

Gulie and Vinia exchanged bewildered glances; they hadn't expected that such a seemingly simple case of trespassing would conceal so many hidden stories.

"That's not all. You've probably heard about the Unspeakable Broderick Bode Bode, right? As an Unspeakable, he was arrested by the Department of Mysteries. If I'm not mistaken, he was also possessed..."

"To be able to control an Unspeakable..." Thinking this, Gulie's expression changed drastically. He muttered, "So, does this mean the Ministry of Magic has been infiltrated by Walpurgis, to the point that they can easily steal the souls of an Unspeakable?"

"That's right," Skylar's eyes flashed with a sharp light, "The war has begun, and we have no more time to waste." He said solemnly, "You two must also be careful. While working at the Ministry of Magic, you must protect yourselves well. The protective bracelets I gave you must be worn at all times and never be taken off."

"Yes, we understand!" Gulie and Vinia replied in unison.

Although the defensive magic on the bracelet was inscribed by the Hohenheim Family and is sufficient to withstand ordinary Imperius Curse, it does not mean it is foolproof. After all, the true strength of the enemy is still unknown, so caution is always advised.

After Skylar, Gulie and Vinia respectfully withdrew from the Chamber of Secrets, and the heavy stone door slowly closed.

The next moment, a soft "crackling" sound suddenly rang out, and Dobby appeared in the center of the Chamber of Secrets with two figures. A man in a black robe bowed, and beside him, a girl stood calmly, her expression indifferent, like a statue without a trace of emotion.

Skylar's gaze slowly swept over them, his voice calm yet authoritative. "Selwyn, it seems you have lived up to expectations."

Selwyn his head respectfully and reported, "Master, I have completed my mission. This is Gadelle Lestrange, from the Cyrillic branch of the Lestrange family in France."

Skylar's gaze fell on the girl. Gadelle stood quietly, her pale face expressionless, her light gray eyes cold and distant, as if she were merely an observer, not a party to this transaction.

She looked no more than seventeen years old, with a slender and well-proportioned figure, but she was too thin, obviously due to long-term malnutrition. Her features were extremely delicate, with a French sense of nobility, but her dry skin and brittle hair ruined her overall beauty.

She wore a simple and plain black dress. Although the fabric was not luxurious, its well-tailored cut subtly revealed her ingenuity.

Selwyn then respectfully handed Skylar Gadelle's personal file, which Skylar took and carefully examined. The records were extremely detailed, practically documenting her entire life in minute detail.

As is well known, the France House of Lestrange ended when Leta Lestrange died at Grindelwald's hands, and Gadelle actually came from another branch of the family— the Cyril Bloodline.

As a branch of the family, they had already fallen on hard times a century ago. Although Gadelle excelled in Beauxbatons, especially in studying documents, innovating magic and alchemy, she was taciturn and not good at socializing. She always had the appearance of an ice queen who kept people at a distance. As a result, she could not make a close friend at school and was not liked by any professors.

After graduation, she couldn't find a job she liked in France. She was rejected nearly a hundred times in interviews. After many twists and turns, she was penniless and had no money to live on. She had no choice but to work as a low-level tailor in a third-rate wizard clothing store. This experience gave her rich experience in engraving alchemical runes and making wizard clothing.

Skylar closed the documents in his hand and slowly said, "Gadelle, do you know why I had Selwyn you here?"

The girl slightly raised her eyes to meet his gaze, her voice cool and indifferent. "Perhaps... it's because my surname Lestrange."

Skylar's lips curled into a faint smile as he said calmly, "Indeed. The House of Lestrange of Great Britain is currently leaderless and in need of a head."

Gadelle's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, her voice remaining cold. "So, you want me to be a puppet?"

Skylar chuckled softly, leaning forward slightly, his sharp gaze fixed on Gadelle's eyes, his tone still composed. "You're very clever. Indeed, I need you to become the nominal head of the Lestrange family and lead the family to submit to me."

Gadelle was silent for a moment, then whispered, "I don't have the right to refuse, do I?"

Selwyn sneered from the side, "If you were of no value, why would my master bother to find you?"

Skylar waved his hand gently, Selwyn immediately composed himself, bowing respectfully. Dobby then led the phantom away in his Dobby Apparition. Only Skylar and Gadelle remained in the Chamber of Secrets. The air became exceptionally quiet, with only the faint flickering of the candlelight echoing in their ears.

Skylar rested his chin on his hand, his tone calm yet undeniably authoritative. "I'll be frank. Your life in France isn't going well. If you agree to my terms, even though you'll be a puppet head of the family, I can guarantee you a life of comfort and wealth from now on."

Gadelle remained silent, standing still as if waiting for him to finish speaking.

Skylar continued, "Although you must obey my orders at all times, I will also allow you a certain degree of freedom. As long as it doesn't affect my plans, you can do what you want. After all, it's your choice—tell me, would you rather be a puppet or return to your miserable life?"

Gadelle's fingertips twitched slightly, but her face remained expressionless, as if she had already accepted her fate. She slowly spoke, "I can agree. But on one condition."

Skylar raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue.

Gadelle lowered her gaze slightly, her voice low but firm. "I need resources, resources for magical research... I can become the head of the Lestrange family, but I hope to continue my research in magic, rather than become a worthless pawn."

"I can give you money and resources, to a extent you can't even imagine in your lifetime. The question is—" Skylar said coldly, "What can you give me? What can I gain from it?"

Skylar's words were like a sharp blade, hitting the heart of the problem. He wasn't offering charity, but making a deal; if Gadelle wanted more, she had to prove her worth.

In his view, providing her with a life of plenty was already a generous reward for her willingness to become a puppet patriarch. Moreover, Skylar didn't need her; even without her, Skylar could still directly control the House of Lestrange through the Imperius Curse. She had no right to ask for more.

Gadelle bit her lower lip, a rare hint of struggle flashing across her usually calm and composed face. She said in a low voice, "My father once said... I possess a talent that others don't have. But I've never told anyone."

She looked up at Skylar, a hint of hesitation and wariness in her eyes, as if weighing a dangerous secret. After a moment, she asked softly, "Do you... have any Dark Arts items?"

Skylar narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing her for a moment, before taking out a silver artifact from his robes—its entire body gleaming with a cold, silvery-white hue, inscribed with ancient curse runes. Once it came into contact with a target, it would transform into a sharp weapon, injecting the curse into the target's body, causing them unbearable pain, or even death.

Gadelle took the silverware with her bare hands without any protection. This made Skylar frown. He had thought the girl would be attacked by a curse, but the silverware did not react at all, lying quietly in her hand as if it were an ordinary object.

What happened next was the most shocking scene for Skylar.

Skylar noticed the instant Gadelle's fingers touched the silverware.

Her eyes began to change.

In her originally gentle gray eyes, a layer of black mist seemed to slowly emerge from the depths of her pupils, much like some ancient and deep shadow awakening within her.

Her expression shifted from restrained and calm to a chilling indifference—not anger, not excitement, but a coldness completely devoid of emotion, as if she were examining the object like a corpse.

Her breathing slowed, and a faint smile slowly curved at the corners of her lips—a smile that was unfamiliar and faint, yet chilling.

"... It's been a long time."

She spoke in a low voice, her tone now completely different from before—magnetic and somber, as if another person had taken over her body.

Skylar observed her discreetly, his Magic Eye simultaneously detecting the silverware trembling violently. The originally cold magical artifact, in Gadelle's hands, seemed to sense the presence of some kind of "master," beginning to deconstruct and change on its own, its blade unfolding from within, faintly shimmering with black light.

Skylar's Magic Eye immediately detected the change in the silverware—the curse power attached to it was rapidly expanding, becoming a full 50% stronger than before!

My God, what an incredible talent!

His eyes darkened slightly, and his tone became serious, clearly indicating that Gadelle's talent was worthy of his attention. "What exactly is this ability?"

Gadelle raised her head, her grey eyes still calm, but beneath that calm lay a secret ecstasy and pride. She slowly said, "The Second Evil Soul."

Her voice was low and soft, yet every word was like a knife, carrying a chilling aura of danger.

"I was born with two souls in one body. Besides the person I am now, there is another 'she' living within me... She is the embodiment of darkness, pure evil, and the soul of Dark Arts. When I switch with her, my magic undergoes a qualitative change—all Dark Arts becomes stronger, and Dark Arts items can be awakened to their true nature, displaying power beyond their creator's expectations."

She gently curled the corners of her lips, and in that instant, Skylar seemed to see the shadow of "another person" in her expression.

"In other words," Gadelle concluded calmly, "I was born to be a caster of Dark Arts."