Hughes's pupils suddenly contracted, and his fists clenched involuntarily.
"That organization is experimenting on living wizards! Are you saying... that within the Magical Congress, even among the Aurors I trust, someone is feeding them information?"
Viktor looked at him. Whenever he was not smiling, his gaze held only an almost cruel calmness.
"Mr. Hughes, have you ever seen someone in a war who knew their own countrymen would be slaughtered, yet still led the enemy to them for a piece of bread?"
"Do you know that some people would sell their wives, children, even their parents for a bag of gold?"
"Not to mention drugs. People controlled by them would do anything for a small packet of powder!"
"Watch more Muggle news, and you'll find that what shocks you would barely count as news in their society."
Those words were like a poisoned dagger, piercing straight through Hughes's deepest fears.
The color drained from his face. He tried to steady his voice as he pressed, "You know something, don't you? Is that why you acted unilaterally instead of contacting the Magical Congress beforehand to cooperate?"
Viktor did not answer. He merely reached out to stroke the Black Dog's neck, then removed a dog tag.
The black cord and wooden tag had been hidden beneath the Black Dog's fur, and Hughes had not noticed it at all before.
Now, Viktor applied a little force with both hands and pried open the tag, revealing a small mirror slightly larger than a coin inside.
Hughes had only ever seen mirrors that size in his wife's makeup case.
Viktor placed the mirror on the bench between them. "A Streaming Mirror containing a recording. I don't need to teach you how to use it, do I?"
"Take a good look... and find the answer with