Waves battered the hull.
Swaying beer mugs, sashimi made from sea fish, the unusual beauty, the intoxication so hard to leave behind.
Sirius propped his long legs on the railing, tossing a Galleon in his hand.
"I bet ten Galleons they'll walk straight into the cage we set up."
Bill wiped the lens with a soft cloth, occasionally peering through it into the distance.
"They shouldn't be that stupid. They're Death Eaters who survived the chaos, after all."
Lupin leaned against the railing and took a sip of hot tea.
"Don't underestimate a bunch of lunatics scraping by in the cracks. The will to survive is the best Wit-Sharpening Potion for the brain."
Douglas smiled beside them.
"Don't let the Twins hear that. If they find out, they'll definitely want to develop a survival-driven intelligence-boosting gadget."
Sirius raised an eyebrow.
"Those two have truly mastered the art of fleecing people."
Just then, a red circle lit up on the Early Warning Radar in the cabin, followed by a piercing buzz.
Douglas snapped his fingers, and the alarm cut off immediately.
Sirius lowered his legs, Bill put away his camera, and Lupin set down his teacup.
Sirius's grin slowly widened. He pocketed the Galleon in his hand, then drew his wand.
"Finally."
He licked his lips, irrepressible excitement lurking in his voice.
"We've waited so long, I thought Voldemort had gone bankrupt and couldn't even afford the boat fare."
Douglas fished four pure black cloaks out of his pocket and handed them over, then took out four painted white masks with dark, hollow eyeholes.
"Time to get to work."
The four of them shook out the cloaks and wrapped themselves in them, placing the cold masks over their faces.
"Let the game begin."
The four exchanged glances in the darkness, their