New York, Manhattan In a hidden alley in the lower city.
Passing through a brick wall with special Confundus Charm words, the scene in front of you instantly changed from a modern metropolis to a magical commercial street full of retro atmosphere and fantasy.
This was originally North American Wizarding World's most prosperous trading center, and the shops on both sides would always emit the strange fragrance of various Fantastic Beasts feathers and Potions materials.
But today, the air of the whole street is filled with a strong smell of Gunpowder.
The retro shop windows and brick walls on both sides of the street are covered with magically enlarged banners and dynamic posters.
The fonts on the poster were written in dazzling scarlet paint, and drops of water were dripping down like blood.
Looking around, the streets are full of radical slogans such as "Down with Vought International!", "Burn Muggle's mutant army with fire!" and "Payback, destroy Vought!".
Many Wizardss in long robes gathered on the street corner, waving Wands in their hands, and made loud and passionate speeches, calling on everyone to fight to the death with Vought Internationals for the dignity of Wizarding Worlds.
Among these radical slogans, there is another type of poster that is posted the most.
That is the portrait of Joseph.
The old Wizards in the portrait has been cast a malicious spell, and is constantly being hit in the face by rotten tomatoes and rotten eggs from Accio outside the frame. Below it is written in bold black font, "Shame on Wizarding World! The number one traitor who betrayed his habitat, Joseph!"
In the shadows of the street, three figures were walking calmly on the edge of the crowded crowd.
Joseph lowered the wide-brimmed hat on his head and raised the collar of his coat, almost hiding his entire face in the shadows.
He looked at his animated poster on the wall that had been smashed beyond recognition, a hint of deep pain and defeat flashing through his cloudy eyes.
"They were right."
Joseph's voice was very low, as if he had aged ten years instantly.
He followed Lynn, his steps as heavy as lead.
"Pist is right. I was the first person to compromise with Vought International. The earliest coordinates of Fantastic Beasts's habitat were handed over to Stan·Edgar by me."
John, who was walking on the other side, was wearing an ordinary black hoodie, with the hood casually buckled on his blond hair.
Hearing the old man's words, John didn't even pause. He just glanced at the poster on the wall coldly with his Azure eyes.
To him, whether it is Vought International or this group of Wizards wielding small wooden sticks, they are no different from ants on the ground. He doesn't care at all how the ants bite each other.
"Why hand it over?"
Lynn stopped and turned to look at the old man next to him who was blaming himself and about to collapse. His tone was still calm, "Edgar, what are you threatening?"
Joseph closed his eyes in pain:
"They are my daughter and granddaughter. They are ordinary people without Magical Gene, living in the world of Muggle. The devil Edgar not only found their addresses, but also prepared a report. As soon as he lets go, all the information about my family will be exposed to the eyes of those extreme Outsiders."
Old Wizards's eyes were red, and his voice couldn't help but tremble:
"I am the minister of the Magic Security Department. I have been protecting the secrets of this world for most of my life, but when Edgar put the knife on their necks... I backed down. I exchanged the lives of those Fantastic Beasts for the temporary peace of my family."
Joseph lowered his head and looked at the street paved with bluestone slabs under his feet, as if it was stained with the blood of innocent creatures.
"I am just a coward. Wizarding World now wants to crush me to ashes. This is the fate I deserve."
On the street, a young Wizards was standing on a high place, shouting at the top of his lungs that he wanted to skin Joseph. Waves of applause erupted from the surrounding area.
Lynn quietly listened to Joseph's confession, and looked at the Wizards around him who were caught up in fanaticism and hatred, without showing any look of disdain or accusation on his face.
He stretched out his hand and patted twice the old Wizards's back, which was stooped due to self-blame.
"You are an unqualified politician, but you are a qualified father."
The sound of Lynn is not loud, but it is extremely clear on the noisy street.
"In this world, there are many truths, but none of them are bigger than protecting your family. If Edgar were to threaten me with the lives of our children today, I would not only give him the coordinates, but I would also set this Ministry of Magic building on fire."
John, who was walking next to him, heard this and raised the corners of his mouth unconsciously.
Lynn's ideas are always so consistent with his.
If anyone dares to threaten someone in Long Island Estate, he doesn't even need to use Lynn to do it. He will directly use Heat Vision to cut the person and the house into neat pieces.
Lynn did not interfere with the ambitions of Wizarding World and these Wizards.
He raised his head and fixed his gaze on a narrow shop in the middle of the street that looked to be quite old.
The shop's signboard has been cast with dust-proof magic, but in today's tense situation, it still looks a bit dusty. It says in cursive English:
Ollivander Wand Shop North American Branch.
Wand has been well-made since 382 BC.
"Let's go."
Lynn took the lead and walked towards the Wand store.
Pushing open the wooden door with peeling paint, a small copper bell hanging on the top of the door made a crisp but dull jingle.
Wand The space inside the store is much deeper than it appears from the outside. The air is filled with a strong smell of sawdust, varnish and various unknown magical materials.
Thousands of Wand packed in long and narrow boxes were densely stacked on wooden shelves that reached the ceiling, like a crumbling mountain of cardboard boxes that could collapse at any time.
Behind the counter of the store, a shopkeeper with gray hair and thick reading glasses was holding a soft cloth and nervously wiping a Wand in his hand.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, the shopkeeper raised his head, his eyes filled with vigilance and vague fanaticism.
"Welcome. The world is not peaceful now. Are you here to buy spare Wand and prepare to answer the call of Ministry of Magic and fight those Vought International and Muggle monsters?"
The shop owner pushed up his glasses and glanced at Lynn, John and the tightly wrapped Joseph.
"If it's for war, I strongly recommend this twelve-inch Walnut Wood paired with Dragon Nerve's Wand. Its explosive power is amazing and it can definitely blast those mutated Muggles into the sky!"
"We're not here to fight."
Lynn walked to the counter and took out a stack of North American Wizarding World universal currency provided by Joseph from his coat pocket.
He tapped the stack of banknotes that exuded magical fluctuations on the counter, making a heavy sound.
"I have several children at home, and I want to test whether they have magical talents."
Lynn looked at the shop owner and made a straightforward request,
"I don't need any customized weapon with amazing explosive power. I just need the most basic and most resonant Wand. It's best to have a few more. No matter what kind of wood or core, as long as it can light up a light or make a spark."
The shopkeeper looked at the wad of money on the counter, and then at Lynn's calm and incompatible expression. The war mobilization rhetoric he had originally prepared was blocked in his throat.
At this crazy moment when the streets are full of people shouting and killing, there are still people who are braving the limelight outside and dragging their families to buy Wand just to go home and give their children a boring magic talent test?