At that moment, Juma instinctively glanced over at Minamoto. Minamoto, catching Juma's gaze, felt a chill in his heart. As expected, Dumbledore followed Juma's eyes and turned his own gaze upon Minamoto, deep and unreadable.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Minamoto inwardly cursed. But Dumbledore spoke calmly and directly:
"Headmaster Minamoto, would you care to explain why this young man is here among us?"
Just as Minamoto was about to distance himself from any involvement, Dumbledore continued:
"Don't tell me he snuck in. As a wizarding school renowned across the globe, Mahoutokoro is practically impenetrable. No one can simply wander in, not unless the anti-Apparition wards have been lifted. And to my knowledge, they have not. There is only one way in."
Minamoto fell silent.
After a long pause, he let out a strained chuckle and said bitterly:
"You're right. I did allow Juma Kalembo inside. But I didn't expect him to be completely unhinged!"
He shot a venomous glare at Juma, but the latter appeared lost in a haze, as though his worldview had just been shattered. He didn't even register Minamoto's stare.
Minamoto continued:
"The Hachiya clan has had past dealings with the Kalembo tribe. When word reached us of the tribe's destruction, I was stunned. Not long after, Juma showed up at my door. Out of respect, I agreed to meet him. That was all."
Dumbledore's expression revealed a trace of doubt, clearly only half-convinced.
Then Juma suddenly gave a chilling laugh. The sound made Minamoto's heart seize up, and rightly so.
With cutting clarity, Juma declared:
"Is that really all, Headmaster Minamoto? Did we not make a deal?"
Minamoto's face drained of color. He sprang to his feet, furious and flustered.
"I didn't! I never—You're lying, you damned—!"
Even as he spat out his denial, Minamoto drew his wand, leveling it at Juma.
"Accio wand."
Before he could aim properly, Dumbledore gave a casual flick of his fingers. Minamoto's wand flew straight into Dumbledore's hand.
Without lifting so much as a finger, Dumbledore had disarmed the Headmaster of Mahoutokoro, one of the most prestigious magical institutions in the East. Many of the gathered witches and wizards couldn't help but flinch at the display.
Dumbledore turned the wand over in his hand, examining it with quiet curiosity. Then he looked up, his eyes briefly meeting Minamoto's pale face.
"Cherrywood, with the spinal nerve of a North African Black Dragon. A wand for one who seeks both pleasure and power... You are a man of contradictions, Minamoto."
With that, he dismissed the flustered headmaster and turned to Juma, his tone suddenly cold and clipped.
"So tell me, Juma. What was the nature of your arrangement with Minamoto?"
Juma gave a humorless smile.
"Nothing much. I offered a price, and in return, I got today's Potions Championship venue."
"I told Minamoto I would travel to an extinct volcano island and wait there for Wentworth. I would kill him and avenge my tribe. In return, Minamoto would receive the Kalembo tribe's wealth, and the web of influence we've cultivated across Europe. He accepted. That's all."
Dumbledore's brow furrowed.
"And yet, you're here?"
Juma shrugged, utterly unconcerned.
"Yes. Because I can't beat Wentworth. Why should I throw my life away?"
"But someone else went in my place. And let me tell you, Galleons truly are magical. For the right price, someone always steps forward, unafraid of death."
Dumbledore stood in silence for a moment, then said with a grim expression:
"Wizard Hunters."
Juma nodded, a crooked grin spreading across his face.
"Plenty of them."
At that, Minamoto, still pale, shot to his feet.
"Impossible! You only arrived at Mahoutokoro last night, how could you possibly hire Wizard Hunters in such a short time?!"
Kalembo burst out laughing.
"Oh, Headmaster Minamoto. Who ever said that just because I entered Mahoutokoro alone, I came to Japan alone?"
"Truth be told, I didn't expect things to go so smoothly. My original plan was to launch a full assault on the island after you turned me away."
A wave of alarm rippled through the crowd. Dumbledore and Snape exchanged a glance, a silent understanding passing between them. Snape was the first to speak:
"Are you suggesting that the Wizard Hunters you hired are powerful enough to breach Mahoutokoro's defenses head-on?"
Juma nodded slowly.
"Yes. Of course, I lied to them. I didn't mention the sheer number of elite wizards currently on this island. Nor did I tell them that Dumbledore himself is here."
Dumbledore's frown deepened.
They still didn't know exactly how many Wizard Hunters had arrived. But if they dared to challenge Mahoutokoro head-on, a school with centuries of magical prestige, then they weren't just petty mercenaries.
These were foes far beyond what even the most talented young witches and wizards could withstand.
Even Wentworth, prodigy though he was, might not escape unscathed.
At that moment, Snape, who had remained beside Juma throughout, suddenly broke his silence.
"If everything was so meticulously planned," he asked coolly, "why did you visit the island yourself?"
Juma froze. He turned to Snape, his expression one of genuine shock.
"How do you know I went to the island last night?"
Snape's gaze was steely.
"You changed your clothes, but the scent of sulfur lingers. And I, Severus Snape, am a Potions Master."
Realization dawned on Juma's face. Then he smiled, cryptic and composed.
"Well then, since you already know, there's no point in hiding it. Yes, I went to the island. I left something behind, a little... insurance."
——————————
TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— patreon(.)com/PrimalDemon [remove the parentheses ( )]