Stormwind Town.
"Look, look! Fresh Thunderbird feathers, collected from the nest no more than three hours ago!"
"Thunderbird bones, Thunderbird bones! Excellent materials for potion-making, or they can be ground into powder and drunk. Hehe, guaranteed to make you feel eighteen again!"
"Thunderbird eyeballs, capable of seeing through evil…"
It was early morning. Although many shops had not yet opened, quite a few peddlers had already set up stalls or pushed carts through the streets, loudly hawking their goods.
After all, this was near the Thunderbird Sanctuary, so most of the items on display were related to Thunderbirds.
Lucien and Newt had set out early and decided to experience the local market before heading out.
But it took only a few glances for Lucien to confirm that most of the goods were fake.
After using the Eye of Peering Magic, he could detect traces of magic, and the result was that a pile of so-called Thunderbird materials did not contain even the slightest hint of magic.
A few "conscientious vendors" did sell items with magical traces attached, but Lucien observed that they were not genuine either.
They had probably soaked ordinary materials in special potions or treated them with spells, which was enough to fool some people.
Tsk, at least they had put some effort into their deception.
If such a large quantity of materials could truly be traded, wouldn't the existence of the Thunderbird Sanctuary be meaningless?
Lucien looked toward the shops that had not yet opened and guessed that those storefronts were the legitimate sellers of Thunderbird materials, the ones with proper licences.
As for the group of peddlers shouting enthusiastically, they were probably specialising in fleecing out-of-town tourists.
Don't tell him that some wizards had actually paid money. Then again, it was also possible they were simply buying souvenirs.
"Lucien, don't buy these things for now. If you really want them, I know some people whose quality… is better."
Newt whispered to Lucien.
Lucien naturally understood that Newt was subtly warning him.
"I understand, Mr Newt."
The two of them browsed for only a short while before heading toward the Thunderbird Sanctuary.
Not far away, a sturdy blond man, after repeatedly scrutinising Newt's face, also pretended to stroll about and walked toward the other end of the market.
After weaving through the streets and houses, the blond man entered a dilapidated pub, greeted the owner, and then went into a back room.
There were only seven or eight people inside, but each of them radiated a formidable presence, dressed like adventurers.
What stood out the most, however, was a black widow spider perched on the table, the red markings on its abdomen forming the shape of lips, distinct from the hourglass pattern of its kin.
"Boss, guess who I just saw at the market?"
The blond man spoke as he looked toward the man sitting at the centre.
The man was dressed casually, suitable for outdoor exploration, and his brown hair was neatly combed.
But the brown-haired man did not even lift his head. He took a sip of the brandy in his hand and said calmly,
"Newt Scamander, the most famous expert on magical creatures."
"Aiden, your information is too slow."
The blond man named Aiden gave an awkward smile and sat down on an empty chair.
"Boss, should we postpone our operation this time?"
The brown-haired man continued drinking his liquor.
"Reason?"
Aiden coughed lightly.
"Cough, cough. Boss, although Newt is already an old man, he did experience that era, capturing and fighting against… Grindelwald. Newt's combat experience is definitely formidable, and—and his ever-present case is filled with a large number of magical creatures…"
"I heard that about ten years ago, at a magical creatures sanctuary in Egypt, Newt confronted a group of poachers. In the end, a total of twenty-seven people were dealt with by Newt alone, along with the creatures in his case."
His words made several people in the room look uneasy, their resolve seemingly shaken.
"But this is also an opportunity. Newt's case is priceless, enough for us to retire and enjoy life from now on."
The brown-haired man took another sip of brandy, speaking unhurriedly.
Those words clearly swayed some of them, yet no one was in a hurry to state their position.
Aiden gave a sheepish smile, wanting to say something but not daring to.
Then the brown-haired man finally glanced at Aiden.
"I know what you're worried about. The creatures in Newt's case are more threatening than he is, but we only need to deal with him before he opens it."
"Aiden, we've been preparing this plan for half a year. This Thunderbird job is worth three years of work."
Everyone in the room fell silent. They had all essentially made up their minds.
Aiden, who considered himself the best at judging situations, understood the determination of his boss and companions, so he could no longer object.
He was merely calculating which escape route to take if something went wrong…
Seeing no further objections, the brown-haired man nodded in satisfaction, drained the liquor in his cup, and looked at the black widow spider on the table, letting out a soft chuckle.
"Besides, we have the best assassin. Who would notice a spider that's common around here? Who would think it's actually a wizard?"
"Am I right, Shirley?"
Hearing her name, the spider on the table lazily lifted one leg, indicating that she had heard.
...
Thunderbird Sanctuary entrance.
"Mr Scamander, I've been waiting for you."
A tall, middle-aged man in a short robe greeted them with a smile.
"Stanley, long time no see."
Newt returned the greeting, then introduced him to Lucien.
"Stanley Jones, Head of the Thunderbird Academy at Ilvermorny, Potions professor, and very knowledgeable about Thunderbirds. He'll be our guide and companion on this trip."
"Oh, in your presence, how could I dare claim to be knowledgeable about Thunderbirds? Haha. And this young man is?"
Stanley replied modestly, then turned his gaze to Lucien. It was his first time seeing Newt bring a junior along.
"He's Lucien, my junior from Hogwarts. He's quite talented in magical creatures. I brought him along this summer to see the Thunderbirds."
Listening to Newt's introduction, Stanley's expression remained calm, but surprise rose within him. Talented in magical creatures, and praised by Newt?
"Hello, Mr Jones."
Lucien greeted him politely.
"Hello, hello! Truly a top student from Hogwarts, and indeed a fine-looking young man, hahaha."
Stanley laughed heartily and shook Lucien's hand.
Lucien responded appropriately. Before setting out, Newt had already briefly introduced Ilvermorny and Stanley to him.
Ilvermorny was the American school of magic, similar in status to Hogwarts in Britain. It was also divided into four Houses, and Thunderbird was one of them.
The others were Horned Serpent, Pukwudgie, and Wampus, with House characteristics somewhat similar to those of Hogwarts.
Stanley Jones, as the Head of Thunderbird House, was also a Potions Master and served as a Potions professor.
Tsk. Both were Heads of Houses at magical schools, both were Potions professors. Why was the difference in social skills so vast?
Right, old bat?
________
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