0827 The eting
The bright moon hung like a spotlight in the western part of the sky, its silver radiance casting shadows across the urban landscape of New York City. The persistent clamor of traffic throughout the bustling daylight hours was finally beginning to subside.
Yet even at this relatively late hour, when most people had retired to their hos and families, New York remained dotted with countless brightly lit office buildings.
This constellation of corporate dedication naturally included the financial holy land of the Muggle world, Wall Street, that legendary stretch of real estate extending from the historic cobblestones of Broadway all the way to the dark waters of the East River.
Here, in buildings that rose like glass and steel monunts to comrce, fortunes were made and lost with each tick of the market clock, and the wheels of global finance never truly stopped turning.
Among these gigantic temples to capitalism stood the impressive World Trade Twin Towers. It was in these gleaming spires of modern engineering that Bryan and Remus had established their temporary residence during their stay.
Naturally, this collection of glowing buildings also included the distinguished Woolworth Building, that neo-Gothic masterpiece of early 20th-century architecture which served as the headquarters for the Magical Congress of the United States of Arica.
The building's facade and soaring top made it one of the most recognizable landmarks in lower Manhattan, a fitting ho for the governing body of Arican wizardkind.
However, to the countless No-Majs hurrying past on the sidewalks below, they saw only a building that appeared completely dark and utterly lifeless from the outside.
These ordinary humans were completely unaware that within the seemingly empty building, a vast and extraordinary community of magical professionals was working through the night. They worked tirelessly to resolve the supernatural incident that had erupted across New York City this evening.
An ergency eting was currently underway on the floor that housed the Departnt of Magical Security.
"Currently, we have successfully completed the cover-up of the accident scene," reported an Auror who had risen from his seat to address the gathering.
The Auror directed his words primarily toward the stern-faced Trask Graves, who sat like a judge at the head of the conference table.
"The No-Majs in the surrounding area will believe that tonight's explosion was caused by aging electrical wiring in the affected building—" The reporting Auror continued. "Our mory modification teams worked through the night to ensure consistent witness testimony, and the Muggle fire departnt has already filed their official report attributing the incident to electrical failure and subsequent gas line rupture."
Graves nodded, and the reporting Auror continued, "Fortunately for our containnt efforts, the explosion occurred from the rooftop level of the building, aning that no No-Majs were there to directly witness any magical phenona,"
Graves nodded again, his expression remaining neutral as he processed this information. The reporting Auror, encouraged by his superior's apparent satisfaction, continued with the most significant portion of his briefing.
"Additionally, Bryan Watson has provided us with crucial information regarding the root cause of this incident. Based on his observations and analysis of the scene, he speculates that the cause of tonight's incident was a critical error involving a smuggled Nundu that was being illegally traded between two parties in the underground magical creature market."
Newt Scamander had desperately requested to care for the smuggled Nundu himself, but the Departnt of Magical Security could never allow such a dangerous creature to fall into private hands—especially given that several Class 5X dangerous magical creatures had already gone missing from the hidden magical creature sanctuary within New York's Central Park.
At the ntion of Bryan Watson's na, so commotion arose in the previously solemn and oppressive eting room. Graves tapped his fingers on the table, and the growing disturbance was imdiately suppressed.
"On what specific basis did he make this particular deduction?" Graves asked looking directly at the reporting wizard with narrowed eyes that flashed with barely perceptible wariness.
The reporting Auror straightened in his chair, clearly understanding that his next words would be subjected to intense scrutiny and analysis. He cleared his throat nervously before responding.
"According to Bryan Watson's detailed statent, the person who brought this particular Nundu into the country was an Asian man, since this suspect and Watson entered the United States around the sa ti period, Watson had so recollection of observing this wizard during the immigration process."
He paused to turn to a new page in his docuntation before continuing. "We have subsequently verified this information through cooperation with the Immigration Office's detailed entry records. From the suspect's submitted entry application and supporting docuntation, we have determined that his na is Haruto Lee, age thirty-seven."
The Auror's voice grew more confident as he recited the verified facts they had uncovered through their investigation.
"After successfully entering the country through proper channels, Haruto Lee took up residence at a No-Maj hotel. This evening, he used No-Maj transportation to reach the Blind Pig tavern.
Bryan Watson recognized this person from their previous encounter at immigration. However, according to Watson's testimony, Haruto Lee did not linger at the Blind Pig. After eting with two unidentified wizards for what appeared to be a prearranged transaction, all three individuals left the tavern together. The catastrophic incident occurred shortly thereafter."
The Auror reached into his evidence folder and withdrew several photographs showing twisted tal fragnts and burned debris.
"We subsequently recovered fragnts of the black briefcase that Haruto Lee was observed carrying upon his entry into the country. These fragnts were found at the explosion site, which essentially confirms that the information provided by Bryan Watson is accurate."
He set the photographs on the table where the Aurors could examine them.
"Of course, we have also conducted interviews with several individuals who had been present at or near the Blind Pig during the relevant ti period," the Auror added. "These witnesses have independently confird that Haruto Lee briefly appeared at the bar but quickly left with two other persons whose identities remain unknown at this ti."
"Why didn't the Immigration Office personnel detect that this man was carrying dangerous magical creatures upon his entry into the country?" demanded Uriel, the Auror with upward-slanting eyebrows who had been among the first responders to arrive at the scene where Bryan had fought the Nundu. "This is undoubtedly a very serious breach of our protective protocols and represents a vital failure of our border security asures!"
"Oh, actually, you can't make that judgnt quite so quickly, Uriel," interjected a sharp-looking witch who had been standing beside the reporting wizard throughout the briefing.
"Steven Adams from the Immigration Office is my forr classmate from our Auror training program, and I can personally vouch for his character. He's consistently demonstrated himself to be a responsible and careful wizard with an exemplary record of service."
She paused, her expression growing troubled.
"However, when I approached Steven to inquire about his interaction with this Haruto Lee, I found his responses to be oddly vague and inconsistent with his usual attention to detail. He had remarkably little recollection of the encounter, which is highly unusual. Based on his symptoms and behavior, I strongly suspect that Haruto Lee may have used a Confundus Charm or similar mind-affecting magic on him during the inspection process."
This behavior undoubtedly violated another absolute taboo, and the eting room erupted in indignation.
This ti, Graves did not suppress his subordinates' anger. He seed lost in thought about sothing, and only after everyone had vented sufficiently did he continue asking, "Regarding the two wizards who traded with Haruto Lee, how much information do we currently have?"
The reporting wizard shifted uncomfortably in his chair and awkwardly scratched his head. "Unfortunately, sir, the individuals we were able to locate and interview who were present at the Blind Pig during the relevant ti period have little clear recollection of the two wizards who conducted business with Haruto Lee."
He paused, looking directly at Graves as he made his next suggestion. "Of course, if you're willing to authorize the necessary permits and legal docuntation, we could employ Legilincy techniques to extract the precise appearances of those two suspects from these witnesses' mories."
"Let's proceed with that approach then," Graves said with calm decisiveness, his voice showing no hesitation.
The reporting wizard looked as if he had received a trendous pardon from a death sentence—he clearly hadn't expected Mr. Graves to approve such controversial thods so readily.
"Now then, Uriel," Graves said, turning his gaze toward the eyebrow-distinguishing Auror. "You were among the very first responders to arrive at the scene where Bryan Watson and his companion fought the Nundu, correct? I want you to tell us exactly what you saw, with as much detail as you can rember."
"Oh, Mr. Graves, that scene was absolutely spectacular beyond anything I've ever witnessed in fifteen years of Auror service!" Uriel jumped to his feet with visible excitent, his professional composure cracking to genuine enthusiasm as he described the supernatural battle to his superior and colleagues who had missed what he clearly considered the magical spectacle of a lifeti.
Under Uriel's vivid and increasingly animated description, delivered with the passion of soone reliving an incredible experience, the breathing of his listeners gradually grew heavy with anticipation. Their eyes beca bright with excitent and fascination as they hung on every word, and slowly their expressions began to show disbelief.
Of course, there were also so among the Aurors whose expressions grew increasingly grave and troubled as they listened to Uriel's account. Chief among these was Selena Hilde, the sharp-featured witch who had earlier defended her colleague's competence in the Immigration Office incident.
"Are you saying—" Selena interrupted Uriel's repetitive and increasingly detailed description, her brow furrowed with deep lines of concern. "That Watson's companion, provided essentially no effective assistance during the encounter, and that Bryan Watson handled a fully mature, adult Nundu entirely on his own?"
"Without even using his own wand?" Graves added, his voice carrying a dangerous edge as his frown deepened into sothing approaching a scowl.
"Exactly correct, sir," Uriel confird. "Watson fought that creature using nothing but wandless magic for the majority of the encounter. Oh, of course, after the Nundu escaped along the No-Maj railway line and the situation beca critical, Bryan Watson seed determined to quickly eliminate this threat to public safety. At that point, he borrowed a wand from Alia at the Immigration Office."
Uriel blinked with sudden curiosity as he asked, "I heard that girl is now in our departnt?"
Graves did not answer Uriel's question about Alia's employnt status; instead, he continued frowning.
The truth was that Graves had made the decision to confiscate Bryan Watson's personal wand precisely because he recognized that a wizard of such extraordinary capability posed a massive destabilizing factor to the maintained balance of magical society.
Soone with Watson's power could cause trendous damage to both the magical and mundane worlds if he chose to act against established authority.
But Graves had never anticipated, had never even considered the possibility that even without a wand in hand, Bryan Watson could still demonstrate such incredible supernatural capability.
Graves bowed his head in deep thought, his face hidden in the shadows cast by the lighting, no one noticing the sinister gleam that flashed in his eyes.
This was truly a troubleso matter. Confiscating Watson's wand and having him followed was already the extre limit of what could be reasonably done. He could hardly order Bryan Watson to be imprisoned.
"How is Alia's current dical condition?" Graves suddenly asked after a long period of contemplative silence that had made everyone in the room increasingly uncomfortable.
"She suffered so external injuries from electrical shock and inadvertently inhaled a small amount of the Nundu's poisonous gas during the encounter,"
Uriel replied with a casual shrug. "Our dical teams imdiately transported her to St. Josepha's Magical Hospital for the Injured, where she's receiving specialized treatnt for magical creature toxin exposure. According to the attending healers, she'll probably need to remain hospitalized for several days while they monitor her recovery and ensure there are no long-term effects from the poison."
He paused, his expression softening slightly with what appeared to be genuine sympathy. "Poor rookie. Her first major field assignnt, and she ends up in the hospital fighting for her life. Still, she showed real courage out there."
So, for the Departnt of Magical Security, what needed to be done now was very clear.
Thanks to Bryan Watson's vigorous assistance, the Nundu had not caused too much destruction. So No-Majs who had witnessed Bryan Watson fighting the Nundu on the railway and in Central Park had been properly dealt with. The Aurors' next objective was to find both parties involved in trading this Nundu.
"What do you think—" Selena suddenly interjected as the formal action planning portion of the eting was drawing toward its conclusion.
"Those two who purchased the Nundu from Haruto Lee actually intended to do with such a dangerous creature? Could this illegal transaction possibly be connected to those magical creatures that have recently gone missing from the nature preserve?"
"Whatever the ultimate truth may be regarding their motivations," Graves said as he rose from his chair with an expressionless face, "we must first find the suspects."
After saying this, he strode out of the eting room with large steps.
"Oh, that's not quite normal," Uriel said, sowhat bewildered as he watched his superior's departing figure. "I thought Mr. Graves would give us a final deadline for finding the suspects."
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