I stared at the man's wrists in disbelief, utterly shocked at this outcome. Maxim was blissfully unaware of what the mark meant, but his mood also turned sour when he noticed the Death eaters mask. It was familiar.

We immediately looked at one another, unsure of what to do.

My thoughts ran wild as I contemplated my next actions, should I try and engage the death eater?

No, it was a pointless struggle, killing one would only rally the others. But once the intel was back home, the enemy would be vulnerable.

I sprang up from the ground, as Maxim followed. We sprinted back to Serena, as I outstretched my right hand.

The two hesitated for a second as they grabbed it, and our group immediately disapparated back to the crumbling shack. As we entered, Serena spotted the kid had jolted awake due to our ruckus and rushed to his side.

Whereas I briskly took out one envelope and a piece of parchment from my pouch, as I hurriedly scribbled down the details. Maxim was confused by my actions, but chose not to comment. simply observed what I did next.

To his surprise, I immediately folded the parchment, placed it inside the envelope and then tossed it on the ground.

The shack was in shambles, the fireplace here would undoubtedly not work anymore, instead I pulled out my wand and an ember blew off its tip, igniting the envelope. The fire furiously ate away at the paper, spontaneously igniting until only its ashes remained. Once I saw the ashes, I knew the envelope had served its purpose.

Maxim was left speechless as he tried to comprehend what had occurred, but no sooner Liev had also jerked awake, the effect of the stunning spell had faded over time, albeit the pain remained.

"It's going to be okay Luca, it's all going to be okay." Serena sobbed as she tended to the kid once more.

Liev suddenly recalled his last memory, his gaze setting on me. His hands scrambled for his wand, bolting upright trying to sneak in a quick blow, but I had already tossed his wand away with a wave of my finger, unseen.

Liev's eyes darted around, he saw Serena sobbing and Maxim stood beside me.

"You, what are you doing." He mustered up the only words his concussed mind could think.

Liev, feeling powerless without his wand, was bewildered. He looked to his friends for help but they too did not budge. He suddenly felt a bulging pain in his head, like a stone being squeezed through his veins as he stumbled down to the ground.

Maxim rushed to support him from the side, holding him up on one shoulder. He calmed Liev down, trying to explain what had happened.

Essentially, postponing Liev's panic as the tension in the room came to a halt. The four friends reunited, tending to their injured, exchanging all the information they knew as they conversed.

The room was dominated by their discussion, turning a bit lively as the attention gathered around them. I observed the situation, and took the opportunity to quietly slip away from the group.

Sneakily leaving through the door as they continued to talk.

I subconsciously brushed my left hand, caressing the gold ring on my finger. The cold metal rolled around my fingers as I fiddled with it. Now that I'd sent the letter, there was no purpose in staying back. My task was essentially complete.

My eyes remained on the ring, as I clutched my hands. A pair of steps slowly converged behind my back.

"You're leaving?" Serena inquired.

I was surprised they had noticed me missing. After all, my movements were masked with multiple muffling charms.

I turned around glancing at her, she seemed to plead with her eyes.

"I will, my task is now over." I replied, with a stone cold stare.

Her eyes seemed shaken at my gaze, she hesitated for a mere second before speaking again.

"We need your help. We need to leave, you can apparate. Please." she implored

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

I stopped in my tracks, as I looked at her. After all, I was no softhearted fool to fall for these tricks. An exchange for an exchange was my motto.

"What can you give me for my help?"

A sliver of hope returned to her eyes as I uttered those words.

"Before you offer anything, I am in no need of money, nor your favor. If you have something to exchange, best not hide it." I demanded.

She seemed to be lost in my words, like a maze her mind tried to navigate. To come up with an answer she could give. After a few seconds of contemplation, she had found an answer. Perhaps, ironically, their misery was their own salvation.

"I can tell you who it was, the one behind the corruption in Durmstrang. We have information about the school you would otherwise never know." She stated.

"Interesting proposition, but what's stopping me from taking that right now?" I caught her off guard as my wand trained on her head.

She seemed startled

"If you could read my mind and take what you needed, you wouldn't have stuck around at all." Serena replied, facing my wand.

Indeed, it was true. The fact that reading and organizing her memories would take an unnaturally long time. I wasn't searching for recent events, but proof from her past, perhaps weeks or even months ago. That level of legilimency was not yet my forte.

"I agree to assist. I will provide you and your friends a way to leave this place. All I ask, is that you all answer when questioned."

I lowered my wand as I offered her a deal.

Serena nodded and rushed back to the group to collect everyone else.

I waited as I gazed into the azure sky, turbulent winds gathered in the distance, the sun, ever so bright, drowned in the endless sea of clouds.

The mountains seemed quiet, eerily quiet. A calm before the storm

Once everyone had gathered and come to me, I outstretched my hand. Believing it to be apparition, the four looked at each other, and slowly came to grip my arm.

The signet ring activated, as the space around us was warped. Ripping a vortex around us with magic, we were pulled in to the port key. Yanked into a new space as were ejected out.

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[Safe House, Bucharest]

The portkey erupted with magic is it swung us out to the other side. Five of us were thrown out into the safe house Dalton had prepared for me.

I was slightly discombobulated as I sprang up straight, glancing at the ring on my finger. As expected, the pattern around it had faded, now it was simply an empty relic.

The four around me had already stumbled up to their steps, they were far more disoriented than I.

Serena and Luca were nauseous, whereas Maxim had somehow leaned in against the wall, managing to not fall to the ground. Liev was still somewhat distrusting of me, hence despite being on the ground he immediately tried to get up, failing miserably as he tumbled back down.

"My part of the deal is over, you need to come with me." I spoke with a leaden voice.

Serena glanced at me, still hunched over at the ground as she tried to recover.

"What do you mea-"

Before she uttered another word, I silenced her.

"You seem to misunderstand, I never said I would be the one questioning you."

"What the hell are you talking about. That was not the deal" Luca shouted, as he grabbed the walls near him.

"The deal was simple, you answer when questioned, I never said who would ask the questions." I stated calmly.

"What are you gonna do, we won't let you take her from here." He mustered some fighting words, but I smirked.

"Whether or not I wish to take her, is not something you can decide."

My wand slipped into my fingers, and a blue light shot at his chest, thrusting him back into the wall, effectively knocking Liev out."

Maxim reacted at a split second, as he reached for his wand. Unbeknownst to the poor fellow, I had already snatched it when we teleported.

"Looking for this?" I taunted, his wand spun around my left hand.

Not waiting for a reply, I chucked a stunner to his face, which stung deeply as he winced in pain.

"Quite enduring to not faint after that one." I chuckled.

Maxim's face had swelled up, his right eye bludgeoned while his cheeks stained rained. Maxim dropped to his knees in pain, but to save the bastard in his misery I promptly cast a sleeping charm on him.

As for Serena? Believe it or not, she hadn't even tried to resist. Not to say that I wasn't prepared, but I was quite astonished to find her simply waiting as I knocked out her friends.

The kid, Luca remained, but he showed no fighting spirit. He was a meek boy, and I had no taste for cowards. Saving myself the time, I flicked my wand as a veil of dust scattered over his head, turning him drowsy.

The boy slowly tripped over his leg as he drowsed to sleep. Serena reluctantly watched as she waited.

"What's the matter? Lost your fighting spirit."

"No, it's useless to fight. We still lost while we had you surrounded. To try again and not even be at full strength, a useless struggle." She spat out

"Wise choice, you need only trust me." I remarked, moving closer.

I extended my hand forwards but before she accepted, she glanced around.

"What about them?"

"This is a safe house, at most the sleeping spell will run out in a day. They are safest here. Unless they choose to leave".

Serena reluctantly agreed as she gripped my palm. However instead of apparating right away, I stalled.

She looked confused, but before she could complain, my wand released a slight fume of smoke, which erupted in her face. Blinding her. She immediately panicked, but before it could set in, the sleeping mist had kicked in, swiftly putting her to sleep.

I carried her unconscious body preparing to apparate. The reason for doing this? Even if none of the group had rejected the deal, I would still have knocked out all but one.

The base of operations was not one to be exposed to multiple strangers at once. As such, I would rather take only one person, ensuring the rest do not wander around the city.

I easily hurled Serena over my shoulder, the rest blissfully unaware as they snored. I whipped out my wand, silently disapparating away.

As for Serena?

Coincidentally, I knew a man who'd be delighted to pick her brain and verify her information.

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