Selena, Erryl, and even Amelia, who was still an intern Drow, watched as they were surrounded by hundreds of vampires. The number was truly astonishing. According to the Security Department's statistics, there were no such large numbers of vampires active in New York. Clearly, there was someone of high rank covering for these dark creatures.
The three wizards of the Magic Kingdom stared blankly at Trask Greaves, who was emitting a cold and mysterious aura that was vastly different from his usual demeanor. They all thought they were hallucinating.
Amelia wanted to fool herself into thinking that the Greaves in front of her was a fake vampire named Morgens, but there was Morgens standing next to Greaves.
In comparison, Sirius Black was much calmer.
He merely raised an eyebrow in surprise at the sight of Greaves casting some kind of dark magic, then muttered "Ah, so that's how it is" before his expression returned to calmness.
After all, Sirius Black has experienced more deadly betrayals.
Selena's angry shrieks awakened the vampires in the hall, who were deep in their sleep. After a rustling noise, they were surrounded by an endless number of wands. Selena seemed to be completely unaware of the perilous situation she was in, as if her world had shattered. Her eyes were filled with anger, disappointment, heartbreak, and even despair. These emotions boiled and surged within her eyes.
Grevis slowly turned his head, facing the once-trusted subordinate he had betrayed. On his face, there was no shame in betraying his fellow colleague, nor was there any fury at being discovered. All there was, was a calmness. This calmness shattered the solemn image he had always presented, and it oddly made him seem much kinder!
"Ah, it's you,"
Grevis calmly smiled, not looking at Selena and Erryl, but instead focusing his gaze on Sirius Black and Amelia.
"Are you two following the orders of Brain, right? Hahaha, I've always known that such a brilliant wizard as him would eventually discover my plans as someone as mediocre, and he certainly wouldn't just sit idly by."
“Is that the reason you've been targeting Amortis all along?”
Grevis's contemplation did not stir any waves in Sirius Black's heart. Over the past two years of knowing Amortis, he had already witnessed her disarming many conspiracies and cunning plots.
"I don't want Amortis·Braine to come to the American Magic World."
Grevis remained calmly smiling,
"So, ever since Remus Lupin submitted the application documents for the Learning Machine to enter the American magical community, and I learned about Amortis·Braine and his workshop, I decided to keep that workshop out. I knew that this invention was remarkable. Once the Learning Machine enters the American magical community, many magical families, including the Grevis family, would rush to seek cooperation."
"One werewolf cannot control the situation, Amortis·Braine will certainly be the one to take charge in New York. At that time, I may have to appear before him under his gaze, and he will know about my predicament and what I am doing immediately. As it turned out, that was indeed the case."
"I thought that would buy us some time, but I really didn't expect Brain to value profit so much. He, such a wizard, is willing to personally negotiate with the Congress to introduce the Learning Machine into the American magical community. His weight is too heavy, and when he proposed the entry application, I had no choice but to agree."
"What are you saying?"
"Eh, what are you saying?" Erryl said with a trembling voice, but the words he couldn't understand were easily understood by Sirius Black and Amelia.
With a slight silence, Sirius Black coldly observed the high official of the American Magical Congress.
"If, as I guess, the wand of Amortis is in your possession?"
At this, Amelia was startled immediately, but soon the expression of surprise on her face was replaced with sadness. If Grevis is the one behind the vampires, who else would have killed Chargo?
"I don't want to harm the life of an innocent wizard..."
Grevis's tone was tinged with a hint of regret.
"But besides that, I can't think of any other way. After the joint review was over, I did have a sliver of hope that Brain would leave New York as soon as possible, but I didn't expect --"
Grevis paused in his speech, looking at the fangs that were infusing power into the blood pool.
"I didn't expect Brain to have this. Morgens told me that if I could get this fang, our resurrection plan would be greatly strengthened, and we wouldn't have to risk collecting blood from magical creatures. I couldn't resist this temptation and had to resort to such a measure."
Grevis sighed slightly,
"You're right, Mr. Black, it was me who killed Chago Pioleio and tried to pin the blame on Brain."
"Of course, I'm well aware that the excuse I provided was very lame, but it doesn't matter. All I need is an excuse. I need to check whether Brain has retrieved his wand and examine his personal belongings to find out where the fang is. Then, I will steal it."
The fury surging in her heart caused Amelia to shiver all over!
She finally understood why, based on a very absurd and unfounded guess, Grevis had sent Drow to barge into her home and threaten to arrest Amortis.
Grevis knew that Amortis wouldn't just agree to being confined like that, but his purpose didn't lie in that. He just wanted to find out where the fang was.
"But all of this--"
Just out of the magical school for not long, Amelia looked at Grevis with a sad expression, her gaze lingering on the fang that harbored an eerie power.
"Are you doing all of this to gain more powerful forces?"
"Power, indeed."
Grevis gazed at the fang with a sparkling look of remembrance, and he smiled wistfully.
"It's always so fascinating. You all know that my grandfather -- Percival Grevis -- was once the Minister of the Magical Congress Security Department, a powerful wizard revered by all. However, just as he had reached the peak of his career and reputation, he encountered Gellert Grindelwald. In front of that dark lord, all his power and fame were rendered useless."
He was imprisoned by Grindelwald, who impersonated him to become the Minister of the Magical Congress Security Department, bringing harm to this city. Although Newt Scamander eventually thwarted Grindelwald's conspiracy, it couldn't wash away the dishonor that befell my grandfather. The esteemed wizard died in disgrace and pain."
"So--"
Amelia couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"You're willing to commit heinous acts of murder for the sake of gaining more powerful forces!"
"I am just an ordinary wizard, Amelia--"
Grevis's lips twitched, and he said with regret in his heart,
"I'm not an Amortis·Braine or Albus Dumbledore, nor am I a wizard like Gellert Grindelwald or the mysterious figure in Britain, with innate extraordinary talent. I have always been aware of this. We don't have such ambitions for power."
"Then why did you do all of this?"
Sirius Black calmly said,
"If it's not for the sake of gaining greater power, then what is it for?"
"Didn't Brain tell you?"
Grevis looked at Amelia, who was also waiting for an answer, and smiled.
He pulled back the wand aimed towards the midpoint of the air, pointed at himself, and then his robe was torn instantly. Upon seeing his exposed torso in that moment, the four people who had been pursuing him all showed varying degrees of shock.
The skin on Grevis's upper body wrinkled like that of an old man about to die, and the hideous body was covered with a dense network of black veins, suggesting that the blood flowing through them had been completely tainted by curses.
Seeing the shock and compassion on their faces, Grevis sighed wearily with a smile.
"So, you understand that I'm almost dead."
(The end of this chapter)
