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Chapter 161: The Real Question Is, Can the Ministry Afford the Fee?
🕑 Added 2025-05-18 15:28:10 +0000 UTC
"Damn it, Noah, you didn’t take this mission just for the gold Galleons, did you?"
"Of course not. Don’t talk so much, we’ve got a pretty straightforward task here."
"No way, this is my mission! Is this what others do when they join?"
"Yes, but you’re facing greater danger than most. That’s why you only need to complete this one. At least let me see that you’re not completely hopeless."
Noah and Angelina walked slowly under an umbrella through the rainy night.
It looked romantic, but in truth, the two barely knew each other. Noah’s mind was entirely preoccupied with what came next.
He was somewhat familiar with the plot of Underworld, the story where the vampire Selene fights both Lycans and her own kind to protect the hybrid Michael Corvin, ultimately killing her adoptive vampire father.
The story itself wasn’t all that strange, but what fascinated Noah was the character Alexander Corvinus, the so-called progenitor of both vampires and Lycans.
Strangely, Corvinus was just a human, an immortal human. His longevity bordered on the absurd.
The story went that he once ruled over a small land that was wiped out by a plague. Corvinus alone survived, his body having mutated the virus into something beneficial, making him the first true immortal.
He had three sons: Marcus and William were bitten by bat and wolf, becoming vampire and Lycan respectively. Whether that was luck or a cosmic joke, Noah wasn’t sure.
The third son remained human, though possessing the purest form of Corvinus’s bloodline. Sadly, he didn’t inherit immortality and lived as an ordinary man.
Alexander Corvinus chose neutrality. He went by the alias Lorenz Maciaro, secretly operating in the human world, deploying cleanup squads to erase any trace of supernatural conflict. His goal: prevent the existence of vampires and Lycans from reaching the public eye.
To Noah, Corvinus wasn’t such a bad guy. In the original lore, he believed the world belonged to humanity, not to his sons.
However, things were different now. This world was a chaotic blend of Underworld, Harry Potter, and even Marvel. With the existence of wizards, werewolves, vampires, and who knows what else, Noah wasn’t sure Corvinus even knew about the magical world or the Ministry of Magic.
Still, that wasn’t the point. What intrigued Noah was the Corvinus bloodline itself.
It could adapt to infection and mutation. So… what if someone with that blood was bitten by a radioactive spider?
Would another Spider-Man start swinging through the skies of New York?
"Maybe I should collect a vial of his blood for research," Noah muttered, scratching his chin as he walked.
Before they left, Constantine had already confirmed a hunt would take place tonight. That intel came directly from the Hungarian Ministry of Magic, and Constantine relayed it to the group.
So Noah decided to let Angelina take the lead tonight. If anything went wrong, he’d jump in.
Frankly, dispatching a Fourth-Level Magus like him for a bunch of vampires and werewolves was overkill. Even Professor Snape hadn’t bothered to get out of bed.
Constantine had taken the almost-invisible Chase with him, dropped Noah and Angelina at their destination, and vanished.
No one knew the exact location of the skirmish, so they had to scout. Standard exorcist protocol.
As they moved down a dim street, Noah abruptly stopped. Angelina, following close behind, nearly stepped out from under the umbrella.
Confused, she tilted her head, she was taller than Noah, and looked at him.
"Relax. It’s probably just someone from the Ministry," Noah said before she could ask.
Sure enough, moments later, several figures emerged from the shadows, men in long trench coats, neat suits, and tall hats. They looked more like Ministry Aurors than street thugs.
The leader, a stern-looking Black man, stepped forward.
"You two filed registration through the British Ministry of Magic?" he asked, frowning.
"That’s right. Is there a problem?" Noah replied with a casual shrug.
"Where are your supervisors? I heard there were three."
"Still back at the hotel. We came out to investigate."
"Alright, just a heads-up: there’s a convergence ahead. Lycans and vamps are gathering. If you're unsure about your safety, I’d suggest backing out."
"Perfect. That’s exactly what we’re here for."
The Auror gave them a suspicious look. "You two?"
He glanced between Noah and Angelina, then added, "No offense, but you’re students, right? Not much field experience? We’ve already assigned this matter to an exorcist."
"We’re under the supervision of John Constantine. I’m sure you’ve heard of him?"
The Auror raised an eyebrow. "Oh… Constantine? Yeah, I know that maniac."
Noah gave a lopsided smile. "Then you know we’ll be fine."
"Alright," the Auror sighed. "But listen, they’ve got guns. You know what a gun is?"
"Sir, I grew up in the Muggle world."
"Ah. Same here. Be careful. Those things might not match magic, but a bullet can still end a careless wizard."
"Appreciate the warning."
With a respectful nod, Noah tugged Angelina forward. The Aurors disappeared again, their job being to erase memories and keep the Muggle world oblivious.
It was a thankless job. Few ever imagined that Aurors were sometimes forced to clean up after werewolves and vampires. But a magical contract was a magical contract, breaking one brought consequences, sometimes worse than violating an Unbreakable Vow.
"Hey, Noah… what’s a gun?" Angelina asked in a small voice after they walked a bit further.
"Hm? Oh, right. Think of it as a Muggle’s wand. Except it fires solid projectiles called bullets. They’re deadly, especially if you’re unarmored. Even enchanted robes might not hold up. So be alert."
Noah sounded more serious now. Inexperienced wizards could die from a well-placed shot.
But with preparation? A spellcaster could stop bullets mid-air, like Neo in The Matrix.
Angelina nodded, staying close as they reached the entrance to a subway station.
The moment they stepped in, they felt it, an ominous atmosphere lingering underground.
"This is it," Angelina whispered, swallowing nervously.
"Of course. Constantine and the others picked up the stench earlier."
Noah folded the umbrella and rested it like a walking stick. "Hey, listen. Don’t be nervous, alright?"
"I, "
"You’ve got me. You really think I’d let a classmate get hurt?"
"But, "
"No buts. Don’t overthink it. Just remember, they’re monsters. They’d attack innocent Muggles without hesitation. Your job is to protect those people. And if you do kill one… well, I’ll back you up 100%."
Angelina blinked, then laughed softly at the last part. His calm presence eased her nerves.
Noah gave her a nod. There was no need for stress.
Whether vampire or werewolf, their bounties were real, and profitable.
As a pure-blooded human, Noah felt no sympathy for creatures who saw humans as prey. If anything, he was ready to purge the city if Snape didn’t nag him about classwork.
He wasn’t part of the Hungarian Ministry of Magic. He wasn’t bound by their contracts.
And he wasn’t the sentimental type.
To monsters, a Fourth-order wizard was akin to a god descending upon them. Back when Noah was just First-order, he could already destroy demonic projections.
Demons, angels, they were nothing new.
If he could handle them back then, what chance did a vampire or werewolf have now?
The only real question left was...
“Can the Ministry of Magic even afford my price?”
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