Alex saw three main possibilities. First, Eisenberg could be under the control of the Imperius Curse. Second, he might be a substitute planted by the Golden Snidgets, essentially a pawn or agent acting on their behalf. The third and most concerning possibility was that Eisenberg was actually a Golden Snidget himself, hiding in plain sight.
Of the three, Alex was honestly hoping it was one of the first two. If Eisenberg turned out to be a Golden Snidget, that would mean they had figured out a way to bypass the usual side effects of certain potions or spells, something Alex didn't yet understand.
That kind of ability would allow him to move about freely without raising suspicion, which was a dangerous advantage. If this turned out to be the case, Alex's only options would be to either find a way to expose Eisenberg publicly or take him out in secret, though neither was simple.
The problem was, these Silver Wand members were no pushovers. If Alex tried to attack without going all out, he probably wouldn't stand a chance.
But if he did use his full strength, it would be difficult to keep his identity hidden. His use of wild mines was a dead giveaway, anyone who knew what to look for could make the connection.
According to Thunderbird, one of Alex's allies, his three other "brothers" in the Silver Wand were all incredibly powerful and each had their own signature spells. Thunderbird himself wielded Blue Fiendfire and the magic shield, both unique and formidable techniques. Compared to the others, his own magic style was more straightforward but also more destructive and defensive.
As for the rest, Thunderbird was most familiar with the one known as Black Dragon, the same one he had fought in America. He was a beast on the battlefield, throw him into a fight, and it would be like summoning a dozen Iron Men. He was a master of group combat.
As for the Phoenix, Thunderbird didn't know too much about her, but she did know that the woman was skilled in dark magic and had a fascination with necromancy. That ghoul summoning bag used by "Occamy" during the battle in Ireland? That was her handiwork.
Even the "Corruption Curse" stored in the club's spell database was her contribution. Most of her spells had a nasty, underhanded edge to them.
Then there was the Golden Snidget. Thunderbird knew even less about him. Sure, they grew up together, but when he joined the "Saints' Association," his role was mostly behind-the-scenes. Thunderbird had hardly seen him in action, but he did know that the guy's methods were...unusual.
That unpredictability was exactly why Alex targeted him right from the start. If he went after the Phoenix directly and things went south, Golden Snidget could just vanish using some bizarre trick, and then it'd be too late.
"If only people lived up to their code names," Alex muttered to himself with a shake of his head.
Take Gerald, for example, his code name was Thunderbird, yet he specialized in fire magic. And then there was the Phoenix, who, instead of rising from flames, was immersed in necromancy. None of their codename give any clue.
After sending out his invitation, Alex summoned Fang and Shalltear. He instructed them to keep monitoring the Silver Wands. Fang was to continue shadowing Minister Eisenberg, who was suspected of being the Golden Snidget.
As for the shapeshifting lizard, he was a total recluse. Alex decided not to waste time keeping tabs on him in real time. Instead, Shalltear was assigned to watch over the Phoenix, in case anything changed.
Meanwhile, Alex had other priorities. He planned to check in on the shops that sold his products, see how business was doing, and if possible, connect with some of the local wizards on his contact list. It was a good chance to learn more about the area and maybe even find some dealers to expand his distribution network.
After all, that was his real business. He wasn't expecting the Ministry of Magic officials to meet with him anytime soon, they'd probably make him wait a few days before setting up an appointment.
By the end of the day, Alex regrouped with the others in a room at the tavern. He had spent the whole day walking around the place, checking out the shops and scoping the area. But by the time he got back, he had discovered something that really annoyed him.
Back when Alex was in Egypt, he'd signed distribution agreements with two German merchants, one from West Germany who handled civilian magical products like enchanted lamps and gramophones, and the other from East Germany who specialized in high-tier alchemical items like protective amulets.
At the time, everything seemed fine, and he didn't notice any red flags. But after a recent on-the-ground inspection in Germany, he realized something frustrating: the two merchants operated in completely different zones of the Dudden Building, each on opposite sides of the East-West divide.
Thanks to a bill pushed through by Minister Eisenberg, along with pressure from various NGOs, the magical communities in East and West Germany now strictly avoided interfering with each other. This divide had grown so deep that it had become politically incorrect for wizards to even cross the border for everyday purchases.
Even if an East German wizard didn't support the division in his heart, he would still avoid going to the West to buy something as simple as a magic lamp. The result? Alex's products couldn't reach all corners of the German market. East Germans had no access to his enchanted lamps, and West Germans couldn't get his alchemical pendants.
Alex was speechless when he realized how badly this whole situation had messed up his business. These political divisions hadn't just split a country, they were hurting his profits. In his eyes, this made the separatists even more of a nuisance.
As a businessman who had grown into a skilled profiteer, Alex now had one more reason to target the Silver Wands, anyone or anything that interfered with his money-making was fair game.
Meanwhile, Fang and Shalltear had been out on surveillance duty, but the day had been uneventful. Minister Eisenberg seemed completely absorbed in his work, spending all his time holed up inside the Ministry of Magic.
The other key figure from the Phoenix faction was just as reclusive, staying indoors all day like a shut-in. That kind of behavior made Alex even more suspicious. He was convinced the Silver Wands were already operating in Germany, there was no way two of their core members would be stationed here otherwise.