The battle had started suddenly, but it had ended just as quickly.
Newt hadn't even managed to draw his wand before the werewolf were rendered completely unable to resist.
When the commotion died down, the forest had grown even denser. There wasn't even a clear space to stand, forcing Kyle and Newt to balance themselves on the thick, intertwined tree roots.
A mass of gnarled roots and twisted trunks had coiled around the werewolf's bodies, making them look, from a distance, like strange and rather unappetizing fruit hanging from the trees.
"Incredible," Newt murmured, looking up at the trees, which had expanded to five or six times their original size. "Is this a Charm you learned from Ravenclaw?"
"Sort of," Kyle replied. "The Plant Engorgement Charm was originally invented by Helga Hufflepuff to defend Hogwarts. She also used it to create the Forbidden Forest… though back then, it was just a prototype, nowhere near the size it is now."
"Amazing," Newt said, patting one of the thick roots nearby.
Typically, an Engorgement Charm could make plants grow larger, but it also dispersed their original vitality—like inflating a balloon. The bigger it got, the thinner its surface became, and the weight remained unchanged.
But the trees around them felt different. Unlike the Engorgement Charm Newt was familiar with, these roots seemed brimming with vitality, as though they had grown naturally rather than being magically altered.
Yet, could an ordinary pine tree really grow this enormous? The trunks were as thick as wagon wheels—Newt had never seen anything like it before.
"This spell actually works best when combined with Devil's Snare," Kyle noted.
"Devil's Snare?" Newt asked, puzzled. "Would that make a difference?"
"Of course," Kyle said. "With Devil's Snare, its vines will instinctively entangle anything nearby as it expands, so I wouldn't have to manually control them. It saves a lot of effort."
Kyle raised his wand-wielding hand. "Honestly, trying to make fifty-foot-tall trees pliable is exhausting."
Newt could clearly see Kyle's arm trembling slightly, and there was a fine sheen of sweat on his forehead.
"Then why go through all that trouble?" Newt asked, even more confused. "It wouldn't have been that hard to deal with the werewolves another way."
"But this is the coolest," Kyle admitted, his voice tinged with excitement. "I've always wanted to try it—I just never found the opportunity."
Newt smiled and shook his head. "Hm, alright."
To be fair, when the forest had seemingly come alive, it had been an incredible sight. Fifty years ago, he might have been tempted to learn the spell himself.
It was a perfect Charm for use in the forest. Unlike most spells that would damage trees or disrupt the environment, this one enhanced vitality, making everything flourish rather than decay. It was simply ideal.
And for someone like Newt, who had spent much of his youth in forests, it was even more appealing.
Unfortunately, those days were long behind him. Age played a part, of course, but so did the increased security in international magical transportation. Apparition and Portkeys were now closely monitored, and sneaking into foreign lands unnoticed had become far more difficult than it once was.
"Alright, we should get to work," Newt sighed, stepping toward one of the bound werewolves. "How are they? Are they still alive?"
"No… well, I think so," Kyle replied, though his tone wasn't entirely confident.
"At first, I had control over them, but when there were too many, I could only just manage to stop them from attacking each other."
Ever since his last visit to the Department of Mysteries, Kyle had been particularly careful to avoid accumulating any more Blood Debt from killing witches and wizards.
But in battle against Death Eaters, holding back was a serious disadvantage. That was why he often relied on the magical creatures in his suitcase for help instead.
Like the time he had used the Fiendfyre Curse in the tower—he hadn't been the one to finish off the Death Eater. It had been Nundu who had volunteered to do so.
This time was no different.
As they spoke, a low, feline sound, almost like a deep-pitched meow, came from a nearby tree.
A Wampus Cat stretched out its claws against a thick branch before leaping down effortlessly, pressing its head against Newt's palm.
"Ah, it's you," Newt said, stroking its large head affectionately. "How have you been? Are you happy?"
The Wampus Cat looked at Kyle with its blue eyes and nodded vigorously.
Of course, Newt already knew the answer. Wampus Cats were not the kind of magical creatures that enjoyed staying still for long. Compared to the dull, confined life inside his suitcase, they would undoubtedly prefer being outside, running free with Kyle.
The Wampus Cat rubbed against Newt once more before bounding over to Kyle, meowing softly.
"Six in total… You took care of them all ahead of time, didn't you? That's great…"
Kyle smiled as he reached into his suitcase and pulled out a piece of meat with the bone still attached, placing it into the Wampus Cat's mouth.
"This will have to do for now. I'll grill you a pork leg when we get out of here."
The Wampus Cat's blue eyes gleamed with excitement. It jumped toward Kyle, still holding the meat in its mouth.
Newt, watching this exchange, felt increasingly confused. "Kyle, what are you two talking about?" Six? Took care of them all ahead of time?"
Kyle glanced at him and explained casually, "It means the Wampus Cat took care of six werewolves ahead of time. That way, I wouldn't have to kill them myself."
As he spoke, he briefly explained the concept of Blood Debt.
Newt stood there, dumbfounded, unable to speak for a long time.
By Merlin's beard… using magical creatures to 'compensate' for it? Only Kyle would come up with something so bizarre. And, of course, only he could actually pull it off.
At the same time, another thought crossed Newt's mind.
He was well aware of Blood Debt, but he had never been particularly concerned about it. After all, who could live through his era without facing life-threatening situations? Grindelwald alone had waged war across Europe—there was no way to avoid killing in times like that. Either you killed your enemy, or they killed you. It was inevitable.
Even during the war Voldemort started more than a decade ago, such things had been unavoidable.
Subconsciously, he turned his gaze back to Kyle.
No one would have believed it… that after the war ended, a wizard who once used the Fiendfyre Curse so effortlessly could still have magic as untainted as a blank page.
In a way, that was terrifying.
Fortunately, it's Kyle. If it were anyone else…
Newt wasn't sure what he would have done.
"In the future, never say things like that to other people," he cautioned, unable to help himself.
"Don't worry, I know," Kyle said with a knowing smile. He understood perfectly well that this was something best kept secret, and he had no intention of boasting about it.
Then, without another word, Kyle took a few steps forward, stopping in front of the leader of the werewolves.
Wampus Cats possessed two distinct abilities. Their blue eyes could be used for Legilimency, allowing them to read their prey's thoughts. But when their eyes turned purple, their Legilimency became a hypnotic attack—a unique method of subduing their targets.
The werewolf had fallen victim to the latter. He was sound asleep, snoring loudly, completely undisturbed even after all the chaos that had unfolded around him.
At that moment, the Wampus Cat finished eating the last of its meat and leaped over.
Kyle flicked his wand, sending a jet of water splashing down onto the werewolf's face.
"Pffft—! Damn it! Who—"
The werewolf wizard jolted awake with a sputtering gasp. His eyes darted around wildly, and only then did he realize that his body was completely bound by thick, unyielding branches. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't move an inch.
Then his gaze landed on the two wizards standing before him—the very same ones he had just considered his prey.
His scattered memories gradually resurfaced, and understanding dawned upon him.
And the fact that they were standing there unharmed could only mean one thing.
The others had been—
"Damn it, I'll kill you!" The werewolf wizard's eyes burned red with fury. He let out a furious hiss and lunged forward, teeth bared, trying to sink them into Kyle's neck.
Kyle took a step back in distaste. "Don't get ahead of yourself, or I won't hesitate to let someone else handle you."
At that moment, the Wampus Cat stepped forward as well, baring its sharp fangs.
The werewolf wizard instantly froze.
The presence of a 5X-classified magical creature was enough to silence him—instinctual fear clamping down on his rage.
He glared at Kyle, his eyes burning with rage.
"Who the hell are you people?"
"Friends of Lupin," Kyle said. "Remus Lupin, remember him? The one you nearly killed a while ago. He used to be my Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, and we got along pretty well."
"He's a werewolf traitor and deserves to die!"
Kyle, unfazed, shook his finger. "Frankly, I don't care what you think of him. Whether he's a werewolf traitor or a friend, it's none of my business. But you nearly killed him… and as his friends, we naturally have to take revenge. That's only fair, don't you think?"
The werewolf wizard let out a short, derisive laugh, which quickly grew louder until he was nearly doubled over, tears in his eyes.
"Ha, friends? Do you take me for a child? Do you really expect me to believe that nonsense? Friends!" His laughter had an almost manic edge to it. "Don't be ridiculous. Werewolves don't have friends!"
He sneered, eyes sharp with suspicion. "Just be honest. What's your real purpose here? And spare me the jokes, they just make you look stupid."
Kyle fell silent for a moment, then shrugged. "Fine. If that's what you think."
He stepped forward, his tone calm but cold. "Then, as you just said, I'll ask you questions. If your answers satisfy me, I'll make sure you die quickly."
"Fair enough," the werewolf wizard grinned. "But I refuse. Use whatever tricks you want, you won't get anything out of me."
"Don't say that, it makes me sound like some kind of villain." Kyle paused in thought before asking, "First question: What's your name, and who instructed you to attack Lupin?"
"I told you, you won't get anything from me—"
A soft, almost pitiful whimper came from the Wampus Cat.
Kyle nodded. "Oh, Yaxley? So he's the one commanding you werewolves?"
The werewolf's expression flickered with panic. "What—what are you talking about? I don't know! I don't know any Yaxley!"
Kyle's voice lowered, his gaze sharp. "You're a terrible liar." He let out a slow breath. "Werewolves taking orders from a dark wizard… how pathetic. You're nothing compared to Greyback, Jorman."
The werewolf stiffened. His breath hitched. "Damn it… How do you know my name? And you—"
Kyle waved his hand dismissively, cutting him off. "Where is Yaxley?"
"I told you, I won't—"
"Oh, Spinner's End. So that's where you got your orders to kill Lupin."
Jorman's panic deepened into sheer terror. His body trembled, as if he had just glimpsed something monstrous.
It was like standing before the Dark Lord himself—no part of him could be hidden.
"Were there many Death Eaters there? Was You-Know-Who present?" Kyle's voice remained eerily calm.
Jorman clenched his jaw and said nothing, but that silence did nothing to halt the interrogation.
"Just Yaxley alone?" Kyle continued, tilting his head. "What, you couldn't even reach the Death Eaters' stronghold?"
Jorman suddenly realized something.
"Legilimens!" he hissed hoarsely, his voice filled with horror. "Damn it… You're a natural Legilimens!"
Kyle hadn't spoken any incantations before. That was why, at first, Jorman hadn't considered Legilimency. But now, he knew there was no other explanation—Kyle was reading his mind.
He tried to shut his eyes, but with just a lazy flick of Kyle's hand, his eyelids became immovable, as though they had been glued open.
"Don't worry," Kyle said smoothly, "it'll be over soon. Now, do you have any other plans? Any other werewolf accomplices?"
Jorman fought against the invasion, tried to not think of anything, but it was pointless.
"And one more, hiding in Knockturn Alley… waiting for the right moment to attack the shops in Diagon Alley and cause chaos?" Kyle mused softly.
It made sense. If Legilimency could be disrupted so easily, then what was the point of learning Occlumency in the first place?
Jorman finally gave up struggling. His eyes dulled as he stared blankly at Kyle.
"…Since you know everything, just kill me."
Kyle petted the Wampus Cat's head, then turned to Newt.
"Oh, don't worry about me," Newt said without looking up. He was still examining the massive roots around them, seemingly intrigued by their structure. "You caught them. Naturally, it's up to you to decide."
Kyle hesitated. "Did Professor Dumbledore say anything before we left?"
Newt's gaze flickered toward him. "How do you know it was Dumbledore who told me to come?"
Kyle smiled faintly. "Isn't it obvious? If it weren't for Dumbledore, you—someone who even has to eat in his suitcase—wouldn't have left your creatures alone for this long just to come to the Black Forest."
Newt sighed, shaking his head. "Fine. It was him." He paused. "Dumbledore didn't say anything specific, but he was always very supportive of Remus Lupin. When we talked, he did mention that hatred shouldn't be perpetuated."
Kyle took a slow, deep breath.
After a moment of silence, he raised his wand.
The thick branches constricting Jorman loosened and slithered away. With nothing left to hold him, the werewolf wizard collapsed onto the ground with a thud.
For a split second, he seemed stunned—then, without hesitation, he lunged straight for Kyle's throat.
But the very next second—
"Incendio Totalum."
A scorching wind rushed past.
Jorman froze in place, his body locking up before he could reach Kyle. Something deep inside him screamed at him to stop—pure, primal instinct overriding any conscious thought.
He gasped for air, his breath shallow and ragged. With great effort, he turned his head to look behind him.
And what he saw…
The forest—no, the entire forest behind him—was gone.
It was as if an enormous, fiery behemoth had crushed the land over and over again, reducing everything in its wake to ashes. The trees had been incinerated in an instant, leaving behind only a vast, scorched wasteland, still burning with embers.
Kyle's voice remained calm. "Stay here. Don't set foot outside the Black Forest until the war is over. Do you understand?"
To Jorman, that voice no longer sounded human. It was like a whisper from the depths of something unfathomable, something he could not refuse.
Even if they transformed under the full moon, even if they fought with all their might… against magic like this, they wouldn't last more than a few seconds.
Kyle wasn't done. "And, no matter what method you use, spread the word. If werewolves manage to achieve some merit in this war, I will help push for the Werewolf Act."
"…Werewolf Act?" Jorman whispered, dazed. "What is that?"
"It was Remus Lupin's idea," Kyle said. "A proposal for werewolves. Though, to be honest, none of us think it will actually pass."
Jorman's voice was hoarse. "What… what does it say?"
"Put simply," Kyle said, "it suggests that werewolf children under the age of eleven should be allowed to attend school normally. To live in the sunlight."
He paused, then added, "Oh, but it only applies to children. It has nothing to do with you."
Jorman scoffed bitterly. "That's impossible. Wizards will never accept us. Not even just the children. You're lying."
Kyle shrugged. "What's there to lie about? Honestly, you look so filthy, I could wring you out like a wet rag—what is that, a shirt?"
The insult barely registered. Jorman just kept muttering the same thing:
"…This is impossible…"
"It is difficult," Kyle admitted. "That's why we'll be watching your actions during this war."
Then, with a final flick of his wand, Kyle extinguished the remaining flames.
"Remember," he said. "If I see you outside the Black Forest again, I won't be as nice as I am today."