It was unmistakable—the rapidly spreading vines were the legendary Spandim Gate.
When Dark Dentis stepped out from the shimmering portal, the siblings—Elisa and Ewoyn—stood frozen in disbelief. Their family's old home, ancient though it was, had an Anti-Apparition Array carefully concealed beneath its dilapidated charm.
"Good afternoon, you two," Dentis greeted casually.
"Mr. Dentis!" Elisa and Ewoyn exclaimed in unison.
Elisa didn't sit. Instead, she remained standing beside the teleportation portal, her expression composed but alert.
"I'm about to acquire a large number of properties and will need manpower—lots of it," Dentis announced. "Ewoyn, I need you to recruit immediately and expand the Fire Serpent Party. Can you do that?"
Still stunned by the Spandim Gate's sudden appearance, Ewoyn was struggling to keep up, his mouth half-open in confusion. Elisa didn't wait for him to recover—she drove her elbow sharply into his side.
"Ouch…! Huh? Oh! Yes, BOSS, I can do it!"
Dentis nodded once.
"The Fire Serpent Party will not accept pure-blood wizards. We are only recruiting Muggle-born and half-blood wizards—those financially struggling and marginalized. Chinese wizards like you will serve as the core leadership. I don't require brilliance. I need loyalty and unity. Can you deliver that?"
A light ignited in Ewoyn's eyes.
"Of course, BOSS! The Fire Serpent Party has always welcomed the lowest-tier wizards. It was like this a hundred years ago, and it's the same now."
—There was truth in that. After all, if one wasn't starving or desperate, who would risk imprisonment in Azkaban just to survive?
"Do you remember my first instruction?" Dentis asked.
"I remember, BOSS—don't cause trouble!"
"Good." Dentis's voice remained calm. "Every time you recruit one hundred members, notify me. I will meet with each new group personally."
"O-One hundred people?" Ewoyn blinked.
"That many?"
Elisa shot her brother a sharp look, followed by another painful jab to his ribs.
"Idiot!" she snapped. "Didn't you hear what BOSS said? A hundred is just the starting point! We'll need two hundred, three hundred, more! Keep up!"
Clutching his side, Ewoyn groaned.
"Hiss… This wicked girl doesn't know how to control her strength… What I mean is, if each person earns fifty Galleons per month, then a hundred people would cost five thousand! If we can't cover that, I won't be able to manage the crew."
Dentis remained unshaken. "Money is not an issue."
Ewoyn snapped to attention and gave an awkward salute.
"Understood, BOSS! If the funds are secured, I will complete the mission without fail!"
Elisa watched her foolish brother with a mix of irritation and pity. Didn't he realize that if Dentis could purchase properties across regions, money was the least of his concerns?
Dentis casually flicked his fingers, releasing two objects midair. Each item hovered for a moment before landing precisely in their hands.
Elisa received a weighty money pouch; Ewoyn received a two-way mirror.
"This bag holds thirty thousand Galleons," Dentis said. "Elisa, you will handle the finances. Ewoyn, use the two-way mirror to contact me at night if there are any updates."
"Y-Yes… y-yes…" Ewoyn stammered.
The siblings stood in stunned silence. Thirty thousand Galleons—just handed over?
But before they could dwell further, Dentis transformed into a flickering blue light and dove straight into Ewoyn's chest.
Elisa screamed. Ewoyn's eyes turned an unnatural electric blue, and when he opened his mouth again, his voice was not his own.
"I am Dark Dentis," said Ewoyn, "and I am currently controlling your brother."
It was a possession spell—Merlin's Possession, to be precise. A technique long lost to modern wizards, unknown in contemporary times. As far as intimidation tactics went, it was wildly effective.
After a few moments, Dana exited Ewoyn's body and returned to his original position. With a twist of his wand, he took on Ewoyn's appearance. The two Ewoyns stared at each other in eerie silence.
Then Dentis reformed into himself and addressed them with chilly finality.
"Don't even think about embezzling my funds. If you do, I'll find you—no matter where you hide. Trust me. I have that ability."
The siblings could only nod in mute horror.
"I value loyalty," Dentis continued, "but if you fail me, I don't care. I'll simply replace you. And your corpses will serve as a warning for whoever steps into your shoes next. But if you serve me well, I will reward you handsomely."
He turned and walked back toward the Spandim Gate.
"Everything I needed to say has been said. Get to work."
With that, he stepped through the portal, and it disintegrated into starlight, vanishing from the living room.
Only then did Elisa and Ewoyn dare to breathe freely.
Ewoyn clutched the mirror like a sacred artifact. Elisa held the money pouch to her chest. They locked eyes, speaking no words.
"Sister," Ewoyn finally whispered, "what should we do next? BOSS is terrifying…"
Elisa shook her head.
"Mr. Dentis is our benefactor. There's no reason to betray him. We owe him everything. So what's there to be afraid of?"
Ewoyn let out a long breath.
"You're right. As long as we follow BOSS loyally, riches and glory await us. Honestly, what's there to fear?
Sister, can you lend me a thousand Galleons?"
"…For what?"
"There's a new batch of girls from Eastern Europe working at the Fiery Witch Nightclub… really charming ones—"
"Get lost! Besides your fifty-Galleon salary, you won't get a single Knut from me!"
"Sister! BOSS said there'd be rewards—"
"Have you recruited anyone yet? No? Then quit whining and get moving!"
Paris, France
Champs-Élysées, between 23 and 24.
At the end of a narrow alley between two high-end storefronts stood a small, unassuming house, almost invisible—forgotten by time.
With a subtle spatial twist, Dana, once again under the alias Dark Dentis, arrived via portkey, smuggling himself across borders with meticulous care.
He approached the house's aged but ornate blue wooden door, noting the detailed carvings of roses along the frame. A metallic sign was affixed to the door, inscribed with a line of German text.
Dana frowned. He didn't speak German.
But as he looked at it, the writing shimmered, changing into French.
Still, no luck.
"Sorry, Madam," Dana muttered. "I only speak English."
The writing on the sign shifted again, becoming:
"What can I do for you?"
Dana narrowed his eyes. He spoke carefully:
"For the Greater Good?"
Immediately, the text reverted to its original German form.
Before Dana could decide whether to blast the door open, it creaked open of its own accord.
He stepped inside.
The interior was breathtaking.
Large art tiles in alternating hues of orange and brown stretched beneath his feet. The walls, a pristine snow-white, were trimmed with gilded borders, resembling the interior of a palace or a museum.
He half-wondered if he'd wandered into the Louvre by mistake—though he'd never actually been.
Sculptures lined the corridor—famous faces immortalized in stone. Between them, paintings hung under golden lighting, each masterpiece older than the British Ministry itself.
A floating arrow appeared midair, gently guiding his path.
Dana followed it until he arrived at an open courtyard, reminiscent of scenes from a classic aristocratic novel.
At the center stood an elegant birdcage-shaped gazebo, its dome roof shaded by lush green grapevines, growing despite the wintry season—another wonder of wizardry.
Inside the gazebo sat an elderly woman. She wore a flowing black velvet dress, and in her left hand, she held an open book—"Napoleon". Her right hand rested behind the chair's curve, out of sight, but Dana was certain she was gripping a wand.
"Hello, Madam Rosier." Dana gave a slight bow. "My name is Dark Dentis. It's a pleasure to meet you."
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