"That's good... Wait, aren't there more people backstage?"
"No kidding, this is the damn women's restroom."
"... I don't get it, I just feel like we're pretty twisted."
"Damn, did you even see a single strand of a woman's hair backstage?"
The man took a deep breath and forcibly ended a topic that some idiot brought up just to talk, "How are the things I asked you to prepare? This is a damn near-adult Fire Dragon..." His breathing became heavy, seemingly a bit excited.
"Yeah, a near-adult Norwegian Ridgeback."
The other man nodded, speaking in a resentful tone, "That dragon can breathe fire, has Poison Fangs, and can swallow three of me whole. And now it's just the two of us, we have to catch it and bring it back alive... Did you offend the boss? If you want to die, fine, but why drag me into it?"
"Yet here you are."
"... Tsk, tell me the plan."
"The plan is simple. These are the props and costumes for the 'Hero' set to perform last, defeating the Giant Dragon. Before I came in, I took care of those two people. We just need to dress up as them, take the stage to subdue the Fire Dragon, then deal with the other wizards on stage, and finally, take the Fire Dragon out."
"..."
"What's wrong?"
"How many steps does it take to put an elephant in a refrigerator?"
"What elephant refrigerator... Hey, hey, don't go... there's a twist, a twist." The man reached out to grab the departing companion, then fumbled in his pants, and soon, a large black oval object was presented in his palm.
"What is this? Where the hell did you get a Dragon Egg?" His companion's eyes were full of shock, "Wait... Hold on, why are we stealing a real Fire Dragon if we have a Dragon Egg?"
"Fake, but the Fire Dragon will think it's real."
"... Will it work?"
"Trust me, brother," the man put away the fake Dragon Egg, "I've arranged for people to work with us. Once we get close to the Fire Dragon, the barriers around the stage will disappear. Don't worry, those Werewolves won't catch us, the boss has people nearby to support us. Our actual task is just to get the Fire Dragon airborne..."
Saying this, he raised his wrist for a glance, "It's about time, the 'Hero' and his Attendant should be taking the stage."
"I'm the Hero?" The companion nodded, following the man out.
"No, you're the Attendant."
"Screw you..."
"..."
It wasn't until their voices completely disappeared that a door in the partition was finally pushed open from the inside —
Someone's plotting to steal the Fire Dragon? Astoria was unsure if she had hallucinated those conversations, given she had slipped out of the performance hall not long ago. While not interested in the Fire Dragon, she could see the strength of that Norwegian Ridgeback, which was absolutely beyond human wizard control —
What were those two intending to rely on?
A fake Dragon Egg?
"But wasn't... wasn't that Fire Dragon male?"
The girl recalled the introduction to the Fire Dragon she saw at the performance hall entrance fifteen minutes ago and muttered to herself uncertainly.
......
Lupin had just finished a job and returned to his room.
He had arrived at this circus two weeks ago, having just finished his last temporary job. Due to the discrimination in the Wizarding World against Werewolves, he needed to keep his identity secret, but because he disappeared for some time every full moon, none of Lupin's jobs ever lasted long.
Probably the same for this one...
Even though the boss here was also a Werewolf, his identity didn't need to be hidden, but that wouldn't lessen the discrimination. Additionally, Lupin simply couldn't accept using his transformation every full moon to entertain those Pure-Blood Wizards — he had consciousness after transforming as a Werewolf, but upon waking, remembered everything.
Lupin knew he probably couldn't endure such a life.
So, perhaps he'd have to leave by the next full moon...
Staring at the pitifully small amount of luggage in the cramped room, he got up again and walked outside — ticket checking at the door was just one of his jobs, as Derek's capitalist behavior meant almost all the Werewolf employees maintained a high-intensity twelve-hour workday. They couldn't resist because they were entirely out of options.
Caring for a Hippogriff was another part of his job.
"Hey, Silver, big guy, how's it going today?"
Lupin approached a Hippogriff covered in silver hair, carrying a bucket filled with Flobberworms. As usual, he bowed to it, and the Hippogriff named Silver didn't delay either, quickly bowing back and instantly grabbing the bucket from the man's hand, eagerly wishing to bury its head inside.
"Hey, easy, easy."
Lupin laughed and pushed Silver's head aside, waved his other hand holding a Magic Wand, causing the Flobberworms inside the bucket to twist and float upward, forming balls of various sizes in mid-air, rhythmically bouncing towards Silver's head one after another.
Silver shook its wings excitedly, playing catch with enthusiasm upon seeing this scene.
Lupin nodded in satisfaction, took a brush from the rack beside the stable, and began grooming Silver's beautiful feathers that shimmered with silver light.
"... Well, you've been quite free lately, that Fire Dragon takes up most of the showtime."
Listening to the muffled roar of the Fire Dragon nearby, Lupin subconsciously spoke to himself — he didn't have many people to talk to in this circus, and the animals became his listening companions...
But he quickly stopped himself.
"... What is this?"
Feeling something strange under his palm, Lupin hesitantly reached out to separate the dense feathers on Silver's back near its wing — and found himself staring into two small, black eyes.
"?"
"Squeak."
The Niffler hesitantly fished out a Golden Galleon from its pocket, extending it in front of Lupin — at the same time, it discreetly tucked the remaining half of the silver feather into its belly.
"Huh?"
The now-fed Silver turned around, glancing at the black creature on its back, unconsciously shaking its wings.
As a result, the Niffler flew into the air.
"Wait..."
Lupin quickly reached out to catch the airborne Niffler, along with several Golden Galleons falling from its grasp, "Where did you..." Looking at the Niffler struggling in his arms, he frowned in confusion —
Obviously, the circus had these creatures, but to prevent Nifflers from escaping, their cages were sealed glass tanks, just like the ones for Merpeople. Even skilled diggers like these little guys couldn't possibly break through glass.
"Forget it."
Unable to figure it out, Lupin chose to give up thinking. Grabbing the Niffler by the scruff of its neck, he left the stable — however it escaped, returning it was the safe bet.
But he had just turned a corner when he collided with a hurried figure. Astoria, who was knocked down, rubbed her head and stared at the man who suddenly appeared in front of her, pausing, "Is it you?"
"Uh, me?" Seeing the familiar-looking girl, Lupin nodded subconsciously, "Why are you..."
"No time for that, someone's going to steal the Fire Dragon!"
"?"