Blake grinned. "Then it seems I have only one choice."
Even if he truly wanted to find Moody, he wouldn't be afraid. Standing still, Blake knew Moody's spells would struggle to break through his armour spell—unless Moody had lost all sense and started casting the Killing Curse on anything he suspected.
Still…
When in doubt, go to Dumbledore. That was the golden rule.
Clearing his throat, Blake opened a small dimensional door. "Is anyone home?"
To his surprise, beyond the door was Dumbledore, his expression filled with quiet amusement. "Well… at least you've gotten better at aiming."
"Right? At least I didn't end up in a toilet this time."
Dumbledore chuckled. Blake could only smile innocently, trying to mask his embarrassment.
"Alright, what's the situation now? Open the door a bit wider so we can talk. It looks cold over there."
Blake expanded the portal, stepping into the warmth of the Hogwarts headmaster's office, ignoring a few unfortunate souls tangled in Devil's Snare nearby.
Dumbledore blinked upon seeing Newt Scamander. "I assume this is about magical creatures?"
Blake grinned. "Professor, you're too sharp! No wonder you're headmaster."
Dumbledore, unlike Fudge, didn't crave flattery, but even he seemed pleased with the remark.
Blake and Newt took turns explaining what they had encountered, including Newt's vision of establishing a magical zoo.
Dumbledore considered the idea. "It has potential. If we place the zoo on an island, the animals won't escape easily. As long as visitor safety is ensured, I see no major issues."
Newt and Blake exchanged excited glances. This could work! A zoo meant Blake could house all his magical creatures in one place, summon them when needed, and even fund his expensive materials for crafting Master Balls. Plus, it would be the perfect cover for any new magical species he discovered—or created.
"Security won't be a problem," Blake assured. "You know my abilities. Any magical creature I tame obeys me."
Newt nodded. Even highly dangerous creatures, like XXXXX-class chimaeras, were docile around Blake.
Dumbledore smiled. "In that case, I'll speak with Fudge tomorrow."
Noticing how tired Newt looked, Dumbledore felt a pang of concern. Despite using life-extending potions, Newt was still exhausted—a sign of how overworked he truly was.
"That's fantastic!" Newt beamed. "I'll handle hiring staff. I know plenty of magizoologists."
Blake was stunned. A zoo staffed entirely by magizoologists? That was next-level professionalism!
Most magizoologists weren't desperate for money—magical creatures were valuable, after all. If Newt framed it as research rather than a job, they might even join for free, especially if they believed they were protecting creatures from poachers. Some might even pay to work there.
Once the zoo discussion was settled, Blake shifted the conversation back to the poachers they had encountered.
"Take me there," Dumbledore said.
Blake opened another dimensional door, but before stepping through, Dumbledore quickly wrote a letter and handed it to Fawkes. "Deliver this to Alastor."
The phoenix let out an exasperated chirp, clearly reluctant. Moody's paranoia often led to Fawkes dodging spells before even delivering a message.
Once Fawkes departed, Dumbledore walked through the portal to the hill where Blake had captured the poachers. The men were still trapped in Devil's Snare, caught between anger and despair.
Blake had even earned some silver treasure chests from them—an unexpected bonus.
The most furious among them was a man Blake had dubbed "Pimple-face." The poor soul had been knocked out with a single strike and awakened to find himself toothless, tied up, and freezing. His mind seethed with thoughts of revenge, planning to fight back the moment the Devil's Snare loosened its grip. He could still cast powerful spells without a wand—he just needed the chance.
Just then, he heard approaching footsteps and a new voice. His window of opportunity was shrinking.
"I will never give in!" he thought.
Suddenly, the Devil's Snare loosened around his eyes, allowing him to see. Glaring in defiance, he was ready to face whoever was responsible—
Until he saw who had arrived.
Albus Dumbledore.
His bravado shattered. Resistance was no longer an option. Even with a wand, escaping from Dumbledore was nearly impossible. Without one? Hopeless.
Blake, standing beside the headmaster, pointed at him. "That's him! He hit me!"
Pimple-face was outraged. What nonsense! He was the one who had been beaten! This kid had knocked out his teeth and yet had the audacity to play the victim?
Dumbledore, seeing his expression, needed no explanation. He had known Blake since he entered Hogwarts—Blake was the troublemaker, not the victim.
Still, Dumbledore attempted to remove the Devil's Snare from Pimple-face's mouth, only for Blake to stop him. "Professor, he lost all his teeth. He talks funny now. Just ask someone else."
Pimple-face's rage intensified.
Blake then pointed again. "Look! He's glaring at me! So scary! I'm terrified!"
Dumbledore sighed, ruffling Blake's hair. "You little rascal, can you be serious for once?"
Blake pouted. "What? I'm just a kid…"
Choosing to ignore him, Dumbledore questioned another poacher, quickly extracting the location and security details of their Colosseum.
Turning to Newt, he said, "This group is different from the ones in Albania."
Newt shuddered at the memory of Albania. Those poachers had been far more ruthless.
"You should sit this one out, Newt. Once we clear the area, you can come in and rescue the creatures," Dumbledore advised.
Blake noticed Dumbledore glancing at him. "Do I have to wait outside, too?"
"Yes," Dumbledore said firmly.
"But I want to fight!"
"As you just said, you're still a child."
"Wait—"
Dumbledore chuckled. "I'm kidding. I know exactly how strong you are. But we won't need Aurors. Just us will do."
Blake's eyes widened. "No Aurors? Just you and me?"
Dumbledore smiled. "Who else could stand against the two of us together?"
Blake smirked. "No one! We'll wipe out whoever we see!"
Newt sighed. "And me?"
Blake opened a portal to Newt's living room. "You can enjoy some tea and read the paper. We'll call you when we're done."
Newt raised his hands in exasperation. "So now I don't even get to be there? You're making me feel ancient!"
Dumbledore and Blake, an unlikely yet formidable duo, stepped through the portal. Within moments, spells flew, enemies fell, and the Colosseum was cleared. The makeshift arena was nothing compared to the one in Albania—just a shabby, expanded tent with barely any creatures inside.
Dumbledore ensured the area was safe before summoning Newt.
Newt, teacup in hand, stepped through the portal and stared. "That was fast. I didn't even get to sit down properly!"
Blake grinned. "What can I say? When we fight, we win fast."
Newt sighed, shaking his head. "Next time, at least let me finish my tea…"
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