Ch. 9: The Pursuit of the Aurors.

Despite already possessing a dragon, Jon harbored a desire to acquire additional magical creatures that could serve as practical aids.

He had gleaned from the system that any magical creature he tamed could become his mount or companion, implying they could accompany him out of this world and into the Marvel Universe.

Moreover, Jon discovered that the phoenixes of this world, while stunningly beautiful, were significantly smaller than dragons. If tamed, a phoenix could prove more versatile than a dragon in numerous ways.

"Count this! Is it sufficient for 10,000?" Jon demanded, spilling a heap of gold coins onto the table.

"By Merlin's beard! I've never seen so many Galleons in my life!" The shop owner was taken aback by the mountain of gleaming gold coins.

Initially, when Jon had inquired about her most expensive pet, she had dismissed him as an impulsive youth, seemingly incapable of affording a phoenix egg. Thus, she had refrained from presenting the egg.

However, to her surprise, this young man was a veritable gold mine.

"No...no need, it's undoubtedly enough!" the owner stammered, waving her hand in dismissal.

In truth, Jon had given an amount far exceeding the necessary sum.

Upon receiving confirmation from the owner, Jon moved to a corner and retrieved a box.

This box was under the influence of a spell that decelerated time, allowing the phoenix egg within to remain unhatched. He carefully opened the box to reveal a fist-sized, flame-patterned egg, glowing with a fiery red hue.

'I've heard that a phoenix egg requires a shroud of flames to hatch. What flame could be more suitable than my own hellfire?' Jon mused, closing the box and planning to find a secluded spot for incubation.

His acquisitions were indeed substantial. As Jon moved towards the exit, a cage on the other side of the shop caught his eye.

Within it was a creature the size of a rat, sporting a long snout and a coat of black, fluffy fur.

Jon recognized this creature. This creature was a Niffler, as featured in "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find It". Its attraction to shiny objects made it an excellent treasure hunter. Nifflers were often assigned to Curse-Breakers by the Gringotts Head Goblin to burrow underground in search of treasures hidden in cursed sites. Its most remarkable feature was a peculiar pocket that served as a secure storage space.

However, Jon was concerned that this Niffler appeared less lively than its cinematic counterparts, suggesting it might be ill.

"You seem to have taken a liking to the Niffler," the owner observed, noticing Jon's interest.

Her words indicated that Nifflers were well-known in the wizarding world. A pet that could locate treasures was universally popular, although its propensity for destruction made it less appealing to some wizards.

"Unfortunately, this poor creature was subjected to a dark wizard's magic, which left it in this state and robbed it of its treasure-hunting abilities. Hence, I've kept it here. After all, who would want a defective Niffler that can't find a treasure?" the owner explained.

After a moment's contemplation, Jon said, "I'll take this one too. How much is it?"

He had noticed the spell on the Niffler, but breaking it would be a simple task for him.

The shop owner was surprised, quickly responding, "Oh, sir! If you want it, I'll give it to you as a gift!"

With that, she opened the cage and handed the Niffler to Jon.

"Thank you!" Jon accepted without hesitation.

With his newly acquired magical creatures in tow, Jon exited the store in high spirits.

"Please take care, sir, and do visit us again!" The shop owner cheerfully bid farewell to her generous customer. Today, she had made more money than she had in several months.

However, as soon as Jon stepped out of the store, he froze in surprise.

Before him stood several wizards, clad in loose robes, donning wizard hats adorned with goose feathers, and wielding wands. They had been waiting for quite some time.

"Aurors?!" The owner gasped, "Why have the Aurors come to my shop? Could it be that..." She looked at Jon in astonishment.

Aurors were akin to the criminal police of the wizarding world. They were part of the Ministry of Magic and specialized in hunting down dark wizards who violated the laws of the wizarding world.

At this point, Jon didn't seem surprised. From the moment he rode out of Gringotts on Igris, he knew he would be pursued by Aurors.

"Good day, sir!" The leading Auror addressed Jon in a stern tone: "You stand accused of violating the laws of the wizarding world. I am here to formally arrest you on behalf of the Ministry of Magic. We request your cooperation!"

As he spoke, he presented an arrest warrant.

Jon placed the Cocooned Swooping Evil and Niffler into his pockets, holding the box containing the phoenix eggs in one hand, ready to fight his way out.

However, suddenly, an idea struck him, and he changed his approach.

"May I ask a question?" Jon inquired.

The Aurors, who had been bracing for resistance, were taken aback by Jon's sudden question.

"Certainly, please proceed! We will answer to the best of our ability," the lead Auror replied.

"If I surrender without resistance, where will I be taken?" Jon asked.

The Auror responded, "I am not privy to the specifics, but barring any unforeseen circumstances, you will face trial and subsequent sentencing. The worst-case scenario would be imprisonment in Azkaban!"

"As I suspected..." Jon thought to himself.

He then addressed the Auror, "Understood. Before we proceed, may I speak with the lady over there?"

The Aurors exchanged glances before the lead Auror responded in a frosty tone, "Certainly, but I must caution you against any futile attempts at deception!"

Jon nodded, then turned to the bewildered shop owner, "As you can see, I may be absent for a while and unable to care for these little ones."

As he spoke, he handed the box containing the phoenix egg and the magical creatures to the owner.

"Could I entrust them to your care temporarily?" Jon asked.

"Of course, our store offers pet care services!" the owner replied.

Simultaneously, she couldn't help but wonder, 'Does he believe he can escape from Azkaban? Or does he think he won't be imprisoned at all?'

Jon nodded, then turned to the lead Auror and said, "Alright, you may proceed with the arrest."

With that, he placed his wand on the ground, ready to be taken into custody.

After watching Jon being led away by the Auror, the shop owner planned to return Jon's magical creatures to their cages.

However, she was astonished to find that the previously sick Niffler, which had been motionless upon arrival, had miraculously regained its vitality.

"The dark magic was dispelled? In such a short time? I didn't even see him cast a spell!" she thought, "How did he accomplish that? And... just who is he?" The owner continued to question in disbelief.

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