Ch. 14: The Escapee's Return

Thunder!

A thunderous boom echoed across the sky, followed by a deluge of rain. The day was tempestuous and gloomy. The owner of the magical creatures pet shop ambled towards the entrance, shutting the door with a sigh of resignation. Given the stormy weather and the late hour, she was certain no more patrons would venture into her shop.

Despite the recent downturn in business, she remained unperturbed. After all, she had recently closed a significant transaction. The only catch was that her client turned out to be a fugitive, guilty of heinous crimes, now serving a life sentence in Azkaban.

Thankfully, he had paid her in full, but the magical creature he had entrusted to her care was likely to remain in her shop indefinitely. The owner retreated behind the counter, settled into her chair, and unfolded the 'Daily Prophet' newspaper that lay on the table.

"The Ministry of Magic confirmed today that Jon Vinson, charged with theft and murder, has escaped from Azkaban, leaving a trail of dead prisoners in his wake."

She scanned the article, her eyes darting between the moving images of Jon's daring escape from Azkaban atop a fire dragon.

Upon finishing the article, she was left in a state of shock.

"He's escaped from Azkaban?!" She murmured to herself, disbelief etched on her face.

"Theft, murder, dragon theft, an Azkaban escape, Dementor abduction, and the brutal murder of many prisoners?"

The revelation was overwhelming. The man who had casually strolled into her shop was capable of such atrocities? And he didn't seem the type at all!

A sudden realization struck her. The magical creatures he had purchased were still in her care. If he had indeed escaped, it was plausible that he would return to her shop...

Her heart pounded vigorously at the thought.

Just then, the shop door was flung open. A young man, drenched from head to toe and clad in a black raincoat, stepped inside. A heavy chain was draped around his body. He pulled back his hood, revealing a face she would never forget.

"Hi, I'm here to reclaim what's mine...."

Before Jon could finish his sentence, the owner let out a terrified scream.

"Ah—don't kill me, don't kill me, please!"

Jon looked taken aback.

"Hey! Calm down, I'm just here to take my Fantastic Beasts back!"

Upon hearing Jon's words, the owner seemed to regain some composure.

"Just...just your magical beasts?" she asked tentatively.

"What else would I do?" Jon replied, his gaze falling on the newspaper on the table.

He noticed his own image on the front page, picked it up, and scanned the article.

"Damn, they've already published my escape? They sure work fast!"

Jon now understood the shopkeeper's fear. The newspaper had painted him as a ruthless killer, omitting the fact that his victims were Death Eaters. If this detail had been included, he might have been seen as a hero rather than a criminal.

But the 'Daily Prophet' was a mouthpiece for the Ministry of Magic, shaping public opinion as they saw fit. They wouldn't want a criminal to be hailed as a hero.

"Don't worry, I won't harm you. I just want to take my creatures. I've paid for them, haven't I?" Jon reassured her.

"Oh, yes!" The owner replied, retrieving the three magical creatures Jon had purchased: a Niffler, a Swooping Evil, and a Phoenix Egg.

She was relieved that she had taken good care of the creatures. If Jon had found them mistreated, who knew what he might have done to her?

"Alright, thank you!" Jon said, pocketing the creatures and picking up the box containing the Phoenix Egg. He turned to leave the shop.

As Jon stepped outside, the sound of an engine filled the air. A black car descended from the sky, landing in front of him. It was a magical car, unique to the wizarding world, much like the one owned by the Weasley family in the movie.

The car came to a halt, and three Aurors disembarked.

Once again, Aurors... and in the same location...

"Why here again? Can't you apprehend me somewhere else?!" Jon grumbled, recalling the last time he was apprehended in this very spot.

"Jon Vinson, raise your hands and surrender. We're taking you back to Azkaban," one of the Aurors commanded.

Jon, however, had other plans. With a swift movement, he hurled a burst of flames to the ground, creating a barrier between himself and the Aurors, who recoiled in shock.

"You can cast spells without a wand?! And with such ease, how is that possible?!" One of the Aurors quickly regained his composure and addressed Jon, "Do you really think the Ministry of Magic would send only three junior Aurors to apprehend a dangerous fugitive like you?"

As he finished his sentence, another figure emerged from the car.

An elderly wizard, leaning on a crutch due to a missing leg replaced by a wooden prosthetic, stepped forward. His face was a map of scars, but what stood out the most was his left eye. It was a large, artificial eye, as round as a marble, constantly moving in its socket without blinking.

"Mad-Eye Moody?" Jon uttered the name subconsciously.

As he spoke, a system prompt echoed in his mind.

[Ding! Target detected, Barty Crouch Jr., identified as a Death Eater. Eliminating him will yield additional rewards]

[Ding! Side mission activated, rescue the real Alastor Moody. Completion will reward 500 penalty points]

Jon noticed that the previous "unlock the progress of the main task" had changed to "obtain additional rewards". This was because Jon had already fulfilled the task of eliminating at least three Death Eaters.

Seeing Jon's surprised expression, the Auror sneered, "That's right, there's no way you haven't heard of him. Half of Azkaban's prisoners were captured by him!"

The man snorted dismissively, "Although Mr. Moody has retired, Minister Fudge personally requested his assistance for your case, Mr. Vinson."

Jon was indeed taken aback, but he wasn't intimidated by the Moody standing before him.

Knowing the plot, Jon was aware that this wasn't the real Moody, but Barty Crouch Jr. impersonating him. The real Moody was currently imprisoned by Crouch Jr. and confined in a trunk.

In Jon's memory, this Moody was invited by Dumbledore to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. Crouch Jr., disguised as Moody, used this opportunity to gain Harry Potter's trust and execute Voldemort's resurrection plan.

So, what was Crouch Jr.'s motive for coming after him?

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