Alex leaned in close, his lips curling into what might have been a smile, but the sharp iy in his dark eyes sent a shiver through Wilkes. “So,” Alex said softly, his voice calm but unnervingly steady, “does any of it start ing back to you?”

  “Hah…hah…” Wilkes rasped, his lungs burning with every breath. His bloodshot eyes flicked to Alex’s face, whiow loomed in his mind like a specter from a nightmare. “What… what do you even want from me?”

  “Who attacked the Longbottoms?” Alex’s tone was quiet, but the undercurrent of threat was unmistakable.

  “I… I heard it was Rabastan arix from the Lestrange family,” Wilkes stammered, panic breaking through his exhaustion. “I don’t know if there were others—I swear, I don’t know anything else!”

  Alex’s eyes narrowed slightly. “The Lestrange family... Isn’t Bel reted to Sirius? His cousin?”

  Wilkes barely registered the remark, too busy clutg his sides, trying to steady his ragged breathing. He didn’t dare meet Alex’s gaze. “I swear, that’s all I know!” he said, his voice crag. “My uncle used to be a figure in the Death Eaters before he died st Christmas, but our family doesn’t rank high. If you waer answers, someone like Travers would know more…”

  Across the room, Travers, who had been bound and hanging helplessly, gred at Wilkes with a mix of e and fear. “Wilkes, you coward!” he shouted, his voice hoarse. “I don’t know anything more than he does! And if you touch me, my family will make sure yret it!”

  Alex turoward Travers, his fareadable, and with a flick of his wand, stunned Wilkes into dream world. He then walked calmly over to Travers, whose earlier bravado quickly crumbled under Alex’s cold stare.

  “You seem very fident,” Alex said quietly, his tone almost ptive. “When dealing with Wilkes, I almost fot—I know Legilimency.”

  Travers’ eyes widened in terror as Alex’s wand rose. Before he could protest, Alex flicked it, lifting Travers into the air and f him to meet his gaze.

  “Look at me,” Alex anded, his voice soft but unyielding.

  Despite himself, Travers’ gaze locked onto Alex’s dark eyes, which seemed to draw him in, stripping away his defenses. For someone as weak-willed as Travers, his mind en book, vulnerable and unguarded. Alex delved past the surface with ease, memories unraveling before him like threads in a tapestry.

  The se shifted. Alex found himself in a grand manor filled with antiques and vish decor. A youravers stood before an older man—his uncle—whose voice carried a chilliainty.

  “Sampur,” the uncle said with pride, “soon, the Dark Lord’s power will stretch across this nd, and the Travers family will rise with it.”

  The memory lihen flickered to another moment. This time, Travers was in a dark, book-lined room where jars of rare ingredients lihe shelves. His mother, a woman with pale blonde hair, moved between the shelves, seleg various magical items.

  “The Dark Lord asked us to deliver these to Malfoy Manor,” she said, pg a worher notebook, a small eerie statue, and a hardened root into a bag.

  “What’s this one?” young Travers asked, pointing at the root.

  “It’s the heart tendon of the Bck Dragon of Hebrides,” his mother replied, her tone proud. “It’s rare—perfect for a powerful wand core or advanced alchemy. These are the foundations of the Travers family’s power.”

  “But aren’t we already ravers asked, eyes wide with curiosity. “Doesn’t our blood make us better than Muggles?”

  His mother frowned, her expression hardening. “Your uncle’s been filling your head with that nonsense again. Blood isn’t everything. Remember that, Sampur.”

  The memory shifted again. This time, Alex stood in a luxurious dining room. Travers’ mother, Yulia, held his hand as they greeted a well-dressed couple—Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. Narcissa cradled a young Dra her arms.

  “Lucius, Narcissa, it’s been too long! Is this little Draco? He’s grown so much,” Yulia said warmly.

  “You’re too kind, Yulia,” Narcissa replied with a gracious smile. “When Lucius heard you were ing, he arranged a special meal.”

  “Dobby! Where is that useless house-elf?” Lucius barked, his sharp tone eg through the room.

  Moments ter, a trembling Dobby appeared, bowiedly. “Yes, Master? What does Master need?”

  “Why are you so slow?” Lucius snapped, striking the elf with his e. “Where is the dessert I asked for!?”

  “I’ll fetch it right away, Master!” Dobby whimpered before scurrying off.

  Yulia’s warm demeanor cooled as she turo Lucius. “I’m here on business,” she said. “The Dark Lord has entrusted these items to your care. Keep them safe. Your estate’s location and vault are discreet—this shows his trust in you.”

  At the mention of Voldemort, Lucius paled slightly, nodding. “I’m hoo serve,” he said, exg himself to secure the package.

  Left aloh Narcissa, Yulia asked, “How is Bel? It feels like ages since I’ve seen her.”

  “She’s always with the Dark Lord these days,” Narcissa replied with a wistful smile. “Her husband’s been tasked with setting up a base in Mole Valley. Maybe we’ll cross paths soon.”

  Lucius returned after some light versation, holding a small, polished crystal in his hand. “Yulia, I wao show you this,” he said. “My father got it from aian wizard years ago. It’s a rare, inal rune crystal. Unfortunately, he passed away before he could fully decode it. Now the magiside it is fading, and I’ve been struggling to tras tents to another crystal. I thought you might have better luck.”

  Yulia took the crystal, raising an eyebrow at him. “Holy, Lucius, you should’ve worked on preserving your father’s legacy a lot sooner.”

  Lucius let out a quiet sigh and looked away. “You think I haven’t tried? This kind of thing isly my area of expertise.”

  As Yulia studied the crystal, the se blurred and faded, repced by swirling clouds. Alex lowered his wand, breaking the Legilimency spell, and muttered to himself, “Mole Valley in Surrey... close to where the Longbottoms were attacked. It’s probably ected. But dam these pure-blood families sure love h treasures.”

  Only a few seds had passed, but for Sampur, it felt like ay. His face burned with anger and humiliation as he gred at Alex. “How dare you!” he hissed, his voice trembling with rage. “How dare you pry into the private affairs of the ravers family!”

  Alex smirked, his tone sharp and mog. “Noble? You pure-bloods are nothing but a joke. Maybe you should think about what gave you the o provoke me in the first pce.”

  Before Sampur could respond, Alex smmed him to the ground with a swift kick. A flick of his wa Sampur sprawling on the floor.