The wizard's expression was grim. "It's been tampered with, Transfigured, most likely. The spellwork is strong and has been in place for at least ten days."
Medea's gaze hardened. "Restore it."
The wizard raised his wand and cast the Restoration Charm. The moment the spell took effect, the illusion on the safe shattered, revealing its true state. Everyone's breath hitched. A gaping hole was carved into the safe's heavy door.
"This... this is the trace of a spell. It has to be them!" The wizard who stepped forward to inspect the safe carefully examined the damage and quickly identified the spell responsible.
The safe had been opened again, but as expected, it was completely empty. Seeing this, Alex's face twisted into a look of shock, his expression one of disbelief. "How is this possible? Someone managed to steal from my store, and I didn't notice a thing. And what kind of curse is this? My safe is reinforced to withstand attacks below 400 points!"
"Mr. Wilson, you may not be aware, but this is a particularly insidious form of Dark magic," Medea explained, a small knowing smile appearing on her face. "The enemy is using a highly penetrating curse, one we've had the misfortune of encountering before. Unfortunately, I can't share too many details, but please understand, it's not just you who's been targeted."
"There's a curse like that? Have you caught these criminals?" Alex's face darkened with anger, his voice rising. "Damn it! They actually dared to steal from me! The Ministry of Magic can't let these people get away with this!"
"Don't worry. You're a victim here, too. I'll make sure to report everything to my superiors." Seeing his reaction, Medea relaxed a little. She had been wary of Alex at first, but now she was certain, he had nothing to do with this theft. Still, the fact that the 'Silver Wands' had the audacity to break into the store of a Ministry supplier only made her more uneasy.
"Mr. Wilson, this safe is crucial evidence. We'll need to take it to the Ministry for further examination," Medea continued. "I also want to apologize for interrupting your evening. We won't take up any more of your time."
"It's no problem at all. If it weren't for you, I might not have realized what had happened for a while," Alex said, shaking his head. "Please, catch whoever did this. The loss of so many jammers is bad enough, but my safe, something I invested so many resources into, was also destroyed. This is a huge loss for me." Then, looking at Medea with a sincere expression, he added, "If you need anything, let me know. I'll help however I can, as long as it means bringing these thieves to justice."
Medea was momentarily taken aback by his earnestness. Something flickered in her mind, an idea, but she needed to discuss it with her superiors first. Without voicing her thoughts, she nodded and led the Aurors back through the fireplace, returning to the Ministry.
At the Auror headquarters, a group of high-ranking officials had gathered to discuss the situation. Minister Bagnold, Director Amelia Bones, Moody, Scrimgeour, and several others sat around a large table, the atmosphere tense.
As soon as Medea stepped inside, Moody was the first to speak. "Well? What did you find? Is Alex involved in this?" His voice was gruff, but there was a flicker of concern in his eyes. He had always had a good relationship with Alex, and if his friend was tied to the 'Silver Wands,' it would be a hard blow to take.
Medea shook her head and placed the damaged safe on the table. "No. Alex's shop, Wilson's Arcane Alchemica, was hit by the same people. He had five pairs of jammers in stock, and now one is missing. That means they have at least one more in their hands."
Hearing this, Amelia stepped forward to inspect the safe. The moment she saw the corroded markings on the metal, her expression hardened. "This was done with a corrosion curse," she said, her voice grave. "That confirms it, this was definitely the work of the 'Silver Wands.'"
Minister Bagnold nodded, her mind working through the implications. "They went after a Ministry supplier… That means we must have caused them significant trouble during our last operation. This isn't just about theft, it's retaliation."
"But here's the strange part," Medea interjected, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Not many people in the Ministry even know about the jammers. And yet, the thieves went straight for them. They bypassed everything else in the safe. That means they knew exactly what they were looking for."
A heavy silence fell over the room. "What are you saying?" Moody asked, his eyes narrowing.
"I'm saying the traitor in the Ministry is either someone with a very high rank… or someone who was present during the product demonstration. Otherwise, how else would the 'Silver Wands' have known where to look?" Medea said grimly.
As Medea finished speaking, the room fell into a heavy silence. The expressions of the Aurors and Ministry officials shifted, some with realization, others with unease. They had long suspected that the Silver Wands had spies within the Ministry, but until now, they hadn't considered that the leak could be coming from high-ranking personnel.
Her reasoning made too much sense to ignore. At the equipment demonstration, Minister Bagnold had enforced strict confidentiality measures. Everyone present had been ordered not to disclose any details about the jammers. More importantly, after capturing several smugglers, they had never displayed the devices in front of them. Even if the Silver Wands had known the Ministry possessed an Anti-Apparition, there was no way they could have identified the exact item to steal, unless someone had told them.
One by one, the officials exchanged wary glances, each subtly evaluating their colleagues. No one spoke it aloud, but the same thought ran through their minds, was the traitor in this very room?
Minister Bagnold sighed, rubbing her temples. While Medea had a sharp mind, she lacked tact. Voicing this theory in front of everyone was bound to stir paranoia, and the last thing they needed was distrust among Aurors. With a slight frown, she turned toward Medea. "Let's not jump to conclusions," Bagnold said firmly. "I prefer to trust my colleagues over some vague suspicion. What we need now is to focus on solving this problem, not tearing each other apart."
"She's right," Moody grunted, leaning back in his chair. "Even if there is a traitor, it's not like the entire Ministry is compromised. The Silver Wands operate with a tight crew, only their elite members handle major operations. Most of their contacts are just hired hands or collaborators, not actual members."
"That's not what worries me," Amelia cut in, her expression severe. "Newt Scamander was attacked in his own home. That's a direct challenge to the British Ministry of Magic. Whoever's behind this isn't just trying to steal, they're making a statement."
Moody nodded. "I've already assigned a team of Aurors to watch over the Scamander family. Unfortunately, we didn't find many clues at the scene, except for one." His tone grew heavier. "One of the attackers got away, and they took a Silver Wand Wizard with him."