Chapter 139 – Silver Moon Potion Shop
This is something many shops in Knockturn Alley can do—if you have the right connections, you can buy anything.
The Silver Moon Potion Shop is one of the most renowned establishments in the magical world—at least within Knockturn Alley. It had suddenly appeared three years ago. No one knew who the owner was, and those few dark wizards who dared make a move against it mysteriously lost their lives.
Thanks to its bold operations, abundant inventory, and solid reputation, the Silver Moon Potion Shop quickly became a favorite among dark wizards seeking potions.
But that's not why it became truly famous.
After its appearance, it began selling Wolfsbane Potion—ranging from top-grade, flawless batches at steep prices, to standard versions with minor imperfections at market value, and even extremely cheap but significantly weakened brews. They stocked every variation, including damaged potions. What's more, they openly employed werewolf wizards.
It was these two facts—the accessibility of Wolfsbane and the willingness to hire werewolves—that earned the shop the devotion of the werewolf community. It became a known gathering place for them.
And when talking about werewolves, one can't ignore the recent conflict between the Black family and the Flint family. Many of the werewolves involved in that feud had pledged loyalty to the Black family.
The Silver Moon Potion Shop, now a well-known werewolf haven, was quietly revealed to be a Black family property. Once a humble store that no one noticed, it had grown into a symbol recognized across the magical world.
Phineas appeared in the back room of the shop with the help of Puff. He often came here to check whether the place was suitable for the werewolf employees working under the Black name to rest and recuperate.
As soon as the werewolves in the room saw Phineas, they all stood and gave a slight bow.
"Master!"
Phineas nodded calmly, unfazed by their respectful demeanor.
To them, he was like a savior. Even incomplete Wolfsbane Potions sold cheaply were a miracle. For werewolves, who often struggled just to survive, this was life-changing.
Not all werewolves wished to descend into madness. Most simply wanted to live peacefully.
For those who had pledged loyalty to the Black family and were willing to work under Phineas, he provided monthly doses of flawless Wolfsbane, generous wages, and a comfortable life.
They were free to choose whether to fight or not. Those who opted out of combat were placed in other roles—shop clerks, assistants, even researchers.
Because of this support, werewolves were the most loyal of all the forces under the Black family's banner.
There is a saying: it's easy to add flowers to a brocade, but hard to offer help in times of trouble. It's easy to borrow gold when you're rich, but hard to get even a drink when you're poor.
Social stigma made it difficult for werewolves to marry and have children. But with the improvement in their lives, that began to change. Though ordinary wizards still looked down on them, fellow werewolves didn't.
Now, many werewolf couples lived openly under the Black family's protection.
Still, no werewolves had ever had children before. Many were anxious about whether their offspring would also transform during full moons.
Phineas had made a promise: if any child were born cursed with lycanthropy, he would provide Wolfsbane Potion every month. It would be painful, yes—but those children would never have to suffer the way their parents had.
So now, if Phineas asked them to die for him, most would hesitate only for a moment before offering their lives in return.
"Hello. I have something I need you to do," Phineas said evenly to the assembled werewolves. "As before, this task may result in injury—or death. I won't force anyone to participate. This is still a resource-based arrangement."
A female werewolf with a long scar down her cheek stepped forward.
"Young master, stop saying things like that," she said. "I'll do it, no matter what."
"She's right," said a bald werewolf beside her. "The life we have now—we owe it to you. If I die for it, so be it."
Phineas smiled faintly.
"Very well. Let me explain. As you all know, I was kidnapped by a vampire several months ago."
The werewolves exchanged glances and nodded.
"I've never claimed to be good, or kind, or generous. Since those vampires dared to attack me, they must pay the price. Most of the vampires in that castle are already dead—but that's not enough."
The scarred woman nodded. "So, young master, that's why you've had us tracking vampire strongholds?"
Phineas looked directly at her. "Exactly. And now, I'll use this holiday to begin my revenge. You have two days. I want every organization, institution, shop, and base tied to vampires to vanish from the magical world. I don't care how many lives it takes."
He turned to the woman again. "Miss Lisa, have you found the vampire reformists' base yet?"
Lisa hesitated. "We have some leads—but we can't confirm if it's their main base."
Phineas gave a cool smile. "That's fine. Give me the location and assign some people. I'll go personally. Even if it's not their base, I'll make sure someone tells me where it is."
Since the year before, the vampire community had been fracturing. Last year, a civil war broke out, splitting them into two factions: the traditionalists led by Jonathan, and the reformists who had kidnapped Phineas in an attempt to obtain his blood.
What Phineas was doing now was a direct intervention in their civil war.
This was part of the reason vampires were not taken seriously by wizards. If they had been more unified, this would have exposed a weakness that rival wizarding families could exploit to attack the Blacks.