Upon returning to the Gray estate the effect of the meeting and the news about the Grays family tragedy have already started created earthquakes the wizarding world, news stories about the news head of the most influence-able and richest family in Scandinavia, many wrote about how a 10-year-old boy would be able to be the head of such family, others wrote about who would want the family dead. Of course, conspiracy theories started, some even thought I had murdered my own family to become head.
Letters from the other families started to arrive as well the day after, Astrid went through them to see if she could find any hidden meanings in the words that were written but found nothing but she did found opportunities to invite a couple of them, one of them was the old lady who stood up before anyone else to show respect her name was Monika Winterholm, the Winterholm had been close to the grays before, often doing trade and other business deals.
The second family that was invited was the family Blodfang, this family was invited because their close relation with my mother, she was cousin with them.
"Yrsa?"
[Yes, my dear little wolf cub?]
"Why did you call me that?"
[Because you are a wolf and you are young so little wolf cub]
"Whatever, I heard a ding a couple of days ago did I get more rewards?"
[Yup you got five of them, don't you read the notifications, they tell you why you got them as well…]
"I just forget every time"
*Rewards received: magic power +1, herbology +1, trait ice wolf (ice magic deal more damage and spells are cast faster), item Charmstone (protective charm that protects user from curses once), item cauldron of Nordic ice S tier*
Some good stuff overall, that cauldron looks interesting and same with the charm, if what it said was true, I would survive against a killing curse. I wonder how fast I can use ice magic now. With just holding out my hand and thinking of the spell glacis, a ice sickle was formed the formation was almost instant, there was also more control over the spell in general. Then there was a knock on the door to his office. "Enter" and the door opened and Astrid walked in.
Astrid had become more informal towards me after I told her I wasn't needed all the time. "There has been an attack on one of the herbology plantations"
This was unexcepted, I didn't think anyone would have the balls to hit one the Gray businesses so close after my return. I leaned back in my chair. "How much damage?"
Astrid took out a list "there wasn't much damage, just a lot of different herbs stolen, like mandrake, fluxweeb and such, during the raid or robbery one of the keepers stood up against the robbers and got hurt in the progress. I've already sent men there to secure the location and cleanup"
This would be a good time to show some face and we might even be able to get a clue of how is targeting us. "Alright let's go there".
After and hour they arrived at the Herbology plantation, its was located just outside Stockholm, they had gotten here through various floo flames. The plantation was your normal looking greenhouses, runes could be seen, these runes would hide it from muggles. Stepping towards the Greenhouse and the warehouse located beside the greenhouse, there weren't a lot of signs towards heavy combat, some doors had been broken and some windows. Gray house guards were present patrolling the surrounding area and stationed at various entrances.
Inside the greenhouse it was a mess, tables turned over, boxes broken, they really took everything that had anything to do with herbology. An older looking man was sitting on one of the boxes with his face in his hands, he must be devastated seeing his work destroyed like this. "You must be the owner of this plantation?"
The man looks up and his eyes widened at the sight of the young man before him clad in gray looking military styled uniform. "Lord Gray!" the man hurried to stand and bowed his head.
I put my hand on his shoulder as he stood up "No need for such formalities when this has happened to you" the man looked at me with shock but began to relax at the surprisingly warm gesture. "What's your name?"
"My name is Björn, lord"
"Well, Björn could you tell me what happened here tonight?" while looking around trying to find some clue or detail that could help.
Björn sighed and began telling the events, Björn had been in the plantation tending to the mandrakes when 5 men clad in robes and masks stormed in, Björn had reacted quickly and has casted a confringo spell towards the robbers and had hurt one of them but after that everything went black, he was probably knocked out. If one of them were injured there would be some trace left if the robbers didn't clean it up.
"Thank you for the information Björn we will look around and try to see if anything can be found, also this should be enough to cover damages and get you on your feet again, your plantation is an important part of the Gray family's businesses it would be a shame to see it close" I took out 5000 galleons from my system inventory and gave it to Björn in a leather bag
Björn couldn't believe it and just stood there for a moment, "My lord a cant accepts this this is way too much…"
"You will accept it, it's e personal gift from me as a thank you for your continued service to the Gray family" I clapped his shoulder and turned to look around the area. Behind me I could hear sobs from Björn and my lips formed a small smile.
I stood at the place where one of the robbers would have been hurt by Björn and on the wall was a bit of blood it was not much, probably missed by the robbers. "Astrid have some of the guards search the woods for blood traces or discarded bandages or clothing. Astrid nodded and went to give the orders. The warehouse was also picked clean of any stock that had been here, why would they go for herbs and nothing else, was this just a way to make him irritated or was this not even the work of the same group that had attacked the family.
The forest close by gave no clues, but I ordered Astrid to have people look at the black-markets for any of the stolen goods, if they were stupid enough they would sell the mandrakes in bulk and that would be a flag worth looking into. Björn was told to keep quiet about this as well for now, which he was happy to do.
A week later Astrid walked into my office with some really good news, apparently a shop in isgränd had received a large amount of mandrake leaves just the other day, with no shipping label all quiet stuff, the only reason this was noticed was because the son of the shop owner had told his friends about how he had gotten a new broom from his father, a broom that would cost an arm and a leg otherwise for most and this shop didn't have the capital enough for that.
"Astrid, I want you to take care of this, I don't think the shop owner is involved more than that e bought the leaves from them"
Astrid nodded and left the office.
****
Stockholm Isgränd
The small bell above the crooked shop door jingled as Astrid pushed it open, her cloak brushing against the dusty frame. Behind her, two gray family guards in dark, rune-stitched coats stepped inside, their heavy boots dull against the warped wooden floor. The sudden presence of the three figures cloaked in authority seemed to drain the warmth from the dimly lit store.
The shop smelled faintly of herbs and must, the air thick with dust motes that glittered in the light of a single enchanted lantern. Rows of potion ingredients lined the shelves in uneven jars, labels faded and smudged. The shopkeeper, a stout man with thinning hair and ink-stained fingers, froze where he was sorting bundles of dried nettles.
His eyes darted up, wide and nervous. "C-customers? Or-"he stopped when he saw the gray family insignia stitched on the cloaks. His throat bobbed as he swallowed.
Astrid gave him a polite but cold smile. "Mr. Hallberg, we have some questions"
One of the guards closed the door behind them with a click, pulling down the blinds on the windows. The other stationed himself by the counter, arms folded.
Hallberg's hands trembled as he sat down the nettles "I-I've paid all my dues this month. My license is in order. Whatever this is-"
Astrid stepped closer, her boots clicking softly on the floorboards. Her voice calm, measured, but carried the weight of command. "We are not here about your dues. We are here about the shipment you received. Mandrake leaves. A rather generous amount for such a modest shop."
The shopkeeper flinched. "Leaves? I-I buy what I can. Merchants come thorough every week, offer deals. I don't ask questions."
Astrids eyes narrowed, the faintest flint of steel in them. "that's precisely the problem. You didn't ask. Yet somehow, after this shipment, you son was seen boasting about a brand-new broom. One far beyond the means of this establishment"
Hallberg's lips parted, but no words came. Beds of sweat gathered on his brow. The guards shifted, their presence pressing against him like a wall.
"You will tell me who sold you the mandrake," Astrid said softly, leaning just enough that her shadow fell across him "names. Routes. Every detail. If you were a merely a middleman, then this ends here. but if you are lying-"her eyes flicked briefly towards the jars lining the shelves. "Mandrakes are not the only thing that can scream, Mr. Hallberg and some screams are not so easily silenced"
The silence that followed was unbearable, broken by the nervous thump of Hallberg's pulse against his neck. Finally, his voice cracked.
"A man- hooded, foreign accent – never saw his face. He left the crates by nightfall, said I could keep a third if I moved the rest quietly. I swear to you, I thought it was a stroke of fortune, nothing more"
Astrid straightened, studying him, weighing truth against deception. "if you lie, it will surface. The Gray family has ways of peeling back secrets."
She turned to the guards with a flick of her hand." Search the storeroom. Record every crate, every jar. Mr. Hallberg and I will draft a statement."
As the guards moved with military precision, Hallberg slumped against his counter, his face pale. Astrid, calm as ever, drew a parchment from her satchel.
"This can go two ways," she said as he quill hovered, ready. "Make the right choice, and you may keep your shop. Make the wrong one…" she let the sentence hang in the air, cold and heavy, as the scratching boots and shifting crates filled the silence.