Harry Potter : This Progress Too Much

Under the guidance of the three wizards, David arrived at a dilapidated, two-story building hidden deep within Knockturn Alley.

One of the men stepped forward and, using his wand, knocked rhythmically on a moss-covered brick on the right-hand wall.

A moment of silence passed before a cautious voice came from within:

"Dennis, is that you?"

"Yeah, open up!" Dennis replied.

The hut was heavily warded with multiple protective spells.

The door, enchanted with barrier magic, couldn't be opened from the outside without using brute force. If touched incorrectly, an alarm would immediately warn the wizard inside, allowing them to escape using a Portkey.

Only those who knew the correct knocking pattern would be acknowledged, after which the guard inside would verify their identity before opening the door.

Such extreme caution was necessary because the people inside weren't involved in legal business.

They dealt in smuggling magical creatures, some of which were classified as XXXXX-level threats—highly dangerous and illegal.

Recently, an operation had gone wrong, leaving them on the Ministry of Magic's wanted list.

With the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures actively hunting them, getting caught would mean a lifetime sentence in Azkaban.

"Found a buyer so soon?" the voice inside asked, still hesitant.

Dennis smirked. "Kipling, open the door. We caught a lamb."

A pause. Then, a satisfied chuckle from inside.

"On my way!"

David remained silent.

"Lamb?" He understood immediately—it was slang for young wizards kidnapped and sold to dark wizards.

The illegal trade of young wizards was highly profitable. Unlike magical creatures, a child could be used in dangerous experiments, potion brewing, and curse-infused artifacts.

To dark wizards, a captured wizard was far more useful than an animal.

The door creaked open, revealing a middle-aged wizard with oily black hair and a filthy robe.

His eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he inspected David.

"Well, well... looks like we got a strong one today," Kipling said, grinning.

David's expression remained unreadable.

With a sickening creak, the wizard behind him shut the door.

"By the way, how did you—"

The Killing Curse

"Avada Kedavra."

A burst of eerie green light filled the room.

Kipling's words died in his throat.

His eyes widened in shock, his mouth still half-formed around his last words.

Then, with a dull thud, he collapsed—lifeless.

David stepped forward, staring down at the body with clinical curiosity.

"So that's what it looks like on a person..."

Before this, he had only practiced the Killing Curse on mice.

Now, seeing it used on a human for the first time, he noted the effect with interest.

Kipling's pupils were blown wide, his face frozen in an expression of terror and confusion.

A clean kill.

The room was silent.

The other three wizards—the ones who had led him here—stood motionless.

Not because of fear.

But because they were already under his control.

The Imperius Curse

From the moment they captured him, David had secretly cast the Imperius Curse on all three wizards.

They weren't careless—just too confident.

To them, he was a defenseless child with no wand in hand. They had underestimated him completely.

That was their fatal mistake.

The Imperius Curse, unlike the Cruciatus Curse, was a silent spell with no visible effect when cast.

When it hit, the victim would experience a moment of blankness, all thoughts and worries melting away.

They would feel a deep, euphoric calm—as if nothing in the world mattered.

And in that blissful state, they would obey any command.

Even if they were ordered to kill themselves.

It was possible to resist the Imperius Curse—but resistance had to be trained over time.

David's mastery of the curse was perfect. These wizards had no chance.

Now, his three captors stood frozen, awaiting their next orders.

David turned his gaze toward them.

"Tell me about your base. And your identities."

The Truth About Thress

Dennis, still under the Imperius Curse, answered in a monotone voice.

Their group was part of Thress, an international smuggling ring specializing in the capture and trade of magical creatures.

They were highly organized—with separate teams for:

Capturing magical creatures

Transporting them in enchanted crates

Selling them on the black market

Their operations spanned across multiple countries, with secret members working in Britain, America, and Europe.

A few months ago, Thress had received a high-paying request from an American collector who wanted a specimen of the Hesperidian Black Dragon.

Dragons were incredibly rare—and highly protected.

Still, the poaching team took on the mission and smuggled their way to the Hesperidian Islands.

That was when everything went wrong.

The poachers ran into Newt Scamander.

Although they outnumbered him, they were no match for his expertise.

Newt defeated them single-handedly—with a suitcase.

Of the twelve fully-armed wizards, only five survived, all of them badly injured with burns, bite wounds, and poisoning.

The ones who were captured spilled everything to the Ministry of Magic.

This resulted in the entire Thress organization being marked for arrest.

Now, Dennis and his group had been hiding in Knockturn Alley, trying to lay low while selling low-level contraband.

David absorbed all this new information.

"So they were already a hunted group."

The Next Move

David turned to Kipling's lifeless body.

One kill wasn't enough.

He had no intention of letting these people live.

His eyes gleamed with cold amusement.

"Dennis."

"Yes?"

"Kill the others."

There was no hesitation.

Dennis turned his wand on his own teammates.

The room was soon filled with green light.

And then—silence.

David smirked.

"Knockturn Alley is going to be very interesting."