Satisfied, Alex turned his attention to the brass key that had been stored with the deed. It was small, with three circur perforations in the handle, and looked like it beloo a modest lock. He held it up to the light, examining it from every ahere was nothing magical about the key—no entments, able magical residue. It was made of pin Paraser brass. Frustrated by the ck of clues, Alex turo Karkaroff. Holding the key up, he asked, "Do you know what this is?"

  Karkaroff squinted, leaning closer. After a moment, he nodded hesitantly. "It looks like a key to a Gringotts vault."

  “Oh, isn’t it said to be the safest p the wizarding world?” Alex raised an eyebrow, his voice dripping with skepticism.

  “Gringotts might be safe, but goblins? Not so much,” Karkaroff replied smoothly, a hint of disdain in his tone. “Many old wizarding families have fought in the famous goblin rebellions. Trust between us and goblins has always been shaky—enemies ’t just fet their past flicts.”

  Alex houghtfully, processing the expnation. “Got it. Let’s move on.”

  “As you wish, Master,” Karkaroff said with an exaggerated deference.

  After leaving the dimly lit basement, Alex cast another spell to seal the wall shut. The hidden door vanished as though it had never existed. He reinforced the area with protective magic—this pce was his now, and he wasn’t taking any ces.

  In his mind, Alex made a mental o upgrade all the wards on the house. The Death Eaters’ security measures were ughable—so many gaps, so many vulnerabilities. It was almost embarrassing.

  Ohe basement was secured, they headed back to the sed floor, where four unscious Death Eaters y sprawled like discarded dolls. Their limp body bore the marks of Alex’s earlier experiments; the physical and magical torment had clearly left its toll. Alex reached into his pocket, pulling out a small vial of potion, and tossed it to Karkaroff. “Wake Torquil up. I need answers.”

  Karkaroff caught the vial and, without hesitation, crouched beside Torquil. He lifted the man’s head with little care and roughly poured the potion into his mouth.

  Torquil sputtered and coughed violently, the sharp taste of the potiing him back to sciousness. His head throbbed as fragments of the nightmare he had endured rushed ba—the boy, no, the monster, with a face too young for the horrors he inflicted.

  As Torquil’s vision cleared, he found himself staring at that same face. Panic gripped him. ‘This isn’t real. I’m still dreaming. Right?’ But the pain in his body told him otherwise.“Still dazed, are we?” Alex muttered with a frown. Without warning, he cracked his knuckles and wo punches squarely on Torquil’s face.“Ahhh!” Torquil’s cry was raw, the searing pain snapping him back to reality.“Awake now?” Alex asked, his tone calm but heavy with meorquil whimpered, nodding rapidly. “Yes, yes! Please, stop!”“Good.” Alex crouched slightly, dangling a small ornate key in front of Torquil’s face. “Do you know what this is?”

  Torquil’s eyes widened in terror. He gnced from the key to Alex, his lips trembling. “How did you…?”

  “Are you asking how I found it? Or how I opehe basement?” Alex’s smirk was cold. “Or maybe you want to know how I cracked the safe?”

  Torquil paled, his mind spinning. Those secrets were supposed to be safeguarded by yers of mental prote spells. Yet here Alex was, holding the key as if it were nothing. If Alex had found the key, then… the deed. His mind spiraled. ‘Everything is gone.’

  His legs buckled, and he slumped to the ground, but Karkaroff grabbed him before he could colpse entirely. “Ahe master’s questions and stop wasting time,” Karkaroff barked, his tone harsh and anding.

  “Karkaroff… you traitor!” Torquil spat weakly, his anger momentarily overshadowing his fear. “When the Dark Lord returns, you’ll pay for this!”

  Alex didn’t bother with a response. He stepped forward and delivered another punch, this time hitting harder. Blood trickled from Torquil’s nose as tears streamed down his face. “Enough of your nonsense,” Alex growled. “I’m not wastiaserum on you unless I have to. So talk.”

  The sight of the bottle in Alex’s hand, its cap already loosened, broke what little resolve Torquil had left. He flinched and blurted, “I’ll talk, I’ll talk! Just don’t use that!”

  “Good.” Alex leaned in closer. “Now, tell me. What is this key for?”Torquil swallowed hard, his voice trembling. “It’s… it’s for a mid-level vault in Gringotts.”“What’s inside? Do you need identification to access it?” Alex pressed.

  “That vault… it’s not miorquil admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “It belongs to Yulia—her private vault. You need both her and the key to open it. The key is uhere’s no rept if it’s lost. No dots, no exceptions. Ihere are…”

  He hesitated, his face twisting with disfort. Alex tilted the bottle of Veritaserum slightly, letting a single drop fall orquil’s face. “Don’t test my patience.”

  “It’s ledgers!” Torquil shouted, his eyes squeezed shut.Alex narrowed his eyes. “Ledgers? What kind of ledgers?”“Just… business records. Family transas,” Torquil stammered, avoiding Alex’s gaze.

  Alex’s mind worked quickly, pieg the puzzle together. He smirked, a hint of mockery in his tone. “Smuggling records, right? Deals with Ministry officials and other families? I’ll bet it’s not just your dirty secrets in there, but plenty of others’. Am I right?”

  Torquil didn’t dare to respond this time. His flickering eyes, however, betrayed him, and Alex felt his suspis solidify. "So," Alex began, his voice calm but sharp as a bde, "who are you pnning to make a deal with for this key? Other pure-blood families? Members of the Wizengamot in Morocco? High-ranking Ministry officials? Or…" His voice dropped as he stared directly into Torquil's eyes, "Millit Bagnold?"

  The moment Alex mentioned Millit Bagnold’s orquil’s pupils tracted violently.

  ‘Bingo.’ Alex’s smirk widened, his tone now ced with mockery. "So that’s the ace up your family’s sleeve, isn’t it? On one hand, these secrets give you leverage—bckmail material against those pure-blood families and high-ranking officials you've had dealings with. Oher hand, if your family’s ever ered, this key bees your bargaining chip. You’d trade it to those in power for political asylum. Am I right?"

  Torquil’s silence was deafening, and Alex took it as firmation. He chuckled, slow and cruel. "I have to admit, you pure-blood families are thh. Always thinkieps ahead. Building a safe house on untraceable nd, h political ammunition like this… It’s not just a survival pn—it’s a legacy strategy. It’s what makes you nobles, after all."

  Alex leaned back, folding his arms as his mind pieced everything together. "And then there’s you," he tinued, voice ced with disdain. "Telling your so-called allies you’re heading to Europe with them, when you never inteo leave. This key’s your safety , isn’t it? The reason you could post bail so easily before? Lucius Malfoy’s ret exoion… it’s not just about political donations, is it? It’s ected to this too. He just happens to be Yulia’s younger brother, after all."

  Hearing Alex’s pointed analysis, Torquil’s face twitched, though he tried to maintain an indifferent expression. He avoided Alex’s gaze, f himself to look away to hide his growing panic.