At this moment, Alan, who had been watching the intruder's astonishing actions from afar, was somewhat speechless. Why did this person give off such a dim-witted impression? Did they only know how to struggle with the door? Weren't there windows nearby? Moreover, after such a long attempt, the intruder's mental state was probably on the verge of breaking down. It was as if they had entered a personal vendetta with that door, their methods becoming more intense and their spellcasting increasingly vicious.
Seeing this, Alan knew he couldn't let it continue. This person didn't seem very bright. If they got desperate and turned to the Dark Arts, burning the house down with Fiendfyre would be a massive headache.
"Should I help? They look like they won't give up until they reach their goal. They probably won't abandon the mission just because they can't pick a lock." Alan thought it over and decided to open a back door for them. Taking a controller from his pocket, he adjusted the settings and lowered the front door's defensive strength by two levels.
Meanwhile, outside the house, the intruder was drenched in sweat. They had never seen such outrageous home defenses. Typical protective formations would gradually weaken due to magic depletion after continuous attacks, but today they were truly gaining a new perspective. Not only did the defense not diminish, but it could also counterattack. *If you have this kind of talent, why are you running an alchemy shop instead of selling high-end anti-theft equipment?*
Of course, the intruder didn't know that the magic source for Alan's defensive formation was connected to the Muggle power grid, making it virtually inexhaustible.
"Damn it, one last try. If this doesn't work, I'll have to use the Dark Arts. I refuse to believe I can't break through with a Corrosion Curse." The intruder gritted their teeth in resentment, then cast a 'Finite Incantatem' at the doorway.
This time, the attempt was immediately effective; the magical glow on the door instantly weakened. The sight filled the intruder with joy. *What's going on? Is a universal counter-charm the true solution, or has the formation's magic finally run dry?*
Seeing hope, the intruder grew excited and continuously cast counter-charms at the door. Sure enough, each time the spell hit, the magical patterns dimmed a little more. After seven or eight consecutive casts, the magic patterns on the large door finally vanished.
The intruder nodded in satisfaction and tentatively used an 'Alohomora' on the lock. It opened with a sharp click.
"Beautiful!" Driven to desperation earlier, the intruder was so relieved by the success that they threw an excited punch at the air, looking like a primary school student who had finally finished a mountain of summer homework.
Meanwhile, Alan, secretly peeking from afar, wiped a bit of cold sweat for the intruder. This person was too slow. He had already reduced the defenses significantly, yet they were still foolishly using a basic counter-spell to force the door.
Furthermore, when the intruder was casting spells earlier, Alan had already confirmed their true identity: it was Aseria. Her aspen wand was simply too conspicuous. Now that Aseria had finally snuck into the shop, she was likely flushed from her previous frantic actions; she pulled back the hood of her cloak.
However, what was revealed was not Aseria's beautiful face, but an ivory-white, flawless mask. The mask had no holes for eyes or nostrils; it was a completely blank, smooth surface, looking like an oval white bowl. The lack of facial features made her look incredibly eerie. Yet, despite her eyes and nose being covered, she seemed to have no trouble seeing or breathing.
As soon as Aseria entered, she closed the door behind her and cautiously pressed against the wall, quietly sensing for movement. After a moment, she finally confirmed that there were no living creatures inside. Only then did she light her wand with a 'Lumos' to examine her surroundings.
Upon seeing the interior, Aseria was visibly stunned. What was going on? It had only been a little over three months since her last visit, and the owner had already gone back to Hogwarts. Why had the entire shop changed completely? Not only was the space larger, but even the decoration and shelves were different.
Faced with this unfamiliar environment, Aseria began a cautious investigation. She didn't know where her target was located, so she carefully checked every shelf. Soon, she found herself becoming engrossed.
"Hiss, how did this alchemy shop come up with so many new products? Each one looks incredible."
"This pendant is so beautiful! The other one is nice too…"
"There are even couple's items? Why weren't these here last time?"
"This belt buckle looks so cool. Is this also alchemy equipment?"
"Why is there a table here, and what are these small squares on it? Some kind of amulet?"
"Is this… a lamp? Should I turn it on? Never mind, better not alert anyone."
"What is this small box? I'll open it to see… Oh no!"
Aseria was browsing as if she were in a legitimate store, playing with the products on the shelves. However, when she opened a music box, she was immediately startled by the melody that drifted out.
"What the hell, it plays automatically? Why does it look so much like a Muggle item?" Aseria closed the music box in embarrassment, unable to resist cursing under her breath.
Despite the dazzling array of goods, she eventually remembered her mission. She searched the entire shop, checking every cabinet and even the cash register, but she couldn't find what she was looking for. Finding no success in the front of the shop, she turned her gaze toward the door leading to the inner room. She remembered that Alan had brought restricted items from back there during her last visit.
"I wonder if this door also has defenses as strong as the main entrance. Damn it, why would someone turn their home into a fortress?"
Aseria approached the door with apprehension and tentatively cast 'Alohomora.' The door opened with a simple click, offering no resistance at all.
"Phew!" Aseria let out a long breath. She had truly been driven to the edge by that front door. At the same time, she found her own paranoia a bit amusing; who would put that many defensive measures inside their own home?