When Alan and the others returned to Diagon Alley, he finally told Kiki and Hog everything that had happened. The thrilling account of the night's events greatly excited Hog, who had stayed behind to guard the house.
"Woof! Master, so this guy is in league with those smugglers?" Hog's eyes widened, and he looked maliciously at the stranger Alan had bound in the laboratory.
"Correct. Remember, you must keep tonight's events strictly confidential. During the operation, I deliberately remained silent to avoid my voice being recognized. I also avoided using any well-known magic like the Flying Crow Technique," Alan specifically instructed the two before him.
"Understood, Master. But didn't you use quite a few alchemy items during the fight? could that lead people to suspect you?" Kiki nodded solemnly, then asked with some curiosity.
"The situation was quite urgent, so I had to rely on equipment to fight. However, the items the Scamanders saw were all standard-issue equipment. Those same tools are used by members of the Silver Spears, so they likely won't reveal too much."
Alan recalled the details carefully. When he used the Soul-Binding Serpent and the Binding Spirit Chains, the couple hadn't seen them. The sonic boom amulet he used at the end might reveal some information, but that could easily be attributed to leaked or stolen equipment.
"Master, you've done the Scamander couple a huge favor. Why do you still need to be so cautious?" Unlike Kiki, who obeyed without question, Hog asked, somewhat puzzled.
"It's unavoidable. From tonight's situation, the strength of the Silver Spears should not be underestimated. If only the Ministry knew, it wouldn't be a big deal. But if I am exposed to the Silver Spears, it could lead to many unpredictable consequences." Alan shook his head, then looked at the captive again. "Moreover, if my identity were exposed, it wouldn't have been easy for me to bring this guy back. Now, let's see how much we can learn about the Silver Spears from him."
Alan gave a light smile, and the three of them—man, house-elf, and dog—simultaneously turned their gaze to the captive.
"Your name and code name?"
"Solvi Morrison. Aethonan."
"Your profession, affiliated organization, and who do you work for?"
"I am an employee of the German Ellerby and Spudmore Flying Broom Manufacturing Company. I also belong to the Short Spear level of the Silver Spear Dueling Club, assigned to the Sphinx infiltration team."
Looking at Solvi, who appeared dazed after drinking the Veritaserum, Alan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. This guy was actually a foreigner. And the Silver Spears was still called a dueling club? Was the so-called Short Spear level their internal ranking method? Was Sphinx just the name of their team, or was it also a code name?
With curiosity, Alan voiced his doubts.
"The Silver Spears has always been a dueling club. Members of the club are commonly referred to as Silver Spears. It is divided into two parts: Silver Spear and Silver Spears. The Silver Spear represents the armed members for external activities, while the Silver Spears refers to headquarters members, including internal staff."
"To become a member, one must pass the club's trials. Only after successfully obtaining one's own Silver Spear or Silver Spears does one become a true member. Among them, Short Spear and Short Spears are junior members, while Long Spear and Long Spears are senior members."
"Each member receives a corresponding code name, mostly named after magical creatures. Sphinx is a Long Spear, specifically responsible for commanding and managing infiltration teams. We are all his subordinate Short Spears. Besides me, the other members were Thestral, Unicorn, and Glarling. I don't know their real identities. Only the Long Spear can know our identities; Short Spears cannot inquire about each other's backgrounds."
After hearing this, Alan fell into deep thought. The structure of the Silver Spears organization was quite flat, with only two primary levels. The difference between the Spear and Spears designations was merely the distinction between field agents and internal personnel.
Moreover, the organization maintained a high degree of secrecy. He didn't know if their superiors had tampered with their memories. He decided to start with simpler, less confidential questions to avoid a repeat of his interrogation with Torquil, where the process stalled when key questions were asked.
"Are there any of your accomplices in the British magical world? What are their code names? What was your mission tonight?" Alan chose questions that were less likely to trigger mental blocks.
"I only know one person: Thunderbird. Sphinx instructed us to receive intelligence from Thunderbird after arriving in Britain and follow his instructions. However, Thunderbird only handed over the Scamanders' address to us via secret letter; I never met him in person."
"At the same time, Thunderbird also told us to retrieve some equipment from a residence in Godric's Hollow. According to him, this equipment would make our mission easier."
"By Sphinx's command, our mission tonight was to go to the Scamanders' house and steal the suitcase. It is a very small piece of spatial equipment that can hold and breed a large number of living creatures. It is said to be the work of the great British alchemist Dumbledore."
"After stealing the equipment, we had to notify Thunderbird. Once handed over to him, the mission would be considered complete."
*So that's how it was,* Alan nodded silently. Alchemy equipment capable of holding living creatures wasn't unheard of; many magical tents or houses enchanted with the Traceless Stretching Spell could do that. But he had never seen an item that met both requirements of holding a large number of creatures while being small in volume. This was a significant feat of engineering, usually limited by materials.
Alan's own spatial ring could hold a vast amount of objects, but it couldn't support life. Items that could hold living creatures were generally large and difficult to move. He also realized that if the Silver Spear smugglers obtained such equipment, it would have a transformative effect on their operations.
Seeing that Aethonan answered readily, Alan prepared to intensify the interrogation and ask deeper questions.
"What's the deal with your wands and masks? And how do you pass information to Thunderbird after completing your mission?"
"Our Silver Spear Club takes pride in possessing aspen wood wands that combine purity and power. All wizards who wish to join the club or are recruited must undergo trials. The most important one is dueling. Only after passing the trials can it be determined whether they obtain their own aspen wand and mask. The wand and mask are symbols of each member's identity."