"This is… which spell? There's no mistake, it's them!" The wizard who had stepped forward to inspect the safe carefully identified the damage.
The inside of the safe, now forced open, was naturally empty. Seeing this, Alan put on a shocked expression for everyone to see.
"How is this possible? Someone stole from the shop, and I didn't even realize it! And what kind of spell is this? It actually managed to break through my safe's defenses; they can withstand attacks up to 400 points!" Alan's voice was thick with disbelief.
"Mr. Wilson is unaware, but this is a very domineering Dark Arts spell used by the enemy, with extremely strong penetrative power. We have also suffered losses from this spell before, but we cannot disclose more; please forgive us." Mavis saw Alan's expression and, believing he hadn't encountered such magic before, offered a slight smile and explained with the attitude of an experienced senior.
"There's actually such Dark Arts! Have you caught these villains? Damn it, how dare they come to my place to steal! The Ministry of Magic absolutely cannot let these guys off!" Alan exclaimed, his face twisted with hatred and his emotions clearly agitated.
"Don't worry, you are a victim in this incident. I will report it to my superior." Seeing this scene, Mavis lowered her guard against Alan. At the same time, she felt a deeper sense of dread toward the Silver Spears. These smugglers actually dared to infiltrate and rob the residence of a Ministry supplier.
"Mr. Wilson, this safe is important evidence. We need to seal it and take it back to the Ministry. Also, I apologize for disturbing your rest. We will not take up any more of your valuable time." Mavis, believing she understood the situation, bid farewell to Alan.
"It's alright. If it weren't for you, I might have been deceived for even longer. Please, you must catch this thief. So many jammers were lost, and the safe I spent a fortune in materials to build was destroyed. This has caused us a great loss."
Alan looked at Mavis with a sincere expression. "If there's anything you need help with, please come to me anytime. As long as these criminals can be caught, I am willing to provide all assistance!"
Upon hearing Alan's assurance, Mavis's heart stirred, as if she had thought of something, but she knew it would require discussion with her superiors. She then led the Ministry personnel back to the Ministry using the shop's fireplace.
When Mavis returned to Auror Command, Minister Bagnold, Director Amelia Bones, Moody, Scrimgeour, and others were gathered, discussing countermeasures.
"How was it? Mavis, is Alan involved in this?" Moody was the most anxious. His relationship with Alan was quite good, and if the boy were truly connected to the Silver Spears, he would likely be furious.
Mavis shook her head, then presented the damaged safe. "Alan's Silver Lightning Trading Company was burglarized. According to him, he had five pairs of jammers in stock, but now only four pairs have appeared, proving that one pair is still in their hands."
Amelia immediately stepped forward to examine the damage. When she saw the corrosive marks on the door, her face tightened. "It's the Corrosion Curse. It seems the Silver Spears are indeed the ones who stole from him."
"They actually specifically went to a Ministry supplier to steal. It seems our use of these devices in the last operation caused them significant losses." Minister Bagnold quickly deduced their motive.
"But jammers are not something everyone in the Ministry knows about. How did they specifically target them for theft? You should know that when this safe was discovered, it had been transfigured back to its original appearance, and besides the jammers, Alan didn't lose anything else." Mavis stroked her chin in thought.
"You mean?" Moody also reached a conclusion, his eyes widening.
"I think the mole either holds a very high position or was present during the product demonstration. Otherwise, it's hard to explain why these Silver Spears had such clear targets." Mavis stated her speculation.
The expressions of the others shifted instantly. They had suspected for a long time that the Silver Spears had a spy within the Ministry, but they had never suspected high-ranking personnel. However, Mavis's theory made sense; at the demonstration, Minister Bagnold had imposed strict confidentiality. No one was allowed to disclose the details. Furthermore, during the arrest operation, they had never displayed the jammers to the smugglers. Even if the criminals knew a device had prevented their escape, they shouldn't have known what it looked like or where to find it.
Everyone couldn't help but discreetly size up their companions, wondering if the spy was among them. Minister Bagnold frowned at the tension, giving Mavis a slightly complaining look. Such speculation should have been discussed privately. Airing it in public only damaged morale. However, she knew this was Mavis's flaw—she was far too straightforward and didn't understand the complexities of office politics.
"Compared to a so-called spy, I prefer to believe in the basic loyalty of my colleagues. What we need to do now is solve the problem, not suspect each other," Bagnold said firmly.
"That's right. Even if there's a spy, it's at most one or two people; they can't stir up much trouble. I know the Silver Spears; they follow an elite route, with very few people executing missions. Their active presence is usually through peripheral members or collaborators," Moody added with a nod.
"Hmm. What we should consider now is the purpose of their current operation. Mr. Scamander is a highly respected master of magizoology and a legendary wizard of our world. To be attacked in his own home is a provocation to the entire Ministry!" Amelia said definitively.
"I have already arranged for Aurors to protect the Scamander family, but after the on-site investigation, not many useful clues were found. Especially concerning that unknown wizard who captured a Silver Spear; he left no trace at all," Moody reported.