"Indeed, an organization possessing Portkeys has too much potential for destruction. After this incident, I will ask Minister Bagnold to contact the International Confederation of Wizards. If it is confirmed that the other party has the means to manufacture them, the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes will have to activate the Portkey monitoring array. That system has been abandoned for many years; I'm not sure if it's still effective," Amelia said with visible concern.
"Are Portkeys that difficult to make?" Alan wasn't entirely clear on the process. There wasn't even a detailed record of it at Hogwarts. He had always assumed it was just a standard alchemy tool for long-distance travel.
"That's right." Moody nodded. "Creating them requires specific technology. It isn't just an ordinary spell; it requires an extremely complex magical array for the enchantment. Depending on the distance, a significant amount of magic must be injected. For a common trip from Britain to France, for instance, it takes at least the magical capacity of two adult wizards to charge it."
Two adult wizards—that was likely eight or nine hundred magic points. The consumption was indeed substantial, and Alan felt a flicker of surprise.
"Actually, such an investment is nothing for a Ministry. But you have to understand that if certain wizards possess enough Portkeys, the borders of most countries become essentially useless. If that person is also an outlaw, it poses a massive threat to the security of any wizarding community," Amelia added.
"Exactly." Moody nodded gravely. "Decades ago, the International Confederation of Wizards legislated to prohibit any organization other than official institutions from making or keeping them. We also launched a crackdown on the black markets that mastered the tech. This was largely due to the rise of the Death Eaters; they used Portkeys to sow destruction everywhere."
"So, the Death Eaters also knew how to make them?" Alan raised an eyebrow. He hadn't been aware of that bit of history.
"Yes. Fortunately, we activated the monitoring array at the time. Once we cleared out the Portkeys held by other associations, the Death Eaters rarely used them. After all, using a Portkey was equivalent to handing us a map of their movements. It would expose their locations immediately," Amelia explained.
"Therefore, illegally possessing a Portkey or mastering the manufacturing process is a serious crime recognized by the International Confederation. If the Silver Spears truly have them, we can file a formal complaint to purge them across Europe," Moody said with a cold smile.
"Weren't they already an illegal smuggling group? Do they still need a special complaint?" Alan asked, sounding puzzled.
"It's different." Amelia shook her head. "Each country has a different attitude toward the Silver Spears. In some nations, they don't just engage in smuggling, so they aren't viewed as an entirely underground organization. Some Ministries even cooperate with them. However, Portkeys are a matter of principle; this will significantly squeeze their operating space."
Alan understood. It was like how some groups might be considered freedom fighters in one country and terrorists in another, but if they possessed weapons of mass destruction, they would be ostracized by everyone. Portkeys held a similar weight in the wizarding world.
"Oh, right." Moody seemed to recall something. "Can you track Thunderbird's location? Have you tried to pinpoint him? If he's close, we can deploy another encirclement."
Alan shook his head helplessly. "I tried already. My tracker has its limits. He's no longer within Britain's borders, so he must have fled the country. However, I can build a dedicated detection device later. If he shows up in Britain again, it will alert us immediately. I'll notify you the moment he's found."
"Good." Moody's grin turned grim as he slammed a fist into his palm. "I won't let those bastards off the hook."
While they talked, Newt had finished clearing the Fiendfyre along the path and met up with the Aurors who were extinguishing fires from the opposite direction.
Alan leaned in close to Amelia and Moody. "Remember, don't let it slip that I can track Thunderbird. It would be trouble if that news leaked."
Moody and Amelia narrowed their eyes, understanding that Alan was referring to the potential spy within the Ministry.
"Don't worry, I'll personally instruct the team to keep this strictly confidential," Moody said, nodding with a stern expression.
Alan brought this up primarily because he spotted Aseria among the converging crowd. Since Thunderbird had escaped, finding him again would likely depend on the mole. Alan didn't intend to stay on the defensive; he would take the initiative to eliminate the threat at the first opportunity, and Aseria was his beacon.
The reinforcing Aurors joined Alan's group and moved toward the main battlefield. Alan learned that the thirteen Aurors who had been freed were currently guarding the recovered goods. After the intensity of the battle, they were taking a moment to rest while the reinforcements finished clearing the remaining fire.
During the interval, Newt walked over.
"You must be Mr. Wilson. Scrimgeour has mentioned you. You're remarkably young and promising. The power of that Silver Spear—judging by the Fiendfyre he unleashed—was no small matter. I'm impressed you contended with him for so long." Newt wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead; controlling the alchemy kettle was clearly more taxing than it looked.
"You're too kind. If you hadn't arrived, I might not have escaped so easily. Please, call me Alan. This is actually our second meeting. I apologize, but last time, for safety reasons, I couldn't reveal my identity to you. Since you came to help, how is Rolf doing?"
Alan had no intention of hiding his identity anymore. He knew Newt must have recognized the flying cloak, and any inquiry into the battle would reveal the use of lightning magic. It was better to be candid.
Newt raised his eyebrows in surprise at Alan's openness, hearing him directly admit to being the wizard who had appeared at the Scamander home.