That night.
Inside a Muggle rental house on the outskirts of Berlin, Alan sat leisurely on the sofa, though from time to time he took out his pocket watch to check the time.
"It's almost time. I wonder if Andre is ready yet." After glancing at the exquisitely crafted silver pocket watch in his hand again, Alan muttered to himself.
"Bang, bang, bang..."
Before he could close the pocket watch, the space in the room twisted, followed by a continuous series of whooshing sounds. A few seconds later, more than a dozen people instantly appeared in the originally empty rental house.
The two leading figures were Andre and Moody, who were followed by ten Aurors who had previously participated in the Concentric Circles Operation. In addition, Andre was accompanied by two unfamiliar wizards, both appearing to be in their forties or fifties. Their finely crafted wizard robes indicated their extraordinary status.
"Sorry, Alan, we're not late, are we?" As soon as Andre appeared with his group, he greeted Alan, then introduced him to the two wizards. "Mr. Schmidt, this is Alan Wilson, whom I mentioned to you. He will be in overall command of tonight's operation."
At the same time, he looked at Alan again and explained, "These two are Edmund and Allen from the Schmidt family. They are brothers. Edmund is the current patriarch of the Schmidt family, and he is the victim who was implicated by Phoenix."
Alan raised an eyebrow in surprise. The main reason for inviting members of the Schmidt family to participate in today's operation was to have them as witnesses and to completely draw the Schmidt family to Andre's side, so he didn't really have any expectations for the personnel they sent. Who would have thought that the patriarch of the Schmidt family would personally lead the team at such a risk? This was not child's play; people could die if a real fight broke out. It seemed that Edmund valued his son, who was killed by Phoenix, more than imagined.
While Alan was sizing up the two, Edmund and Allen were also observing Alan. They hadn't expected that the commander Andre spoke of would be a greenhorn young man. Was this guy even twenty years old? However, as members of an ancient wizard family, they were far more reserved and polite than ordinary wizards, and certainly wouldn't make the mistake of judging a book by its cover.
The elder of the two, Edmund, the patriarch of the Schmidt family, stepped forward first, then bowed politely like a true gentleman.
"Hello, Mr. Wilson, we have long heard your name. It is rumored that you are a representative of the new generation of alchemists, a British wizard who, after Dumbledore, is expected to become the next legendary Alchemy Master. We just never expected our first meeting to be in such a setting today. However, as a distinguished Alchemy Master, is it truly alright for you to participate in such a dangerous operation?"
Although Edmund's words were full of respect, Alan could still hear the underlying meaning. As expected, he had doubts about his abilities.
"Haha, don't underestimate this Alan," Andre chuckled heartily before Alan could speak. "I also underestimated Alan at first because he was too young, but later I discovered how extraordinary this kid is. Alan's strength is not to be underestimated, and he is also proficient in strategy, tactics, and intelligence gathering. Later, he showed me what true tactical command talent is. Moreover, it was he who first discovered the club's plan to erode the German Ministry of Magic. Thanks to Alan, we were able to discover the Silver Spears' scheme against your Schmidt family and determine Phoenix's whereabouts."
After Andre's heartfelt assurances, both Moody beside him and the surrounding Aurors all nodded in agreement, clearly indicating that Alan had already won everyone over with his capabilities.
Upon seeing the attitudes displayed by everyone, Edmund and Allen understood that this young man was definitely not as simple as they imagined. They knew Andre, this old hand from the Ministry of Magic, very well. For him to praise someone so effusively, that person must possess extraordinary means.
"Since Mr. Wilson already has experience working with Director Andre, my concerns seem a bit superfluous," Edmund offered Alan an apologetic smile, then said seriously, "The Silver Spears and Phoenix not only used my child as a tool but also used him to deceive the entire family and our allies. This is an insult to our Schmidt family, and I absolutely cannot tolerate the club's actions. Therefore, when dealing with the Silver Spears, our Schmidt family will stand on the same front as Andre."
*So, apart from dealing with the Silver Spears, you're not sure you'll be on the same side as us,* Alan understood the meaning behind Edmund's words.
Edmund's words were very skillful. As an ancient wizard family, the Schmidt family's influence on the German wizarding world was pervasive, touching both business and politics. Therefore, they never spoke in absolutes and never explicitly stated their position.
"We are also extremely indignant about what the Silver Spears have done to the Schmidt family. The reason Director Andre revealed the club's conspiracy to you is that he doesn't want you to continue to be misled, which would damage the Schmidt family's reputation. Moreover, the current Silver Spears club is a malignant tumor to the German wizarding world. Unless they are eradicated, Germany will continue to suffer the harm brought by the club. The choice you are making now is to strive for the future peace of the German magical world. Director Andre also holds this belief and has always been on the front lines."
Alan's meaning was also simple: no matter what, the Silver Spears' deep infiltration of the Ministry of Magic was partly the Schmidt family's responsibility. Now that they were standing up against them, it was merely to compensate for past mistakes. At the same time, the club would likely become a public enemy of Germany in the future, and Andre, as the vanguard against the Silver Spears, would undoubtedly have unparalleled prestige. The sooner they established a connection with him, the more benefits they would reap. To put it bluntly, Alan's conversation with Edmund was an attempt to attract investment for Andre, hoping that the Schmidt family would fully align with their side.
After hearing Alan's words, Edmund exchanged glances with his brother Allen, then secretly nodded to himself. This young man was indeed not simple; he had them cornered with just a few words. However, as the patriarch of a family, one must consider everything carefully. After all, they had been so thoroughly deceived by Pitt before that Edmund now dared not trust Andre and Alan's words one hundred percent. But through the evidence Andre showed them, Edmund was certain that the Silver Spears had killed his son. This connection was the basis of their cooperation with Alan.
"I understand your meaning," Edmund nodded noncommittally, then changed his tone, "In this operation, Allen and I will follow your arrangements. After we deal with Phoenix and avenge my beloved son, the Schmidt family will not forget your kindness and Director Andre's."
*So, they need to witness our methods firsthand before making a decision? How truly impenetrable,* Alan pouted speechlessly. He just hated dealing with such cunning individuals. In comparison, the straightforward Moody, Hagrid, Andre, and others seemed much more endearing.
Andre, who was beside them, didn't catch the subtle hints they were exchanging. He just kept urging, "Alan, you see, Edmund and the others are very reasonable, aren't they? And it's almost time now. Shouldn't we make our move?"
"Alright, everyone gather around. I'll briefly explain the operation details!" Alan didn't waste any time. He walked straight to the dining table in the rental house and took out a special tactical map from his person.
Everyone remained silent and gathered around the dining table. At this moment, Alan took out his wand and lightly tapped the tactical map, which then revealed a 3D projection of a house.
Edmund and Allen had never seen such advanced equipment. They were startled when the three-dimensional image appeared, but they noticed that the Aurors around them were all very calm, indicating that such methods were not unusual for them.
Alan had no time to attend to the two newcomers. He pointed at the 3D image and spoke to himself, "This townhouse is Phoenix's hiding place in Germany. It's only about a hundred meters from our current location. At the same time, it's important to note that because these townhouses are connected, Phoenix's hiding place is only a wall away from other Muggle houses. I've already investigated this row of houses beforehand; every single one is occupied, so their situation will be very dangerous once the battle begins."
After briefly introducing the environment outside the house, Alan tapped the 3D image again, and the surface of the house was immediately peeled away, revealing its internal layout.
"I conducted a detailed reconnaissance of Phoenix's hiding place beforehand. It has three floors plus a basement, with one master bedroom and four guest rooms. Additionally, each floor has a fireplace, and all are connected to the Floo Network. And through observation, Phoenix's usual activity range is mainly in the second-floor reception room and the third-floor master bedroom, so it's highly likely she'll be resting in the third-floor bedroom later." Alan clearly explained the layout, location, and orientation of each room to everyone, especially the four individuals who would be primarily responsible for the main combat.
"In terms of tactical arrangements, we need to divide into two sections. One section is the perimeter personnel, which is further divided into two groups. One group will be on alert in the streets in front of and behind the house. You are responsible for casting spells to drive away Muggles on the street and preventing stray spells or flying debris from internal combat from causing secondary harm to the outside world." At this point, Alan specifically looked at the Aurors.