Who let this Dementor into Hogwarts!

Chapter 179 Don’t be too evil…

"your dad?"

Von Braun instantly understood why the Chimera appeared here - he had seen the Silver Key's prayer.

"Why do I feel like you're scolding me?"

"Is that Chimera coming for you?" asked von Braun.

"No, I came here to look for it because it used to live at my grandmother's house—no, that seems quite reasonable..." Cohen said strangely, "But I haven't met it yet and haven't done any social training for it, so it's probably still in a state where it can't communicate with wizards and is a bit dangerous..."

"So..." von Braun mused, "it might be used by the Silver Key?"

"Don't underestimate the bond between me and my blood relatives, bastard!" Cohen pointed at von Braun and said, "Once I find it, all my attempts to exploit it will vanish. I will use my love to influence it. What are you looking at? Don't you believe that the bond between me and my blood relatives is unbreakable..."

"That's a Chimaera. It's very dangerous, and I've never heard of Chimaeras caring for their young—they are extremely rare and almost infertile." Von Braun said seriously, "What if it doesn't recognize you? What if it's really controlled by the Silver Key in some way? What if—"

"Then my fire dragons, serpents, nightmare unicorns are no ordinary creatures either." Cohen nodded. "Just drive, and I'll come up with the plan."

"But this is a Muggle town!" von Braun stopped him. "With so many banned creatures fighting here, you'll be wanted by the Ministry of Magic!"

Obviously, he did not want Cohen and the wizarding world to become enemies - especially when there were still some idiots in the Ministry of Magic. This was what Silver Key wanted to see most, and what von Braun did not want to see most.

"How did the Ministry of Magic know it was me?" Cohen blinked.

"..."

"Alright, alright, look how scared you are," Cohen said. "I know my limits. Just tell me what you know about the Silver Key here, and get away from here as soon as possible."

"Stop dithering! Come on, tell me! You're acting like a woman!" Cohen urged. "If they ordered the Chimeras to do those disappearances..."

"No," von Braun said, "I'm sure those people weren't killed by the Chimera. The Silver Key wanted them alive to study a magical substance."

"What kind of magical substance requires living Muggles? Oh, yes, there aren't that many wizards, so Muggles are easier to catch." Cohen understood Silver Key's behavior, "But will the effect be discounted? I still think we should capture some wizards first to serve as a control group with the Muggles, and then-"

"Don't be so evil."

Von Braun looked at Cohen with a strange look.

"There's no need to empathize with those people..."

Why does it feel like Cohen has been able to enter the Silver Key so quickly? No way... he couldn't have already...

"You can only guess the criminal's thoughts from his perspective," Cohen said logically. "If they wanted to kill them alive, they wouldn't have ordered the Chimera to do it - they would just capture a few Muggles alive and cast a spell. The only thing they have to worry about is being discovered by the Ministry of Magic..."

"And Chimera can be easily discovered by the Ministry of Magic..." Von Braun understood something instantly, "So they wouldn't want to bring a Chimera with them - and you said that Chimera came here more than ten years ago. In other words, the Silver Key kidnapping of Muggles and the rampant Chimera are probably two completely different things."

"Based on the current clues, it seems like this." Cohen rubbed his hands and said, "My owl has gone to find the Chimera, and now I have something more I want to do - what could be better than a thrilling detective game during the summer vacation? I want to personally catch the Silver Key members who kidnapped Muggles. Let me lock on the suspect - do you think the mayor might be an accomplice?" "Wait - what did you say? The mayor is a Muggle, I'm sure of it." Von Braun frowned, "Why do you suspect the mayor? Did he do anything?"

"Of course I knew he was a Muggle," said Coin. "I was just picking a random suspect, and I wanted an excuse to see if the widow had a pair of purple underwear—"

"What are purple underwear!" von Braun said, covering his head.

What's going on with Cohen? He seems like he's going crazy, but also like his true nature is showing.

"Anything else you want to add? What were your original plans?" Cohen asked.

"There's no additional information. I was planning to check for traces of magic here, and then go to the church or the witness's home to see what's going on..." Von Braun gave up thinking about what the connection was between the "purple underwear" and the disappearance case. Perhaps the Silver Key was right, and Cohen just couldn't predict or understand it.

"Okay, hurry home, useless old detective. Your mission is complete." Cohen urged, "Hurry home and accompany old Mr. von Braun - why would anyone not accompany an elderly person during the holidays? My parents have gone to accompany my grandmother -"

"Then you should be careful...be careful." Von Braun originally wanted to say be careful, but after thinking about it, he changed his words.

Rather than worrying about Cohen being killed, we should worry about Cohen harming others.

Dumbledore was right, the boy had to be kept in school - and that was the best thing for everyone.

There was a soft thud, and von Braun was gone.

But the Count flew back.

"I don't find it," said the Count.

"It's only been a short time. Try harder."

Cohen picked up Mr. Frondo, who was still honking but making no sound.

"No matter how hard I try, I can't find a Chimera as big as a Muggle car in an empty river valley forest!" the Earl retorted, "I've tried my best, okay?"

"Effort doesn't really count—"

"Lock the tongue and seal the throat." Cohen continued the spell on Mr. Frondo's mouth. "This is the first time I've seen my spell automatically cleared. How does this work?"

"A cruel, tear-jerking story that will make you never want to bully me again," the Count said excitedly. "Do you want to hear it? Wait two minutes for me to make it up and I'll tell you."

"Forget it. I'm a kindhearted person and can't stand hearing this kind of stuff," Cohen refused. "Besides, you already said you were making it up. Don't even think you can get the 'right to never be criticized by Cohen' from me by using some crooked trickery."

"It's boring." The Count said disappointedly, "I was wondering whether I should tell you a forbidden medieval love story or a World War I war story..."

(End of this chapter)