Elisa Ferguson's expression instantly darkened when she heard those two words.
The memories that had been altered had only recently been restored by specialists from the Memory Hall of the Department of Mysteries, and Sagres mentioning that codename was like tearing open an old wound.
Taking a deep breath, she said stiffly, "I have to admit, your tricks are truly brilliant."
Her gaze moved between Sagres and Nightingale.
"So brilliant that I, and the entire French Ministry of Magic, became a laughingstock. For two and a half years, I risked my life infiltrating the Bronze Feather. I thought I had gained the trust of its core members, obtained crucial evidence, and finally led a team in a perfect operation."
She let out a grim laugh.
"And what was the result? We caught only a handful of pawns you had already intended to abandon, a convenient shell left behind for your escape. And I, Elisa Ferguson, was promoted to captain because of that 'outstanding achievement'."
Her expression twisted.
"Even more absurdly, those fools in our Ministry formally invited you..."
She pointed at Nightingale.
"...invited you, a powerful witch, to instruct the trainees of the Auror Office. It wasn't until the Quidditch World Cup, when your people became active once again, that we finally realized the truth."
Her chest rose and fell slightly. The memory clearly brought her immense humiliation.
"And the most ridiculous part was that I only gradually discovered afterward that my own memories from that time..."
She tapped her temple.
"...had also been altered by you. Was it to ensure that the intelligence I brought back to headquarters was flawless? To ensure that everything perfectly matched the 'truth' you wanted us to see?"
Sagres quietly allowed her to vent before replying calmly, "Captain Ferguson, you seem to have a great deal of... personal resentment concerning past events. But I must remind you that you are currently acting in an official capacity on behalf of the French Ministry of Magic."
"So, aside from the volcanic eruption, do you have any other accusations against Miss Vilis? If not, I hope you will leave and stop disturbing our enjoyment of the exhibition."
Elisa Ferguson's breathing became noticeably heavier. Sagres's attitude, which treated her almost as though she didn't exist, finally ignited the fury she had suppressed for years.
"Accusations?"
Her voice suddenly became shrill.
"Of course, Mister Greengrass! You and the people around you are core members of the internationally wanted organization known as the Bronze Feather! On that basis alone, I have every right to arrest you!"
At once, the two Aurors behind her stepped forward, their hands moving to their wands. The atmosphere immediately grew tense, and the surrounding crowd sensed danger and hastily retreated, leaving an empty space around them.
Sagres remained seated in the shadows, not even changing his posture.
"Internationally wanted?"
He repeated the words softly, a trace of amusement in his voice.
"Under which article of the International Confederation of Wizards' charter? And based on what cross-border judicial warrant?"
Lowering his head slightly, he calmly adjusted his cuff.
"Captain Ferguson, you are threatening me with an expired warrant. Aren't you afraid of retaliation?"
"Sagres Greengrass!"
Elisa Ferguson practically screamed his name. Her patience had finally snapped.
"Do you really think your influence in Britain allows you to do whatever you please here?"
Almost at the exact moment those words left her mouth, all three Aurors drew their wands and aimed them directly at Sagres and Nightingale.
Yet just as they raised them, Sagres lightly snapped his fingers.
The sound itself was soft, but it seemed to carry an inexplicable power that pierced the air.
The next instant, an astonishing scene unfolded.
The carefully maintained blackthorn wand in Elisa Ferguson's hand twisted and reshaped itself under an invisible force, transforming into a long stalk of foxtail grass. The Auror beside her found his wand becoming a brightly coloured peppermint stick, which even emitted a comical pop. The third Auror's wand simply turned into a limp dead snake, its head dangling from his hand and swaying pitifully.
All three Aurors froze.
They stared blankly at their ridiculous and pathetic new "wands". Frantically, they attempted to reverse the transformation with Transfiguration and restoration spells, but discovered, to their horror, that they could no longer feel any magical connection to the objects.
Only then did Sagres slowly raise his eyes.
His calm gaze swept over their panicked faces.
"Captain Ferguson, I understand your desire to restore your reputation."
His voice was gentle, yet the words sent a chill down Elisa Ferguson's spine.
"But even so... you should never point your wands at me."
He looked directly at the three Aurors and slowly raised his right hand.
Under their terrified gazes, Sagres casually adjusted his perfectly neat cuff once again.
"Don't let it happen again."
His voice remained calm.
"Now, you may leave. Of course, you are welcome to continue carrying out your official duties with your new wands."
A few suppressed snickers rose from the surrounding crowd.
Elisa Ferguson's face turned crimson. She glared at Sagres, her eyes filled with anger and an unmistakable hint of fear.
But faced with such an overwhelming disparity in power, she could only grit her teeth and force out a few words.
"...Let's go."
Clutching the stalk of foxtail grass in her hand, she fled with her two equally humiliated subordinates.
Watching the three disappear in disgrace, the last trace of gentleness vanished from Sagres's expression, replaced by quiet contemplation.
Turning to Nightingale, who had remained silent the entire time, he asked casually, "Coming to Mauritius for the exhibition... was that your own idea, or Headmistress Maxime's suggestion?"
Nightingale paused slightly, clearly not expecting the question, but she answered honestly.
"I wasn't planning on coming. Headmistress Maxime suggested that I represent Beauxbatons."
Sagres fell silent for a moment, understanding flashing across his grey eyes.
"As expected."
He murmured softly before looking back at her.
"I just used Legilimency to glimpse Captain Ferguson's thoughts. The reason she appeared tonight was because she received an 'unintentional' reminder from Headmistress Maxime beforehand."
Nightingale's brows furrowed slightly.
Sagres continued his analysis calmly.
"It seems our tall Headmistress, after learning of your connection to the Bronze Feather, and especially after learning that Thunderbird became Headmaster of Ilvermorny, has begun to feel somewhat uneasy."
"Uneasy?" Nightingale frowned.
"She's worried that you have your eye on the position of Headmistress of Beauxbatons."
Sagres replied, "She is still in her prime and has absolutely no desire to step down as Headmaster Fontaine did. At the same time, she is wary of both your strength and the influence you represent. So she probably intended to use the French Ministry of Magic to remove you, this 'potential threat', from Beauxbatons."
"Well, that's normal."
Nightingale appeared neither surprised nor angry. She simply stated the matter calmly.
"It would be stranger if she felt nothing at all."
Sagres nodded.
"Indeed. Having such thoughts is normal."
But then his tone changed.
"But she shouldn't have acted on them."
Turning fully towards Nightingale, he asked,
"So, Vilis... tell me, do you want to become the Headmistress of Beauxbatons?"
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