Tom felt no urgency to capture Kavi. With Kavi's ability to nullify magic, Anti-Apparition Charms were useless against him.
Kavi's continued presence on the mountain, without Apparating away, suggested he intended to remain there for a while. The Ministry's surveillance simply confirmed his location. Though such "anti-magic" spells undoubtedly had limitations, Tom doubted they posed any real obstacle to him.
...
Exiting the Ministry, they walked along the streets of a nearby city, unnoticed by the surrounding Muggles.
"Sir, where do we proceed?" Harry asked Tom. "Are we going to investigate the source of that magic?"
Tom, however, showed no inclination to Apparate there immediately, appearing to await someone's arrival.
"Hmph, how slow," Tom muttered, his tone laced with impatience.
In a flash, he vanished only to reappear, this time accompanied by Ashok, his hand firmly on the man's shoulder. Ashok looked utterly bewildered. Wait, wasn't I on my way to the Ministry to find Tom and the others?
"Mr. Ashok Petil?" Malfoy exclaimed, surprised.
"Tom, should we bring him along?" Cassandra asked, glancing at Tom, curious as to his intentions.
Nagini seemed to grasp the situation. "He could prove useful."
Snape, ever perceptive, suspected Tom had subtly plumbed Ashok's memories upon seeing him rush off. Just like that old fool Dumbledore! And he dares suggest you weren't his student?!
Ashok's strength was considerable; he was nearing elite Auror status, far more capable than the average. Even Snape hesitated to attempt Legilimency without alerting him.
"Professor Tom, you..." Ashok began, finally understanding. Meeting Tom's gaze, he felt utterly exposed, as if his innermost self was on display.
Tom merely offered a cryptic smile. "Now that everyone is assembled, let us depart."
The surrounding space contorted. Without physical contact, Tom's Apparition now allowed him to transport everyone.
...
They arrived at the source of a tributary of the Ganges River.
A small village stood there, populated by recent immigrants. It was newly constructed, the original having vanished over thirty years ago, its inhabitants perishing.
Humid forest land surrounded the village, with trees growing wild and laden with orange-yellow fruit. The village itself appeared ramshackle, houses hastily built from weathered planks and thatched roofs, offering little protection from the elements.
The villagers clearly lacked a reliable source of water and electricity; piles of firewood lay before many homes. However, its location near the Ganges meant they still had access to its water.
Tom and his group entered the village.
The villagers were emaciated, their skin a leathery brown, their expressions dull and lifeless.
"There's...something wrong with them," Snape observed, frowning.
Tom hadn't bothered with Disillusionment Charms or Muggle Repelling Charms. Everyone knew about Kavi's inclinations, especially when impoverished, he was driven by base desires. Even Snape, a "foreign beauty," drew no attention, let alone Tom, Cassandra, and Nagini. Even Ashok, an Indian man in a refined suit, projecting British charm, was ignored.
The villagers seemed utterly oblivious to Tom and his group.
Malfoy, after making eye contact with a villager only to have the villager look away, was flabbergasted. Damn it, how insulting! They actually disdain us. While being targeted would infuriate him, being ignored by those he considered beneath him was even more galling.
"Harry Potter, I feel unwell."
"It's alright, I understand."
"..."
Nagini attempted detection spells to find magical traces but found nothing.
I can't believe that these villagers were born this way. It suggested highly subtle methods at play.
Snape approached a villager washing fruit in a wooden basin. Squatting down to meet the villager's eyes, his brow furrowed further. He stood, exchanged a glance with Tom, and shook his head slightly.
"Sigh, you are clearly useless."
"..."
Snape's lips tightened at Tom's words. He genuinely couldn't discern anything; the villagers' surface memories seemed natural.
With his subordinates proving ineffective, Tom stepped in himself, immediately identifying the problem. "They are all decoys, left behind by Kavi."
"An Imperius Curse? Magic-induced mind control? No, not mere control, a complete transformation." Tom studied the villagers with morbid interest. "Does that man know some interesting little tricks?"
Nagini and the others appeared incredulous at Tom's statement.
The innately strong Cassandra began contemplating how to deal with Kavi. Tom generally isn't interested in easily defeating the weak, especially those unable to withstand even her residual power. Perhaps I might have an opportunity to intervene.
"..."
Ashok Petil looked at the villagers, his expression troubled.
"Stop looking; it's hopeless," Tom said, walking towards the river behind the village. "Even if I were to restore them, they would no longer be who they once were, at best, mere imitations."
"..."
Ashok Petil knew Tom spoke to him despite not looking at him directly. He didn't doubt Tom's words, nor his abilities. Beyond "restoring" them, Tom undoubtedly possessed other solutions, perhaps many. However, Ashok Petil lacked the position or right to demand such action.
Seeing Tom walk towards the river, the others followed closely. Ashok Petil shook his head and joined them. He had more pressing matters to address now and trusted that Tom had already anticipated some, if not all, of them.
---
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