When I opened my eyes, I couldn't help but smile at what this 'nice bear' was up to. Yes, I was eavesdropping, and I'm not even ashamed of it. The thing is, when I got home, I went into deep meditation to "digest" what had happened during the ritual. I hadn't done it before and I didn't know exactly what I was going to see because the descriptions were very vague and it was good that there were warnings, so we protected the woman and the girls.
So, after I was immersed in the spiritual plane, I just "contemplated" for some time, letting my thoughts flow freely, and then I felt like something was tugging at me, pulling me somewhere, so I decided to wonder what it was. That's how I overheard this conversation, and I was disappointed in these people: why such twists and turns when you can live in a human way? Why these cunning plans and twists, just to profit from someone, to twist, to deceive, or at least to hide something sneakily?
The English were too successful in their time, and they still have a sense of self-importance. And they are also insatiable: no matter how much power and treasure they have in their hands, they will try to grab more. Why would Bulstrode want the Peverell estate? It doesn't fit their gifts, but no, he's up to something. Well, I'll be very interested to see the look of disappointment on the faces of these cunning men when their plans shatter like thin glass. It's a cinch to stop them, and I've got enough spit to spit on anything! I can't take a joke, can I?
However, there is no hurry in such matters, and I do not need it, because I do not set myself the goal of my life — to ruin the cunning plans of the local "rich daddies", but if the chance arises, I will certainly take it just out of principle and natural harm. Even if there is no material benefit, there is a moral benefit, and knowing that I've upset someone's cunning plan will make me happy.
Now I finished my green tea — a pleasant end to a good lunch in an expensive hotel with a fancy restaurant, paid the bill, left a generous tip, and went to my room, medium price category, which I had rented for two days. The room is on the third floor, and the windows overlook a wide alley with tall, beautiful trees, and one of these trees is literally a few feet from my window, and on the branches of the tree for a few days you can often see two large jays.
I took the elevator up to my floor in the company of an elderly couple of classic Englishmen, newlyweds from China, and a dry lady with a frozen expression of discontent somewhere in her face. I walked leisurely to my room, and in front of me were the hugging Chinese, happily discussing something in their own language, or rather in one of the dialects I did not know, so that I understood from the third to the tenth person, or so it seemed.
I went into the room and sat down on the sofa at a low table, where I comfortably settled down to look through the business documents: various reports, statements, and so on. About forty minutes later, when I had finished studying the report on the work in the greenhouses at Hogwarts, there was a knock at the door. There was nothing secret in those papers, so I left everything as it was and went to open the door. Behind it were a couple of scowling middle-aged men who introduced themselves as the buyer's personal security, and they had to check the room before the owner came up.
I didn't bother them — I let them do their job and went back to the papers. While I was working, I felt the movements of these two mages, felt how they used magic, even artifacts, and they had various magical devices, but again, I didn't even think of doing anything, I gave myself completely to the work. I don't know how long the examination of the room actually took, I was only distracted from the papers when the owner of a very powerful magical gift entered the door of the room... though, no, the man's power was great, but somewhere on the top of the average level, but the external feeding from the family altar turned my guest into someone similar in naked power to Dumbledore.
And there were some tricky artifacts on his arms, legs, and neck that greatly enhanced the connection to the Ancestral Source, making the saturation of power in and around this man very great, almost shaking the air. The man himself looked about sixty years old, gray hair cut short, well-groomed moustache and beard, dark skin, rather evenly weathered over the years, clear blue eyes, looking at the world confidently and piercingly.
There was nothing superfluous in his ears or on his fingers... at first glance, and even at second glance, but I saw through the illusion, massive rings and bracelets on his fingers, earrings in his ears, all covered with the finest pattern of magical symbols and signs. In addition, under the most powerful illusion of a staff, the elderly wizard held a narrow, straight blade in a silver-covered sheath, also enchanted.
His belt also appeared to be very simple, as well as a short dagger. And that was only the main man, and his guards, under the same powerful illusions, were much more serious, although I doubt it, because the head of an ancient magical family, based somewhere in the Volga region and rumored to have its own silver mine, is unlikely to wear simple trinkets ... especially when I feel their power and strength.
Remembering the propriety, it took me only a few seconds to study this magician, looking through the first layer of the spiritual plane, and then I defiantly put aside the papers and rose to greet the guest. Meet Stepan Grigorievich Khmurov, the head of a rich, strong and numerous magical family, about his successes in magical sciences nothing is known, as well as many other things, and in general magical Russia does not like the Western world, and there are iron reasons for that.
Stepan Grigoryevich participated in the battles against Grindewald, was one of those who stormed his wager, and after a few more days of pursuit, until Dumbledore appeared and defeated his old friend.
The Union at the time demanded that the enemy be handed over, but Beard stubbed his toe, and since then the wizards of these alliance blocs have been on rather cool terms, and Beard himself is forbidden to show his face even on the border of the Ukraine, and if he goes any further he'll lose his head immediately — this was said at one of the ICW meetings by the Russian ambassador, who made an official announcement — a warning from a whole bloc of clans with the most significant grudges against Grindewald.
Well, I digress, let's get back to the business for which we met, namely, the sale of Antonin Dolokhov to those who are interested, namely, the Khmurov family.
No, as a matter of fact, some other people are not averse to seeing this type, but Colonel Davydov highly recommended this particular family, and even told me the reason why. I know this was done for a reason, and they will benefit greatly, because I will be grateful for this advice-recommendation, not excessively, but still. The second advantage is that the Khmurovs will not forget this favor to Davydov.
The next advantage is that they will gain something in the confrontation game, in which Colonel Davydov's boss, Major General Maxim Vasilievich Stoyanov, will get a tiny advantage. Well, and so on. In general, the most ordinary cooperation with the most ordinary special services of powerful states. That's why the Khmurovs want Dolokhov.
This story took place when the character himself was studying at the Sorcerer's College and was seventeen years old. Coming from a pure-blooded family, but without wealth, long history, or gifts, Antonin turned out to be quite a strong magician, and even with the signs of the incipient gift of a fighter. He didn't complain about his head either, I mean, he studied very well: he was praised by teachers, the guy had several diplomas, there was even talk that recruiters from state structures were interested in him.
Like all young men and women of that age, he did not adhere to the views of a hermit monk, so it is not surprising that he was attracted to a beautiful girl, who, however, did not respond to his attempts to court her. In fact, he was looked at, and then a representative of the Khmurov family met him, and the girl was from this family, and offered to join the family by marrying this girl. Dolokhov, don't be a fool, agreed, besides, in Russia in clans there is no such cruelty as I saw in the Miyazaki clan, that is, Dolokhov liked the girl, but she was not used to "going out" without her father's permission.
The boy began to train more seriously, he was given special clan techniques, and even had some costly rituals to strengthen his strength, which pushed him even further to acquire the gift. Despite the fact that he spent a lot of energy, there was also a lot left for "foolishness", so he became a "peacock", proud and boastful, wondering, and then one day something hit him in the head, and Antonin wanted his bride not later, when his studies were over and the marriage ritual was performed, but right now.
In short, he raped the girl and ruined her destiny, because for the magical world the deprivation of virginity is also important, and I've already told you about that. And then the guy's brain switched on, he realized what was going to happen to him, and he started to run. Actually, he wouldn't have been hit on the head, yes, but no one would have killed him or tortured him, but it would have been more complicated for the ritual, and if the Khmurovs know some techniques, it would have been possible to transfer the girl's obligation to shed blood to the guy.
I mean, Dolokhov could spill his blood on the altar, a lot of blood, you couldn't survive without potions, but it could be fixed, but how would he know? For some time he traveled around Europe, not staying anywhere for a long time, because the pursuit, though not very active, continued, and then his trail disappeared, and was found a few years later, in Britain, where the Russians try not to interfere, so to get Dolokhov did not work. And now, after so many years, they are offered to buy this man, so it is not surprising that the head of the family himself has come for Antonin.