96 Merc

"50,000--1--2--3" Merc counted down.

Draco breathed a sigh of relief as he glared at the witch who was doing the same too. A coin floated in front of him. Draco caught the coin and sat back. Soon with a couple more items the auctions ended.

"Every guest who carries a coin, please follow me." Merc said bowing a little, "As for the rest of the guest, we apologize for not having anything that interests you but the auction carries on every week so I hope you will find something then."

Draco and Lucius stood up and followed the small group of people outside the tent to a passageway. Draco could feel the witch glaring at him from time to time, but he wasn't interested in picking a fight in an unknown place, so he tried to remain patient and ignore the witch.

One by one, elves came and took each of them to different places. Draco and Lucius similarly followed an elf inside a small room, which only had a couch and a table. The elf snapped its fingers and two cups of tea and sandwich appeared out of thin air. Suggesting them to sit on the couch the elf left the room.

"Why did you buy that egg?" Lucius asked a bit annoyed. "I can understand other things but why that dud egg?-- Do you even have the money for it?"

Draco shrugged his shoulders, "I don't-- That's why I need all the money you have as well.-- Don't worry I can pay it back, once we arrive back home."

Lucius's mouth twitched seeing Draco's carefree attitude, "It's not about the money-- It's about you spending money recklessly."

"Isn't that the same thing--Don't worry with a couple of new potions, I can make that money back easily." Draco said relaxing back, "I am more interested in this place and that guy."

"Who, the auctioneer?"

"Yeah!-- The fact he recognized the auror and the way he said those words afterward like he knew who we were?"

"It's not that impressive." Lucius snorted, "I have read books about some Alchemic inventions that could help see people's faces and identity,-- I admit its rare but still not that impressive. With how much popular this place seems-- getting their hands on an item like that is very easy for them."

Draco nodded, "But how come this place is so secretive? with how popular it is, how come we never heard of it before."

"It's because of our rule." A voice sounded out.

Draco looked at the door where Merc stood looking at them. Merc came and snapped his fingers, out of nowhere a chair came out from the ground and Merc sat down opposite of them.

"What rule?" Draco asked interested, he had heard of all the rule before and none of them were similar to this.

"It is, of course, a part of our contract," Merc said taking out two pieces of paper from his robe and placing it in front of Lucius and Draco.

Draco and Lucius started reading the contract and it was a set of rules as to what to do and what not to do. While they were busy reading Merc continued, "The contract works like an unbreakable vow--The contract only needs to be signed once, since you are new here, you have to do it.-- If you have any questions feel free to ask it after you've signed the contract."

Draco read the rules silently, the rules went from not stealing to not causing any disturbances, there were rules that made it impossible to release any information about the auction outside the place. The rules worked the other way around as well, stating that the auction house wouldn't sell any information on the buyer.

"I believe that you've finished reading the rules so what are we waiting for." Merc said snapping his fingers, "A drop of blood is all it needs."

Merc took out his wand again and cut himself a little, dropping a single drop of blood on each paper. Lucius and Draco looked at each other. Draco had read the rules twice already and as far as he could tell, there wasn't any loophole affecting them in any way.

"What's keeping you from using it against us?" Lucius asked.

"You don't have to worry about anything." Merc assured them, "We are running an honest business here--if we harm our customers, the reputation and trust we built over the years will just collapse-- and we won't be able to run our business anymore."

Draco looked at Lucius who after thinking for a while dropped his blood on the paper, seeing Lucius do so, Draco quickly did the same. After they did the paper shined brightly for a while and burned away.

"Now that the contract is initiated, I can answer any question you desire." Merc said clapping his hands, "Or we can get straight to business if you want."

"What is this place?" Draco asked.

"We are an organization that runs this black market where we sell magical beasts and just regular animals." Merc said, "But every week we act as an auction house as well, considering you didn't know about this place, you are very lucky to find us."

"Someone recommended this place to us." Draco said, "Well at least vaguely--"

"Oh! Who is it?" Merc asked interestedly.

"The elf seller." Draco said, "We didn't manage to get his name though."

"I see." Merc nodded, "He is a regular and as expected he managed to find a loophole of some sort."

"He signed the contract as well?"

"Every single person who knows about this place have to sign a contract," Merc said. "No matter who it is. Consider it like an exclusive secret group of some sort."

"What happens if you don't sign it?" Draco asked.

"We obliviate them." Merc said, "Its a bother, but we do what we have to do."

"You said that this place is run by an organization." Lucius said suddenly, "But by far other than the elves you are the only person I've seen here."

"Things can be deceiving," Merc replied. "Maybe I am the only person here, maybe I am not-- no one can know for sure."

Draco was confused by what Merc said but one thing he knew for certain was that either there were a lot of people hiding secretly or he was too powerful.

"I can see that you have more questions," Merc said looking at Draco who was still in his hood. "Ask away."

"First, how powerful are you?"

"Who is the most powerful wizard you know?"

"Dumbledore."

"So compared to him, I am not powerful at all. I am at most average." Merc replied, "But strength is not all about how much power you have but how you use it."

Draco wasn't satisfied with his answer, "Do you know who I am?"

"Of course, how can I not know the famous Draco Black."

Draco opened his hood despite Lucius trying to stop him.

"You look better in person," Merc said, suggesting something.

"How much do you know about me?" Draco asked again.

"Not much-- other than you're really powerful for someone your age-- and how you managed to escape from Pius." Merc said, "For other pieces of information, you have to pay--Oh! I forgot to mention that we sell information as well, didn't I?"

Draco narrowed his eyes staring at Merc who was calmly sitting there as if nothing happened, "Let's get to the items that I bought."

"Wonderful!" Merc said, reaching his hands forward.

Draco wondered what he was asking at first, then he remembered the coins. Draco place all 10 coins he had on Merc's hand.

Merc clapped his hands and elf came through the door and took the coins with him and soon one by one different elf carried different items forward and went back closing the door again.

"Payment first." Merc said, "The total amount, you've reached is 320,000 Galleons."