A Legacy of Evil: Sidequest, gained!

This was not how I wanted this to go nor how I expected it.

Anton Trese might have been suspicious, but I could hardly blame him for that. From what little I heard about his job, it seemed to be a full-time occupation and giving him the high ground would have put him at ease, allowed him to ascertain the foreigner that the Chinese Ministry recommended to him to work with. Oh certainly, Zhu made an issue about how they were still under their Ministry purview but that was atypical of my kind to not see what was before them, as well as a gross misrepresentation about the Filipino people as a whole. Though there wasn't enough wizards and witches to warrant the formation of a typical ministry, I highly doubted the locals enjoyed the concept of being under the control of the Chinese, not when it seemed they had such a thriving community as it was. These were a people who waged a guerilla war against the Japanese, who bent like the reeds and sprung back up, when the Spanish arrived and colonized. The country may have been a third world one, but its people were proud and the traditions that had survived through strife, invasion and colonization flowed and kept their unique identity to this day.

That and looking at the group, I had an idea of why exactly, the Chinese Ministry all but disregarded the idea of their own governing voice as I sat across Professor Trese in a private room in the church. As the man bit off the head of a chocolate frog, he chewed thoughtfully and chuckled before continuing.

"I'm not entirely surprised they sent you. The Chinese Ministry enjoys playing these little games. To them, we are the magical backwater. No major wizarding schools, not a high population of wizards and what magic exists in these lands are either magical beasts or similar, according to their conventional rankings." He set the frog down, looking at me with eyes that seemed far more acute than they should for their age as he spoke lightly.

"Albus, for all I enjoy his friendship plays similar games. He had to you know." He confided, before adding wistfully. "There was quite a stink about his loyalties during the war. But I, Louhi, Bruttenholm and Flamel all vouched for him and with our support, he became the face of our group. Ah, those were glorious days in and of themselves." He smiled, lost in memories before he cleared his throat and spoke, intrigue in his voice as he looked at me.

"If Albus sent you, it means you have his trust and subsequently, my own."

"Just like that?" I asked, a little off put as he smiled and nodded.

"Just like that. Not everything must be so coy and closed off. I trust Albus Dumbledore, which means I have faith in his choice of agents."

"I'm not his agent." I said, wanting to correct it as I scowled and added. "... I am here to help however I can though." Professor Trese nodded, once in turn as he spoke curiously.

"How do you find our country?"

I paused, thinking of the words before I finally spoke. "It feels... Alive. There's so much going on. I see modern buildings alongside shanty houses, I see vendors and I see life. I see magic and its hints everywhere, but nobody ever really seems to notice or care."

He smiled again, as he nodded once and spoke. "What you see, is the true magical community of the Philippines. Unlike your Great Britain, when the cities expanded and the spirits retreated to their inner worlds, ours simply put on suits and lived among us. These 'creatures' as the Ministries would classify them are older than the hills, and from them, our own casters learn and grow. It's not perfect." He admitted as he added on.

"But if ever we are to grow, it must be together. And in that spirit, I am here to guide you in regards to my son."

"I've heard of him." I returned, leaning slightly on the table as I added. "I'm not really interested in proving myself to him. But if I had to, how would I go about it?" Professor Trese leaned back, rubbing along his chin in thought before he finally spoke.

"I may have a task for you." He rapped the table with his knuckles as he spoke. "You have seen the pictures, yes? Of the crime scene." I nodded grimly and he smiled, a shade darker than my current expression.

"That belonged to an aswang criminal group, known locally as Dugong Pera. They've been a thorn in our side for some time and the aswang tribes disavow them entirely. What brought it all out with all this cloak and dagger bullshit, was the branded emblem of the Thule Occult Society on the desk."

"What's an aswang?" I asked, partially curious as Professor Trese let out a dark chuckle.

"One of the reasons the Ministries don't like to officially recognize us just yet, as an independent magical community. As to the question itself, it's more of a blanket term than a singular creature. Some are carrion eaters and dwell amongst graveyards, feeding on those buried and foolish enough to venture there after dark. Others transform into boar or dogs, savage and hungry for living flesh. Yet another type flies with wings and feeds upon the fetus of children. All repulsive, all of them signed the Agreements that enable us to live, if not in harmony than in a period of nonviolence at least."

I frowned, thoughtfully as I began drumming my fingers on the table. As I did, Professor Trese helped himself to a bertie bean and winced, spitting it into a tissue he drew from his pocket, muttering in Tagalog rapidly as he did so. As he collected himself, I started asking more questions.

"What exactly was that place?"

"A Flesh Market." He smiled, but there was no mirth in it as he spoke. "It's a place aswang gather, to sell and divide the food they gather. They're also not shy in utilizing whatever sort of advantages they can whether its modern weaponry or magic."

"Why would any wizard want to help such creatures?!" I asked, confused before suddenly realizing it as I snapped my fingers. "Wait. Not all of the corpses sold are human, are they?"

Professor Trese nodded, looking mildly impressed. "Indeed. You'd be surprised or not, what kind of thriving market there is for mermaid bones or other such, esoteric ingredients that attract your kind to these places."

"I can take a guess." I said grimly, realizing what I would be running into. Like a more Shadowrun version of Knockturn Alley back home, with monsters armed with guns before I asked.

"So how did you get to that market? Raid?"

"In a manner." Professor Trese spoke as he went on, his brow furrowed more deeply in thought. "It was the noise. My son took his allies, went to check it out and discovered someone had been killing the aswang. Once he found the symbol on the desk, he believed it necessary to call it in."

I frowned, rubbing my face as I spoke slowly. "I'd like to see the crime scene for myself, if I can."

"That alone will not endear you to my son." Professor Trese pointed out as he gestured. "Hear me out, wizard. There is a suspected Dugong Pera flesh market, operating on a boat off the coast of San Fernando. My son is too busy working here to deal with it, but you?" He smiled and spoke.

"Deal with it however you like. How you operate, will show my son what sort of man he will be working with and shall also alleviate his burdens in the role placed upon him. Everybody wins."

"Do you know the name of the ship?" I asked and he smiled wider, taking up a bean as he rolled it between his fingers.

"You're one of Albus's chosen. I'm sure such a small detail won't be but a road bump for you." Ah. I got it now.

Much as he wanted me to help, this was also his own way of seeing what I would do and how quickly I'd operate. Nodding once in understanding, I got up and brushed myself off as I spoke.

"To be clear... No one will care if these aswang were to disappear?" He shook his head and smiled wider.

"Show me what you can do, Mr. Riddle."

I smiled icily in return, turning with a sweep of my coat that'd have Snape take notes as I turned to the door and paused before speaking over my shoulder.

"Congratulations by the way, for the christening of your... Granddaughter, yes?" Professor Trese puffed up with pride as he spoke.

"They're naming her after me you know. Ha! Poor kid."

I chuckled, despite myself and with that slightly lighter note, I left. Out into the tropical sunshine as various trikes tried to catch my attention. I ignored them, walking on as I tried to think of what was happening in Manila.

Though the Chinese Ministry thought it was Thule related, I was no longer so sure. If anything, it felt like the mysterious vigilante was just trying to focus greater attention on it all. But what did a ghoulish flesh market, a Thule symbol and a vigilante have in common?

.... Hell if I knew. I'd just have to keep searching, and then there was the sea-faring flesh market to deal with. The reward for work is more work as they say and rolling up my metaphorical sleeves, I got to it.

It was time to let my inner Slytherin off its leash, and a part of me relished the challenge it would have as I turned down an alley and vanished with a displaced crack of air.