The small cloth bag tied to the wizard's robe had secretly been expanded by Tom using the Undetectable Extension Charm. Although it looked about the size of a palm, it was actually no smaller than a 50-square-meter room.
The Undetectable Extension Charm is an advanced piece of magic that can expand a space's interior dimensions.
Officially, it's prohibited for private use by the Ministry of Magic — the governing body of the wizarding world — but most wizards use it secretly anyway because it's undeniably convenient.
The main reason is that under normal circumstances, unless you're caught in the act by the Aurors — the Ministry's magical law enforcement — they won't go looking for it in your belongings.
"Such a large Runespoor is probably a rare find in a primeval forest like this."
Leaping through the Albanian jungle, careful to avoid attacks from other magical creatures, Carl recalled information about the Runespoor from Tom's memory.
The Runespoor is native to the small African country of Burkina Faso. It normally grows to two or three meters in length. It was a favorite pet of ancient dark wizards and was used to intimidate Muggles — ordinary people.
It's also the only magical creature in the wizarding world that lays its eggs from its mouth. The eggs can be used to produce potions that stimulate the mind and are extremely valuable.
Although the Runespoor that Carl defeated hadn't laid any eggs, it was seven or eight meters long — large enough to fetch a considerable sum in Knockturn Alley.
The venom and skin were also quite valuable.
As he hopped through the Albanian forest, Carl avoided strange creatures when he could and fought back only when necessary.
It wasn't because he was kind or wanted to protect these creatures, but because many of them possess strange and powerful abilities. Without proper knowledge, a showdown could easily backfire.
His current identity belonged to a descendent of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. Although the family's prestige had fallen, it still held some assets. Furthermore, Tom Foley owned a small herbal shop in Diagon Alley, which meant there was no shortage of gold Galleons in his pocket.
Therefore, there was no need to provoke creatures with unknown abilities when it wasn't worth it.
Using his physical prowess and chakra to move quickly, and by staying careful, he made it safely back to the city of Albania by dark.
According to Tom's memory, there was a wizarding inn there where he could stay overnight. The following day, he made his way to the Ministry of Magic in Albania.
The Ministry of Magic in Albania has only three floors in total. The entrance is a large black pine tree in the city park. It's hidden by a Muggle-repulsion charm — only wizards can see it.
As soon as you touch the black pine, you're transported directly into the main hall on the second underground floor of the Ministry.
Perhaps it was because the Muggles in this country had recently overthrown their government and founded a republic — the whole place was quite hectic — and there weren't many wizards there.
"How can I help you, sir?" a witch wearing glasses and reading a magic book asked when she saw Carl appear in the hall.
At this moment, to everyone else, Carl looked just like Tom Foley — a young British man — so the witch addressed him in somewhat broken English.
"I'd like to rent a Portkey."
Carl answered politely.
Most ordinary wizards travel long distances across borders by boat or train, just like ordinary people. The wealthier ones will pay to use Portkeys from the Ministry of Magic.
A Portkey is a specialized space magic item that can instantly carry a person across vast distances.
Some wizards prefer flying brooms, but that's not a viable option for journeys this far — it's tiring and messy. Apparition can be useful, but it has limits; you need to be able to visualize your destination. Floo Powder lets you travel through connected fireplaces, and the Knight Bus operates a specialized service within certain borders.
Of course, there are special methods — Pegasus-drawn carriages and enchanted ships — but ordinary wizards typically aren't rich enough or well-connected enough to use them.
Tom Foley was neither rich nor poor, so Portkeys were his preferred means of travel.
"Just ask Wizard Aria in the Portkey Office on the third underground floor."
The witch nodded toward the spiral wooden staircase in the center of the hall.
Carl nodded, walked down the rotating staircase, and made his way to the third underground floor to find the Portkey Officer, Aria.
After registering and paying a fee of 1 Galleon and 12 Sickles, Aria nodded toward a nearby white wizard statue. "Just put your hand on its shoulder."
A Galleon is the highest denomination of wizarding currency. There are 17 Sickles to a Galleon, and 29 Knuts to a Sickle. The purchasing power of a Galleon is roughly 5 Muggle pounds — although this was more than sixty years previously, when prices were quite different.
Most wizards were unwilling to pay this much, but for a convenient and instant journey across borders, it was worth it.
As soon as Carl pressed his hand against the statue's shoulder, he felt a strange tug, and his feet were lifted off the ground. The next moment, when his senses cleared, he found himself in the Department of Magical Transport on the sixth underground floor of the British Ministry of Magic in London.
"It's really remarkable. From Albania to London in an instant."
Carl sighed quietly to himself as he walked past the numerous wizards from all over the world who were arriving by Portkey or preparing to depart.
After registering his arrival, he entered the magic elevator and made his way up to the eighth floor — the main hall — following Tom's memory.
The Ministry of Magic in London comprises a total of ten floors and is more than ten times the size of its counterpart in Albania. It is grand and majestic — the Magic Brothers Fountain made entirely of gold immediately dominates the main hall.
The place was bustling with people. There were Ministry workers darting back and forth with stacks of parchment and briefcases, ordinary wizards who were there to handle their own affairs, and journalists reading the magical Daily Prophet.
As Carl crossed the main hall toward the Floo network fireplace on the opposite side, his enhanced senses easily glanced over the headlines of the Prophet:
"The terrifying dark wizard Grindelwald escapes international manhunt; his passionate supporters celebrate.
Seraphina Picquery, President of the Magical Congress of the United States of America, believes Heinrich Eberstadt, the Swiss representative to the International Confederation of Wizards, bears the blame for the failure of the arrest."