1,580Author's Note: Sorry for all this. This chapter was posted yesterday afternoon but while I got reviews I got even more PM messages asking why they couldn't see the new chapter for whatever reason. Checked my hits count and found it empty, too. By this time it would have been well over 3000. Apparently, I'm not the only one. So I took it down temporarily.
Chapter 5: Down a Hazy Dark Road
"Stupefy!" a shout echoed through the cold night. But its volume paled in comparison by what followed.
""HHHRAAWWRAAWWRAAWWRR!"
"AAAAHHHH!"
A scream followed the concluded roar and body was sent flying through the wall of the Dursley household and out into the streets in manner one would see a small rock go through a fragile piece of glass. Alive but severally injured despite the conjured shield, it did little to stop the wizard from losing consciousness within a few seconds and leaving his comrades to deal with the large raging beast.
Within the house on Privet Drive, onlookers would catch the shadows of a dark creature that thrashed, raked and snapped at other nearby shadows. But the assault on its form were not more than stings and blows that only served to anger it further. Yet the wizards continued to pelt its form like irritating mosquitoes or angry wasps.
"Surround it!"
"Are you mad!"
"We need backup!"
RRRAAAWWWRRR!"
A swipe from the creature's great paw threatened to cleave an Auror into several pieces but was instead pushed back with incredible force and tripped after the back of their feet made contact with a piece of fallen rubble. The dark shape took advantage of his unfortunate position and pounced on the Auror, and followed up by clamping down hard on the shoulder and neck area. So great was the pain that the victim couldn't even scream and Death looked as though it was able to claim its first victim of the night.
A flock of ravens and other small black birds soon drew away its attention; their pecking and insipid cawing and chirping annoying it rather than causing any actual harm. But the annoyance served its purpose. Tossing away the Auror in his mouth, the creature swiped and nipped at the aves in a fashion similar to that of a house cat. But the momentary distraction was just that: momentary. For as soon as its gaze landed upon a fearful Petunia did its focus become more concentrated than a laser. In the seconds that passed, all Petunia did was blink and wince when a shot of pain coursed through her, and by then she was staring down a meaty cavern filled with white, sharp protrusions ready to rip and tear her apart piece by painful piece.
'Bombarda!" a powerful voice resonated from outside and many saw the lunging creature forced back into the house, its howls echoed throughout the street as it painfully crashed through the structure like an out of control car going dangerously over the speed limit.
With the creature's large maw that had been inches from biting off Petunia's head and then some no longer there, the woman's mind became incapable of processing what was happening anymore. Her eyes rolling in the back of her head, Petunia proceeded to faint with all the grace of wrecking ball crashing through a soon to be demolished house.
Meanwhile the injured creature felt its vision gloss over momentarily from the unexpected attack. All other spells it had encountered were nothing more than an annoyance, at best they were equivalent to a nasty paper cut. But this, however, was something else. This wasn't the Dudley and his friends walling on him sort of pain. No. This was him running at full speed and suddenly crashing into a metal post kind of pain.
Which only meant one thing: a game changer had now entered the fray. Snarling, Harry's animal instincts got the best of him and his anger multiplied. Claws digging deep into the broken home, Harry shot forward like a tightly notched arrow towards his target. A second later, Harry crashed into a conjured wall that buckled but held true despite the incredible his new bulk and form granted him.
"Lumos Maxima!"
The great flash of illumination brightened the area and blinded Harry. His vision blurred considerably and his balance uncoordinated and uneven. It was all that was needed as Harry found himself on the receiving end of another painful spell that sent him back into the house. Not even a moment after his second crash, Harry began to feel iron and stone snake around his form, binding and restricting his ability to move.
The transformed boy thrashed and snarled in defiance, breaking and shaking off the conjured shackles that swarmed him but more took their place. As he continued to defy his captors, Harry found himself on the receiving end of others spells. His vision nearly went dark when the flashes of red all became a concentrated effort instead of the haphazard and uncoordinated mess that it was before.
"Adfficio!" Harry managed to catch a streak of grey being released from the man's wand and afterwards any effort to continue his struggles were halted by the world pressing down on him. Dead tired wouldn't do it justice as Harry found himself slumped down, weakened, and exhausted beyond comprehension. Whatever energy he had was literally drained from him, his eyes very heavy but Harry still had enough strength to remain conscious.
"Surround it! Wands out!"
The group of wizards did as commanded but even then it was done with very cautionary steps. One man, however, approached him with levels of confidence much greater than that of his colleagues. The wizard was dark, tall and broad shouldered and looping in one ear was a golden hoop. The man performed a set of intricate waves and flourishes and the beast shuddered, a sensation reminiscing that of a sudden cold wind or water making contact with his form.
"It's alive," the man announced and man flinched back a bit at the reveal, "You two! Keep an eye on it. The rest of you sweep the area and start fixing this place up. Be quick about it! No doubt more than a few muggles caught an eyeful," the man ordered and then left to handle the situation that was unfolding.
Drained as it was, the beast was still cognizant enough to hear the two wizards chatting to one another in low voices, "Right damned mess this is. What do you suppose will be done with it?" the Auror, a woman judging by the voice, asked.
"Well, I reckon they'll send it to a reserve or cut it up for ingredients if it proves too dangerous. Personally, I'd just off the bloody thing for all the trouble it's caused us. With all this commotion, there's no way no muggles didn't see or hear this. A place this large and it practically shouting its head off in the night, this will be an all nighter for certain."
"Oh, Merlin. Great. Just great. I was just about to finish a double shift," the witch complained, "Hope it gets the block. Stupid freak."
No sooner had the words left the woman's lips did they hear the sound of shuffling. Both magicals gazed behind them but saw nothing out of the ordinary and quickly dismissed it. In the darkness that covered Harry's form, however, something was indeed happening that both men failed to witness.
Muscles strained, grew and shifted. Bones cracked, split and lengthened. One loud crack in particular once more drew the attention of those that were guarding him but had been misidentified as a falling piece of plaster. By the time their mistake had been realized, Harry's form had already grew to become nearly twice the size that it originally was.
Now neither of them could ignore the fact that something was wrong as they saw the magically conjured chains strain and groan and resist as best they could before the rapid increase in bulk and size proved too much for them to handle. Snapping like twigs, the tension of the tightly wound chains acted like whips and the two wizards were left with broken body parts, split skin, or ruptured organs by the sheer force behind them. The damage to the house was worse and either the destruction finally proved too great or the recent event struck something important inside judging by the interior being blanketed by darkness, a darkness that was broken moments later.
Red. Large, red, glowing eyes were the sight that greeted the Aurors and curious muggles. Eyes so red and hauntingly frightening that they made many think they belonged to the Devil himself. Eyes like hellfire. Eyes so red and so frightening yet so hypnotic that one couldn't look away even if they wanted to. Eyes that screamed danger and death. Eyes that were the origin of nightmares. And that's exactly what the bearer of those eyes delivered while everyone was too distracted.
"What the hell!" Kingsley Shacklebolt exclaimed but years of constant fights that otherwise could have claimed his life – and some came very close mind you! – allowed the experienced Auror to escape to safety.
Those that were too dumbstruck by the event weren't so fortunate and too slow to put up a proper defence before darkness took them. Swift was the beast's flight, like a falcon on a dive, and greater still was the ruin it left in its wake.
Four Aurors crashed through and into a nearby house while another smashed painfully into a utility pole with such force that they would require a stay in St Mungos' if the echoing sound of broken bones wasn't a good indicator. Others were flung so high into the air one would assume they were on brooms.
Once more, Kingsley unleashed a slew of spells to weaken the creature but unlike before their effectiveness had dropped down considerably. Again, Kingsley conjured a thick, magically enhanced defensive wall but unlike before the creature managed to crash right through it successfully. Fortunately, the senior Auror was out of harms way and managed to get a good look at the creature.
What was once a very large panther-like creature was now more akin to a nightmare child between the big cat and a wyvern. A sleek form with scales and fur so dark the creature melted into the darkness that obscured it. Forelimbs that acted as wings that possessed such a keen edge to them that they easily sliced through the house like a cleaver through tender supple meat. Ready to release some of his more powerful spells, Kingsley fell short and nearly buckled when the creature released a roar that made him feel as if he were a fresh cadet once more; his entire body gone numb and refusing to work properly.
""HHHRAAWWRAAWWRAAWWRR!"
Were he someone else, there was the great possibility that Kingsley would be dead or extremely injured, at the very least. But years of experience and various encounters of the worst kind allowed him to minimize the damage, but even then he wasn't quick enough when the creature shot several things at him. One caught in the arm and sliced something fierce and forced him to his knees while the others crashed at the feet of the roof he was standing on. The force behind them was enough to cave in a small portion of the platform and Shacklebolt found himself falling into his back and into the room of a now screaming pair of children.
Having lost his wand in the process, Kingsley was left to deal with the two and fighting off a pair of protective parents with an injured arm. Skilled as he was, wandless magic was not a forte of Kingsley, and by the time he managed to deal with the situation the creature was gone and out of sight.
"Quick blighter," Kingsley grunted, the pain in his arm starting to become unbearable now that the adrenaline was beginning to wear off. Looking at the damage around the neighbourhood, the man quickly realized that they were in for a long night and unforgettable night.
(Elsewhere)
The headmaster of Hogwarts remained silent but kept a watchful eye around him while his former ancient master performed his own survey of the area. Wards and spells were in place to not only shed light and prevent others from seeing them but also caused a subtle influence that directed them anywhere but their current location.
"Hmm. Odd. Very odd indeed," Albus heard him mutter, "This is unlike anything I've ever encountered before, and I can remember many unusual encounters."
"Is it dangerous?" Albus hadn't sensed any ill but one never knew.
"Fortunately, no," the ancient alchemist's confirmation lifted a considerable weight off Dumbledore's shoulders, "Not intently that is. This... whatever this is, is unique and unexpected, and most certainly incredibly powerful. But I sense no ill intent," dark and evil intent left their mark in many esoteric and subtle ways but this was not one of them.
"While it gladdens me to hear such news, it unfortunately still leaves me with my previous question unanswered," Albus loved a good mystery but his worry for Harry despite what he learned remained, "Do you have any theories?"
"Only two. This place could be a Well or Place of Power that was once dormant but with the recent turn of the millennium it could have reawakened. However, it lacks the echo associated with them. It could very well be new one," was Nicolas' first assumption.
"But why now?" Places of Power were pretty much an unheard subject in the magical communities, one very well not known in this day and age since the magical ministries had long since abandoned the tasks of monitoring them since the 15th century. Only the extremely rare few – not even a handful, really – in Europe knew of them and fewer tomes on the subject could be found. The subject matter pretty much on the verge of extinction like the giants.
Places of Power, also known as Windows, Wells or Doors of Power, ranged from invisible spots or structures where unique and powerful forms of concentrated magical energies were found. Each one was unique from the next and many played a role by affecting the nearby areas either on their own or through the nearby ley lines, regardless if they were minor or some greater, which began to naturally hold magical power and generate its own, leading to new species of creatures, plants, and beings over time.
Immensely rare were the few in the entire world who could locate and sense them due to most of them being practically invisible to the naked eye, especially when dormant. It didn't help that their true form couldn't be comprehended by just anyone and that methods and tools once used to find them were long since lost. Dumbledore recalled Nicolas telling him that a person could be standing next to one and not even realize it.
As far as Albus Dumbledore could recall the only Place of Power that remained active and visible and under watch was the Veil in the Department of Mysteries. That particular Place of Power that had been under watch long before the creation of the British Ministry of Magic. Despite centuries looking after it and studying it, no wizard had come close to truly understanding how it worked or why. Only that any who went through it were deemed deceased for all intended purposes. Those that may have known about it left nothing behind or had long since passed away.
"Well, this is an abandoned mine. The goblins might have more information on it. But I don't trust the little blighters as far as I can throw them. And I can throw them pretty damn far, Albus," Dumbledore understood his friend's lack of trust in them.
Even for the Hogwarts Headmaster, despite his many titles and authority, rare were the times where he enjoyed dealing with members of the Goblin Nation. While Albus was not prejudice against them and was all for the equality of all beings, there were a few goblins that he considered friends or at least their equivalent of one, but the vast majority of goblins had a bad reputation and their habits and culture didn't do them any favours at times.
When it was discovered that Nicolas had created the Philosopher's Stone, the Goblin Nation had been less than a hair length ready to go to war to possess it. The only reason it hadn't been the case was due to Nicolas' secretive nature and the fact that his methods of disappearing off the face of the earth meant that the goblins would never be able to get their hands on it. It hadn't stopped a few minor bouts from occurring though.
"Then who? If I were to go to the dwarves, perhaps?" here Nicolas laughed.
"The dwarves? After what your ancestor did to them and what happened to the gnomes, Albus? You'd have better luck in getting an egg from a brood of nesting Hungarian Horntails in the middle of a reserve. No dwarf would be willing give you any aid on this matter," Dumbledore could only nod at the man's assessment and while the sins of an ancestor shouldn't be reflected on their descendants, what his ancestor had done to the Dwarven Nation would forever be a black mark on the Dumbledore family name.
Centuries ago, the dwarves had been the original bankers of Europe's magical community until they were ousted by the Goblin Nation due to their sheer numbers and greed. The conflict had pretty much caused the near extinction of gnomes – the intelligent and sophisticated breed instead of the wild pest like creatures of today – who were close allies and lived side by side with the dwarves and the inaction from wizards' centuries before ultimately led to their extinction.
Wizards had taken the easy way out rather than risk the loss of priceless heirlooms and their wealth, and as such, the heads of the Council of Wizards of that time had decreed the goblins the new operators of the bank. One of the members that had voted for it had been Albus' ancestor, an action he and others would later regret.
Neither the dwarves or the gnomes had taken the decision well but their losses and lack of assistance left them with no other choice. Before they left for what would later be North America. After the last of the gnomes died less than a decade later, the Dwarven Nation had vowed that no descendant of that council would be welcomed in their halls. Much like the goblins were the sole bankers of Europe, the dwarves were the sole bankers of North America. Though now the dwarves guarded whatever they had even more zealously, and they were also less welcoming of European wizards.
"Fortunately, I'm still welcomed in their halls and have a few contacts remaining. Unfortunately, it will take me some time," too much time was left unsaid. Something that Dumbledore could not afford.
"You said there was something else that might be the cause of this. What was it?"
"In short, something I hope doesn't come to pass ever again and is better left unsaid for now, Albus," Nicolas said cryptically, a trick the Hogwarts headmaster had adopted for good reasons, "Even then I'd have to dig deep into my resources to confirm it, and that will take some time."
Before anything else could be said, Dumbledore and Nicolas had to shield their eyes when a bright illuminance threatened to blind them both. Neither could get a word out before both men found themselves inside Hogwarts and greeted to the sound of a highly pitched whistling and magical energies flying and crashing and breaking everything nearby.
"What's going on!" Nicolas shouted, the uncomfortable sound rendering the man to his knees even with his hands covering his ears.
The Hogwarts Headmaster didn't hear a word of it, however, as his sense of hearing was dead to world. Wand and his focus up, Albus walked forward and batted away the stray magic energies that came at him. But the unexpected explosion that followed up soon after had the man groaning despite the use of a shield charm. The suddenness of the violent force that rocked the room destroyed much of his office and sent many articles, furniture and his favorite candies flying in multiple directions.
A quick swish of his wand here and there fortunately repaired much of the damage and restored order to the once shambled office. But Albus was more concerned with his friend, "Nicolas?"
The ancient being merely waved him off and reassured the younger magical, "I'm … fine. Sensitive hearing but … I'll live. What was that?" the alchemist groaned, his face flush and Albus could only image how bad a migraine he was suffering from.
"The trinkets I used to monitor Harry," Albus' tone was one of incredible worry, "Nicolas–"
"Go. I'll meet up with you later," Albus didn't have to be told twice before he grabbed Fawkes and had his feathery friend take him to Privet Drive. But the scene he came upon was not one that offered him great assurance or served to calm his already heightened nerves.
"Oh, dear Merlin," Dumbledore couldn't help himself. His sudden appearance had many direct their wands at him but they were put at ease upon recognizing the famous man. The Headmaster himself recognized some of the Oblivators from the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad around Privet Drive and even some Aurors of all beings.
Spotting a familiar Auror that didn't stick out like a sore thumb, the man dressed in a manner very similar to a muggle detective; Dumbledore hastily wandered over to him and asked, "Kingsley, what happened here? Why are there Aurors about?" the man had not been a part of the Order of the Phoenix during the years of the war but he had been a supporter of the group.
"I was honestly going to ask you the same, Headmaster. What are you doing here?" the tall dark wizard rebutted.
"A ward and potential student of mine lives here," was all he said, but the way he looked around gave Kingsley the impression the man wished to say more but away from prying ears. Before Kingsley was able to get a word out, a loud bark reached their ears.
"Dumbledore! Heard you were here. Bloody nightmare this is!" a voice that sounded almost like growling was heard, followed by the sound of step, clop, step, clop on the pavement. "The lads will be pulling an all-nighter thanks to this fiasco. Assuming they don't botch up the crime scene even further."
"Alastor," Albus shook the scarred and Senior Captain Class Auror's hand. Dumbledore's worry increased if the man known as Mad-Eye Moody was here. The paranoid man never bothered with small cases if he could help it. Dumbledore couldn't help but wonder how this could have happened, "Why are there so many people here?"
Here Moody let out a bitter bark, "What do you think happened? A surge of magical build up occurred and we were ordered here as a result. It's only later that we learned there's been a bloody attack! The bones and muscles in one muggle's body are so banged up we thought we'd have to put him out of his misery. Last I heard, the Healers were forced to put him in stasis. Overheard them saying they'd be forced to vanish some of the bones and give him Skele-gro with of how bad it is. Other than that, the only one really injured was a dog. Damned thing was near dead when we arrived, had several nasty cuts, puncture marks and severe bruising. Thing looked like it was grabbed, shook like a rag-doll and then thrown through a window. The other three were damn catatonic; couple of the lads knocked them out of it and then had em obliviated."
"Obliviated!?" Dumbledore didn't like the sound of where this was going. "Did you get their memories beforehand?" unlike other magicals, who had no qualms when it came to using memory charms on muggles, Dumbledore disliked the use of the spells and only ever used them as a last resort. Continuous and repetitive use of the spell on a person, especially if that person was a non-magical, had the potential to cause terrible memory problems down the line that not even magic could fix, especially if the spells weren't used properly.
But many believed it was not an issue when used on muggles compared to wizards and witches. So long as the Statute of Secrecy wasn't compromised everything that was done was perfectly fine in the eyes of the ministry. Which begged the question.
"Ha!" was Moody's answer as a look of ire formed on the legendary Auror's grizzled face. Kingsley frowned at the man's response, but he too wasn't pleased with the current situation. "I'm afraid not, Headmaster. I was here when it all happened but by the time I was done with the Healers... Well, the Oblivators the ministry sent were fairly new to the task and they-"
"Don't bother beating around the bush, Shacklebolt. Those daft runts bloody went and well botched it is what happened! Didn't event think about it, really; they just up and erased their memories without a second thought. All that effort to subduing the damn thing and it ended up being for nothing," the man growled his displeasure.
Many didn't see it, or chose to look the other way or care really, but Mad Eye knew that ever since Fudge was put into office things in the ministry slowly took a turn for the worse. Important departments were slowly losing funding, Auror and Oblivator candidates and applicants were few and between nowadays, and those that were taken on weren't getting the proper training they should due to lack of funding and proper trainers. Fudge's reasoning had been that with You-Know-Who gone there was no need to fund the corps as much as they used to and as a result they had improperly trained individuals, and few in numbers as well. Which led to situations such as this.
"Subdue?" Dumbledore asked.
"A creature, Headmaster," Kingsley informed him, "Some magical beast was rampaging through the house and attacked those inside it. Took down over a dozen Aurors before it escaped."
"I wish to see the bodies!" the way Dumbledore said it made it sound like an order, not a request. Though with a man of Dumbledore's station and power it wasn't as if they'd be able to stop him if they tried. This was not only a man with over a century's worth of experience as well as knowledge, but also a man who fought in three wars and came out on top. Mad-Eye and Kingsley were two of the best Aurors in the ministry, but they weren't that good.
"This way," Alastor grunted and showed Dumbledore to the house, Shacklebolt following behind them while keeping an eye out. As he entered the property, Dumbledore felt the wards. They were still up, but they were barely holding together at the moment, he noticed, and they were failing rather quickly. The sensation was like a light bulb flicking on and off every so often and the tidbit of information did little to ease the worry he felt.
Dumbledore entered the house with little fuss from those nearby, Fawkes flying off and using the railing for the stairs as a perch, while Alastor pointed out the bodies to him. Petunia he recognized; the woman hadn't changed much over the years. The rotund woman he saw, whom he almost mistook for Vernon, he did not recognize. The man surmised she was a relative of the man before looking to the large boy that was most likely Harry's cousin, Dudley. Beside the obese boy was the dog Alastor had mentioned. The creature looked ragged and was covered in bandages. But his mind processed one important detail. Or lack thereof actually, "Where are the others?"
"Others?" Kingsley looked to Alastor who merely shrugged. "The only person not here was the man that needed treatment."
"No… Oh, Merlin, no," both men looked concern as the Chief Warlock looked around almost desperately. It was almost as if he was frantically searching for something if they had to guess.
"Albus, what's bloody well gotten into you?" Mad-Eye honestly rarely saw the man like this in his life. The last time had been when he learned that James and Lily's had been betrayed and ultimately killed by that scum, Black.
"What exactly happened here? I need you to tell me everything!" the man ignored his old friend's question in favour of his own.
"I told you, Albus, there's been an attack! Never say it myself but Kingsley and the Aurors swear it was some magical cat creature or whatever the likes we've never seen before.
"It's not just that, Headmaster. When it was caught it couldn't have been any bigger than a very large horse. Then it changed into something... else."
"Something else?"
"Something out of a nightmare. We don't know exactly what it is exactly. Popular theory is that it was either a young wyvern under the influence of a very powerful transfiguration or glamour, or we're dealing with an illegally bred chimera like beast of some sort. The department's going to have a field day when they hear about this," Kingsley told him.
"Damn thing was huge, too!" Moody interjected, having seen the memory of the creature, "Bigger than a horse, like Shacklebolt said, but it was much faster than one. Shrugged off most of the stunners like it was nothing and had incredible reflexes for something its size. Some of the spells cast on it worked but also served to make the blasted thing mad. Took a damn Bombarda to take it down before it was captured, after that everything went to hell and a Bombarda only served to anger the mad thing. Mangy beast beat more than twelve of our boys. They'll be out for the count for the next bit; suffered more than a few broken bones they did but luckily the rookies had enough sense to have the shield charm up so they'll live. Could have been much worse otherwise," the man nudged his head towards downed wizards being tended by the healers, one of the Aurors Dumbledore recognized to be John Dawlish.
The man was of the more talented students of his year who passed his N.E.W.T.s with Oustanding level marks and while he was still a bit new to the division, by wizarding standards of course, he was one of more talented and competent Aurors. Against others of his level he was a difficult adversary to deal with. Dumbledore recalled that it was only when Dawlish got cocky or faced against someone more talented than him did he lose confidence, and bringing him down wasn't difficult as a result. Otherwise, the man didn't go down easily.
"I'll be honest, Headmaster. We need an expert on this. Some think we are dealing with a Nundu here but I got a good look and it was no Nundu. It was too quick and its breath wasn't toxic like a Nundu either. Personally, I think the popular theory may be right and we're dealing with a hybrid that either got loose, or was let loose purposely. Aurors are tracking it as we speak but we haven't been able to find anything yet to confirm whether it is one or not," Kingsley gave his two knuts on the matter.
"Tracking it? You mean to say it's still loose?!" Dumbledore could only imagine how bad a night this would be.
"That's putting it mildly," Alastor muttered and Dumbledore honestly didn't like the situation at all. It reminded him too much of the incident that occurred in New York with Newt Scamander in the late 1920s.
Dumbledore hoped to avoid a repeat of such a terrible time. While some of the creatures that had escaped were relatively harmless, others had been quite dangerous and caused quite a bit of damage collateral wise and relationship wise between muggles and wizards. One of the creatures had even taken a woman hostage and climbed to the very top of the Empire State Building for Merlin's sake! The city-wide memory wipe hadn't quite done the thorough job many assumed it had. The last thing the British Wizarding World needed was bad blood to form with the mundane one.
"Regrettably, it has. When it was subdued, I placed tracker charm on it but even with its size the beast's speed and resistance to magic didn't make it easy for me to properly tag it. We got lucky though and we managed to chase it down in the nearby river park about ten minutes from here. Aurors are stationed at strategic points and have set up a perimeter along with muggle repelling charms and barriers to prevent it from escaping, or cause any harm. Those that witnessed or heard anything have had their memories properly altered," Kingsley informed.
"That's the only thing the Oblivators didn't mess up. But back to what I asked. What did you mean by: Where are the others?" Mad-Eye asked once more. Albus should have known Moody wouldn't forget asking him. The man's paranoia was only outmatched by his attention to detail.
The man knew Alastor wouldn't relent, and Dumbledore knew he couldn't afford to lose the man's trust. Moody was both a great ally and a terrible enemy to have. Giving them a look, one that Moody understood, the seasoned fighter turned and barked out an order, "Lads! Give a us a few!"
The wizards looked hesitant at first before Moody set off a cannon-blast charm and barked out the order once more. When everyone left the house, Dumbledore waved his wand and put in place a charm that prevented others from listening in on their conversation. "Alright, Albus, spill. What's gotten you so worried?"
"Harry Potter lives here," were the man's words and the proclamation serving to utterly floor the two Aurors as a result. Of all the things they'd hear that had to be the last thing to cross their minds.
"Harry Potter… the Boy-Who-Lived?" Shacklebolt couldn't believe it. The man honestly believed that someone as famous as Harry would live somewhere grander rather than in a modest style home. "Not what I expected but few would look for him here of all places... Unless, someone found out."
Dumbledore was of the same mindset, "That's what concerns me. Few to no one know about Lily's side of the family or where Harry lives. For his safety, I've been trying my best to ensure that. But after seeing all this."
The black wizard nodded, "Who do think could have done this? And why?"
"There's a short list," was Alastor's sarcastic bark, "Throughout history have the Potters pissed off many a dark family in their time in one way or another. Not to mention how their skill in potions and business savvy earned them their fortune but others claimed it also robbed them of the opportunities to earn their own. Didn't help that except for the rare few, they were muggle supporters and were known to marry them. Didn't sit well with the pro Pureblood families who saw it as an insult. They were a great family that bred strong and talented wizards. After the Dark Blighter snuffed out Lily and James, only to meet his end at the hands of an infant, it isn't too big a stretch to think someone wanted to finish to job. The only question is who the exact culprit is?"
"Alastor's correct in his assessment. Lily was muggleborn but a talented witch that outshined many that believed her better. And James' family have made terrible enemies over the years," and through research had Dumbledore learn that the family had been cursed by another, too. But its exact origin and nature wasn't something he was privy to, "However, the protection in place were powerful. Some of the very best."
So into thinking on what exactly could have happened that Dumbledore nearly missed Moody's words, "Something on yer mind, Shacklebolt?"
"Forgive me, sir, just something I noticed. You claim that Harry Potter lives here," Dumbledore was confused by the question but confirmed nonetheless, "But then why aren't there any pictures?" Kingsley asked.
"Was wondering that myself, actually," was Alastor's gruff reply.
While Alastor began to mutter to himself, Dumbledore blinked and noticed a neat array of framed muggle photographs on the wall and fireplace. A quick look at them showed Petunia, Vernon and their son, and even a couple with the woman he spotted early, but true enough none of them had Harry in any of them.
The man sighed, knowing the likely cause, "Lily's sister wasn't particularly… fond of magic. Nor was her husband either. I believe she was jealous that Lily was a witch and gifted while she remained ordinary. Regrettably, both Lily and Petunia had a falling out years ago, and I can only surmise she retains a form of bitterness and being her sister's only son, it's causing her to direct it towards her nephew as well," Albus explained.
"And you thought it be best for him to live with people who hate magic?" Alastor sounded incredulous. "Are you mad, Albus?!"
"It was the lesser of two evils, Alastor. James and Lily left no will behind with the goblins stating who was to take care of him. As the last male of a Most Ancient and Most Noble Family and the Boy-Who-Lived many have tried seeking guardianship over him. If not for his inheritance then what he represents and what that can do for them. We won the war but many of Voldemort's Death Eaters managed to escape their dues," Shacklebolt flinched at the name while Moody scowled.
Dumbledore wasn't finished, "And despite some losing their influence within the ministry, others have not and their actions during the war have many fear crossing them. As his mother's sister, Petunia was the only one with a strong and legitimate claim on the boy," he reasoned.
"That's bloody all well and good, Albus, but it doesn't excuse this!" the Auror Captain suddenly whipped out his wand and both Kingsley and Dumbledore watched as a broom closet opened harshly. Approaching it hesitantly, Dumbledore peered inside the cluttered cubby and spotted an old, worn out mattress. The small space was littered with dust and webs and Dumbledore saw quite a few spiders crawling around and hiding from the light of his wand. The man wanted to deny it, very much so really. But upon spotting a few books and binders that had Harry's name on it the man knew he couldn't deny it.
"One of the lads found it. Didn't think much of it at first and left it alone, but after everything you said it now all makes sense. Still think the lad's better off with his mum's sister?" Alastor's magical eye bore into him and Kingsley look stuck between being shocked and angry.
Dumbledore said nothing but felt a heavy weight on him as he closed the closet. The man suddenly felt as if the weight of the world was crushing down on him and it was only thanks to Fawke's singing that the pressure was relieved. "Thank you, old friend," the man nodded and Fawkes vocalized his gratitude with a trill like sound.
Though the weight he felt was gone, the memory would forever be in his mind. Dumbledore knew that for all the good he did, there was most likely a special place in hell for him for the pain he could only imagine that Harry went through. The man knew Petunia had no love for magic, but never in all his years did the man think it would lead to this. It was becoming crystal clear to him that while Harry was safe from outside forces, apparently it did little to protect him from what lied inside the house. It also explained why the wards were in their current state. For them to work properly, Petunia would have had to have initially accepted Harry into the house. Though magic was a fickle thing and even wards could be tricked.
Dumbledore hazarded a guess that while Petunia did accept Harry into the house, thus activating the wards in the process, most likely she did so reluctantly, or more so for the safety of her own family than for Harry's. Either way, it had been enough for the wards to take hold and protect Harry from Voldemort and any who followed the monster in the shape of a man. But now those wards were on the brink of failing, and the only way it could happen was if Harry no longer viewed this place as home. This bore even more ill news and questions he had no answer to at the moment. With the wards failing, leaving Harry with the Dursley's until he came of age was now no longer an option. It also brought up the question of where was Harry to live now?
Keeping Harry ignorant of the Wizarding World was now no longer an option, and Dumbledore would be having quite a few choice words when his 'family' came to. Family and the love a family should have for one another was something the Hogwart's Headmaster held dear. The man held himself responsible for how his family fell apart in the end. Much of it, if not all of it, had been his fault. While he felt he wasn't as close to his family as he should have been, the man had loved and cared for them all the same. It was apparent that the Dursleys did not. Harry was no longer safe here: emotionally, possibly even physically, and supernaturally. But, and much like his previous search with Nicolas, it begged the question: Where is Harry?
"Don't know. No body was found. Thank Merlin for small mercies. The lad's probably at a friend's… maybe," there wasn't enough evidence to tell them otherwise. The house had been searched from top to bottom with no hidden safety holes being found so the boy couldn't be in one of those.
"While I'd love nothing more for that to be the case, I regret to say that such a thing is rather doubtful. I have some someone keeping an eye on the boy and no mention of Harry having friends ever came up," Dumbledore reasoned. The man recalled that Harry never had been very talkative whenever he was left with Arabella. The woman had to put piece and bits together herself.
"And you didn't think that was odd?" Moody stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Not particularly. Harry wouldn't be the first student I've dealt with who was an introvert, Alastor. However, given the current circumstances, I should have looked more into it," the more he spoke and the more the situation unveiled did the man realize just how badly he made a mess of things.
"So, a friend's place is out. … As much as I hate to think it, but you don't suppose that thing could have-" Shacklebolt didn't finish the phrase as he let the idea linger in their minds.
"Not impossible. Damn beast was huge even before it changed shape," was Alastor's grim reply. "How big is he?"
"Small, thin, and other than having Lily's eyes his looks and his height are about the same as James' in his first year. If not a tad smaller," Dumbledore described the missing boy. The man knew Harry wasn't dead; otherwise the wards would have completely shattered and his silver trinkets would have indicated it as well. But this was an unknown creature they were dealing with, one with capabilities that had yet to be fully seen as well. It wasn't likely but man wasn't about to take any chances. It did little to comfort him though.
"Hmm," was all Alastor said as he gave the possibility some thought. From what he recalled the creature was large, had a huge head and could open its mouth fairly wide when it gave off it an awesome roar that instilled terror into less hardened or experienced individuals who heard it. A child of Harry's size, as Dumbledore described it, could have been swallowed whole by the unknown beast.
"If that thing did swallow the lad it will take some time for him to be digested," the man didn't beat around the bush as he spoke his mind. Disturbing as the thought might be, "Another possibility could be that we're dealing with a powerful dark wizard who's having a sick laugh at us," Moody stated.
"Alastor?" Dumbledore could only wonder where the man's mind was gone.
"This could be a classic case of misdirection. Have us chase the beast while he or she could be making off with Potter boy as we speak to Merlin knows where. This could be the work of something that's taken months if not years to plan out. Ever think of that?"
Dumbledore frowned as he contemplated his old friend's words. While unbelievable given everything he knew about the situation and the protections involved, Dumbledore didn't dismiss the possibility that it also wasn't impossible either despite how very low the possibility was.
"This is all purely theoretical. And even if it's the case, we still need to track that beast down. If not only to ensure the Statute but so nobody else gets hurt or killed. Hopefully when we take it down it will offer some insight or a clue at the very least to where it came from and where Harry might be," Kingsley voiced his opinion.
"To true, Kingsley. And if it's just a case of the boy being swallowed, well, I'm no expert and this thing's an unknown so we better hurry before… what in the name of Morgana's sagging tits?!" the man exclaimed and both Shacklebolt and Dumbledore could see why as the wizards outside looked like they were running around like chickens with their heads cut off.
"One side, Albus," Alastor pushed himself through the two men and any wizards that could in his way; he immediately began barking out orders the moment he got out, "What the bloody hell's happening out here?! I leave you lot for not even five minutes and the next you're all running around like a bunch of schoolyard ninnies!"
"There's been a development, Moody!" a man explained, pushing some men aside to approach the veteran Auror. Dumbledore instantly recognized him as Senior Lieutenant Class Auror, Gawain Robards. Dumbledore recalled Mad-Eye calling the young man as one of the more qualified Aurors the ministry had, and was a friend of Frank Longbottom when he was still on the force.
"WHAT!"
Moody's voice thundered with the intensity of a high-powered Sonorous Charm, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'THEY CAN'T FIND IT?'" by now the man was practically snarling.
"Don't know, sir," Gawain knew better to call the man by his name when was like this. "The men that cornered it claim nothing happened and then 'poof!' it just up and disappeared. I ordered a vibe asking for members of the DRCMC to help us out before we got word," he explained.
Moody grunted with a nod, not trusting his voice at the moment. At least one other competent Auror was present. Gawain wasn't as experienced or as good as Kingsley but he had a good head on his shoulders compared to the others, "We're heading there now. You're in charge of this lot until I get back!"
"Sir!" the man saluted his superior and got back to work as Mad-Eye grabbed a hold of Dumbledore and Kingsley and disapparated to their intended location. The world contorted uncomfortably for the three men, the feeling of being squeezed tightly together as if they were forced into and out a very small and narrow tube was a sensation even the most accomplished wizards never got used to.
The scene they arrived to was similar to the one at number 4 Privet Drive. Only now the three men stood on the outskirts of a foggy park near a river than houses. Trees were broken and the earth beneath their feet were practically trenches by how deep the claw marks went. Aurors were walking about while others were keeping watch. Moody, however; didn't care for that at the moment and chose to vent his frustration on the nearest person.
"What's happened? If you lot have let that bloody thing escape, I'll tan your sorry hides t'il you-" Moody marched forward threateningly, looking as if he was going to follow through with his threat, but was stopped by Dumbledore before he had the chance.
"Alastor! Now's not the time to be making rash decisions," the older man said. And despite getting a glare from the scarred man, Moody nodded after a few seconds.
"Now, then, what happened? I was informed the beast was being tracked and cornered."
"It is! … Or rather was, sir. We had it secluded with nowhere to run, wards set up and all, and then the next thing we know it disappeared!" the man explained.
"Disappeared? What the bloody hell does that mean?" Moody barked, making the man whimper in fright. "What about the trace we put on it?" the beast was magically resistant but the spell should have lasted at least a day or two. This wasn't like your common variety muggle tracker that could be taken off at will.
"Gone, too, sir. We can't get a read on it anymore."
"Did anyone come by then? Did anyone enter the area?" Moody practically demanded, whilst his magical eye began whirling around like mad, looking for anything.
"No-not that w-we know of," by now the stuttering Auror looked ready to piss himself.
"Anti-apparation wards were put into place… weren't they?" Shacklebolt asked but the silence and confused sound the Auror made told him everything they needed to know.
"We … we didn't think we'd need them, sir. Being a mere beast and all," was the man's excuse.
"Idiots, the lot of you!" the man thundered and couldn't believe the level of incompetence he was dealing with. "Have you all forgotten everything I taught you, you pathetic lot! Constant vigilance! Prepare for any eventuality! Bah! Get out of my sight! And don't bother coming back to the department tomorrow! It's back to Auror training for you all!" the man ranted, ignoring the cries of defiance, and walked off to vent his frustration.
Dumbledore would have stopped the man, but he knew better to deal with Alastor when he was in this sort of mood. Much like the man, he, too, wasn't pleased with the performance he saw. Dumbledore hadn't approved of Cornelius' notion to reduce funding and the requirements needed to become an Auror. Especially since Tom was still out there, weakened but still among them nonetheless and binding his time.
To join the Auror taskforce one needed high marks on their N.E.W.T.s exams and pass very demanding training. But those who joined nowadays were those who had influential families that were close to either the British Minister of Magic or others at the top of the ministry hierarchy. Coupled with the lack of funding and proper training, despite the combined efforts of Moody and Scrimgeour, this led to poor quality Aurors who were ill-equipped and ill-prepared to complete their tasks.
"Alright, got it," Kingsley nodded and dismissed the man he spoke with, "Headmaster, the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures is sending in members of the Beast Division to help us. Hopefully they'll have a better understanding of what we're dealing with."
Despite sounding hopeful, Dumbledore knew that even then Kingsley was doubtful the situation would improve. As Dumbledore recalled, budget cuts had been made into that division as well just last year.
"They'll have little luck, I'm afraid," Kingsley sighed at the news, having suspected as much. "However… Ah! I'll be back as soon as I can. Make certain that nothing is fiddled with while I'm gone!"
"What! Who-," Kingsley never got the chance to ask the man what he was planning before he disappeared in a flash of fire courtesy of his phoenix. Leaving him confused and asking, "What just happened?" to himself.
"You'd better get used to it, lad," Kingsley heard Mad-Eye grunt behind him. "He does that from time to time, more or less. Dumbledore's always been rather cryptic in his ways. It's a pain in the ass, true, but I doubt he'll change anytime soon."
"Uh-huh," though Kingsley didn't know Dumbledore as well as the senior Auror did, having only supported the Order of Phoenix than be an actual member, but his short interaction with the man made him incline to believe Mad-Eye. Dumbledore was, as many in the Ministry called him, a very odd duck.
(Meanwhile)
While the wizard task forced focused on trying to locate the beast, Harry was somewhere far out of their reach yet so close nonetheless. Currently in his large tiger hybrid form, Harry stalked through the misty damp forest he currently found himself in. But despite how dark the woods were due to the night, Harry had no trouble seeing through the darkened area.
|Warning! Nighttime Effect in Play!|
Nighttime Effect
Many dungeons can be entered during both cycles of the day. However, during the night the enemies encountered during the night are not only different than their diurnal counterparts, but come in greater in number, and stronger as well. A bonus to this, however, is that the monsters encountered also give an additional 15% of EXP upon defeat. A downside is their attributes being given a boost of the same amount and unless certain circumstances are might, will cause a decrease in effectiveness for certain skills and your accuracy.
"This is weird," was Harry's first lucid thought since he first transformed. Everything else had been more or less a blur, Harry recalled the memories but it basically felt as if he was watching a movie. He was part of it, but not in control. Or, at least, not in complete control; he felt as if he was more or less running on instinct that actual thought.
Those men that started shooting spells at him had sent his instincts on high alert. They were a threat to him, and when more came along and some of the spells actually began to hurt him. Harry shook his head at the memory. Part of him was curious at learning there were others like him. The young boy had already fiddled with notion. If he had powers then it stood to reason that there were probably others too.
But when they started hurting him and trying to bind him and threatened to cut him up, Harry's anger had gotten the best of him before he managed to calm himself down enough to take a hold himself and make a run for it. His large size and incredible increase in speed had allowed him to make it to the closest dungeon and from there Harry had gone somewhere he knew they couldn't follow.
Putting the thought aside, Harry kept low and hidden for whatever he might encounter. Despite how dark and foggy it was, Harry was curious as to how well he could see. Was it because of his form? Was it the [Gamer] perk coming into play? Or was it Gold Tooth's Gold Tooth? How would that last one work, he wondered.
Either way, Harry wasn't complaining and welcomed the ability of enhanced eyesight. The greater vision allowed him to spy movement coming from the fog. A wisp of white cloud dancing in the wind was how Harry would describe it. Harmless enough, he believed. And as curiosity got the best of him did Harry get closer and closer before the ball continued swaying back and forth until it finally lunged at him with a set of wicked claws.
The attack was pretty much harmless but unexpectedness of it all coupled with the reflex that came with being attacked saw the creature become flatter than a run over snake when Harry's large paw crashed upon it.
From the fog did more of them show up; all snarling and screeching at him angrily. To which Harry responded with a loud roar of his own that had sent them running away or become motionless with fear in the case of a couple of them.
Status Window
Eft Foglet – Lv 8
HP: 325 + [15%] = 373.75
STA: 450 + [15%] = 517.5
MP: 200 + [15%] = 230
STR: 15 + [15%] = 17.25
VIT: 13 + [15%] = 14.95
DEX: 19 + [15%] = 21.85
END: 14 + [15%] = 16.1
INT: 11 + [15%] = 12.65
WIS: 12 + [15%] = 13.8
CHA: 8 + [15%] = 9.2
SPI: 8 + [15%] = 9.2
LUK: 13 + [15%] = 14.95
DEF: 5 + [15%] = 5.75
Specialization
None
Special Perks
Boon of the Night: +15% Increase towards all Attributes and Skills and Perks
Perks
Mistweaver [Lv 1]: +30% Increased Power and Effectiveness towards [Illusions Skills], [Stealth Skill], Grants [Mist Conjuring Skill], +45% Increased Effectiveness towards [Stealth Skill]
Crafty [Lv 2]: +45% Increased Power and Effectiveness towards [Trap Skill], +45% Increased Effectiveness towards [Stealth Skill], and +45% Increased Effectiveness towards [Crafting Skill]
Nimble: +30% Increase to movement speed in and out of combat, and +30% Increased Effectiveness towards [Evasion]
Darkvision: Allows recipient to see very well in darkened areas
Titles
N/A:
Flaws
? : ?
Description: Foglets are a type of necrophage – a corpse eater – that inhabit areas near rivers, swamps, or bogs and use their innate ability to become invisible, weave illusions, sow deception and conjure mists to lure, misguide, or confuse their potential prey or drive them mad and easy pickings. Natural born hunters and as stealthy as a jungle cat, foglets should not to be taken lightly by adventurers unless they wish to meet a gruesome end, this is especially so when fought during the night. Fortunately, Eft Foglets don't have quite that good a grasp over their innate magical abilities, nor are they as swift or intelligent as their more mature counterparts. Unfortunately, they make up for this flaw by hunting in groups until they are old or proficient enough in their skill to go out on their own.
EXP Earned: ?
Common Drops: ?, ?
Rare Drops: ?
Harry let off a happy growl as he was still able to use his [Observe Skill]. Shifting his attention to the two ambush creatures that looked no better than a horrific version of Count Orlok from Nosferatu, Harry pounced and went to work.
One creature managed to live a little longer by disappearing into the fog, but a quick spin had Harry's tail crash into its less sturdy form and sent it flying far into the nearby river. The other creature wasn't so lucky as a snap of Harry's sharp maw practically cleaved it in two. The taste of the creature's blood in his mouth nearly had the transformed creature gagging. Harry had never tasted something so vile before in his life but if he were to describe the taste, then it would be horror content one would find in a never before cleaned dumpster filled to the brim on a hot summer day.
The boy made a mental note not to make a repeat of that performance any time soon as he set off on the hunt.
(Meanwhile)
"Interesting, very interesting," a man with gray hair and wrinkles muttered as he looked upon the site. Waking up late in the night in his son's home and asked for his help by his former teacher had been the last thing on Newt Scamander's to do list.
As he examined the print, Newt couldn't but be taken to when he was a young man and Dumbledore was still teaching Transfigurations as well as the occasional DADA class when the then DADA professor, Galatea Merrythought, was unavailable due to her authority in the field having her perform lectures abroad from time to time. But the man wasn't one to shy away when help was needed, especially in cases such as this.
The man had seen many creatures during his travels, which were now few and in between since his retirement, but this was new. Newt had discovered well over a dozen new creatures that had otherwise never been categorized before during his youth and, despite the current situation, the thought of categorizing another one after so long had the man positively giddy.
The paw print he saw was strikingly similar to that belonging to the feline family only it was two, nearly three times larger. It was also rather deep as well, meaning it wasn't a light one either. The fact it was very quick for its size meant that it had very powerful and developed muscles as well.
"So, what do you think, Scamander?" Mad-Eye asked the man.
"Well, I haven't really seen it personally, but I can tell you now it's not a Nundu," having had one during his travels, Newt possessed in depth knowledge on the creature to know it to be the case.
"The size and formation of the paw is all wrong, even for a juvenile one. The fact your men aren't showing any signs of sickness or paralysis also adds validity. Even at a young age a smidge of a Nundu's breath is potent. Not enough to kill an adult wizard, but enough to paralyze and leave you defenseless," the man's reassurance that they weren't dealing with a Nundu had many release a sigh of relief.
"So, we're not dealing with a Nundu? Thank, Merlin," was the voice of unknown wizard in the background.
Shacklebolt merely rolled his eyes, having already declared it had not been one, "Yes, lovely. But that still doesn't answer what we are dealing with," Shacklebolt stated before asking, "Is it a hybrid?"
"It's difficult to say, but you're probably not far off the mark," Newt stated cryptically, a habit he picked up from Dumbledore, and continued looking around for any clues that might prove useful, "Aha! Here we go!" he suddenly declared. Having spotted some small tuffs of fur snagged on the bark of a tree, "This should prove very useful."
"Newton, I must ask, do you know of how it could have suddenly disappeared?" Dumbledore asked his old student.
"Oh, I've developed a couple possible theories, really. One is that it had a master who was waiting for it in the park and both of them disapparated when they had the chance," the theory didn't sit well as it lent credibility to a dark wizard attack.
"However, given the amount of time that passed by and the amount of wizards chasing it, perhaps not," the beast had been cornered for nearly ten minutes, and unless it cost a fortune one didn't wish to see squandered it would have made more sense to flee and abandon the creature than waiting and risk getting caught.
"You've searched the area for potential esc–"
"The lads performed a thorough sweep of the area when it was reported gone, I made certain of it. Had them do it three times just to be sure with this lot," Moody scowled both at the fact that he was leading a bunch of wannabe bumblers and that the beast managed to escape.
"Then my only other hypothesis is that that it instinctively knows how to apparate, or knows some form of apparition," was the magiziologist's answer. Seeing their skeptical looks, the man began elaborating, "Well, as you know, the only magical creature that was ever documented with the ability to perform long distance apparation was the phoenix," only one of the three men nodded. They weren't experts like Newt.
Newt continued on despite being baffled only Dumbledore knew that tidbit of information, "What many don't know is that there's another species of magical creature that can perform nearly the same feat called Canis Familiaris Conniveo. Or, as my son called it, the Blink Dog."
"Never heard of it," Moody bluntly stated, almost sounded non-caring really for that matter.
"I'd be surprised if you did. It's one of the new species of magical beasts I found during my travels after all. Doesn't help that it's very elusive and can blend and live in harmony with its non-magical cousin. I came across a few of them by pure chance in the Australian continent. They look similar to dingoes but a bit larger, smarter, quicker and have the ability to teleport themselves from one spot to the next. There's no warning, no sound made, and by the time you've blinked it's gone and moments later it's upon its prey, hence its name. It was never put into any of my books because I was unable to acquire any proof and the editors and publicists had a hard time believing me despite my reputation," Newton explained.
"There's a shocker," Mad-Eye was being half honest half sarcastic. The Daily Prophet, a good deal of wizarding media really, knew how to sell its papers, and publishing very well. But much of what was in them were either half-truths, fancy tales, or simply biased or made up garbage that many would see it as truth. Even some of the books students used weren't one hundred percent accurate compared to what they used to be, though they were much better than most books given the standards Hogwarts had set forth. The fact that the media wanted proof from Newt of all people was actually surprising. "So, you think this magical creature somehow has the same ability?"
"Possibly. Blink Dogs can suddenly appear out of nowhere between ten to thirty odd feet, maybe even more. Never had the chance to see their full potential before I was forced to move on, I'm afraid. Such a shame, and such a wasted opportunity, too," the man would love to study them further if given the chance.
Being over a century old wasn't the problem; he still performed his research on a few annual trips from time to time. Being out of shape thanks to his wife's cooking was the problem. Certain creatures required him to be much faster on his feet, much like he had been during his youth. The man simply didn't have the proper physique at the moment, "If Blink Dogs can do it, I don't doubt another species of magical creature that have yet to be recorded could do it, too, or be created to do it. But based on my observation, a Blink Dog would be rated as an XX maybe XXX given they will only attack unless provoked or during rare circumstances such as hunger. Even without me properly seeing the creature I'd say its rating ranges between XXXX maybe even XXXXX."
"Oh, just fucking fantastic! That's all we need; a potential wizard killer class beast on the loose that's not only magically resistant, strong, large and fast, but has the ability to teleport wherever it bloody well wishes! Amelia and Scrimgeor are gonna have a field day when they hear about this," Moody raged and had no doubt that heads would roll because of this.
Despite being called the Old Lion, Scrimgeor had not lost his fangs and his claws had not dulled either despite no longer being actively in the field. Amelia hadn't lost her edge either when she became Head of the DMLE. Neither one were an individual you wanted to get angry, or have as an enemy.
"But that doesn't explain why the tracer's no longer active," Shacklebolt stated.
"That's easy enough to answer. It's not uncommon for such spells to lose potency and ultimately fail during an amount of time if cast directly on a magical creature that's resistant to magic. It's why dragon tamers and magizoologists place them on special collars or tags they'll ignore rather than directly on the beasts," the expert of the group explained. "But this does pose a major problem as a result, I'm afraid."
That, they all knew, was putting it lightly.
"Newton, is there any chance Harry can still be alive?" Dumbledore looked to the man, pleading that he had some form of good news.
"Maybe. A child his size inside the beast would slow it down… sorry," Scamander quickly added as he saw the paling look on his old professor, "Assuming it's still around, it probably wouldn't have gone far. Most likely it would try and find somewhere out of sight to rest and, sorry once more, Professor, properly digest the poor boy."
The thought didn't put the man at ease but at least it gave Dumbledore hope that there was a chance Harry could be saved. However, another thought on the matter, another scenario entire was formulating in Dumbledore's mind. Before he could voice his own thoughts, a flash of fire was soon seen and alerting the group that Fawkes had returned. Only this time the phoenix wasn't alone.
"Thank you, Fawkes," Dumbledore told his familiar and then looked at the group, "Everyone, allow me to–"
"Nicolas Flamel," was the man's curt introduction.
"Flamel? The alchemist?" Alastor eyed Dumbledore and wondered what was going on.
"I was with Nicolas at the time when I was alerted to our present situation," Dumbledore elaborated, "How are you feeling."
"Better, thank you. Mind filling me in on whatever's going on?" Nicolas asked and the man listened attentively as he was given a rundown of the night's events.
"A hybrid, Albus?" Nicolas asked glancing at the print in the dirt and the tuff of fur Newton was examining.
"That's Newton's theory," the headmaster told him.
Seeing the look on his former apprentice's face, Nicolas said, "But you have another, yes?"
"Yes. I believe we are dealing with an animagus, and a young frightened one to boot," Dumbledore revealed.
"… Oh, of fucking course! How could I have missed that!?" Mad-Eye cursed himself for such a blatant oversight. It should have been obvious to the man.
"Wait … are you saying that thing was Harry Potter? How's that possible?" Kingsley could hardly believe it. Becoming an animagus was very difficult and took years and dedication before a wizard became one. For a wizard who had yet to learn magic to do so on his first try was incredible, and a tad frightening. Adding that it performed feats only a magical creature could only served to add more doubt on the matter. So far, no wizard had ever taken on the form of a magical creature in the history of Magical Europe.
"Think about it. A spike of strong magic was sensed before we arrived. Potter can't be found, his family's mostly likely treating him like dirt, and we have an unknown creature on our hands. Accidental magic is what happened! Something really bad must have happened to trigger a full-blown animagus transformation. Don't doubt the lad's relatives pushed him over the edge," Mad-Eye deduced.
"I'm afraid you're wrong on both counts, gentlemen," Nicolas called out.
"Wrong?"
"I'm afraid so. Mr Scamander's assessment of it being a wizard killer is correct," the men ignored Moody's string of colourful courses, "But you're wrong to think it's a hybrid of sorts, or a highly volatile animagus transformation gone wrong."
"What makes you think that?"
"Because of this," before them the ancient alchemist held up a dark object.
"A feather?" Dumbledore was curious.
"No. That's a scale," Newton could understand the mistake given the shape and look of it. But Newton was correct. It was a scale. One from a creature he had never encountered before.
"Aye. A scale. And unless an animagus allowed the the boy to turn into a magical beast," something that had long since been concluded to be impossible, outside of fairy tales and myths, of course, "then the problem you're dealing with is much worse than you thought," the comment didn't do anything to lessen their worry.
"Alright. Spill," Moody asked him, "You obviously know that we're bloody well dealing with. What is it?"
"A creature from a time long since passed and forgotten: a Nargacuga."
Sorry for the great delay. Got a new permanent job and the move finally occurred and that with COVID looking like it's doing a second wave, or at the least the beginnings of one, things have gotten hectic. Good news, this chapter was split into three parts, would have been way too long to post otherwise so the next chapters will come out more quickly. Other note, I have a poll regarding my stories and how chapters should be posted. Take a look and vote please. Also, for those thinking the stories ideas I had posted in the last chapter being my stories, well, they aren't. They are challenges I'd like to see others take on. I'm too busy with three stories at the moment. And, yes, Witcher references will be used. I'm world building here. Miss-I-didn't-think-it-through when it came to First Nations and Aboriginals and decided not to put much thought into the matter didn't do a very good job outside of her own country.
So review, like, and all that jazz. And, most importantly, be safe everyone!
