HP: Fantastic Beasts And The Right Way To Use Them

Beneath the sixth arrondissement of Paris stood a building that wasn't particularly luxurious but was filled with elegant design elements throughout.

Returning the wand in his hand to the young man before him, the employee checking magical items bowed slightly with professional courtesy.

"The French Ministry of Magic welcomes you, Mr. Kahn."

"Thank you."

Taking back his wand, Evans placed the mysterious case in his hand on the polished ground.

"Does this need inspection as well?"

"No, absolutely no need!" The employee hurriedly waved his hands, as if thinking of something genuinely terrible.

Only after seeing Evans abandon his attempt to open the case did he breathe a visible sigh of relief, his face returning to a welcoming smile.

"Actually, you don't even need your wand checked, since you're not entirely an outsider to us."

"The French Ministry of Magic will forever remember your significant contributions in the Orleans Forest."

Putting his wand securely in his pocket, Evans felt somewhat embarrassed. "That's really not necessary. It was just one Kappa and one wayward seal..."

"It is absolutely necessary!" The employee's expression became very serious.

"Since the 19th century, the Orleans Forest has been listed as forbidden territory. You liberated that dangerous place, providing us with an extremely vast resource collection area. All wizards living nearby have benefited tremendously from this."

Having said this, he smiled warmly and walked out from behind the counter.

"Are you heading directly to Orleans? I can escort you to the Floo Network that goes straight to the Orleans border, which should save you considerable time."

"No, that won't be necessary." Waving his hand politely, Evans said softly. "Before that, I'd like to inquire about someone."

"Please go ahead."

"Do you know someone called Seneca Smith?"

"Seneca Smith?"

After pondering for a long time, the employee seemed to vaguely recall something, his expression not looking very pleasant.

"That individual is... a rather strange person. What business do you have with him?"

"It's a commission from Professor Dumbledore. I need to ask him about some important matters." Evans smiled helplessly. "Could you possibly give me an address?"

"This is... it?"

In the desolate wilderness on the outskirts of Paris, on a barren piece of land where no human had set foot and not even a blade of grass grew, stood a three-story building that looked dilapidated and emanated an unnervingly eerie atmosphere.

The building's architectural style resembled medieval construction, and its state of decay also seemed like it had been deteriorating since medieval times, looking as if it could be knocked down with just a couple of forceful kicks.

Carrying his case and holding the address given by the Ministry employee, looking at this building that appeared to be an abandoned ancient mansion at first glance, Evans felt he might have found the wrong location entirely.

This place didn't look like somewhere people could actually live. He felt that encountering a couple of restless ghosts or even malevolent spirits after going inside would be more fitting for this place's ominous atmosphere.

But the French Ministry employee shouldn't have deliberately deceived him, so someone really lived in such a forsaken place?

What kind of person had Dumbledore asked him to find this time?

Looking at the dilapidated house before him with a genuinely strange expression, Evans felt that every time Dumbledore arranged an outing mission for him, it was never normal, straightforward work.

The previous exploration mission in Albania had been the same. Taking photographs of dead snakes and dead rats in an extremely vast nature reserve. And before that, when he was in America, Dumbledore had him investigate mysterious missing persons from a traveling circus.

He always felt like Dumbledore was using him as his personal private detective.

Shaking his head with resignation, Evans stepped forward, preparing to make a polite visit.

But he had only taken a few steps when his pupils suddenly contracted, and he flashed to a position more than ten meters behind his original location.

The next second, brilliant beams of red light swept across where he had just been standing. Then, layer upon layer of magical defenses condensed in mid-air, continuously extending backward until finally, the magical radiance completely covered the small house inside, leaving not a trace visible.

Looking at the defensive array standing on the ground like a giant magical light bulb, Evans was momentarily stunned.

These protections weren't particularly difficult magic, but there were an extraordinary number of them. An ordinary wizard would need at least a full day to break through such elaborate defenses.

This also meant that a wizard would need at least half a year or even a full year to set up such a complex defensive array.

How much crushing insecurity would someone need to have to create so many defensive measures?

If they were so afraid, why not just use a Fidelius Charm? Completely isolating the house so no one could find it would be significantly better, wouldn't it?

Was it because they couldn't find a strong enough caster or simply couldn't find a trustworthy Secret Keeper?

His eyes flickering with curiosity for a moment, Evans stepped forward again, trying to find something like a doorbell among those intricate protective arrays.

But no matter how thoroughly he searched, there was no such thing.

It was as if these arrays had never intended for anyone to enter when they were originally designed.

No wonder the Ministry employee's expression had been so strange. This so-called Hufflepuff descendant that Dumbledore had found was indeed a very strange person.

However... this kind of array couldn't possibly stop him.

There was no anti-Portkey array here, which meant his flash ability wouldn't be hindered in any way.

But he should still ask politely first.

Thinking this, Evans touched his throat with his wand and spoke loudly.

"Is anyone home?"

After waiting a respectful moment and confirming no one answered, Evans put his wand back in his pocket.

He had heard a piece of interesting trivia that no answer generally meant tacit consent. Hmm, what a shy but friendly person, to use such a subtle way of welcoming visitors.

Thinking this, a brilliant silver-white arc of light flashed around Evans, and he disappeared from the spot.

By a first-floor window of the dilapidated house, a pair of cloudy eyes pressed against the corner of the window, filled with pure fear, watching the figure standing before the magical seal.

Only when that figure transformed into a silver-white arc of light and disappeared did he slowly breathe a shaky sigh of relief.

Gone, gone meant he wasn't sent to kill him.

So good, so good. He was still trusted, he hadn't been abandoned yet.

Withdrawing his gaze from the window, a withered left hand emerged from a dirty sleeve, reaching toward the dust-covered photo album on the nearby table.

In the album, one could vaguely see a fat old woman smiling, her rocking chair gently swaying, holding a crying baby in her arms.

On the side of the album was a very strange clasp that faintly glowed with golden light, as if there was some hidden space inside storing something precious.

But the hand had only reached halfway when it suddenly retracted, withdrawing back into the sleeve.

If he reached out further, that mark would be exposed.

He couldn't see that mark, couldn't let anyone see that mark.

It was evidence, redemption, and also a curse...

Tightly gripping the deliberately lengthened sleeve, the figure by the bed began trembling again. After a long time, he finally returned to normal and slowly breathed a sigh of relief.

It was all over; it had been over long ago. No need to worry so much, no need to be so afraid...

Comforting himself in his troubled heart, he stood up, planning to return to his room to rest and calm his previously over tense heart.

But just then, a polite knocking sound suddenly rang out nearby.

"Hello, is this Mr. Seneca Smith? I apologize for the intrusion."

A moment later, his front door was suddenly pushed open. The person who had been standing outside the magical seal was now somehow standing at his doorway, smiling at him.

That smile seemed to say he could never escape.