Evan ordered coffee to help stimulate his mind and prepare him for the day ahead. As he sipped his coffee, Hagrid showed him a peculiar gift—a hard helmet made by Goblins, adorned with ancient magical inscriptions in green ink. Evan took the helmet and recognized the inscription as an ancient magic language. It read: "The people may manipulate oneself destiny if we are under the control of others, that mistakenly not in destiny, but in us!" Evan found these words familiar.
Sirius explained that this helmet was a replica of the Crown of Destiny, a legendary magical artifact said to have once belonged to King Arthur. The Goblins believed the original, along with the Sword of the King, was hidden in the deepest part of Gringotts. Evan understood the significance of this gift, even if it was a replica, and how it could be meaningful to the giants.
Hagrid emphasized that Dumbledore valued the giants greatly, and they were offering valuable items from his and Hogwarts' underground treasury as gifts. Evan and Sirius joined Hagrid in sorting and organizing the gifts for the giants. Among the items, they found an immortal fire, a pale blue flame that burned perpetually without heat. It was a rare and valuable tool, particularly for alchemy and potion-making.
As Evan examined a piece of dragon skin, he realized the significance of the gift. Obtaining an undamaged dragon skin was incredibly difficult. It required skilled wizards to peel it from a dragon's body without damaging it. Dragon skin was known for its defensive solid properties, and owning such a piece symbolized prestige.
Sirius explained that many gifts were rare and valuable items meant to demonstrate their sincerity to the giants. The goal was to make the giants feel appreciated and respected. Evan couldn't help but imagine how exciting it would be if he were a giant and received such an array of gifts.
Evan then asked how they would present these gifts to the giants and communicate with them.
Hagrid explained that they would offer the most precious gift to the giants' leader, indicating their sincerity. They should look for the largest and least active giant to find the leader. Giants' disposition was combative, and their leader was typically the strongest. Hagrid warned them not to rush the process and to offer one gift at a time. Building trust and anticipation among the giants was essential.
Evan suggested giving all the gifts at once. Still, Hagrid and Sirius explained that it would be overwhelming for the giants. They needed to establish gradual communication and show the giants that there were more gifts to come.
Hagrid emphasized that this experience of interacting with giants was rare and not something one could learn in school. Evan understood the importance of this opportunity and looked forward to the unique experience ahead.
Lastly, Evan asked if any of them understood the giant's language.
Hagrid replied that none of them did, but it wasn't a significant issue. Many giants have learned English over the years due to their interactions with humans. Some giants even married wizards, leading to a new generation of giants who could understand and speak English. Hagrid mentioned his mother, Fridwulfa, as an example of a giant with such interactions.
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After Hagrid mentioned his mother, the atmosphere suddenly grew silent. Evan and Sirius exchanged restless glances.
"Hagrid, did you plan to look for her?" Evan hesitated, continuing to ask, "This is a good opportunity to see your mother. It's been a long time, hasn't it?"
"I don't want to see her; it has nothing to do with our current duties," Hagrid mumbled, his broad shoulders slumped. "I don't have fond memories of her. She wasn't a good mother. When I was young, she abandoned me and my father."
"But you're still related by blood," Evan insisted.
"That doesn't matter. She's a giant, and I promised not to say goodbye to her!" Hagrid's voice grew louder.
"You're lying, Rubeus!" Madam Maxime arrived with a tea tray and overheard their conversation. She looked earnestly at Hagrid. "You actually want to see your mother very much. We can help you. You care about her deeply."
"But she doesn't care about me or my father. She's probably forgotten us," Hagrid said sadly. "Olympe, they're different from your parents. They didn't fall in love freely. My father didn't willingly choose to be with her; he was forced into it. There was only hatred between them."
Hagrid's voice grew quieter, and his black eyes welled up with tears. "Yes, maybe he grew to like her later and wanted to find her, but he didn't know where the giants had gone. Before my father passed away, he kept saying her name. He never forgot her, even in death."
"Since that's the case, you should look for her!" Madam Maxime said, leading Hagrid back to the room to comfort him.
Evan and Sirius continued discussing giants for a while before the conversation shifted to Ravenclaw's royal crown and the great whirlpool.
The weather gradually darkened as time passed, and the carriage arrived in the skies over Dijon.
Dijon was a small city in eastern France, historically the capital of the Burgundy region since the Middle Ages. To Muggles, this ancient town boasted well-preserved historic buildings of high artistic value. Moreover, it was known for producing some of the world's finest wines. The magical community was famous as the City of Owls, thanks to the magical structure known as Owl Fortress, a massive military fort located near the city's outskirts. This fortress had once belonged to the Duke of Burgundy and was said to be one of his main palaces.
The fortress's presence of countless owl ghosts within its walls made it famous. No one knew what dark wizards had done there, causing so many owl ghosts to appear. The International Confederation of Wizards had investigated the fortress multiple times, but nothing significant had been discovered. When wizards entered the castle, they found themselves watched by countless owl ghosts, creating an eerie and unsettling atmosphere.
Evan had read about Owl Fortress in a book, describing it as a place devoid of color and evil. The fortress was constructed entirely from black granite and adorned with strange owl statues. Its structure was peculiar, with no windows, only a solid front door leading inside. Strangest of all, owl ghosts were scattered throughout the castle, calmly waiting in various locations.
It was well-known that only wizards could become ghosts after death, retaining their memories and habits from their previous lives. It was rare for animals to become ghosts, especially in large numbers. The International Confederation of Wizards concluded that these owl souls were not ghosts. Still, it is trapped by dark magic, likely originating from Africa or a curse gone wrong. This dark magic had a problem during its creation, leading to the souls of over a thousand owls being permanently bound to the castle.
As a result, the massive fortress remained abandoned, and no one dared to approach it, much like Hogsmeade's Shrieking Shack. Local wizards feared the fortress, and it was surrounded by a Muggle-Repelling Charm to keep Muggles away.
If Evan didn't have pressing matters, he might have considered exploring the fortress to understand why so many owl ghosts resided there. But for now, it was best to avoid stirring up trouble.
The carriage descended slowly, and Hagrid appeared to be in better spirits. He held a picture in his hand, which he showed to Evan and the others.
The picture depicted a short wizard who shared Hagrid's dark, narrow-eyed gaze. He sat on Hagrid's shoulder, smiling happily and pointing to an apple tree nearby. In the picture, Hagrid was fully grown, standing at a towering height of 7-8 feet, but he had a youthful, smooth face without a beard, looking no more than 11 years old.
The short wizard in the picture was Hagrid's father, the only image of him that remained. Hagrid's father had been a magical creature expert for the Ministry of Magic before his death, responsible for dealing with dangerous magical creatures. Hagrid's love for magical creatures likely stemmed from his father.
"How are you feeling, Hagrid?" Evan asked.
"I'm alright," Hagrid replied, waving his hand somewhat sheepishly. "Thinking about my mother got me a bit emotional. And Olympe... she's really something. I never expected her to be so kind. She convinced me, and I haven't seen a woman as good-hearted as her."
Abraxen transformed back into an ordinary horse as the carriage touched the ground. It was customary for wizards in Dijon, so the sudden appearance of a carriage didn't surprise the Muggles.
After a short ride, under Madam Maxime's guidance, they arrived at a small tavern called "Grace of Burgundy." Like the Leaky Cauldron, it was a tavern operated by wizards, and Madam Maxime seemed familiar with it.