"Damn wizards!" The owl-like monster tumbled into the open area downstairs, screaming as it dodged spells, leaving behind a trail of feathers. Its sounds were eerie, resembling an actual owl's mournful and shrill hoots.
"Can it speak the human language?" Evan's wand released a red light, striking the creature.
The monster's steps faltered, stumbled to the ground, and quickly struggled to crawl back up. Evan was intrigued; with his current magical abilities, his Stunning Spell would render a normal person unconscious, and it would take three or four for even giants to resist. Yet, this monster resisted three Stunning Spells, displaying magic resistance almost as strong as a half-giant.
This was unlike anything Evan had seen before, and his books had no information about it. Judging from its appearance alone, it seemed to result from some dark transformation, either through a dark wizard's magic or demonic methods. However, the transformation was incomplete, leaving behind obvious human characteristics.
The monster struggled to withstand Evan's three Stunning Spells in the tavern's lower area. Its movements were sluggish, and it wouldn't hold out much longer.
Raising its head, the monster emitted a strange, chilling cry, and its large, unsettling eye, devoid of a visible sclera, glared hatefully at Evan.
As Evan locked eyes with it, an uneasy feeling washed over him.
The next moment, a dangerous green ray suddenly shot upward from below, causing Evan to duck beneath the window.
The green light struck the window frame, causing it to burst into flames. As Evan extinguished the fire, the creature outside turned and fled, gradually disappearing into the night.
"I didn't expect it to use magic. This is getting more and more interesting," Evan mused, gazing in the direction the creature had vanished.
A rapid series of footsteps echoed from the stairwell, and Sirius and Hagrid rushed in.
The pungent smell of alcohol clung to them; it was clear they had been drinking. Evan hoped they would be more alert. The quest for giants was no easy task, and they were dealing with monsters and the possibility of encountering Death Eaters.
"These two have let it go to their heads," Evan thought.
"What happened? We heard a fight!" Sirius shouted, concerned. "Evan, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I was lying on my bed reading when I suddenly felt someone trying to enter my room and decided to defend myself," Evan replied, putting his wand away. "From its appearance, I think it was the Owl-man that Mr. Baltic mentioned."
"Good heavens! That terrifying creature came here!" The innkeeper, who had just arrived, exclaimed in shock, his face showing extreme fear. If Evan had not been in the room, another child might have been killed. As Baltic had mentioned earlier, the skin would have been peeled off.
"I didn't expect this to happen. We should never have left you alone..." Hagrid began.
"There's no need to worry so much. The creature is of ordinary strength, but it has strong magic resistance and can use magic," Evan said slowly. "Judging from the situation, I don't think it's a ghost, but rather a wizard..."
"Are you saying it's some wizard in disguise?" Sirius asked.
"Not exactly. I mean that the creature might have undergone a magical transformation through some magic to gain more power, similar to what Voldemort did in the past. But it seems that its transformation wasn't complete," Evan explained. He hesitated and then looked at Sirius in surprise. "To be honest, I'm quite interested in this creature. This type of dark magic is very rare. Could it be attempting to merge with owls?"
The room fell into silence for several seconds, with no one speaking. Sirius, Hagrid, and Innkeeper Baltic stared at Evan as if they hadn't entirely understood what he said.
"Alright, Olympe has checked the carriage. We should be more cautious. Let's find a large room to rest together," Hagrid said anxiously. "That creature Evan mentioned doesn't sound very pleasant. Who knows if it might return tonight."
"Safety is indeed a concern, so we should stay together. You two relax!" Sirius said. "Evan, what's your plan?"
"Well, I plan to search for it. I can still sense my magical traces on it, and they haven't disappeared," Evan replied. "I find this creature's magic very intriguing. While we're here, we can help Dijon deal with this problem."
"That's not good, Evan, not good at all!" Hagrid was alarmed. "We should stay here and guard the carriage..."
"You're right, Hagrid. You and Madam Maxime should stay behind. Sirius and I will go," Evan continued. "Don't worry, the creature isn't mighty. The two of us should be more than capable, with some to spare."
Sirius, who had never been one to shy away from danger, didn't object. After Evan laid out his plan for tracking the creature, Sirius even helped convince Hagrid and Madam Maxime to stay behind.
The two of them left the tavern after about ten minutes, and from there, they entered the muggle part of Dijon, a charming French town with a strong romantic atmosphere.
Exiting the establishment, they were greeted by the dimly lit night sky, with wisps of clouds resembling gently drifting azure smoke. Nighttime in Dijon added to its allure like a stunning lady wearing her evening attire.
Dijon had a distinct French charm, much like romantic Paris. It was an easily romanticized place.
As they walked through the streets, Evan and Sirius noticed that many young women, exuding carefree and infectious laughter, were having a great time, some even boldly extending invitations. It was clear that Evan and Sirius, with their good looks and unique wizarding attire, stood out among the muggles.
More importantly, their robes were quite unconventional, making them even more noticeable amid muggles who dressed differently. Evan and Sirius attracted curious glances from passersby, who wondered what they were up to.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Evan, how do you plan to search for that monster?" Sirius asked, keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings.
"Naturally, with Apparition. We can't just walk around. I didn't want anyone to know I could Apparate," Evan replied, taking Sirius to a secluded spot where no one was around. "Come on, I'll Side-Along Apparate you."
His words barely left his mouth when the two figures disappeared instantly from their original spot, seemingly not even having arrived there in the first place.
After a few seconds, they reappeared in a disorganized and desolate garden.
This place was eerily silent compared to the bustling commercial area they had left behind. The houses and shops on both sides of the street were dark and abandoned, with broken windows, paint peeling off, and piles of garbage on the front steps of several homes.
Before them stood a large, ancient house reminiscent of Number 12 Grimmauld Place, the Black family home.
"Pure-blood wizarding family," Sirius remarked with disdain, gazing at a giant statue in the courtyard.
The statue depicted a knight with a sword labeled Duke of Burgundy Charles the Bold. He was historically the last independent Duke of Burgundy, renowned for his reputation. It appeared that the house's previous owner was likely his descendant.
The old house gave off an unsettling vibe. Its dilapidated walls and darkened windows were problematic. Most disturbing were the owl statues carved into the exterior wall, positioned in bizarre, incomprehensible poses, all staring at visitors with an eerie calmness.
A window on the third-floor bedroom was shattered and left unrepaired. The house resembled the most terrifying haunted mansion.
As Baltic, the innkeeper, had mentioned earlier, this was the ancient dwelling of Dijon's oldest pure-blood wizarding family. Not long ago, its last resident was found dead in her room, brutally murdered by the terrifying Owl-man.
Evan wondered why the monster had come here and its connection with this pure-blood family.
"I don't like this place," Sirius whispered, his voice tense. "It has a strong sense of evil."
"I don't like it either, but the trail leads here," Evan said, raising his wand. "This house is protected by magic, blocking my magical tracking. But it's definitely inside. Let's investigate."
The two entered without knocking, as the front door was wide open. Knowing they would come, it was as if the door had been left ajar for them.
The French Ministry of Magic seal lay torn apart on the floor, its pieces scattered. Dust covered everything.
"Be careful!" Sirius warned, his wand emitting a faint light. "I'll go first."
Evan nodded and followed behind Sirius as they entered a nearly pitch-black hallway.
The air smelled damp, stale, and sickly sweet, tinged with a hint of decay. It wasn't easy to believe that people had occupied this house not too long ago.
The emptiness of the house gave the impression of abandonment. The destruction appeared to be the result of previous Auror investigations.
Evan felt a strange, ominous presence lurking in the dim light of the house. It was as if something were watching them from the darkness, something they couldn't see.
Underfoot, a worn and tattered rug made their steps unsteady, making them worry they might fall through the floor.
As they cautiously moved forward, they encountered no immediate threats. The owl statue in the living room was particularly prominent. Inside a large glass cabinet, there was an enormous owl specimen. It was the most giant owl Evan had ever seen.
Regardless of the angle, the owl's distinctive features were clearly visible, leaving no doubt that the house's previous owner was obsessed with owls.
Their gaze moved further, and they noticed a row of dusty, darkened portraits on the wall beside the cabinet. The artists who had painted them had long disappeared, leaving empty frames that seemed like coffins for lost souls.
The square frames gave the impression of encasing the souls of the departed. The hallway led to the kitchen and a dining area, where the heads of wrinkled house elves were mounted on the wall.
These were lined up, resembling the basement kitchen of Hogwarts. The Black family appeared not to be the only one with this peculiar collection. It was pretty rare for a pure-blood family to have so many house-elves.
Of course, this was in the past. Now, the house stood empty.
"Do we go upstairs?" Sirius halted in front of the staircase, surveying their surroundings. "I think it's best if we don't split up."
"In the building. I want to check the rooms on the third floor first," Evan said, pointing upward.
That was where the murder occurred, and he hoped to discover something overlooked. Why had the Owl-man killed the last owner of this house?
Evan and Sirius ascended the staircase carefully, avoiding what appeared to be dangerous, dark, magical objects.
On the top floor, they encountered only one door. Sirius raised his wand, and the doorknob turned on its own, swinging the door open.
Instantly, a rush of cold night air swept in, blowing the curtains wildly and filling the room with the moon's eerie light. Evan caught a whiff of a nauseating metallic scent, which mixed with the smell of the night air and hung heavily in the room.
As Evan entered, he felt an ominous presence wash over him. It was as if the room was filled with dark and evil energy.
Sirius stepped back, cautioning, "Evan, you might not want to come in. You won't like what you see here."
"Why?" Evan entered the room, his curiosity getting the better of him.
And then he saw it. The room was covered in splatters of blood. Blood stained the floor, the walls, and even the high ceiling, forming a grotesque and horrifying pattern.
Evan could barely imagine the gruesome scene that had unfolded here. The Owl-man had likely used brutal and primitive methods to kill the unfortunate old Mary, the last owner of this ancient and once-renowned pure-blood family. This family's final heir had met a gruesome fate.
"This is the work of that monster. I witnessed it. It used primitive and cruel methods to kill poor old Mary, the last owner of this house and the final descendant of this ancient family," Evan said in a spine-chilling voice. "I know it's a curse. It must eradicate all descendants of the Duke of Burgundy. It seeks revenge and won't stop until they're all dead. And it hasn't finished yet. Anyone associated with this family is next."