Horizontally, on the small platform of the dike, there stood more than a hundred house elves. They resembled genuine slaves, emaciated and dressed in dirty, crude clothes. Shackles on their wrists and ankles, they stared with big, bulbous eyes, wielding oversized ore hoes to excavate citrine crystals from the dike above.
Evan cautiously gestured forward, exchanging a glance with Sirius, and they walked towards a stone door.
To the left of the stone door stood a very tall stone platform, where a man in a black robe held a wand in his hand. Evan noticed a peculiar badge on his chest - a raven with outspread wings and strange sapphire eyes. This man was a Claw of the Raven member, overseeing the house-elves labor.
"Quickly, you bunch of ugly little monsters!" he roared ferociously. "Don't let me catch you loafing, or you'll know your fate. I'll throw any slackers into the magma."
Upon hearing his threats, many of the house-elves trembled involuntarily. On the dike platform, the house-elves wielding ore hoes slowed down slightly.
The next moment, a green beam of light struck one of the house elves, causing him to emit a horrifying scream and collapse to the ground, convulsing uncontrollably. Evan furrowed his brow - it was the Cruciatus Curse. To torture a house-elf with such dark magic suggested that this wizard was indeed a wicked dark wizard.
"Waste! Serving the great Claw of the Raven is an honor for you. You should offer your blood and soul to your master," the wizard sneered. "But you still have some use."
"Alright, Kagal, don't waste your time torturing these house elves!" Another man emerged from the stone door. He also wore the raven badge, but his eyes were red.
"Hello, Calamity Emissary!" Kagal greeted respectfully, bowing slightly.
Calamity Emissary was a strange name, and Evan scrutinized the wizard as he walked out of the shadows. His head was medium-sized, and he wore a magnificent dark blue and purple wizard's robe. His hooded head obscured his face, revealing only pale, scarless skin and white hair. What was particularly unsettling was the icy aura emanating from him, which chilled Evan to the bone despite the scorching lava around them.
Like Kreshkov, the magic he exuded was beyond that of a normal human wizard. Evan couldn't see beneath the shadowy mask, but he strongly felt that this man was extremely dangerous.
Sirius gently tugged at Evan, and they hid behind a nearby rock, eavesdropping on the conversation between these two individuals.
"You can't torture these house elves to death, Kagal. I know it's tempting, but we need them to mine the crystals. Their progress is slow, and we won't find anything else to replace them if they die."
"I understand the importance of discretion. I'm just trying to motivate these small monsters to work harder," Kagal replied, sounding somewhat fearful. "Great Calamity Emissary, their progress is too slow. I think the giants above are better; they are stronger than these ugly little creatures."
"Giants aren't creatures you can easily enslave, and they draw too much attention," the wizard continued. "We need to be cautious. Many British wizards, including Dumbledore and the Dark Lord's followers, have come to the island. They plan to recruit the giants. We can't afford to be discovered here."
"Is that Dark Lord you mentioned a wizard?" Kagal asked in surprise. "I thought he was already dead."
"He's different from us. He has conquered death. We will have that power one day. As long as we summon the master of this world, we'll gain eternal life and become supreme beings."
"I'm eager for that day to witness the rebirth of this dirty world under its wrath."
"Patience, Kagal. For this lofty goal, we must endure and wait through pain and suffering," the wizard's voice turned cold. "The first step is often the most difficult. We don't have enough strength yet. Once we cross that threshold, the rest will be easier."
"Yes, Calamity Emissary, I will heed your guidance," Kagal said, bowing even lower.
Evan and Sirius exchanged glances. The remaining Claw of the Raven dark wizards were preparing to align themselves with Voldemort, which was far from good news. Clearly, they were talking about Hogwarts, and their intentions were ominous.
After learning of Voldemort's return, various dark forces worldwide were gearing up for action, preparing to carry out their sinister plans.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Kagal. We're different from other dark wizards. We have a grander purpose," the wizard known as Calamity Emissary said, his aura growing even colder. "Now, hand over the crystals you've mined recently. We need the energy stones from the Cyclops. I must bring them to that city; we need the required energy. I'll prepare for the summoning before meeting Dark Lord."
A voice echoed through the platform as Calamity Emissary left via Apparition. Kagal visibly relaxed and smiled maliciously as he turned to the house elves, delighting in tormenting them with dark magic.
Evan continued to mull over the information revealed in their conversation. They were extracting something from the Cyclops and storing it in energy stones. They intended to summon an ancient being with the crystals unearthed by the house elves. But who or what was this ancient being, and where was the city they referred to?
Gryffindor kept a close eye on the scabbard, instructing Evan not to let them take the strength of the Cyclops. However, Calamity Emissary had already Apparated away, and preventing him was no longer possible.
Many Claw of the Raven dark wizards patrolled nearby in the grotto beside the house elves' platform. Evan couldn't act too hastily and risk alerting the enemy. He still had unanswered questions and needed to determine what the Claw of the Raven dark wizards were planning.
"You once controlled a few house elves in the past, right? That guy on the stone platform directed us here. Let's use that as our way in," Sirius whispered to Evan, voicing his doubts. "I'll ambush him and try to extract some information."
Evan nodded, and Sirius Apparated away to set his ambush. He approached the stone wall cautiously, aiming his wand at two house elves and casting a spell. The controlled house elves let out a shrill scream and dropped their ore hoes, stunning the surrounding house elves.
The two house elves wore expressions of disbelief, and their actions were unprecedented. They seemed insane, as though they had no idea the wicked dark wizard would immediately kill them.
"Damn, you two imbeciles! Pick up your ore hoes and work quickly, or I'll flay your skin off!" Kagal shouted, brandishing his wand and firing off two green curses.
Under Evan's control, the two house elves jumped to evade the spells. Their grotesque faces contorted with anger as they ran along the path to escape. Kagal continued to curse and cast spells, pursuing them relentlessly.
The other house elves and Claw of the Raven dark wizards watched in astonishment. Such a flagrant display of disobedience had never occurred before. These two house-elves seemed completely unhinged.
True to his word, Kagal caught up to them and intended to flay their skins while they were still alive.
As Evan returned to the path, Kagal fainted, and Sirius stood by, holding his wand.
"What an idiot. He was only after these two house-elves and failed to notice me," Sirius said, panting. He used his wand to bind the dark wizard to the ground. "Alright, let's figure out how to make him talk."
"No need for that. I have Veritasium here," Evan replied, lifting his cape and revealing a crystal jar containing a transparent liquid. "It may not be as effective as Snape's, but a few drops should make him spill the truth."
Evan handed the jar to Sirius, who carefully administered a few drops to Kagal.
"That should do the trick," Evan said, then used his wand to revive Kagal.
Like Barty Crouch Jr. before him, Kagal's eyes opened with a vacant, unfocused stare.
"Let's give it a try," Sirius said. "What's your name?"
"I am Kagal Lombardi," he replied slowly, his voice delayed.
"Are you a member of the Claw of the Raven? What are you doing here?"
"Yes, I am a member of the Claw of the Raven. We extract strength from Cyclops here and oversee the house elves to mine citrine crystals from the dike. Calamity Emissary believes these crystals hold great power."
"Who is this Calamity Emissary?" Evan inquired.
"He's a high-ranking member of our organization, the most loyal servant to the master. He's a fanatical representative of Calamity and Destruction, and no one has seen his true face. I know he was Dark Witch Natalia's last husband."
"Dark Witch Natalia?" Evan recalled hearing that name somewhere.
"I've heard of her too. She's also known as Black Rose Natalia, a notorious witch in Italy," Sirius interjected. "But don't underestimate her just because she's a woman. Anyone who despises her ends up in a bad place."
Evan remembered now. Dark Witch Natalia was one of the most infamous witches in Italian history, a follower of Grindelwald. She hailed from an ancient pure-blood wizarding family, studied at Durmstrang, and was known for her beauty. However, her marriages were marked by mysterious deaths, earning her a reputation as a black widow. She married and subsequently murdered twelve pure-blood wizarding family heirs, amassing their fortunes. She became one of the wealthiest women in Italy and a prominent Grindelwald supporter known for her evil deeds.