England, Nottinghamshire - City of Nottingham.
In the heart of Nottingham, a dark car glided smoothly to a stop in front of an imposing building: the MI0 branch in Nottingham.
As the car parked, the door opened and Asterion, in the back seat, observed the middle-aged man with a slightly surprised expression.
"I didn't expect to have you as my partner again, Edward," he remarked, noting the tired and indifferent expression of the man.
Initially, the Ministry of Magic would send an experienced Auror to assist in the mission, but for Asterion, it seemed unnecessary, more people would only get in the way.
However, the presence of an MI0 agent was crucial, not only for their familiarity with Muggle customs and laws but also for dealing with official matters involving police and military.
Edward Gray, flicking cigarette ashes onto the ground, replied casually, "Believe me, I'm as surprised as you are. It seems the higher-ups thought it important for us to work together."
"Familiarity always helps," Asterion agreed, approaching and extending his hand. "I hope we can work well together, Agent Gray."
Edward shook his hand firmly, looking at Asterion with determination. "I hope the same, Agent Black."
After the greeting, Edward got into the car, and they drove through the streets of Nottingham.
Inside the car, Edward pulled out a clipboard with dozens of papers.
"The first time we discovered this cursed spirit was six months ago, two children were already missing when field agents detected traces of negative magical energy in the area," Edward narrated as he looked at the paper containing reports from Hogwarts Auxiliary Course.
"The next time the same negative residues were detected, six people disappeared, this was six blocks away from the first attack," he spoke, looking at Asterion with a serious gaze.
Asterion also wore a serious look, not because of the power of the Cursed Spirit, but because of what it represented.
- A Cursed Spirit that has left its place of origin!
It is commonly known that Cursed Spirits do not stray from the place of their origin, but in some rare cases, the Cursed Spirit may indeed move away from its place of origin. These cursed spirits were the most problematic, not only because they moved regularly but also because they rapidly grew in levels of power.
They not only grew quickly but were also more intelligent, as much as a normal person. This type of cursed spirit had already surpassed primitive instincts and could think rationally.
Fortunately, being as intelligent as a normal person does not equate to wisdom, so like normal serial killers, these cursed spirits had regular hunting grounds to satisfy their hunger, much like any territorial animal.
"What's the estimated hunting area?" Asterion asked, furrowing his brow.
"About 50-60 km," Edward replied, looking at the information on the paper, his expression grim and cold.
"That area covers almost the entire city of Nottingham..." Asterion murmured, taking in his words.
"Perhaps it's a Special or Semi-Special Grade cursed spirit. Report to the military and proceed with the evacuation of the entire city," Asterion declared after hearing the size of the hunting area, looking at Edward with a cold expression.
Nottingham had about 300,000 inhabitants, and if a fight were to break out in the city, it would be a catastrophe for this historic city.
Although it could also be a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit, it was better to be cautious in case it was not just a simple Grade 1 Cursed Spirit.
Edward nodded and took his cellphone out of his pocket, dialing a specific three-digit number – 003.
The call was accepted almost instantly.
"Supernatural Emergency Central."
"Red code for the city of Nottingham," Edward spoke with a heavy voice.
"For confirmation of your identity, please state your badge number," the male voice became serious.
"145544," Edward replied.
"The badge number of the Wizard on-site," the voice asked again.
"002," Asterion whispered, sitting next to Edward in the car.
"002," Edward nodded to Asterion and responded.
It took about five seconds for Edward to be responded to.
"Confirmation successful. Good luck, Agent Gray and Black. God bless Nottingham," the male voice replied, his voice serious and slightly nervous.
"May your prayers be answered, Central," Edward spoke calmly, certainly noticing the nervousness in the man's voice, but he didn't inquire further. It was quite obvious that the man had some relatives in Nottingham.
Asterion heard everything and remained indifferent. As for haste, there was no need. Acting prematurely would only result in more chaos and deaths. He would refuse to act until the city was evacuated, or at least until the cursed spirit was successfully located.
There was no rush to immediately find the cursed spirit. The city's evacuation alone would surely attract the Curse's attention, making it opportune for it to reveal itself. After all, you don't let your prey escape.
Meanwhile, a curtain of darkness emerged above Asterion's palm, from which a grotesque eye emerged, surrounded by tentacles.
The cursed spirit didn't need orders to know its role. Transformed into multiple versions of itself, the eye multiplied and flew throughout Nottingham.
"I've sent my cursed spirits to patrol the city. With this, I can monitor all of Nottingham in real-time. When he shows up, I'll know," murmured Asterion to Edward beside him.
The MI0 agent nodded, and both waited in silence. They knew the evacuation would take hours.
Tension hung in the air as they watched the city slowly empty out.
Edward glanced at the clock on the car's dashboard and then at Asterion. "How much longer until the evacuation is complete?"
Upon hearing this, Asterion looked down upon the entire city through the cursed spirits in the form of eyes. He pondered for a moment before responding, "At least another two hours, perhaps more, depending on the efficiency of the evacuation teams."
Edward nodded, his expression calm and serious. Every passing minute increased the risk of more victims falling into the clutches of the cursed spirit.
Meanwhile, Asterion's Shadow Eyes continued to watch over the city, searching for any sign of the cursed spirit. With each passing second, he could sense the negative energy rising at an extremely rapid pace. Asterion knew that the evacuation had left people fearful, nervous, and filled with anger—emotions highly conducive to times of high stress.
At the same time, all this negative magical energy was writhing and heading towards a specific location.
It seemed that the Cursed Spirit had noticed the drastic change in the city's environment.
Finally, after an agonizing wait, one of Asterion's Shadow Eyes detected suspicious activity in a residential area south of the city.
"Residential area south of the city!" Asterion murmured, his voice laden with a cold intent to kill.
Edward nodded and took out his cellphone from his pocket.
"Central, it's in the south of the city."
"Affirmative, Agent Gray. I'll be reporting to the General in charge of the Evacuation Operation," the male voice responded immediately.
The car's driver quickly headed south towards the city of Nottingham
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Author's Thoughts: The first Mission will be a little different than expected, as it is a Cursed Spirit that can move from its original location.
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Next Chapter: Chapter 63 - Mission (3), Chapter 64 - Mission (4), Chapter 65 - Mission (5), Chapter 66 - Consequences of the Attack (1), Chapter 67 - Aftermath of the Attack (2), Chapter 68 - Invasion of Hogwarts (1), Chapter 69 - Invasion of Hogwarts (2), Chapter 70 - Invasion of Hogwarts (3), Chapter 71 - Invasion of Hogwarts (4), Chapter 72 - Invasion of Hogwarts (5), Chapter 73 - Invasion of Hogwarts (6), Chapter 74 - Invasion of Hogwarts (7), Chapter 75 - Invasion of Hogwarts (8), Chapter 76 - Invasion of Hogwarts (9), Chapter 77 - Invasion of Hogwarts (10), Chapter 78 - Invasion of Hogwarts (11), Chapter 79 - Post-War (1), Chapter 80 - Heir of Salazar Slytherin (1), Chapter 81 - Heir of Salazar Slytherin (2), Chapter 82 - Heir of Salazar Slytherin (3), Chapter 83 - Salazar's Heir Slytherin (4), Chapter 84 - Sequels, Chapter 85 - Civil War (1), 86 - Civil War (2), 87 - Civil War (3).