Chapter 901: The Trail of the Thunderbird
Chapter 901: The Trail of the Thunderbird
Pierce chuckled and exchanged a few pleasantries with the group, then turned to Ivan, who was descending the stairs. "Mr. Hals, I have something important to discuss with you."
Given that there were outsiders present, Pierce refrained from using honorifics to avoid unnecessary complications.
"Have you found out more about the matter we discussed last time?" Ivan asked straightforwardly. Seeing Pierce's relaxed demeanor, he guessed it was unlikely to be about Grindelwald and more likely related to the Thunderbird.
"Exactly! Given the importance, I had to come in person." Pierce nodded and glanced around at Hermione and the others.
"Let's talk in the meeting room." Ivan understood immediately, dismissed the Granger family, and led Pierce to the top-floor meeting room.
Once out of Hermione's sight, Pierce's attitude became more respectful. "The Thunderbird you asked me to find has been located. According to intelligence, someone has spotted this magical creature in a small town in France."
"France? Why there? I thought Thunderbirds were native to North America", Ivan raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
"It seems someone smuggled it over, but there was a mishap along the way. It caused quite a commotion in the town a few days ago, and the International Confederation of Wizards is investigating. They provided this information", Pierce explained casually.
"Wait... the International Confederation of Wizards? They're being so kind?" Ivan was skeptical. He had just embarrassed the International Confederation of Wizards, and it was unlikely they would do him any favors.
Or perhaps they were trying to mend their strained relationship with this information?
"Have you sent someone to verify it?" Ivan asked Pierce, being cautious.
"I've had someone check. The weather in that town has been unusually erratic recently, which could be due to the Thunderbird's presence... but I can't be entirely sure", Pierce hesitated.
In truth, he had sent a team to capture the Thunderbird and claim credit, but the Aurors spent several days in the town without seeing any sign of it, only enduring the harsh weather.
Ivan wasn't surprised by Pierce's account. Thunderbirds are extremely sensitive magical creatures that can sense danger in advance and possess strong magic, making them difficult to capture.
But it was precisely because of these qualities that Ivan had chosen the Thunderbird as his next target for fusion.
"Additionally, our spies have noticed that France has been placed under martial law for unknown reasons, with increased scrutiny of incoming travelers. I suspect it might be related to Grindelwald", Pierce's expression grew serious.
"No wonder the International Confederation of Wizards handed over this information so easily", Ivan stroked his chin, a cold smile on his face. They probably hoped he would run into Grindelwald by coincidence.
Pierce understood this as well, but the International Confederation of Wizards' plan was likely to fail. He had already hired a professional to track down the Thunderbird's trail a few days ago, and it wouldn't be long before they captured it.
However, Ivan's response was unexpected.
"No, I think I'll go and see for myself", Ivan said, waving his hand.
He was also curious about what Grindelwald was planning to do in France, and there were some pieces of information that needed verification, such as whether Grindelwald had indeed fully recovered and completely rid himself of the Dark Magic that had plagued him.
Of course, the primary quest was still to capture the Thunderbird and complete the next Bloodline Fusion. Otherwise, Ivan had little confidence in facing Grindelwald, who wielded the Elder Wand.
"If you plan to go to that town yourself, you might want to try visiting a local inn. By now, the agent should have arrived and should be able to provide you with some assistance", Pierce said hesitantly, then pulled a photograph from his wizard's pocket and handed it to Ivan.
Ivan took the photo and looked down. It showed a young wizard, who looked to be no more than twenty, dressed rather simply but with a sharp and capable demeanor.
"His name is Rolf Scamander. He's a magical creature expert... although he looks young, he's very knowledgeable about magical creatures", Pierce explained.
"Scamander?" Ivan felt a familiar ring to the name and, after a moment's reflection, asked in surprise, "What's his relationship with the magical creature master, Newt Scamander?"
"Rolf is Newt Scamander's grandson", Pierce shrugged. This was why he had confidence that a nineteen-year-old could track down the Thunderbird.
Initially, to ensure the quest's success, he had planned to invite Newt Scamander himself. However, Newt had taken his son to Africa to study the breeding habits of Sphinxes, and the Aurors had to settle for his grandson.
Luckily, after some questioning, they discovered that Rolf was extremely knowledgeable about magical creatures. Upon learning that the target was a rare Thunderbird, he volunteered without any persuasion.
"Interesting, I'll look for him when I get there", Ivan nodded, accepting Pierce's suggestion.
Although he had learned a lot about magical creatures over the years in his search for suitable fusion targets, he knew he couldn't match the extensive knowledge passed down in Rolf's family. They were all scholars dedicated to the study of magical creatures, to the point of obsession.
"Alright, I'll make the arrangements. When do you plan to leave?" Pierce asked.
"Tomorrow... no, the day after tomorrow!" Ivan replied hesitantly.
If possible, he would prefer to leave as soon as possible, but he had a few things to settle before leaving Britain, such as setting up the Fidelius Charm on his estate to prevent any intrusions while he was away, and explaining things to Hermione.
"Alright! I'll send a letter to Rolf, instructing him to wait for you at the local inn the day after tomorrow. How does that sound?" Pierce said.
"That works", Ivan thought for a moment, feeling that nothing was overlooked, and agreed.
(End of Chapter)
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