Golden Feather carried Severus to an abandoned manor southeast of Paris, in the direction of Fontainebleau.
It was a typical Tudor-style building, something very rare in France.
Britain had once occupied France, until Joan of Arc won back the crown and Paris for the French king.
The manor was vast. Besides the main keep, there were several outbuildings resembling a village. By the light of the full moon, Severus could see vines climbing all over the manor walls. It looked as though the place had been abandoned for years.
Yet firelight could still be seen through some of the windows. That was rare in the twenty-first century; even ancient castles would have electricity wired into them.
Severus landed in the forest, then cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself. Above the iron gate was a weathered family crest: two Bicorns stood facing one another, clinging to a shield. A harp was depicted on the shield, adorned with fleur-de-lis.
The fleur-de-lis represented the French royal family, and its presence on a crest indicated ties to royalty. However, ancient defensive magic surrounded this manor. It seemed the people living here were not Muggle aristocrats.
During the Reign of Terror, Duke Vincent de Trefle-Picques had cast a Concealment Charm on his own neck to escape the guillotine. That had once seemed like a very distant piece of history to Severus.
The French Revolution had been so overwhelming that even Napoleon had cried, "God!" France had practically been turned upside down, and even wizards hiding among Muggles had been dragged out.
Humanity's collective morality was often right, but people could not always distinguish right from wrong. Thus, they were often bewitched by eloquent speakers and led astray.
Jealousy was an original sin. People envied those wealthier than themselves, and combined with the evils of luxury