Relay Race

The term Lorraine came from the French name for the "Kingdom of Lothair." The Lorraine region lay in northeastern France, bordering Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany. It was formally incorporated into France in 1736, occupied by Germany again from 1940 to 1945, and only recovered by France after World War II.

In the later period of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1804 onward, the family that ruled the Austrian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire was called the Habsburg-Lorraine family, until Austria became a republic in 1918.

France's Joan of Arc also came from Lorraine, while this surname had long belonged to the rulers of Hesse. They had entered the German-speaking world long ago.

If that Mr. Elvin von Lorraine truly was that "Lorraine," then he might be related to the Duke of Lorraine. The thrush was the Lorraine family crest, and there was one on Elvin's cane. France and Germany no longer had nobility, though, so was that why Merveille addressed him as "sir"?

He was an important figure. No wonder a supervisor from the French railway company had come personally. If the Duke of Lorraine died, the railway company would bear inescapable responsibility.

To be fair, Lorraine's magical rampage had been caused by his own greed. The problem was that Remora was banned from sale, yet someone had secretly been selling it on an international train.

Oh, this train had departed from France, so it had nothing to do with the British directors. Mr. Malfoy had escaped another crisis.

The train had stopped in the middle of nowhere, with no landmarks around. Even if they wanted to summon a doctor, there were no suitable coordinates for Apparition. Besides, by the time they arrived, the Duke of Lorraine would probably have been blown into mincemeat.

Apparition was forbidden at Hogwarts, but