Done For?

A ferocious face opened its gaping, blood-filled maw. The violent gale created by its explosive suction sent sand and stones flying toward that seemingly bottomless mouth.

Though Sirius and the others within Amosta's magical barrier were unaffected, the earth-shaking scene before them was still terrifying. As though someone had seized his throat, Sirius struggled to roar in a shrill voice,

"What the hell is that thing?!"

Crack!

The dreadful suction tore alarming fissures even through the hard stone floor at the base of the outpost hall. Apart from Graves's shadow, the Vampires from earlier had all been slaughtered by the Vampire progenitor they had dreamed of reviving.

"A composite formed from the power of blood and lingering souls—"

A ghostly light flickered endlessly in Amosta's pale violet eyes, and his solemn voice reached Sirius clearly.

"It looks formidable but lacks substance. It isn't especially powerful, though it may be difficult to kill."

Not powerful?!

What kind of joke was that? Could such a horrifying creature really be described as merely looking formidable?

The remaining Ministry of Magic Congress Aurors stared at Amosta Breen with disbelief. It was not as though they did not know how formidable Amosta was. Some of them had even attended the Quidditch World Cup last year and witnessed firsthand how Amosta had used godlike power to suppress Vitia Creona.

But the sea of blood floating above their heads and covering several mountaintops looked far more powerful than Vitia Creona. Was Amosta Breen being too arrogant?

Though he trusted Amosta deeply, Sirius had never seen anything so terrifying in his life. He looked toward Fawkes's sapphire-blue eyes, hoping to hear Dumbledore's opinion.

Although he noticed Sirius's gaze, Dumbledore did not answer the question in his eyes. Unlike Amosta, Dumbledore's voice carried concern.

"Amosta, the power I possess