Scrimgeour, who had found nothing, continued observing his surroundings. From the small table by the wall to the framed photograph on its surface, nothing seemed amiss. And in the frame on the table and books, a distant writer relative of his, Brutus Scrimgeour, had his eyes shut as if dozing inside the picture—this made Scrimgeour's pupils widen in shock. Although the author of Beater's Bible often kept his eyes closed listlessly, and although Scrimgeour disliked noise and did not allow portraits to speak as they pleased, as an experienced Auror, he saw at a glance that this distant relative's slumber had been caused by a Stunning Spell.
Having confirmed that the anomaly was an intrusion, Scrimgeour was not as reckless as he usually appeared. He immediately tried to use Apparition to leave, only to find the spell had failed. Realizing the intruder had come prepared, he at once used his wand to cast Protego around himself, then reached to pull up his collar badge and call for support.
But a rapid series of click-clacking sounds approached him from behind. Then, while he was still turning around, he saw the shadow cast on the ground by that enormous inhuman monster, and the Protego shield he had just cast was annihilated.
In the instant before the shield had fully collapsed, a brilliant flash followed, making his two arms snap tight against his sides, his legs stand to attention, and his whole body stiffen almost without delay. He swayed in place a few times, then fell to the floor with a thud, looking as rigid as a plank.
Scrimgeour's upper and lower jaws were locked together now, leaving him unable to speak. Only his eyes could move, and he finally saw clearly who this hulking attacker was, while blood began to flow from