Searching for Nagini
The following morning, Lucien entered the private alchemy classroom assigned to him by Beauxbatons.
The moment he stepped through the door, several subtle yet precise magical fluctuations, like an invisible scanner, gently and thoroughly swept over his entire body.
This is to prevent contestants from bringing in unregistered items and to ensure a fair competition.
The room was spacious and bright, and equipped with all kinds of gold refining equipment, from brass balances and multi-mouthed crucibles to precision crystal cutters.
On the shelf against the wall, all the materials Lucien registered and submitted yesterday have been neatly categorized and arranged.
The rules for the free crafting process are strict; contestants must register all materials in advance, and the school will arrange for their safekeeping here.
Each time someone enters or leaves, they are subject to the same magical check. Apart from wands, any personal belongings, especially containers with the Undetectable Extension Charm, are strictly prohibited from being brought in.
If additional materials are required during the process, you must resubmit and go through the same procedure again.
Lucien glanced around to make sure everything was in order, then walked to the center of the workbench and took out his wand.
Refining begins.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, deep in a secluded primeval forest in Albania.
A cold mist lingered among the bare branches.
Newt walked unsteadily through the silent woods, his breath condensing into white mist.
More than half a month ago, Newt learned from Lucien that there might be a special giant serpent in this forest, and that it was very likely the incarnation of his old friend Nagini, who was afflicted with Blood Curse. So Newt set off without stopping to this place to begin this hopeless search.
Albania is a small country with a small wizard population and no formal Ministry of Ministry of Magic.
But precisely because of this, this land has been largely untouched by civilization, giving rise to many rare and Magical Creatures.
This "abundance" also attracted the covetous eyes of dark wizards and illegal poachers.
Newt had traveled here many times in the past to protect the creatures here, so he was not unfamiliar with this land.
Before officially entering the forest for the investigation, Newt, as usual, first went to see the well-informed "local bigwig"—a Portkey dealer he knew quite well.
It's worth noting that during Newt's prime, he was restricted from entering more than a hundred countries, purely because the Ministry of Magic of those countries was deeply troubled by his tendency to cause trouble wherever he went and the group of animal companions in his suitcase who could always create "surprises".
These Portkey dealers operating in the gray area became his "illegal" route to travel the world and continue his work protecting Magical Creatures.
They often possess information that is unavailable on the market, information that comes from the shadows.
The dealer's information gave Newt hope: about a month ago, lumberjacks had indeed spotted a "strange-looking, frighteningly large" snake at the edge of the forest.
This news cheered him up a bit. You see, this forest in front of him was as vast as the sea, with dense vegetation. To find a snake in it was like finding a needle in a haystack.
Moreover, it is the dead of winter, and most snakes have already entered hibernation.
Newt can only hope that Nagini, who has been transformed into a snake by Blood Curse, will have different habits from ordinary snakes and may still be able to move in the cold.
In a small, relatively open clearing in the woods, Newt stopped, skillfully put down the suitcase, and unfastened the clasp.
The moment the box lid popped open, a dozen agile figures darted out: there were Crup that closely resembled Jack Russell Terriers but with forked tails; there were Niffler with darting, shifty eyes; and there were pale gray Tebo...
They are all excellent trackers.
Newt then pulled a small magical amulet from his pocket; these were alchemical tools given to him by Lucien to protect against dangerous attacks.
He put it on each of the little creatures that were about to set off on their search.
"Please, guys, help me find my old friend."