Nether Night Wand
In the Muggle world, there was a world-renowned scientist in the early 19th century named Charles Robert Darwin. His masterpiece, "On the Origin of Species," proposed the theory of biological evolution. He believed that species in nature "evolve" in the process of adapting to changes in the environment. For example, humans (Homo sapiens) are a new species that evolved from apes.
In the world of wizarding, a similar argument has been put forward by a wizard who believed that the earliest wizards were a group of humans who, in order to adapt to the harsh environment and war of the time, unleashed the chaotic magic within them and successfully mastered this power to influence reality through idealistic thought. Unfortunately, he did not have Darwin's luck; his theories did not spread widely. Apart from a handful of wizard historians specializing in ancient history, no one remembered his name.
The biggest reason why evolution is unpopular and unacceptable in the wizarding world is because of the existence of Fire Dragon and Giant, which serve as living proof against it.
Their ancestors were extremely powerful Ancient Divine Dragon and Ancient Giant. In ancient times, legends abounded about "Hell Dragon Emperor," "Undying War Dragon," "Titan Giant God," and "Cyclops Troll," among others. Their terrifying reputation instilled fear and submission in other species. And look at their descendants now—
Fire Dragon became playthings of wizards, captured by Goblin to guard treasure vaults, kept as livestock in breeding farms, and used as raw materials for Potions, wands, and alchemical items... Giant were reduced to a single tribe, driven by wizards to the Ural Mountains in western Russia, a desolate and resource-poor place. By 1995, internal strife had decimated them, leaving only a mere eighty-odd survivors...
Judging from their situation, it seems that the ancient civilization experienced a break in its development, leading to the degeneration of these two powerful species... which also indirectly caused wizards to gradually lose faith in the existence of "evolution"...
Even with Dumbledore and the mindset of a centenarian, he looked on incredulously.
A faint dragon's roar echoed from the void, rising and falling like waves. As Skylar's jet-black Night Star Cloak billowed high, it lit up with countless points of light, which refracted in mid-air, resembling a magnificent and fantastical magical wave pattern.
Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, Madame Maxime, and Principal Karkaroff seemed to sense something; the four of them frowned slightly, but couldn't quite put their finger on it.
Despite being the wielder of the Elder Wand, Dumbledore could clearly see through the true nature of magical fluctuations.
It was a creature that looked remarkably like Thestral.
Like the Thestral, it had no flesh on its body; its black fur clung tightly to its skeleton, making every bone clearly visible. Huge bat wings sprouted from the bulge between its shoulder bones. Unlike the Thestrals, its four long legs, which should have been horse hooves, had now become dragon claws resembling a black skeleton. Its head, which already resembled a dragon's head, now had three long, curved black horns, and rows of sharp barbs gleaming on its nose and chin.
The most noticeable change is that the Thestral's eyes, which were originally blank and without pupils, have now become a pair of pupils burning with emerald green flames.
Dumbledore couldn't help but recall the ancient legends—
Just as Ancient Divine Dragon evolved into modern Fire Dragon, and Ancient Giant evolved into modern Giant, the ancient ancestors of the Thestral were legendary creatures that corresponded to the power of death.
Draco Mortem.
It is one of the five great dragons, alongside the "Hell Dragon Emperor", the "Undying War Dragon", the "Holy Light White Dragon", and the "Bloodweeping Red Dragon".
Does this mean that "evolution" truly exists, and that the remnant spirit of the Thestral residing within Skylar's wand is...?
It has evolved into its ancestor, the Draco Mortem!
Dumbledore's tall, thin body swayed slightly. Even though he knew that it was just a remnant consciousness nurtured from a tail feather using special alchemical techniques, and could not possibly display the world-destroying power of those ancient dragons, it was still remarkable—after all, this was something Dumbledore hadn't accomplished in half a century with the Elder Wand in hand!
He immediately made a decision. His fingers, hidden in his sleeve, trembled rapidly, making a complex hand gesture, and a loud phoenix cry seemed to come from a distant place...
Upon hearing the Phoenix's distinctive, long cry, the four Champion all paused to varying degrees. Harry even stopped completely, looking around curiously, trying to find the source of the phoenix's cry.
Even Skylar, who was walking with the most steady steps, paused for a barely perceptible moment. He suddenly felt a warm, thin object in the hidden pocket of his sleeve. He gently touched it through the fabric of his sleeve and was ninety percent certain that it was a tail feather from the Fawkes.
He seemed to understand something, a slight smile appeared on his lips, and he continued walking out of the Great Hall.
[Thestral Wand Upgrade - "Nether Night Wand"!]
[Obtain the "item" Fawkes's Tail Feather!]
The Champion walked out of the Great Hall together and slowly descended the steps. Bagman asked with great concern, "How are you feeling?" Although he seemed to be extending his greetings to all the Champion, his gaze was fixed intently on Harry.
"It's fine," Harry replied somewhat awkwardly.
They entered the Quidditch Pitch, which was completely unrecognizable. A twenty-foot-high hedge surrounded the edge of the field. There was a gap in front of them, the entrance to this great maze. The passageways inside were dark and a little frightening.
Five minutes later, people began to enter the stands. Hundreds of students filed in and took their seats, the air filled with excited chatter and the sound of hurried footsteps.
The sky was now a clear, deep blue, and the stars began to appear. Hagrid, Professor Moody, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick entered the sports field and approached Bagman and several Champion. Their hats were all adorned with large, glittering red stars, except for Hagrid.
His red star was on the back of his thick velvet vest.
"We will be patrolling outside the maze," Professor McGonagall told the Champion. "If you encounter any difficulties and need rescue, fire a red spark into the sky, and someone will come to your aid. Do you understand?"
The Champion Qidian.
"Alright, you can go now!" Bagman said cheerfully to the four patrolmen.
The four people walked in different directions and dispersed around the maze. At this moment, Bagman pointed his wand to his throat and said "Sonorus," and his magically amplified voice echoed in the stands.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the final match of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me announce the current scores--"
"Skylar Malfoy - 92 points, first place, Hogwarts School!" Applause and cheers startled the birds in the Forbidden Forest into the darkening night sky.
"Eleanor von Hohenheim and Harry Potter – 85 points, tied for second place!" Another round of applause erupted from the stands. "Katarina Grindelwald - Monroe – 70 points, third place, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic!"
From afar, Skylar saw Lucius and his wife, Draco, Pansy, the Greengrass sisters, Morrie, Susan, Cho Chang, and Luna all sitting in the same row, politely applauding Katarina. He waved to them, and each of them smiled and waved back.
"Now... Skylar, listen to my whistle!" Bagman said, "Three—two—one—"
With a short, sharp whistle, Skylar adjusted his Night Star Cloak, gripped his wand, and four tennis ball-sized orbs of light appeared behind him, emitting a gentle, moonlit glow. He strode confidently into the dark labyrinth, his figure blending seamlessly into the darkness, disappearing from the sight of the spectators in the stands.