22

Dark creatures were a particularly discriminated-against race in the wizarding world.

Wizards could be racist too?

Of course they could, and the discrimination was quite severe. Vampires, werewolves, giants, merpeople, centaurs, Dementors, and so on... It even extended to intelligent beasts, such as the giant spiders that joined Voldemort's side during the Battle of Hogwarts.

Why had Voldemort been able to recruit so many dark creatures? At the height of his power, nearly every dark race had pledged itself to him. Aside from Voldemort's intimidation and overwhelming strength, which made those dark creatures fear him, it was largely because he had promised to change their status in the wizarding world.

This showed just how deeply years—even a lifetime—of discrimination by human wizards had affected them.

Take this incident, for example. Five werewolves had gone to the place where the International Dark Magic Association was holding a gathering, then lost their reason after transforming and attacked the gathering.

The International Dark Magic Association was already being suppressed by the Ministry of Magic. If a dark wizard and an ordinary wizard fought and took the matter to court, the dark wizard would definitely lose. But if it were a dark wizard and a werewolf going to court, then the werewolf would definitely lose.

Even after one of the werewolves had been brutally killed by Sherlock, the Ministry of Magic would not even question Sherlock's wrongdoing. Instead, it demanded to know why the werewolves had gone to a dark wizard gathering on the night of a full moon.

The remaining four werewolves explained that they had wanted to avoid transforming on the full-moon night and hurting others. They had discovered beforehand that there were no settlements around that forest in Turkey, which was why they had gone there at dusk.

But who could have known that the place would suddenly be designated as a gathering spot for dark wizards?

Even with such a reasonable explanation, the Ministry of Magic still ruled that they were at fault.

After hastily passing judgment on the werewolves' case, inside the British Ministry of Magic, the horrifying corpse of a werewolf, shriveled into a mummy, lay upon a marble table for the wizards in purple robes surrounding it to examine.

Each of the wizards wearing reddish-purple robes had an exquisite silver W embroidered over the left side of their chest.

They shared a common name: the Wizengamot. They were all members of this organization.

It represented the highest court in the wizarding world and consisted of around fifty members, though only about twenty had attended today. The highest-ranking official of the Wizengamot was known as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot.

Equivalent to the chief justice of an international court, Dumbledore was the Chief Warlock of this generation's Wizengamot.

He too was among those examining the werewolf mummy, standing at the very front. He was also closest to the corpse.

"Too horrifying. The full-moon night has already passed, so the effects of a werewolf's transformation should have faded. Even a dead werewolf couldn't possibly remain in this form forever. Yet not only has every drop of blood been drained from him, even his normal human body didn't revert after death!"

One of the Wizengamot wizards clutched his chest and said fearfully.

To be honest, the effect of this curse was indeed terrifying. At the very least, the Killing Curse left behind an intact corpse, sparing its victim from injury and torment. But this curse could torment someone into such a horrifying state.

"The outside world is in an uproar. Everyone is terrified and uneasy! They're afraid—afraid that boy will become..." The wizard pressed his lips together, then finally gritted his teeth and said, "...another existence like Grindelwald and You-Know-Who!"

Gasp!!!!

Everyone around them sucked in a breath, but one person did not. He studied the mummy intently before declaring with certainty, "He won't!"

"As long as he receives proper guidance and meets the right environment, the right people, and friends..." Dumbledore said calmly. He was an old man who often reflected deeply, so his words were especially convincing.

"You-Know-Who graduated from Hogwarts, and Grindelwald used to be your friend!"

Dumbledore let out a regretful sigh. "That is precisely what I regret. I cared too little for them in the past, to the point that I failed to do what a proper friend and teacher should have done."

He turned and walked away, his faint voice drifting back. "The werewolf did not revert to human form because all the blood and moisture in his body have vanished. His hardened shell has fixed him in his current shape."

Fudge shouted after him, "You want him to go to Hogwarts. I understand what you're thinking, Dumbledore, and I'll be keeping a close eye on that boy as well!"

"As long as he doesn't object. Another boy with such talent cannot change the circumstances of his birth. He grew up in a family that revered dark magic. If you send him to a school that doesn't shy away from dark magic as well, then that would be a truly unforeseeable danger."

At that moment, the boy being heatedly debated throughout the wizarding world sat quietly in a chair in the headmaster's office at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

Oster stared at Sherlock seriously before finally saying thoughtfully, "Listen, child. It was truly fortunate that you came to see me at this time. After examining and observing you, my final conclusion is... you are an Obscurial!"

"An Obscurial?" Sherlock froze.

An Obscurial was a young wizard who, centuries ago, suppressed the magic within their body in order to escape persecution by humans. This left their magic in a state where it could not be vented or released, allowing a dark magical force known as an Obscurus to take root within them. (For details, see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.)

Only young wizards could become Obscurials. Once an Obscurial's emotions became unstable, the Obscurus within them would erupt. It could inflict tremendous harm on those around them, and it would also kill the Obscurial.

No records had ever proven that an Obscurial could live past the age of ten. Sherlock was already eight years old, and that was what Oster worried about. He feared that this extraordinarily gifted child truly would not survive another two years...

"But as far as I know, ever since the wizarding world disappeared from Muggle life, there haven't been any Obscurials in Britain—or even Europe—for centuries. And someone like me... I do occasionally use a few spells. After all, whenever I invent a spell, I'm always the first one impatient to use it!"

Oster nodded. "Of course... But given the immense amount of magic inside you, casting a few spells might not even consume any meaningful amount. Your magic is like a bucket that is nearly full and about to overflow. Releasing a few drops wouldn't produce any noticeable change."

He continued, "Besides suppressing their magic, many Obscurials possess far more magic than normal children. Some even nearly surpass adult wizards. That is also an important factor."

Sherlock understood. So it was because the magic within him was much greater than that of ordinary children his age—far, far greater—that an Obscurus had formed inside him.

"Has there ever been a case where an Obscurus was controlled?"

"Never..." Oster said. "However, a child named Credence once appeared in New York, America. He was the only Obscurial to survive past the age of ten, perhaps because of the enormous magic within him. Credence had also briefly controlled the Obscurus inside him. After all, it was merely a dark magical force. He wreaked havoc across New York City, and even Grindelwald was at a disadvantage when fighting his Obscurus."

Sherlock's eyes lit up. "So an Obscurus can be controlled. It's only a kind of power!"

At the look in Sherlock's eyes, Oster could not help but shudder.

He had nearly forgotten. The child before him was a monstrously gifted freak. If it were him...

"St Mungo's has many cases and records concerning the treatment of Obscurials. Although all of them failed, aside from St Mungo's, there is probably nowhere else in Europe with more records on Obscurials."

Oster said.

"Then thank you. Perhaps I'll need to stay at St Mungo's for some time. And Mr. Oster, I hope you can help me write a letter. If there is anyone alive today who has had close contact with an Obscurus, or even fought one, only he can help me."

"Who?"

"Newt Scamander!"