"There," the young wizard said, his voice tight. "That village."
From their height, the village looked like a small scattering of gray blocks on the ground.
Now a deeper shadow spread through that patch of gray, shutting out the moonlight. It flowed and expanded like ink dropped into clear water, slowly staining the whole area.
Dalton narrowed his eyes. "Is that... fog? No, it's too dark to tell, but isn't that fog an odd color?"
"Some kind of magic," Emily judged, then added, "Dark Magic."
As an experienced Auror, Dalton thought for a moment and quickly made his decision. "Emily, Benjamin, descend with me. Stay alert. Remember, if it really is that 'Christmas Dark Wizard,' his behavior is strange. We might be able to communicate with him, but only if we take the initiative."
"Then let's move." Dalton was already angling his broom downward. "The three of us will go down and take a look. There's a good chance it's the Christmas Dark Wizard."
Benjamin, the young wizard, tightened his grip on his Wand. It was a well-maintained Hawthorn Wand.
He took a deep breath and tried to steady himself. Since becoming a full Auror, this was the first time he might face a real Dark Wizard—if the strange fog below had anything to do with one.
The three descended slowly in a triangular formation. On Broomsticks, they could fight or retreat with ease.
But the closer they came to the village, the stronger the chill running through them became. It was not a biting cold, but an emotional chill rising from deep within.
Dalton gripped his Broomstick with one hand and scanned their surroundings. Something was very wrong. Even he, a veteran Auror, was beginning to feel afraid.
*Come on, Dalton. Don't embarrass yourself in front of the two