92. Autopsy And Scrutiny
"Then let's talk about you, Miss Goldstein," Aurelius said, looking at Tina who had calmed down.
"You're an Auror, correct? An Auror of the United States. And this is France - you don't have any law enforcement rights here. Honestly, with the way you just attacked me, I could easily use the death curse on you without any consequences," Aurelius told her, looking directly at Tina.
"My mission is to bring you back. We're here to protect you," Tina said, her expression filled with sadness and a hint of uncertainty as she looked at him.
Aurelius could easily guess what Tina was thinking, and he didn't need Legilimency to do so. From Tina's perspective, she was here to save 'Aurelius' from any danger he might face.
However, just because Aurelius could guess her thoughts, it didn't mean he would be thankful or at her mercy. "Do you think I believe you?" Aurelius said, looking at Tina with contempt. "Miss Goldstein, I remember that about seven or eight months ago you wholeheartedly promised me compensation from the Magical Congress. But what did I gain?"
Tina couldn't hide her remorse over this matter. She had always felt sorry for Aurelius, but her sense of justice prevented her from turning a blind eye. "Were you wanted? Deported? You're now wandering Europe, far from your homeland. Miss Goldstein, if you were in my shoes, would you believe what you just said? Would you trust anyone who covers up for others to maintain peace? The corrupt Magical Congress?" Aurelius focused on this point, neglecting any other arguments.
Tina fell silent. There wasn't much else to say. When you can't win an argument, what else is there to do?
"Alright, you two," Aurelius said, dismissing the unresolved issues. "There's no need to bring up certain things anymore. I've had a great day. I saw an old friend and made a new one. If nothing comes up, would you like to stay for dinner tonight? Nagini is an amazing cook." Aurelius winked at Nagini, who responded with a slight smile.
"Um, excuse me," Tina hesitated. She didn't want to see Aurelius at all anymore. What she had just experienced scared her, reminding her of the fear she felt in the execution chamber nine months ago.
However, considering the mission at hand and Newt's persistent hints beside her, Tina reluctantly agreed.
Nagini said her goodbyes and left. She had been using the hotel kitchen to cook lately. The Zouwu had quite the appetite. If they bought everything from the hotel, it would probably go bankrupt.
After handling Newt and Tina, Aurelius examined the body closely. The cause of death was evident at a glance.
What intrigued Aurelius was the man's identity.
Who was he? A thief?
Perhaps, but Aurelius didn't think so. Even though this man acted like a thief and dressed like one, sneaking out of windows at night, it was all in the manner of a true gentleman. But Aurelius couldn't believe that he was a thief because he couldn't see a reason for someone to steal from him. He had stayed in his room for ten days and had only visited a few Ministry of Magic officials during the first two months. He hadn't revealed his wealth, so it didn't make sense for a thief to target him.
No thief would break into an empty room without a motive. Even if he was a poor man, there had to be a reason. Aurelius gently searched the corpse but found nothing significant except for a well-maintained wand.
Objects outside the body could easily be placed or removed, but the things on the body couldn't be taken away. Rolling up the sleeves, a strange tattoo of a vulture with three legs was revealed. Aurelius didn't recognize it, so he looked to Newt for help. Even Newt, the world's foremost expert on magical animals, seemed confused.
"Isn't this a magical creature?" Aurelius asked.
Newt shook his head. "I've never seen or heard of it before."
Could it be the symbol of some mysterious organization? Aurelius wondered, looking at Tina, the knowledgeable MACUSA Auror. Tina also had no idea.
That's it, he didn't know anything about it.
Aurelius continued to examine the body and found a hidden tooth that was poisoned. "A good guy, a dead soldier?" Aurelius speculated, shaking his head. But he didn't discover anything else of importance.
Luckily for wizards, there was something that could provide evidence - a magic wand!
"Excuse me, who can help me?" Aurelius handed over the wand from the corpse.
Tina took it, pointed her wand, and cast a flashback curse. Miraculous light appeared from the two wands, connecting them and creating a golden light that recreated the magic spell the wands had cast before.
"Alohomora - there's a counter-spell on the hotel room door, but no window?" Tina observed.
"Illusion spell," Tina explained, carefully examining the images produced by the flashback.
"And Apparating," Newt added.
"Can you show us more? Show us where he came from," Aurelius prompted.
Tina shook her head. "No, the flashback spell can only show us the spells that the wand has previously cast."
The flashbacks continued. They revealed that the person had relied heavily on advanced magic spells such as the Disillusionment Curse. These were considered advanced not because they were difficult to cast, but because few people used them.
Many people have the misconception that wizards have mastered all types of magical abilities and appear to be all-powerful.
However, this is not accurate. In reality, most wizards reach their peak after graduating. Their lives, work, and travels are no different from those of ordinary individuals, except for their use of magic.
Who hasn't tried to pick a lock using wire when they were a child? But, apart from thieves and locksmiths, who in the regular world would dedicate themselves to learning lockpicking every day?
The same goes for wizards. Unlocking spells and body transformation spells are practically useless in day-to-day life. Instead, most wizards mainly use various spells related to daily tasks. If these spells are not used or cast frequently, they may become less effective over time.
In comparison, the disembodiment spell is quite challenging, but almost all adult wizards can cast it proficiently. This is a skill that improves with practice.
However, the stories I encountered in my previous life were mostly focused on combat, so the characters that appeared were mostly skilled in fighting. This led to the misconception that wizards are primarily combat-focused individuals.
But don't overestimate wizards. Aside from their inherent magical abilities, they are no different from regular people. There are both geniuses and average individuals among them, and they have various specializations.
The owner of this particular wand seems to specialize in combat magic, lacking proficiency in life-related spells.
The use of dark magic is also common among wizards.
The casting of these spells allows one to gauge the individual's experience.
Based on Aurelius' observation, it seemed that this person frequently engaged in battles. In the limited flashback duration of the Flashback Spell, there were at least a dozen battles of varying durations.
Additionally, Aurelius noticed that this person primarily used non-fatal spells in battles, focusing on confinement and control. Spells such as petrification, freezing the ground, tripping legs, and locking legs were the most common. Occasionally, more dangerous curses like the killing curse and thunderbolt explosion were used.
This suggests that his battles are typically focused on subduing and capturing opponents, and he only resorts to killing when he cannot subdue them.
Auror seems to be a fitting occupation for him, given his fighting style. However, his attire and the fangs in his mouth make him appear as a highly trained assassin.
So, what does this person do?
"...Wait..." Aurelius suddenly raised his head. "Has he ever used the Shield Curse?"
"Perhaps not."
"Is there such a wizard? One who frequently engages in battles but has never used the Shield Curse?" Aurelius frowned.
"But he has used many obstacle spells," Tina suggested. "Although the Obstacle Curse is also a defensive spell, its main purpose is for control and cannot completely replace the role of the Shield Curse," Aurelius shook his head. Suddenly, he realized what Newt had in mind. Looking concerned, he asked, "What did you find?"
"He is a hunter of magical animals," Newt's expression turned grim. "I've encountered these individuals before. They make a living by hunting magical animals and selling various materials obtained from them. Since fresh and high-quality materials are in demand, these individuals usually capture the animals alive, imprison them, and then kill them when it's time to sell the materials."
"Fantastic animal hunters typically operate in small groups of three to five. They have clearly defined roles such as prevention, capturing, and tracking. This person... he seems to be responsible for capturing and ambushing people as part of such a team."
As Newt spoke, his face contorted unpleasantly. "We missed it - a team like this would have acted almost simultaneously. When he arrived here, his companions must not have been far behind. However, after such a long investigation, they may have escaped already."
"Wait - Fantastic Beast Hunter? Did you mention someone named Grimm?" Aurelius asked.
"Grimmson, Gunnar Grimmson. He is the most renowned magical animal hunter in the world and controls over half of the illegal global market for magical animal materials. I encountered him at the British Ministry of Magic before coming here. The ministry had hired him to track you. This person may be one of Grimmson's men," Newt concluded, looking at Aurelius.
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