Dark Wings Over Hogwarts

Zane unfolded the letter carefully, his fingers tightening around the edges as he took in the sight of James' desperate handwriting. The ink was smudged in places, as if written in haste—or with trembling hands. A heavy feeling settled in his chest as he began to read.

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Zane,

This may be my last farewell to you. Even though we were only friends for a month, you helped me in ways I can never repay. You saved my daughter's life, and for that, I will always be grateful.

But now, I must ask for your help one last time. Please, think of this as my final wish—save my daughter.

I wanted to reach out to you earlier, but I had no way to contact you. I didn't want to drag you into this, but I had no other options. My sister may have told you about Camilia's disappearance, but she doesn't know everything.

After searching desperately for any clue, I met a beggar near The Abandoned Docks, Red Hook, Brooklyn. He had been sleeping in a garbage dump when strange noises woke him up. When he looked, he saw something he couldn't explain—a fight between two men, but not an ordinary fight. They were using magic.

The fight lasted barely a minute before they stopped, speaking to each other like allies. Then, right in front of the beggar's eyes, they vanished—taking a young girl with them. The beggar, terrified, had been ranting about what he saw to anyone who would listen.

I only found out because I overheard him while drinking at a nearby bar. When I pressed him for details, everything pointed to one truth—wizards took my daughter.

But after that, the trail went cold. I had no leads, no way to contact you, and no power to fight these people. So I made the only choice I could—I attacked the London Embassy. It was reckless, but I needed to get your attention. I needed you to come to me.

I know you might be angry that I didn't try harder to reach you another way, but please, don't blame yourself. This isn't your fault. All I ask is this—save Camilia and bring her to my sister. She is all I have left, Zane. If you need help, ask Anna.

James

---

Zane lowered the letter, his grip tightening until his knuckles turned white. His jaw clenched as he exhaled sharply, emotions swirling beneath the surface. James hadn't been used by some mastermind—he had done it all on his own.

For his daughter.

Zane closed his eyes briefly, pressing his fingers against his temple. Damn it, James… you shouldn't have had to go this far.

Anna, who had been watching him closely, finally spoke. "Zane… what does it say?"

For a long moment, he didn't answer. Then, his voice came, quieter than usual.

"It confirms what I suspected," he said, his tone edged with frustration. "James wasn't being controlled by anyone. He planned the attack on the embassy himself—just to get my attention. He even used the rage potion to make sure I'd come."

He let out a harsh sigh, shaking his head. "I should have given him a way to contact me. I thought keeping him out of the magical world was protecting him. But I never imagined…" His voice trailed off, a flicker of guilt passing through his usually composed features.

Anna frowned. "What exactly are you saying?"

Zane handed her the letter. As she read, he continued, his voice steady but cold.

"James mentioned a beggar who saw two men kidnapping a girl. The girl was around eleven or twelve years old—but she wasn't Camilia." His eyes darkened. "Most muggle-borns awaken their magic at that age. Rare cases happen earlier—some as young as five or seven."

Anna's breath hitched slightly. "Wait—you think Camilia awakened her magic?"

Zane nodded. "That potion didn't just heal her—it unlocked something. It accelerated what should have happened years later." He met Anna's gaze. "And if that's the case, then there's a high possibility that some group is targeting newly awakened magical children."

A heavy silence fell between them.

Anna folded the letter slowly, her mind racing. "But why? What could they want with them?"

Zane's gaze sharpened. "That's what I intend to find out."

---

The room felt colder, the weight of their realization sinking in.

Anna finally broke the silence. "If Camilia was taken because of her magic, then there must be others. Other children must be missing too."

Zane exhaled slowly. "Exactly. I need to investigate missing children cases in both the magical and non-magical world."

He turned to Anna, his expression unreadable. "And I need your help."

Anna blinked. "What do you need me to do?"

Zane glanced at the map she had laid out earlier. "Use your agency's resources. Look into missing children—specifically kids between ten and twelve years old. See if there are any patterns, any disappearances that don't add up."

Anna nodded immediately. "I can do that. It won't take long to gather the information."

Zane memorized the location where James had found the beggar. "Then I'll start from here."

Anna hesitated. "And if you find something?"

Zane smirked faintly, but his eyes were cold. "Then I make them talk."

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