With that settled, Alex finally had a moment to carefully observe the Ministry officials as they began sorting through the seized smuggled goods.
Fortunately, none of the Ministry personnel had been harmed in the raid. The fourteen Aurors led by Moody had quickly brought the situation under control before reinforcements arrived, leaving only the cleanup, disposing of corpses, putting out fires, and securing the captured criminals.
However, despite the lack of casualties, the collateral damage from the battle was severe. Alex grimaced as he surveyed the charred landscape, the fierce Fiendfyre had spread rapidly, burning through more than ten kilometers of forest. The devastation was immense, and he wondered how the Ministry would handle covering up such extensive damage in the Muggle world. Probably another weak excuse, forest fire, perhaps? But it was winter; would anyone even buy that?
Shrugging off that concern, it wasn't his job anyway, Alex turned his attention back to the magical creatures, now revealed as Ministry employees carefully lifted away the tarpaulin covering the large flying carpet.
The moment the cover was removed, everyone present, Alex included, stared in amazement at the extraordinary sight in front of them. The spectacle was breathtaking: rows of cages filled with all sorts of magical creatures sat quietly on the enormous carpet, an astonishing collection that had remained largely unnoticed amidst the earlier chaos.
In one small cage, seven Jobberknolls, little blue birds known for repeating every sound they'd ever heard, sat dejectedly, their heads drooping miserably.
Four larger cages nearby were tightly packed with other creatures. One cage was crammed with four elegant-looking Abraxans horses, their silvery-white bodies marked with magical runes. Alex shook his head, amazed by the smugglers' recklessness.
Another cage contained two unconscious Nundu leopards, creatures whose very breath was deadly poisonous. Thankfully, the Aurors had wisely cast Bubble-Head Charms around them. Even stunned, these creatures posed a severe threat to anything nearby.
Most alarming, however, was another cage containing a large, sleeping three-headed Runespoor serpent, and beside it, a cage filled with a tangled mass of snakes. It was impossible to tell at first glance how many there were, only that their twisted forms were disturbingly crowded together.
As Alex studied the creatures closely, one cage in particular caught his attention. Inside, several horned serpents were tightly coiled together. He easily recognized their distinct shape and the glittering gem on each serpent's forehead.
These creatures were native only to America and extremely rare because their gemstones were widely believed to grant powers such as invisibility and flight. Due to relentless hunting, horned serpents had nearly been driven to extinction. Alex wondered grimly how these smugglers had managed to capture so many at once.
Yet the sight in the largest cages was even more astonishing. The first was occupied by a fully grown griffin, majestic and fierce, but at this moment, it appeared utterly miserable. If the previously seen Abraxans horses looked like plucked chickens, then this griffin resembled nothing less than a peacock stripped of all its feathers, bedraggled and pathetic.
Beside the griffin was another enormous cage containing an adult Antipodean Opaleye dragon. Its once-beautiful scales shimmered like pearls, and its distinctive eyes, white and pupil-less, gleamed faintly. But the creature had clearly suffered terrible treatment: its body was covered with fresh wounds, and a magical chain sealed its mouth shut. The dragon was curled defensively in one corner, glaring angrily at everyone around it.
However, despite the pitiful state of the griffin and the dragon, the creature drawing everyone's attention was undoubtedly the one inside the final large cage, a Thunderbird.
This Thunderbird was astonishingly majestic, boasting three pairs of powerful wings, a sharp eagle-like beak, and piercing, intelligent eyes. Its entire body was adorned with glistening golden feathers, giving it an air of noble elegance. Yet, like the others, it had also endured considerable abuse: many of its beautiful feathers had fallen away, and painful wounds were clearly visible across its body, turning its impressive presence into a heartbreaking sight.
"It's another Thunderbird?" Moody muttered beside Alex, his voice filled with shock. "And a fully grown one at that... Could it be related?"
Alex glanced curiously at Moody. "Again? What do you mean by that? Have you encountered Thunderbirds before?"
Moody hesitated briefly, then looked around cautiously before answering in a low voice, "Actually, we suspected some Thunderbird smuggling had been happening in Britain even before the previous smuggling incident was uncovered. We found traces several times, but each time, we only recovered a few stray feathers or small clues, never the actual smugglers or the Thunderbirds themselves."
"Then, about half a year ago, just before we approached you about purchasing the alchemy tracking equipment, we finally caught a solid lead. We tried to intercept the smugglers, but somehow they discovered our pursuit, suddenly changed routes, and vanished completely, losing all of our Aurors in the process. Despite that failure, we confirmed their cargo was indeed a Thunderbird."
"So that's how it is," Alex murmured thoughtfully, recalling how the golden feathers used during the Ministry's tests of his tracking glasses had closely resembled those on the Thunderbird in front of him. Clearly, their lack of proper tracking methods was what had made the Ministry so desperate for his assistance.
Alex returned his gaze to the imprisoned Thunderbird, experiencing an odd sensation of familiarity and closeness, as if facing a long-lost relative.
At the same moment, the Thunderbird's sharp gaze met Alex's, its own eyes widening in confusion at first. But after briefly focusing on the wand strapped at Alex's waist, the Thunderbird's confusion vanished, replaced instantly by excitement and recognition.
The majestic creature suddenly let out a joyful cry, attempting to rise and move closer. However, the moment it struggled, pain surged through its wounded body.
It shrieked in agony, becoming even more frantic and agitated. Its desperate attempts to break free grew violent as electricity crackled along its feathers, sparks flying dangerously within the cage.
"What's going on?" Barnabas shouted anxiously, alarmed by the Thunderbird's sudden panic. "Quick, everyone, calm it down immediately! If it escapes or wakes up those Nundu leopards, it'll cause complete chaos!"
The Aurors swiftly raised their wands, ready to stun the creature to prevent any further chaos, but before anyone could act, a steady voice suddenly called out, "Wait! Stop!"
Everyone turned toward the source, startled to find Newt Scamander standing there with his hand raised. Under normal circumstances, the Aurors would have ignored interference from an outsider, but no one dared dismiss Scamander's expertise. The legendary magizoologist's reputation compelled them all to pause and listen carefully.
"This Thunderbird isn't deliberately attacking anyone," Newt explained urgently, stepping forward. "It's calling out to someone it recognizes as a companion. Its current agitation is due to emotional distress coupled with severe injuries. Its condition is already critical, if you forcibly subdue it now, it might not survive."
Newt studied the Thunderbird gently, then turned thoughtfully toward Alex. "I think it's trying to reach out to you. Go on, Alex, approach it slowly. Try calming it down."
"Me?" Alex asked uncertainly, pointing to himself. He glanced at Newt, who simply nodded with gentle encouragement.