Chapter 535 The Everglades

Following the information received from Hagrid, Evan directed Buckbeak to fly deep into the swamp.

They flew amidst the white mist, carefully scanning the ground below.

Although the water and vegetation in this place were exquisite, the creatures living in the Forest rarely ventured here.

Many parts of this swamp were abyssal and treacherous. It looked just like ordinary ground, but if someone accidentally fell into it, they could only hope for survival in a desperate struggle.

Only the most experienced explorers, like Hagrid, could find a way through the depths of the swamp after years of exploration.

Though creatures from the forest seldom approached, it didn't mean there were no other beings in this swamp.

In fact, the reality was quite the opposite. Without the intrusion of forest species, in the unique environment of the Everglades, there existed many special and rare living organisms. They interacted to form a complete ecosystem.

On their way, Evan spotted patches of Mandrakes.

The Mandrake, also known as Mandragora, is a potent healing agent. It is also a crucial part of most antidotes used to restore those who have been transfigured or cursed back to their original state.

A few days ago, in Professor Sprout's Herbology class, Evan had repotted a Mandrake seedling.

Near the Mandrakes, he also saw dozens of magical creatures resembling pieces of dead wood.

They had finned feet and sharp teeth, slithering through the swamps. These magical creatures were Dugbogs, mainly feasting on small animals and plants. They could inflict severe ankle injuries on human walkers, but their favorite food was Mandrakes.

The Mandrake root resembled an ugly baby capable of emitting a shrill cry. Dugbogs fed on these roots, leading Mandrake growers to find nothing but a bloody mess when extracting their plants. The Mandrake roots were gnawed by the Dugbogs and could no longer scream.

In addition to the Dugbogs, Evan also spotted two Hinkypunks. They lurked in puddles near the path, only their lanterns hanging from their front legs peeking out with a faint glow.

In this ever-misty swamp, this light could lure travelers or passing animals to follow them.

The Hinkypunks would give false directions and purposely lead them into bottomless swamp areas or ponds. They waited until the travelers perished and then fed on their decomposing bodies.

Continuing, next to a tall reed, Evan saw something resembling a giant firefly.

Its tail emitted a hazy reddish or yellow glow with sharp spikes. It floated silently a few meters above the water to catch plankton.

However, before it could fly, it was devoured by a large fish with green scales and sharp fangs.

There were also a few grey, round flesh worms slowly slithering in a swamp full of mushrooms and fungi. This creature had a gaping mouth, incessantly devouring the fungus in front of it. Behind its body was a hole oozing green mucus.

It felt as if Evan was stepping into a whole new magical world, witnessing things vastly different from what he used to encounter.

"Are the ancient remnants you mentioned located in this place?" Caresius frowned.

"This is where Hagrid encountered the Manticore, and we are still heading east," Evan replied.

"I must be truly mad to come to such a place with you! Be wary of the Manticore that could appear at any moment; it will assuredly pose a problem beyond your imagination!" Caresius exclaimed, "And I doubt the remnants you spoke of hold any exploration value. I have seen too many of those ancient buildings, only left with rubble inside."

As the place where the statue of the evil god was first discovered, even if mere debris remained, it was worth exploring.

"I have my own judgment. You just need to follow our previous plan. I asked Hagrid about the Manticore's habits. If nothing unexpected occurs, there will be absolutely no issue."

"Well, for starters, even if your plan and trap work, I can only control things for an hour. You will have to hurry!" Caresius gazed grimly at Evan. "If you don't make it out in an hour, I won't come in to save you."

"I know!" Evan nodded and said, "I will keep watch over the time."

Being in contact for a long time with dangerous magical creatures, wizards have summarized and explored a set of effective control methods, such as the use of Stun Charms, special potions and herbs, as well as traps, and so on.

As for the upcoming Manticore, the skin of this beast repels nearly all known charms. It is highly aggressive and extremely dangerous, making it very difficult to face head-on.

Evan was not sure if Caresius could truly defeat the beast, but it definitely wouldn't be without a cost.

Fortunately, they were not here to defeat the Manticore, but to trap it for a sufficient period of time for Evan to explore the remains.

After consulting the relevant information, Evan had chosen a trap tool that met his own requirements.

He had asked Sirius to help him acquire this trap and send it to Moody's office. It was a specialized magical object for dealing with dangerous and magical creatures.

Once activated, several chains could quickly stretch out to ensnare the captured magical creature.

Under the wizard's control, it was difficult to break the chains, and the duration was related to the magic of the wizard controlling the trap.

Caresius' strength should be enough to control the Manticore for over an hour.

Of course, he was not pleased to be asked to do this kind of task, but he had no choice. The current situation was that whatever Evan asked for, Caresius had to try to fulfill it.

Furthermore, there was no danger in this matter; only that Caresius needed to expend some of his magic.

In recent years, from time to time, Hagrid had been providing food to the Manticore living in the marsh.

Evan learned from Hagrid that the Manticore's favorite food was Colacuerno meat.

The Colacuerno is a magical creature that resides in rural areas of Europe, Russia, and the Americas. It resembles a stunted piglet, but with narrow black eyes, a short thick tail, and long legs.

It often sneaks into pigsties and suckles next to an ordinary sow with its own brood. The longer the Colacuerno goes undetected and the larger it grows, the greater the misfortune in the farm it has infiltrated.

Evan also asked Sirius to procure a lot of Colacuerno meat and send it to Moody's office along with the trap.

Now, all these things are packed in the package that Caresius carried in his hand.

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