The scene inside the room unfolded before Alan's eyes. Through the window, he saw an empty bedroom, neatly decorated. Various sundries sat upon the desk, and several garments hung from a nearby rack, suggesting a regular occupant.
Raven Number One moved methodically, stopping at every windowsill on the third floor. The entire level was currently empty, consisting of bedrooms for resting, yet traces of human life were everywhere—and clearly belonging to more than one person.
Seeing no immediate value on the third floor, Alan steered the raven down to the second-floor windows. This time, he hit pay dirt. Through the glass, directly opposite his position, was a large hall where several men were gathered in conversation.
*One, two, three, four, five... a total of five people.* Yaxley was indeed inside. One of the others was Torquil Travers, whom Alan recognized from the station and Sampel's memories; he was the boy's uncle. The remaining three were likely Death Eaters as well.
"Next, I need to map the alarm configuration of this house. It seems my multi-tasking abilities are about to be tested." He shifted his cloak, and a second raven appeared at his feet.
With a thought, Alan sent the second bird into the sky. After a brief circle, it landed on the chimney. Since every door and window was bolted tight, the flue seemed the only viable point of entry. Meanwhile, the first raven remained on the second-floor sill, keeping watch on the targets.
Raven Number Two didn't hesitate, diving straight into the chimney. Alan knew from his exterior scouting that each floor had its own fireplace. Under his careful guidance, the raven emerged into the hearth on the third floor.
From the perspective of the first bird watching the hall, the Death Eaters showed no reaction.
*Excellent. No alarm spells laid inside the chimney. Now, let's get a clear layout of the third floor.*
Raven Number Two poked its head out of the grate, looked left and right, and waddled out into the room. The building was quite spacious. the third floor consisted of a small living area and six rooms. Based on his exterior scan, one was a washroom, meaning the other five were bedrooms. The living area held two pairs of sofas, a wooden coffee table, cabinets of varying heights, and a grandfather clock.
After a few laps, Raven Number Two triggered nothing. Through the shared vision, Alan couldn't detect any active magical traps on the floor.
*It makes sense; if the floor itself were enchanted, they couldn't walk to the bathroom at night without scaring themselves half to death.*
Leaving the center of the room, the raven began to search along the corners and walls. Alan was careful not to let the bird actually touch the surfaces; he had seen enough protective magic at Lily's to know that many alarms were pressure or contact-based.
As the raven reached a window, Alan looked up through its eyes, examining the frame. Soon, he noticed a faint, blurry rune that pulsed occasionally on the inner sill. This was typical of temporary enchantments on ordinary objects. High-quality alchemical items with properly inscribed runes wouldn't have such obvious magical leakage.
"So, every door and window is alarmed. I don't know about the walls yet, but there's no rush. Let's check the bedrooms."
Alan directed the raven to the various bedroom doors. They were made of dark, aged wood. A close look confirmed that magic had been woven into the handles and frames of every single one.
"Doors and windows are sealed tight. Infiltration through standard means is impossible. If only I could Apparate, this would be so much simpler. So, what's the alternative?"
After a moment, Alan's eyes sharpened. "Poison. I can incapacitate them first, then walk right in."
He sent Raven Number Two on a hunt for food or water, but after a thorough sweep, he found no supplies on the third floor. The washroom door was alarmed, so he had to go down.
His earlier scouting had placed the kitchen on the second floor. The house seemed designed for business: a spacious ground floor, a kitchen, washroom, and reception hall on the second, and sleeping quarters on the third.
Raven Number Two tiptoed toward the stairs, Alan fearing any scratching of claws might alert the residents. Finding the staircase itself free of enchantments, the bird descended step by step. It was a 180-degree turn; halfway down, the raven paused, peeking around the corner.
The stairs faced the living room directly. He could see the backs of the Death Eaters, and the open-plan kitchen was right next to them. But he noticed something far more dangerous.
A Foe-Glass hung above the living room. judging by its size and clarity, it was a high-grade item. Yet, it remained dark. The men in the hall continued their animated chatter, completely oblivious. Alan peered through the raven's eyes at the glass; it still didn't react. It seemed the shared vision of a summoned creature didn't register as a "threat" to the device.
"It's a pity the Flying Raven spell only shares vision and not sound; I can't hear a word they're saying. And while the glass ignores the bird, the kitchen is in their direct line of sight. It's too risky. I'll scrap the poisoning plan and head back to the third floor to find another way."
Back upstairs, Raven Number Two paced the small living room, moving between the windows and the doors, as Alan weighed his next move.