Hogwarts on the tip of the tongue

"Towels and hot water are no problem, sir!" said Tom Abbott. "I can also help get some bread and sausages, but they are cold and may need to be toasted by the fireplace. What do you want to drink? Beer? Brandy? Or...hot coffee?"

"Brandy, coffee, and a pitcher of tea if you can," said Scrimgeour, still looking rather grim.

"By the way, Mr. Scrimgeour. Where's Mr. Crouch?"

At this moment, a gray-headed Tonks looked around and asked cautiously.

"What I mean is...since you arrived at the Leaky Cauldron first, Mr. Crouch should have successfully rendezvoused with you, but why didn't you see him..." Tonks' hands on her knees were somewhat agitated. Trembling, "Did you not leave together, or..."

"Don't worry, Crouch and I will leave before you-"

Scrimgeour looked at the young witch who had just joined the Auror Command for a year, his expression softening slightly.

"You have done a very good job in decision-making and follow-up behavior below. Just a few of us are simply not enough to cope with tonight's situation. We need more help. The wizards in the Ministry of Magic are not just our Auror Command. I Let Crouch inform—"

Before Scrimgeour could finish speaking, the door of the tavern, which was locked from the inside, suddenly made the sound of the bolt sliding.

Scrimgeour pulled out his wand, turned around quickly, and looked warily towards the door of the Leaky Cauldron.

"who?!"

"I, Moody—Rufus, what happened?"

As the door opened, a low, hoarse voice sounded at the same time, like the vibration of an old gong.

A man appeared at the door. He took off his hood, revealing gray hair, and limped in.Behind him was Barty Crouch, who had not appeared in the tavern just now, but at this time, Tonks' attention was almost entirely attracted by the wizard who came in first.

She had never seen such a face.It's like it was carved out of a piece of rotten wood.

The carver only has a vague idea of ​​what a human face should look like, and is not very good at using a carving knife.

Every inch of skin on the face seemed to be scarred, the mouth was like a big crooked hole, and the place where the nose should be raised was missing.

The most terrifying thing about this man is his eyes: one of his eyes is small, black, and shiny; the other eye is large, round like a coin, and has a distinctive bright blue.

The blue eye was constantly moving without blinking, turning up and down, side to side, completely independent of the normal eye.

The blue eyes quickly swept across the tavern, then turned and penetrated into the man's head. Tonks could only see a big white eyeball.

"Oh, thank God, Moody, it's so good of you to come -" Scrimgeour was visibly relieved.

Moody walked over to Rufus Scrimgeour.He held out a hand, one as scarred as his face.

Scrimgeour shook his hand and whispered something that Tonks didn't hear clearly.So she chose to poke the silent Kingsley Shacklebolt next to her, lowered her voice and asked curiously, "Who is that wizard? I don't think I have seen him in the ministry?"

"Alastor Moody. I think you should have heard of him. He just retired a few years ago——"

Kingsley said in a deep voice, glancing at Tonks who was still confused, "Do you remember what I said before? 'Mad-Eye Moody', the most outstanding and powerful senior Auror in the history of the Ministry of Magic. , during the Wizarding War more than ten years ago, the people he arrested filled half of the cells in Azkaban. If Dumbledore is the wizard that the mysterious man fears most, then Moody is the proud person that all Death Eaters fear most. Luo——"

"So, you have fought against those guys who broke into the Ministry of Magic, Shacklebolt?"

Moody's hoarse voice sounded, and the conversation between him and Scrimgeour ended. The blue magic eye rolled out and stared at Kingsley again.

"Well, I, Mr. Crouch, Nymphadora, we were in the hall of the Ministry of Magic and happened to meet them."

"What's the opponent's strength? How many people are there? Do you know anyone?" Moody asked bluntly.

"Well -" Kingsley Shacklebolt was silent for a moment and glanced at the bar owner standing not far away.

"A private room, quietly, Tom," said Scrimgeour quickly.

"Everything should be suitable over there. I'll prepare towels, hot water, and food and drink for you—"

Old Tom pointed towards the aisle beside the bar, turned around and walked behind the bar knowingly. As a bar owner, he knew very well when to gossip and when to leave. In this situation tonight, the most correct thing to do is Just don’t ask anything.

"Thank you, Mr. Aibo. If anyone else comes later, please help me point it out."

Barty Crouch nodded and added, "Some people should arrive one after another later, just let them come directly."

Everyone walked forward along the narrow passage, left the bar and entered the nearest small private room.

As usual, Mad Eye scanned the room with his magic eye, tapped the floor with his cane, and a fire started in the fireplace.

"It's safe here, tell me," Moody said, pulling a chair from the fire and sitting down.

Scrimgeour and others also found a sofa or chair to sit down. Kingsley Shacklebolt cleared his throat and began to talk seriously about what happened in the hall of the Ministry of Magic. Scrimgeour and Moody Occasionally, I would ask a few questions, and Crouch and Tonks would also help to supplement them from time to time.

With the crackle of the fire and Kingsley's words, the atmosphere in the room became solemn.

"There are a total of thirty fireplaces on the left and right sides of the Ministry of Magic Hall. If we follow your previous description..."

After Scrimgeour was silent for a few seconds, his face began to turn a little blue, "At least forty or fifty wizards have invaded the Ministry of Magic?! Do you know what this means? This is not a joke. According to this scale, what is this?" This incident may be..."

"The Wizarding War, Rufus. It's obvious that a new war has broken out."

Mad-Eye Moody said indifferently, with a cold look on his mutilated and scarred face.

"Unless Crouch and Shacklebolt are all blind at the same time, we'd better accept this fact as soon as possible - Dumbledore's warning was right, Voldemort and his Death Eaters are back! In addition to fighting, We have no other choice."

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Great!