harry potter book of crimes

"Lupin, it's me... I have something to investigate. I'm waiting for you in the reception room downstairs."

Maka did not wait for the door to open, but just left a word outside the door, and then left with Lena. After the two of them arrived at the reception room opposite the foyer, Maka sat down at the table.

"Is Leni asleep?"

Even for that little girl who keeps making noises all day long, she will always miss her a little after not seeing her for a long time.

The Black Mansion has never been too lively, and it has become even more deserted since the Weasley family returned. So even if you often feel bored after hearing all the noise, it is actually indispensable.

Especially for the few children who are still here, the long period of imprisonment has had a great psychological impact on them. Leni's noisy bluffing is the nourishment they need now.

"Yes, Leni has fallen asleep." Lena never spoke much. She basically just answered a question, "I'm going to make some tea for everyone..."

"Oh, no." Maka waved her hand and said, "No need... we should leave when Sirius comes back. After we go out, you can continue to go back to the room to rest! Or, in fact, you can -

—”

"No rush...just wait."

Lena shook her head slightly, and then sat on the old armchair beside the long table.

Probably because she had just gotten up from the bed, her hair was not tied up as usual. When she turned her head sideways, the ends of her hair beside her ears fell slightly, causing her to raise her hand to tie it up again.

They are tucked back behind the ears.

This girl is very good at enjoying peace and quiet. Except for Leni's sister with the opposite temperament, nothing matters to her. No matter how boring the life here is, she can accept it without boredom.

Rather than worrying about her getting bored, it was easier to worry about Leni, but Maka really didn't have anything for them to do.

"How are you doing Leni recently? You're not messing around somewhere, right?"

As soon as Maka asked this question, there was a sound of footsteps at the door of the reception room. Lena opened her mouth, but quickly closed it.

The next moment, Lupine's fully dressed figure appeared in Maka's sight.

"Oh, Maka! Good evening!"

The first person to say hello was not Lupine, but another person who squeezed in half a body from behind him - Nymphadora Tonks.

"Well, good evening..." Maka said, showing an ambiguous smile, "It seems that I accidentally disturbed you... I hope it wasn't at the most critical moment?"

"Uh... hello!"

Tonks's face suddenly became a little flushed, and her ever-changing shoulder-length hair gradually turned a darker shade of pink from its original color. However, she had a more boyish and cheerful personality, and was very

Soon he became more generous again, and even glared at Maka.

On the other hand, Lu Ping's expression looked quite embarrassed. After all, being teased by a junior who could be his son regardless of his age would still be a complicated emotion.

"Maka, you said there is something that needs to be investigated? What is it?" He waved his hand pretending to be calm, pulled out a chair and sat down, "Well... is it related to the upcoming alchemy competition?

"

If anything big is about to happen recently, it is undoubtedly the International Alchemy Competition to be held at Hogwarts. In addition, this competition is of great significance to Hogwarts. Lupine thought about it casually.

, I guessed the general direction of the matter.

"Yes!" Maka shrugged, "I got news that there seems to be some unrest in the Iranian wizarding community. Specifically, it involves the Indian delegation that has not yet arrived at Hogwarts, and...

"

After briefly explaining the general situation, he tapped his knuckles on the table and paused for a while. After Lupine and Tonks had digested his description, he finally relaxed.

Spread your hands.

"The source of the intelligence may not be comprehensive and reliable. After all, the person who provided this information is not one of our own..." Maka said, "But if this matter is true, then it must be dealt with as soon as possible - to be honest, this matter has something to do with Nico.

The possibility of Flamel’s intellectual legacy is really not small. If nothing else, just the possible inventory of elixir of life is worth the risk for many people..."

"Indeed..." Lupine couldn't help but frowned, "Except for a few people like Dumbledore... who doesn't want to live a few more years?"

As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced at Tonks beside him, who gave him a cheerful smile in return.

There is an age gap between the two people that cannot be ignored. Although Lupine seems to have accepted Tonks' sincere feelings, he always hesitates when he thinks about the future.

"At least I think that the more than six hundred years that the Flamel couple lived were definitely not all happy..." Maka said with a smile, "Anyway, after Sirius comes back, let's set off to Iran to have a look!

"

"Just the three of us?" Lu Ping thought for a while, then nodded and said, "Well, if we just go to explore, it won't be good if there are too many people."

"Three?" When Tonks heard this, she immediately said dissatisfied, "What about me? Are you just going to leave me here? I am also a working Auror after all!"

"So!" Maka said matter-of-factly, "You're going to work tomorrow morning, right? And...hey, how do I remember that you barely passed the stealth and tracking tests?"

Lupine also teased: "If you don't wake up Mrs. Black when you go to the kitchen, then your stealth rating will be good."

After hearing this, Tonks finally leaned down on the table helplessly, and then sighed heavily.

"Alright alright……"

Just as Maka and Lupine looked at each other and smiled, there was a creaking sound of the door being opened in the foyer. Several people in the reception room immediately understood that Sirius should have returned.

"Sirius," Maka stood up and walked out, "Seeing as you can go to the Leaky Cauldron to kill time, you must have nothing to do, right? Get ready, let's go to the magical world of Iran together, and we'll discuss the details on the way -

—”

"Are you going out again? I just came back -"

Sirius still looked carefree. Although he was complaining, the look on his face was full of excitement. This guy was someone who couldn't take any time off, and Maka knew it all.

…

Iran is a typical earthy country.

Due to its geographical location, there are many extremely dry desert terrains here, so that many areas are in hot weather for a long time. This has been the case since the time when this place was still called the "Persian Empire"

.

When Maka, Lupin, and Sirius arrived in Iran, it was already late at night. But this is also the case in today's Muggle world. Even at night, abundant lights can still supplement the evening lighting. In the end,

Busy places may even make it impossible to distinguish day from night more clearly.

Fortunately, as far as the information provided by Rita Skeeter is concerned, they do not need to be too close to the streets where Muggles come and go. In this case, even the presumptuous visit of these foreigners will not

As for those local residents, they often look back and pay attention.

"Maka?"

Under the night of this Iranian city, Maka looked at the earth-colored dome buildings far and near, as well as the patterns on the walls, and couldn't help but pause for a moment in a daze.

In a daze, he couldn't help but feel a familiar smell lingering in his heart, as if he had been to a similar place in the past.

"Huh?" Under Lupine's slightly questioning eyes, Maka let out a breath, then smiled again, "It's okay, I just...remembered a small thing from the past."

As he spoke, his right hand subconsciously clenched it, and then slowly released it.

"Let's go, the place we want to go to should be in the old city in the north. In order not to alert others, let's go around... There are many people on the street, and maybe we will fall into the trap of some malicious people.

'In my eyes..."

Although it was late at night, there were still a lot of people on the central streets. After Maka and the other three entered the city, they passed by the nearby residential area that had been shrouded in darkness and went straight to the old building area in the north of the city.

The earthy color here is thicker than other urban areas, but it is still a gloomy night, and the moonlight makes the brown walls a bit white. Since the streets in the past were mostly narrow and closed, it is difficult to walk among the low-rise houses.

, you can even feel a bit of the crowding and crampedness derived from ancient life.

To put it bluntly, this is Maka's first time coming to this city. Rita Skeeter clearly explained the specific location, but you still have to search hard when you get here.

"...Is this here?"

In a very narrow gap between houses, Maka sensed some strange magic fluctuations. As he walked inside, the fluctuations became more obvious.

Until he casually pushed aside a few broken baskets blocking the way, a door frame that had long been sealed with adobe bricks came into his sight.

"It should be right," Maka turned around and whispered, "We will go in after putting on the Disillusionment Charm. The back here should be a wizard street like Diagon Alley, but it is said that there are many alleys, so be careful when walking through them.

route."

After Lupine and Sirius nodded, Maka cast a disillusionment spell on the three of them, and then reached out her hand to check the brick wall.

Not long after, I saw him drawing a small pattern on a few bricks, and then his whole hand disappeared into the wall.

"What a terrible experience-"

Feeling the sticky feeling like passing through mud, Maka muttered softly before diving in.