"...Yes, it's because the fog is the same everywhere, and it's impossible to know where to start, because no one knows where it comes from."
Maybe it’s because of the similar age difference! Back at the Black Mansion, Hermione felt that Tonks was the most talkative among the members of the Order of the Phoenix.
So today in Diagon Alley, Hermione chose her as a breakthrough.
On the other hand, Tonks was also very happy that Hermione came to talk to him - in recent years, due to the continuous chaos, there were only a handful of young people willing to work as Aurors. In the past few years of working in the Ministry of Magic, she had basically faced colleagues of the uncle generation, and her life was really depressing.
To be honest, if she hadn't loved the Auror profession since she was a child, with her straightforward personality, she would have gone to the office director's office and resigned.
Yes, the situation when she came to Diagon Alley to perform her mission today was naturally the same as usual. Even though there were a lot of people on the street, she had no one to chat with. She had long had enough of this boring waiting.
"... But to be honest, I heard that Mundungus has investigated the Muggles and found out the area where the fog first appeared. It's just because it hasn't been completely determined yet. Currently, only Sirius and I know about it. Other colleagues don’t know yet.”
Hermione heard her mysterious words, and couldn't help but feel a little itchy - she was already very curious about the fog in London, and when she heard that the people from the Order of the Phoenix seemed to have found the approximate source, she immediately whispered road:
"Where is the first area?"
"Oh! You can't say that..." Tonks leaned against the old-fashioned hanging street lamp in Diagon Alley and waved her hands, "Well, I'm sorry... At least we still need to keep it a secret until we officially go there to investigate! "
Hermione couldn't help but feel a little disappointed when she heard this.
Now that they know that Percy most likely has never been to Diagon Alley, the four of them have lost their only possible clue to finding each other. And if that's the case, rather than searching everywhere aimlessly, they have to have a direction worth looking for, right
Therefore, when she thought that Percy also left the Burrow in search of the brothers Fred and George, Hermione felt that the source of the fog should be a place that she must go to.
After all, the thinking of the twin brothers cannot be guessed based on common sense. Ordinary people who are trapped in the fog will most likely want to escape from the fog area immediately, but Fred and George might try their best to find the source of the fog.
But unfortunately, Hermione guessed wrong this time, because she forgot that the two brothers also had their wives with them!
Seeing that Tonks refused to say anything, Hermione felt a little reluctant. She thought about it for a moment, then stretched out her arm to hook the other person's arm, and started whispering like a pair of good sisters.
"But, Tonks... Dear Tonks, there is no one as interesting as you! Now that you say this, don't I want to know even more?"
"Um-"
Tonks listened to Hermione's complaints and immediately scratched her hair with an embarrassed look on her face. Her hair color seemed to have gradually turned into a messy pink and purple due to her hesitation.
"Tonks!"
Seeing this, Hermione secretly thought that as long as she kept working harder, she might be able to do it.
"Tonks, look!" she said quickly, "Tell me what else worries you? Do I still want to talk to others? Tonks, just tell me!"
As she was speaking, her mind suddenly moved and she suddenly said teasingly:
"Let's see! I heard that you and Lupine are getting married soon? Now, if you can satisfy my curiosity, I will give you the most special and memorable gift at your wedding! I promise! Surprise everyone!"
"Oh, why are you bringing this up—"
Tonks, a carefree girl, was shy for a rare moment, but after pouting, she turned around and asked softly:
"What is the 'most memorable' gift?"
"Oh! You can't say that..." Hermione imitated her tone just now and deliberately said procrastinatingly, "Well, at least until your wedding is held, it still needs to be kept secret!"
"Hey!"
Tonks pretended to be angry and pushed Hermione gently, then reached out and poked the soft flesh around her waist, causing Hermione to giggle.
After a while, the two girls, one older and one younger, were like little grown-up children, tickling each other. The messy appearance attracted the attention of many Aurors around him.
"What are they doing? Didn't Hermione go ask about the situation outside? Why are they playing around with Tonks now?"
Ron looked in the direction of Hermione and Tonks with a strange look on his face, and couldn't help but murmured softly. Ginny on the side heard this and immediately glanced at him and said:
"Ron, I guess you must have very few friends!"
"Who said that!" Ron stared, "I have so many friends! You see, like Harry, Neville, Maka, Dean, Simon..."
"Except for Maka, all the others are in the same dormitory with you, right?" Ginny curled her lips and said, "What's more, look, among your so-called 'friends', there isn't even a girl - you You know? Now I'm worried about whether you can find me a sister-in-law in the future! Well, my mother thinks so too—"
When she mentioned her mother, Ginny couldn't help but stop, and a worried look appeared on her face.
According to what Sirius mentioned before, London seems to be very dangerous now. Even though she knew that her parents were surrounded by Aurors for protection, but thinking about the disaster that happened last time she returned to London, she felt that it was still not enough to make her feel at ease.
And when she thought about Percy again...oh, she didn't even dare to think about it anymore.
"Ginny?"
Luna, who was standing not far away and was looking at Hermione and Tonks' play with a smile on her face, suddenly walked over. She obviously felt Ginny's inner uneasiness very keenly, and she immediately put her arms around Ginny's shoulders.
"Don't worry, I have a hunch that we will find everyone soon!"
"'Premonition'?" Ginny couldn't help but turn around and said quickly after hearing what she said, "Are you finally able to make a prophecy? Luna, I have always thought that you might become a prophet - you are so erratic. His temperament is really the same as those of the prophets mentioned in the story books!"
"Well... I can't predict," Luna tilted her head, shaking her head and said, "But... a prophet? If I can really become a prophet, that would be great! At least I won't lose it. After putting things in, I can find them quickly!”
"No, the prophet can know in advance that he will lose something, so he doesn't have to wait to find it after losing it."
Ginny watched Luna start to imagine what it would be like to be a prophet alone, and couldn't help but whisper something, but Luna, who was immersed in her imagination, obviously didn't hear it.
"Hmm... Okay! Looks like you might not be a prophet yet."
As she was talking, she suddenly saw Hermione's figure - she seemed to have finished her conversation with Tonks and was about to return here.
"Hermione," Ginny hurried forward and faced the other party, "How are you?"
"good."
Hermione nodded imperceptibly, and then walked towards Ron and Luna with Ginny.
"Anyway, let's go over there first."
After she dragged Ginny to Luna, who was still thinking alone, she greeted Ron, lowered her voice and said calmly:
"I got some information from Tonks, some related to the dark wizard in the mist, and some related to the mist itself. It's a pity, although I still tested it to see if she thought about us leaving Diagon Alley. But she also obviously thinks that we should stay here."
Having said this, Hermione spread her hands and said:
"So, we can't get her help. If we want to get out, there are only two possibilities - one is to turn invisible and leave secretly, and the other, of course, is to convince Sirius."
"Isn't there a third one?" Ron asked as he thought.
Hermione heard this and nodded immediately.
"Yes!" She frowned, "When the dark wizards raid Diagon Alley again, we can help the Aurors repel them and then sneak out... But to be honest, I would rather the possibility is zero."
"Oh! Of course," Ron grinned. "It's better to have one less fatal battle like this!"
"Yes," Hermione said, "So, it seems that we can only choose one of the two possibilities and try it first... But obviously, if we want to convince Sirius to let us go, we must also make him not assign this book. We don’t have many manpower, so it’s really difficult!”
After thinking for a moment, she suddenly shook her head and said:
"Putting that aside, let me talk about some of the things I heard from Tonks - first of all, there are the dark wizards outside. Those guys are probably Halpo's men. They are attacking people everywhere in the fog in London! But for some reason, they seem to only target wizards and turn a blind eye to ordinary Muggles..."
After spending some time, Hermione recounted all the intelligence information she had obtained, and also talked about how they dealt with it after leaving Diagon Alley.
There are only four of them now. Even if they can use the magic tablets to exert strong power, I heard that there are many dark wizards, so it is best to avoid them as much as possible.
They came out today to find someone, not to fight those dangerous dark wizards.
Finally, while recalling Tonks's account, she said to Ron and others:
"Because we don't know where to find Percy right now, I think it's better to go to the source of the fog to take a look. After all, Fred and George may appear there. And the source of the fog..."
"...It is said to be in a place called the 'Black Market'."