"Hermione, are you sure the entrance to the 'black market'... is nearby?"
Ron looked left and right, except for the gray fog that seemed to be everywhere and still lingering, there was only a bit of ruins and broken walls.
Yes, it does look a little weird here. After all, the surrounding buildings are basically intact, but this one has almost completely collapsed.
But other than that, there seems to be nothing special about it.
"That's right - Tonks said that the new entrance to the black market is a gallery, which is hidden between a Muggle used bookstore and a warehouse." Hermione pointed to the left and right, "Look! That's The bookstore, and the warehouse on the other side... Moreover, there are many various oil paintings scattered in the ruins... "
It hadn't actually been that long since they sneaked out of Diagon Alley.
Just because the four of them have now mastered a "new technique" for traveling, both the speed of movement and the concealment are very high, and they can even effectively avoid the dark wizards running around in the city.
Obviously, however, there are disadvantages to using a broom for movement.
At the moment, London is filled with thick fog. When flying in the air, you can only determine the direction by taking off and landing. You can't see anything all the way. In this case, let alone finding people while flying.
It has to be said that even if Hermione happened to pass over Percy's head while flying in the air, she would definitely not know it at all.
Of course, the possibility of that happening was obviously very small, small enough for Hermione to give up rushing on the ground and prioritize increasing operational efficiency.
"You guys wait outside, I'll go in and take a look first."
Hermione looked at the messy ruins in front of her, the cracked walls, and the precarious second floor due to the lack of a few supports, as if she was warning everyone who passed by.
As for whether there was a third floor further up, she wasn't sure - the mist shrouded everything around her, and a little further away, only a gray patch remained.
"Hermione, wait!" Ron saw that she was planning to enter the dangerous building, which was mostly collapsed, and hurriedly stopped her, "This place is too dangerous, our levitation spell can never withstand one floor. The weight, plus the inability to apparate in the fog, what if this happens—"
"But someone has to go in and check it out, right?" Hermione frowned slightly, "What's more, this gallery is a bit strange. I think this is more likely to be a disguise - think about Hogwarts. In the eyes of Muggles, isn't it also a ruin?"
"Then... that's not possible," Ron hesitated for a moment, then suddenly gritted his teeth and said, "The entrance is an unfinished painting, right? I'll go in and look for it!"
"Huh?"
When Hermione and Ginny heard this, they looked at Ron in surprise.
"What's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong!" Ron said while tightening the wand in his hand, "Is it weird? Don't forget, I am also a Gryffindor! Don't argue with me, it's decided like this! Who? If you’re nagging me, I’ll be in a hurry!”
After that, he raised his legs and walked towards the dangerous building that seemed to be about to collapse again at any time, leaving Hermione and the others with puzzled faces.
"What happened to him?"
Hermione wanted to call Ron to stop, but looking at the other man's back resolutely leaving, she was stunned and couldn't do it. Ginny on the side couldn't help but whispered after being stunned for a while:
"He occasionally shows off, but that's usually only when Fred and George are making fun of him... I've never seen a situation like today where it started out of nowhere."
However, is Ron really just trying to show off his strength
"ah!"
As soon as he entered the dark ruins of the gallery, he was immediately startled by some brick fragments falling from above his head.
"Oh... Merlin's stinky socks! Is it too late for me to regret it now?"
To be honest, Ron's volunteering was a bit abrupt. He had clearly prioritized Hermione's decision along the way, but just now he said such words out of impulse.
However, although his behavior just now was indeed impulsive, some of his inner thoughts had already begun to wander before he left Hogwarts.
Coming to London on this trip, and going deep into this strange fog, Ron always felt that he could no longer stand still as he had in the past.
Yes, my abilities are indeed very limited, but this does not become an excuse for me to be afraid of this or that.
Not to mention, he was the only male among the four people on this trip. When encountering danger, he couldn't always hide behind the girls and be a burden, right
Therefore, there is nothing wrong with saying that he is trying to be brave, but this is also a conclusion that Ron came to after thinking about it for a while.
"Well... forget it! Those words just now were embarrassing enough. Wouldn't it be even more embarrassing if we go back without finding anything now?"
"… fluorescent flashes."
The light that lit up the tip of the staff slightly dispersed the surrounding darkness. But the ubiquitous gray fog suddenly reduced the effect of the luminous spell a lot... Okay! Better than nothing!
"I hope there isn't a dark wizard hiding here... No, even a dark wizard probably wouldn't be willing to come in here!"
Ron walked slowly forward in the half-collapsed hall, muttering to himself as he walked, whether he would be frightened by some crunching noises and stop.
But no matter what, under the double obstacles of fog and darkness, he was still moving forward step by step, and did not hesitate for a long time.
Not long after, Ron passed through the small foyer and entered a corridor that was even more seriously collapsed.
It can be seen that most of the paintings that were originally supposed to be hung on the wall have fallen to the ground. And even if there is a small part that barely stays on the wall that is full of cracks, it is all crooked, as if it might fall off at any time.
He held up his wand and walked carefully through the corridors, inspecting each portrait one by one.
"Um?"
While walking, Ron suddenly stopped - not because of fear or because he had found the "unfinished portrait", but because... there was no road ahead.
Stretching the wand that was emitting light further forward, he discovered that the corridor in front seemed to have suffered a serious collapse, and the entire path was blocked by fallen walls.
"If this ruin is really just a disguise, then the entrance must be here... But where will it be?"
He has looked at every painting in the area and found nothing unfinished, but quite a few were damaged by bricks.
After a period of hesitation, although Ron was determined to rummage through the pile of rocks, he was worried that the wall would collapse due to his tampering. For a moment, he didn't know what to do.
But at this moment, he heard a voice suddenly coming from behind him.
"Ron, why don't you look up?"
"Hermione?"
When he heard the voice, he didn't bother to look up according to words, but turned around and looked behind him.
"Why did you all come in?"
"Do you think we will really let you in alone?" Hermione glared at him as usual, "Although I don't know what you are causing trouble, now is not the time for you to show off!"
As she spoke, she, Ginny and Luna behind her came to Ron's side, and then looked up at the ceiling. The wand in her hand was raised high, and the tip of the wand also lit up, but the brightness was obviously not enough to penetrate the fog and let her see more things.
But not far away, Ron looked at Hermione's figure and said after a moment:
"I admit that I am indeed trying to show off my strength... But don't you think that in a situation like this that requires people to take risks, I am the most suitable candidate?"
"Lumos, maximize it!" Hermione waved her wand again, releasing the brightness of the wand's luminous spell to the limit she could achieve, and then casually said, "Are you the most suitable? Why?"
"because… "
Ron paused and suddenly whispered:
"Because you like Maka, don't you? If you lose your life, what will you like-"
"ah?"
Hearing this, Hermione unconsciously retracted her raised right hand, and even her attention was distracted by Ron's words. She was stunned on the spot, then subconsciously turned back to look at Luna, and then turned to look at Ron.
But Ron ignored her incomprehensible expression and continued:
"And I... you see, no one likes me, and I don't like anyone. Even... even if something happens, it's still much better than an accident happening to you, isn't it?"
"Ron?"
Suddenly, Luna, who had been silent until now, called him and walked up to him with light steps.
"What, what's wrong?" Ron subconsciously took half a step back.
"Maka told me before that this boy Ron is good at everything, but he always likes to be alone and think wildly. And he also said that this is actually a bit like me... "
"Uh, what next?" Ron asked doubtfully.
"Then he told me a way to remind others not to think too much!" Luna pursed her lips and said as if she was itching, "He said, if the other person is a girl, then hug her; and if the other person is a girl, give her a hug; It’s a boy…”
"… Um?"
Ron watched Luna change her wand from her right hand to her left hand, and then raised her white fist.
"Bang!"
"oh-"
Luna retracted her fist and looked at Ron, who was squatting down with his belly in worry, for a few times, and then said to the back of his head:
"... Then punch him in the stomach! Oh, did I hit him too hard?"
"Cough cough cough..." Ron squatted on the ground and said with difficulty, "No, it's okay... But Luna, don't you think Maka probably just wanted to make a joke when she said this?"