The banquet started, it wasn't very lively, but it was worth being happy about.
Various meals are constantly appearing on the long dining table, large and small plates are stacked one on top of the other, and everyone's goblets are empty and full, full and empty... During this period, everyone may indeed be... I need such an occasion to relieve stress and put a smile on my face for a little longer.
Even the living corpses are actually like this. After all, everyone who can come here to participate in this dinner today is a high-level tribesman who has been given the right to joy, anger, sorrow, and joy.
The light ball cast over the dining table during the white night shone with brilliant colors, complementing the candlelight on the table and illuminating everyone's faces in different colors. After looking at them for a long time, even John seemed to feel that the faces of the living corpses that he had always found terrifying and terrifying were no longer so unacceptable.
I don’t know when, a burst of melodious music sounded in the restaurant, adding more beauty to the dinner.
"If only Percy were here."
Ron didn't say these words, he didn't want to disturb this rare relaxation time for everyone. But maybe it’s just the connection between brother and sister! When Ginny across from him caught a glimpse of his dazed expression, she accurately captured Ron's fleeting thoughts as if using a Legilimency spell, and then her eyes couldn't help but darken.
However, it would be fine if Ron was the only one who was slightly dazed. When the Weasley brothers and sisters almost invariably became depressed, how could Hermione and others who had been with them for so long not know that they were harmonious here? The reason why the atmosphere gradually drifted away
Emotions are contagious. After a while, the restaurant, which had just been clinking glasses and buzzing with people, suddenly became deserted again. Only the sound of music that seemed to be flying from an old gramophone was still echoing faintly in the hall. It was originally a slightly cheerful tune, but now it seemed inexplicably warm and slightly cold to my ears.
Of course, John, who was at the table together, could not guess the thoughts that suddenly struck Hermione and the others at this moment, but he could actually roughly understand the meaning of this silence - something that had been lost in this disaster. , and not just Miss Granger and others in front of me
He was stunned, then subconsciously turned his head and glanced towards the main seat, and found that the "Lord of the Living Corpses" seemed to be thinking about something, but he couldn't understand the other person's expression.
After a slight hesitation, with a soft "chi" sound, John secretly withdrew his gaze and stood up. When many pairs of eyes suddenly turned to him, he bowed slightly apologetically.
"I'm going to the bathroom."
…
When he came out of the restaurant, John breathed a sigh of relief. This was not because he couldn't stand the suddenly oppressive atmosphere inside, but because he wanted to make "them" inside think that he might just find an excuse to run out just because he couldn't stand the atmosphere.
He needs this excuse to do something...
The corridor was still quiet and empty, just like when he occasionally came to the restaurant to eat these days, but there were some differences - standing at the door and looking into the depths of the long corridor, there were twists and turns along the way. , footprints of different shades, which were the traces left when Ron's prosthetic leg ran out of control.
"The floor below is probably completely shattered... What happened to the legs?"
John stared at the messy carpet and thought for a while, but quickly shook his head. Now is not the time to think about this.
Casually avoiding some particularly obstructive potholes, John walked forward slowly to ensure that his footsteps did not sound suspicious.
There are some paintings hanging on both sides of the corridor, all of which are very good works. John is sure that they are all precious, but fortunately, there is obviously no magic portrait in them, and his actions and whereabouts will not be revealed later.
He casually admired it as he walked, until he reached the door of the bathroom, then he cautiously walked past the door and continued walking forward.
After passing the end of the corridor, Ron's previous footprints returned here, and the wall facing the corridor was also slightly damaged. John turned around and went downstairs, because the magic torches were no longer so dense and the surroundings became dim.
In front is the kitchen, which is "her" territory, and John knows it very well. And since the other party has never appeared in the restaurant from beginning to end, and the various delicacies have never stopped during the dinner, it means that "she" must be busy in the kitchen! Including now, probably.
"Right there."
From a distance, John saw the door in front of him that was open a crack. There was light coming from the crack in the door, leaving a stretched silver spot in the corridor with insufficient lighting.
He paused with his raised left foot in mid-air, and touched the handle of the wand with his right hand. He was not sure whether he should cast a silencing charm or a disembodiment charm on himself.
No, to be more precise, he was not sure whether he would disturb anything if he cast a spell here... Since coming here, many things that were common sense now seem to have become unknown.
After hesitating for a short while, John finally let his hand leave the handle of the stick. After all, if he was just discovered like this, he could still deal with it by just walking away - no one seemed to have restrained him from the beginning, right? But if you are caught while wearing the Illusion Charm, it will not be so easy to get away with it.
With this thought, he simply relaxed and moved forward.
"Um?"
When passing by the crack in the door, John, who was still filled with anxiety, couldn't help but be startled, because he found that there seemed to be no one in the kitchen
This time he only hesitated for a moment, and John, who had decided not to be so sneaky anymore, boldly leaned against the door and looked back and forth a few times.
There's really no one here.
The kitchen is large, but the stainless steel countertop where many dishes should have been displayed is mostly empty. They were all gradually moved to the dining room during the banquet and entered everyone's stomach. John actually ate a lot of it, and to be honest, it tasted pretty good.
It's just that he doesn't have time to think about whether the food is delicious or not, because the female living corpse that impressed him so deeply is not staying well in the kitchen, which makes him feel very uneasy.
It was as if... it was as if at the next moment, "one of the other's hands" would reach out from behind him and gently put a hand on his shoulder.
Thinking of this, John couldn't help but turn around -
Fortunately, there was still no one in the dark corridor except him.