days at Hogwarts

On the path leading to the Hogwarts gate, flowers and plants on the roadside have sprouted, creating a vibrant scene.

On the side road next to the greenhouse, Professor McGonagall in a black robe was seeing off the thin student Tycross. She introduced the situation of several students, including the two students who had mastered Apparition and asked for leave, and the student who could Apparite in two classes, Seamus Finnigan, Loren Morgan, and Hermione Granger...

Professor McGonagall spoke in a steady voice and at a moderate pace, just like a vice-president of a school who handled her affairs impartially. Tycross could tell that the head of Gryffindor had deliberately concealed some of the information out of a professor's protection of his students and an elder's love for his children.

Professor McGonagall didn't say anything, and Tycross didn't ask.

The road was not long, so the two of them deliberately slowed down their pace tacitly to leave enough time for conversation.

The wind from the lake and the forbidden forest swept across the venue, blowing on the exposed skin, which was slightly cold. Perhaps it was because Tykros was too weak. He lowered his head slightly, used his collar to cover his neck, which was whiter than a woman's, and said with emotion:

"No one, whether it's the Department of Transport Affairs or the Apparition Teaching Committee, has ever thought of this method before. Seamus Finnigan, oh, it was Loren Morgan who proposed the closed-eye practice method, which greatly reduced the difficulty of learning Apparition. It is not only of great help to Hogwarts, but also to the teaching of this class of students. From the perspective of wizards all over the world, this is also a milestone in learning Apparition."

"I will pass on your compliments to him."

"It's a pity that I didn't meet Mr. Morgan this time."

"..."

Professor McGonagall looked at the Whomping Willow in the distance with a calm look in her eyes.

The school's vice-principal did not expect this. He mobilized the entire class and almost all the magic portraits in the school, but still could not find the guy.

"After I go back, I want to revise the teaching plan in accordance with his method. I also want to discuss this method with my colleagues and try to explore the underlying principles... If there are any results, Loren Morgan's name will be at the top of the list." Tycros paused, with some apology in his voice, "But there may not be any results in a short time. You know, Professor McGonagall, the Ministry of Magic has been very busy recently. The entire Transportation Department is dealing with matters related to the Floo Network, and Madam Edgemer has seconded us."

"How's it been lately?"

Tycross said softly, "The situation is becoming increasingly serious, and the atmosphere in the ministry is becoming increasingly tense. Minister Scrimgeour is a little hysterical. Fortunately, Ms. Bones is calm enough to lead us in maintaining order and preventing the situation from getting worse."

"I heard that another group of Death Eaters were released?"

"Yes, the famous Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius Malfoy among them."

"Are they well-behaved?"

"They were well behaved when they were detained, but I don't know about them after they were released." Tycross shook his head. "Mad-Eye Moody is back. He leads the Auror team to patrol everywhere, focusing on Knockturn Alley. Recently, the number of dark wizards causing trouble has decreased."

Professor McGonagall did not say anything. She was of course aware of the matter. Moody was not only patrolling with the Auror team, but also with members of the Order of the Phoenix, and collecting intelligence at the same time.

The railing with a boar sculpture appeared in his sight. Tycross stopped and looked back at the castle. "In fact, compared to Knockturn Alley, Hogwarts is the place that the You-Know-Who has always been thinking about. My colleagues have found traces of Death Eaters in Hogsmeade. Professor McGonagall, you should also pay attention to safety."

Professor McGonagall nodded, frowning.

……

It has been two months since the Dark Lord occupied the Ministry of Magic. Logically, the Death Eaters' power is expanding and the Ministry of Magic's power is shrinking. These pure-blooded dark wizards should be happy about this. However, Knockturn Alley has become deserted, even more deserted than Diagon Alley.

Not only has the number of dark wizards active in Knockturn Alley not increased in the past two months, but several shops have closed down and been transferred.

The black market trade also shrunk to a certain extent. Mundungus Fletcher went out with full confidence several times and brought back the goods in the same condition. The black market economy was in decline and there was no income for nearly two months. He even had the idea of ​​doing some legitimate business.

Sell ​​these things to Borgin and Burke?

No, that would be too bad...

Mundungus, wearing a hood to hide his face, walked on the road, calculating business and thinking about the reasons. He glanced at the lame old wizard in front of him with a sneaky look, thinking that Mad-Eye Moody was more or less to blame.

His patrols were so strict that even dark wizards were scared off from doing business.

Mundungus followed Moody for half a block and saw him stop at the entrance of an alley. He tapped the wall lightly with his crutch, as if cleaning the dirt on the crutch. Mundungus paused, realizing that it was time to change shifts, and turned to walk towards another alley.

About half a minute later, an old witch came out from the corner. Her hair was dirty and stuck together like waterweed, her face was full of wrinkles, and when she chewed gum, her yellow, shrunken, mossy teeth were exposed.

"Alastor, this look is too ugly, I would rather wear a cloak and a hood!"

Tonks came up to Mad-Eye and spoke in a high-pitched voice that only the two of them could hear.

Moody tapped his cane and continued his inspection. "No, two people dressed the same way following me in a row will definitely arouse suspicion."

"Oh..." Tonks sighed and muttered quietly, "I hope the next person to take over won't be..."

"Who could it be? Remus?"

"..."

Tang Kes expression suddenly froze, and he took a few steps to the side, looking as if he refused to continue the conversation.

Mad-Eye Moody smiled barely perceptiblely, said nothing more, and limped forward.

In order to prevent anyone from taking the opportunity to disrupt the situation, enough people were arranged to patrol Knockturn Alley, and there were Auror teams lurking at regular intervals. The members of the Order of the Phoenix were mainly brought out for training in preparation for the subsequent battle with the Death Eaters.

Walking through the alley at a leisurely pace, passing those half-open shops, Moody saw from afar that a familiar shop had opened its door and a familiar figure walked out of it. He frowned and quickened his pace a little.

"Lucius Malfoy! Fresh air again, eh?" Moody said gruffly, standing in front of the man with a hostile attitude.

After seeing each other again for a few months, Lucius Malfoy's skin was sickly pale due to the long-term imprisonment. He was not thin, but slightly swollen, like a drowned Inferi. He looked coldly at the lame Auror in front of him and sneered:

"What's the point of provoking me? Even if I start a fight here, can you still arrest me?

"Where are you going to lock me up?

"Azkaban? Or the Ministry's new prison?

"Does Scrimgeour dare to take me prisoner again?"

Moody stared at him with a cold look in his eyes. His strong hands tightly grasped his cane. His rotating magic eyes pierced Lucius' skin. "Maybe I don't want to arrest you?"

Lucius' heart tightened, he snorted coldly and turned away.

Tonks watched his back gradually disappear into the distance, then turned to look at the Borgin and Burke's sign with a thoughtful look.

He is definitely not here to buy things, he is here to sell things.

Mundungus said that Bogin Boker has been very aggressive in lowering prices lately.