The moon was in the sky, and the stars were shining over the moon, illuminating the forest below extremely brightly. Deep in the forest, a brightly lit villa stood here.
"Didn't you see anyone?" The woman in red said calmly as she sat in front of the dining table. And below, a young man lowered his head and said with great shame: "Yes, Lady Alice, we have found no trace of Luke Gunter. According to our intelligence, he never got off the car during the journey. He was not seen by anyone waiting outside King's Cross station."
"Maybe he was sent home by that professor. Or maybe he prepared a door key or something like that. It's not unusual." A rumbling voice came from the other end of the dining table.
The woman in red looked at the young man in front of her, and then at the man hiding in the knight's heavy armor across the dining table.
"But this is still his dereliction of duty. Didn't he even consider this kind of thing? Incompetence is incompetence, don't make excuses." The woman in red opened her mouth like a barrage of words, and her tone became colder and colder as she spoke. It felt a bit cold towards the end.
The young man in front of her looked more and more ugly as he listened. He couldn't help but turn his head and glance at the armor as if asking for help.
The knife and fork in the armor's hand paused for a moment, shook his head and said, "It's me who is meddling in other people's business." The young man's face instantly turned pale.
He looked like he wanted to say something, but kept his mouth shut. The woman in red still looked calm, as if nothing had happened: "It's just this time, and it won't be the same next time. If this mission still fails, you don't have to come back to see me..." The young man bowed deeply. Bow: "Yes, Lady Alice, I will definitely complete the mission." After saying that, he fled the restaurant as if he had been granted amnesty.
After he left, the woman in red looked unchanged and looked at the armor opposite: "Lord Kidd, is there any new progress in tracking the saint?"
"If there is any progress in this, you are too underestimated these people, Alice." Kidd shook his head and made a "kaka" sound of metal collision.
"They have been operating secretly for so many years. This is the first time we are dealing with the Saints. It is really difficult to find them."
"Then, there is no news." Leng Bingbing's words were like a basin of cold water in the middle of winter. It slapped Kidd in the face.
He looked at the woman in red across the table, silent, not knowing what she was thinking, while Alice stared at Kidd with the same indifferent expression.
The two of them didn't look like they were having dinner at the same table.
"Yes, this is my dereliction of duty. But Alice, you are a little too impatient." Kidd admitted his problem frankly.
He moved the steak in his hand to where his mouth should be under the armor. When the beef came into contact with the armor, it disappeared as if it was stuffed into the armor.
"We were not in a hurry at the time, so we thought that our mission had ended in humiliation. Because of our inaction." Alice emphasized the word 'inaction'.
"Because it's not worth it. How long have we not appeared in the public eye? One hundred years? Or two hundred years? They are not worthy of our appearance." Kidd responded directly: "Even now. , we also need more inspections, whether it is character, ability, or other things, more and more."
"And then you were severely abandoned?" Alice's lips curved up in a sarcastic arc,
"When you really see what the other party is capable of, the other party won't need us anymore." A chuckle came from Kidd's armor, and it sounded like he wanted to say something.
"Don't forget, we serve the Gaunt family. Do you expect a snake that has become a climate to trust you? Just rely on the power in your hands?" Alice bluntly interrupted his laughter and those who had no exit. long speech.
Looking at Kidd who fell into silence, Alice's expression returned to calm. She shook the gin in her hand and drank it in one gulp.
"I am the leader, so all you need is to obey."
"...Well, if this is your judgment...'chief'." Kidd shrugged seemingly indifferently, and then continued to eat his own food.
After cleaning the steak in three mouthfuls, he raised his hand, and the waiter who was waiting on the side waved the wand in his hand. The emptied plate disappeared. The next moment, a new meal appeared in Kidd's hand. in front of my eyes.
Kidd continued to eat without any ceremony, as if there was no unpleasantness just now. Alice also started her meal equally gracefully.
After three rounds of wine and five dishes, Kidd put the last sip of soufflé into his mouth, threw down the coffee, and drank the brandy in the cup. Kidd stood up and gave Alice a rather ancient knight's salute. .
"Farewell, Lady Alice, I will inform you of the news about the fleeing saints within five days."
"Okay, Lord Kidd." Alice didn't rush. She cut off a small piece of steak with her knife and fork, and then stuffed it into her mouth.
Kidd nodded, then turned and left. Alice, on the other hand, looked at the table that the waiter had cleared, shook her head and said: "Cow chewing peonies..."... Wearing a decent black suit, Dumbledore looked like a qualified British gentleman. Opposite is Luke in a small suit.
The two of them were sitting under an umbrella outside a restaurant, looking at the river view not far away and enjoying the rare warm sunshine.
"Professor, with all due respect, I prepared a set of clothes for you, and you are going to take me to eat this?" Luke looked at the crepes and black coffee in front of him with disgust.
Dumbledore ignored his words, just silently stuffed the crepe into his mouth, and then nodded heavily: "It tastes exactly the same as it did 30 years ago." It seemed like he was nostalgic for the past.
"I know you are used to eating Chinese food, but Luke, this is France. Believe me, French food is great, much better than British food." Dumbledore was not shy about criticizing his country's food.
"Because we all eat French food, professor..." Luke said calmly. His kitchenware can cook Chinese and French food.
He didn't teach him the skill of Chinese cooking, and the food he cooked by himself actually tasted much better than the food he cooked by himself.
Because the materials used are more solid. Fortunately, he was the only one in Luke's family who needed to eat properly. Otherwise, the expenditure on food alone will be high.
"That's right, nobility can't be unfamiliar with French food." Dumbledore also nodded.
"Hey, old gentleman, your grandson is so cute. Can I take a picture of him?" A girl with long brown hair said to Dumbledore with a smile, and then shook the Polaroid camera in her hand.
"Oh, I think, this lovely girl, you have to ask this little gentleman for his opinion. I'm not his grandfather, so I can't make decisions for him." Dumbledore laughed at the man who was dressed very fashionably. The girl laughed.
The girl looked at the old man and the young man a little strangely, but she still smiled and said to Luke: "How about it, little guy, are you interested?"
"Of course." Luke, who looked about seven or eight years old, said to the girl with a smile. After a few moments, Luke had a pretty good photo.
Luke had a gentle smile on his face under the sun, sitting lazily on a chair. He was obviously still a child, but he gave people a very mature feeling.
"The inventions of Muggles are still so amazing!" Dumbledore looked at Luke's motionless photo carefully and said with emotion.
Luke didn't say anything, just curled his lips. This expression is not magical, it is like seeing a meow that can speak human language.
"Okay, professor, when can we go find Nico Flamel? I really want to see him now." Luke changed the topic to the main topic. He was really fed up with his current state.
Just like the situation just now, it is not the first time it has happened. Luke was probably too cute as a cub and always attracted some female attention.
"I also want to see Nico now, but unfortunately, he hasn't opened the door yet. We will most likely have to wait a few days." Dumbledore took a sip of coffee, and then said to Luke seriously.
Luke's face darkened, and after a moment of silence he said, "Professor, why on earth do you want to bring me to France now?"
"But you set the three-day deadline yourself." Dumbledore said calmly. Luke's brows jumped when he heard this.
If you want to say that, it's true.
"Don't say such unreasonable words, Professor." Luke looked at Dumbledore with disdain: "Do you have any plans? Using me as a raft is a bit too much." After hearing this, , Dumbledore shook his head at Luke, and said with a smile: "I'm not doing this for anything about me, but for you." Luke sneered first, then turned around and wanted to ask Dumbledore for himself. What.
But when his thoughts moved, he frowned and then fell into silence. A gentle smile appeared on Dumbledore's face, he put the coffee in the cup into his mouth again, and then looked at the sparkling river.
After a moment, Luke raised his head, frowned and said to Dumbledore: "We did not take the wizard's path. We came by boat. Are they so well-informed?" Luke's French nobles did not know much. Enough, or rather, certainly not as familiar as Dumbledore, who often dealt with them.
After all, he is still a 'wild child' living in the forest with little knowledge. This is not what he calls himself, but what some people in the British aristocratic circle call Luke.
And if this title is now spread to France, Luke will not be surprised at all. At this moment, the Muggles who were around them stood up one after another, and hurriedly left the place as if there was something urgent.
Luke sneered when he saw this, and then silently straightened his back and straightened his posture. Almost in the blink of an eye, his demeanor changed from an innocent boy to a calm young man.
Dumbledore watched Luke's movements and blinked. He really didn't understand why these nobles who dared to do anything secretly and could do anything had to look glamorous in public, even in front of their own kind.
He knew that there were also people among the nobles who strictly followed the noble code of honor, but this did not prevent there being a lot of scum among the nobles.
What kind of nobleman is Luke? It's hard to say. Based on Dumbledore's understanding of Luke, it probably depends on demand.
If necessary, he can become the benchmark of aristocratic morality, of course, if necessary... On the other side, after all the Muggles left, a white-haired wizard wearing a classical wizard's dress suddenly appeared from not far away, and then walked Arriving in front of the two of them, he bowed first to Luke, then to Dumbledore.
"Respected Mr. Luke Gaunt, and respected Mr. Albus Dumbledore." Although his voice was a little old, it was full of energy and sounded very energetic, even if he bent down and bowed his head, There is no dull feeling at all.
Luke glanced at his chest, which had a golden and green background with a raven fluttering about to fly.
"Coming to Strange?"
"Yes, my lord, Mr. Vaughan Lestrange invites you to visit Fokine Manor." The old man was still very respectful. Even when he talked about his lord, he did not have any obvious feeling of pride. reveal.
"I thought you would be more reserved. For example, wait for me to request a meeting myself." Luke looked calm, neither arrogant nor humble.
Because the other party's family is equal to his family, it is impossible for him to act like a junior at this time.
"You're kidding. The Strange family and the Gaunt family have had a deep friendship since the days of Terry Gaunt and Larvin L. Strange. When the Gaunt family died out, our master was once very It's a pity. Because this represents the disappearance of a glorious surname. This is a great loss for the nobles."
"But fortunately, I am overjoyed by your unexpected birth. He is very much looking forward to meeting you, the successor of the Gaunt family. This will be a meeting across the strait and spanning a hundred years. He is very much looking forward to it. "As he spoke, he took out an invitation from his chest and placed it on the table in front of Luke.
Luke took a look and saw Vaughan Lestrange's name on it, as well as the raven family crest.
Then the old man took out another invitation from his chest again.
"This is for you, Professor Dumbledore. He said he and you have not seen each other for many years. If you still want to have dinner with old friends, please come to Fokine Manor with Mr. Gaunt." He has prepared a sumptuous dinner and a comfortable room for you two there." He placed this invitation in front of Dumbledore. Dumbledore did not stay still like Luke, but Picked up the invitation.
"Haha, it looks like I'm going to take advantage of one of my students today!"
