I, Hogwarts Second Time Around.

Chapter 498 All Parties Gather in London

"Where are you?" Owen repeated Hermione's words, his brow furrowed, as if he was pondering what she meant by "where are you."

His voice was muffled by the wind and snow, but Hermione heard it clearly. She tightened her grip on the boy's hand, as if wanting to give him more warmth.

The young wizard took a deep breath and continued, "Yes, the location—balance."

"Balance is the lifeblood of world peace. Without balance, people will kill each other—nations, races, wizards, everyone."

"Now the Muggles are starting to grasp this balance. I don't think that's a bad thing."

"How so?" Owen released her hand and then put his arm around the girl's waist, the two walking forward step by step, close together. The cold of the wind and snow seemed to be dispelled by their body heat.

"We've talked about this before, haven't we?" Hermione nestled her head against the boy's chest.

"The wizard population is far too small for the world as a whole."

"And now, Muggles are beginning to realize the existence of the wizarding world and are starting to try to understand and accept it. While this may bring some confusion and unease, it will also bring the two worlds closer together."

"That's true." Owen's expression changed slightly, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly. "I didn't expect that you, dear Miss Granger, had already seen so far ahead."

"But the fusion of the two races will inevitably be fraught with difficulties. Not to mention the resistance from the Muggles, the resistance from the pure-blood wizards alone will be considerable."

"It has to be done."

"Perhaps decades, or even centuries." The girl's bright eyes shone with a light that surpassed the stars.

Irving was momentarily stunned.

It took him a moment to come to his senses.

"I cannot bear the thought that the world will remain unchanged after I am gone."

The sun rose as usual, and wizards, Muggles, and the nation remained in chaos.

Since I've been here, I should carve my name here.

Isn't that right?

Owen nodded deeply, gently stroking Hermione's soft hair, his eyes revealing determination and appreciation.

In a moment when she wasn't paying attention, she suddenly pulled down both her scarves and her own.

Then he kissed her.

Hermione was startled by the sudden action. Her eyes widened as Owen's face loomed larger before her. However, when she felt the warmth of Owen's lips, her heart suddenly raced, and her cheeks began to flush slightly.

Owen held her tightly, his kisses deep and passionate, as if trying to melt her into his embrace. Hermione went from a momentary mental blank to regaining her senses.

Then he began to give a superficial response.

After a long while, Owen finally let go of her. "Well—I'll get mine engraved first."

----------------------

October 27, 1996.

A brand new day begins the moment the sun rises.

Sunlight streamed through the apartment window and onto the bed.

The light wasn't strong, so it didn't wake Jill up immediately.

Her brows furrowed.

It seemed like a nightmare.

After the terrifying night in August when she almost got eaten, she had the same dream for several nights in a row.

In his dream, all his friends, even Chris, were dead except for himself.

They might be eaten by those hideous monsters, or killed by meteorites.

The flames—blue flames—will eventually consume her.

Then she will wake up.

"Hoo—No!"

On the bed, Jill suddenly opened her eyes, her lips trembling uncontrollably. The words she had just uttered echoed repeatedly in the now-silent room. The sound wasn't a scream, but merely a few faint whimpers.

She remained motionless, took a few deep breaths, and slowly released the Beretta pistol loaded with bullets from under her pillow. Her right hand, as if by reflex, reached for the pistol.

This shouldn't be considered a bad habit.

He wiped the fine beads of sweat from his forehead and stared at the Beretta in his hand, recalling that memory.

"Actually, this thing is completely useless," Jill muttered to herself. Lately, she seemed to have become very prone to talking to herself, sometimes even feeling that it was the only way to stay conscious.

Those seemingly mocking words were actually more of a helpless act.

After all, compared to a wizard who can summon meteorites at will.

The power of this pistol is laughable.

Over the past two months, she has grown increasingly fond of high-powered weapons. However—the current circumstances do not allow her to operate with high-powered weapons in the city.

He slowly got up.

Light streamed through the blinds into the dimly lit room. The digital clock on the bedside table was still ticking. Although she was grateful that the battery hadn't run out, she also noticed that time was passing much faster than she had expected—it was almost nine o'clock in the morning.

"Damn it!" she cursed.

He immediately rushed into the bathroom to wash up.

After washing up and changing clothes, I finally managed to leave the house before nine o'clock.

Of course, she would definitely be late for the morning meeting.

Jill walked quickly, rushing to the parking lot. She found her car, opened the door, and sat down.

It was a black sixth-generation Rolls-Royce Phantom.

Theoretically, it doesn't belong to her yet; it's considered a government vehicle.

After the Battle of Berlin, she originally intended to retire immediately and leave Europe to return to the United States.

Perhaps in the future she will choose to become a police officer in Phoenix.

But before that, she will choose to go to Hawaii to relax for a while.

But just two days after she submitted her discharge application.

A mysterious person then approached her.

The other party didn't promise anything. Just one sentence was enough for her to decide to join them.

—Don't you want to avenge the hundreds of thousands of Berliners who died?

Yes—she couldn't refuse that reason.

The vehicle drove out of the underground parking lot.

She rolled down the car window, and the warm air, filled with the scent of freshly cut grass, ruffled her damp hair and gently caressed her face.

The streets were packed with people.

Everyone looked somber.

They gathered together in twos and threes.

Jill stopped at a traffic light intersection.

I looked up at the surveillance cameras on the street.

She remembered that there were only three cameras here yesterday, but today there are five.

And—there was another device she wasn't very familiar with, located to one side of the cameras.

"Three o'clock in the afternoon—why is time going so slowly? I can't wait any longer!"

"Westminster seems to be closed off. Only journalists and a few delegates from various countries are allowed in."

"They're probably worried about unrest."

"Unrest? Could those demons attack the Special Court?"

"Who knows? They're demons, how can we possibly guess what they're thinking?"

A group of people at the intersection were arguing and chattering.

Jill was well aware of what they were discussing.

Today—at 3 p.m., the Westminster Special Court will pronounce judgment on a wizard captured on the battlefields of Europe.

This marks the first time in history that a real wizard has been captured and put on trial by them.

This caused a sensation.

It is said that almost every country in Europe sent representatives to London to observe the trial.

France even sent its prime minister, the second-highest-ranking official in the government.

The German Chancellor also attended in person.

In short—today will be a milestone in history.

Some people's names are destined to be remembered in history.

The red light changed to a green light.

Jill slammed on the gas pedal, and the car accelerated rapidly, soon entering Westminster.

Her car was stopped on the east side of the bridge.

She was only allowed to pass safely after showing her identification and the confidentiality statement for the day.

10:30 a.m.

On a street along the River Thames in Westminster.

At any time, this river, which nurtured the brilliant English civilization, can be seen bustling with merchant ships.

Today, however, it was unusually calm, with only a few cruise ships slowly floating on the river.

Upstream along the Thames River, there are many famous historical sites.

For example, the famous Eton College, Oxford University, Windsor Castle, etc.

Jill's destination was a building in the Victoria district on the banks of the Thames.

She parked the car and then rushed into the building without stopping.

After going through layers of checks, we finally arrived at the third floor.

Her department office.

The office door was wide open, and the men's loud conversation carried down the hallway.

For a moment, Jill hesitated; she could hear her boss's voice among the voices.

Mr. James Bond, who always says, "The world is more than this," is a man who looks meticulous but always has a smile on his face. He has a very ordinary appearance, and unless he actively reveals his extraordinary temperament, no one would notice him if he were thrown into a crowd.

Hearing his voice, Jill shook her head; she knew very little about this gentleman.

All I know is that the other party was previously an elite agent of MI6, one of the top soldiers. They were only recently transferred to their department.

His authority is terrifyingly high; rumors within the department suggest that only the Queen, the Prime Minister, and his direct superiors know his specific identity.

As for this gentleman's specific impressive "achievements," nobody knows, at least nobody in the department knows.

"Specific mission: Unknown. Enemy: Unknown. Target: Unknown," the man said calmly, his eyes sweeping over Jill as she entered the office.

He didn't say anything.

"I won't tell you anything about the mission, because I don't know either."

The man didn't express anger at Gilles' lateness because he knew that Gilles' experience of the Battle of Berlin would inevitably cause her psychological trauma. This was an objective reality among almost all those who participated in the war.

This psychological trauma can breed the most primal desire for revenge in people's hearts, making it impossible for these people to betray or hesitate in any mission.

It's a double-edged sword.

"But each of you will receive an envelope like this." The man held up the envelope on the table, his expression calm as still water. "After the meeting, everyone will randomly draw their own envelope. Open it at 2 PM and proceed to the corresponding location according to the task instructions inside."

"The rest of the time is spent carrying out their respective daily tasks as usual."

"Now then—ladies and gentlemen—go about your business." The man straightened up, looking directly at the crowd. "History will remember this day—just an ordinary day in ordinary times."

After saying that, he strode out of the office.

The others, as if waking from a dream, each wore a serious expression.

Everyone slowly stood up, took out their envelopes, and then quickly left.

Efficient as a machine, without a single superfluous movement or word.

Jill quietly joined the queue behind everyone else.

Only after the last person in the office left did she pick up the last letter on the table.

The envelope was heavy, and there seemed to be a button-like object inside.

It's much more than just a letter.

Jill didn't complain at all; she simply turned around.

Then return to the parking lot.

As her superiors said, she also had her own daily tasks.

From a distance, she saw a young woman standing next to an ordinary silver Chevrolet in the parking lot, looking at her.

At that moment, Jill remembered that the person in the "Daily Tasks" seemed to be her partner.

"Hello," Jill said as she stepped forward to greet the woman.

"Hello," the woman replied simply.

"Sienna," Jill said, revealing her codename.

Alice.

"Alice?" This code name is too casual.

In the English-speaking world, this name is almost identical to Zhang Wei's.

Jill stared intently at the woman before her.

Judging from her appearance, Alice has short, shiny black hair, a neat and capable look, a strong physique, and well-defined muscles, which clearly indicates that she has strong physical qualities and fighting ability.

She was wearing a women's suit that you could see anywhere on the street.

It adds a touch of heroic spirit.

The two got into the Chevrolet.

After all, Jill couldn't possibly drive her borrowed boss's Rolls-Royce around town while on a mission.

There was another person inside the car.

They're both women, so I wonder if it was a deliberate arrangement by their boss.

Jill sat in the passenger seat.

Alice started the engine, and soon the car drove out of the Victoria Building and headed towards Westminster Abbey.

Where is their mission destination?

"I heard you also came back from Berlin." The woman in the back seat broke the silence first, her voice calm and firm.

"Yes, I experienced a lot during the Battle of Berlin." Gil nodded, recalling those difficult days, a complex emotion welling up in his heart.

"Me too," the woman said calmly. "Valerie, you can call me V."

“Sienna,” Jill said, “I like the name Valerie, and V—and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice.”

"Maybe." V fell silent again, turning to look out the window.

Today is not a sunny day.

It was a cloudy day.

There was some sunshine in the morning, but now, dark clouds drift in from the Scottish Highlands, gradually enveloping the entire city.

Dark clouds seemed about to fall, creating a sense of oppression. I don't know when it started to build up inside the car.

11:00 AM.

Meanwhile, atop a high-rise building in London, Lee Jordan, an intern Auror who had been practicing for two and a half years, was excitedly watching the bustling metropolis below.

"Oh, Merlin! I have never seen London from such a height."

After admiring the scenery for a while, he suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "Tonks. Do Auror interns get paid?"

"Yes, you've asked several times already!" Tonks looked annoyed, rubbing her temples vigorously, clearly dissatisfied with the newcomer Lupin had recommended.

She admitted that this young man, who had just graduated from Hogwarts, was very skilled in spells; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to get a letter of recommendation from Lupin (who was the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor in the second semester of the previous academic year).

But his personality was too unconventional, making him completely unsuitable to be an Auror.

It was only because the Ministry of Magic was really short-staffed that she agreed to let the other party join the Auror team.

"No, I'm asking if there's a bonus for the department urgently assigning me to patrol this godforsaken place?" Li Qiaodan asked again.

Strictly speaking, he is not yet an Auror. The Auror training course lasts for three years, and he just graduated this year. No matter how outstanding he is, he still needs to settle down for a year or two.

The Ministry of Magic was really short-handed this time, so they sent him, an apprentice, as well.

"No! Li Jordan, focus on your work!" Tonks roared, trying to intimidate the unruly little guy with her Auror senior aura.

But Li Qiaodan wasn't buying it at all. He kept rambling on, "My God! This is oppression, this is exploitation! I suggest we strike and protest immediately!"

I can't believe the Ministry of Magic is so stingy. If Owen were here, he would definitely go back to the Ministry and give the Minister a good kick in the butt.

"Oh—look at this robe I've been wearing for two years! I wore it when I graduated, and I'm still wearing it now. The hood has a huge hole in it; I patched it up with my old school uniform." Hearing the commotion around her, Tonks' expression completely collapsed. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and roared, "Shut up!"

"Nobody wants to know the story of you patching your hat with your pants. If you dare say another word, I'll rip your tongue out and tie your mouth shut!" Sure enough, this shout was quite effective. Li Qiaodan was startled and quickly shut his mouth.

But only for a moment, his classic Quidditch commentator's rambling words burst out, "Huh? There's a spell that pulls out a person's tongue? Is it Transfiguration? Madam, perhaps we can exchange ideas; I learn spells very quickly."

"."

Tonks suddenly clutched his head, his face contorted in pain and rage rising within him.

Just as she couldn't help but want to kick this eyesore off the high-rise building,

Suddenly, a "poof" sound came from beside me.

The visitor was none other than Kingsley.

"What's wrong?" Kingsley asked immediately when he saw Tonks' unusual expression.

"It's nothing." Gritting his teeth, Tonks took several deep breaths, finally releasing some of the resentment in his heart. "I finally understand why Moody always says I'm annoying."

"."

"Alright, I don't have time to joke with you."

Kingsley said in a deep voice.

"Now, you are to go to Downing Street immediately. You are responsible for protecting the Prime Minister."

(End of this chapter)