The relationship between Joel and Haylis became very strange. Every day they chatted and exchanged greetings through the double-sided mirror, but there was always something missing between the two. The chat content was mostly limited to eating, drinking and having fun, and Haylis did not
There was no questioning about the relationship between the missing foreigners and Joel, which made him feel a little relieved.
On the morning of July 15, Joel took his wand and went to the British Ministry of Magic. He was fully prepared.
"Eleven inches, grapevine wood with dragon heartstrings, it took three years, right?" In the hall of the Ministry of Magic, the wizard had heavy dark circles under his eyes, squinting his eyes slightly as if he never got enough sleep.
Joel nodded in acquiescence, took the wand from the wizard's hand, and put it into his arms.
The Legal Enforcement Department is located on the second underground floor and has a large number of people. It is divided into the Office for the Prohibition of the Misuse of Magic (including the Office for the Prohibition of the Misuse of Muggle Items) and the Auror Command. The management agency of the Wizengamot also works here, which can be said to be the British Ministry of Magic.
The largest department with real power.
As soon as Joel stepped into the corridor on the second floor, he felt that it was very lively. Papers were flying in the air and people were crowded. The staff were holding stacks of documents in their hands with their heads buried in their hands and their steps were brisk. Joel could recognize many of his seniors and seniors.
, they thought that they were considered influential figures in Hogwarts back then, and in the end they inevitably took root in ordinary jobs.
"Mr. Taylor?" A girl came from the end of the corridor. She looked like she was in her early twenties, with beautiful blond hair neatly combed, a slim waist, long legs, and youthful beauty. She stretched out her right hand and gently touched Joel's hand.
After a gentle squeeze, "I am Ellie Crawford, Secretary of Director Bones."
Joel nodded politely and followed Ellie towards the director's office. Ellie gave Joel some knowledge: "You may not think that there are many people in the Legal Enforcement Department, but our threshold for recruiting staff is very strict..."
"Our company's benefits are among the best among all departments. In addition to fixed salaries, Aurors and hitters also receive field work allowances, office staff receive overtime pay, and afternoon tea is provided when they are free..."
Joel listened very carefully and nodded in agreement from time to time, showing that he was very attentive.
He could hear the hint of coaxing in Ellie's subtext.
Ellie saw that he just nodded in approval but did not express his opinion at all. She understood very well in her heart. She said no more and gently knocked on the door of the director's office at the end of the corridor. After getting permission, she said to Joel, "You
Just go in, Madam Director and others are waiting inside, I have other things to be busy with."
Joel said goodbye to her and opened the wooden door.
Amelia Bones was sitting behind her desk with a pale expression. Sitting opposite her was a burly man still wearing a brown mink coat in summer.
Bones was overjoyed when she saw Joel appear. She stood up, extended her right hand far away, and waved her wand with her left hand, adding another chair to the office.
"I have known you for a long time, Mr. Taylor." She looked about thirty years old, with short gray hair sticking to her head meticulously. "This is the first time we have met. We..."
"Ahem." The strong man in a brown robe covered his mouth and pretended to cough, interrupting their conversation. Director Bones's eyebrows were tightly knitted together, and her flat lips trembled slightly. Joel
It felt like she was going to curse in the next second.
But she didn't. Instead, she introduced each other to the two people present with a somewhat formulaic attitude, "This is Mr. Lermontov, the person in charge of this disappearance case, an employee of the Russian Ministry of Magic."
Joel once saw him in the Norwegian forest in Northern Europe. At that time, this strong man followed the leader of the Evernight people, Andre Ulyanov, and could be said to be Andre's most trusted confidant.
"This is Mr. Joel Taylor, the holder of the third-level Order of Merlin, the key figure in killing the monster in the Hogwarts Chamber of Secrets..."
"I know, I know," Lermontov said impatiently, "I came here this time to investigate the disappearance case, not to listen to you using these bluffing names."
Director Bones hesitated to speak, but finally did not dwell on this topic any longer. She invited Joel to sit down on the chair.
Joel sat on the spacious chair and saw that the narrow chair under Lermontov could hardly accommodate him. He couldn't help but feel comfortable, seeing that it was the right time to deal well with the Ministry of Magic.
choice.
"Okay, you two," Director Bones knocked on the table, "Now let's ask Mr. Lermontov to tell us what happened."
Lermontov said in his rough English, "A staff member of our Russian Ministry of Magic named William disappeared in the UK. Before leaving Russia, he left us a pair of stolen treasures.
The suspect's portrait..." He took out a scroll from his arms and unfolded it to reveal the face of a sunny and beautiful man.
"Is this you?" Bones had to make sure.
Joel took a glance and nodded without thinking, "It's me. It's hard to find someone as handsome as me in this world."
He had to admit that William was quite talented in painting, at least he could recognize him at a glance.
Bones: "..."
Lermontov took a deep breath, "Shouldn't Mr. Taylor explain it?"
"Oh?" Joel raised his eyebrows, "What treasure? Why didn't I know?"
"Besides, that person named William, I don't know him at all. Your employees just drew a portrait and went out to publicize that he was the thief who stole the treasure." Joel spread his hands, "It's not very well-known."
All right?"
"Everything must be justified," Joel said very helplessly, "You are making empty claims and you don't even have evidence..."
Lermontov interrupted.
"If you two have never met, how could he put the blame on you!" Lermontov held the scroll in his hand, and Joel's face in the painting was almost torn in half, "He must be sure that you
The relationship between it and the stolen treasure!”
"Mr. Taylor is right," Director Bones said. "Everything must be based on evidence. Mr. Lermontov, do you have any clues about the theft of the treasure?"
She suppressed the impatience in her tone. The Russian Ministry of Magic had previously sent staff into British territory without reporting it to the British Ministry of Magic. The Ministry was already very dissatisfied. When she saw again, the suspect Lermontov testified turned out to be
Joel Taylor, a rising star in the British wizarding world, was even more unhappy.
Lermontov's eyes flickered to Bones and Joel. He knew that the situation was not good for him. He had realized this when he came to the British Ministry of Magic a few days ago. No one was willing to help him and everyone was protecting him.
This little brat.
"Our leader Ulyanov spent a lot of energy and deduced that the place where William disappeared was in a village called Hogsmeade in England." Lermontov tried to make his tone sound gentler, "Everyone, we
Let’s go take a look together? We should be able to find a lot of clues at the scene.”