After enjoying the main meal, Ali Shafiq finally changed the topic from the hotel to what she found in the Forbidden Forest.
"Tell me, Xing Ze, what is going on with that weird altar and that twisted forest."
Xing Ze knew she would mention this, after all, this meal was not for free.
He put down the tableware and replied with a concocted lie: "Evil worship, profound black magic, I think you should know better than me."
"These words can be used to deceive laymen." Ellie twiddled the salad with a fork, "But it won't work for me. To be honest, Xing Ze. For the sake of my covering for you."
"Cover for me?"
"Did the werewolf virus turn you into Alzheimer's disease, or did St. Mungo's food damage your brain? Think about it carefully, Xing Ze, tell those who come to ask, Hagrid and I can testify for you.
You're just investigating the death of the unicorn with us.
"Hagrid and I did exactly that. I don't know what you and Dumbledore were planning, but he also entrusted me to investigate something. So, tell me, what exactly did he want you to do?"
Xing Ze glanced at Hagrid beside him. The gamekeeper was obviously more interested in the roasted lamb leg in his hand than the conversation between the two of them.
"Did he ask you to investigate the traces of the mysterious man?" Xing Ze asked.
This sentence attracted Hagrid's attention to the topic, and he swallowed the mutton in his mouth: "Mysterious man, for Merlin's sake. So, is this true, Ellie? Even Master Dumbledore began to doubt it.
Has he returned?"
"It's not certain yet, but I have made a preliminary judgment." Ellie frowned and said frankly, "Just like I said in the Forbidden Forest, it is very likely that he was the one who killed the unicorn."
"Those unkind people." Hagrid put down the leg of lamb and cursed fiercely, "They must know something, but they just won't tell us."
"No wonder they, Hagrid. Anyone who lives in the wizarding world knows that centaurs are very stubborn, even rigid. They only follow the guidance of the stars."
Hagrid disagreed. He took a bite of the leg of lamb and said, "When I have time, no, I will go find them today and ask them clearly."
The premise is that you can meet them. Xing Ze murmured in his heart. He was just proud that he had led the topic in another direction, but found that the noble lady had returned her gaze to him.
It seemed that this topic would not end so easily. Xing Ze sighed in his heart, and he had no choice but to tell the truth.
"I suspect Quirrell is a Death Eater."
"Quilro? Quirinus Quirrell? The new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor?"
Ai Li frowned and looked at Xing Ze, mentally considering the credibility of the other person's words.
"Look, I told the truth, and you started to be suspicious, and then we started to fight tit for tat again." Xing Ze picked up the juice and took a sip, "For Merlin's sake, Miss Shafik, I have no reason to lie to you."
"You didn't answer my question." Ellie picked up a small red tomato with a fork.
"kindness?"
"What's that in the woods? I don't believe it's dark magic, and obviously you know what it is, but you've been hiding it."
"Even if you became the head of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts at such a young age, even if you know a lot about dark magic, there are still many dark arts in the world that we don't know about yet."
When Xing Ze said this, he glanced at Ai Li, who showed no anger or impatience.
So he continued: "So, I don't know what it is. I can only speculate that it is caused by black magic."
Ellie withdrew her sharp gaze. She did not completely believe Xing Ze, but she also understood that continuing to dwell on this issue was just a waste of time.
She has only one purpose, to investigate whether the recent series of events in the Forbidden Forest were caused by mysterious people.
"Then what do you think? Are the death of the unicorn, the changes in the forest, and the wizard who attacked us all related to the mysterious man? Or is it all just a coincidence?"
"You're really asking me questions." Xing Ze looked confused. Of course he knew that all this must be related to Voldemort, but as Dumbledore said, he had no evidence.
Jumping to conclusions and making random accusations will only make him look more suspicious. After all, the relationship between him and Ali Shafiq is far from being open to the truth.
The other party didn't believe Xing Ze, and Xing Ze didn't believe her, so the conversation would only become a mutual test, a step-by-step and careful test.
"Let me tell you." Xing Ze said what he had been thinking about. "Everything that happened in the Forbidden Forest may be related to the mysterious man, or it may not have anything to do with it. We don't have any evidence yet. Even if we do, it depends on the Ministry of Magic.
reaction."
He talked a lot of nonsense, meaningless nonsense. If it were anyone else, they would be furious at his attitude, or at least start cursing.
But this time his opponent is a well-educated noble lady. She will also be angry, but she will never show it on her face. So Xing Ze can only make some judgments from her clenched fists.
"Very good, very good, Xing Ze." Ellie nodded, "Aren't you afraid that I will reveal to the Ministry of Magic that you have a close relationship with those two train passengers?
"Don't be surprised. If you want to blame the talkative Mr. Maxim, he is obviously willing to talk to me about the identity and situation of those two people."
That damn estate administrator, he must have done it on purpose. Xing Ze cursed in his mind, kept calm and replied: "Don't be so ruthless, Miss Shafik, we are all working for Dumbledore. You are right, Hai
grid?"
The young wizard began to seek help from the gamekeeper.
"Miss, let me say something." Hagrid threw the half-eaten leg of lamb on the dinner plate. "It's pointless to argue about this. We should ask Master Dumbledore to strengthen the protection of the Forbidden Forest. Maybe let him come forward to fight with us.
Let’s talk.”
Ellie thought for a while, and finally sighed: "You are right, Hagrid, there is really no point in arguing about these. My investigation is completed, and Dumbledore should worry about the next thing."
"He will definitely find a way, miss, he is a smart man." Hagrid picked up the wine glass, "Come on, why are you so gloomy? We have won a victory, a beautiful victory. We should be proud of it.
Here’s a drink.”
The other two people also picked up the cups, and the three cups collided together, making a loud noise.
After dinner, while waiting for the carriage at the Essex Hotel, Ali Shafiq whispered to Xing Ze: "I won't give up so easily."
"I guessed it." Xing Ze looked into the distance with a wry smile, "So I suggest you beware of Quirrell."
"Just because of your unrealistic assumptions, do I have to be wary of my subordinates?"
"Think about it, choose him or me. This is not a problem for you."
A cold smile flashed across the eldest lady's face, "People who don't know would think I'm going to marry one of you."
"If that were the case, I would at least have a bouquet of flowers in my hand now."
The Yeqi carriage came from the sky and landed steadily at the door of the hotel. The carriage driver's skills were perfect.
The manservant jumped out of the carriage, opened the door for his master, and Aliti stepped forward.
"I'm afraid you'll have to go back on your own, you two," she said. "I have to go home and say you're safe, and I'm sorry about that."
Hagrid patted his belly and replied with a smile: "No need to be so polite, miss. Have a nice trip."