Chapter 846
Dinner Party
Chapter 846 Dinner Party
"A dinner party?" Moody's eyebrows practically shot up. He looked the other man up and down with suspicion and asked, "Tonight?"
—So sudden?
He glanced at Kingsley, his eyes practically screaming, "There's definitely something wrong with this."
Yes, tonight.
Leila said, "Chairman Hawthorne has been very busy lately and has finally managed to find the time. He hopes to hold an informal gathering to express his welcome to all the friends."
"At the same time, he also asked me to express his apologies to everyone—he is sorry that he could not meet you all sooner."
She handed him the invitation at the opportune moment, and Moody frowned as he stared at it, as if it were covered in poisonous thorns.
Kingsley stepped forward, took the invitation, and gently stroked the gold-embossed emblem with his fingers.
He met Leila's seemingly sincere gaze and smiled, "Thank you for your kind invitation, Chairman. We will definitely attend on time."
Leila nodded slightly: "I look forward to your presence."
……
Once the sound of high heels faded at the end of the corridor, Moody slammed the door shut, turned around, and frowned, saying:
"Lyra Picqueli, that surname sounds familiar... What's her relationship with Serafina Picqueli?"
"She is Ms. Serafina Picqueli's niece, but I heard that they are not very close."
Kingsley glanced at the invitation and said casually.
"You really want to go?" Moody said with disgust, "One of those occasions where everyone's wearing masks, all pretentious and hypocritical..."
“We must go,” Kingsley said calmly. “Stepping out of the circle they’ve drawn for us and reaching out to more people will be more beneficial to our operation.”
"But what good does that do them?" Tonks boldly interjected. "Hasn't the Magical Congress been creating obstacles for our investigation? Why are they setting up a platform for it now?"
"I guess... they probably feel the time is about right..."
Kingsley pondered for a moment and said, "We've been at Capitol Headquarters for so many days; some people must be eager to ask us about the progress of the investigation currently under Congress's control..."
"And the Magic Council is waiting to see which people will approach us at the banquet!" Moody sneered, his nostrils flaring. "Ha! They dare to use us as bait! Those damned bastards!"
He clenched his fists and cursed the entire Magic Council from top to bottom through gritted teeth.
Kingsley pretended not to hear his curses, looked at the other Aurors, and said in a normal voice:
"Prepare your dress carefully, and be mindful of what to say and what not to say during the banquet."
"clear."
Everyone responded.
They were initially a little apprehensive, but then they thought—
Have I really gotten some crucial clues after being cooped up in the office for the past few days?
No!
With that thought, everyone immediately relaxed, put down the annoying junk documents in their hands, and began to look forward to the banquet.
Singing! Dancing! Delicious food!
Only Tonks wasn't as lively as usual. She paused slightly, looked into Kingsley's calm eyes, and suddenly understood something.
The girl nodded subtly, tucking a strand of pink hair behind her ear with her fingertips, a figure flashing through her mind.
What they really need to keep secret... is the fact that Wade Gray is currently in the United States!
……
Light music flowed merrily through the air, filled with the crisp scents of green apples and galbanum. Exquisite delicacies were piled high on crystal platters, and a variety of fine wines were laid out on the long table.
The trees in the manor are at their most beautiful time of the year. Some leaves are as red as fire, some are as green as spring, and some shimmer with golden light, like golden leaves hanging all over the branches.
Tonks shook her head as she bumped into Cathy, an American wizard she had met on the island before. The two were having a lively conversation. Cathy was vividly recounting anecdotes about the American magical world, while Tonks shared a few funny mishaps from her missions, making Cathy giggle with laughter.
Kingsley, holding a glass of untouched mead, stood with Congressional President Nicklo Hawthorne, gazing at the bustling crowd.
"Chaos is like wildfire, Mr. Shakel."
Hawthorne chuckled and said, in response to Kingsley's veiled dissatisfaction:
“Sometimes, you have to let it burn within a controllable range before you can prevent it from consuming everything. Rushing to put it out can actually fuel the wind and make a mess of things.”
“Mr. Hawthorne, aren’t you worried that the wind direction has changed… and the fire is getting out of control?” Kingsley asked.
“The wind is always predictable,” Hawthorne said, turning his head and looking sharply at Kingsley. “As long as you’re in a high enough position.”
Meanwhile, after casually dismissing two or three people who struck up a conversation, Moody finally couldn't bear it any longer and simply stayed in the most inconspicuous corner, like an isolated island in the banquet hall.
His one normal eye scanned the entire venue again and again, like a searchlight.
Meanwhile, the Demon Eye spun, penetrating walls, floors, and even some ornate robes, scrutinizing every corner where a threat might lurk.
Not to mention the hand beneath the robe, which was always tightly gripping the wand, never letting go.
Suddenly, Moody let out a soft "Eh," his gaze settling on a wizard who had his back to him and was talking to a simply dressed young witch.
Moody narrowed his eyes.
The man carried two wands, but he hid them very well. His meticulously tailored robe had perfectly fitting folds, making it almost impossible to tell from his appearance that he was carrying wands.
And one of them... with its unique texture and handle...
Moody examined it carefully.
—That's right, it must be Ollivander's work!
And it's a poplar wood magic wand!
In the wizarding world, very few people carry a spare wand with them. Even among Aurors, few have this cautious habit. Most use the same wand from school until they die.
But Moody knew someone who, even when attending classes in the safest classroom, usually carried two wands, and sometimes even three!
And the style and wear and tear on that wand bag...
—That kid Wade! He actually managed to sneak in! I wonder who he's impersonating?
Moody frowned and looked at the person who had spoken to Wade, only to see that the person had already turned to the long table, seemingly to get a drink and find someone else to talk to.
The young wizard who had been standing with her turned around, carrying a plate with three or five pastries, and walked through the crowd, heading straight for Moody.
He approached, missed it, then sat down on the sofa in the corner, picked up a piece of chocolate lava cake, looked at it, and then contentedly put it into his mouth.
Moody's magic eye slowly turned, watching him approach without saying a word.
He wasn't sure if Wade had something to say to him, but Moody knew very well that this wasn't the right time to exchange intelligence.
But the moment the pastry was eaten, Moody's knuckles suddenly cracked sharply.
"Have you forgotten what I taught you?" Moody said in a deep voice, "Don't eat random things in unfamiliar places!"
"Don't worry, this is something I brought myself."
The unfamiliar young wizard spoke calmly, his lips barely moving:
“I remember it all! The poisoned wine, the chocolate laced with aphrodisiacs, the cursed desserts, and the apples sprayed with truth serum…”
Hearing his words, Moody relaxed slightly—it really was Wade!
He asked, "What are you doing here?"
(End of this chapter)