Hogwarts Homecoming

Thanks to the prosperity of the textile industry, Bologna's rivers once spread all over the city and criss-crossed the city, known as Little Venice.

However, after the world war that was equally famous in the wizarding world and the Muggle world, most of the city's rivers were passively hidden underground in the city, leaving only a part that allows people to have a glimpse of the style of Little Venice.

Sunlight shines on a sparkling, meandering river in a university district with a patchwork of low-rise buildings.

In the sparse forests that protect the river on both sides, there are many young men and women holding heavy books in their arms, bathed in the mottled light and shadow. These Muggle teenagers discuss something in groups, and their light laughter sometimes scares the birds.

"Where did you go to college, Amosta?"

Always walking along the river, Louise's melancholy was slightly dissipated by the relaxed and comfortable atmosphere in the forest. She recalled her wonderful student days. She saw Amosta in front of her looking at the students curiously. asked.

"Well?"

Amosta blinked, looking a little caught off guard.

"University--"

Louise said in an emphatic tone. She tilted her head and looked at his profile. The fair and delicate skin color made it easy to tell that Amosta was very young. However, this man’s calm personality and that Those eyes as deep as the abyss will always make people subconsciously regard him as an 'old antique'.

"I assume you graduated no more than three years ago, right?"

"Ah——" Amosta smiled, "Probably——"

Knowing that such an answer was unsatisfactory, Amosta pursed his lips, glanced at the energetic faces in the forest, and said with a hint of emotion,

"I'm so busy with work that I barely have time or energy to recall the good times of my student days——"

Kingsley, the leader, seemed to be aware of it, and his steps were slightly hurried. Louise noticed this keenly. She seemed to hear something, and her curious eyes kept switching between the backs of the heads of the two men in front of her.

"Speaking of -"

Louise raised her eyebrows,

"Amosta - and Kingsley, you're part of the same government department, right? But you look so different in age - that's really unusual, especially in a government department, Amosta , how did you become Kingsley's boss? Well, let me guess, Brian, I did hear about a certain high-ranking official in Downing Street."

Louise guessed slowly while studying Amosta's expression, hoping to find some clues in his expression.

"There's no chance, Louise--"

Amosta looked at the road ahead with a peaceful smile, and Louise didn't find any flaws in his smile. "Is it because of my excellent work ability?"

"Excellent work ability? In a government department? Hum -"

As if recalling some bad memory, Louise snorted contemptuously.

Louise was very interested in this question, and she used some insinuations, hoping to figure out why Amosta was able to pretend to be Kingsley's boss, and she also hoped to use these questions to anchor their true identities.

But facing Amosta and Kingsley, her professional skills were not enough to support her in accomplishing her goal, far from it.

After a while, she didn't ask anything. Instead, she was induced to tell a lot of information about herself. When Louise came to her senses and realized that she had said too much, she had followed Kingsley to the area. A desolate area with no people.

The river that had always accompanied it gradually shrank to a trickle, and finally submerged into the underground river under an arch bridge made of gray bricks. The river on the other side of the arch bridge was filled with silt and rotten leaves.

On the other side of the river bank, there is a monastery built of red bricks, but the frame of the windows has been broken down and separated from the main body of the building.

The wall of the monastery facing them was covered with withered vines, and the corners stuck in the wet mud were full of signs of mold corrosion. The highest point of the building was a white stone carrying a gilded cross. Bell tower with hollow dome.

From all indications, this ancient monastery no longer performs its original duties, and now it is probably a haven for gutter rats.

"This is the current residence of Onisto Pastore, Mr. Brain -" Kingsley stopped in front of the arch bridge, turned around and looked at Amosta, who was looking at the monastery,

"And his daughter, Valeria Pastore, was the only one who disappeared before the society that studied magic was disbanded - a student. Before her daughter had an accident, Onisto Pastore was running a local business. He owns a slightly famous leather boot workshop, the factory, and he himself seems to be the sponsor of the interest club--"

Kingsley paused for a moment, then continued,

"--According to the information I learned, after his daughter disappeared, Pastore had no intention of running his own factory. He quickly sold all the companies under his name. According to people who know him, he also sold himself. house, car..., and finally, donated a large amount of money to charity, and then chose to live on the streets - "

I don't know why, not only was Amosta not touched by this story at all, but a cold color flashed in his dreamy lavender eyes under the sunlight.

"I didn't expect it at all--"

Louise blew her nose hard and said sadly and angrily,

"The first time I came here, it was the basement where Frazier was staying where Valeria took me. She was a very beautiful and cheerful girl, and she was also a member of the magic research club. In addition to being willing to talk to me about the club, Valeria is very talkative, and because of her, I also had a changed view of the club that Fraser joined at the time——"

Amosta did not comment too much on this matter. He stared at the forgotten monastery in a field of grass, and his penetrating eyes scanned the conditions inside through the mottled walls.

"Let's go in and say hello-"

Amosta said calmly, and then took the lead to cross Kingsley and walk towards the monastery.

The overgrown weeds in the courtyard within the courtyard wall are much more abundant than those outside the wall. These weeds have caused the original stone bricks in the courtyard to fall apart. Because the sewer outlet has been silted up, half of the courtyard has turned into a pile of putrid sludge. 'pond'.

Although the sun was still shining brightly, Louise shivered suddenly as soon as she stepped here. Although the sky was clear of clouds, her vision was cast by a strange gloom.

"Mr. Blaine..."

The colorful stickers on the broken glass windows of the dilapidated church have not completely faded. The colorful light scattered in the sun reflects on the intruders, silently telling the past prosperity of this place.

Even Kingsley frowned secretly at the coldness in the air, lowered his head and called out softly.

"Obviously ho-"

Surprisingly, Amosta was not in a hurry to explore this monastery. He stood behind the decaying door, closed his eyes and felt something carefully, listening to the whine in the dark wind. After a while, he slowly opened his eyes. , smiling slightly, but there was no smile in his eyes,

"I guess it must be scary here at night—"

Louise failed to understand Amosta's allusion. She frowned and glanced around,

"I don't understand--" said Louise, confused. "Why would he live here unless he's crazy?"

"Perhaps he is really crazy. This Mr. Pastore——"

Amosta shook his head slightly. He did not break into the main hall to praise the god on the cross, nor did he search from room to room. Instead, he walked briskly along the corridor to the backyard of the monastery.

Standing in the middle of a patch of grass is a snow-white building. It was once and is in the same dilapidated condition now. I don't know what purpose this round spire building was used for. The thick brick wall has a small square window seven or eight feet above the ground. It looks like a solitary cell or a prison.

"He's there?"

Kingsley's deep voice revealed vigilance, and he discovered a series of crooked footprints on the ground leading from the end of the corridor to the doorway of the building that was bathed in sunlight but was still dark. For some reason, Kingsley had the urge to pull out his wand, but he glanced at Louise, who was also shrinking from the breath coming out of the hole, and resisted the urge to do so.

"Let's go and visit Paz. Oh, I'm not sure if it's him, but he should be the 'owner' here--"

Amosta said calmly.

Boom!

And the moment he took a step forward, a heavy knock sounded unexpectedly in the building. This was when Amosta's steps froze again.

Louise's expression suddenly became horrifying. In a very short period of time, she chose the one between Amos and Kingsley who could bring her a greater sense of security - she posted Amos. Behind Ta, he tugged on his sleeve.

Boom, boom, boom!

The dull knocking sound became more urgent and crazier than the other, and the person who made the sound seemed to be extremely eager to do something.

"Let's go--"

In Amosta's slightly bright lavender eyes, the whirlpool turned slowly like a millstone. He said something that confused both Louise and Kingsley,

"Let's go help him"