Order of the Phoenix is taking action tonight. It's 2:30 AM now. Hopefully, it's not too late.
Vincent's superb acting skills seem to have successfully dispelled Daphne and the twins' doubts.
Since the purpose of the inspection is to check equipment related to Magical Projection, it is indeed inconvenient for them to come along.
"Go early and come back early."
"Dude, remember to come back before dawn, or your missing person notice will be posted on the bulletin board in the Entrance Hall again."
"I'll try my best." Vincent's expression turned so serious as he turned around that it seemed to freeze the air around him.
"Wait—" Hermione quickly followed behind him, "I'll go with you."
Vincent didn't turn around, but silently took her hand and walked out of the Room of Requirement together.
The smiles on the twins' faces vanished the moment the door was closed.
Even the two of them sensed something was wrong, and Daphne noticed it too, but none of the three chose to say anything.
For example, during the Second Task, Hermione went to the bathroom and never came back, Vincent, who was with her, did return.
Hermione didn't appear until the project was over and everyone returned to the castle, while Vincent was nowhere to be seen.
His reappearance and his subsequent trip to the Hermione 'Headmaster's Office make it easy to guess that his disappearance was related to Dumbledore.
The two are now going to inspect the equipment, but the reality is definitely not as simple as they make it sound.
Fred, who was half-reclining on the sofa, suddenly sat up. "Do you think those two might have joined the Order of the Phoenix?"
Daphne was visibly taken aback. "How is this possible? Didn't the Order of the Phoenix disband years ago?"
George stroked his chin. "The Order of the Phoenix has been reorganized a long time ago. Fred and I saw Mom and Dad sneaking out at night more than once when summer vacation was about to start.
Daphne frowned. "The Order of the Order of the Phoenix was originally founded to deal with the You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters. What does that have to do with Mr. Bagman and the Goblins Hall?"
"Who knows?" Fred lay back down on the sofa. "We'll just have to ask them when we wake up tomorrow morning."
Daphne shook her head. "Forget it, we're still students, unlike them who can graduate right away."
It makes me angry just thinking about those twins. Nobody noticed them secretly using the Time-Turner for a whole year. If it weren't for the previous example, we probably would have been fooled just now.
"We must give them a thorough interrogation when they return."
"Yes, they must use whips and chili water."
Astronomy Tower
Cedric was holding Qiu and introducing her to the constellations in the sky.
"These are Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, two constellations that snuggle together and never fall."
This scene is truly romantic.
Under a sky full of stars, a couple in love embraced...
Qiu suddenly widened her eyes and looked down at the two familiar figures illuminated by the moonlight. "Cedric, someone has run out of the castle!"
Cedric inwardly sighed with regret and followed her gaze toward the gate below the castle steps.
The two familiar figures were incredibly agile, easily climbing up the Winged Wart Hog statue and then effortlessly jumping down from it.
Cedric twitched his eye. "It's nothing, it's Vincent and Hermione."
Qiu stared intently at the two figures running further and further away. "It really is them. It's so late now, what are they doing out there?"
First, we can rule out that it was a date.
What couple goes on a date by running?
Then we can rule out elopement.
The school doesn't object to campus romances, and neither do the Wayne or Granger family.
Therefore, there is only one possibility left.
Cedric tried to relax and replied in a half-joking tone, "They ran so fast, they must have been spotted by Professor Snape."
"Ah?" Qiu looked anxious. "Then let's hurry down and help."
Cedric gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "It's alright, they have a way to deal with Professor Snape."
"Really? That's good." Seeing that Qiu had put his worries aside, he gazed into the distance in the direction where the two had disappeared.
There's a path leading to Hogsmeade, and there wasn't even time to use the secret passage, so something quite serious must have happened.
At the same time,
On the path leading to Hogsmeade, the secret communication route finally had a signal.
Vincent stopped and quickly contacted Sirius Black.
It took almost two minutes for the video call to connect.
On the projection screen, Sirius Black was in the countryside. "Vincent? And Hermione? You guys are out so late—"
Before he could finish speaking, Vincent interrupted him urgently, "Have you started your operation yet?"
Sirius Black glanced behind the two people who were drenched in sweat.
It looks familiar; it seems to be the path in Hogsmeade.
"Not yet, we're near Jorkins' house. You contacted me as soon as Dumbledore arrived."
"Thank goodness we made it in time..." Hermione clenched her fists, her voice filled with anxiety. "Sirius Black, do you know where Mr. Bagman's house is?"
"Wait a minute, what do you want with him?"
Vincent's lips drooped slightly, his eyes were firm and deep, and his whole being exuded a solemn aura. "The current Ludo Bagman is Death Eaters in disguise."
Sirius Black's eyes widened, and his voice was quite loud, "What!?"
Just as he was about to ask why, Moody quietly walked over, leaning on his cane. "Quiet down, you almost woke up Jorkins."
"Professor Moody."
"So it was you guys."
Dumbledore arrived at that moment.
Vincent softened his tone slightly, "Bagman has a partnership with the Goblins Hall; they originally planned to manipulate the World Cup odds through Magical Projection."
Sirius Black's face instantly darkened. "You mean the man the Death Eaters took away that night when they attacked the camp was Bagman?"
Vincent and Hermione nodded in silence.
There were three Death Eaters that night. If the other two were replaced by someone from the Ministry of Magic, then tonight's operation would alert them.
Moody's magic eye darted around in a very eerie way. "If it were me, I would go to such lengths to replace the people in the Ministry of Magic, and it certainly wouldn't be just to kill Harry."
He turned to look at the rows of houses in the distance, one of which was Jorkins's house. "Bagman is the referee of the Triwizard Tournament, and with that position, he can always find opportunities to be alone with Harry."
They deliberately tampered with the Goblet of Fire to force Harry to participate, used the evil Dark Magic curse of Devouring Feast to drive the dragon into a frenzy, and after their failure, they even used the Imperius Curse, one of the Three Unforgivable Curses, to control the leader of the Merpeople. All of the Death Eaters' actions were aimed at avoiding revealing their identities.
Moody's face grew even darker. "Killing Harry might just be a side effect; their real target is the Ministry of Magic."
With the Triwizard Tournament repeatedly marred by unexpected events, what prestige does the British Ministry of Magic still possess?
If the real target is the Ministry of Magic, then all of this seems to make sense.