Gathering

Sirius turned his head and asked Anduin, "Is that okay, Anduin?"

Anduin didn't mind and was quite eager to see the so-called Order of the Phoenix, so he nodded and said, "No problem."

Dumbledore, amidst the flames, also nodded. "Yes, a very straightforward young man. This further confirms the authenticity of the information. Thank you, Anduin."

Seeing this, Anduin replied indifferently, "You flatter me, Professor. I was merely protecting myself, after all, I am a Muggle-born wizard."

"A humble young man. Then it's decided. I will notify you in advance tomorrow. The location remains the same." With that, Dumbledore disappeared into the flames.

"Alright, Anduin, get some rest. I'll personally take you there tomorrow."

Sirius stretched and chuckled after speaking.

"Mm." Anduin's mind wasn't on the Order of the Phoenix or the Death Eaters at the moment. Instead, he was thinking about the communication magic Sirius had just used. It seemed very convenient, and he wondered if there were any limitations.

However, now was not the time. He planned to find an opportunity to learn it from Sirius.

The next day, Sirius had a restless night. Anduin, considering privacy, had not cleaned Sirius's room. So, after Sirius returned to his room, his usually comfortable bedroom appeared dirty and smelly to him. As the saying goes, there's no harm without comparison. After getting used to the environment and air in the living room, Sirius could no longer sleep in his dilapidated bedroom.

Sirius walked downstairs, rubbing his stiff neck. As soon as he came down, he was greeted by a rich aroma. The dining table was already laden with a sumptuous breakfast, but Sirius looked around but couldn't find Anduin. He opened the back door and discovered Anduin practicing martial arts in the small courtyard behind the house. Anduin moved with agility, his fist wind whistling through the air. Sirius had never seen anyone with such excellent skill and was momentarily stunned.

After a while, Anduin finished a set of Tongbei Quan, stood still, retracted his energy, and exhaled, calming his breathing. He then noticed Sirius yawning behind him and asked, "You're up so late. Aren't you hungry? And what are you doing standing here?"

"I usually don't eat breakfast. By the way, Anduin, what dance were you doing just now? It looked incredibly cool," Sirius said, his eyes still watering from yawning.

Anduin couldn't be bothered to explain to this guy and casually replied, "Never mind the dance. Just think of it as me exercising. By the way, are you eating breakfast or not? If not, I'm putting it away."

Hearing this, Sirius quickly said, "Yes, yes, of course, I'll eat! I don't eat usually because no one cooks for me."

Anduin rolled his eyes. This guy was truly lazy to the extreme.

A while later, as it neared noon, Sirius received a signal from Dumbledore through the fireplace.

At this moment, Anduin had also changed his clothes. Seeing this, Sirius didn't waste any time and directly pulled Anduin to Apparate away from the cabin.

The two appeared in the middle of a dilapidated alley. Sirius observed his surroundings, ensuring no one saw them, and then led Anduin to a broken wooden door in the alley. He drew his wand, placed it on the door, and muttered for a moment. A phoenix pattern flashed on the door, and it creaked open.

Sirius led Anduin through the door, past a backyard, into a room, and after opening another wooden door, descended a staircase behind it, arriving in a basement.

Anduin observed his surroundings. The building was constructed of brick and wood and looked quite old. In the center of the basement was a large wooden table surrounded by old wooden chairs. Beside it were shelves with goods and old wooden barrels. It didn't look like a secret base, but rather like a storage room for an ordinary, run-down restaurant.

Several people had already arrived in the basement. In the center was Dumbledore. Beside him was someone Anduin remembered: the Auror Mad-Eye Moody, whom he had met before. Next to Moody was an elegant witch who looked to be under thirty.

On the other side were two wizards. One was a middle-aged man with a full beard, a broad jaw, and a slightly stout build, looking quite imposing. The other was a burly wizard with short, reddish-brown hair, no beard, and a kind expression, looking like a friendly uncle.

When Dumbledore saw Sirius bring Anduin in, he smiled slightly and said, "Good afternoon, Sirius, Anduin. It seems everyone is here. Let's sit down and talk."

Everyone is here? Anduin was taken aback. Including Sirius, there were only six people present. He had thought it would be a large gathering. Nevertheless, he obediently sat down next to Sirius.

Sirius sat down with Anduin and kindly introduced everyone to him. "Anduin, you've met Moody. This lady beside him is Emiline Vance. The bearded man next to Dumbledore is Edgar Bones. The one next to him is Gideon Prewett. Everyone, this is Anduin."

Anduin nodded to everyone. The people present also nodded in acknowledgment.

"Ha, I knew you were brave back then, kid. I didn't expect you to get involved in Death Eater matters again. Are all young people this fearless now?" Mad-Eye Moody, seeing Anduin for the second time, couldn't help but chuckle. The last time, he had fought with Sirius against Death Eaters, and now, only a few months later, he saw him again.

Anduin could only reply helplessly, "It's precisely because I fear death that I cannot blindly escape. In such a tense situation, the more you try to escape, the more likely you are to become a victim. That act of covering your eyes and thinking everything will be fine is the most irresponsible approach to your own safety, isn't it?"

The people present listened to Anduin's words and couldn't help but look at the young wizard with newfound respect.

Dumbledore nodded approvingly and said, "See, Moody? I didn't expect today's young people to be wiser than many adult wizards."

The other members of the Order of the Phoenix beside him nodded in agreement.

"Then let's get back to the main topic. Can you explain the information you received again?" Moody's expression turned serious as he asked Anduin.

Anduin then recounted to them what he had told Sirius the previous day.

Dumbledore and the others listened to Anduin in thoughtful silence. After Anduin finished his account, Dumbledore asked thoughtfully, "So, Anduin, what are your thoughts on this matter?"

I just signed the contract, and it's also the day I reached 100,000 characters. I won't be posting at a fixed time today. I'm also asking for monthly votes, recommendation votes, and collections. Thank you all for your support.