The next morning, they were in an open-air restaurant on the side of the road. The pen %fun %www.biquge.info last night's stay, they all ran out of money. It was almost okay for breakfast, and they exchanged every dollar at the last of their dollars.

"Listen to this," Hermione said intently to the New York Ghost, "-- Recently, the Magical Congress decided that all foreign wizards must go to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to board their planes. ”

"What—are we going too?" Harry looked up and spat out a small sip of coffee.

However, the coffee itself does not taste very good.

"We don't have that time. Phoenix pulled out a beautiful necklace that flashed blue light, "There's an American Auror who has been following the locket, and we're going to get more detailed information from him right away." Then decide what to do next. ”

"Then let's go now. Harry threw down half of the omelette.

Phoenix looked at Hermione, and she nodded, putting away the newspaper.

When they reappeared, it was a bar. It's daylight, but it's crowded. Countless young people writhed to the music, and a disgusting smell filled the turbid air.

Hermione pulled out her wand and was suddenly grabbed by a man's hand.

"Don't use magic here, little girl. A bewitching woman, smiling, said, "We shouted for joy at something." ”

Phoenix raised his eyebrows and looked this glamorous dancer up and down. This was the first time he had seen an Auror dressed in this outfit.

"You see, the Star Phoenix Banner will always fly high. Phoenix held out his hand, "Phoenix Peverell, it's a pleasure to meet you." ”

This is the joint code they have set before. The Star Phoenix Banner is the flag of the Magical Congress of the United States, consisting of 50 small stars and a phoenix with its wings outstretched.

"This is not the place, come with me. She led the three of them out the back door to a secluded alley.

"American Aurors," she said in a voice that suddenly changed to that of a grown man, "just call me Cole." ”

He drew his wand and waved it, revealing his lascivious costume into an ordinary gray robe. The facial features are distorted, and the long hair is shrunk into a short one.

"You're a disguised Animagus?" Hermione said in amazement.

"I'm still a regent. As she spoke, she became Ginny Weasley, with her long fiery red hair and even more stunning than herself.

"Oh, Harry—" His tone was not at all recognizable as someone else in disguise.

"Are you a pervert?" Phoenix watched as he kept scratching his head, "transvestite?"

Hermione grabbed Harry so he wouldn't pounce.

"It's bisexual, making the most of my talents. He reverted to his original form, "You should learn Occlumency from your companions." ”

"It's rude for you to get into other people's minds like that. Harry said with a lingering sigh.

"That's what I do—"

"Okay, can we get down to business?" Phoenix pulled back the subject, the purpose of their trip, "What about the others, you lost it?"

"Of course not. I already know who he is? I have to say, you're bold too. "He's a powerful man, and if anyone else knows, I'll spy on him." I don't have any good fruit to eat. ”

"You rejected me, thinking that there was good fruit to eat. Phoenix scratched his forehead.

It seems that the real person named Elias Story is a person of great prestige and status in the United States. So much so that the Aurors, who were following him, felt some kind of danger, at least threatening his professional future.

He didn't speak, just paced in place, apparently thinking about something.

"I understand that you are also very powerful, and you are certainly not afraid of him. He seemed to figure out something, "I don't want to get involved, and now I can't get out of it." But I need one - I can help you, but for a fee, for a fee. Trust me, come hard, you're going to miss out on the validity of the message in my head. ”

Cole is undoubtedly shrewd. I knew that if Phoenix came hard, I would definitely be caught, but it took a lot of time to remove a brain occlusion. It will take time and a skilled regent to break the spirit of a wizard who knows this spell. He believed that they needed information about the man, especially his whereabouts.

Harry was a little taken aback and said hesitantly.

"How much do you want?"

"I don't want Galleons or Zhuo Pot," Cole said with a smile and shaking his head, "I have money, too." ”

He narrowed his eyes slightly.

"I want the Order of Merlin, the official merchant. ”

Harry's heart sank.

"No, we-"

"Well," said Phoenix softly, "things are in trouble, and you certainly have nothing to sing about." ”

"Yes, I'm not very prominent in the Aurors. You should be familiar with Moody," he said in a deliberately London accent, "and he doesn't, and I can't do it anymore." But now I have a glimmer of possibility, don't I?"

"We're going to talk about it. Hermione said suddenly.

Cole made a gesture of encouragement and slowly retreated into the distance.

"Shut up and listen!" the spell fills the ears of everyone around them with an unrecognizable buzz, "well, I'm afraid we don't have any other choice." ”

"Promise him!" Harry looked at Hermione incredulously, "where are we going—wait, do you want Phoenix to give him his own medal?"

Hermione didn't answer, just looked at Phoenix. Her eyes revealed what she meant.

"It's not too much trouble to get him a Merlin Medal of the First Degree. Although they are all called first-class Merlin, there are still differences. Like Tilly Tock, a Merlin Order of the First Class and nicknamed 'The Dragon Slayer', Professor Dumbledore, nicknamed 'Master of the Defence Against the Dark Arts', and I, 'The Protector of Hogwarts'. These wizards have convincing deeds, and people will give them nicknames that summarize their deeds. But when the Ministry of Magic was financially tight, it didn't mind, and the rich used money to buy one. ”

Harry remembered that while cleaning the Order of the Phoenix headquarters, there was a Merlin Order of Merlin awarded to Sirius' grandfather for his "service to the Ministry of Magic". Because he gave the Ministry of Magic a lot of gold.

"Shall we scrape together the money to buy one for him?"

"No, no. Phoenix said.

"How much? Let's make it up. "Harry is also a rich man, as long as he can destroy the locket.

"It's hard to say, when I saw the Magic Congress of the United States, how much money was going to hack us. Phoenix didn't really care about the money, "I estimate that one and a half will cost you about one-fifteenth of the money in your coffers." ”

They deliberated and agreed to Cole's request.

"And make an unbreakable vow?" Cole glanced slyly over the three of them.

"An unbreakable oath?" the expression on Phoenix's face became unpredictable, and before he had even begun to do what he had promised Snape, there was another one.

"Alright," he said dryly, "Hermione?"

Hermione looked anticipatory, and drew her wand. They shook each other's right hands. She stepped forward and stood beside them, placing her wand on each of their hands.

Cole spoke.

"Cole, are you willing to go out of your way to help us get our hands on the Slytherin locket?"

He narrowed his eyes and said after a moment.

"I do. Cole said.

A thin, dazzling tongue of fire erupted from the wand, like a red, hot wire, wrapped around their two hands.

"When it's done, you're going to help me get a Merlin Order of the First Class, do you agree?"

"I do. Phoenix said.

A second tongue of fire erupted from the wand, intertwining with the first, forming a thin, red-glowing chain. Tightly wrapped around the two hands they held together, like a rope, like a fire-breathing snake.