"Lupin, it's me...... There's something to look into, I'll be waiting for you in the reception room downstairs. ”

Maca didn't wait for the door to open, but left a word outside the door before leaving with Lena. After the two reached the reception room across the foyer, Maca sat down at the table.

"Is Leni asleep?"

Even for the little girl who keeps arguing all day long, she will always miss something if she hasn't seen her for a long time.

The old Black Mansion had never been too angry, and since the Weasleys had returned, it had become even more deserted. So even if you get tired of hearing too much noise, it's actually indispensable.

Especially for the few children who are still here, the long period of captivity has had a great psychological impact on them. And Lennie's noisy bluffing is the nourishment they need at the moment.

"Yes, Lenny is asleep." Lena doesn't talk much, it's basically the type of question that will only answer, "I'm going to make some tea for everyone......"

"Oh no." Maca waved her hand and said, "No need...... When Sirius returns, it's time for us to go. When we're out the door, you can go back to your room and rest! Or, in fact, now you can—"

"No hurry...... Wait a minute. ”

Lena shook her head slightly, and then sat down in the old chair next to the long table.

Probably because she had just gotten out of bed, her hair wasn't tied up as usual. As she tilted her head, the ends of her hair slipped slightly, causing her to lift her hand back behind her ear.

The girl was very good at enjoying peace and quiet, and nothing mattered to her except Lennie's opposite-minded sister. No matter how boring the days here are, she can accept them without boredom.

Leni was more likely to worry than she was to get bored, but Maca really didn't have much to do.

"How are you doing lately with Leni? Didn't you go anywhere to toss, did you? ”

No sooner had Maka asked this question than there was a sound of footsteps at the door of the reception room. Lena opened her mouth, but quickly closed it.

The next moment, Lupin's fully dressed figure appeared in Maca's sight.

"Oh, Maka! Good evening! ”

The first person to say hello was not Lupin, but another person who squeezed in half from behind him, Nymphadora Tonks.

"Well, good evening...... "Maca said, smiling a little ambiguously, "It looks like I've accidentally disturbed you...... Hopefully, that wasn't at some critical moment? ”

"Uh...... Feed! ”

Tonks' face suddenly flushed a little, and her long capricious shoulder-length hair gradually darkened from the original pink. However, she was originally the kind of boyish and hearty character, and she soon became generous again, and even glared at Maca.

However, Lupin's expression was quite embarrassed, after all, no matter how you say it, being teased by a junior who can be his son regardless of age is in a complicated mood after all.

"Maka, you said there was something to investigate? What is it? He waved his hand quietly, pulled out a random chair and sat down, "Hmm...... Is it related to the next alchemy competition? ”

If there's anything big about to happen in the near future, it's the International Alchemy Contest at Hogwarts. Coupled with the fact that this event was of great significance to Hogwarts, Lupin guessed the general direction of things when he thought about it.

"yes!" Maca shrugged, "I've gotten word that there seems to be some unease in the Iranian wizarding community, and that it involves the Indian delegation that hasn't arrived at Hogwarts this time, as well as ......."

After a brief explanation of the situation, he tapped his knuckles on the table and paused for a moment. After Lupin and Tonks had digested his narratives, he spread his hands.

"The source of the information may not be completely reliable, after all, it is not my own person who provided this information...... "but if this is true, it must be dealt with as soon as possible – and to be honest, it is very likely that Nicol Lemay will have an intellectual legacy." Not to mention anything else, the stock of elixirs that may exist alone is worth letting many people out......"

"Indeed...... Lupin frowned, "except for a few like Dumbledore...... Who wouldn't want to live a few more years? ”

As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced at the Tonks beside him, who gave him a cheerful smile in return.

There is an age gap between the two that cannot be ignored, and although Lupin seems to have accepted Tonks's sincere feelings, he always hesitates when he thinks about the future.

"At least I don't think the Lemay couple have been happy for more than 600 years...... "Anyway, when Sirius returns, let's go to Iran to have a look!" ”

"Just the three of us?" Lupin thought about it, then nodded, "Well, if you just go to investigate, it's not good if there are too many people." ”

"Three?" When Tonks heard this, he immediately said dissatisfiedly, "What about me? Are you going to leave me here? I'm a working Auror, too! ”

"So that's it!" Maca said as a matter of course, "You're going to work early tomorrow morning, right?" And...... Hey, how do I remember when you barely passed the sneak and tracking tests? ”

Lupin also teased: "If you don't wake up Old Lady Black when you go to the kitchen, then your stealth evaluation can be good." ”

Tonks finally threw himself on the table helplessly, and then sighed heavily.

"Okay, okay......"

Just as Maca and Lupin looked at each other and smiled, there was a creak of the door opening in the hallway. Several people in the reception room immediately understood that Sirius had returned.

"Sirius," Maca got up to greet her, "seeing that you can run to the Leaky Cauldron to pass the time, there must be nothing, right?" Ready, let's go to the Iranian wizarding world together, and talk about the specifics on the way-"

"This is going out again? I just got back—"

Sirius still looked like a child, and although he complained, there was a look of excitement on his face. This guy is a person who can't be idle, and Maca knows it well.

……

Iran is a typical earthy yellow country.

Due to its geographical location, there are many extremely dry desert terrains, so much so that many areas are exposed to prolonged heat. And this has been the case since when it was still called the "Persian Empire".

When Maca, Lupin, and Sirius arrived in Iran, it was already late at night. However, this is also the case in the Muggle world today, where even at night, the abundant lights can still complement the evening lighting, and even the busiest places can make it impossible to distinguish day from night more clearly.

Fortunately, as far as Rita Skeeter was concerned, they didn't need to get too close to the bustling streets where Muggles were coming. In this way, even if they were a few foreigners, they would not make the local residents look back frequently.

"Maca?"

Under the night of this Iranian city, Maca couldn't help but stop slightly when she looked at the earth-colored domed buildings near and far and the patterns on the walls.

In a trance, he couldn't help but feel a smell of déjà vu lingering in his heart, as if he had been to a similar place in the past.

"Huh?" In Lupin's slightly questioning eyes, Maca let out a soft breath, then smiled again, "It's okay, it's just...... I remembered a little thing from the past. ”

As he spoke, his right hand subconsciously shook it, and then slowly released it.

"Let's go, the place we're going to be in the old town to the north. In order not to startle the snake, let's go around the side...... There are so many people on the street that we may fall into the eyes of some 'well-intentioned people'......"

Even though it was late at night, there was still a lot of people on the central street. After Maca and the other three entered the city, they passed by the nearby residential area that had been shrouded in darkness and went straight to the old building area in the north of the city.

The earthy yellow here is stronger than in other towns, but it is still a dull night, and the moonlight illuminates the brown-yellow walls a little white. In the past, most of the streets and alleys were narrow and closed, and when you walk among the low-rise houses, you can even feel a little crowded and cramped from ancient life.

To put it bluntly, Maca is also the first time to come to this city, and Rita Skeeter has clearly explained the specific location, but you still have to look for it when you get here.

“…… Is this it? ”

In the middle of a very narrow house, Maca sensed some strange fluctuations in her magical power. And as he walked inside, the more obvious the fluctuation became.

It wasn't until he casually pushed aside a few broken baskets that stood in the way that a door frame that had already been sealed with adobe bricks came into his sight.

"That's right," Maca whispered back, "and we'll go in when the Illusion Charm is put on." It should be a wizard street like Diagon Alley, but it is said that there are many alleys, so be careful about the route you take. ”

With Lupin and Sirius nodding, Maca cast a disillusionment charm on each of them, then reached out to examine the brick wall.

It wasn't long before he drew a small pattern on a few bricks, and then his whole hand sank into the wall.

"What a terrible experience—"

Feeling the stickiness that pierced through the mud, Maca muttered a little and slipped headlong into it.