"Mr Shacklebolt, do we really need to search for evidence of Professor Dumbledore's incompetence?" The young woman walking beside Kingsley asked, worry evident in her eyes.
Looking at the girl called Tonks beside him, Kingsley's expression was somewhat helpless.
If possible, he wouldn't want to lead a team to find fault with Dumbledore either. But it'd be one thing if only their own people were here. With such a big living Umbridge standing in front of them, why would this girl think he'd tell the truth?
Feeling helpless, Kingsley replied in an official tone: "That is indeed our mission this time."
Actually, he was very clear that they were purely here as advance scouts, to test the waters for Fudge.
Although Fudge's attitude toward Dumbledore had been declining each year since becoming Minister for Magic, the sense of intimidation Dumbledore had once brought was too deep. Without sufficient evidence, Fudge wouldn't dare rashly come to Hogwarts to arrest Dumbledore's people.
However, Fudge probably didn't expect them to find any clues either. Right now, he was likely lobbying Hogwarts' Board of Governors, trying to impeach Dumbledore.
After all, this highly respected headmaster's prestige at Hogwarts was simply too great, already causing some governors' dissatisfaction.
Hearing Kingsley's words, Tonks's eyes showed disappointment, but she didn't say anything and silently followed behind the group.
The stairs to the seventh floor required passing by the Great Hall. When they reached the Hall entrance, Tonks casually looked around and suddenly brightened.
A young man with a small creature perched on his shoulder was walking toward them. After carefully examining the young man's appearance, Tonks waved her hand and called out happily:
"Senior Kahn!"
Hearing someone call his name, Evans stopped and turned to observe for a moment, surprise flashing in his eyes.
"Tonks?"
Then he saw the several people beside Tonks; especially after spotting the tall Kingsley, a strange gleam flashed in his eyes.
"You actually became an Auror?"
His impression of Kingsley was quite deep. Although Dumbledore had never explicitly said so, he strongly suspected this was one of Old Dumbledore's informants planted in the Ministry.
Being led by such an elite Auror like Kingsley, even if Tonks wasn't an Auror, she must be an Auror trainee.
He remembered this junior's dream back then was to become an Auror. Who would've thought that after just a few years of not seeing each other, she really became one?
But she seemed to be in Charlie's year, graduating less than two years ago, right? Had the Ministry's standards for recruiting Aurors become so low now?
No training required?
"What kind of expression is that!" Seeing Evans's suspicious gaze, Tonks crossed her arms indignantly.
But afterward, she lowered her head and muttered somewhat guiltily: "However, I can't really be called an Auror yet. I'm training under Mr Moody while helping with some clerical work. Basically a trainee."
Although her Metamorphmagus talent meant her concealment and disguise abilities already met the Auror Office's recruitment standards, her stealth and tracking abilities were too poor. Her combat skills and teamwork also didn't meet requirements.
Coming here this time was also because Mr Moody felt she was hopeless and decided to throw her into Kingsley's team for training.
But she felt she could still be saved! How was she hopeless!
Thinking somewhat indignantly about what Mr Moody had said when he assigned her here, Tonks's hair occasionally flickered, changing to other colours before quickly changing back.
Seeing his junior's defiant expression, Evans gently encouraged her:
"I wish you success soon."
From what he knew, the Auror Office hadn't recruited new people for a year or two. Even if Tonks had the talent to join, she still needed extensive practice in combat techniques and specialised areas.
Even so, it was already quite impressive. After all, Tonks had only graduated for about a year. For a graduate, becoming an Auror trainee in just over a year was already a remarkable achievement.
After chatting with his junior for a bit, Evans discreetly observed that toad-like woman.
This woman gave him a completely different feeling from last time. Last time, before he could even speak, she'd come forward on her own, wanting to touch Kelly and making trouble by trying to pin crimes on him.
But today, this woman acted like she didn't know him at all, standing silently to the side. If he didn't know her identity, he might even think this Ministry action group was led by Kingsley.
Taking a deep look at that woman called Umbridge, Evans filed this abnormal situation away in his mind.
In the magical world, if someone displayed habits completely different from before, there was definitely a problem.
Just that many things could cause this situation. Experimental accidents, being cursed, or consuming certain potions or fruits they shouldn't have could all lead to such symptoms.
But if this woman hadn't taken the wrong medicine, this matter would be quite intriguing.
Shaking his head, after chatting with Tonks and Kingsley briefly, Evans entered the Great Hall.
Since even the Ministry hadn't noticed any problems, even if this woman had issues, the root cause couldn't be found in a short time.
Since things had come to this, might as well eat first.
Night, in the Gryffindor common room.
Hermione, having just returned from the library, washed up and changed clothes, then sat by the window and opened the cookbook that Lady Hufflepuff had left her.
Initially, she'd thought this was just an ordinary cookbook, but after reading it many times, she suddenly discovered that the preparation of those dishes contained countless magical principles.
Lady Hufflepuff seemed to have applied all her lifelong magical knowledge to this cookbook. Cooking according to the cookbook's descriptions should produce the most delicious dishes in the world.
Even without using it for cooking, just studying the magical knowledge recorded within could yield considerable benefits.
Since then, she'd used this cookbook as bedtime reading, looking at it for a little while every night before sleep.
Hermione Granger, the study enthusiast, would never pass up any learning opportunity.
Reading until late at night, Hermione closed the book and pressed her somewhat protruding temples.
She'd been studying too intensively these past few days. She felt she should relax a bit.
Tomorrow she'd go to Professor Kahn's place to play with Nana and could also ask the professor some questions.
Thinking this, Hermione leaned forward, planning to turn off the oil lamp at her bedside.
But just then, she suddenly noticed that the star compass she kept in her bedside cabinet had jumped, and the pointer with a golden cup drawn on it seemed different from before.
It appeared to have stopped in one direction, no longer moving slowly like before.
But just as Hermione was about to take out the star compass for a closer look, the previously motionless pointer began moving again. The entire star compass returned to its former appearance, with only the pointer with a book drawn on it remaining still, pointing toward the cookbook by her hand.
"Did I see wrong?"
Muttering to herself, Hermione looked at the compass for several more minutes before slowly shaking her head.
Speaking of which, Professor Kahn had mentioned before that he wanted to borrow this star compass, though she didn't know when that would be.