Red the Human - Part 4
Meanwhile...
The search for Red had spread across practically all of London, with more and more Aurors continuing to appear throughout different districts.
But the ones with the most work were the Obliviators, who were running back and forth modifying the memories of every Muggle who had witnessed any kind of magic. They had reached the point where they simply couldn't keep up anymore, while entire city blocks of Muggles now stood in lines along the streets with dazed expressions after having their memories modified, as a wizard stood before them directly telling them what they had supposedly seen.
"What you witnessed was nothing more than a gas leak," the wizard repeated, already feeling at this point that the excuse was hopelessly outdated, but it was the only one they could use quickly for situations like these.
The Muggles all repeated it in unison.
"Ah... I really should find another job," the wizard sighed, utterly exhausted and on the verge of passing out from using so much magic.
But the moment he said it, the people still under his spell repeated those exact words in perfect unison.
"Ah, no... Merlin's beard," the wizard muttered, having to begin the entire enchantment again because of his slip of the tongue.
Meanwhile, not too far away, Draco flew over the rooftops on his broom, constantly scanning the streets below.
Daphne was doing exactly the same from another part of the city.
Tommy continued sprinting at full speed through the avenues, vanishing every few seconds in a silver flash after having lost Red's trail.
As for Billy and Hermione, they were being continuously transported by the house-elves, who had also joined the search. Since neither of them seemed particularly fond of flying on brooms, that had become their only option.
Though Apparition wasn't exactly the most comfortable means of transportation, as Billy looked thoroughly nauseous while Gris carried him around.
Not even Hermione escaped that fate, doing exactly the same while traveling with Pipi.
Meanwhile, Dobby and Laki searched different sections of the city on their own, constantly Apparating through alleyways, plazas, train stations, and parks.
It could honestly be said that they were conducting a far more organized search than the Aurors themselves, who only arrived after the Ministry's maps showed a surge of magical activity.
But that only meant the problem had already appeared...
And already caused trouble by the time they got there.
Harry, transformed into crimson mist, paused for a moment atop a nearby building before taking out the Two-Way Mirror that everyone now shared for communication.
Well, calling it a Two-Way Mirror was underselling it.
At this point, the faces of every member involved in the search for Red appeared within it.
Including, of course, the house-elves.
"He's not here," Billy said while trying to make Gris stop for a moment before he ended up throwing up.
"Dobby hasn't found him either," said the Malfoy family's elf, who, for some reason, appeared to be inside what looked like a sewer.
"Laki just checked another square," said the Greengrass family's elf in her usual blunt tone that somehow always sounded like she was scolding you.
"I think I found a group of Aurors," Draco said while steering his broom away to avoid being spotted and ending up arrested himself for using magic in a Muggle area.
"He isn't here either. And honestly, I was expecting more explosions," Daphne said with a bored expression that, naturally, everyone ignored.
"Harry, I found Tonks," Hermione said immediately. Beside her, Tonks could be seen leaning into view, her hair now a bright shade of purple.
"Really?" Harry asked in an innocent tone, as though he hadn't seen her just a few moments ago and immediately escaped after noticing how annoyed she looked.
Of course not.
Meanwhile, Tonks simply stared at him.
But she didn't bother saying anything about it.
"I don't know what kind of trouble you lot are causing this time. But if you don't fix this quickly, you're all going to be in serious trouble. The Ministry has gone completely insane right now. The Statute of Secrecy is in danger, and if the International Confederation of Wizards gets involved..." Tonks said seriously, but she didn't finish the sentence.
Though everyone understood perfectly well just how disastrous that would be.
"According to the Ministry's reports, Red is still heading west. And every Auror is beginning to move in that direction. So you're running out of time. Fix this now," Tonks said immediately.
She normally wasn't this serious.
Which only showed just how enormous the problem looming over them truly was.
Several seconds of silence followed.
"What's to the west?" Billy asked.
Hermione answered almost immediately.
"A lot of things. Hyde Park, Oxford Street, Regent Street, Marble Arch, and several of London's biggest shopping districts. Which means it'll be packed with people if a magical creature shows up there," Hermione said, becoming more worried with every word.
Hearing that made finding that idiotic dragon even more urgent.
But Daphne seemed to focus on one of the places Hermione had just mentioned.
"What a coincidence..."
"What?" Draco asked.
"Luna and Astoria took Fleur to Oxford Street. They wanted to show her a bit more of the Muggle world and buy her some nice clothes," Daphne said. "Maybe we can ask them to help us catch Red," she added.
Hearing that, everyone was about to say something, but they couldn't help noticing that Harry's face in the mirror had suddenly gone thoughtful...
And strangely quiet.
The expression of someone who had just realized something.
"Harry?" Hermione asked as everyone stared at him.
But he didn't answer.
Though a few seconds later, Draco seemed to remember something before giving him a dry smile.
"Right... you were the one who gave Red that order just to mess with Fleur. That's why he followed her all the way to France, wasn't it?" he asked bluntly.
"This isn't the time for that. We might know where Red's heading now. We'd better hurry before he causes even more trouble," Harry said immediately as his body transformed into crimson mist, shooting away at incredible speed.
His friends couldn't help giving him the same dry look.
One that clearly conveyed the exact same thought.
"Yeah... in the end, this was your fault too. As always."
Though they'd tell him that to his face later.
Like always.
The entire group immediately began moving in the same direction.
...
Meanwhile...
Far away from the chaos engulfing the Ministry of Magic...
Or rather, London as a whole...
Fleur, Luna, and Astoria strolled peacefully down one of London's shopping streets, carrying several shopping bags.
The three of them were dressed like elegant wealthy ladies, even wearing dark sunglasses as they walked among the Muggles, who couldn't help stopping every now and then to look at them.
After all, they were a group of three incredibly beautiful young women.
Especially the eldest, Fleur, who seemed capable of enchanting anyone—man or woman—with a single glance.
Though perhaps the most eye-catching thing was their clothing, which looked incredibly expensive...
Yet at the same time, almost ridiculously extravagant.
"Are you sure this is how Muggles dress?" Fleur couldn't help asking.
She actually liked the clothes a little, but she still couldn't shake the feeling that they were rather flashy.
Especially Astoria's leather jacket, which made her look like a biker.
Meanwhile, Luna was wearing what looked like a princess dress.
And the two of them had somehow convinced Fleur to wear a dress that was just a little too form-fitting, one that only emphasized her flawless figure and was currently causing more than one man to lose his mind...
And more than one woman to reconsider her sexuality.
Even Fleur herself felt a little uncomfortable, trying to hide behind the shopping bags in embarrassment.
"Don't worry. Harry will like it," Luna said, giving her a thumbs-up.
Adjusting her sunglasses, Astoria did the exact same thing.
Fleur couldn't help glancing down at herself, and her face immediately turned bright red just imagining it.
"I don't think... I'd better change," she said at once.
"Then how about that one?" Astoria said, pointing toward a nearby boutique whose display window featured an enormous white wedding dress, complete with a train that had to be several meters long, now rolled up behind it.
"I don't think that's the kind of clothes people wear normally," Fleur said, shaking her head in confusion.
"Don't worry. Just try it on," Astoria said as she and Luna began pushing the half-Veela in that direction.
Fortunately...
Or rather...
Unfortunately...
Something blocked their path.
Without warning, the sky rapidly began to darken.
Or rather, an enormous crimson cloud seemed to blot out the sun above them, causing all three girls to look up.
Not just them.
Several people nearby did the same.
There, they saw an enormous blood-red cloud that had suddenly stopped overhead, covering the sun as it drifted ever so slightly.
Leaving everyone wondering what exactly it was.
Then...
Without warning...
The crimson cloud froze in place.
As though time itself had stopped it.
Or as though it had found what it had been searching for.
"What is..." Fleur was about to ask why that thing felt so strangely familiar.
Even Astoria frowned slightly as she watched the cloud.
Until Luna simply stopped, blinked once...
And smiled peacefully.
"Hi, Red," Luna said, waving cheerfully at the cloud.
The cloud immediately began spinning at tremendous speed before diving straight toward them.
It slammed down to the ground, gathering into a small whirlwind as a figure slowly emerged from within the crimson mist.
A young man clad in crimson armor, with golden eyes, now looking at the three girls with a small smile that revealed his sharp teeth.
The people nearby jumped in fright as he appeared like that, and merely feeling his presence filled them with overwhelming terror.
Fleur stared at the young man in confusion, her brows knitting together.
"Red?"
Astoria's mouth hung open in shock.
Meanwhile, Luna still wore the same happy smile.