"What are you up to..."
Mundungus suddenly turned his head, instinctively exchanging a glance with Charlie Weasley, who wore the same grave expression. The man was well aware that the woman before him was "dangerous"—his boss had told him as much, though he had no idea why William wanted him to "oversee" someone so perilous.
It doesn't make sense...
Honestly, this kind of "trust" is worse than having none at all.
Now, Mundungus felt as if his head was about to explode. He stared directly at the woman, whose pupils had inexplicably started to glimmer faintly with gold. In the next moment, his chaotic thoughts began to organize themselves, and a clear thread emerged in his mind. He opened his mouth and changed his tone—
"Fine, tell me where you've seen it."
Mundungus's voice sounded slightly calmer as he pulled out a chair by the table and sat down. He seemed unaware that his recent query had been a bit abrupt, as if a previously blocked pipeline had suddenly cleared.
Charlie seemed to notice this, but before his mind could catch up, Athena spoke again.
The woman's voice carried a kind of magic, drawing the attention of the other two. Her pupils gleamed slightly, and the expression on her face—a look of great loss—softened just a bit. She took a deep breath and began to lie—
"It was in... an ancient relic buried by sand and time. A thousand years ago, I followed in the footsteps of a sage on a journey, deep in the deserts of the Nile region, near the current Muggle nations of Sudan and Egypt. It was there that I saw similar totems and records."
She paused slightly, as if in reminiscence... but in reality, she was frantically brainstorming the next part of her narrative.
At the same time, Athena began to observe the reactions of the two. Charlie seemed completely captivated, his back previously leaning against the wall now slightly straighter, whereas Mundungus's response was somewhat indifferent, his right elbow resting on the table as he looked at her impassively.
"...That black flower was carved into a mural within the ruins, surrounded by twisted forests and withered bones. According to the nearby inscriptions, it was tied to a very ancient curse associated with a legend long forgotten by time, known as... the 'Desolate Mother'."
The woman stopped, as if waiting for something.
"And then? What exactly is this 'Mother'?"
Mundungus's timely inquiry rang out just as Charlie was about to speak, causing him to lean back once more.
"I forgot."
"... ... "
"...You forgot?"
Mundungus seemed taken aback, standing up abruptly.
"I told you, that was an experience from a millennium ago. My apologies, my memory isn't quite that good—"
Athena replied with a blank expression, her tone calm, though the slightly narrowed gaze betrayed her inner unrest. She was waiting for someone to speak up.
"You don't remember anything?"
Charlie spoke with a hint of reluctance, becoming somewhat restless as he stared into the woman's pale golden eyes.
"Perhaps I'll even forget whether the term 'Desolate Mother' is correct."
Athena shook her head, then pretended to hum softly, "Perhaps revisiting the place could help me find new... memories?" At that moment, her true intentions were evident.
However, without knowing her identity—only aware that she was quite the old fox—Charlie turned to Mundungus with a probing look.
"...Alright."
After a brief hesitation, Mundungus nodded thoughtfully, a faint purple glint in his eyes. "As you mentioned, the situation over there is not to be underestimated. We don't have time to waste. Charlie... may I call you that? You take her with you, and I'll find some additional help to handle that cursed thing—"
With that, the three of them promptly headed outside. Passing through the corridor, they returned to the storefront, where, unbeknownst to them, ten black-robed wizards stood ready in the open space.
These individuals exuded a potent aura, their gazes sharp and their stance uniformly upright. These were the "elite forces" Mundungus had summoned urgently through internal communications. Having undergone initial training, they now looked emotionlessly at the trio emerging from behind the door, raising a fist to their chests in salute.
Mundungus returned the gesture immediately.
Beside him, Charlie observed this team, exuding an invisible pressure more formidable than any Auror squad he had encountered, before turning his gaze to the silent yet seemingly confident woman. The gloom clouding his heart, fueled by the loss of his colleagues, seemed to crack ever so slightly, letting in a glimmer of hope.
He exchanged a look with Mundungus, then nodded emphatically, the scar at the corner of his mouth becoming more pronounced due to tension. "I understand! Then, without further delay, I prepared a Portkey before I came..." He said this as he drew out a sand-filled boot from beneath his cloak.
"Wait... Wait."
At that moment, Mundungus's expression wavered violently as if subjected to interference.
A previously absent, instinctual doubt suddenly surfaced, attempting to break free. He shook his head, as if purging some form of interference. "Wait, I still feel as though we should... yes, we should consult with the boss first..."
As he spoke, he instinctively reached into his pocket for the communication Rune Stone.
"!"
Witnessing this, Athena's breath hitched uncontrollably. As Charlie took out the Portkey, she had momentarily released her mental grip on Mundungus in her slight overjoyment, causing her fingers, hidden beneath loose sleeves, to clench suddenly, nails digging into her palm, bringing a sharp pain.
If Mundungus were to contact that man now, all her recent efforts would be for naught—
Once William knew and intervened, this rare "opportunity" she'd exploited through an information gap and Charm loophole would evaporate like dewdrops under the scorching sun. What awaited her could very well be reduced to a "jar of Athena sauce."
However, she was now incapable of any remedial action—
"Beep—Beep—Beep—Beep——"
Every "beep" emitted from the Rune Stone was like a tolling bell on the woman's heart. Accompanied by suppressed breathing around her, it felt as though the air thickened with tension.
Then, after several seconds of prolonged silence, the Rune Stone broadcasted a "beep-do" sound.