Chapter 1090: The Youngster is Angry
Chapter 1090: The Youngster is Angry
Umbridge's order made the Aurors hesitate. Anyone who noticed the unfriendly glares from the surrounding students would know that this was definitely not a pleasant task.
Most of the Aurors had heard of Albert Anderson and even knew a thing or two about him. Not long ago, they had discussed this very person.
Who was it that easily took down the Auror squad pursuing Hagrid?
The Ministry of Magic hadn't found the assailant yet, but that didn't mean they didn't have a suspect in mind.
That's right, the suspect was Albert Anderson.
As the most powerful arm of the Ministry, each Auror was exceptionally skilled and far beyond the capabilities of an ordinary wizard. Yet, this assailant had single-handedly taken down a squad of ten Aurors with ease, even if they had used underhanded tactics. It meant that the perpetrator was undoubtedly a highly skilled wizard.
In all of Hogwarts, only a few Heads of Houses might have the capability to do so, along with the newly crowned International Duelling Champion.
Albert had proven his prowess to the world long ago. Whether it was the fire dragon he had effortlessly subdued, Bartemius Crouch Jr.'s attempt to ambush him in the maze, or the Dark Wizards he had defeated in the Dueling Tournament—each incident showcased his formidable strength.
The most crucial point was that Albert rarely used Dark Magic, a feat that only an extraordinary wizard could achieve.
Gadwin Robaz was not foolish enough to make a move, and he frowned at Umbridge, unable to comprehend why this woman would give such a stupid order. Did she want to make an even bigger scene?
Did she think that the authority of the Ministry alone would be enough to make Albert submit?
Was she joking?
From Albert's previous disarmament of Fudge's group, it was clear that if things escalated, the situation would be challenging to resolve.
Did she also expect the Aurors to help suppress the entire Hogwarts castle?
"There's still some calming draught left with Poppy. Perhaps you should have some to calm yourself," Professor McGonagall sneered. She couldn't stand the toad-like woman before her; she was simply unreasonable.
"What are you all waiting for?" Umbridge turned and shouted at the Aurors. "Carry out the order and arrest Albert Anderson."
The Aurors looked at each other, pretending not to have heard. However, among the Aurors, Fudge and Umbridge had naturally cultivated a few loyal followers.
Upon receiving a glance from Umbridge, these Aurors raised their wands and pointed them at Albert, chanting the Stunning Spell. As for the angry students around them, they didn't seem to care, believing that Umbridge would easily be able to handle them.
No one expected the Aurors to dare to act against Professor McGonagall. Unprepared, several Stunning Spells hit her, knocking her back. She fell to the ground, motionless.
This scene shocked not only the students watching but also the other Aurors present. No one thought their colleagues would be foolish enough to make a move here.
Had they gone mad?
"Dexter, have you lost your mind?"
Gadwin Robaz glared angrily at the Aurors who had suddenly taken action.
"I'm just following orders," Dexter said expressionlessly. He intended to capture Anderson and interrogate him to find out if he was the one who had attacked him previously.
Because of that incident, Dexter had almost become a laughing stock.
"How dare you..."
Professor Flitwick's face turned red, and he drew his wand, standing in front of Albert. He glared angrily at the Aurors before him.
Professor Sprout hurried over to check on Professor McGonagall, equally enraged by the Aurors' actions.
Perhaps only Snape remained expressionless, seemingly unaffected by the events unfolding.
The students watching drew their wands, preparing to join the upcoming brawl.
"I don't need help. Please send Professor McGonagall to the hospital wing. She needs treatment," Albert glanced at Professor McGonagall, who had been knocked out by the Stunning Spell. He drew his wand from his robe pocket and gestured to the surrounding students and professors, indicating to those who wanted to fight alongside him to give him space.
Everyone stared blankly at Albert, unsure what he was saying.
He didn't need help?
Did Albert intend to take on all the Aurors by himself?
"The fact that you would point your wands at students and professors, who you should be protecting, is shameful," Albert easily blocked the spells flying at him. With a forceful wave of his wand, the two Aurors who had cast the spells were struck by a powerful force, slamming them into the wall and rendering them unconscious on the floor.
All the Aurors drew their wands, warily eyeing Albert.
They realized that today's events would likely end badly, and they cursed Umbridge in their minds.
It was hopeless.
The young man before them exuded an intense pressure just by standing there. Even the most vicious Dark Wizards had never made them feel this oppressed.
Not only the Aurors but also the students watching nearby held their breath. Everyone sensed that an extraordinary duel was about to unfold.
Those arrogant Aurors had evidently angered Albert.
In everyone's limited memory, they had hardly ever seen Albert lose his temper. However, the less angry a person usually is, the more terrifying they become when they finally do lose their temper.
The oppressive aura emanating from Albert caused them to unconsciously take a few steps back.
As Albert took a step forward, the battle commenced.
Despite the uneven odds, Albert was never one to be intimidated by numbers. As he took that first step forward, he also waved his wand, casting spells with astonishing speed and directly taking down the two Aurors who had attacked Professor McGonagall, sending them crashing into the marble floor.
As for the other Aurors, their spells were either deflected or blocked by Albert's wand movements.
The crackling sounds filled the air, but they couldn't stop Albert's advance. With each step he took, several Aurors were struck down by his spells.
This scene stunned the students watching.
The Aurors were undoubtedly skilled, and their combat experience was extensive. However, they had never encountered an opponent like Albert.
Albert's spellcasting speed was incredibly fast—so fast that no one could comprehend how he was able to cast spells so quickly. He didn't even need to chant, simply waving his wand to effortlessly deflect or disrupt their spells, making them feel like adults toying with children.
As for using those powerful dark magic spells?
They didn't dare, nor did they have the time. They weren't facing off against dark wizards, after all. Moreover, using dark magic would invariably lead to terrible consequences, regardless of whether their opponent was completely subdued or not.
No one was foolish enough to believe that Albert was ignorant of dark magic just because he didn't use it. Every exceptionally skilled wizard had a repertoire of dark magic spells at their disposal.
Furthermore, casting powerful dark magic required time, and very few could cast them silently. Chanting the spell in such a fast-paced duel would easily result in their incantation being interrupted.
Albert's wand movement stuttered for a moment before he abruptly lifted it and waved it upwards. The seemingly impenetrable marble abruptly cracked, and an invisible force plowed through the marble floor, spreading towards the Aurors and colliding with the magical barrier they had erected. A deafening blast rang out, and cracks appeared on the barrier formed by multiple Aurors. Fortunately, it held and blocked the force.
This was the advantage of numbers, and the Ministry's wizards were adept at exploiting it.
Albert paid no heed to those Aurors and instead abruptly turned his head towards a certain direction. Two members of the investigative team, who had attempted to ambush him, were sent flying by a massive force.
"You even have Slytherin's style!"
Albert's voice was cold. If he hadn't had enough protective artifacts on him, he might have been taken by surprise.
Hence, he showed no mercy to his would-be assailants.
Perhaps it was just a simple Impediment Jinx, but it felt like being hit by a galloping carriage to the two of them, sending them flying and vomiting blood. They crashed to the ground and lay there, unconscious and on the brink of death.
Even as everyone was still furious over Montague and Warrington's attack, they were startled by the grim outcome. Albert had clearly pulled his punches, but the two lay there, looking like they could expire at any moment.
After examining Montague and Warrington's injuries, Snape's expression turned ugly. Their bodies were riddled with fractures, and they seemed barely alive.
It was just an Impediment Jinx, yet it had caused such terrible injuries.
Moreover, Albert had undoubtedly shown restraint; otherwise, the two would have died on the spot.
This was a blatant warning.
After dealing with the ambushers, Albert pointed his wand forward. The dust and debris in the air solidified into a shield in front of him, blocking the incoming spells.
A deafening sound reverberated through the entrance hall, like someone vigorously beating a large drum, causing the surrounding students to cover their ears in pain.
Montague and Warrington's ambush hadn't been entirely futile.
They had successfully disrupted Albert's offensive rhythm, allowing the Aurors to capitalize on their numerical advantage instead of frantically coping with Albert's rapid attacks.
The next moment, Albert suddenly felt a piercing pain as something penetrated the shield and affected him.
Albert turned his gaze towards Umbridge, who was pointing her wand at him. Her ugly visage froze, and she stared at Albert in disbelief, unable to fathom how the Cruciatus Curse had failed to subdue him.
Before the Aurors could react, a loud "boom" resounded, and the shield in front of Albert, already cracked, suddenly exploded. The shockwave spread in all directions.
Albert waved his wand forcefully, directing the explosion towards the Aurors.
Umbridge was also pushed back by the force, interrupting her casting of the Cruciatus Curse.
Before she could regain her balance, Albert raised his wand and forcefully swiped at the air. A massive force struck Umbridge's face, sending her flying.
"The Cruciatus Curse... The Ministry really dares to use such despicable spells." Albert's gaze returned to the Aurors.
The Aurors looked at Umbridge, who was staggering with stars in her eyes, and fell silent.
This battle had been a mistake from start to finish, all because of that stupid woman.
Before anyone could step in to stop it, the fight continued.
Albert, enraged by the ambush and the Cruciatus Curse, showed no more mercy.
Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that he accurately seized upon the wavering in the Aurors' hearts and intended to end the fight immediately.
Several spells flew towards the remaining Aurors. The Explosion Curse didn't directly target them but instead struck the marble floor beneath their feet and rebounded towards the Aurors' positions.
The Aurors, unable to react in time, were engulfed by a series of explosions, a veritable catastrophe. Perhaps the Aurors had never imagined that the Explosion Curse could be used in such a way?
From the beginning, this battle had been unavoidable, and Albert had long intended to use these Aurors to forge his reputation.
"You..."
Dexter looked up at Albert, who now stood before him.
"You're not dead, are you?"
Albert raised his wand and immobilized the Aurors who still had the strength to resist.
The Explosion Curse he had used earlier wasn't particularly powerful. Otherwise, with the fragile bodies of wizards, they would have been blown to bits instead of merely being knocked out or blown away.
Seeing the Aurors lying on the ground, the students stared in shock, unable to believe their eyes.
Albert had single-handedly taken down all the Aurors; it felt like a dream.
"You..."
Umbridge's words were cut off as an invisible force sent her flying, and a tooth fell to the ground.
Albert paid her no mind and waved his wand, sticking the Aurors he had knocked out to the wall.
To be honest, the entire corridor, adorned with a neat row of Aurors, was shocking. Jordan had even taken out his camera to capture the scene.
To teach the Aurors a profound lesson and to make this scene a fixture of Hogwarts, Albert used the Permanent Sticking Spell to ensure their clothes remained here forever as a decoration on this corridor.
If the Ministry weren't on the brink of collapse, Albert wouldn't have done something so offensive. But with chaotic times approaching, he didn't mind giving these people a memorable lesson. Let them understand that if they wanted to cause him trouble, they should first consider the consequences.
Umbridge covered her cheek and looked at Albert in terror.
"I believe I mentioned that I don't have Dumbledore's good temper."
Albert looked down at Umbridge, her face contorted in fear, and said calmly, "And your Cruciatus Curse was actually quite painful."
As he spoke, he casually waved his wand, and a chain made of smoke coiled around Umbridge's arm, suspending her in mid-air.
"You..."
"Rest assured, I'm not like you. I don't use the Cruciatus Curse, but..."
Albert flashed a cruel smile and lifted his hand, causing the whip that Filch had been holding to vanish and reappear in his grasp.
"You used the Cruciatus Curse on me, so I'll give you one hundred, twenty-three lashes in return! That's not too much to ask, is it? It's the same number as your Educational Decree." Albert raised the whip and lashed it down on Umbridge's body, eliciting a piercing scream that echoed through the castle.
However, Umbridge's screams were soon drowned out by enthusiastic applause and the sound of fireworks exploding, with other students joining in to cheer Albert on.
It was unclear who had started it, but whether they were from the Anti-Toad League or other students, they were all shouting, "Beat her to death! Beat that toad to death!"
Everyone was more than happy to share the blame with Albert.
Nevertheless, Albert did not take them up on their offer. While Umbridge's Cruciatus Curse had been partially mitigated by the various protective charms he wore, it still hurt.
If he didn't give her a good thrashing, it would be hard to quell Albert's anger. As for the so-called one hundred and twenty-three lashes, it was merely an excuse to rouse everyone's emotions, and it worked splendidly.
Those damn Educational Decrees had long suffocated the students, and now, they were turned into whips, lashing against Umbridge's body one by one, making her experience the pain that the decrees had inflicted on others. If she had known that such a day would come, she would never have issued so many decrees.
No one sympathized with Umbridge, not even Hermione, who joined in the chorus of "Beat the toad to death!"
After each lash, Albert would pause to rest, prolonging the whipping session and allowing the pain to spread throughout Umbridge's body, while everyone relished in her miserable state.
After receiving twenty-five lashes from Albert, Umbridge fainted.
"Peeves, wake her up for me!" Albert said to the poltergeist floating in mid-air and enjoying the show.
"Hee hee hee, the little brat's angry, so scary!"
No one knew where Peeves had gotten it from, but he grabbed a handful of salt and threw it onto Umbridge's wounds. The pain was so intense that Umbridge regained consciousness.
The students watched in astonishment as Peeves continued to throw salt onto Umbridge's injuries, and then they erupted into cheers and applause, thinking that Peeves had done a marvelous job.
Professor Flitwick did not intervene; he merely watched silently as Albert continued to lash Umbridge with the whip.
This was a more terrifying punishment than the Cruciatus Curse.
As for worrying about something unexpected happening along the way? It was unnecessary, because after every ten lashes, Albert would use magic to heal Umbridge's wounds. However, the situation did not improve. Due to Peeves repeatedly throwing salt, the whip now inflicted pain that seemed to penetrate to the bone.
Watching the new Headmistress's pitiful state, everyone felt a sense of satisfaction, even the Aurors who were stuck to the wall. They wished Albert would whip her even harder.
They had ended up in this predicament because of Umbridge.
Thanks to her, the entire Ministry's Auror force would become a laughingstock.
Why did you provoke him?
Did you really think he had no temper?
Look at Umbridge, who had just received over a hundred lashes. They had now witnessed Mr. Anderson's wrath.
He was angry, of course, but anyone with a brain would know that he was holding back.
And now, looking at Umbridge, still hanging there after half an hour, any anger they felt had dissipated.
There was no helping it; Umbridge's appearance could only be described as pitiful.
After being repeatedly stimulated by pain, she seemed to be in a daze.
The clothes she wore were now tattered and torn, and her body was covered in gruesome whip marks.
The students sneered and pointed, shouting things like, "Come on, hang in there, it'll be over soon," to encourage her.
Some even tried to count the lashes for Albert, and there were those who deliberately miscounted, hoping to prolong Umbridge's suffering.
"One hundred and twenty-one, one hundred and twenty-two, one hundred and twenty-three!"
After delivering the final lash, Albert tossed the whip aside and, without even glancing at Umbridge, said to Professor Flitwick, "Professor, don't release those Aurors from their spell. In a couple of days, the spell will wear off on its own."
"I understand."
Professor Flitwick nodded in agreement, still remembering what had happened to Professor McGonagall.
"Then I'll be on my way."
"Where are you going?"
But the students had already surrounded Albert, cheering him on.
"Where am I going? I'm leaving Hogwarts, of course. Unless you want me to stay and wait for the Ministry to send more people to arrest me?" Albert shrugged.
"We're not afraid! We can fight alongside you and drive those damn people out of Hogwarts for good!" Cedric shouted.
"Yes, drive them out!" the others chimed in.
In the eyes of the students, with a little effort, they could achieve a victory like no other.
"Staying here doesn't hold much value for me, and who knows, I might come back to take the Wizarding Examinations with you all." Albert smiled, pushing his way through the crowd and making his way toward the school gates, escorted by a throng of students.
"I'm proud of you." Professor Flitwick said.
"Don't worry about the toad. She'll probably need to recuperate for a while, and with the way things are going, she'll be gone soon enough. I doubt she'll have time to bother you again." Albert walked out of the school gates and waved goodbye before disappearing with a pop, using Disapparating.
However, Albert didn't go far. He reappeared near the Forbidden Forest and took out his pocket watch to check the time. Then, he reached into his lizard-skin pouch and retrieved a metal box from which he took a Time-Turner.
He had never been fighting alone.
I'll spend tomorrow reviewing what I've written over the past few days to see if any changes are needed. For now, let's leave it at that.
(End of Chapter)
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