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Chapter 1127: Sparring
Chapter 1127: Sparring
The border between Somerset and Devon had not seen such a gathering in a long time. Deep within the Exmoor National Park that straddled the two counties, a manor was playing host to Albert's wedding.
It was now approaching eleven o'clock.
Fred, George, and Lee Jordan stood outside the manor, greeting guests as they arrived for the wedding. A white tent had been set up in the manor's courtyard, from which gentle, soothing music could be heard.
If one were to observe closely, they would notice that the guests arriving for the wedding were, without exception, a little odd.
No, it would be more accurate to say that this wedding itself was odd.
The tense atmosphere hung heavy in the air, not even soothed by the gentle music. It gave one the illusion that these people were not here for a wedding at all.
And indeed, they were not.
From the trio greeting guests at the entrance, to the waiters serving food, and even the supposed bride and groom—they were all Aurors from the Ministry of Magic in disguise.
This was all rather peculiar.
Should any Death Eaters dare to crash this wedding, interesting things would surely unfold.
It was worth mentioning that the food at this wedding feast was truly exceptional, even delectable. It was a bit of a shame that only beverages were served at the banquet, probably to prevent any Aurors from getting drunk and ruining the operation.
Even if no Death Eaters showed up to cause trouble, this would still be a rather unique experience for the Aurors in attendance.
"Do you think the Death Eaters will really show up?" Gardwin asked, still a bit bewildered.
There was no denying that the events of the day had been nothing short of surreal. The Ministry of Magic had never employed such a tactic in their fight against the Death Eaters.
"They will," Scrimgour replied calmly. "Don't forget, Anderson is a Seer. If he dared to do what he did, he must have had a good reason. And to prevent any of our Aurors from leaking this secret, we've been mingling in small groups. Even if there are any odd ones among us, I doubt they'd have the chance to spread the word."
"I don't know much about prophecies, but as far as I know, not all prophecies made by Seers come true."
At that moment, Gardwin was disguised as an invited guest, slowly savoring the Italian cuisine before him.
"The food here is excellent, but who's footing the bill? This must be expensive."
"Anderson's treating us," Scrimgour said nonchalantly as he too enjoyed the food on his plate. "If it weren't for someone trying to ruin his wedding and make him lose his mind, do you think we'd have gotten this opportunity?"
"Looks like our luck isn't too bad, then."
The Italian cuisine was evidently much more delectable than British fare, and if it weren't for the anticipation of an impending battle, the Aurors might have indulged heartily in these exotic flavors.
"Do we have any backup?"
Kingsley approached Scrimgour with a glass of juice, touched his glass lightly, took a small sip, and asked.
"Yes, the Crisis Response Team, but they're not aware of the situation here. I only told them that once we find the giant, we'll notify them to join in and surround it."
Scrimgour didn't hide anything, as Kingsley's role was the most dangerous.
After all, if the mysterious man wanted him dead, the Death Eaters and other enemies would surely oblige.
In fact, if it weren't for Kingsley's connection to Dumbledore, he would have been a more suitable candidate to succeed Amelia Bones as the Head of the Auror Office than Gardwin.
"Speaking of which, that guy is really something else," Kingsley said, glancing around at the Aurors conversing in low voices. "He didn't even lift a finger, yet he managed to deal with those who caused trouble for him so thoroughly, even getting others to help him take revenge."
"Yeah, and everyone's willing to do his bidding," Scrimgour added, his curiosity piqued. "Did Dumbledore not try to recruit him, or did he fail?"
"Have you noticed the identities of the invited guests?" Gardwin interrupted.
"The guests?"
The two men began to look around, scrutinizing the identities of the guests.
In fact, if Gardwin hadn't recognized a few of them, he might not have noticed this peculiarity.
"Aside from Albert's relatives, friends, and school teachers, the other guests are all well-known and respected wizards in their respective fields, both in Britain and abroad."
As he spoke, Gardwin pointed to the corner where two Potioneers were chatting. One of them was Damocles Belby, the inventor of Wolfsbane Potion.
There were also quite a few members of the Wizengamot present, many of whom Gardwin could name.
Perhaps only Dumbledore could boast such an extensive network of connections, and he had even ensured that only middle-aged wizards attended so as not to hinder the upcoming battle.
"I plan to officially establish the Crisis Response Team," Scrimgour said, setting down his cutlery and changing the subject. "Ask Moody if he's willing to come back and be our instructor. You can be the director."
Kingsley was taken aback by Scrimgour's attempt at recruitment.
Even Gardwin was surprised by Scrimgour's proposition.
"There's no need for that expression," Scrimgour said. "If we want to win this war, we have to be willing to make sacrifices. It's crucial for everyone to have self-protection capabilities, and strengthening the combat effectiveness of the Ministry of Magic is of utmost importance. Many wizards' Dark Magic defense skills are truly abysmal."
"Also, it's best if Dumbledore hurries up," Scrimgour continued. "I believe he must have a way to deal with the mysterious man. If not, we can try the stone door in the Death Chamber of the Department of Mysteries. I think that thing can definitely deal with the mysterious man."
Although he deliberately lowered his voice, he didn't make it too soft, clearly intending for the surrounding Aurors to overhear and boost their confidence.
This was important.
If the wizarding world lost faith in him completely, he would truly be doomed.
Winning over the Order of the Phoenix, especially Dumbledore, was crucial.
To quote Albert: "Don't bother discussing politics with the mysterious man, it's useless. When all the Aurors combined can't beat him, you need to find someone who can. Otherwise, as long as the timing is right, the mysterious man will choose the right time to finish you off, just like what happened to Bones. Don't be delusional—accept that you can't win against him."
If you can't beat him and refuse to lie low, then don't blame anyone else when you die.
The way Albert saw it, Scrimgour's best chance was to strike hard at the Death Eaters.
By severing the mysterious man's claws, he wouldn't dare to be so active. There was no way he could take on the entire Ministry of Magic alone. This way, Scrimgour's life would be safeguarded, and he could gain high prestige within the Ministry, solidifying his position as the Minister of Magic.
Winning over Dumbledore was also essential, as he knew the mysterious man better than anyone and had been researching ways to kill him. They just needed to patiently wait for the right opportunity, for Harry Potter to come of age. The title of 'Savior' wasn't given lightly.
"Of course, Albert has also bluntly hinted that Azkaban cannot hold prisoners. As long as Voldemort is still alive, he can raid the prison and release the captured Death Eaters at any time. All our sacrifices will be in vain."
"It seems he's really angry," Scrimgeour muttered.
"What?"
"Nothing," Scrimgeour said. He had no intention of sharing this intelligence with others, and Anderson had not asked him to do so. It was a deal between the two of them.
To be honest, ever since Albert leaked the secret, Scrimgeour had taken a liking to him. Although it was a mutually beneficial relationship, such arrangements were quite normal in the Ministry, as long as everyone involved could gain something from it. It was more reliable than most things.
...
On the other side, several miles away from the manor, Lucius Malfoy had successfully gathered a large group of accomplices and was preparing to take action.
Although Malfoy was not well-regarded by the Dark Lord, the connections he had made during the last Wizarding War remained intact. Additionally, the Dark Lord's emphasis on killing the Mudblood made many Death Eaters willing to join in.
It wasn't just the Death Eaters, but also a number of recruited Dark Wizards, Dementors, werewolves, and even some giants.
Lucius Malfoy had spared no effort to ensure the death of Albert Anderson.
"Albert Anderson, that Mudblood, is a big problem. He is a Seer, and I dare say he must have foreseen our arrival. We will likely be walking into a trap, but if we have enough people, we need not fear it. Even if there is a trap, we can simply crush it." Malfoy stood there, addressing his followers.
"As for why we must kill him..."
"Because the Dark Lord wants him dead."
"Because once that Mudblood cooperates with the Ministry, none of us will be able to escape. True Seers are extremely skilled at finding people, and if that Mudblood wishes it, we won't even be able to hide."
"He is a figure akin to Dumbledore, and we must crush this danger in its infancy. I believe none of you want to see another young Dumbledore emerge in a few years. One Dumbledore is enough for us to deal with; do you really want another?" Lucius Malfoy shouted to everyone, "Now, I will give you one more reason. Kill Albert Anderson, and I will reward you with ten thousand Galleons. I, Lucius Malfoy, guarantee it. Let's depart now and kill that Mudblood."
There was no doubt that the last reason was the most persuasive, and Lucius Malfoy was well aware of what the others desired.
Loyalty?
That was absolutely laughable.
Even the Death Eaters had little loyalty to the Dark Lord. All they wanted was to use Voldemort's name to satisfy their own desires.
The Malfoy family was no exception.
Ten thousand Galleons were insignificant compared to successfully completing the task and regaining the Dark Lord's favor. Lucius had already enjoyed the benefits of being the Dark Lord's right-hand man during the last Wizarding War, and as for the ten thousand Galleons he had promised, he could easily recoup that through other means.
With a chorus of roars, the massive group began to advance towards the manor. The Death Eaters first needed to cast large-scale Anti-Apparition charms to prevent the Mudblood from escaping using Disapparition.
Of course, Lucius Malfoy was well-prepared. The Death Eaters had done something similar when they went to deal with Bones.
The protective charms originally placed around the perimeter of the manor were easily broken through by the Death Eaters, and with the combined efforts of many Dark Wizards, the entire manor was soon covered by Anti-Apparition charms. This was a skill they had specifically practiced for the purpose of killing Bones.
In fact, what the Death Eaters did was completely unnecessary, as the entire manor had already been warded with Anti-Apparition charms.
When the Death Eaters came within a mile of the manor, the detectors that had been placed on the tables suddenly sounded an alarm.
The Aurors all turned towards the source of the sound, their eyes widening in surprise, and quickly realized that the enemy had arrived.
"Take the Felix Felicis, get ready, our prey has arrived," Scrimgeour stepped forward to stabilize the situation, shouting to the Aurors, "Do not hold back."
Just then, everyone heard something shatter, followed by a sharp alarm blaring throughout the manor.
After taking the Felix Felicis, the Aurors became exceptionally calm. After exchanging glances, they drew their wands as a large group of Dementors appeared before them.
"When will the reinforcements arrive?" Gardwin asked Scrimgeour.
"I've already sent a message. The Crisis Response Team will be here within half an hour," Scrimgeour replied calmly. He didn't really expect much from the team; he had only mentioned them to boost everyone's confidence.
"They're really going all out!"
Kingsley muttered as he drew his wand. He realized that the enemy wanted Albert dead even more than they had anticipated. Not only had the Death Eaters come, but there were also a large number of Dark Wizards, giants, and werewolves. Incidentally, the leading werewolf was Fenrir Greyback.
An old friend of Lucius Malfoy.
Just as the Aurors were preparing to cast spells to expel the Dementors, a group of cloaked and masked figures rushed into the tent like cannonballs, shouting, "Put down your wands and hand over Albert Anderson, that Mudblood, and you will be able to leave here unharmed."
However, what greeted them were the sharp, cold stares of the Aurors.
The atmosphere in the room was extremely bizarre.
Before the intruders could react, several spells hit the arrogant Death Eater, sending him flying and crashing to the ground, unable to get up again.
"Just you lot!"
Scrimgeour, disguised as a guest, raised his wand and smirked at the Death Eater who had been so arrogant just moments ago but now lay on the ground like a dead dog.
"Kill them."
The first group of Dark Wizards to rush into the manor all fell to the Aurors' attacks.
Since Scrimgeour had mentioned that there was no need to hold back, the Aurors were especially ruthless. In the blink of an eye, several of the leading attackers were taken down.
Wizards who mastered the Patronus Charm even summoned their Patronuses to drive away the Dementors swirling above the manor.
The other Aurors, empowered by the Felix Felicis, displayed extraordinary skill.
After a brief clash, more than half of the first group of Dark Wizards had been taken down, leaving Lucius Malfoy, who had been at the back, stunned. Although Malfoy had suspected that there might be a trap, he hadn't expected... Thankfully, he had gathered a large group of accomplices; otherwise, things might have truly fallen apart.
(End of Chapter)
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