Chapter 1528: The Use of Spies
Chapter 1528: The Use of Spies
"How can there be so many Inferi?"
"Just how many Muggles have those maniacs slaughtered!"
As the Inferi swarmed into Hogwarts through various openings, the Aurors' faces turned grim. Even though they had received Albert's warning and were mentally prepared, the sight before them still angered those stationed at the castle.
It was unclear, however, if their anger stemmed from the Death Eaters' indiscriminate killing of Muggles or their despicable use of the Inferi as cannon fodder.
"Judging by the scale of this attack, there must be at least a thousand Inferi. We're in trouble now."
"What you see here is actually just a small fraction. There are still a large number of Inferi that haven't been gathered yet."
Albert, however, remained calm. Ever since he discovered the Death Eaters' Inferi-making operation, he had anticipated a day like this.
"You should be glad we caught them off guard. Otherwise, Hogwarts would be facing a siege by thousands of Inferi."
The Aurors looked at Albert in surprise, curious about his plan to deal with the horde of Inferi. "Get ready. We'll take care of this batch first!" Albert suddenly instructed the Aurors.
"No problem, but dealing with these Inferi will be exhausting. And... those Death Eaters won't just stand by and let us wipe out their army," the Aurors replied, their wands already raised and aimed at the onslaught of Inferi pouring in through the breaches.
"No, your target is the Dark Wizards. That group of cowards is gathering at the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. I plan to give them a big surprise," Albert said, showing no concern for the Inferi.
If it weren't for the knowledge about Inferi being spread, these fearsome dark creatures would indeed pose a significant threat. But times have changed, and anyone who has read the 'Self-Defense Guide' should know how to deal with them. Moreover, the Defense Association is more proficient at handling Inferi than the Aurors.
As for the Aurors, their task was to take on the Dark Wizards.
However, Albert was not foolish enough to let the Aurors engage the enemy head-on, as their numbers were far inferior. That would be a suicidal move.
With Albert's assistance, they would employ other means to strike at their longtime adversaries.
Spell after spell tore through the night sky, flying toward the Forbidden Forest and bombarding the assembled Death Eaters in a surprise attack.
If luck was on their side, this unexpected bombardment would surely take out a significant number of the enemy.
The Aurors were curious how Albert had pinpointed the Death Eaters' exact location, but they were also eager to follow his lead, gladly reducing the enemy's morale and numbers.
Especially since their targets were a bunch of scumbags. The fewer of them left, the less pressure they would face.
After unleashing a barrage of dark curses, Albert led the Aurors to a new location. They had to reposition before the Death Eaters could retaliate.
Although untrained Death Eaters were unlikely to have good aim, the Aurors would still feel threatened, which was detrimental to their morale. This skirmish was merely an appetizer for the upcoming grand battle. If Albert wanted them to fight with everything they had later, he needed to boost their morale with a series of victories.
"Do we really not need to help out over there?" Williamson asked, his eyes fixed on the intense battlefield ahead.
"This works to our advantage," Albert replied.
"To our advantage?" The Aurors were confused by his statement.
"Either way, we're the ones with the upper hand," Albert said as he led the Aurors to yet another location.
This time, their target was a group of Death Eaters hiding in the rear. Although they were quite a distance from Hogwarts, the Aurors with Albert were an elite group, and surprising the Death Eaters wasn't too difficult.
As Albert led the Aurors from one battle to another, drawing their hatred, the square in front of the school's main entrance had become a chaotic battlefield.
Both sides fought without fear of death, resulting in an exceptionally brutal clash.
However, the situation favored Hogwarts. The Inferi's flesh and blood were not as sturdy as stone or armor. Without proper weapons, their attempts to bite and claw at the statues were futile, and most of them ended up dragging their half-torn bodies, splattering blood on the statues. Cleaning those stains later would likely be a hassle.
Near the Forbidden Forest, there was no fighting.
Instead, two deep trenches had been dug, trapping many Inferi that fell into them and couldn't climb out.
Now, a handful of house-elves were helping to ignite the gasoline in the trenches, intending to burn the trapped Inferi to death. The only problem was the black smoke—it was so thick and scary that it could suffocate people.
Fortunately, a group of students was already casting spells to blow the smoke toward the Forbidden Forest, hoping to suffocate the cowards hiding there.
"I knew those Inferi wouldn't be of much use. Let's join the fight! Our numbers far exceed theirs, and they won't be able to hold us back!"
Ever since Alecto and McNair died in Hogsmeade, and Snape was sent on a mission by the Dark Lord, the older generation of Death Eaters had been nearly wiped out. The newer recruits were eager to step up and replace Yaxley and Snape in the Dark Lord's favor.
"Master, should we change the plan and launch a full-scale attack on Hogwarts?" Yaxley stepped forward, seeking the Dark Lord's opinion. Even if they wanted to make a last-minute change to the plan, they needed the Dark Lord's approval.
"Proceed according to your plan," the Dark Lord replied.
Though he yearned to invade Hogwarts, he was also aware that the resistance led by Albert Anderson would not let him take the castle easily. Charging in headlong would likely result in falling into the cunning young man's traps and suffering heavy losses.
It was better to let Yaxley carry out a well-ordered attack, and the man was indeed making swift progress.
The current wave of Inferi was merely a probe to test the waters and draw out the defenders of the castle.
Yes, the werewolves, giants, and Acromantulas in the Forbidden Forest were all just bait.
The true main force of this battle was here, standing behind the Dark Lord—hundreds of capable Dark Wizards, awaiting their next command.
However, the Dark Lord did not know that Yaxley's attack plan had been crafted with Albert's help. Nonetheless, it was a plan that satisfied most of them.
(End of Chapter)
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