Chapter 172: Fighting and Killing Isn't Much Fun
Chapter 172: Fighting and Killing Isn’t Much Fun
The room was a completely enclosed space, and in such an environment, the most suitable Spell to use would be the Explosive Charm.
It wouldn’t take much; just ten Wands casting the Explosive Charm together would leave the people inside no time to react, and they would all be blown to ashes.
However, the room wasn’t just filled with Death Eaters. On the floor lay two Ministry of Magic employees, and the witch tied to the chair and being interrogated was almost certainly Madame Selwyn, the head of the Department of Mysteries.
So Sherlock had to adopt a more balanced approach. He increased the number of Wands, took note of the general positions of the people inside before opening the door, and prepared to aim.
Then he kicked the door open and released his Spells!
“Petrificus Totalus.”
This time, Sherlock didn’t use a Silent Spell, as that would also reduce the Spell’s effectiveness. Previously, he could afford to be silent when dealing with one person, but now with multiple targets and no need for stealth, he naturally chose to verbalize the Spell.
Dozens, nearly a hundred Petrification Charms gave the people inside no time to react. Even if they had enough time to react, they wouldn’t have known how to respond to such a situation in the short term.
Most of the Spells hit their targets.
The first few Death Eaters to be targeted were hit by several Spells directly, causing their bodies to stiffen and fall to the ground.
However, due to the angle, Algernon was behind the witch, and all the Petrification Charms were blocked by Madame Selwyn, not a single one hitting him. Another Death Eater was mostly shielded by the three companions in front of him, only being hit by one Charm, which was insufficient to fully immobilize him, leaving him just slightly stiff and moving awkwardly.
Several Spells hit the desk and walls, leaving numerous dents and holes.
At this moment, Algernon and the other Death Eater who was hit by only one Petrification Charm finally reacted.
Their only thought was that they were now surrounded by dozens, perhaps hundreds of Aurors! The Aurors must have abandoned the Death Eaters in Sheffield and returned to guard the Ministry of Magic!
Otherwise, even if all the Aurors stationed in the department came, they couldn’t have cast so many Spells at once.
So, the moment Algernon and the other Death Eater regained their senses, they prepared to escape!
They were now down to just two, while the Aurors seemed to have all arrived. Their plan had definitely failed!
Algernon immediately raised his Wand and began to cast Apparition.
However, before he could finish the incantation, a thick, heavy book floated up from the desk and struck him directly on the head!
The Spell was interrupted, and then a dozen red Petrification Charms hit him, completely sealing his escape route.
The other Death Eater didn’t even have the chance to Apparate. He wasn’t a Ministry of Magic employee, so the anti-Apparition Charm in the building didn’t affect him.
As he stood there helplessly, Wand in hand, dozens of Wands floated into the room, their tips all aimed at him.
At that moment, Sherlock and a numb-looking Sophie walked in.
The Death Eater cornered against the wall didn’t dare cast a Spell. After Sherlock entered, he craned his neck, trying to spot the large Auror force that had cast the Spells in unison.
However, there was no one behind Sherlock. The room was empty.
Only Algernon, who was lying on the ground facing the door, could clearly see that there was no one in the Hall of Time outside. The only ones who had entered were the man and woman standing in front of him.
And from their attire, it was clear that the male wizard wasn’t from the Ministry of Magic!
Algernon’s eyes grew vacant.
So there was no large Auror force. All those countless Spells were actually cast by one person?
Sherlock didn’t care about the Death Eaters’ mental state. After casting a few more Petrification Charms on the only one still able to move, he walked over to Madame Selwyn and released the Spell on her.
Noticing the confusion on the Department of Mysteries head’s face, Sherlock raised an eyebrow and introduced himself.
“Madame, my name is John Watson. In Sheffield, I was entrusted by Eddie Butler to inform you that your predecessor, Studdery, was murdered, and the Death Eaters learned the Department of Mysteries’ secrets from her. They could invade here at any time. It seems I arrived a bit too late.”
Madame Selwyn shook her head.
"No, you arrived just in time. If you hadn't shown up, things would have gotten out of hand."
Sherlock could sense from her tone that she wasn't particularly worried. It seemed that even if he hadn't appeared and she had been given Veritaserum, the Death Eaters wouldn't have obtained what they wanted.
The wands that had been floating in the air gradually returned to Sherlock's bag. At this moment, a commotion could be heard outside the Hall of Time.
Soon, Scrimgeour arrived with Barty Jr., Kingsley, and four others. They were shocked and bewildered by the scene in the Department of Mysteries office.
Seeing that they had only just arrived, Sherlock couldn't help but think of the police in movies who always show up after everything is over, just to wrap things up.
Scrimgeour and his team were indeed here to wrap things up.
With Algie not wearing a mask, it was clear who the traitor was. Scrimgeour ordered his subordinates to take the Death Eaters to the interrogation room. As the head of the office, he then personally questioned Sherlock.
"You're saying that during your trip to Sheffield, you ran into Eddie by chance, and he asked you to report the situation to the Ministry of Magic?"
His tone was friendly, more like a routine inquiry than an interrogation. Sherlock didn't feel uncomfortable and answered honestly.
"Yes, the Death Eaters were chasing him, not wanting him to bring the news back to the Ministry. The Ministry, on the other hand, had some misunderstandings about him. We happened to meet, and because of certain reasons, we had a mutual basis of trust. He asked me to find Sophie, who then brought me to the Ministry to see Madame Selwyn. That's how things ended up as you see them."
Scrimgeour's face darkened.
"After the operation in Wales failed, it was Algie who accused Eddie of being a traitor! His grandfather was a former Minister of Magic, and he had a wide network of connections in the department. Those people convinced Crouch not to give Eddie a chance, and they quickly determined his guilt. Even Barty Jr., who was part of that operation, expressed doubts, saying the traitor might not be Eddie, but it was to no avail."
He then looked at Sherlock.
"Did Eddie tell you where he plans to go next? With Algie captured, this will be enough to clear his name."
Sherlock shrugged.
"He said he's going to the Isle of Man. The Death Eaters are still hunting him, and he wants to divert some of their attention to reduce the pressure on Sheffield."
Scrimgeour remained silent.
"Eddie's loyalty to the Ministry of Magic should never have been doubted. I will help him get an explanation from the department."
Finally, Scrimgeour solemnly thanked Sherlock.
"Thank you for your help, Mr. Watson. If you hadn't arrived in time, the consequences would have been severe. Is there anything you need? If so, I can try to get the Ministry to grant it as a reward."
Scrimgeour was sincere. Without Sherlock, Madame Selwyn would have been given Veritaserum, and the situation could have become extremely serious, potentially costing him his position as Head of the Auror Office.
Sherlock had been waiting for this offer. He didn't hesitate or feign modesty and directly asked:
"During my visit to the Ministry of Magic, I found the Department of Mysteries quite intriguing. Could I apply for a position here and work in this department?"
Scrimgeour was caught off guard by this request.
If Sherlock had asked for honors or money, Scrimgeour could have easily approved them through the Ministry. Even if he wanted to join the Aurors, Scrimgeour would have been more than happy to accommodate him.
While he didn't know what methods Sherlock had used to defeat five Death Eaters (he didn't even consider Sophie's contribution), such a level of skill would be a significant asset to the Auror Office.
Scrimgeour tried to persuade him:
"If you're willing, I can directly recruit you into the Auror Office. Given your current achievements, a promotion to Captain could be arranged. As for the Department of Mysteries, I don't have the authority to make decisions for them. If you really want to work here, I can ask Madame Selwyn for her thoughts."
Sherlock neither accepted nor declined, but said:
"Could you please help me ask her? I'm willing to contribute to the Ministry of Magic, but personally, I find the work in the Department of Mysteries more appealing. Fighting and killing isn't my thing."
Scrimgeour pulled at the corner of his mouth and nodded.
"Will you wait here for the result, or leave now? If you decide to leave, I'll send someone to inform you once Madame Selwyn has given her response."
"I'll head back to the Leaky Cauldron. If you have a response, you can send someone there to find me. My uncle and I are staying there."
(End of Chapter)
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